It's Finally Ready!

 My newest pattern is finally ready for sale! It's a paper pieced design (of course), and it's an updated version of my original pattern that I published back in 2014.

The older version was much smaller and didn't have as much detail as I was limited by the design program I was using at that time. I am so proud to bring this new and improved version to the market.

This pattern has complete instructions and full size foundations that you can use to sew on or make a copy and keep the original so you can make it again and again!

I used a beautiful border print that was dense on one selvage edge and more sparse on the other. There are so many incredible designs of this type of border fabric out there that you will definitely find one you love. You don't have to use this type of border but if you decide you want to my instructions are included.

This pattern sells for $14 + postage as it is only available as a printed copy at this time. For more information or to order please email me at: larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

Wholesale inquiries are welcome!

Weekend Retreat at Seams Like Home

 

My new angel pattern called Angel Blessings is almost ready to go! I'm just waiting on my printer to finish up.

I will be teaching a workshop using my new design at Seams Like Home in Vanderbilt, Pennsylvania on September 23rd, 24th, 25th,

The cost for the weekend will be $350 and will include a 2 night stay at this wonderful B & B situated in the Laurel Highlands in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Also part of the package is dinner on Friday evening, breakfast, lunch and dinner on Saturday and brunch on Sunday as well as lots of personalized instruction from me and a kit to make the sunflower version of my design as shown.

There is room for up to 10 students. If you'd like to see photos of Seams Like Home or to reserve your spot check out their website https://seamslikehomeretreat.com/

Angel Blessings pattern almost ready!

 This is my newest design that I am almost ready to publish. She is an updated version of my original angel pattern that I first published in 2014.

She is 5" larger in both directions, I have refined her face and hand shape, added more wing and hair and her hands are now 3 dimensional. I also added a narrow inner border.

This pattern gives you an opportunity to use one of those amazing border prints that we fall in love with in the quilt shops but wonder what to do with them. For me, this minty green floral border print was the starting point for this new pattern. I loved the fabric but knew that the scale was too large to work with the original angel pattern so I made her bigger! This border print was mirrored so I had to be a little picky about how I cut it.

Here is another example using the same type of border print. This one was dense on one selvage edge and less dense on the other. I love the effect.

This border was large scale and directional with words that I wanted to be right side up in the finished quilt. The 2 long, side borders were cut first, perpendicular to the selvage because I needed the full length. The 2 short borders for the top and bottom were cut widthwise and sewn on first. This is my most recent sample so you may be able to see the shadow created by the hands being 3 dimensional.

I am currently working on writing the pattern and hope to have it ready very soon. You can email me at larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com for more info or to be added to my email list.

Immeasurable Blessings

 

Back in December I started having computer issues. I noticed it first when I opened the design program that I had been using for about 20 years. I thought maybe I needed to update my program and went to the website. The only thing on the website was a notice that they were going to be shutting down. That was a huge problem for me because I had hundreds of designs that I created in the program that I no longer had access to.

My angel pattern has always been my best seller and I had wanted to update it and make some changes but couldn't do it because I only had a pdf file for it. So I purchased a new computer and the EQ8 quilt design program and redrew my angel with the changes I wanted to make and I couldn't be happier! 

This new angel measures 17" x 20", which is about 5" larger in each direction than the original. I also modified her wings, head, hair and hands. By adding a 1" narrow border and a 5" border like I did, the final size is 23" x 26"

This angel in particular will have a halo made with small watch gears in keeping with the theme of the fabric I used. This pattern is very versatile and can be used to celebrate any occasion, season or holiday. It can also be used as a memory quilt by using clothing from a loved one who has passed.

I will publish this pattern and make it available for sale sometime in August. Feel free to follow me on Facebook at Larkspur Lane Designs and on Instagram at larkspurlanedesigns13.

You can also reach me via email at larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

A Silver Lining

 Right before Christmas last year I started having trouble with my design program so I went to the website to see if there was an update available that would fix the problem. Instead of finding the website I found a notice that said the software was going sundown and would no longer be supported. Well that's just great, I thought!

Shortly afterward, my laptop died completely and I had to replace it. Even though I use my computer pretty much everyday I wouldn't consider myself computer savvy so I wasn't freaking out...yet. And that was only because I didn't realize how screwed I was at that point! 

I had been using my design program for over 20 years and had created hundreds of designs but without a copy of the program I can't access them. It's like they are locked away in a safe that I no longer have the combination for.

After the initial shock wore off I purchased a different design program and started playing around with it to learn how to use it. 

My angel pattern has always been my best seller even though I had never planned on publishing it. In 2010, the angel design had been in my files for a couple of years when I found out that one of my friends had been in a very bad car accident. My friend was badly injured and spent 6 months in a rehab hospital healing. But even worse than that, her 7 year old daughter had been killed in the accident. 

My friend also lost the baby she was carrying at the time. Fortunately, her younger daughter survived. My friend and her husband were struggling so I asked my local quilt shop owner if she could help me raise funds for the family. If you've ever had the pleasure to meet Mary Beth who owns Quilters Corner in Finleyville PA, please know that you have met an actual angel.

Not only did she agree to help but she generously made my very small donation into something so much bigger than I could have ever done on my own. I gave her my files for my angel pattern, which she printed out and then created kits that included the pattern and fabric. She sold the kits and every cent went into a fund set up for my friend's family. It made a huge difference for my friend.

After my friend recovered and the family was able to support themselves again on their own I decided to make my angel pattern available for sale and it has done very well for me. I had thought about updating it and making some changes but since the only copy I had when my computer died was a pdf copy I couldn't do much with it.

When I purchased my new design program one of the first things I decided to do was redraw my angel and make the changes I had been thinking about, so pictured above is my new and improved (in my opinion and hopefully others) angel. This pattern is not available yet but my original one is. The new one should be available soon!

Support your local quilt shops whenever possible!

 My angel design has gotten a lot of notice lately and is now in several quilt shops so I thought I'd publish a list of the shops where it's available. Support your local quilt shops!

The Quilted Thimble,12628 Chillicothe Rd., Chesterland Ohio 44026. 440-729-2259

Amy Baughman Sew and Quilt, Creekside Commons,100 Perry Hwy, Suite 120, Harmony Pennsylvania 16037. 724-779-1390

Sew Special, 688 W. Main St., Uniontown Pennsylvania, 15401. 724-438-1765

Pine Tree Quilt Shop, 175 Wade St., Waynesburg Pennsylvania, 15370 724-833-9147

M & E Quilt Shop, 279 E. Market St., Sandusky Ohio, 44870. 419-502-9123

I hope to add more in the future for this pattern and my other ones but if you have any suggestions please let me know!

If these shops are out of stock or too far away from you you can always get a pdf copy of the pattern directly from me by emailing me at larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com