Kustom Kwilts

Posted on July 7, 2023July 7, 2023 by kustomkwilts

Florence Market Tote Pattern

Love the look of a sleek, modern tote? I’ve got you. The Florence Market Tote pattern is a large carry all bag with a simple, but modern design to really upgrade your basic tote. It’s great for trips to the library, farmer’s market, or wherever you need to load up on supplies. The standard pattern tells you how to piece the exterior with Half-square triangles using the 8 at a time method to save time. This is great for the two color samples I have sewn up–or alternatively, you can grab some fabric scraps and make your individual half square triangles.

This pattern includes

Instructions for the Half-square triangle version on the cover of the pattern
A shortcut to skip straight to a wholecloth bag
Fabric labels that will help you easily and quickly identify every cut piece in your pattern
Panel of pockets to wrangle your phone, pens, and other slender items
An interior zip pocket
An inset zipper at the top of the bag that will keep all your precious contents contained
The option to skip all the pockets for a fast finish

I named this pattern after my maternal grandmother, Florence. She was always such a huge inspiration to me, and an amazing artist. She loved to paint, whether it was watercolor or oil paintings, and really had a knack for color. I miss her dearly, and I think she would have loved this tote!

The Florence Market Tote pattern has been years in the making, and I’ve made tons of versions! I love the look of the standard, HST version that is featured on the cover. You can re-arrange the Half square triangles to make the bag your own in whatever arrangement you like! And….I’ve got kits for those!

Kits for the Florence Market Tote

Florence Market Tote in freesia and ameythst — Quilted with the Raindrops on water pantograph

Quilted with the Raindrops on water pantograph

Wholecloth Versions

There are also instructions for what size you need if you’d prefer a quick Florence Market Tote wholecloth bag. I like to use big panels of my free motion quilting practice to turn them into bags instead of wasted yardage. If you have directional fabric, you can easily cut the fabric into two pieces and assemble the panel to be a wholecloth piece with both pieces of fabric facing the opposite direction. Solids really make the quilting pop on the wholecloth bags.

Quilted using a pantograph by Karlee Porter

Spellbound Version

And as you may know, I am a sucker for English Paper Piecing. I love making big quilts, like my Spellbound quilt, but sometimes I like to do less demanding projects. I pieced some of my Spellbound pieces together into a panel and made an awesome bag to showcase some of my favorite Tula Pink Daydreamer prints.

My Spellbound EPP pattern cut down to make a panel for the Florence market tote. Quilted with Modern curves pantograph

Additional Kits for the Scrappy Plus EPP tote:

And I’ve got some fabulous kits for you to piece your own panel to make a Scrappy Plus EPP Florene Market Tote. These kits include everything you need to piece the exterior panel (but do not include the Florence Market Tote Pattern–sold separately).

Tula Pink original solids with black and white stripe

This bag with the fussy cut stripes is one of my favorites!! I love using solids for EPP because you can stack and whack and make your cutting time dissolve into nothing. The kits I offer for this come with the solid fabrics labeled for easy identification and a helpful EPP guide printed in full color.

Tula Pink Unicorn Poop and Dragon’s Breath solids

The Mythical solids (Unicorn Poop and Dragon’s Breath) by Tula Pink version is another favorite. I used modern curves as the panto to quilt this one up and the EPP kit I have for this also comes with a full color guide and all of the fabrics labeled for easy identification.

Tiny Beasts/Tiny Coordinates Florence market tote – kit coming soon

I’m so excited to finally share this pattern with you. I feel like I have been working on it for years and perfecting each version so it will bring you SO much joy when you make it. I hope you’ll share your makes with me using #florencemarkettote . Thanks for reading, friend!

Posted on October 27, 2021October 27, 2021 by kustomkwilts

Spellbound EPP – a magical quilt pattern

My labor of love (aside from longarming) this year has been the Spellbound EPP pattern! When Tula Pink released her black and white line called Linework, I knew I wanted to make something really special with it. I love black and white fabrics and adding a pop of color to them really sets them apart. I’ve had a blast on this journey picking the fabrics and fussy cutting different elements of each fabric to make it shine. The Spellbound quilt pattern will be available this Friday, October 29!

