Quilt Shows and Trade Shows · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

H&H Americas Here I Come!

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Today’s blog post is coming to you live (well, sorta) from Houston, Texas! I am here for the first H&H Americas Fall Edition here in Texas. VRD will have a booth at the show and I will be helping our Rose Queen, Pat, in the booth. Catherine and Sarah from Running Does Quilts will be here, too. We are located in booth #911. If you are attending the event, I hope you’ll stop by and say howdy.

Colorful illustration of a map showing the route from Pennsylvania to Houston, Texas, with an airplane and decorative elements.
Image created by moi with AI tools

What is H&H Americas, you might ask. Well, it’s a trade show for the craft industry, including quilting, cosplay, and fibre crafts such as knitting, crochet, and wool. H&H has filled the gap left by Quilt Market, which ended last fall after many many years of leading the industry.

H&H has many similar events to Quilt Market jam-packed into 3 days. That includes exhibits, classes and workshops, the show floor, Sample It (a fun shopping experience for shop owners), and more. WHEW! It’s a veritable whirlwind of activity.

So……..here I am in Houston, TX.

Let me tell you about my trip down. My quilty pal Robin rode down with me to the Pittsburgh airport and then drove my cute little red Jeep home (she will drive it back down Saturday to collect me at the airport). Thank you, Robin. 🙂

I spent all of Tuesday traveling because I had a couple hour layover in Nashville, Tennessee. This was the first time I’ve ever been to Tennessee (I guess I can add it to the states I’ve been to now, right?). The Nashville airport was HUGE! It felt like I had to walk miles and miles to get from the gate where my flight from Pittsburgh dropped me off to the gate where I would board the plane to Houston’s Hobby Airport. The good news was that I wasn’t in a hurry as I had a couple hours until take off so I could take my time.

Of course, I grabbed some food and found a nice spot to hunker down for a while. One of my favorite things to do when I am in different places is to people watch. Someday I’m going to put my observations to good use and write some mystery fiction. Sigh……someday.

Then it was back into the air for the last leg of my trip. I was pretty exhausted by this point so I just listened to a fun cozy mystery audiobook and watched the clouds out the window. Yep, I love sitting in the window seat and enjoying the view. Which is weird, as I’m not particularly into heights, but there it is. Anyway, I took lots of interesting pictures of the clouds and photos of the ground far far below.

Here are a few of my favorites:


Here is a pretty cool series of flying into, through, and out of big white fluffy clouds.

Pat picked me up in Houston, we grabbed a bite at Whataburger Have you seen their ginormous burgers??? I could only eat half of mine. LOL! Leftovers! I wish we had a Whataburger where I live, but they haven’t made it up to Northwestern Pennsylvania yet. Too bad.

After eating, we stopped at the grocery store and grabbed some breakfast and lunch stuff. Then finally to the house Pay rented. After unloading and putting things away, I collapsed on my bed and that’s where I stayed for quite some time. Wow!

SHHH! I’ll tell you a terrible secret – I am a terrible traveler. I never drink enough water, ever. It’s not like I don’t know that I should and I have every intention of doing so, but somehow chocolate milkshakes and Dr. Pepper are much more appealing and keep me awake and moving. Huh. I will just have to try harder next time. I am also a chronic over-packer. I come by this naturally, of course – I was once a Girl Scout and I like to be prepared for anything and I also inherited it from my Mom. Thanks Mom.

I have a friend named Leslie who has an amazing talent – she can pack for an entire week in a duffle bag. And I’m not talking about a big duffle bag on wheels, just a small to normal sized duffle bag that you sling over your arm. As hard as I try, I just can’t seem to channel Leslie’s skill. I wonder if there is an online class somewhere that teaches you how to pack everything you need for a week in a single bag. Sign me up for that one, please. So I brought my crossbody satchel, my laptop case, and my small suitcase. I do have a little bit of extra space just in case I find some cool stuff to take home with me (you’ll have to stop back next week to see what I found).

Well, Wednesday is set up day for the VRD booth. First, we found the booth location and went to get our badges. Happily I ran into my pal, Cathey, from Cathey Marie Designs. Of course, she was stuffing her face with chocolate. She did offer to share, bless her. Hopefully, we’ll get a few minutes at some point to catch up.

Then it was time to get busy getting the booth ready.


Here is our “before” photo of the booth:

A vendor booth setup displaying tables with various items, including colorful fabric rolls, a water bottle, and packaging boxes. There are empty chairs and a sign indicating the booth name, 'Villa Rosa Designs'. The area is enclosed by a black curtain.

And…….Voila! Here is the “after” photo of the booth.

A colorful quilt display at a craft fair booth featuring various intricate quilt patterns and vibrant fabrics, with a vendor organizing items on a table draped in purple fabric.


The show kicks off Wednesday afternoon at 4 PM for a western-themed preview night. Sadly, I didn’t bring any western togs – other than jeans, I don’t have anything western in my wardrobe, even though I live in the wilds of Pennsylvania. LOL!

It was lovely to see all those smiling people stopping by the booth!

Stop back next Thursday for more H&H F U N!

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

Rose Cards · Seasonal Quilting · villa rosa designs

Quilts Aren’t Just for Beds: Decorating with Quilts This Fall

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Let me wish everyone a Happy First Day of Autumn!

Cozy fall decor featuring quilts, coffee mugs, pumpkins, and autumn leaves with a sign that says 'Happy Fall Y'all'.
Image created by moi using AI tools

With summer behind us and the kiddos back in school, I bet you have big plans for fall! Me, I plan to get caught up from a summer that went totally sideways on me. Yikes! Whew, I am heartily glad that’s behind me now – I am so ready for a fall reset!

As I’ve mentioned 1 or 2 times (or maybe 100?) already, I LOVE fall – haven’t I been talking about it for a while now? LOL! One of my favorite most bestest things about fall is changing out the clothes in my closet as well as my decor from easy breezy summer to warm and cozy autumn. And I know I’m not alone because apparently the decorating world has suddenly discovered quilts. LOL! Quilts and patchwork decor are showing up all over Pinterest, home dec magazines, catalogs, and stores. I think quilts have been sneaking up on the world of decor as part of the new-fangled Cottagecore style. Yeah……we used to call it country or farmhouse, but now it’s Cottagecore. Whatever we call it, quilters have been doing cozy before cozy was cool. And in my humble (never!) opinion, a house just isn’t a home without quilts.

Anyone can use a quilt on a bed, but there are so many other ways to enjoy quilts and use them in our seasonal decorating.

Quilts as Wall Art

Do you hang quilts on the walls in your home? I do! I have this wonderful big blank wall behind the sofa in the living room and it’s my special place to hang seasonal quilts.

I must admit that I haven’t yet begun changing out my quilts for fall and I probably won’t get to it until the beginning of October. Right now, my red, white, and blue Cabin Fever quilt is still proudly hanging there. You might remember I made this small quilt during our recent Summer Challenge. You can find a tutorial for Cabin Fever HERE.

A colorful quilt displayed on a wall, featuring a patchwork design in red, white, and blue fabrics with floral and star patterns.

Get your Cabin Fever digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

I plan to put up my Cabin Cozy panel quilt over the sofa for this fall. I think it will be perfect! And the blue in the quilt will look great with the blues that are already in the living room! It will hang down behind the top of the sofa, but that’s okay with me. I definitely don’t go in for perfect, I am all about comfy cozy.

Here’s an outside photo of Cabin Cozy. I just love the Log Cabin blocks in the corners. Seriously, when I think about cozying up for fall, Log Cabin blocks come to mind for sure.

A quilt featuring an owl surrounded by autumn-themed designs, including flowers and mushrooms, with the text 'I love Fall most of all'. The quilt has a colorful patchwork border in shades of orange and blue, displayed on a grassy field.

Get your Cabin Cozy digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE


Hanging a quilt on the wall is a lot more than just putting up something pretty, though. It’s about seeing quilts as artwork. Yet, quilts are a special kind of artwork that framed art just can’t compete with – quilts add warmth, softness, and texture to our spaces without even trying. They’re quilts and that’s just what they do. No wonder the decorating world is jumping on the quilt bandwagon. But we quilters have always known that, haven’t we?

The Sofa, Chair, and Bench Treatment

Regardless of the season, there are always quilts on the backs of the furniture in my home. I adore my Farmhouse Blues quilt (mine is the one on the front of the pattern) and it lives permanently on the back of my chair.

Cover image of a quilt titled 'Farmhouse Blues,' featuring a blue and white patchwork design draped over an old tractor. The background includes a weathered metal backdrop.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Perhaps I should remake it in autumn colors – so my blue and white version gets a break for a while. Swapping quilts out with the seasons is totally one of my favorite decorating techniques – just another tip from me, the Lazy Quilter (this is what my quilty pals call me behind my back……and to my face, too. LOL!).

Maybe something like this? Using solids would really give Farmhouse Blues a whole new identity – more like Farmhouse Chic. Of course, I’d have to back it with fleece for maximum snuggly-ness on cool autumn evenings here in NW PA while I’m curled up reading a good book or watching TV.

