Forest fungi

 

I just finished making this cushion/pillow as part of an Instagram based sew along. As soon as I saw the forest fungi quilt pattern, I fell in love with it, so just had to part part. I saw a beautiful mock up and decided to base my fabric pull around that. It was a great time saver when choosing the fabrics and also gave me a great opportunity to try out a darker background colour as a change. 

Unfortunately I got sick while I was making this, so it took longer to come together than I originally thoughts. I also didn’t feel up to doing much sewing and the quilting was the main thing I couldn’t face doing. My sister had encouraged me to give organic curve quilting a try and although I was reluctant at first, the thought of making out straight lines for quilting really didn’t suit my energy levels. So I went for it and I’m so glad I did! It might not be perfect but it was quite relaxing to do after the first few lines.

I have been desperate to try flannel as a quilt or cushion back, when I saw this art gallery fabrics flannel it seemed like the perfect print for this pattern. I actually started with this fabric when I was choosing my fabric pull, which made a change too. I had seen a few people quilting their cushion/pillow backs and thought I’d give that a try too. I must admit although it feels quite nice, I’m not sure how necessary it is and think I preferred the feel of the flannel before I quilted it on this occasion. I definitely want to try quilting a cotton back and using the flannel without quilting, to properly compare and see if it changes my opinion. One tip I would definitely recommend, from the experience of not doing it, do a zigzag stitch on the edge of the pillow before adding binding if you are finishing your pillow that way. I felt like my binding was slightly more difficult and didn’t sit at neat with the 2 layers of batting, I think the extra bit of stitching would have made it much better and will definitely take the time to do it in future. 

Although I did a tiny bit of tweaking to accommodate the batting to be included in the top half of the cushion/pillow back (I didn’t add it to the small bottom section), I still used my tried and tested hidden zip back method. You can find the tutorial here, if you’d also like a handy binding tutorial I have one here too.

I always like to include the names of fabrics I use on my blog, although a couple of bits was scraps, I have done my best to include the names I could find:

Art gallery fabrics Fleuron haven flannel.

Colour flow by stoffabrics (mustard coloured binding)

Andover giucy giuce (dark green speckle background)

Dear Stella wee gallery hearts (in a red colour-big mushroom)

Figs elements by ghazal razavi (blush/dusky pink colour-big mushroom)

Andover maid of honour (pink spot-little mushroom)

Moda Lady bird by crystal manning (yellow-little mushroom)

Art gallery fabrics soften the volume (low volume-stipe/stem of mushrooms)

The first fungi quilt pattern is by pen and paper patterns

Thread used is Aurifil 50 wt thread in shade 2415 for quilting and 2021 for patchwork.

I love my new cushion/pillow and have the a plan for the perfect place to put it. 

Mx

hair bow

I saw this cute hair bow idea on pinterest and decided to make my own. I followed a tutorial and found the shape bulky in the centre, so I decided to change the pattern and make my own to share with you. I have photographed the three main stages below and you can see the end result, once tied, above. At the bottom of this post is a printable instruction sheet including the template to make your own.

Mx

Neso Quilt Pattern Testers Parade

 As with all my patterns, I feel it is best to get them tried and tested before release, so that they are the best they can be. The Neso quilt was no different and these are the fabulous quilts that my lovely testers made. Go check them out on Instagram and give them some love. Mx

Hi, my name is Kelly. I’m a wife, mom, and teacher in Washington State, USA. While I’ve been sewing since middle school, I started quilting in 2020. I had so much fun making Stacey’s Neso Quilt! The pattern was clearly written and came together quickly. It’s perfect for anyone who wants a quick make with little fabric waste.  I used strip piecing for the blocks- making the work even easier! My fabrics are 1 Tarrytown jelly roll from Ruby Star Society and a light gray Kona solid. You can find me @keep_it_together.quilts on Instagram

Hi, I'm Cassie! I live in Maryland, USA.  I've been making quilts for 19 years and testing patterns for 3 years. The Neso quilt is the perfect pattern for that jelly roll you've been hoarding for years! I have been trying so hard to use my stash lately and I finally had the exact fabric requirements for a throw size quilt.  I have so many jelly rolls without coordinating yardage hanging around.  To not need 2-3 yards of background fabric was such a relief.  This quilt top came together in a weekend and I was so excited about it, I quilted and bound it right away.  I think I just might need to make another one out of scraps...Great pattern Stacey, thank you!!

