Author: Libby Jacobs Christensen

sorry, I forgot to give you a “Pick a Pocket”book link! Here it is.

Click here for more info

If not, you should be! Get this wonderfully customizable “Pick a Pocket”book pattern–pick the pocket you want (zipper, phone, key holder loop), the color, the size, and the style. Quilters will love that it has “jelly roll friendly” 2 1/2″ block graphs, but that’s a choice as well. (I’ve made it of decorating toile.)

I chose this pattern to put on sale until Aug. 18 because I had so much interest in the Rainbow Totebag last week. This purse is made much the same way except that the lining is attached a bit differently. If you can sew, you can make it. In fact, you can make it in a dozen colors, plain or pieced.

Here are some suggestions to consider for creativity:

1. Rob your button box. The button on front is decorative only. It’s a great way to use an antique or really “arty” button.
2. Speaking of buttons….you can embroider a circle by handle or by machine and make it into a covered button!
3. Speaking of embroidery…there’s a space on the quilted version left especially for monograms; however, a beautiful embroidery design would be perfect there as well.
4. Show off your quilting. If you want to use a fancy quilted block or maybe an “orphan” block–this is a wonderful way to showcase it.
5. Don’t stop with quilting cottons. While it’s darling made of novelty quilting fabrics, such as Red Hat ladies or crazy cats, truly, this purse could be done with fuzzy leopard, red velveteen, even interesting curtain or other decorator prints (if not too thick).
6. Crazy quilting, beading, couching, rows of lace, pleating, fabric painting, piping at the top instead of a decorative fringe….I even found a fringe made of wooden beads and shells.
7. Don’t forget that you can transfer photos to fabric–just a P.S.

The possibilities are endless. If you made something interesting, send me a photo to post!

…this BIG “Rainbow Totebag” is the treasure at the end of the rainbow. We’ve had a lot of rain in Alabama–no local flooding so far, thank goodness–but our usual summer thunderstorms. The other day I saw a beautiful rainbow while driving home and got the urge to design this tote. I was thinking “beach bag” for summer, but truly I found it’s good for many other things as well. I made it deep and roomy with very useful pockets. I always like a zippered pocked for security, a pocket sized for phone or sunglasses, and this time I added one for a bottle holder. They take just a little more time, but the basic bargello-style quilt piecing is really easy, and the quilting is optional. I added metallic thread “rain” on mine and have already gotten compliments.

To make your own, click here for the pattern, on sale for $3.50 until the end of the month.

If I had good photos of rainbows, I’d add them, but I never seem to have my camera at the right time. What I WILL do is give some tips on sewing with metallic thread. It doesn’t have the same “stretch” as normal thread and will tend to break easily and all too often. However, you can tame it:

1. Lower the tension on your sewing machine down a LOT.
2. Use a special embroidery or metallic thread needle, which has a bigger eye and gives more “play” to the thread.
3. Sew SLOWLY, and watch carefully to make sure the thread is flowing well from the spool. If it catches on something, it’ll break!

…and who wants “breaking rain”-just NOT logical. I used little pointed ovals and circles for raindrops. I think it’d be just fine to use a pretty rayon or polyester embroidery thread as well–blue, green, gray, white–whatever you have or want. Make it rain, quilter style!

I’m offering a chance to get this great checkered flag pattern for a song. Can you sing “The Star-Spangled Banner” or maybe “God Bless America”? If not, it’s OK–just click on Paypal to pay a buck with a credit card, and it’s yours–“Patriotic Platter Pad” will be sent directly to your computer. This is the perfect pattern for a beginning quilter because it’s actually a mini-quilt with machine quilting and binding, but it’s quick and easy. In fact, there’s enough time to zip one up before July 4th! So get busy.

Click here for more info.

I’m always drawn to images of our flag because it’s so special and so recognizable even when it’s slightly altered like the checkerboard square here. I love that it symbolizes the union of the original 13 colonies and the current states, however dissimilar they might be.