I am a little bit of a mover and a shaker. You know what I mean–I’m one of those people that can’t stand to just sit idle and not do anything. If you’re here, and reading this, you might have this problem too 😉 . If I have some free time and a free set of hands, you better believe I’ve got some EPP prepped and ready to go. Aside from longarm quilting (which I do almost all day), EPP is my favorite way to pass the time.

I always have a little EPP kit in my purse so that if I’m caught waiting at the doctor’s office, or getting my car inspected, or whatever, I always have a little something to keep me busy AND productive (I posted a list of my favorites at the end of this post). I hate wasting so much time on my phone when I could be sewing something, right!?

It’s such a convenient way to pack a little sewing kit and get things done when you otherwise couldn’t. I love the portability and convenience of EPP, and my daughter Gemma has even helped me finish a few stitches. You can see a ton of my Spellbound EPP shares by heading over to Instagram.

Posted on August 3, 2021August 4, 2021 by kustomkwilts

Hurricane Quilt Pattern

Today is the Hurricane quilt pattern Release Day! And I love to celebrate pattern releases with a sale, so you can get the Hurricane quilt pattern on sale through 8/10/2021 and use the code HURRICANE for 20% off everything else in my shop. You’ll want to keep reading until the end because there are kits, too! Also, there are some sweet free patterns in there too, if you haven’t checked them out!

Hurricane PDF Pattern

Hurricane Print Pattern

Inspiration

Before we had kids, my husband and I started our work careers in Houston, TX. In the few years that we lived there, we had countless tropical storm warnings and a handful of pretty serious hurricanes. One particularly memorable storm was IKE. I had just started a new position at a brand new high school (really–it was the school’s first year to be open) and we didn’t know if we should stay and ride it out or evacuate. We ended up leaving after the storm hit and we lost power to stay with my parents a few hours away, since we didn’t know when the power would be restored (spoiler, it came back on within a day…womp, womp). My new high school sustained a lot of damage and, if I remember right, closed for two weeks for repairs.

I can’t stand bad weather…but love to make the best of it

If you’ve ever evacuated an area in hurricane/tropical storm territory, you’ve probably noticed the little graphic painted on the highway shoulder and marked on road signs to indicate a storm route evacuation. I really can’t stand storms and bad weather, and I remember thinking how much I liked the little symbol and the hundreds of painted ones we passed on our way out of town–in spite of what it stood for. The symbol for those storms has always stuck with me and I needed to create a scrapbook of sorts with the symbol. So the hurricane quilt pattern was born and it ALMOST makes me not hate those destructive storms and what they stand for. I like to think of it as a way to turn lemons into lemonade 🙂 .

The PDF and print copies are here for you to make your own stunning Hurricane quilt. I’ve made sure this pattern is jam packed full of all the resources you might need or want, including:

Hurricane Quilt Pattern Features

Easy to read cutting diagrams
FIVE sizes, including:
- Baby
- Throw
- Twin
- Queen
- King
Easy to read color-coded charts and diagrams
Cutting chart/checklist
Clearly written instructions and colorful diagrams
Backing prep diagrams for each size
Coloring/planning sheet

various size options of the hurricane quilt pattern from baby to king size — Size options

Posted on July 17, 2021July 17, 2021 by kustomkwilts

How to quilt words with free motion

a picture of the word summer with quilting behind the letters

Okay, so you just got an invite to a party–maybe it’s a housewarming/baby shower/wedding shower/etc. You fill in the blank. This person is super special to you and you just want to give a gift that is really cool and not a lame bottle of wine they probably won’t even like (I’m not a wine drinker ;). Aaaaaaand, you want to show off your fancy schmancy free motion quilting skills, amiright? Let’s learn how to quilt words with free motion to make your text POP.

