Jennifer Fulton has done it again! Her new collection for Island Batik's called Flower Pot is available now!

Along with several other designers, I was given the opportunity to design something with this beautiful new collection. You will have to wait a little while to see what I did but in the meantime you can follow the blog hop and see what everyone else has done! You can find this fabric collection here:

Here is a list of participating designers and links to their blogs:

September 23

Jennifer Fulton

September 24

Andi

September 25

Jennifer Fulton

September26

Lisa

September 27

Tiffany

September 28

Kathleen

September 29

Emily

September 30

Denise

October 1

Jane

October 2

Sue

October 3

Laura

October 4

Brianna

October 5

Leah

October 6 Jennifer

New Pattern available! Feather Star

This is my newest pattern released called Feather Star. It measures 61" x 74". It is a foundation paper pieced design done in Island Batik's collection called Geometric Symphony and a few of their basics from their Foundations line thrown in.

I love the buttery yellows and the juicy purples! I think they make for a bright and happy quilt.

The pattern is available now on my website!

Jennifer Fulton has done it again! Introducing her new fabric collection from Island Batik

You can find her fabric here:https://islandbatik.com/store-locator/ https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2024/09/23/welcome-to-flower-pot-blog-hop

Visit Jennifer's site to win a fat quarter collection! https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2024/09/23/welcome-to-flower-pot-blog-hop

Here is a list of all of the participating designers so make sure you check them out! September 23rd - Jennifer September 24th - Andi September 25th - Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter (RETURN TO LEARN ANOTHER WAY YOU CAN WIN!) September 26th - Lisa @ September 27th - Tiffany @ September 28th - Kathleen @ Kathleen McMusing September 29th - Emily @ The Darling Dogwood September 30th - Denise @ Quiltery October 1st - Jane @ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting October 2nd - Sue @ Larkspur Lane Designs October 3rd - Laura @ Slice of Pi October 4th - Brianna @ Sew Cute and Quirky October 5th - Leah @ Quilted Delights October 6th - Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter — (THE WINNER IS ANNOUNCED!)

Witchy Wishes Pattern Available Now!

My newest pattern is available on my website now! This sweet little witch is just the right size to hang on your wall or your door. The block measures 17" x 20" and I added 2 obrders to my sample, which made it measure 29" x 33". The width of the borders can be changed to make the quilt a little larger or smaller if you prefer.

Trying to bring awareness to a very big problem

This is not quilting related but it IS a matter of life and death for some people and some of those people are quilters. So I'm hoping to reach as many people as possible to bring this problem to light. Although I believe that the legislation that was recently passed capping the price of insulin was a wonderful idea, the greed of the 3 major producers of insulin for the United States has turned it into a death sentence for the millions of Americans who are insulin dependent.

Because their profit margin has dropped so much on insulin, they have slashed production of insulin in favor of other drugs that make them more money. This is causing a shortage. People who are dependent on insulin to live don't have any other options. They will die if they can't get it. We cannot let this stand. PEOPLE OVER PROFITS

New pattern coming soon!

This is my newest design called Love Is... I started it more than a year ago but other deadlines kept popping up and this had to wait. It is a paper pieced block that is perfect for a novelty print or some special photos for the center of the block. The pattern will include 2 block sizes, a 10" and a 12" block foundation. It will also include directions to make a 1 block candle mat, a 3 block table runner and a 4 block table square that can also be modified to be used as a tree skirt.

Let me know what you think!

We're the little guys, please stop stealing from us

I believe that most of the people who are creating patterns so that others can make beautiful quilts from all of the amazing fabric that is available to us are working independently. They are not employed by big companies and earning a salary by designing for them. They are people who count on the sales of their patterns as their income or they work another job and supplement their income by following their passion for creating and sharing it with the world.

There is so much work that goes into a pattern before it is ever published. It is not a simple or fast process. I have patterns sitting in my computer that are one step away from being published but for one reason or another are still on hold. There is a very real possibility that I may never get around to publishing them. I am lucky if I publish 4 patterns a year. There are no guarantees that other people will like your design so, even though you've put your heart and soul into creating it, you might never earn a penny from it.