I'm Kersten of @quilty_kersten. From Australia. I've been  quilt making for the better part of 10 years. 

In my Neso tester quilt I used a selection of Art Gallery Fabrics that I had in my stash. Some from Twenty, Nectarine fusion, Gloria and one from Ruby Star Society First light. The Accent colour is Art Gallery Pure Solids in Cabernet. 

This Quilt was so fun and easy to make, excellent way to stash or scrap bust. 

Kersten

Hi I'm Lolly from Birmingham, UK. I've only been quilting for about 3 or 4 years now. I still consider myself new to quilting but becoming more and more confident in my quilting skills This is my third test quilt for Crafty Lil Mouse! 

I had so much fun stitching the Bestla and Ersa patterns. So I signed up for this one as its jelly roll friendly and I had a Christmas jelly roll to use!! It's a great pattern for a stash buster as well or a scrappy quilt!!

Find me on instagram @lollypopstitches

Hi, I am Sanne, or Sew by Sanne. I started quilting while we were
living in Dubai, about 5 years ago and haven't stopped since. I like
all kinds of techniques, traditional piecing, foundation paper
piecing, but recently I also fell in love with EPP. I'm also
experimenting with hand quilting and my use of fabric. I do prefer a
bit more modern fabrics. I really had a lot of fun with playing with
fabrics to create this ombre version of the pattern and choosing the
perfect contrast colour to make the details pop. If you like to see my
makes you can find me on Instagram under SewbySanne or my blog
sewbysanne.wixsite.com/blog

Neso Quilt

Here is the Neso Quilt and I love this pattern! It is so beginner friendly or a quick make for a more experienced quilter. With minimum waste and no seams to match it is nice and easy to sew, especially if you use a pre cut jelly roll. Of course it's not just for pre-cuts, fabric requirements are included for if you wanted to use yardage or scraps. It would definitely be a great scrap buster pattern and I can't wait to get chance to make my own scrappy rainbow version. In the pdf pattern I have given the fabric requirements for 3 sizes but have included the cutting instructions and colouring pages for a total of 8 sizes! 

The Neso Quilt is my 6th quilt pattern this year and probably my last for the year, so I really hope you love it too. If you want to check them out and hopefull buy and make any of my quilt patterns, please visit the links below:

Etsy store here! (Neso, Ersa, Dione & Dione XL bundle and all my other sewing patterns).

Narvi Quilt is available for a special price on my buy me a coffee page, here.

Eris Quilt is Free on my blog here.

Thanks so much for reading this blog and hopefully checking out my patterns. When you sew one I would love to see it, Please Tag me when you share it!.

Crafty lil mouse x

Narvi Quilt

 Its about time I introduced you to my latest quilt pattern... the Narvi Quilt! 

Its a nice and easy to make strip quilt. I made mine using pre cut layer cake pieces but it would be a fabulous scrap buster. 

To get this pattern simply go to the extras on my 'buy me a coffee page', link here!

Crafty lil mouse x

#sewapillowinaweekend

 After chatting with a friend on Instagram recently, she challenged me to make a cushion in a day! Thinking about it, I am fairly quick at sewing cushions (or if your not in the UK a pillow), but I still didn't think I could manage to make a it from start to finish in one day. I figured we might as well find out though, so I took on the challenge.

That is how #sewapillowinaweekend challenge was born! 

For the challenge, I decided I would choose the pattern before making. For me that was an old blog tutorial, so I knew exactly what I was doing and didn't have to keep checking the pattern. I only timed the actual making time too. I didn't include any time getting out supplies or putting them away or general life stuff (eg eating, resting or IG scrolling etc). 

I managed to sew my cushion in around 8 hours, although it was over 3 days (mostly due to my health conditions and needing to rest so much). I definitely think it would be possible for someone to make one in a day but more realistically a weekend. It was really interesting to see how quick, when really trying to finish quickly, I could manage it. I was also surprised by how quick or slowly I did certain parts of the making process too. Throughout the weekend I shared my progress and times in my IG stories. I have saved these to a highlight if you fancy taking a look. I think I might try this challenge again some time too.

