Good morning everyone! I hope you all had a nice weekend and an easygoing Monday. I made sure to take advantage of the nice weather, and got outside to play with my grandsons as much as I could on Saturday and Sunday. Spending time with those crazy kids is always so much fun – I absolutely love it! They definitely keep me on my toes. I’ve been super busy in the studio lately so it was nice to escape from work for a while. Not only do I have a bunch of projects going on simultaneously (as usual), but I also have several fabric lines moving forward in their process. It’s always a little bit nerve-racking waiting for a new line to get here – which is what I’m experiencing right now with “Autumn Gatherings,” my new collection of fall flannels scheduled to arrive this August.

It seems kind of crazy to be talking about flannel since it’s been so hot lately, but now is actually a great time to start thinking about autumn-themed projects if you want to get them done in time for fall. I can’t tell you how excited I am that “Autumn Gatherings“ is so close to being here – I really think you’re going to love it! This line is a collection of unique colors and prints that perfectly represent the autumn color palette. My definition of eye candy!

As difficult as it is not to have “Autumn Gatherings“ already in your sewing room, there is some good news. You can pre-order your supply now so once it does arrive, you get it A.S.A.P. And hey! Even more good news – all “Autumn Gatherings” kits, patterns, and pre-cuts are ON SALE! Get dibs on your stash now by clicking the button below (offer available for a limited time. Sale valid on “Autumn Gatherings” pre-order items only. Please remember that pre-orders need to be the only item in your cart when placing your order because we do not have an exact date of when the inventory will arrive at the warehouse, and do not want to delay the shipment of the rest of your order.

Along with my new fabric lines comes new projects of course, and “Autumn Gatherings“ is no exception! I think one of the most clever things about this line are the panel options I designed based on one of my previous wool appliqué projects called, “Live a Thankful Life.” I refer to these as “cheater panels” because they’re super simple, fast, fun, and require zero appliqué and minimal stitching. If you want to take yours a step further, you could always add your own wool appliqué or fancy stitching to give it a little flare. The panels come in either a light or dark versions, and are a great option if you want beautiful results without a lot of time investment.

These seasonal panels are a fun way to get your project started without having to put too much thought into the theme of your overall design. You can do them as a whole panel, or cut them into pieces for a more patchwork look. My pattern, “Autumn on the Farm“ is one project you can do using these panels cut into sections and paired with some of the flannels from the “Autumn Gatherings“ collection. You can do “Autumn on the Farm“ in either the light or dark versions… or both if you’re feeling extra ambitious! Finished size is 50″ x 59″ which is great for display as wall décor.When you take a look at “Autumn Morning“ at first glance many think it’s a complicated quilt to accomplish, but that illusion is what makes it such a neat design. “Autumn Morning” is actually a super simple quilt that requires only one little sew-n’ flip on each square. I love the way this quilt tricks your eye into thinking it has a circle motif when in reality, the pattern is built using multi-sided geometric shapes. Finished size for “Autumn Morning” is 72″ x 84″.

Looking for something a bit on the bigger side? “Swirling Leaves“ is a real monster of a quilt, measuring in at 100″ x 100″. I tend to make bigger pieces in flannel quilt designs, so you won’t see any tiny half-square triangles on this one. The bigger pieces make  “Swirling Leaves“ a nice choice for anyone who’s not quite a master quilter, but wants to take on a larger project. And hey, I happen to think that the size and weight of this makes it a great wedding quilt… I call it, “the baby maker” because by the time the newlyweds are able to get out from under all that weight, a baby has most likely been made! LOL!!!

If you’re a fan of super big quilts, “Falling Leaves“ is another large piece designed with “Autumn Gatherings” in mind. This big boy will fit right in with your autumn décor around the house or cabin. Mainly done in earthy browns, “Falling Leaves” also features a colorful triangle boarder with an autumn tree of life in the center. Despite its size, this is another simple design that with a little determination could easily go together in a weekend. Jess reports she was able to finish her’s in just a couple days, even though she has a two year old to wrangle at the same time. Amazing. Beautiful work Jess! All said and done, “Falling Leaves” measures 98″ x 98″.

Next up we have “Potting Shed.” For those of you who have asked me in the past if Nick has ever made a quilt, this is the actually the autumn version of a Christmas quilt he made a couple of years ago. This cozy tribute to autumn is fat-quarter tower friendly, with a square-in-square design that is super simple and fun to make. I especially love the way this one shows off all the different colors and textures within this line. With a finished size of 60″ x 72″ it’s large enough to use as a bed cover, and small enough to display as wall décor.

Nothing says autumn has arrived quite like a colorful garden Mum. This pretty quilt is a reproduction design based on one of the antique pieces from my own personal collection. If you enjoy working with simple appliqué, this project would be a great choice! The way the light colored background shows off the unique and intricate quilting is really stunning, don’t you think? “Garden Mums“ is 60″ x 72″ when finished.  

Most of you know that when it comes to designing quilt patterns, I’m a big fan of working with both super little pieces and super large pieces alike. As I mentioned earlier, when using flannels I tend to lean toward larger pieces because the flannel seems to behave better that way. “Autumn Star“ is as about as big and chunky as it gets, using simple and large pieces that make it quick, easy, and a great option for a weekend project. Less is clearly more when you see the finished product. The simplicity and ease of this pattern certainly doesn’t take away from its beauty! “Autumn Star” is a square quilt and measures 70″ x 70″ when complete.

I’ve always said, “nobody’s too good for a nine patch!” I like a good nine patch quilt because they’re simple, straightforward, and always fun. “WI Autumn“ is a beautiful nine patch quilt that is sure to be the the center of attention wherever you decide to display it. I really enjoy the clean, geometric look that almost resembles autumn leaves slowly fluttering to the ground. Once again, despite the size simple squares make quick work of this project, resulting in a brilliant aesthetic treat for your eyes. At 76″ x 96″ “WI Autumn“ is a nice versatile size that can be displayed just about anywhere.

Even though each and every one of these projects is beaming with autumn glory, I can’t say I’m ready for fall quite yet. “Autumn Gatherings“ on the other hand, can hurry up and get here! I’m really proud of these flannels, and I think you’ll be just as proud of the art you create with it. Remember, if you’d like yours to ship as soon as it arrives here at Primitive Gatherings, you can pre-order kits, pre-cuts, yardage, and projects – now on our website! Don’t forget, if you pre-order your backing at the same time as you pre-order your quilt kit, you’ll get 15% OFF on the kit as well as 20% OFF on the backing for ordering everything at once. 

I hope you were able to catch “Shop Talk with Shelley“ this morning. She covered some important announcements, new events, and the arrival of some exciting new inventory here at the shop. If you missed it you can watch the replay by hitting the button below! As always, be sure to leave us a comment here on the blog and during our LIVE show for a chance to win a prize! It’s easy to win… Just ask Joan R. and Cathy B. – our lucky winners this week! As usual, I’m not posting last names or email addresses for everyone’s privacy, so if you think you’re one of these two lucky winners, please check your email! You can also contact Heidi at heidin@primitivegatherings.us if you have not already received your prize notification. She will use your email address to confirm that you are in fact the winner (in the case that there is someone with the same initials, she will determine the correct person with matching email address). Congratulations to the winners! If you want a chance to be a winner like Joan and Cathy, be sure to leave me a comment. After all, you can’t win if you don’t play! See you soon. ~Lisa