Abstract geometric pattern featuring a grid of colorful squares in shades of red, orange, yellow, blue, and brown.
Farmhouse Blues in autumn colors

Quilts are also great draped or folded over benches, ottomans, or anything else that stands still long enough for us to toss a quilt over. The cats? The dog? Grandma? Sigh……probably not.

Draping and folding quilts is seriously one of the easiest seasonal reset ideas anyone can do because there is no need to stand on ladders or move furniture around. Simply toss a quilt over a piece of furniture and like magic – poof! – autumn decorating at its finest.

Pillows, Table Runners, and Smaller Quilted Pieces

What naturally goes along with all of those quilts tossed over the furniture and hanging on the walls? Pillows, runners, and little quilts, oh my!

Pillows

You may have noticed that I’ve really gotten into seasonal throw pillows this year! You can check out my VRD 18″ seasonal pillow patterns HERE. I love that tossing a seasonal pillow onto a sofa or chair adds a nice little seasonal pop. A seasonal pillow can give our space a nice little boost without having to redesign our whole space. A couch full of fall pillows? Priceless!

A cozy living room sofa adorned with a variety of decorative pillows featuring autumn-themed patterns, including pumpkins and floral designs. An orange knit throw blanket drapes over the arm of the couch, and a coffee table displays decorative pumpkins and books, enhancing the fall ambiance.
Image created by moi using AI tools

Huh. I wish that was my living room, but right now Purrfect Pumpkin is my only fall decoration in the living room, at least until I get Cabin Cozy up on the wall. I just love this cute pillow – it makes me smile every time I see it right before plopping onto my chair. So, even though I haven’t gotten my fall quilts on the walls and the chairs yet, a simple fall patchwork pillow can totally make a bigger seasonal impact than you might think.

A cozy living room scene featuring a small dog sitting beside a decorative pillow shaped like a pumpkin, with a quilt and autumn-themed decor in the background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

PSST! Don’t you just love Bailly in that photo? I think it’s one of the cutest poses she’s ever done for me. Of course, her fur is really growing out now since her short summer cut and she needs some grooming, but her little expression is just too adorable for words – I think she looks more like a stuffed dog here than a real Shih Tzu. But I assure you, Bailly is a real dog – err, fur girl (I don’t think she considers herself to be a dog at all).


Table Runners

Now don’t get me started on table runners as seasonal decor! I’ve got runners and pillows aplenty for all seasons and holidays, but that never stops me from making new ones, even though I really don’t need any more. But one can never ever have enough seasonal runners.

A wooden dining table adorned with a patchwork table runner in autumn colors, featuring orange, green, and gold squares. A bowl of various pumpkins and gourds is placed at one end, accompanied by decorative fall leaves and a lit candle.
Image created by moi using AI tools

I swear my house is going to explode someday and seasonal quilts, runners, and pillows will shoot into the sky like Old Faithful! Oh dear.

That being said, table runners are another Lazy Quilter decorating secret because you can change the whole look of your dining area by simply laying a seasonal runner on a clean table. Done and done. Of course, you can add baskets, candles, greenery, leaves, and other decorative items to reinforce the season, but a simple table runner by itself can totally be enough.

I have found, though, that table runners aren’t just for tables. You can drape a runner over the back of a chair or sofa. Use it on your coffee table or side tables. Hang a runner on the wall like a banner. If it’s a particularly long runner, you can use it at the bottom of a bed or even across the pillows for a super fast seasonal touch.

Table runners are amazing superheroes without capes when it comes to seasonal decorating. And if you’re like me, you make lots of runners for all seasons and holidays. What better way to enjoy them than by layering your spaces with your runners? Maybe you made a new runner for your table, but those seasonal runners from previous years – you can totally use them everywhere! Easy peasy decorating. You can check out our VRD table runner patterns HERE.

Leaf is definitely one of my favorite fall runners. You can make it in an afternoon (if you have a stash……you probably won’t even need to make a trip to the quilt shop, but then again it’s never a bad idea to stop by your local shop because they might just have the perfect fat quarter….or ten that you can’t live without) and it can easily be lengthened by adding more blocks if needed. PLUS – you could make an extra block and turn it into a matching pillow!

A quilted table runner displayed on grass and autumn leaves, featuring a geometric design with warm colors and black borders. The title 'LEAF' is prominently featured at the top.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

There are lots of other small quilty objects beyond pillows and runners. Table mats (which are usually square or rectangular but not narrow like runners), place mats, snack mats, mug mats, banners, and mini quilts are all fun examples of small quilty projects.

Cozy living room scene featuring a light-colored sofa adorned with a colorful quilt and pillows, a wooden coffee table with cookies and a warm drink, decorative fall-themed accents, and a wall hanging with a geometric pattern.
Image created by moi with AI tools

Small quilts are especially fun for seasonal decorating because they are so easy to move around and tuck into unexpected places. A little quilt can sit under a basket or tumble out of a bowl on a table, hang from a peg or drape over a cabinet door, dress up the back of a chair, or add a pop of color to a shelf or hutch. You can even layer a small quilt with other decorations you already have instead of buying anything new.

And because these projects are small, they’re a great way to use up scraps, try a new color combination, or make something seasonal without committing to a full-size quilt. I love that kind of project — quick enough to finish in a reasonable amount of time, but still big enough to make a room feel different. Small quilts may not take up much space, but they can bring a surprising amount of personality to a room.

Let Your Quilt Choose the Colors

One of my favorite things about decorating with quilts is that the quilt itself can do most of the decorating work for you. Instead of trying to dream up an entire color scheme for a room, start with a quilt you love and pull a few colors from it.

Maybe your quilt has rust, teal, gold, and cream. There you go — instant fall palette! Add a pillow or two, a basket, some greenery or leaves, maybe a candle, and suddenly the whole room feels warm and seasonal.

And you definitely do not need everything to match perfectly. In fact, I think rooms are much more interesting when they look collected over time instead of looking like everything came home from the store in one giant matching set.

Of course, this is also another excellent excuse to let a favorite quilt be the star of the room. Not that we quilters actually need another excuse. LOL!

Autumn Doesn’t Have to Be Orange

Now, I love orange as much as the next fall-obsessed person, but autumn decorating doesn’t have to mean pumpkins and bright orange everywhere. It’s more about capturing that cozy fall feeling! If that’s pumpkins for you, then you do pumpkins. But there’s a whole lot more to fall than just pumpkins.

Think about some of the other colors we see in fall — olive green, deep red, mustard, brown, plum, navy, teal, cream, and even dusty pink. I just love looking at all the colors captured in a fall leaf. Depending on the type of tree, you can find pink to orange to red, yellow to orange to brown, purple to brown, and every color in between! A quilt in any of these colors can feel perfectly autumnal without containing a single pumpkin.

That’s definitely one of the things I love most about decorating with quilts. Depending on the colors and fabrics, the whole mood of a room can change just by swapping out the quilt on the wall or the one tossed over the back of a chair.

A cozy bedroom featuring a patchwork quilt on a bed with multiple pillows, a wooden bench with a bowl and books, and a comfortable chair in the corner. Soft natural light shines through a window, creating a warm atmosphere.
Image created by moi using AI tools

And because quilts already bring so much color, texture, and personality with them, you really don’t need to add much else. Unless you want to………

Quilts Make a House Feel Like Home

Maybe that’s why the decorating world is suddenly so excited about quilts and patchwork.

Quilts aren’t just pretty things. They add softness, warmth, color, texture, and personality all at the same time. Some quilts remind us of people we love. Some remind us of a special fabric collection, a class, a trip, a challenge, or even just a particular season of our lives. Some can even represent your heritage.

And unlike a lot of home decor, quilts are meant to be used and enjoyed. You can hang them on the wall today, toss them over the sofa tomorrow, and curl up under them when the weather turns cold.

I think that’s why quilts make a home feel so personal. They don’t just decorate a room — they tell a little bit of our story.

Bring on the Quilts!

So maybe the decorating world has finally caught up with us quilters. LOL!

Quilts really are pretty perfect home decor: colorful, cozy, practical, personal, and made to be enjoyed. Hang them on the walls, toss them over furniture, layer them on beds, drape them over benches, or scatter smaller quilted pieces around the house.

And if your house starts looking like quilts are slowly taking over every available surface?

Well…you’re probably doing fall decorating exactly right.

Now I want to know — how do you decorate with quilts in your home? Do you change yours with the seasons, or do you have favorites that stay out all year long?

That’s it for me this week! See you next time.

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

Free Quilt Blocks and Patterns · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

Free Scrappy Color Me Autumn Leaf Quilt Block Pattern PDF

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

I trust you all survived Labor Day weekend? I did! Happily, I had 2 days of sewing with my sewing buddy, Robin (Hi Robin!) – yay! – and I went to Robin’s 2 year old grandson’s birthday party. It was a good weekend.

Today, I’ve got a free fun little scrappy fall leaf block pattern PDF download for you.

This block, which I’ve named Colorful Me Autumn, is adapted from one of the leaves on the throw in the background of my new September Rose Card pattern, Purrfect Pumpkin. You can see the throw on the pattern, below, over on the right side on the top of the chair.

Just the other day, I had a question asking if I had the pattern for the throw. Although I couldn’t reproduce the entire throw, I did adapt one of the blocks for you.

