Soar Has Landed: A Fresh Fabric Collection + Quilt Pattern Inspiration

Hi! Happy 2026! As we step into this fresh chapter, I want to take a moment to THANK you for being part of this creative journey with me. And huge THANKS to all of you sewing along with me my Cabin Spark quilt! It was such a special way to celebrate my 50th birthday!

There’s something magical about the first days of a new year (especially when being covered in snow) —the way everything feels open, full of possibility, like a blank sketchbook waiting for its first brushstroke. And this Cabin Spark quilt pattern in my Seedling fabric collection (20 FQs + 1 yard for the sawtooth star corners) looks amazing by my opinion!

As we step into 2026, I’m carrying that feeling of fresh momentum straight into the studio.
I’m starting this year with something a little different, a little nostalgic, and incredibly fun: my brand-new Soar Collection.
Soar collection feels peaceful, poetic, and full of quiet strength.
Inspired by the calm elegance of cranes, the softness of Japandi aesthetics, and the harmony found in nature’s simplest forms, Soar is a collection created to bring serenity and balance into your making. Its motifs echo gentle movement—wings in flight, drifting feathers, soft shadows—and its palette feels soothing yet intentional, like a deep breath you can hold in your hands.
Each print is designed with flow, grace, and subtle storytelling. You’ll find delicate linework, airy compositions, and patterns that evoke openness and upward motion. From striking feature designs to versatile supporting prints, Soar is crafted to mix seamlessly while offering depth and dimension to any project.
I can’t think of a better way to begin the year than with a collection that feels centered and meaningful. If 2025 taught me anything, it’s that creating from a place of clarity and calm leads to more intentional work. Soar embodies exactly that—a gentle reminder to pause, breathe, and let your creativity rise.
Here’s to 2026—a year of lightness, uplifted spirits, and beautiful new beginnings.

My first quilt mock-ups were designed with the Shadow Maze quilt in mind, and I tested both the 9-fabric and 18-fabric versions—each included in the pattern. I’d love to know: which one speaks to you more?

I have also played with one of most popular patterns of mine: Sawtooth Sky quilt pattern in Soar fabrics and also Seedling collection.

I hope you'll enjoy creating with these new fabrics!

Katarina

Cabin Spark QUILT sew-ALONG: week 5 - Finishing and continuous multicolor stripped binding tutorial

WELCOME to the fifth and final week of the Cabin Spark QUILT sew-ALONG!

If you have been following along through my Instagram account, then you know that there's still time to join the fun and catch up with the previous posts/weeks.

Cabin Spark quilt-along schedule:

 

• Week 1, October 24 - Kickoff + Fabric Pull 
• Week 2, October 31 - Cutting Party
• Week 3, November 7 - Block Construction
• Week 4, November 14 - Layout + Assembly
• Week 5, November 21 - Quilting + Finish

Here's the quilt pattern, that can be purchased in my Etsy shop.

And here's the video where you can watch me transforming my quilt top into a finished quilt!

Finishing a quilt top is an exciting step in the quilting process and for some quilters it's the moment of true artistry, when selecting and making the quilting style and design. It is where the quilt truly becomes a work of art. It is a testament to the quilter's creativity, skill and passion and it's a stage where the quilt's narrative takes central stage, ready to captivate and comfort for generations to come.

Here's some guidance and steps to follow to ensure a successful finish:

1. Inspect your quilt top. 

Before proceeding, carefully inspect your quilt top. Check for any loose threads, stray pins or uneven seams. Make any necessary corrections or repairs to ensure a polished look. 

2. Prepare the binding.

Preparing the binding is an important step in the quilting process, as it not only adds a decorative edge, but also secures the quilts layers together. Properly preparing and attaching the binding will give your quilt a profession finish and make it ready for use or display.

How to Make Double-Fold Bias Binding With Multicolored Stripes (and Keep the Color Order Flowing!)- you can watch it in the above placed video!!!!

Working with a striped print for your binding is always fun—especially when it’s multicolored and full of personality. But if you want the colors to flow in a continuous order all around the quilt, you’ll need to pay special attention when joining your bias strips. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial to help you create double-fold bias binding while keeping those stripes beautifully aligned.

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Cut Your Bias Strips

• Cut strips at your preferred width (usually 2¼" or 2½" for double-fold binding).
  Bias-cut stripes are perfect for creating a candy-cane or ribbon effect along the quilt edge.

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Lay Out the Strips in Color Order

Before sewing anything:

• Spread the strips out on a flat surface.
• Look at the stripe sequence on each strip—identify the repeating pattern (for example: yellow → blue → red → green).
• Arrange the strips so the color sequence continues naturally from one strip to the next.