I absolutely LOVE taking a baby name and using this technique to jazz it up a little and make a sweet wall hanging for when the parents bring their new babe home. I made a similar one for my daughter before she was born, but I incorporated a little embroidery into hers as well. The great thing about this gift is:

It’s quick and easy
Even solid fabric will look good (and fancy)
It’s PERSONAL. Capitalized.
You can use a name, phrase, initial, literally WHATEVER you want
You probably already have the things on hand you need for this and don’t have to run to the fabric store.

Materials-What do you need?

This is a super simple project. Unless you want to piece some fabric and get a little more intricate, all you need is some solid fabric. And, to be honest, this technique looks best with solids. Patterned fabrics will sometimes take away from the relief quilting, unless it’s a really subtle pattern. I have a lot of LOUD, busy prints. So solids for the win for me!

Solid fabric for the top or front of the wall hanging–I always make this piece a little bigger than I want my finished piece to end up so I can cut it down to size.
Solid fabric (or a print) for the back of the wall hanging. This piece needs to measure 12″ bigger on width and height. If your top fabric is 12″ x 24″, this piece needs to measure 24″ x 36″.
Quilting thread that is at least slightly contrasting to your top fabric.
Stencil made from your favorite font (you can also freehand whatever word you want)
Erasable fabric marker (I like Frixion pens for this)
Longarm needle
Longarm or domestic sewing machine (whatever you have and are comfortable using for free motion quilting)
2 pieces of batting the same size as your backing fabric
Binding fabric for the finish.

Watch the tutorial on How to Quilt Words

Give it a go!

Now that you’re an expert, give it a try! When I was a beginner quilter, I would buy some really cheap flat twin sheets and practice this kind of stuff on that. I built up my confidence a little on the cheap sheets and then wasn’t so afraid to try it with good quality quilting cotton.

Think of what a hit your gift will be at the next wedding shower when you give the happy couple a wall hanging with their new last name (if they are using the same last name :), or for whatever occasion, this can be personalized in so many ways. Be creative and have fun! And don’t forget to spice up your free motion with themed shapes. For the “Summer” wall hanging, I threw in a few whimsical starfish here and there. Have fun and give it a shot!

Happy sewing! -Joanna

Posted on May 13, 2021July 17, 2021 by kustomkwilts

Retro Groove Quilt Pattern

Today is the Retro Groove Quilt pattern release day! And you know I love nothing more than to have a little sale when I drop a new pattern…You can get the Retro Groove quilt pattern on sale through 5/16/2021 aaaaaand use the code GROOVY for 20% off everything else in my shop. Don’t forget to check out the free patterns, too.

Retro Groove PDF Quilt Pattern

Retro Groove Paper Pattern

Retro Groove Pattern Features

The Retro Groove quilt pattern features five different options, including baby, throw, twin, queen, and king sizes. The Retro Groove pattern is fantastic for showcasing big, bold prints or using up those solids and tone on tone prints. Retro Groove has some easy curves and I’ve made some supplemental videos that you’ll get access to when you purchase the pattern that walk you through each and every step. Here are some other fun things you get with the pattern:

Full size templates
An awesome coloring page and fabric amounts required for each size.
Backing assembly instructions for each size of Retro Groove are included. You don’t have to worry about doing any quilt math for your backings!
Colorful, easy to read diagrams and written instructions.
Detailed cutting diagrams AND a cutting checklist are included for ease of use.
Supplemental video to accompany the cutting chart.
Supplemental video that walks you through assembling a block & sewing curves, step-by-step.
The finished size options include the following:
- Baby – 54″ x 54″
- Throw – 63″ x 81″
- Twin – 72″ x 90″
- Queen – 90″ x 108″
- King – 117″ x 117″
Skill level is confident beginner to intermediate. If you haven’t sewn curves before, I would recommend stitching up a practice block with some scrap fabric before cutting into your gooooood fabric. The video and pattern steps will walk you through the curves.

Tester Retro Groove pics

The Retro Groove pattern testers came up with some amazing versions of this quilt. I can’t wait for you to see how versatile and all around awesome they are!