I would love to see other people do this challenge, so if you fancy it, please share using the #sewapillowinaweekend and tag me. 

For reference I made an 18" square cushion, using this blog tutorial. A zip cushion back, using this blog tutorial. With machine quilting and binding (using this tutorial) that was hand stitched to finish. 

Mx

Bestla Quilt- pattern testers parade!

 These are the quilts made by my fabulous pattern testers...

Hi, I'm Abbie and I live in Yorkshire, UK. My sister Stacey got me into sewing a few years ago as a productive use of my downtime whilst renovating my house, (I think she may have had ulterior motives, as in house pattern tester and fabric enabler though!) I only finished my first quilt last year but, as with many serial quilt starters, I already had a few on the go and cant see any signs of me stopping soon. 

I just love playing with mixes of fabrics and patterns and the Bestla is so versatile it was hard to settle on just one. I opted for a mix of Kaffe Fassett prints with a Dashwood pop solid this time, but I'm sure it wont be my last Bestla! This is my biggest quilt so far, but it came together really quickly with the help of the lovely Cath @cumbrianlongarmer to quilt it. I'm super happy with how well its all come together and the pattern, prints and colours all pop. If you like it too and want to see more, follow me @patching_up on Instagram. 

Hello, I'm Tessa and I'm currently residing Washington State. I've been sewing since I was 10, but I started quilting when my husband deployed and I needed something else to help keep my mind busy. Since my first quilt, I haven't looked back!

I really enjoyed the Bestla Quilt Pattern because it challenged me to use directional fabrics. I usually hesitate when using directional fabrics, but Stacey wrote the pattern with them in mind so I went for it - And I'm so glad I did because the outcome was amazing! You are able to really have fun with fabric choices and their placement and you can even use some of your large print fabrics - always a bonus! There are so many options to truly customize your Bestla quilt top and Stacey walks you through each of the steps with ease. And you can make a bed size quilt in less time than you would think!

I used some pink, purple, and white solids from my ever growing, never shrinking, fabric stash and paired those with a Riley Blake print from Damask Love called Triangles. I love how it turned out. My Bestla quilt will be a gift for my cousin who starts college soon. It will be hard to part with, but that just means I'll get to make another one!

I'm always sewing or quilting something fun, so follow me to see what I'm working on next! You can find me @TessaJayQuilts on Instagram.

Hi, my name is Kelly. I’m a wife, mom, and teacher in Washington State, USA. While I’ve been sewing since middle school, I started quilting in 2020. I had so much fun making Stacey’s Bestla Quilt! The pattern was clearly written and came together quickly. It’s straightforward enough for quilters of all levels but makes a big impact. The big main star section is perfect for featuring those special prints. I used Just Kitten Around by Monika Forsberg and some Kona solids. You can find me @keep_it_together.quilts on Instagram.

Hi I'm Lolly from Birmingham, UK. I've only been quilting for about 3 or 4 years now. I still consider myself new to quilting but becoming more and more confident in my quilting skills. This is my second test quilt for Crafty Lil Mouse!  

I had so much fun stitching the Bestla pattern together mainly due to choosing a nice simple colour palette from my stash! It's a great pattern for a stash buster! It was such a quick fun make in the baby quilt size!

The fabrics used are from Tula Pink, Rashida Coleman-Hale and Sarah Watts fabrics! I think the tones of fabrics really worked well together and it turned out so great I am so pleased!

I’m Coral, A contemporary quilter from South Wales, UK.  I made my first quilt over 10 years ago and have been hooked ever since.  I think it’s safe to say that my stitching skills have come a long way since that first quilt, but I still cherish that first quilt and the time that went into making it.

See Coral's other makes on her instagram @valley.view.quiltco

Bestla Quilt

 I can't quite believe it, but it is time to release my 4th quilt pattern into the world. I think I might be the most excited about this one too!

The design is so versatile that I really struggled to pick my favourites to include on the inspiration page in the pattern. You can also see some of these on the Instagram reel I created for the release.

The main bonus of the pattern, and the whole reason it exists, is that there is a large star to feature the larger print fabrics. It always seems such a shame that there aren’t more quilt patterns to showcase the bigger prints. It also helps to speed up the making process with less piecing and larger blocks. The pattern is written with directional prints in mind, as all my patterns are, and you can use yardage, fat quarters or scraps to create your quilt. 