I am not a marketing genius nor am I with any distributors at this time, so most of my sales come when someone sees one of my designs in a post on Facebook and asks where they can get the pattern.

Unfortunately there is an alarming trend that I am seeing more and more often. Designers are losing control of their designs and therefore they are losing sales. Someone will purchase a downloadable copy of a pattern and create a website of their own. Once they have that file they can upload it to their website and claim it as their own design. They may change the name of the design, or in many cases not even bother to do that, but it remains the same as the original and they use the written directions that the legal owner of the design wrote. I get asked often if my designs are available as a download but this is the very reason I choose not to sell my designs this way. If someone wants to steal a design from me they will find a way but I'm not going to make it easier for them.

These websites pop up on a daily basis and designers are constantly being made aware of their designs being sold by someone else without permission. Fighting back is very difficult as it can be hard to shut these sites down. If you do manage to shut it down, you will see it again under a different name very soon.

Pattern buyers have all of the power in this situation. Instead of taking the easy route and purchasing from the first link you see, a simple Google image search can lead you to the legal owner of the design in most cases. I know it's an extra step but pattern designers have already done so much work to make the pattern available to the buyers that it can be disheartening to see what should be your profits from your work going to someone else who has done nothing more than purchase a domain name.

These websites have a similar look that becomes easily recognizable if you familiarize yourself with it. It is a simple design that shows the quilt designs, and very often, there is a sizable discount offered on each of the patterns.

I know that we're all shopping around for the best deals these days but stealing or helping someone else steal is not the answer. People should be paid for their work.

Summer Flower pattern available now!

My newest pattern is now available!

My versatile flower block design can be used to make the project pictured on the cover or you can make a few blocks and create a table runner or some summer throw pillows! If you're really motivated, these large blocks, 15", would make a beautiful throw for the porch or a summer quilt for your bed!

This pattern contains 2 different foundations so you can choose to make the block with the beginner friendly 4 patch version or the skill builder Y seam version. Each foundation has its own advantages. The 4 patch is a little more simple in its construction and it will give you some interesting design capabilities if you make more than one block. The Y seam version looks a little more polished when it is finished due to the fact that it has less seams in it and will lay a little flatter. The center of the design in the Y seam block is one piece so if you have a fabric that you want to fussy cut and place it very intentionally, you can do that with ease!

Summer Flower Barn Quilt Class

I have a new class scheduled at Sew Quilty in Salem, Ohio on Sunday, August 11th from 1-4. We have room for about 10 people, but we might be able to add a couple more if necessary.

The finished quilt measures 23" square, so it's a good size for a table topper or would look lovely on your front door!

The shop will have a kit available to make the project shown and the cost for the class is $45. The kit fee is extra and I will post it when I have the information.

It should be a fun day so come and join us!

Call the shop to save your spot: 234-575-0077

Angel Parade

I was scrolling through my photos yesterday with a quilt shop owner and wondered if I ever blogged about all of the different versions at the same time so I thought I'd do a photo dump! I know that there are a lot more but they are ones that I have either given away or never took a photo.

Reflections- by Jennifer Fulton for Island Batik

I was fortunate to be able to participate in the blog hop for Jennifer Fulton's new line from Island Batik called Reflections. It is a beautiful collection overflowing with jewel tones, which I happen to love!

My quilt designed using Jennifer's collection is called Kaleidoscope. It measures 55" square and it is paper pieced. Each block, set on point, measures 14" square. I haven't had time to write a pattern for it due to other deadlines but I am going to try to add it to my website, as a free download. If I can't manage that, you can email me at larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com and I will be happy to email it to you!

