Have you ever finished a project that made you absolutely, completely, utterly happy to finish?? This quilt is that for me. I have been saving Cotton + Steel selvages for years and thanks to the help of some wonderful friends who sent me selvages, this quilt is now DONE!
I shared my methodology in a previous blog post (HERE) and made 99 blocks for a twin sized quilt. I made sure to press all of the seams open to help reduce bulk and now it’s waiting for a trip to the quilter! I can’t wait to see what Debbie of Hobble Creek Quilting does!
I estimate there are well over 100 different fabrics represented here from various Cotton + Steel original lines as well as Ruby Star Society lines. It was absolutely a labor of love, but I know this will be an absolute favorite forever!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
During this crazy, hectic holiday season, I have LOVED having my Cricut Explore Air 2. This is my first holiday season having the ability to make things I never would have contemplated making before, all because of my Cricut. I want to share 5 reasons why I LOVE my Cricut Explore Air 2 with you today and also a fun, fast project you can make on your own Explore Air 2!
1 – It. Is. FAST! I recently shared my tutorial for making car/sewing machine decals and highlighted there how fast this machine is. I can literally make a sticker in less than 30 seconds. The Explore Air 2 is 2X faster than previous models and it shows!
2 – When your project is ready to cut out, the Explore Air 2 literally shows you what to do. The buttons flash! I love this feature so much. It helps give me the reassurance as I’m learning a new technique that I am doing it in the correct order. I also love that my kids can help as I’m working on projects. They love it, too. 🙂
3 – I love the dial feature on the Explore Air 2. You can choose from a variety of pre-selected materials on the dial, or turn it to custom if you’re not sure. When you turn it to custom, you then get to search from Cricut’s extensive library of materials and choose the one you are using. From outdoor vinyl to infusible ink to felt to cardstock, everything you could need is in the library.
4 – Cricut Explore Air 2 comes in a wide variety of colors. I happen to love the mint color that mine came in. If mint isn’t your thing, there is black, red, lilac, rose, fuchsia, sky, blue, peach kiss, raspberry, and the fancy Martha Stewart pearly white version.
5- My absolute favorite thing about my Explore Air 2 is the versatility. If I can imagine something, I can make it. Literally anything. I have used it to cut iron on vinyl for t-shirts, iron on vinyl for tote bags, infusible ink for coasters, cardstock to make a template for a door mat, car stickers, freezer paper. It cuts everything.
I was really curious if the Explore Air 2 could cut felt. If you follow me on instagram, you know I’ve recently become obsessed with working with felt. I am so happy to report that the Explore Air 2 can easily cut Cricut felt!!! I read a few tutorials with differing techniques and settled on one that worked really well for me. I made this fun Holiday Felt Bunting and you can too!
I chose to use 2 colors of green felt, 1 pink, and 1 red. My Christmas decor is retro and funky so this works great for me. The best news is if this isn’t how you style your house, you can choose whichever colors work best for you!
The project file is separated into the different colors. Design Space makes it really easy to cut from different colored materials by separating your canvases into colors when it’s time to cut.
It is much easier to be foolproof when it shows you which color to cut next!
Cut out all of your felt letters. This process takes a tiny bit longer than cutting out vinyl or cardstock. The blade cuts the path several times to ensure a clean cut.
If you look closely you can see on the felt where it has been cut. Once the cutting is complete, peel off the felt and the letters carefully. It came off relatively easily for me.
Gather all of the letters and trees and lay them out how you’d like them to look on your bunting. Using baker’s twine and a rather large needle, thread the letters and trees onto the baker’s twine. You’re all done!
I loved the look of layering this bunting with a felt ball garland I already have in place for the holidays. It makes my kitchen look really festive!
Have you ever made a quilt you loved so much that you just couldn’t wait to gift it? This quilt is it! I made it with my neighbor and friend in mind and I could NOT wait to gift it. Literally minutes after finishing the binding and taking photos, I was texting her asking if she was home so I could go drop it off. It is so perfectly her. I have been WAITING for someone to design fabric that fits her personality and thankfully Gingham Farm by Jen Allyson is it!
The mix of florals, stripes, gingham, and cute blenders make this collection a wonderful treat to work with. I decided to use Cluck Cluck Sew’s Chain Reaction quilt pattern. I wanted to showcase the beautiful florals and I knew I needed a pattern that left them in a larger piece so they wouldn’t be chopped to bits.
I decided to hand quilt this using Perle Cotton #8 in 3 different coordinating colors. I love the softness this adds to a rather geometric pattern. Add in a beautiful Blossom backing and this quilt is just a beauty! Make sure to look for Gingham Farm coming to your favorite local quilt shop soon!