You can buy the pdf pattern on my Etsy store now, so you can start making your own. Don't forget to share your quilt and use #bestlaquilt and tag me @craftylilmouse so I can see them!

Mx

Adventureland Quilt

 

Here is my spring time Adventureland quilt. 

I chose to make a throw size as a gift for a relatives big birthday. I found some beautiful fabric for the back and built a fabric pull, all in these soft pastels to coordinate.

The pattern is by suzy quilts and you can buy the pattern from her website. She was hosting a sew along on Instagram and I couldn't resist joining in. It is a really easy to follow pattern and quick to sew. I found trimming it square a little difficult but it was ok in the end. Since I did the throw size, it was a little bit harder to quilt on my machine but I picked straight lines with my walking foot, to give me the best chance of doing a nice job of quilting.  I have added all the fabrics names I could and the Aurifil thread colours I used, if you are interested. I'm quite happy with how it turned out and I am excited to send it as a special gift.

Mx 

Fabrics Used:

Moda Apricot & Ash corey yonder of coriander quilts (peach floral)

Roadside flowers Stoffabrics (blue floral)

Windham fabrics 'knit n purl' by Whistler studios (green)

Sevenberry (lilac spot)

Dashwood twist (peach colour)

Spiced garden by Maryjane corey of hollyhill quilt (green check)

Camelot fabric (lilac)

Honey bunny by sleeping bears press for Michael Miller (blue)

Moda Apricot & Ash (peach gingham)

Riley Blake blossom by Tattooed quilter (lilac blossom)

Windham fabrics Botany by Kelly Ventura (floral backing)

Aurifil threads: 2021 pieceing & 4093 quilting

Ersa Quilt Pattern- Testers parade

 Hi I'm Lolly from Birmingham, UK. I've only been quilting for about 3 or 4 years now with only 4 quilt finishes under my belt (and 3 in progress haha). I still consider myself new to quilting but becoming more and more confident in my quilting skills so I signed up for being a tester for this pattern! 

I had so much fun stitching the Esra pattern together mainly due to the rainbow that it created and the rainbow of scraps it created also when trimming the blocks! 

It was such a quick fun make in the baby quilt size!

The solid fabrics used are from Libs Elliott Phosphor collections and the background fabric Is Zoltar White from Libs Elliott Beguiled collection with the rainbow details on the print, from far away it judt appears white but up close you can see the details which adds to the solids!

Hi, I'm Rebecca from Ireland. I learnt to sew mostly from internet classes and videos and started to quilt in 2018, now I just can't stop!

Find me @spinningwheelquilts on Instagram.

Here in the quiet mountains of North Carolina, quilting has kept me company over the last couple years. I see everyday no matter what with my fur babies at my feet.

Testing the Ersa quilt was such a treat! The pattern and instructions were so easy to follow, it went together very quickly. I decided to go outside my comfort zone with Tula Pink solids in bright colors and am so happy with the results! I definitely will be making this again and the color choices are endless. Thank you for allowing me to test for you!!

Lisa Visel

@mountainviewquilts

Www.mtnviewquilts.com

Hi, I'm Kerry - a quilter, longarm quilter and fabric rescuer living in Kent. I'm also a wife to a long suffering carrier of fabric bolts and pawrent to Snoopy a 6 month old miniature sausage dog and Ronnie a 2 year old tabby cat.

I've been making quilts for almost 11 years now and in my 3rd year of being a longarm quilter. I help to run the Great British Quilter Instagram account, am the current website editor for Region 2 of The Quilters Guild, am a proud Pfaff brand ambassador and product tester for Groves, I love to talk about quilting and share my passion to anyone who wants to listen so I'm very grateful to have these wonderful platforms. I recently launched my new website, a very steep learning curve but an achievement I'm proud of, you can sign up to my newsletter Diagnosis Quilter - written by a quilter for quilters and find out more about my workshops, talks and trunk shows. 

I made my version of the Ersa Quilt using a range of rainbow scraps and created an ombre effect with the background going from black to white, from some of my favourite designers/collections including Alison Glass, Helen Steele, Ruby Star Society, Moda and Sarah Ashford.

