The Splendid Sampler 2- my Coastline Sponge cake quilt block

Hi and welcome :)
I felt very honored and excited when Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson invited me to be one of the 80 featured designers in their wonderful Splendid Sampler 2 book and therefore to create a quilt block for that opportunity. It was really wonderful experience I gained in this collaboration, and I am beyond amazed by incredible talent, professionalism, kindness and generosity by our hosts and all designers participating in this project!

I was also delighted when I got my copy of the book-beside wonderful blocks, there are a few pages by the end of the book, explaining some quilting basics and many different techniques used for certain blocks, like embroidery, appliqué, curved piecing, English paper piecing, Foundation piecing and more!

Soooooo, I am so extremely happy that today is my day to share more about my quilt block from the book named: Coastline Sponge cake, that can be found on the page 39 of the book.

For my block inspiration, I started with my favourite  traditional quilting technique: strip piecing! Added to that were some nature and food details so hence my statement:
"Strip piecing always reminds me of baking a cake, with layers of yummy ingredients (here fabrics) placed together. The shades of these fabrics are the colors of the coastline and the sea, recalling my best childhood memories of vacations spent by the seaside, eating my favourite sponge cake".

The colors of the fabrics and thread sent to me from their sponsors: Moda and Aurifil were matching my inspiration nicely, so here are a few shoots of the original block, created for the book and to match other designers blocks when joined together in a big quilt.

As a fabric designer for AGF, I had to try the block in some of my fabrics. 

My latest fabric collection, Grid was calling me and I took some step-by step pics while re-creating  the block.

There are 5 different fabrics needed for my block. For nice shading effects-I suggest using different valued fabrics for the strip piecing units.

For the best results, I strongly suggest using the 1/4 seam allowance foot for precise piecing and also pressing fabrics with open seams after each of the steps.

Love matching seams!!!

I really enjoyed making this block and hope that you will try it and have fun with it, too and also entered it in the giveaway pool (details to follow;)!
 Here's my page from the book:

And speaking about the giveaway, for this special day, I decided to giveaway 3 of my quilt patterns, to one lucky winner!!! All you need to do is to leave a comment here, under this post and I will randomly choose a winner by the end of this week, on Sunday, February 10th, by 10 pm, Central European time, open worldwide. You can leave any comment you like, but don't forget to leave your e-mail, so that I can contact you, if you will be my Random Pattern winner.

They patterns can be chosen  from my Etsy shop:

And, another great giveaway for you is coming directly from my amazing AGF team , who is this week's sponsor on Sample Spree blog and they will be giving away one entire FQ bundle of my newest range - GRID fabrics, just like those I used in my block:) 

For this FQ bundle giveaway, you must make my block and share the photo of the finished block to be entered in the giveaway directly on the Splendid Sampler website!!!

You can also visit and join the Splendid Sampler's official Facebook group for more fun!!!

Please make sure to visit the official Splendid Sampler website regularly to get more info about the projects, blocks, tips, and giveaways too!!

Thank you so much for visiting and good luck!!!

xx

Katarina

___________UPDATE__________

We have a pattern giveaway winner!!!

Thank you so much to everyone participating, the random winner is number 15, Jill, that has been contacted via e-mail!!!!

"Miss June" { Homemaker calendar magazine feature}

Another wonderful feature and very useful too-now I have a gorgeous new Calendar x 2014 featuring 12 Spoonflower designers!!!

I can't be more thrilled, grateful and honoured to who ever picked me and  my design (among a sea of designs and designers) to be in this wonderful calendar, among some very well known textile designers.
As you may see I am Miss June.
Who knows what this June will bring?
Looking forward to discover it !





Feel so thankful for this great gift!! ;)

SEW UK magazine feature

I was delighted to see my Babushka doll featured in the Sew magazine UK.
All the fabrics used for the doll and other clothes my kids are wearing are from the gorgeous Nordika fabric collection by Jeni Baker for Art Gallery fabrics.

The doll is among Bianka's favourite cuddling toys and it is so easy to make.

You can read all the sewing info on the following magazine's page and you can download the template HERE

I suggest making the embroidered face using the transfer pen and paper, that would give an extra touch ;)

Have a wonderful weekend,
Katarina

Do It Yourself magazine feature

I was so happy when I received the long-awaited copy of the August issue (Fall 2013) of the "Do it yourself magazine", (one of the Better Homes and garden Special Interest publications).



During the month of March I had a pleasure collaborating with one of theirs stylists, working on one of my Doily designs, customizing the colors to fit theirs needs for the magazine shoot. You can see some variations above, and following are the magazine scans.











They were very kind to give me the credits for the design on the resources space. Thanks Pamela and thanks DIY!!!

Soft dolls - recent magazine and blog feature

I am so slow with blogging and adding actual things to my blog. It's just that I have always lack of time and sometimes I even forgot or I think that I've already done something. I hate to see that I'm wrong. And I hate to admit that as well;)

Anyway, about a month (or so) ago, I had such a pleasure to be featured in the Serbian "Roditelj i dete" magazine, where I was featured for the first time about 2 years ago. This time the feature regarded my fabric dolls and toys. Almost about the same time, I was thrilled to be contacted by uber talented Abby Glassenberg - plush pattern designer, craft book author, sewing teacher and blogger behind the blog "While she naps". She wrote a wonderful post about designing softies on Spoonflower and I was so happy that among a few templates she happen to choose to sew among thousands of wonderful cut and sew templates @ Spoonflower, she chose my kawaii ice cream cones and cupcakes play softies food and left a wonderful feedback and suggestions. Especially for that blog post, I created the phases of my creative process and you can see it bellow.











Lately, I also designed the 4 princesses dolls and can't wait to show you the finished, sewn dolls!Another great thing is that localy, here in Belgrade, you can find and purchase my dolls in 2 shops:
WannaBE & TOY shop
Minicity
Worldwide, there is always my etsy shop, dedicated to these little cuties;)

xo, Katarina