A cozy scene featuring a small dog sitting beside a decorative pillow with a pumpkin design on a gray couch. A quilt with autumn leaves is draped over the back of the couch.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Here’s the Color Me Autumn block. Isn’t it fun??? You can make it totally scrappy so you can raid your own fabric stash OR use a single fabric for each block to make your quilt more organized. The block finishes at a nice 12″ x 12″.

A colorful geometric design featuring a star shape composed of red, yellow, purple, orange, and brown squares and triangles on a light background.

Below is the PDF download with instructions for making the block:

Now let’s throw the Color Me Autumn block into some quilt settings to give you some ideas. What fun!

Here’s a simple 4×5 setting of scrappy blocks set side to side with a border.

A colorful quilt design featuring a repeating pattern of star shapes in red, purple, yellow, and brown against a cream background, framed by an orange border.

And here’s the block with sashing and squares.

A colorful quilt pattern featuring repeating geometric shapes in shades of red, yellow, orange, purple, and brown on a light background.

Here is the block on point with a border.

A vibrant quilt design featuring a geometric pattern with colorful diamond and star shapes against an orange background.

And here’s one with rows.

A colorful quilt pattern featuring geometric shapes, primarily arrows, in shades of red, orange, yellow, and purple against a light background, bordered with an orange frame.

Now let’s make some quilt magic with our block by adding other blocks to create secondary designs!

I hope all of these different designs have given you some inspiration for this interesting and versatile Leaf block.

I’d love to see what you make using the Color Me Autumn quilt block. You can post them on our VRD Facebook page HERE. Or feel free to email them to me at tricia@villarosadesigns.com.

Now, go and make quilts!

See you right here next week.

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

Curated Rose Card Pattern Lists · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

My Favorite Autumn VRD Rose Card Patterns

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

It’s Thursday again? Already??? Sheesh! Where does the time go? And it’s about a month until autumn. WHOAH!

After a busy summer, I always look forward to fall, when things tend to settle down a little bit for a while and I can get my head back into quilting. The cooler temperatures also make it more comfortable for working with fabric and batting as I am one of those sad sad souls who does not have air conditioning in Mount Cluttermore (AKA my studio). And besides, who wants to sit around when it’s summer outside with a big heavy quilt on your lap as you work on binding??? Definitely not me. Summer is a good time to work on smaller projects that finish quickly (like our recent Small Project Summer Challenge her on the blog). Who really even has time to dive into a big hot and heavy project when it’s in the 90’s anyway and the beach is calling?

I must apologize as I was planning another autumn quilt tutorial, but I didn’t quite get it finished before sitting down to write the blog. Bummer. But no worries, we’ll simply push that tutorial until next week.

As I have fall on my mind, let me show you my favorite autumn VRD Rose Card patterns. Yay! Patterns!

Here’s my list:

Autumn Leaves………..a no-brainer for fall.

A quilt design featuring colorful autumn leaves in shades of red, orange, and yellow, set against a neutral background, with the title 'Autumn Leaves' at the top and 'Melissa Milligan for Villa Rosa Designs' at the bottom.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

In my little valley in Pennsylvania, fall brings lots of bees….and honey, too.

Two quilted snack mats featuring a bees design with hexagonal patterns in yellow and black, set on a wooden table.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

There was a Cidermill right up the road when I was a kid and there was nothing as good as a cup of fresh pressed cider with your favorite donut, especially after the local Halloween parade.

A quilt design titled 'Cidermill' by Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a patchwork of colorful squares in warm tones and intricate quilted patterns.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

You can’t have mulled cider without Cinnamon Stix.

Quilt design titled 'Cinnamon Stix' featuring a pattern of alternating strips of colorful fabrics in earthy tones, including greens, browns, and hints of blue, with a decorative border.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

The cooler weather makes me want to spend more quality time with my Machine.

A quilt titled 'Dainty Machines' featuring a colorful design with sewing machine blocks and butterfly patterns, displayed against a brick wall.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Autumn in Pennsylvania is glorious. If you have never seen it, you should.

A quilt titled 'Enchanted Forest' designed by Melissa Milligan for Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a pattern of colorful trees on a light background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Fall can be quite breezy here, which makes the windmills go round and round.

A colorful quilt featuring a windmill pattern, with autumn-themed fabrics in shades of orange, yellow, and blue, displayed against a brick wall.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Colorful leaves fall off the trees. Time to rake them up and jump into them.

A colorful quilt titled 'Falling' featuring leaf patterns in various fabrics, displayed outdoors against a green backdrop.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

When you explore the forests and meadows around my home, you will always find some friendly mushrooms.

Cover of the quilting pattern titled 'Family Fun-gi' featuring a colorful quilt design with geometric patterns, alongside the names of the designer and publisher.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

The geese begin flying south in late summer/early fall.

A colorful quilt titled 'Flock Together' featuring a zigzag pattern with pink, yellow, green, and orange triangles, displayed against a rustic background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

The summer birds Fly Away until they return next year.

A colorful quilt hanging on a wooden railing featuring a design with triangular shapes and floral patterns, titled 'Fly Away' by Tricia Lynn Maloney for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Time for sports – time for fun! Tailgate party, anyone?

A colorful quilt titled 'Game Play' featuring various sports-themed patterns, including soccer, basketball, and football, with vibrant colors and playful designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Gingersnaps are a fabulous fall snack with tea, coffee, or milk (or maybe breakfast? Shhhh…..).

Quilt pattern titled 'Gingersnap' featuring a design with alternating blocks of brown, orange, and light blue fabrics. The layout includes floral and figurative prints, bordered by a decorative floral design at the bottom. Designed by Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Pumpkins, gourds, melons, and more – time to Harvest the garden.

A decorative quilted table runner with autumn-themed fabrics in orange, brown, and cream, featuring pumpkin patterns, set against a backdrop of fallen leaves and rocks.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

There are many people locally who raise bees and sell honey. There really isn’t anything like local honey.

A colorful handmade quilt featuring a patchwork design with floral and checkered patterns, displayed on a chair against a purple background. The quilt has yellow, gray, and blue squares, with an accompanying title 'Honey' and the designer's name, Tricia Lynn Maloney.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Honey Buns on a Sunday morning before heading out on a fall adventure.

Quilt titled 'Honey Buns' featuring a pattern of circles in black, white, and yellow fabrics, designed by Heidi Cook for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

It gets darker earlier, so we need more light.

A colorful quilt titled 'Lantern' featuring a geometric pattern of lantern shapes in shades of pink, blue, green, and white, displayed outdoors with a rustic background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Walking at dusk, you will need a Lantern or flashlight.

A vibrant quilt design featuring multicolored layered cake patterns against a light background, displayed outdoors. The quilt is titled 'Lantern Hill' by Tricia Lynn Maloney for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Geese are incredible flyers who fly hundreds of miles between their summer and winter homes.

Colorful quilt featuring triangular patterns in various shades, displayed against a rustic backdrop with the text 'LAZY GOOSE' and branding for 'Running Doe Quilts'.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Leafs drift down, down, down to the ground, ground, ground.

A leaf-themed quilted table runner displayed on a tree trunk, showcasing colorful patchwork squares in autumn hues against a black background. The image features falling leaves and a natural outdoor setting.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

When it’s breezy, don’t be surprised to be caught in the middle of a Leaf Swirl.

A decorative pillow featuring a 'Leaf Twirl' quilt design with colorful leaf patterns, placed on a couch alongside a small, light-colored dog.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Stop at a little dairy aisle in the fall on one of your rambles – fried mushrooms sound mighty good.

A colorful design featuring two quilted snack mats, one with a dotted pattern and the other with floral motifs, set on a wooden surface. The image includes text about the mats being called 'Little 'Shroom Snack Mat' and credits to the designer.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

There are all kinds of autumn events and activities downtown on Main Street.

A colorful quilt design titled 'Main Street' by Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a pattern of hexagons in shades of pink, purple, and green against a light background, with decorative floral borders.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Where I live, the trees are mainly maple and maple trees are some of the most colorful fall trees.

A vibrant quilt runner featuring geometric patterns in orange, yellow, and white, displayed on a stone surface with a backdrop of sunflowers and green foliage.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Corn mazes? Need I say more?!?

A colorful quilt titled 'Mazed' featuring a patchwork design with various geometric patterns in shades of pink, yellow, black, and cream, displayed outdoors with a sandy background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Geese are migrating north.

A quilt titled 'Migration' featuring a pattern of colorful triangles on a navy background, displayed outdoors with trees in the background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

A little Edgar Allan Poe is a must-have read in autumn.

Quilt design titled 'Nevermore' featuring stacked books and crows against a colorful, patterned background, with details including swirls and floral elements.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Autumn skies are some of the most colorful throughout the year.

Quilt design titled 'October Sky' featuring a scenic forest with autumn foliage and a vibrant geometric border. The design is created by Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

I heard this quote in a movie once – “There are no perfect lives, but there are Perfect Moments.”

A colorful quilt titled 'Perfect Moment' featuring vibrant patterns in orange, pink, and floral designs, along with the logo of Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Fall in Pennsylvania is Picture Perfect with all of the colorful trees.

A quilt featuring scenic images of national parks including Redwood, Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic, and Sequoia, with a colorful patchwork design, and the title 'Picture Perfect' at the top.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Back to school we go!