I’m so excited to see what you’ll come up with for your version of Retro Groove! I’ve been itching to make another version with some really big prints that are hard to use in other quilts with smaller blocks. You can see in Margo’s tester quilt that big prints look pretty awesome in those squiggly curves! Don’t forget to share your makes (I want to see those fabric pulls too!) on Instagram with #retrogroovequilt . Happy sewing!! -Joanna

Posted on September 3, 2020January 28, 2021 by kustomkwilts

Kapow! Quilt Pattern

Today is the Kapow! quilt pattern Release Day! And since we’re coming in hot to Labor Day Weekend, let’s celebrate with a sale! You can get the Kapow! quilt pattern on sale through 9/7/2020 aaaaaand use the code LABORDAY for 20% off everything else in my shop. Also, there are some sweet free patterns in there too, if you haven’t checked them out!

Kapow! PDF Quilt Pattern

Kapow! Paper Pattern

coupon code LABORDAY for 20% off — https://kustomkwilter .com/shop/

I always love star patterns so much and I wanted something that gave a feeling of an explosion from the center of the star, like fireworks. The PDF and print copies are here for you to make your own stunning Kapow! quilt. I’ve made sure this pattern is jam packed full of all the resources you might need or want, including:

Kapow! Quilt Pattern Features

Fat Quarter Friendly – includes cutting diagrams
SIX sizes, including:
- Baby
- Throw
- Full
- Twin
- Queen
- King
Easy to read color-coded charts and diagrams
Cutting checklist (cheat sheet)
Clearly written instructions
Backing prep diagrams for each size
Coloring/planning sheet

Posted on July 16, 2020December 18, 2020 by kustomkwilts

Sunshine Tote PDF Pattern – download now!

I’m so thrilled to share my OLFA Creator project with you today! The Sunshine Tote PDF Pattern is here! I’m a sucker for oversized tote bags and I love creating details that will really make a tote POP. So I’ve gathered together some of my favorite OLFA tools to put together the Sunshine Tote. I used the OLFA Circle Rotary Cutter to cut out the circles on by tote. It makes for some really cool reverse applique. This was such a great project that lifted my spirits during sewcial distancing.

Posted on June 30, 2020December 18, 2020 by kustomkwilts — 2 Comments

Get your Graffiti Quilting on!

If you’re ready to add another tool to your quilting arsenal, graffiti quilting is an awesome one to have. A few years ago (when I was prego with Gemma), Karlee Porter visited our guild to teach her Graffiti Quilting workshop. Also, I love Guns N Roses. I just saw them in concert a few days before this, so the shirt I bought there was getting some heavy use! Ever since I found Karlee, I’ve been a serious fan girl–so I jumped at the chance to take the class. I learned so much from that workshop and the techniques Karlee taught stuck with me and influence my personal quilting style.

Posted on May 29, 2020December 18, 2020 by kustomkwilts

Cabin Fever Quilt Pattern

Today is Cabin Fever Release Day! I’m so excited to share this modern log cabin quilt with you today, as it’s a design I planned out about two years ago. It’s always difficult to be patient waiting for this day! The PDF and print versions are now available :)–and a limited amount of kits.

Cabin Fever PDF Quilt Pattern

Cabin Fever Print Pattern

Quilt Kits!

The inspiration for this quilt came from a few things…even though the name conjures images of being stuck inside. (Which, admittedly, we can all probably relate to currently.) First, I wanted to make a quilt that came together fast and looked great with solids or prints. I like to try out new quilting motifs, and this quilt is so much fun to practice on. Secondly, our daughter was one at the time. A lot of times, I felt the repetition of house chores and potty training (who was I kidding? She still wears a pull up to bed sometimes–and I’m fine with that 😉 made me a little cagey. So I jokingly named it Cabin Fever. The geese represent breaking free from routine and they’re ridiculously fun to quilt.

Detail of ruler work quilting on brightly colored cabin fever quilt

Funny enough, I didn’t realize how appropriate the name would be at the time, but here we are!