Jennifer's collection absolutely GLOWS! Please check out the whole collection and the patterns she designed using it. While you're there, sign up for the giveaway and check out her Quilt Along at https://inquiring-quilter.ck.page/broken-road-qal

There are so many other designers participating in the blog hop, so check out their designs as well! Here are links to the other designers posts:

May 1st - Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter
May 3rd - Denise @ A Quiltery
May 4th - Lisa @ Lisa Quilting Passion
May 5th - Suzy @ Websterquilt
May 6th - Andi @ True Blue Quilts
May 7th - Connie @ Kauffmandesigns
May 8th - Emily @ The Darling Dogwood
May 9th - Jane @ Stitch By Stitch Custom Quilting
May 10th - Brianna @ Sew Cute and Quirky
May 11th - Leah @ Quilted Delights
May 12th - Susan @ Larkspur Lane Designs
May 13th - Brenda @ Songbird Designs
May 14th - Blog Hop Winner Announced @ Inquiring Quilter https://islandbatik.com/store-locator/

I don't know why my links above aren't live but you can see Jennifer's blog at https://www.inquiringquilter.com/questions/2024/05/01/welcome-to-reflections-blog-hop and my website at larkspurlanedesigns.com

Upcoming Classes!

This is a class sample that I made for the Polka Dot Pincushion in Richfield, Ohio. I am making another sample in the some of the same fabric line but with gold metallic accents instead of silver. It will be in a little more traditonal Christmas colors and I will post a picture soon. We haven't chosen a date for this class yet but I'll keep you posted. I am also teaching this project at The Sewing Box in Meyersdale, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, June 1st. This design is foundation paper pieced and has 2 options for assembling it. The option that I am teaching is the Y seam option because I know there are a lot of people who are afraid of Y seams. I want to show how easy they are, especially in paper pieced designs. The pattern will be available on my website soon!

Patience is NOT one of my virtues!

When I design something new that I'm paticularly excited about, I want to show it to everyone right away! But when you are fortunate enough to get to work with a fabric company, you are on THEIR timeline, so you have to wait and keep it under your hat until they say it's okay to show it off. I have a hard time with this but I made it and I finally have permission to show this new design. This is a design that is featured in the Island Batik Fall/Winter 2024 catalog. The line I used in my design is called Fall Gatherings, a rich palette of green, orange, gold, rust and blue. It was a fun collection to design around. The collection will start showing up in quilt shops in May 2024. My quilt design is called El Paso and the blocks reminded me of southwestern designs but it also has that crisp fall feel because of the beautiful colors. This design is paper pieced and although it seems to have curves in the blocks, they are all straight lines, so it's simple enough for a beginner paper piecer. The finished quilt measures 55" square and makes a grand statement on the wall or works well as a lap quilt. Ask you favorite local quilt shops if they will be carrying this line!

In The Meadow updated pattern now available!

My very first pattern that I published in 2003 has had a facelift. I have learned a lot in the last 20 years and have used that knowledge to improve my In The Meadow pattern. They are small changes but I believe they make my design easier to reproduce. This design had only been available in a small number of quilt shops, local to me, since its publication years ago but I would like to present it to a larger audience. It is a perfect beginner foundation paper pieced pattern. The pieces are large, for the most part, with the smallest pieces being in the house cornerstones. By the way, smaller pieces are not more difficult since the same technique is used either way, they are just smaller! This quilt can be used at Christmas time or throughout winter to add a whimsical touch to your home. The 3 dimensional elements add interesting details to the surface of your quilt. Included in the pattern is my custom made carrot nose button.

Retreat time at Seams Like Home with Jody Sterling of Sew Beachy Quilts

I was invited by a friend to spend 5 days at a retreat with her and her friends at Seams Like Home in Vanderbilt PA. It was nice to sit and sew and visit with old and new friends. I have been to this B & B many times, both as a guest and as a teacher. There is something special in getting together with a group of like minded people and catching up after a time apart. We had amazing weather, especially for southwestern Pennsylvania in February, not that it would have mattered anyway once we were safely there! The only time anyone left was to visit the B & B owner's quilt shop in nearby Untiontown, PA, Sew Special. We had good food that we didn't have to cook and lots of new projects started and older projects finished. There were a lot of meaningful conversations and more than a few laughs. We left exhausted but rejuvenated at the same time. My friend, Jody Sterling, is the designer behind Sew Beachy Quilts. Make sure you check her out! https://sewbeachyquilts.com/

Some new stuff!