Website: www.thatssewkerry.com

I’m Nicky, contemporary quilter from Essex, UK. I’ve been quilting for 6 years, my first quilts were made for my twin niece and nephew! I love using bright and bold fabrics and creating things that make a statement! When Stacey asked me to pattern test for her I knew I wanted to create a bold rainbow 🌈 so I used my hoarded Libs Elliott that I had been saving for the right project and the Ersa quilt was just that! Being a EPP lover, I’m pushing myself to make more machine pieced quilts, the Ersa pattern is so beautifully well written that it’s perfect even for a beginner or a non confident machine sewer like me.

Hi, I'm Kelly and live in the UK in the south west. I enjoy sewing in my free time and definitely have a bit of a fabric addiction. I loved testing this quilt pattern. It came together really quick and looks so effective. The instructions are fantastic and great for all skill levels. I used my stash of Libs Elliot fabric that I have had for a while I didn’t know what I would use them for but when I saw Stacey’s pattern I knew straight away it would go perfectly. It created a really pretty rainbow version of the Ersa Quilt. I made the lap size and plan to quilt it myself, on my domestic machine. I cannot wait to make this pattern again and use my endless stash to create more!!

Hi, I'm Aislan Hoffman. I really enjoyed testing this pattern. It came out great and was rather quick to put together. I'm @aislanhoffman on Instagram.

I Hope you like all the testers quilts, I do! If you would like to make your own, you can buy the pattern from my Etsy store here.

Mx

Eris quilt pattern

 

I recently made my Ersa Quilt pattern (available to buy on Etsy). I used some Alison Glass fabrics but didn't have a large piece for the quilt backing. Instead I decided to make a patchwork back using the left overs. When my sister saw it, she thought it was another quilt top, so I have decided to share it as a free quilt pattern for you.

You can save the picture above and print as a full page to colour or just open on your device to see measurements. You can easily change the size of this quilt too. For example if you want your quilt 6" longer just make the 12 1/2" to 13 1/2" instead. 

 Here is a full view of my Eris flimsy before I quilted and trimmed it. 

I hope you like the Eris quilt pattern and make one, I cant wait to see it if you do, please share it on Instagram using #erisquilt and #craftylilmousepatterns so I don't miss them.

Mx

Ersa Quilt Pattern

 I'm so excited about my second pattern release! 

This time it is a really nice simple quilt made from half square triangles and squares. There are instructions for yardage or using scraps and some colour inspiration to help you choose.  My favourite is the rainbow colourway, although ombre or single colour look fabulous too. The pattern is beginner friendly, but if you're new to patchwork, you might want to check out my free trimming tutorial here for those perfect points.

You can buy the Ersa quilt pattern from Etsy here.

Check out the upcoming testers parade blog post for more inspiration. Also check out the #ersaquilt on Instagram. I can't wait to see your versions !

For my quilt I used Alison Glass Chroma Fabrics and Dashwood Pop solids in pearl. I used Aurifil 50wt thread in shade 2026. I quilted this myself using a walking foot and tried to compliment the fabric design. I am so happy with my rainbow quilt.

Mx

Trimming Half Square Triangles

I have released a couple of quilt patterns now and it's got me thinking about beginner quilters. I am in no way an expert, however, I would like to share some experience and try to help if you are just starting your quilting journey. My quilt patterns (as well as many other patterns and blogs) have good instructions for making half square triangles (HST). They are a nice easy and very versatile block, but they need to be trimmed properly to line up. Many instructions don't show trimming though and if you are new to patchwork you may be wondering how to trim your HSTs. 

Here is a quick little tutorial...

1. Press your seam open and lay your HST block onto a cutting mat. Place a quilting ruler on top, with the 45° angle line running along the seam.

2. Use a rotary cutter along the edge of your ruler to trim away the excess fabric. Make sure that the remaining block is big enough for the size of square you are trimming. In this photo the HST is to be trimmed to 3".

3. Once trimmed, turn your block so the trimmed edges are lined up against the measurement you are trimming to, with the 45° angle line running along the seam. 

4. Trim away the excess fabric, leaving a perfectly trimmed HST block.

5. Repeat for all of the other HSTs in your project.

I hope you find this helpful and keep checking back for more quick tutorials I'm hoping to add soon.