A colorful quilt titled 'Pointless' featuring horizontal stripes in yellow, pink, and white against a blue background with a playful speckled pattern. The quilt is displayed against a pastel abstract background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Have you ever Pressed Leaves? I used to do tons of leaves and then I used them for art collages in my pre k classroom years ago. We would always read the book Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert and then we’d make our very own Leaf Man.

A pair of quilted snack mats featuring a pressed leaf design, with red and yellow colors, placed on a wooden surface. Background includes the title 'Pressed Leaf Snack Mat' and credits to Tricia Lynn Maloney and Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

One of the most classic autumn runners at VRD! 5 little pumpkins sitting on a fence…..

A quilted table runner featuring orange pumpkins on a white background, designed by Tricia Lynn Maloney. The design includes various pumpkin shapes with checkered patterns, set on a grassy surface.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Carving pumpkins and then putting them all in row outside was always a special time when I was a kid.

A quilt design featuring various orange pumpkins arranged in a pattern on a white background with small colorful dots, titled 'Pumpkin Parade' by Melissa Milligan for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Going to the Pumpkin Patch and picking out your very own pumpkin is probably a rite of childhood.

A colorful quilt design titled 'Pumpkin Patch' featuring various quilt blocks in black, orange, and white, with pumpkin and Halloween motifs. The quilt is bordered by decorative elements and includes the words 'Trick Treat'.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Speaking of pumpkins – there are so so many pumpkin foods everywhere in the fall – Pumpkin Pie, roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin spice lattes, etc., etc.

A quilt titled 'Pumpkin Pie' featuring a patchwork design with autumn themes, including pumpkins, trucks, and seasonal messages, framed in warm colors.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Hmmmm. A Pumpkin Spice latte sounds pretty good right now…….

Cover of 'Pumpkin Spice' quilt pattern by Tricia Lynn Maloney, featuring a quilted table runner with pumpkin and floral designs on a rustic wooden background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

In late summer and early fall, there’s a county fair or rodeo somewhere in my area every weekend.

A colorful quilt design titled 'Rodeo' by Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a patchwork of various floral and patterned fabrics in vibrant colors.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Trees in glorious color, leaves crunching underfoot, and the heady smell of earth …. that’s fall.

A colorful quilt with a star pattern, draped over a gray armchair, in a cozy indoor setting. The quilt features shades of red, orange, blue, and brown against a white background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

I love to take Snap Shots every autumn of the colors all around me. Fall palettes make wonderful quilts.

A patchwork quilt featuring images of wildlife such as moose and a bear, with a variety of earthy fabric colors and textures, designed by Molly Cook for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

I don’t know why, but in the late summer/early fall there are Spiders everywhere.

Quilt design titled 'Spider' by Kate Griffin for Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a grid of intricate pattern blocks in various colors and textures.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Time to wind bobbins and find my fall-colored Spools of thread and make some new fall quilts.

A brightly colored quilt featuring a 'Spools' pattern with various fabric designs, displayed against a backdrop of distressed gray panels.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

It’s time for fall sports – get Sport’n!

Quilt design titled 'Sport'n' by Tamara Cook for Villa Rosa Designs, featuring sports-themed fabric patterns with various athletic motifs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Here in PA, summer drifts into autumn, sometimes into October if we are lucky.

A colorful quilt titled 'Summer's End' featuring geometric patterns in yellow, green, and orange, draped over a wooden railing with yellow flowers in the foreground.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Time to put away the summer decor and drape the house in the colors of fall.

Cover design for 'Table for Four' featuring colorful quilted placemats in various patterns, with a brown background and decorative text.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Enjoy your front seat view of autumn Through the Window.

A patchwork quilt titled 'Through the Window', featuring colorful panels with cat illustrations surrounded by floral patterns, designed by Molly Cook for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

It’s always wonderful to take a drive in the fall to enjoy the peak color of the season, which is usually around the middle of October here.

A colorful quilt design titled 'Wanderlust' featuring various patterns in vibrant hues, displayed against an orange background. The design includes floral and geometric motifs with a patchwork layout.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Well, I hope you enjoyed this curated collection of autumn VRD Rose Card patterns. Perhaps you found a new-to-you pattern to make this fall. Or perhaps seeing my picks for fall will inspire you to choose a new project to begin – this list is a good place to start. And just a quick reminder — all VRD patterns ship for free.

It was fun going through our 700+ VRD patterns to find just the right patterns to share with you. Happily, many of these patterns sparked memories of my childhood or even something I did last fall. Maybe they will remind you of your fall traditions, too.

See you right here next week for a new VRD quilt tutorial.

Until then, grab as much summer as you can as it’s fading fast in fall –

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · Tips and Tricks · Tutorials · villa rosa designs

NEW VRD Rose Card Patterns for August and a VRD Quilt Tutorial – Landino

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Sheesh! Another week of August gone. Another one bites the dust…….. And we all have A LOT of summer to do yet. Sigh……So little time and so much to do.

As for my August to-do list from last week – here’s what I’ve done since last Thursday:

I went thrifting with my Mom.

I worked on my latest art/design projects and made some forward strides.

I sat on the back porch with my dog, Bailly, and did nothing for a while…….twice.

Not a bad start to August. Not at all. I just need to get to the other things on my list, too.

How is your August to-do list coming along? I hope you had the satisfaction of getting a few things done on your list, too. If not, you’d better get started.

Time to wrap up our Small Project Summer Challenge.

Let’s congratulate our Week 6 winner –

Woohoo! Way to Go! Yay You!

Congrats to all of our Challenge winners. Your prizes will go out shortly.

Speaking of Challenges, our 3rd 6 Quilts in 6 Weeks Finishing Challenge will be here before you know it. I hope everyone will join us in October for this next VRD Blog Challenge.

Now let’s take a peak at this month’s new patterns!

Yay! It’s the Thursday after the first Friday of the month and that means – NEW PATTERNS!!!!

Whoop! Whoop!

Here they are!

A collage showcasing five quilt pattern cards for August 2026 by Villa Rosa Designs. The designs include 'Alluring,' 'Mendota,' 'Salerno,' 'Cake Me Home,' and 'Solstice,' each featuring colorful and unique patterns. The text highlights 'All five new cards $8.95.'

You can get the set of 5 print patterns HERE

Alluring is Molly’s latest panel quilt pattern. It uses a 36″ wide panel, a selection of coordinating fabrics, and finishes at a nice 56″ x 63″. You can find a kit featuring the same fabrics as the pattern cover HERE or one with Rainbow Iris fabrics HERE.

Cake Me Home is Catherine of Running Doe’s newest pattern. Isn’t it really fun? It is Layer Cake friendly and finishes at 58″ x 57.5″. Sorry, kits are already sold out.

Mendota is Rachelle’s new pattern for this month. It is fat quarter (FQ) friendly and finishes at 41″ x 54″. You can find a kit for Mendota featuring Jewel Depths fabrics HERE.

Salerno is 1 of Pat’s 2 latest patterns for August. It uses FQs or half yards and finishes at 57″ x 70″. You can find a kit with the same fabrics as the pattern cover HERE.

Solstice is Pat’s 2nd quilt design for this month. It is FQ friendly and finishes at 50″ x 62″. No kit available.

But wait – there’s more! We can’t forget this month’s Accessory patterns!

This month’s seasonal pillow pattern is called Leaf Twirl. A perfect pillow for your fall decorating! Don’t you just love the pink leaf????

A decorative Leaf Twirl pillow featuring a quilted design with autumn leaves and colors, accompanied by a small dog sitting beside it.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Instead of a fall runner this month, how about a fun new set of FQ friendly place mats, Table for Four? The place mats go together really fast and you can make them in multiples of 4.

Cover of the 'Table for Four' quilt pattern featuring four colorful quilted placemats with various patterns, set against a textured background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Now let’s jump right into this week’s new quilt pattern tutorial.

Have you ever made Landino? It’s a deceptively simple and very interesting FQ pattern. Landino finishes at 44″ x 55″, which is a nice small sized throw quilt. Want a bigger quilt? It’s easy to add more blocks (and more FQs) or borders to make the quilt the size you want it to be.

Colorful quilt design featuring a patchwork of dinosaur-themed fabrics, with a mix of green, blue, and orange squares. The title 'Landino' is prominently displayed at the top, along with the designer's name, Tamara Cook, and 'for Villa Rosa Designs' at the bottom.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Let’s make Landino!

Today I’m using a warm and cozy group of batiks from our friends over at Hoffman Fabrics. I’ve been raiding some of my fall-hued fabric groupings to make some “get ready for fall” projects. Don’t be surprised if you see some of these new fall tops again during our Autumn VRD finishing Challenge coming in October. LOL!

A collection of various patterned fabric squares arranged on a cutting mat, featuring earthy tones and intricate designs.

Of course, the first thing we’re going to do is cut out all the pieces we need from our FQs.

I found I really needed to pay close attention to the cutting for Landino because different fat quarters are for different parts of the quilt blocks. To help keep myself from getting lost, I put a sticky note label on each fabric so I knew which fabric was which.

Let’s start cutting.

Here are my block centers.

These are my lighter frames.

I chose these for my darker frames.