Here are a couple local photos I’ve taken of flags that caught my eye:

…right off the sewing machine. (Yes, and the weather is hot, too, here in Alabama.) This new Christensen Creations pattern uses quick and easy strip-piecing to make a great patriotic runner and/or placemats. Can’t you just see this on your picnic table for July 4? Simple enough for a beginning quilter or an advanced quilter in a hurry, there is plenty of time to finish before the 4th. Click here to check it out:

As a military wife, I love the flag and have often made hangings, throws, and other flag motif items for other military wives. Many of us have lived in other countries where the standard of living was so much lower than the U.S. We’ve lived in countries that don’t have our freedom. When my husband went to Saudi Arabia for a year, he was glad I couldn’t go with him because I’d have to walk behind him, cover my hair and legs, and not be able to drive. Goodness, that’s hard to believe in our modern times. By now, there may be some changes in Saudi, but I have to say I am very glad I’m an American. The military is not alone, though, in loving the country and wanting to express our patriotism. I’m sure there are many quilters out there who would be proud to make this pattern. I hope so.

That could be you or your friend on July 4. Imagine serving a platter of hot dogs and hamburgers or a big dish of potato salad or cole slaw, wearing this cute and colorful patriotic apron! (YOU, not the cole slaw.) No HAND stitching (H-A-N-D is a 4-letter word, you know). Easy to not only make, but to CUSTOMIZE.

Seriously, I know from being a “ample petite” (sounds better than short and fat) that NObody truly can wear a “one size fits all,” so I gave instructions and diagrams for 3 lengths and 3 “breadths.” Not only that, but the great matching hot pads come in 3 sizes, too. FOUR patterns–on sale for just $3.50 until July 4. If you’re just a beginning quilter, a hot pad is a great way to start! Click here for more info.

Now for some patriotic goodies!

By goodies, I mean food.

For a really big group, do individual tiny cheesecakes with blueberries, strawberries or cherry pie filling, and white one with a dab of whipped cream. Now put them on a table in a flag pattern. Pretty and scrumptious!

Ditto for tiny tartlets, but cheesecakes are easier…even buy them and decorate them. Ditto for cupcakes but you need a LOT of them–the mini ones would work, though.

Don’t forget mother’s Jello. It comes in red and blue, but you can add some coconut milk to make a white one or make it with gel packet. Find a recipe on line. It’s easy to mold. To unmold, dip it into a basin of warm water with a plate/platter on top. It’s not hard. You can even do layers. Don’t forget that you can load it with fresh blueberries or strawberries or pineapple and get an awesome and colorful fruit side dish.

You can play with cakes, too. If you don’t decorate much, just make a red cake and a white cake to layer alternately. You could use blueberries and some blue coloring for the icing in between layers for a pop of flavor and color. Ice it with rich white cream cheese icing and surprise everyone with the colors inside.

I don’t recommend trying red or blue burgers, though, unless you like bleu cheese and hot sauce. Happy Fourth! Get your apron made and go forth!

this throw and pillow pattern, “Stars and Strips Forever,” makes a bold statement. Made with Christensen Creations‘ unusual 60-degree folded “Modified Prairie Points,” the star points are layered and partially left unsewn on the edges for a bit of 3D texture. Easy strip-piecing–this is really not a difficult pattern. Can you just imagine it draped in a sun room when the family comes on July 4th? Check it out–just $5 on sale until mid-June. Click here for more info.

I’ve seen people turn away from a quilt pattern because they didn’t like the colors of the sample. This is a good time to point out how differently a pattern can be made up. One of the biggest joys of quilting is playing with fabrics to choose your own custom combination. The one below is the same pillow done in upholstery velvet, with a focus of a big cabbage rose instead of string-pieced prints and cream piping in the seam. Now imagine it with a blue background and a blue/yellow flower….or go totally off the rails with a neon orange and yellow solid star on a gray background for a super-modern room. The combinations are endless.

The following one was made up from a starry Christmas print with accent of a heavy cotton braid. A simple star looked best against the busy print. However, it’s easy to also imagine red and white (or cream) stripes, pine green squares and gold stars for yet another Christmas look. Christmas in June? Why not? I’m working on some Christmas presents myself….better now than panicking at the last minute…though I can testify that this pillow goes up VERY quickly! Good gift!