Mx

Quilt pockets

 

I have been looking for a way to hold up larger quilts for photos, and came across the great idea of pocket corners. It’s so simple and works perfectly!

After a a couple of tries, I found a great size to make so thought I’d share it.

Cut a 5 1/2” x 9” rectangle of fabric,  I used a calico, which was sturdy but not too thick. 

Fold in half, so the short sides meet. Sew along the top edge.

Open out and fold down to create a point. 

Trim off the bottom to make a neat triangle.

Fold and press up a 1/4” seam allowance.

Top stitch to hold in place.

Top stitch the other 2 sides, leaving the opening for a pole.

Use safety pins or basting stitch the pocket to the quilt. I did large stitches on my machine, close to the binding which was secure and easy.

Now insert a pole into the pocket to make holding up for a photo easy. 

Simply remove after your photos and reuse on others quilts.

 I found some extending mop handles in the supermarket which was perfect. These worked great as they wasn’t as long to travel for a quilt in the wild photo too. Hopefully this come in useful to someone.

Mx

 

Dione quilt - pattern testers parade!

Ready for the release of my first quilt pattern, I got some great makers to pattern test for me. I have been a pattern tester quite a few times and really enjoy it. As a pattern writer, the testers are really appreciated too. It means that hopefully there is no mistakes and the pattern is as easy as possible to use.

This is a blog post with the wonderful quilts and the people behind them.

Breanna lives in Ontario, Canada and has been quilting since she was ten. She spends most of her free time with her sewing machine or a good book. She started Rose & Ivy Quilts to sell her quilts when she realized she was making more than she could keep for herself.

@roseivyquilts

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/RoseAndIvyCo

I’m Coral, A contemporary quilter from South Wales, UK.  I made my first quilt over 10 years ago and have been hooked ever since.  I think it’s safe to say that my stitching skills have come a long way since that first quilt, but I still cherish that first quilt and the time that went into making it.

I have loved testing patterns for a number of designers over the last year.  It has encouraged me to step out of my comfort zone and try patterns a little different to what I would normally pick out.  The Dione Quilt was a dream to make, it looks fantastic as a scrappy quilt but also just as amazing with bold solid colours.

Coral used Moda Bella solids in tan, periwinkle and feather as well as a print from her stash.

See Coral's other makes on her instagram @valley.view.quiltco

Hi, I'm Kerry - a quilter, longarm quilter and fabric rescuer living in Kent. I'm also a wife to a long suffering carrier of fabric bolts and pawrent to Snoopy a 5 month old miniature sausage dog and Ronnie a 2 year old tabby cat.

I've been making quilts for almost 11 years now and in my 3rd year of being a longarm quilter. I help to run the Great British Quilter Instagram account, am the current website editor for Region 2 of The Quilters Guild and am a proud Pfaff brand ambassador, I love to talk about quilting and share my passion to anyone who wants to listen so I'm very grateful to have these wonderful platforms. I recently launched my new website, a very steep learning curve but an achievement I'm proud of, you can sign up to my newsletter Diagnosis Quilter - written by a quilter for quilters!

I made my version of the Dione Quilt using scraps in colours I don't usually sew with altogether, from some of my favourite designers/collections including Alison Glass, Helen Steele, Ruby Star Society and Libs Elliot.

Visit Kerry's website: www.thatssewkerry.com

Hi, I'm Laura. I live in London with my family. I began quilting this past year, although I have been sewing all my life. I loved making the Dione Quilt for Stacey! I used Smol fabric from Ruby Star Society for my pattern test.

Although I've only been quilting for around two years and I am very much a beginner I felt assisted and guided throughout pattern testing the Dione quilt. With tips and hints for using directional fabric as well as tutorials for creating both the HSTs and flying geese there was Little room for error and I made a beautiful quilt I'm overjoyed with! The Dione quilt was a huge confidence boosting pattern with endless possibilities.

The blocks came together with speed and ease. I had been saving the Dashwood under the sea fabrics for a special quilt and love the movement and flow they have created. I added hand quilting in both silver and pink glitter and bright orange thread to mimic the waves of the sea. It's so fun!! 

Charlie xx

 If you fancy making your own Dione quilt, you can now buy the pattern in my Etsy store.

Mx