And these 4 fabrics are for my rectangles.

Finally, this fabric is for my corners.

Okay, we’ve got everything cut out now. So next we’re going to sew our frames onto the center squares.

First we’re going to add the lighter frames.

Then we’re going to add the darker frames on the other side.

Hey – did you notice that the Landino blocks are really a Log Cabin variation? And who doesn’t love a Log Cabin block???

Now that we’ve added frames to all the center squares, things are going to get interesting for our next step – we are going to divide up the framed centers into 4 piles. Then we’re going to sew the rectangles/corners onto each group, using a different rectangle fabric for each pile.

Somehow, I guess I didn’t take any photos for the 4 different completed blocks. Oops, sorry about that. Here is a photo of about half the blocks up on the design wall to give you an idea about what the blocks look like completed.

Huh. Now I’m not sure what I think of my completed blocks. I wish I hadn’t used quite so many dark brown fabrics and had added a few more medium ones instead.

A patchwork quilt layout featuring various brown and cream square blocks arranged in a grid pattern against a gray backdrop.

Let’s slap ’em up on the design wall and see what happens.

Here are 3 different block arrangements. Hmmm. I’m definitely not wild about any of these options. What do you think?

Now I’m wishing I’d done 2 more blocks with the lighter rectangles instead of the dark rectangles. Yes, I could rip out a few blocks and replace the dark rectangles with the lighter rectangles, but………nope. Let’s keep going, I always love a challenge.

This arrangement (below) is the obvious winner. I’m still not totally loving it, but this one looks better balanced to me than the 3 previous attempts, above. The funny thing to me is that this is the layout shown on the pattern diagram.

Wow! When all else fails, try following the pattern. Hah hah hah! (Me, rolling my eyes.)

A quilt top composed of various patterned squares arranged in a checkered design, featuring a mix of earthy tones including browns and greens, with a cutting mat displayed at the bottom of the image.

Let’s sew the blocks together into rows.

A sewing machine with fabric pieces in progress, showcasing various colors and patterns on a cutting mat.

Now the blocks are sewn into rows, I’m going to sew the rows together. Whew! This is the easy part.

A close-up view of a sewing machine stitching together pieces of fabric, showcasing various patterned fabrics in rich, earthy tones.

VOILA! Here is my completed Landino top.

Quilt display featuring a geometric pattern of alternating square blocks in browns, creams, and earthy tones.

I can’t get a complete photo of the top in my studio (if you remember I’ve renamed my studio, Mount Cluttermore for very obvious reasons) because my cutting/pressing table is in front of my flannel wall, so I took the top outside so I could take a better photo. Bummer, but it was just too breezy to hang it on the clothesline as I’d planned. So, I spread it out on the grass instead. (We’ve had a lot of rain recently and the grass is so green.)

A patchwork quilt laid out on green grass, featuring a mix of brown, white, and patterned squares.

All right – it actually turned out better than I thought it would. I think the alternating dark and light horizontal rows were definitely the right way to go with this one – all those darker brown fabrics needed the lighter fabrics to break them up.

Next time I make this one, though, I am for sure going to add more medium fabrics instead of just lights and darks.

This quilt top may not be the prettiest one I’ve ever put together, but I still like it. It’s warm and cozy-looking and it taught me (and you) several new things to think about when gathering up fabrics. I may have been quilting for 30 years now, but I still learn new things all the time.

What was the last project you made that taught you the most, even if the project didn’t turn out the way you’d envisioned? Leave a comment and tell me about it.

Well, that’s it for me this week. I’m off to maybe cross a few more things off on my August list before next Thursday. Wish me luck!

Take care and squeeze every last bit out of summer.

Until next time –

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

Rose Cards · Tutorials · villa rosa designs

NEW VRD Quilt Tutorial – Fondue

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Whoah!?! Hard to believe it’s August! YIKES! Right now I feel like I’ve lost the whole summer, so I guess I have A LOT of summer to cram into August, don’t I?

Here are some things I want to do this month:

  • Go to the Baldwin Reynolds Museum and see the 250th Anniversary Quilt Display
  • Visit some Quilt Shops with my quilty pals (FART)
  • Play Mini golf with my Dad
  • Go bowling!
  • Thrifting with my Mom
  • Do some decluttering (yeah – this always needs done)
  • Make a fun project just because
  • Keep working on my latest art and design projects (and actually finish a few of the ones I have in progress right now)
  • Finish my 2nd Feedsack book (this one has been waiting a really long long time)
  • Read a good book
  • Just sit on the back porch with my dog and do absolutely nothing

Let’s see if by writing them down, I will get more of them accomplished this month. What’s on your August to-do list?

Well, the final numbers are in! All together we participants created 108 completed projects during our 6 week Challenge. WOOHOO! I hope each of you who participated pats yourself on the back for a job well done. Did you find a new favorite small project pattern? How many of you made something for Christmas? Any other thoughts about the Challenge? Please let me know in the comments.

I am still waiting to hear back from our Week 6 winner, so I will have that info for you next week.

I also want to congratulate

Dana S. from TX

as a co-winner for Week 5.

Awesome Applesauce, Dana! Yay you!

Now let’s check out the latest VRD tutorial, Fondue!

I was sifting through my stack of “quilt kits” and came across one for Fondue and I thought this would be a great one for the blog because I know people are already starting to think about autumn.

Fondue is a terrific pattern for 24″ panels along with coordinating fabrics. It finishes at a nice 49″ x 63″ and goes together quickly and easily. Fondue is beginner friendly and it’s flexible – you can add an outer border (or borders) to make your quilt larger if desired.

Cover design for a quilt pattern titled 'Fondue' featuring scenic nature imagery with eagles, mountains, and water elements. Designed by Heidi Cook for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Of course, the first thing we need to do is gather up our fabrics. Today I’m working with a Hoffman Fabrics collection called Stag & Stone. Deer fabrics aren’t my norm, but I was really drawn to the colors in this collection and I find the deer to be quite elegant. And hey – it never hurts to have a great guy quilt handy for when you might need one. I think panels are a fabulous option for guy quilts because you can find wonderful panels with coordinating fabrics and a lot of guys aren’t necessarily into a quilt with a bunch of fussy pieces.

Here are my fabrics:

A collection of fabric pieces featuring nature-themed designs, including animals such as deer and wolves, and textured patterns in various colors.

Next up, time to cut all my pieces out. I go back and forth between cutting everything out first or cutting as I go. I guess it depends on each project as well as what I’m in the mood for. Which do you prefer?

Depending on the dimensions of your panel, you might need to trim it to the right size for the pattern or even add some spacer strips to make it a little bit bigger if needed.

I needed to trim my panel to the right size. When you do this, you really need to be careful lest you trim off too much. So do your math carefully. You know the old saying – measure twice and cut once? Words to live by!

Have you ever cut too much off your panel? I have and do know what I do? I sew that piece right back on and re-cut the panel correctly. It’s not perfect, but it works.

My fabrics are cut and the panel is the right size, so now I’m going to sew the inner border to the sides of the panel and press the seams towards the border. Then I’m going to sew the borders to the top and bottom. Again, I’ll press the seams towards the border. So far so good.

Now let’s work on the side pieced borders. The borders are quick to sew together because the pieces are so big. Once I get the pieces sewn together, then I’ll press them. I am going to press my seams towards the sashing strips.

One thing I really LOVE about the Fondue pattern is that you can use directional fabric because of the way the pieces for the side borders are cut. This is a great thing because it’s not unusual to have directional companion fabrics for panels.

Let’s sew the side borders onto the framed panel! I like to match the center of the border to the center of the panel and pin. Then I match up the outside edges and pin, including an extra pin at the bottom edge of the border to help keep everything square. This was a little tip given to me by an experienced quilter named Pat when I was a newbie. It really does make a difference in keeping your border strips square instead of ripply.

Finally, I add a few pins in between the middle pin and the outside pins to keep everything lined up. I must admit that I will probably go to quilt jail someday because I tend to sew over my pins instead of removing them……..

Now let’s add the left side border onto the panel. SHEESH! I sewed my border upside down to the left side of the panel. How did I miss that????

Gee whiz!

Well, directional fabric is awesome as long as you sew everything right side up. LOL!

A decorative quilt featuring a serene forest scene with a stag and a doe among birch trees, surrounded by patterned fabric on the edges.

You know what’s next, don’t you?!? Rip, rip, rip!

A close-up of a sewing project featuring dark patterned fabric and a light blue sewing tool resembling a foot, positioned on a patchwork quilt.

You can find my Clover Grip Fit seam ripper HERE

Now to re-sew the left side border on, right side up this time. Silly me. I bet that’s never happened to you before, right?!? LOL!

Now that the trees and animals are no longer standing on their heads, I’m going to press the side borders towards my dark fabric, which is the inner border/sashing fabric.

A close-up of an iron on a piece of fabric, with various patterned materials and a textured background.

On to the top and bottom borders….finally. Again, these are quick to stitch together because the pieces are large. After I get them sewn into strips, I’m going to press the seams towards the dark sashing pieces. Easy peasy.

Next I’m going to pin the top border to the top of the panel. Again, I will match my centers and outside corners, adding that extra pin to keep things square. That extra pin is like magic!