This step saves time later and avoids mismatched color jumps.

3. Join the Strips With a Diagonal Seam

To maintain the stripe flow, you’ll join the strips on the bias.

1. Place the end of Strip A right side up.
2. Place Strip B right side down, perpendicular to Strip A, forming an L-shape.
3. Shift Strip B slightly left or right until the stripe colors line up.
• You’ll need to overlap the next-in-order stripe on Strip B directly over the previous stripe on Strip A, so that the sequence continues without interruption.
• Think of it as matching the “next color in line” on B to the “last color stitched” on A to keep the flow perfectly continuous.
4. Draw a diagonal stitching line from the top left corner to the bottom right corner.
5. Pin carefully, checking alignment one more time.
6. Sew on the drawn line that will be on the white space between the colored lines so that it will become invisible once sewn.

Tip: Before trimming the seam allowance, open the seam to check whether the stripes transition smoothly from Strip A to Strip B. Adjust if needed.

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Fold the Strips Into Double-Fold Binding

Once your binding is one long continuous strip:

1. Press it wrong sides together lengthwise.
2. Keep the edges perfectly aligned so the stripes stay straight.
3. Roll it up neatly to avoid twisting once you start attaching it.

3. Prepare the quilt backing. 

Cut a backing fabric to the size of your quilt top, leaving a few extra inches on each side for manoeuvring during the quilting process. I like to sandwich my quilts on the floor- so I clear&clean the floor area and lay my backing fabric wrong side up on the floor. I smooth it out and iron it to remove wrinkles or folds. I use painters tape to secure the edges of the backing fabric to the floor making sure it's taut but not overly stretched. 

4. Prepare the quilt sandwich.

I place the batting on top of the backing fabric and I carefully position my quilt top right side up on top of the batting, starting from the center and working my way out toward the edges. I press it with iron to eliminate any wrinkles. 

5. Basting

I like using safety pins to secure the layers and the basting spray to bond better the batting with the backing.

6. Quilt 

With your quilt sandwich prepared, you can proceed to quilt it using your preferred quilting technique. If you're not quilting it immediately, you can roll up the sandwich for storage until you're ready to quilt.

No matter your quilting style, the Cabin Spark blocks are ready for it. Straight-line quilting reinforces the clean, graphic structure of the logs, while all-over free-motion quilting brings extra texture and depth, making scrappy or vibrant prints come alive.  

7. Trim the quilt edges. 

Trim the excess fabric from the edges of your quilt sandwich using a ruler and rotary cutter to achieve clean, straight edges. Ensure that all sides are even and that the corners are squared. 

8. Prepare and attach the binding to the quilt's raw edges. 

Double fold binding is a common choice and my favorite one. Machine sew the binding to the front of the quilt and hand or machine stitch it at the back for a neat finish. I chose the Jolly Ribbons festive print, which adds a lovely bias-stripe frame to the quilt.

9. Final press. 

After the binding is attached and stitched, give the entire quilt a final press to set the binding and ensure a polished appearance.

Completing a quilt is such a rewarding and significant part in quilting so admire your work and the progress you made throughout the Cabin Spark Quilt sew along.

10. Take a lot of pictures!!!!

I am really loving mine, but I just can’t wait to see your versions!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, suggestions or comments either here or on Instagram.

Katarina

Cabin Spark QUILT sew-ALONG: week 4 - Quilt top layout and assembly

WELCOME to the forth week of the Cabin Spark QUILT sew-ALONG!

If you have been following along through my Instagram account, then you know that there's still time to join the fun and catch up with the previous posts/weeks.

Cabin Spark quilt-along schedule:

 

• Week 1, October 24 - Kickoff + Fabric Pull 
• Week 2, October 31 - Cutting Party
• Week 3, November 7 - Block Construction
• Week 4, November 14 - Layout + Assembly
• Week 5, November 21 - Quilting + Finish

Here's the quilt pattern, that can be purchased in my Etsy shop.

And here's the video where you can watch me assembling the blocks and arranging them into a quilt top!

The layout and assembly stage is where individual blocks transform into a complete design, and with log cabin quilts, the possibilities are nearly endless.

Assembling quilt blocks into a quilt top is a crucial step in quilt making.

So, lay out your completed, trimmed quilt blocks on a flat surface, such as a design wall or the floor, to plan the arrangement and inspect your blocks, checking if all units have been placed correctly.

Stand back to view the quilt as a whole—sometimes stepping away from the layout gives a clearer perspective on contrast and balance. Snap a quick photo on your phone; seeing the design in a smaller format can help you spot areas that may need adjusting.