The Cabin Fever quilt instructions come in two sizes, baby and throw. These quilts go together really quickly, and they’re a nice break from traditional block-based quilts. The pattern comes with some fun and easy tips for making flying geese quickly.

Tula Pink Solids / Kona Cotton Equivalents

This colorful version is one of my favorites. I’ve been using all Tula Pink solids and stripes to work on another quilt, and I stumbled across a perfect stack of colors just as I was about to make an all blue version. Sadly, after I made it, I realized the Tula Pink solids can be a bit hard to find, so I matched them closely to Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solids. Thank goodness for color cards! I quilted the outer border with some ghost geese to make it appear the entire border had flying geese. Then I did some fun ruler work in each strip of color. I love how the straight lines pop so much on solids! This is the baby version, which measures 52″ x 52″. It’s a really nice size, and I use this one to cover up on the couch while I english paper piece.

Cabin Fever quilt made from bright rainbow colors in log cabin style

color chart detailing fabric names and amounts

Blue & Grey Cabin Fever

This colorway is the very first one I had planned out but didn’t end up making until just recently. I love how the brightness of the blues contrast with the darkness of the grey. I haven’t decided just how to quilt this one yet. Some nice ruler work and custom quilting would really pop against those solids, but I have a new edge to edge design I’m itching to try out. This is the throw size, which measures 81″ x 81″.

blue log style cabin quilt with grey in between each color

chart detailing blue fabric names and amounts

Peaches and Pinks Cabin Fever

This was the very first Cabin Fever Quilt I made. I mixed in prints with Kona cotton solids, but I’ve added a color chart in just solids. The great thing about Robert Kaufman fabrics is they generally use the names of the coordinating solids in a lot of their prints. It’s easy to mix and match prints from different collections to what the coordinating solid would be. This is another throw size.

chart detailing fabric names and amounts

Ruby Star Society – Clementine

Have you seen Miss Melody Miller’s new collection for Ruby Star Society called “Clementine”? I love it so much!! She’s a wizard when it comes to color, and these ethereal pinks and blues are insanely good together. I used Rashida Coleman Hale’s Speckled as the sashing/background fabrics. My daughter Gemma saw me putting this one together and claimed it before I could say no. I let her pick out a color of Shannon Cuddle. Her favorite color is pink, so it was a no brainer. And then she got to pick the edge to edge design that I quilted. They’re subtle, but they’re little heart rainbows. This is the softest quilt, so cozy and squishy.

cabin fever quilt hanging from the top of he picture in pinks and blues

I can’t wait to see what fabric collections or solids you guys pick for your Cabin Fever quilts! I love seeing the amazing different quilts that y’all make and the incredible fabric selections you make. Have fun with this one–I know I do 🙂 If you want to see more of the photos I’ve been posting of Cabin Fever, you can head over to Instagram and check them out!

woman sewing together a blue version of the quilt at the sewing machine

colorful flying geese lined up on a cutting mat with trimmings

-Joanna

Posted on March 3, 2020December 18, 2020 by kustomkwilts

Trippy Triangles Quilt pattern release

I’m stoked to finally introduce to you the Trippy Triangles Quilt pattern! This quilt has been a pet project of mine for the last year (and then some). From picking just the right fabrics–I changed my fabrics several times before I finally got with it stitching–to fussy cutting, etc. and I’ve loved every minute of it. I’m currently working on another version and planning yet another with some fun fussy cutting 🙂

The thing with EPP

Here’s the thing with English Paper Piecing: It’s an obsession of mine. Aside from longarm quilting (which I do almost all day), EPP is my favorite way to pass the time. I always have a little EPP kit in my purse so that if I’m caught waiting at the doctor’s office, or getting my car inspected, or whatever, I always have a little something to keep me busy AND productive. I hate wasting so much time on my phone when I could be sewing something, right!? It’s such a convenient way to pack a little sewing kit and get things done when you otherwise couldn’t.