Then on to the sewing machine to stitch the top border to panel. After that, I need to press my top border seam towards the dark inner border/sashing fabric.

All right! The bottom border is next!

A decorative quilt featuring a central image of a deer and an elk, surrounded by various wildlife patterns including wolves, bears, and birds in natural settings.

WHEW! Here is the completed Fondue top.

A large quilt hanging on a wall, featuring a central image of two deer in a serene forest setting, surrounded by various nature-themed fabric panels depicting wildlife.

I took a chance and ran outside to see if I could get a decent photo, but it was a bit breezy, it was lightly raining, and there was still a rumble of thunder in the air. So, I kind of high-tailed it back inside instead of waiting for the perfect shot. Oh well. What can you do – Pennsylvania weather can sometimes be a little unpredictable.

A hanging quilt featuring a central image of two deer in a forest setting, bordered by various fabric patterns in earthy tones.

I really like how this quilt turned out! The colors are really very soft and meditative. And it went together easily, except for me flipping the left border upside down. LOL! I totally recommend you try the Fondue pattern to showcase your favorite 24″ panels!

Well, that’s it for me today. Have a wonderful week and I hope you get the chance to cross a few things off your August list.

Until next time –

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

Small Project Summer Challenge Week 6

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Hard to believe it’s Week 6 of our Small Project Summer Challenge already. Wow – it went fast! But what a fun and busy 6 weeks of super little projects – small quilts, tote bags, pillows, scarves, table runners, and snack mats.

Promotional graphic for a Small Project Summer Challenge, featuring colorful quilt patterns, sewing tools, and text inviting participation in the Six Quilts in Six Weeks Challenge.

Let’s take a look at the numbers – We had a total of 43 people sign up and 24 of them participated, which is more than 50% participation. For a sewing challenge in the middle of everyone’s busy summer, I think that is pretty incredible! Although the Week 6 deadline hasn’t happened yet as of this blog post, so far we have already made over 100 projects together in 6 weeks!

Yay us!

I’ll have the exact total for you next week once we complete Week 6.

I want to thank everyone for participating. These Challenges have really added a whole ‘nother layer to the VRD blog. I love how instead of me just writing something and you reading it, we can interact and connect with each other even though we are spread all over the USA and beyond.

I never really understood how that connection could happen on an online blog, but with the Challenges we’ve been doing here, now I do. I have been getting to know many of you simply based on the fabrics and projects you choose, your comments on the blog and on the FB page. I especially love that you comment on each other’s projects t00. We are a community of quilters and sewists!

I think it’s time to celebrate our Week 5 Winner!

Week 5 Winner

Raise your glass in toast to ……….

Donna P. in Florida

Congrats! Yay you! Awesome Applesauce!

Here is Donna’s Belle Amie table runner for Week 5 –

Donna’s runner turned out really cute and I just couldn’t help but giggle when I saw the backing of her runner! Ape fabric is definitely something I’ve never seen before – how fun!

A colorful patchwork table runner titled 'Belle Amie' featuring various fabric patterns in bright colors, displayed on a wooden surface.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Week 6 Project

Wanna see my Week 6 project???

I didn’t want another week of the Challenge to pass without me participating, so I made the Dear Heart Snack Mat duo. They were fun and I think they turned out really cute!

Two patchwork quilted table mats featuring heart designs in red, blue, and white fabrics, sitting on a distressed wooden surface.

I used leftover fabric from my Cabin Fever quilt from Week 1 of our Challenge (you can see the tutorial for Cabin Fever HERE). I just love being able to find a project to use fabrics leftover from another project, don’t you??? And someday, when we use up all our leftovers, then we can buy more fabric……..

Wait! Nope! Whoever said we had to use up what we had before going to the quilt shop, hmmm??? LOL!

I just have to share this funny little story about making my Dear Heart Snack Mats. I knew I wanted to hand-stitch the binding on these l’il cuties, so I took them along to an eye doctor appointment. While waiting to be called back, I almost finished one of then. Then I finished the first one while waiting for the doc (I’m sure you all know how much waiting we do at appointments) and I began the second one. I needed my eyes dilated for this appointment, but I didn’t let that slow me down – well, not completely anyway. I kept right on stitching as my vision got blurrier and blurrier. Yes, I can thread a needle with dilated pupils – quite a talent I think. And I can stitch binding down too, although it goes a lot slower than when I can actually see what I am doing. LOL! I was bound and determined to get my snack mats completed before the blog post launched. WIN WIN – both snack mats almost got finished during the appointment (I finished the rest later in the day once my eyes weren’t wonky) and the appointment went well.

Image of two pink quilted snack mats with heart patterns, titled 'Dear Heart Snack Mat', designed by Tricia Lynn Maloney for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

What’s Next?

Even though our Small Project Summer Challenge is coming to an end, we aren’t finished challenging ourselves yet!

This fall, we’ll be jumping back into our Six Quilts in Six Weeks Challenge. Yes, you read that right: six quilts in six weeks!

Before anyone starts hyperventilating into a stack of fat quarters, let me remind you that our Fall Six Quilts in 6 Weeks will be all about finishing 6 UFOs or WIPs. Hey – if you’re one of those people who doesn’t have any unfinished projects I think this is totally a myth, though), then you can make a new project each week for the Challenge.

The Challenge is all about setting aside a little time to sew, finishing some projects, cheering each other on, and having fun along the way. After seeing more than 100 small projects come together this summer, I cannot wait to see what we finish this fall!

I’ll share all the details soon, so start thinking about which quilts might be waiting patiently in your sewing room to become your next finished projects.

I hope you’ll join me!

August

In the meantime, what should we do for August after the Small Project Summer Challenge ends?

I’m thinking some new tutorials would be nice, but that would depend on how things go for me in the next month. Please feel free to share your ideas in the comments or you can email them to me directly at tricia@villarosadesigns.com.

Well, that’s it for me this week.

Take care and enjoy summer because like most fleeting things, it ends far too soon.

Sew. Laugh. Make. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

Summer Small Project Sewing Challenge Week 5 and a Not-So-Funny Story

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Now that August is closing in on us, I bet your summer is even more jam-packed than it was in June. Family vacations, reunions, trips, work, appointments, family, friends, kids, grandkids, etc. and so on. For me, this week has been crazily insane. Too much to do and not enough me.

A colorful summer-themed illustration featuring a bright sun, flowers, and a vintage car with a suitcase on top, surrounded by watermelon slices, ice cream cones, and a beach ball. The text highlights summer activities, a calendar for June filled with fun events, and a to-do list for family adventures.

I have 2 family reunions this weekend – Saturday and Sunday. At least they’re not on the same day. The Saturday reunion is for my Mom’s Mom’s side of the family and we help organize and make everything run smoothly the day of the reunion, so that’s added stuff this week with the prepping and then the reunion itself.

My role is pretty simple, though, I am in charge of the Family Pick a Prize table. I sell the tickets. Family members then drop the tickets into the numbered bags and hope that their ticket will be pulled out to win the item. This is how we raise money for next year’s reunion. It works great and everyone loves it. Plus I get to talk to nearly everyone who comes to the reunion, which is kind of nice, too. Maybe I’ll see you there.

Of course, I also have to plan and bring some kind of dish for the food table. This year I’m going all out – cookies from the store bakery. I just don’t have the time to make something at home this year, especially not with 2 reunions back to back. Yep, I’m taking cookies to both of the reunions. Cheating? Maybe. But low stress? For sure!

My Sunday family reunion is my Dad’s Dad’s family reunion. Luckily, all I have to do is take food – more cookies – and just go and relax. Thank goodness.

Of course, the house must be cleaned in case any relatives from out of town want to stop by for a visit, which usually happens on Saturday evening. Plus all the usual things. Yikes! I’m getting tired just writing about this week. Calgon…..take me away! LOL!

I thinkI’m ready for a winner next?????

Week 4 Challenge Winner

Let’s all stand up and cheer for our Week 4 Winner –

Brenda G. in TX

Woohoo! Yippee! Congrats!

Here’s Brenda’s Week 4 Savannah Jane scarf. What fun fabrics and the colors are sew yummy! Yay you!

A collection of brightly colored fabric strips with floral patterns hanging on a wall.

Here’s the Savannah pattern links if you haven’t added it to your pattern collection yet. It’s fast and fun…….it’s Villa Rosa!

An advertisement for the Savannah Jane Charm Square Patchwork Scarf by Villa Rosa Designs, featuring images of the scarf displayed on mannequin models and a floral border design.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Next let’s talk about Week 5 of our Challenge!

VRD Small Summer Project Challenge Week 5 and My Not-So-Funny Story

This week’s Challenge is a completed table runner and I personally know for sure that you have A LOT of patterns to choose from. You can check out our VRD Rose Card table runner patterns HERE. Your finished table runner is due by midnight Friday July 24th EST.

I’ve been checking out the Challenge runners posted on Facebook so far and I must say, they are all really terrific. It never fails to amaze me how different fabrics can totally change the look of a pattern. The arrangement of lights and darks can also change the overall look of a quilt project, too. And don’t forget the quilting – hand or machine – it adds to the uniqueness of each and every project.