If you’ve used a mix of bold prints, softer tones, or novelty centers, try spreading them evenly across the quilt so the eye moves smoothly around the design. If you love asymmetry, cluster them intentionally—there’s no wrong way, only what feels right for you. The thrill of piecing together your meticulously crafted quilt blocks into a cohesive and visually striking quilt top is what quilting dreams are made of. It's the moment when your vision starts to take shape, and the story your quilt will tell begins to unfold.
You have the option to take your quilt to the next level by adding maybe even some sashing strips for that extra touch of elegance or borders to frame your masterpiece. These are your artistic choices, your chance to make your quilt truly remarkable.

So, gather your blocks into rows and prepare to assemble the rows together and witness the transformation of your quilt blocks into a captivating quilt top. This is the moment when your hard work truly pays off, and your quilt takes its rightful place as a work of art.  
I am really loving mine, but I just can’t wait to see your versions!

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, suggestions or comments either here or on Instagram.

Katarina

Barcelona fabric collection

 

Almost 2 years ago I visited Barcelona with my family.

Barcelona is a city that pulses with creativity—rich in history, architecture, and vivid colors. For this fabric collection, I tapped into that vibrant energy, blending inspiration from the sweeping curves of Art Nouveau, the shimmering mosaics of Gaudí, and the bold hues of Spanish tile work. 

source-internet

The designs feature flowing motifs, mosaic-like patterns, and jewel-toned palettes—think warm golds, deep teal, rosy blushes, and shimmering metallic accents. These elements mirror the city’s fusion of classical forms and modern creativity.

So, it was quite easy to get inspired with all that beauty and to create the Barcelona fabric collection.

My favourite place is absolutely the Park Guell and its mosaic fence/seatting area.

And this Trecandis Tapestry print was directly influenced. I made a Charlie bomber jacket for myself and love wearing it!

Here's the entire collection and HERE you can see the entire LOOK BOOK by Art Gallery Fabrics.

I made several projects....

But my favorite projects are the quilts created by my friends:

Amanda Oros that created this majestic Zellige quilt.

And Sue Vinyard that created this beautul, FQ friendly version of the Duomo quilt pattern.

And I adore these colorful and fun Vibrato placemats!

There are many other great projects and ideas in the Lookbook and hope they will inspire you to create!

Katarina

Cabin Spark QUILT sew-ALONG: week 3 - Flippy corners and Block construction

WELCOME to the third week of the Cabin Spark QUILT sew-ALONG!

If you have been following along through my Instagram account, then you know that there's still time to add your fabric pull to the Cabin Spark QAL pool in order to be qualified for the upcoming giveaway. 

You can eventually subscribe to my newsletter but only if you wish to obtain some freebies, coupon codes and news (which can be pretty amazing too☺️). 

Cabin Spark quilt-along schedule:

 

• Week 1, October 24 - Kickoff + Fabric Pull 
• Week 2, October 31 - Cutting Party
• Week 3, November 7 - Block Construction
• Week 4, November 14 - Layout + Assembly
• Week 5, November 21 - Quilting + Finish

Here's the quilt pattern, that can be purchased in my Etsy shop.

Here are some quilt shops that have the fabric kits available:

• Golden Girls Fabric company - US

• Tulips 'n Quilts - Canada

And here's the video where you can watch me doing flippy corners and assembling the first log cabin block!

Log cabins are such a joy to sew! Once you’re organized — especially if you’re working with directional prints, like the centers in this design — the chances of mistakes are minimal, so it’s pure fun from start to finish.

Flippy corners are created using stitch and flip technique that saves fabric and time, but it’s very important to align fabric pieces precisely and stitch the diagonal lines accurately, as there is no trimming involved.
 
Pre-mark the stitching lines on the wrong side of the solid fabric squares and rectangles that will be used for the corners, paying close attention to their direction. Since these corners are mirrored, keep in mind that they mirror horizontally within the same strip, while logs 10 and 11 are also mirrored between them. 

The same rule applies to logs 12 and 13, which use rectangles. You can follow this more easily by referring to the diagrams on page 4 of the pattern.

I strongly suggest to do all the prep work and markings on a cutting mat with the 45 degree angles marked to help you draw an accurate stitching line going from one corner to another.
In order to align both corners of the rectangles precisely and to avoid eventual fabric shifting, I suggest to glue baste them just at the corner with any type of washable glue stick. As that corner will be trimmed off, you will however not have to deal with any unwanted residues. In case you don’t like using glue with your sewing supplies, you can still pin or clip these fabrics together. 