 I haven't posted in a minute so just a short post to show some of the things I'm working on!

Angel Blessings Christmas

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Strawberry Shortcake 

All Hearts Come Home

Glue for paper piecing

I recently did a search on what kind of glue is best for foundation paper piecing. I try to use glue sparingly but I always use it to attach my first piece of fabric and also any large pieces that might get folded over and sewn in wrong. I've been paper piecing for almost 25 years and I have always used Elmer's Washable School Glue stick. I thought that maybe a better product had come along in that time but I can absolutely say that I have NOT found one. One of the videos I watched suggested a repositionable glue stick and I thought "What a great idea!". It ended up not being a great idea at all! It was actually a very bad idea. Since this glue doesn't "dry", the back of my block was sticky and because I like to press both sides of my blocks I put my iron down on the glue without even thinking about it. Then I proceeded to press the front of my block and left gray smudges on it in a couple of places. As soon as I noticed that, I cleaned off my iron and used a pressing cloth on the rest of the blocks. I will find another use for the 3 glue sticks that came together in my order and stick to using Elmer's from now on. The thing I like best about Elmer's is that it dries and when it does I can usually get most, if not all, of the paper out of my finished block. Do you have a favorite tool or notion that you can't live without?

Coming soon--Last pattern designed for 2023

With the increased interest in barn quilts I was inspired to create this small square poinsettia quilt. This single block quilt pattern will contain 2 foundations. One is a simple 4 patch foundation that will be simple enough for the beginner paper piecer. The other foundation will be a skill builder and will have a Y seam construction. There are a couple of advantages to using a Y seam with this design. 1. Less fabric required. 2. Less piecing. 3. Less seam matching. 4. A neater, more polished looking block. Fortunately, Y seams are easy in foundation paper piecing because the 1/4" stopping and starting points are marked on the foundation itself! With that being said, there are also advantages to using the 4 patch foundation, such as being able to create an interesting layout by simply rotating the block segments. Here is one example:

Any questions or comments can be submitted to me directly at larkspurlanedesigns@yahoo.com

What a year!

2023 started out pretty rocky and had it's share of difficulties but it also had quite a few high points. In an effort to be more positive moving forward I will focus on the high points! I had the opportunity to work with a new line of fabric from Timeless Treasures. It was a batik line called Honeycomb and my design appeared in their sales material that their sales reps used to get orders from quilt shops. This is the first time that I have ever done this so it was definitely a learning experience. One of the things I learned is that scans of fabric that haven't been produced yet may not be as accurate as you would hope. The fabric companies try as hard as they can to give designers what they need to design beautiful projects using their fabric but some things are out of their control. My quilt didn't turn out exactly as planned but I am still happy with the result. The first picture is the computer mockup and the second is how my quilt turned out.

I also found some time to update some of my older designs. I started designing over 20 years ago but it has always been more like a hobby until recently. My older designs have never really been marketed so this year I have been trying to get them to be seen more but I have learned a lot over these years and have made some improvements to these older designs and have republished them. My best selling design has always been my angel.The first angel design was published in 2014 and was used as a fundraiser after a tragic accident in which my friend lost her 7 year old daughter. When my friend no longer needed the donations I published the pattern for sale as Christmas Angel. When I switched to a new design program I went back and updated this design and it is now called Angel Blessings. This is my most recent sew out of this design.

Here are 2 pictures of my older designs that I have also updated this year.

I also had the opportunity to do a few designs for Island Batik but I am not allowed to talk about those yet, but if you go to their website and look at their Fall/Winter catalog, I think you can see one of my designs on page 100. My next 2 designs for them will not be published until sometime in 2024 but I will post about them as soon as I am allowed. I am hoping that whomever reads my blog has had a wonderful year full of love and success and hope that next year brings even more high points for all of us!

What I've been up to

Obviously not blogging! I don't know if anyone even reads blogs anymore, but if I have a choice between designing, sewing, and teaching or blogging I'm absolutely not going to choose blogging. But because I occasionally get a notice that someone's been here I thought I should do an update. I'm working on a lot of different projects so I think I'll just do a photo dump to show you as much as I can!