I must apologize again – I did not complete my table runner this week. If I had, I was going to make the Be Square runner and use fall fabrics for a quick autumn runner. Sigh…..it would have been really cute, too. I’m still planning to make it, but just not this week.

Quilted table runner with colorful patchwork squares, featuring red and floral patterns, titled 'Be Square' by Tricia Lynn Maloney for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Sure, I’ve been totally swamped with family and summer events like all of you, including double family reunions this weekend. But the biggest and best excuse I’ve had for just about everything over the last few months (LOL!) is my health.

I didn’t mention it a couple of weeks ago when I wasn’t able to complete my project, but I have been fighting Lyme disease. I probably contracted it sometime in May, although who really knows for sure? I’m not a hiker and I don’t spend much time in the woods, so the likeliest place was probably my own yard, possibly while walking Bailly, gardening, or simply spending time outside.

My area of Pennsylvania is known for Lyme disease because it is rural, with lots of woods, trees, deer, and other wildlife. It’s probably surprising that I haven’t gotten it sooner, really. So now I’ve joined the ranks of the Lyme afflicted.

The hardest part is that I finished my antibiotics three weeks ago, and I am still experiencing symptoms. What are Lyme symptoms, you might ask? Well, they can be pretty nonspecific and often feel a lot like the flu.

Infographic outlining the signs of Lyme disease, including symptoms like bullseye rash, fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, neck stiffness, and swollen lymph nodes, with a reminder to contact healthcare providers if suspected.

With Lyme disease, you hear all about the classic bullseye rash. Well, guess what? Not everyone gets one. I didn’t. If I had, I probably would have been diagnosed sooner.

Instead, I had a puffy round, very itchy red spot that I honestly thought was a spider bite. I had it for weeks, perhaps even a month, before it began to fade. Then another itchy red spot appeared nearby.

Another spider bite? I wondered.

Some people do not notice a rash at all.

My other symptoms were spread out over several weeks rather than appearing all at once, so I never connected them. Then my friend Mary Lee mentioned that her great-nephew had contracted Lyme disease while camping. Thank goodness she told me about the poor kiddo, because something finally clicked.

I looked up the symptoms online (see the poster above), and I realized that I had experienced many of them, just not all at the same time. By the last week of June, before my diagnosis and treatment, I was feeling really awful.

Unfortunately, the symptoms didn’t disappear after I finished my antibiotics. Three weeks later, I am still dealing with them.

So what’s next?

I have tests and lab work that need to be completed, and then I’m off to the Infectious Disease office. I don’t know what will happen at that point. For now, the doctors are trying to rule out other possibilities before adding a new diagnosis or treatment.

In the meantime, I’m moving about as fast as a turtle who needs frequent rest breaks. The exhaustion can be overwhelming, and the lack of energy has made it difficult to accomplish everything I need to do. But I’m hanging in there, even if the Challenge host is currently moving at a slightly less-than-challenging speed.

I decided to share my diagnosis for a couple of reasons.

The first is to explain why I wasn’t able to finish another project for the Challenge I’m hosting. I’m certainly not happy about missing it, but right now I simply cannot add anything else to my plate.

The second is that sharing my Lyme journey might help someone else recognize the symptoms and seek medical care sooner.

Lyme is a squirrely disease, and it can look like many other things. Please talk to your healthcare provider if you experience symptoms like those listed above, even if they appear gradually rather than all at once, as mine did.

If it isn’t Lyme, that’s wonderful. But if it is, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can help prevent more serious problems.

You can find more information about Lyme Disease at the following websites:

CDC (Center for Disease Control)

American Lyme Disease Foundation

Mayo Clinic

Okay, I’m jumping off my podium now. Somebody turn off the microphone and the stage lights. LOL!

Week 6 of the Challenge

Wow! Week 6? Already? Our Summer Small Project Challenge has gone by so fast – just like summertime.

Week 6’s project is a completed set of 2 snack mats (including quilting and binding). There are 12 different seasonal snack mat patterns, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find one you like. Your Week 6 project is due by midnight Friday, July 31st EST.

You can find snack mat Rose Card patterns HERE, but did you know you can get the whole set of 12 patterns?

Cover image featuring 12 seasonal snack mats displayed in vibrant colors with names for each design.

Get your print pattern set HERE

I’m really going to try to make a set for next week because they are really fun to make, but I will have to see how things go between now and then.

Go get your sewing on and have a great week!

Sew. Laugh. Make. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge

Small Project Summer Challenge and a New VRD Scarf Tutorial, Inessa Jane

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

I hope all of you are having an amazing summer filled with family, fun, sun, and maybe a little bit of quilting and sewing, too! For me, the quilting and sewing has come in little fits and spurts, but never fear – I am still getting my creative groove on very regularly. Which is a good thing because I tend to get cranky when I haven’t spent time doing creative things for a while. Are you like this too?

Colorful illustration featuring a sun, sewing tools, and summer-themed elements like watermelon and lemonade, with the text 'Family Fun & Sun' and 'Stitching in the Sunshine'.

We are now finishing Week 4 of our Small Project Summer Challenge and I’m thrilled to say that participation has been right around 50%. That is really terrific. I wasn’t sure what people would think of our smaller projects, but folks seem to be having fun and enjoying them. I’ve had many lovely comments about how fun the projects are and if it hadn’t been for the challenge, participants might not ever have tried making a particular small project. I’m hoping that next summer, we can do this again and my fingers are crossed that we’ll have even more small project options for you. My question for everyone is:

What kind of small projects would you like to see as VRD Rose Card patterns?

Please keep in mind that our space is limited for instructions, so each project has to fit on the back of a 4″ x 6″ postcard. This is not always an easy task and sometimes we have to get creative with our allotted space, which may even include several revisions. But somehow, we always figure it out in the end. It’s definitely a special skill to write a complete project pattern on the back of a postcard along with appropriate diagrams. Big high-five to all of our VRD designers for their creativity and problem-solving skills! Yay you!

Before we get started on our Week 4 Challenge, we can’t forget our Week 3 drawing winner!

Week 3 Winner

Big giant ovation for our Week 3 Winner!

Toss some confetti!

Where are those cheerleaders at?

Oh well…..

Congrats to…..

Pat C. of NY

Yay Pat! Well done! Kudos!

Here’s Pat’s version of Louisa Jane:

She made it for her granddaughter and the pillowcase doubles as a bag to carry toys and stuffed animals to Grandma’s house! What a wonderful idea, Pat!

Graphic illustration featuring Louisa Jane pillowcase and laundry bag designs by Villa Rosa Designs, showcasing colorful patterned fabrics on a decorative background.

You can find the digital pattern HERE or the print pattern HERE

What a cool pillowcase with a secret double life as a laundry or toy bag.

Let’s dive into our Week 4 Challenge next!

Week 4 of the VRD Small Project Summer Challenge

Wow! Hard to believe we’re in Week 4 already. This week’s project is a scarf, but not just any scarf – a VRD scarf. VRD has 2 fun and fast scarves:

Graphic displaying three styles of infinity scarves on mannequin busts. The top text reads 'Inessa Jane Infinity Scarf,' with fabric requirements detailed below. The design features floral embellishments and a colorful background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

and

Image showcasing the Savannah Jane Charm Square Patchwork Scarf by Villa Rosa Designs, displayed on mannequins. The scarf features a variety of colorful patchwork patterns and is styled with different outfits.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Should you choose to accept the Week 4 scarf challenge, your scarf is due by midnight Friday, July 17th EST.

This blog post will self destruct in 5 seconds……no, not really. I just wanted to write that. LOL!

Do you wanna see my scarf for this week???

Here it is…….I made the Inessa Jane infinity scarf. And here I am modeling it.

I’ve never really worn a lot of scarves except for in the winter here in chilly NW PA, but…..I might reconsider. This scarf turned out great and I think the colors of these Hoffman batiks are so pretty. And funny enough, my blue frames look great with the scarf. LOL!

A smiling woman with short brown hair wearing glasses and a blue patterned scarf, against a textured background.

I thought a tutorial for Inessa Jane would also be nice…….

VRD Inessa Jane Tutorial

Of course, choosing fabrics is pretty much always our first step (and maybe a favorite, too). I picked two coordinating but different batiks for the scarf so it could be worn with the blue side out, the lavender side out, or folded so you could see both sides. Lots of fun options. You could use a single fabric too.

Now I’ll have to learn how to wrap and fold my Inessa Jane Infinity Scarf. You can check out a fun video HERE for 10 different ways to wear your infinity scarf!

Two pieces of fabric on a cutting mat: one with a purple and lavender floral pattern, and the other in varying shades of blue with a leaf design.

Next I cut my batik strips for the scarf. You can make your scarf longer by adding additional strips, just remember to increase the number of strips for both fabrics.

Off I went to my sewing machine to sew each fabric’s long strips together end to end.

Throughout the project, I back-stitched at the beginning and end of my seams so they didn’t have a chance to unravel while I handled and manipulated the scarf during the sewing process..

Two fabric pieces showcasing floral and leaf patterns, one in pastel colors with purple and teal hues and the other in various shades of blue.

Next I layered the long strips of my 2 batiks together with right sides together (batiks are the same on both sides, so I had to watch to make sure that the seam sides were my “wrong sides”) and I stitched down both long sides of my scarf. I matched my seams and nestled them together.