I personally prefer to glue baste the rectangles first and then draw the diagonal line with the fabric units gathered already, as it’s much easier and precise to be guided like that. I am just taking care about positioning nicely the corners where the line will go through, against my cutting mat where the 45 degree line will serve as my guide.
With the wrong side up, press or use a water-soluble marker or pencil to mark all your 2” squares and 2” × 3½” rectangles (in the corresponding corner fabrics) diagonally from corner to corner. This diagonal mark will serve as your sew line.
 

While the construction of the logs 10 and 11, and also 12 and 13 is absolutely the same (like shown on the diagram), you will need to simply rotate them within the block, so that they are mirrored between themselves once sewn in a block!

Make sure to create mirrored sets of logs with flippy corners for each block, taking care about desired log placement, if working with directional prints!
 
LOGS 10 and 11:
Pay close attention to the orientation of each corner square.
Place, align and glue or pin 2” corner squares (right sides together) on the upper corners of the 2” × 12” rectangles keeping edges perfectly aligned.
Sew along the central diagonal line — or just slightly inside the line (toward the inner side of the corner, just like doing for the scant seam) — for perfectly sharp points.
Trim off the corners, leaving a ¼” seam allowance.
Press the seam allowance open or toward the darker fabric. Pressing seams open reduces bulk and makes it easier to match points later.

LOGS 12 and 13:
We will repeat that same  process as for the logs 10 and 11 with only difference that now we are using the rectangles for the corners, so just make sure to position and mark your rectangles accurately, as shown on the diagram and sew, cut off the the triangle left over and press.

Repeat the same process for all your blocks.

Block construction: 

1. Start with the Center

Your 6” square (whether a plain fabric, fussy-cut panel, or mini block) is the heart of the design. 

2. Add Logs in Sequence

Log cabin blocks are built outward in rounds. Following the diagram on the page 5, begin by attaching the first log to one side of the center, press the seam. Continue adding logs in order, always pressing seams before moving to the next side. This method helps keep the block flat and consistent.

Pro tip: Chain-piecing multiple blocks at once will save time and keep the rhythm going.

3. Maintain Consistent Seams

Use a scant ¼” seam allowance throughout. Even a small shift in seam size can add up across 12 logs, so consistency is key for blocks that finish square.

4. Keep Checking Size

After completing each “round” of logs, give the block a quick measure. This helps catch any small inaccuracies early before they compound. 

With 6” centers, each finished block should square up exactly to the size noted -15”.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions, suggestions or comments either here or on Instagram.

Katarina

Barcelona tote bag tutorial

Tote bags are such fun, quick projects that combine practicality with creativity. This time, with my Barcelona fabrics, I wanted to make a larger version (14" x 20"- 35 × 50 cm finished size) that’s perfect for everyday use, whether for errands, storing sewing supplies, or carrying books and fabrics.  

I found a beautiful tutorial and pattern for the “DIY Tote Bag With Pockets” by Qrei Handmade, and I was using the same principles and construction, but adapted it to a slightly bigger size. It features two practical side pockets, a spacious interior, and a sturdy, structured look that still feels soft and handmade. I couldn’t resist adding front pockets — the space between the handles was just asking for them!

The video is great to watch and very detailed, so I will just add the measurements that I've adopted for my bag.

Here's a list of materials & Cutting

Piece	Cut from	Size (cm)	Notes
Outer bag front & back	Main fabric	13" × 17" (2 pieces)
Lining front & back	Lining fabric	13" × 17" (2 pieces)
Front Pocket panels	Main or contrast	10" × 16" (2 pieces)
Side pockets	Contrasting fabric	7" × 16" (folded on the longer side-2 pieces)
Interfacing / stabilizer		same as outer pieces	For added structure
(Optional) small pocket inside	Fabric	e.g. 13" × 14"  (1 piece folded in half and divided in two compartments)	For internal storage

Zipper                                                      16" long (1 piece)

Recessed ziper panels    Fabric                2" x 14" (2 piece main + 2 pieces lining)                     

Handles                        Jute webbing       40" (2 pieces)    

Gusset                          Main or contrast   4" x 40" (1 piece main + 1 piece lining)    

Hook tabs                     Main or contrast   4" x 6" (1 piece to be cut in two)

Seam allowances: plan for 1 cm seam allowance all around (or whatever your machine standard is — adapt consistently).

If you’ve been wanting to sew a functional yet beautiful tote bag, this is a great project to try — easy to follow, beginner-friendly, and full of possibilities for mixing your favorite prints and textures.