A close-up view of two pieces of fabric being sewn together on a sewing machine, featuring a blue patterned fabric and a purple floral fabric.

The fun part is next – turning the scarf right sides out. Such a weird feeling thing to do, but pretty cool, too.

Now it’s time for the tricky part. I matched up the rights sides of the short scarf ends with the help of a few pins and carefully stitched around the scarf width as far as I could go. I also made sure to line up my seams and nestle them together again.

Once I sewed as far as I could, I back-stitched and stopped. There were maybe 4 inches or so left unsewn.

Close-up of fabric with a blue and white leaf pattern, with a pink floral print visible underneath.

So, my final step was to slip-stitch the opening closed by hand. Boy, I learned something very important during this step – I’m not that great at slip-stitching especially really late at night. LOL! But I finished it. It wasn’t completely horrible but it did pucker a little bit. Oh well…..

Ta da! Here is my finished scarf….again! Pretty cool. I think I’ll make some more of these and play with different ways to wear them.

A smiling woman with short brown hair and glasses, wearing a blue and purple patterned scarf over a white top, posing in front of a softly blurred background.

Next week is Week 5 of our VRD Small Project Summer Challenge and our project is a finished table runner due by midnight Friday July 24th EST.

See you then! Don’t forget to take a moment and smell the roses. summer is going fast.

Sew. Laugh. Make. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · Tutorials · Welcome Blog Post

Small Project Summer Challenge Week 2 and a NEW VRD Rose Card Tutorial – Tabitha Jane

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Happy 250th birthday to America!

A patriotic illustration celebrating America's 250th birthday with fireworks, a vintage red truck, and an American flag. The design features bunting, colorful stars, and the text 'Happy 250th Birthday America!' along with the years '1776' and '2026'.

I hope you are all set to enjoy the celebration this weekend for the 250th Birthday of the United States of America. I’m looking forward to the fireworks and all the different events going on.

Of course right now the weather is looking rainy, but I have hopes it will clear up and be a gorgeous weekend for everyone. We’re having a heatwave right now with temperatures in the mid 90’s. I am not a hot weather girl at all, so I will stay in the air conditioning and ride out the heat. Just hand me a bowl of ice cream – something with chocolate – and I’ll be happy as a clam. And cool. LOL!

We are wrapping up Week 2 of our Small Project Summer Challenge this week – our project is a VRD Tote bag. Here’s the info and schedule in case you need it.

Now let’s revisit Week 1 with a winner!

Week 1 Winner

Yay! It’s time to announce our first Small Project Summer Challenge winner!

Toss the confetti!

Cue the band!

And our Week 1 winner is………….

Susan L. from WV

Congrats, Susan!

Susan made a fun dog lover’s version of Fairhaven. This one really makes me smile because of all the canine fabrics. A fun fast make!

A colorful quilt hanging on a wall, featuring a patchwork design with red, navy blue, and floral patterns.

Guess what? Susan already donated her Fairhaven quilt to Project Linus!

Project Linus has been giving handmade blankets and quilts to kids since 1995. And in 31 years, they’ve given over 10 million blankets to children. WHOAH! You can find additional information or how to get involved on the Project Linus website HERE.

A colorful quilt titled 'Fairhaven' featuring various fabric patterns with pink and green tones, displayed against a pink background, along with a floral accent in the upper right corner.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

VRD Small Project Summer Challenge Week 2

Our Week 2 Challenge this week is for a VRD tote bag. Your tote bag project is due Friday, July 3rd by midnight EST.

We have 2 different VRD tote bag patterns or you could adapt a different VRD pattern into a tote bag. What a fun idea! I hadn’t thought of that until one of the participants asked me about it. Thanks for the great idea!

So……..my tote bag this week is Tabitha Jane. Have you made this one yet? It’s totally reversible, which means you get 4 looks with one tote bag. That’s uber cool, right?

So here’s my red, white, and blue version of Tabitha Jane!

Like I said: 1 tote bag – 4 different looks! I can’t decide which side I like the best. Which one do you like?

It was really quick, perhaps 2 or 3 hours (including photography on my end) to make this super useful and fun tote. Tabitha Jane would be a great tote for yourself or for someone else! I can’t wait to make a few more, maybe one for each season? Did I mention it’s made out of fat quarters???

Graphic showcasing a reversible tote bag design by Tabitha Jane, featuring four different looks with vibrant patterns. The text highlights fabric requirements and the finished size of the tote, along with design credits for Nancy Lorene and Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

I also created a tutorial for you for Tabitha Jane. Now you’ve totally got to make one of these!

VRD Tutorial Tabitha Jane

Probably the hardest thing about this pattern is choosing your 6 FQs! Of course, you can absolutely make more than one of these totes so you can can choose 6, 12, 18….or more FQs. LOL!

I settled on these 6 patriotic FQs from Deb Strain’s America 250 Years collection by Moda Fabrics. What a surprise – I’m making red, white, and blue projects for the Summer Challenge. Ha ha!

A collection of six fabric pieces featuring patriotic patterns, including plaid, stars, and American flags, arranged on a green cutting mat.

Next up is cutting. I layered my FQs together so I only had to cut once. Do likewise if you feel comfortable, but cutting 1 layer at a time is perfectly okay too.

Now to cut the other 2 FQs. And with that, the cutting is finished. Wow! That was quick!

A green cutting mat with a rotary cutter, a patterned fabric piece in red and white stripes with stars, and a clear quilting ruler placed on the fabric.

We’re going to make our straps first. Here are my 4 fabrics for my straps.

Four pieces of fabric in red, white, and blue patterns laid out on a cutting mat, featuring stars, stripes, and plaid designs.

To make the straps, the first thing to do is stitch the smaller strips together to make 4 long strips. I chose to sew matching strips together, but you can totally scrap this up if you want to. You do you.

After I stitch my strips together, I’m going to press the seams open.

Next I am going to layer 2 strap strips right sides together (RST) and sew down both long edges to make my 2 straps.

Oh goody (not really)….Time to turn both straps right side out (RSO). This is one of my least favorite things to do when sewing bags. Usually I fold my strips in half and then in half again to avoid having to turn things RSO. But these straps are pretty wide, so here goes……

I am using a large safety pin (Yup, one of my quilt basting pins) to turn my strips RSO. The pin gives me something to hold onto as I turn the strap.

Now I need to press my straps flat.

I’m going to sew close to both sides of each strap. This is for 2 reasons – 1st because it will keep the straps flat and 2nd because the stitching will help stabilize the straps as we did not add any interfacing or batting.

I’m also going to add more stitching down the middle of each strap for even more stabilization. And I’m going to use one of the zillion special stitches on my sewing machine to make it fun. I chose this cute star and decided to use variegated thread.

After I finished the straps, though, I wish I had used a solid navy blue thread instead of the variegated because the stars would have shown up better. Oh well…….

Time to work on the body of the tote now. I’m going to sew the smaller rectangles to the top and bottom of the large rectangles to make 2 bags. The finished bag doesn’t have any interfacing or batting, so if you want to add any to make your bag sturdier, now would be the time to add it. But I’m going to continue without adding any stabilizer for this one.

When I make a project for the first time, I like to follow the directions pretty close so I understand how it all goes together. Then if/when I make another one, I might choose to make changes or adapt the pattern.

I’m going to fold each bag body section in half with RST so the top and bottom edges match. Then I’m going to sew down both sides of the tote for both pieces. When you turn them RSO, don’t forget to push out the corners and give the bags a press.

All that is left is to assemble the bag parts and the straps.

If desired, you can fold under the tops of the bags as the next step before placing one bag inside the other with wrong sides together, but I prefer doing the top seam allowance after 1 bag is already inside the other bag because I find I can get the top seams lined up better.

I’m going to turn one of the bags inside out again and place it inside the other bag (which is RSO) so that the wrong sides are facing towards each other. Smooth the bags out and line up the side seams.

I like to work with one bag at a time as I fold and press the seam allowance to the wrong side of the bag. Next I’ll match the top edges as I fold the 2nd bag seam allowance towards the wrong side and press. I pin generously to keep the bag tops lined up.

Before I sew the top of the bag, though, I need to insert my straps and pin them. I used my ruler when I pinned the straps between the 2 bags so that everything would be neat and square.

The last thing to do is to sew around the top of the bag close to the edge. I then zigzagged around the top of the bag to give the straps a little more support. Apparently, I forgot to take a few photos of this step. LOL! Sorry about that.

Anyway, here is my finished bag (again). All 4 sides.

What a super fun tote bag! Hmmmmm……..I’m thinking these would make great “gift bags” for Christmas. A gift within a gift.

Small Project Summer Challenge Week 3 Next Week

Next week for Week 3 of our Small Project Summer Challenge, we’ll be making pillows/pillow covers. We have some really fun VRD options for you! You can find both digital and print pillow patterns HERE.

Garden Wishes

Parade Day

Spring Blooms

Good Luck

Dot to Dot

Happy Hearts

Belinda Jane

Louisa Jane

Your pillow project is due by midnight July 10th EST.

Enjoy your 250th celebration this weekend!

Until next week!

Sew. Laugh. Celebrate. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD