Meet The Holland Pouch! I created The Holland Pouch pattern because I wanted a go-to quilted pouch pattern that was simple and fast: something that a even beginner could feel confident making. My requirements were: no bias binding, finished edges inside, and only straight line sewing (no curved seams). The Holland Pouch pattern meets all of those requirements and I’m so excited to share it with you!

The Holland Pouch pattern has three size options, each of which only uses three fat quarters of fabric. The pattern includes full color, step-by-step graphics walking you through every step of creating your pouch, plus extra instructions for using directional fabric (we don’t want any upside down prints now, do we?).

Since I want the Holland Pouch to be doable by sewers and quilters of all skill levels, I’ve included a little extra information on the supply requirements below. Please let me know in the comments if you have any other questions about the supply list. I want to don’t want any questions unanswered!

Supply Requirements with Links to Products (below)

I love the feel of Soft & Stable as the stabilizer/middle layer of my pouches and bags. It’s a foam stabilizer, so it provides great structure and dimension. Soft & Stable is layered in between the top/main and lining fabric, then can be basted and quilted as if it were batting.

Batting is a great alternative to Soft & Stable, and The Holland Pouch pattern is perfect for using up batting scraps you probably have laying around! To get a little extra structure to the finished pouch, I’ve found that adding two layers of batting works really well. The two types of batting I purchase most frequently are Warm & Natural and Hobbs Heirloom.

Fusible interfacing comes in handy when you want some extra weight and strength to a fabric, but you don’t want or need any extra bulk. My favorite brand is Pellon SF101, which you can find on Amazon or at your local craft store (I purchased a 10 yard bolt from JoAnn Crafts and it has lasted for years!).

For pouch and bag patterns, I have really loved using the larger #4.5 size handbag zippers. The zipper tape is a bit wider, which gives you more room to work with, and the zipper pulls are bigger and easier to grasp. I have purchased many, many colors of By Annie Zippers and also love the YKK Long Pull #4.5 size zippers available from Zipit on Etsy. Both of these companies sell the #4.5 size zippers as either a set size (18″, 24″, 30″, etc.) or as “zippers by the yard.” When I first started making bags, I was unsure of even how to use zippers by the yard, but now I’m hooked! When you purchase a zipper by the yard, you’ll get a long coil of zipper tape with a handful of zipper pulls. Then you can cut off the amount of tape you’ll use and manually add on a zipper pull for that length of zipper. I feel like I’m using my supplies more efficiently that way because I can cut off the exact length that I need.

If you have standard size zippers on hand, you can absolutely use those instead! I’ve made a few Holland pouches with regular zippers and not only do they work great, but they are also more readily available at your local craft stores. Zipit on Etsy also has a large selection of standard size zippers in a wonderful array of colors (and great prices, too!).

You can find The Holland Pouch pattern in my Etsy shop by clicking the link on the button below.

THE HOLLAND POUCH

I’d love to see your own Holland Pouches! Please tag me on social media with your photos (@centerstreetquilts on instagram) and use the hashtag #thehollandpouch so others can easily find your Holland Pouch, too.

Happy sewing!

Have you checked out my free Christmas Tree Table Runner tutorial yet? A couple weeks ago I had an idea for a fun multi-directional Christmas Tree block and knew it would be perfect for a table runner since there are right-side-up trees when looking at it from either side. After all, we want to enjoy our table runners from both sides of the table, right?!?

I had so much fun making the first table runner that I quickly whipped up another one–this time in basics from Riley Blake Designs. I chose my favorite red, green, and low volume prints, and while none of the fabrics are specific to Christmas, they work fabulously together for a festive table runner. That’s what I love about using basics: they are so versatile!

Within the Riley Blake Basics options, I used many different prints from the Kisses, Swiss Dots, Pin Dot, Textures, Bee Cross Stitch, Shabby, and Stripes collections. From the start, I knew I wanted the 1/4″ Red and White Stripe print as a border (I actually used it on both of the table runners I made!). It’s graphic, bold, and definitely reminds me of candy canes. Perfect for a Christmas table runner!

For the quilting, I used a digital pantograph called Midnight Sparkle and just love how it goes so well with the fabric and block design.

As I was making this table runner, I couldn’t help but remember why I LOVE sewing table runners: they are so quick and fulfilling! You can complete the entire project in a weekend (or day if you don’t have interruptions). 😉

You can find the free tutorial HERE and make a Christmas Tree Table Runner of your own!

Happy sewing!

Kristina

The only thing I love more than a Christmas sewing project is a fast Christmas sewing project! Table runners and pillow covers have long been favorites of mine because they are quick to make and fun to change out with the seasons.

Today, I’m sharing a fast and easy Christmas Tree Table Runner tutorial! These cute trees are the perfect block for a table runner since there are right side up trees when looking at it from either side (a crucial element for a table runner pattern, in my opinion). 😉

The trees are all made from 2 1/2″ strips, so the pattern is a great stash buster, too. I made each of my trees from a single print, but the trees would look great with scrappy prints in the same color, too! I’ve even included a downloadable PDF Coloring Page at the end of the post to easily test out color combinations before cutting fabric.

Enough talk–let’s get right to the tutorial:

Christmas Tree Table Runner Tutorial

Finished Block Size: 10″ x 8″
Finished Table Runner Size: 64″ x 12″

All seams are 1/4″
Width of fabric is abbreviated as WOF and is assumed to be 42″
A PDF Coloring Page is available as a download at the end of this tutorial

Materials Needed:

• Christmas Trees: (12) 2 1/2″ x WOF strips (one for each tree)
• Border: 1/3 yard
• Backing: 1 yard
• Batting: 18″ x 70″ piece
• Binding: 1/3 yard

Cutting Instructions:

• Choose (6) of the 2 1/2″ strips to be the main trees and (6) to be the upside down trees. It helps to lay out the strips in the order you’d like them in the table runner. Starting with the first strip, every other one will be a main tree. The remaining strips will be the upside down trees. The last strip will be a partial upside down tree with half at the beginning of the table runner and half at the very end of the table runner. The photo below shows how the main and upside down trees will be assembled into blocks with the upside down trees spanning two adjacent blocks.

• Cut each of the (6) 2 1/2″ x WOF strips for the main trees into:
  • (1) 2 1/2″ x 10 1/2″
  • (1) 2 1/2″ x 8 1/2″
  • (1) 2 1/2″ x 6 1/2″
  • (1) 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″
• Cut each of the (6) 2 1/2″ x WOF strips for the upside down trees into:
  • (2) 2 1/2″ x 5 1/2″
  • (2) 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″
  • (2) 2 1/2″ x 3 1/2″
  • (2) 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″
• Cut the border fabric into:
  • (4) 2 1/2″ x WOF strips. Cut (2) 2 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ pieces for the left and right borders.
• Cut the binding fabric into:
  • (4) 2 1/2″ x WOF strips.
• Cut the backing fabric into:
  • (2) 18″ x WOF strips.

Assembly Instructions:

1. Lay out the pieces for the first main tree, along with the pieces for the adjacent upside down trees as show below. The main tree pieces will go from shortest to longest (2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ piece on the top) and the upside down trees will go from longest to shortest (2 1/2″ x 5 1/2″ piece on the top).

2. From the top row, flip the upside down tree segment from the right side of the block on top of the main tree piece, right sides together, with the right edges lined up. Draw a line on the wrong side of the upside down piece as shown below (the line goes from the top corner of the upside down piece down to the bottom corner of main tree piece).

3. Sew directly on the drawn line, trim off the excess corner 1/4″ away from the seam, and press away from the main tree fabric.

4. Repeat with the remaining main tree and upside down tree pieces from the right side of the block.

5. Repeating the process for the upside down tree on the left side of the block, first flip the upside down tree piece on top of the main tree unit, lining up the left edges.

6. Sew a line on the diagonal, trim off the excess corner, and press away from the main tree fabric.

7. Repeat with the remaining upside down tree pieces on the left side of the block.

8. Sew the four tree pieces together and press the seams down. The completed block should measure 10 1/2″ x 8 1/2″.

9. Repeat the process for the remaining six blocks, pressing the final block seams in an alternating order (first block press seams down, second block press up, etc.). Remember to keep your cut pieces in order as you assemble the blocks so the fabric for the upside down trees transitions from block to block.

10. Sew the blocks together into one long row. Press seams open.

11. Gather the border strips. Sew the 2 1/2″ x 8 1/2″ border strips onto the left and right sides. Press seams toward the border.

12. Gather the remaining 2 1/2″ border strips. Sew one long strip and cut into (2) 2 1/2″ x 64 1/2″ border strips.

13. Sew the long border strips to the top and bottom of the table runner, press toward the border strips.

14. Layer the table runner with the batting and backing. Baste the layers and quilt as desired. Trim the batting and backing to line up with the table runner top.

15. Sew the binding strips end to end and press in half the long way with wrong sides together. Sew binding onto the front side of the table runner, fold binding over the raw edge of the table runner to the back and stitch into place by hand.

Your finished Christmas Tree Table Runner should measure 64″ x 12″.

It really is surprising just how fast these little trees sew up! Before you know it, you’ll have one made for your home. Plus maybe a few more as gifts. 😉

As promised, you can download and print out the Christmas Tree Table Runner Coloring Page below. It’s the perfect chance to test out different color options and get the order of your trees just right before committing to the design.

Christmas Tree Table Runner Coloring Page

If you make your own table runner from this tutorial, please tag me in your social media posts! I always love to see your creations!

Happy sewing and Merry Christmas!

It’s not often that I work on a project that is 100% for me. But earlier this month, I started on a project that I will use daily. . . a quilted laptop sleeve! My iPad has been needing some protection, and making a zippered holder for it has been on my mind for at least a year.

I wanted a bright, modern feel to the laptop sleeve, so I turned to a rainbow of Confetti Cotton solids from Riley Blake and used my new Geometric Hexagon FPP pattern to piece together a colorful hexagon for the front. My favorite Riley Blake Swiss Dots were perfect for the background and 1/8″ black and white Stripes as the binding finished everything off really well!

As I was planning everything out, I decided to keep track of all of my measurements and share them with you in a tutorial. I know from first-hand experience that getting started with zippers can be a bit intimidating, so I’m hoping the step-by-step instructions and full color photographs will help you see just how easy this project is!

The tablet sleeve tutorial is made to fit an iPad (measuring about 7″ x 10″), but I realize that tablets come in many different sizes, so read to the end for some additional instructions to adjust the tablet sleeve to fit your specific tablet! Changing the dimensions will require a little bit of math on your part, but it will be worth it for a fitted tablet sleeve!

And of course the tablet sleeve can be used for a variety of other purposes: book sleeve, first aid kit, English Paper Piecing project pouch, etc. I’d love to see your creativity, so if you use my tutorial, please tag me in any photos your share on social media. 🙂

Let’s get started with the tutorial!

Fabric Requirements:

1 FQ for the outer fabric (I pieced my Geo Hexie FPP block into Swiss Dot fabric)
1 FQ for the lining (light aqua in this tutorial)
1 FQ for the binding (black and white stripes in this tutorial)
20″ x 20″ piece of Soft and Stable or batting
16″ or longer zipper

For a 7″ x 10″ iPad, cut a main panel piece (outside fabric), Soft and Stable (or batting), and a lining piece all measuring 14″ x 18″. Baste the three layers together using safety pins or Odif 505 basting spray.

After quilting, trim the panel to 12″ x 16″. Quilting (especially dense quilting) can shrink the panel, so it’s always a good idea to cut your original pieces a little large then trim to size after quilting. Before trimming, remember to center the panel if you have a focus fabric or quilt block incorporated into the panel.

From the binding Fat Quarter, cut (4) 2 1/2″ x 21″ strips. Iron the strips in half length-wise, wrong sides together to form strips 1 1/4″ x 21″.

Sew one binding strip onto the lining side of one of the smaller 12″ panel sides using a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Turn the binding over the edge and around to the front of the quilted panel. Top stitch into place. Trim off any excess binding that hangs off the end (if you don’t trim it off in this step, we’ll get it trimmed off later with the zipper–you can see below that my binding is a little long on one side and that’s ok!).

Repeat with another binding piece on the opposite 12″ panel side.

Place the zipper underneath one of the zipper bindings, both facing right side up. Sew the binding and zipper together, stitching right on the edge of the binding and leaving about 1/4″ between the zipper binding and the zipper teeth. Don’t trim off any excess zipper length yet.

Note: In these photos, I used a #5 handbag zipper. They are a little wider than standard zippers and, accordingly, are a bit easier to sew into pouches and bags. If you are using a standard zipper, it will be the same procedure, just make sure that as you are sewing, you are catching the zipper tape underneath the binding.

Fold the quilted panel up into a tube and repeat with the other side of the zipper and binding.

Tip: It might get a little tight maneuvering the fabric out of the way of the sewing machine needle. Having a little extra length of zipper on one side of quilted panel can help by spreading the zipper opening up a bit more. Alternatively, I’ll often remove the zipper pull when I’m sewing in a tight spot like this. After both of the zipper tape sides are sewn on, the zipper teeth can be reinserted into the zipper pull. It sometimes takes a couple tries to make sure both sides of the zipper binding line up correctly, but can save frustration with keeping the rest of the panel out of the way while sewing the zipper.

Close the zipper pull halfway (so it doesn’t get trimmed off!) and trim off any excess zipper or binding hanging past the edge of the quilted panel.

Fold the quilted tube in half and adjust the tube so the zipper binding is at the very top of the tube, right below the fold.

Sew down both sides of the panel with a scant 1/4″ seam to close up the tube ends.

Place the binding strip onto the back side of the panel and line up the raw edges with the raw edges of one of the sides of the quilted panel (that you just sewed in the previous step). Overhang the top end of the binding strip by 1″ then trim the other end of the binding strip so it, too, overhangs by 1″. Sew to the quilted panel using a 1/4″ seam.

Flip the binding to the front side of the quilted panel and hold in place with pins or Wonder Clips.

Flip the ends of the binding strips under the binding strip so all of the raw edges are concealed.

Top stitch along the edge of the binding strip to secure in place. Repeat with remaining side.

Now your tablet sleeve is complete! Slip your tablet into your quilted sleeve and be confident that your tablet is nicely protected.

Changing the Size of your Tablet Sleeve

Now for changing up the size to fit your specific tablet! This will require a little bit of math on your part–but it should result in an appropriately sized tablet sleeve.

Measure your tablet and label the smaller dimension as TW (tablet width) and the larger dimension as TH (tablet height). Cut your outer panel piece, Soft and Stable (or batting), and lining all to be:

TW times 2 + 4″     by        TH + 4″

For example, if your tablet measures 8″ x 12″, cut your piece of fabric to be 8*2+4  by 12+4 (which is 20″ x 16″).

Continue on with the tutorial by basting and quilting your piece of fabric. After quilting, center and trim your quilted piece to TW times 2 + 2″ by TH + 2″ (so 2″ smaller in width and height than what you originally cut the pieces). Quilting often causes the panel to shrink a little, so make sure to remeasure the panel and cut off what is needed to make it the correct size. It’s very likely that you’ll have less than 2″ to cut off in each direction!

In the example above of an 8″ x 12″ tablet, after quilting the panel piece would be trimmed to 8*2 + 2 by 12 + 2 (which is 18″ x 14″).

For the binding strips, cut (4) 2 1/2″ x 21″ strips (if your tablet sleeve is quite small, you might be able to cut (3) 2 1/2″ x 21″ strips instead).

For the zipper, you’ll want a zipper that is at least 4″-6″ longer than your tablet height (the longer measurement of your tablet). The longer the zipper the easier it is to sew everything together, so leave as much extra length as you have, then you can trim it to the right length after sewing the zipper on.

Any questions? If there are steps that you have questions on, please let me know and I’ll go back and try to add in extra information to make everything clear.

Thanks for following along, and please share photos of your laptop sleeves with me! I’d love to see your version!

Happy sewing!

As I get more and more comfortable with zippers and bag making, it’s been fun to experiment and make my own designs. This gorgeous floral from the upcoming Heartsong fabric line from Riley Blake was just begging to be made into a pouch, so I combined it with a zippered pouch pattern I’ve been working on for a fun finish.

I’ve made this pouch design several times before (the top pouch below is my original design), but decided to take it up a notch by adding in a diagonal strip of vinyl across the body (the bottom pouch below). I love the peek-a-boo effect it gives! The view into the pouch not only lets you see the contents, but also admire the interior.

I like to use lighter fabric for the lining so it’s easier to see the treasures inside and this fun Heartsong polka dot print was the perfect choice! For the binding, I used a Riley Blake 1/8″ black and white stripe for a bold contrast.

Another of my favorite prints from Heartsong is the mustard yellow seagull design. I had to squeeze those cute birds in somehow, so I did my best at fussy cutting the handles to each include a bird or two. They are so fun that I might need to make another pouch that can feature them more prominently, right?!?

Heartsong will be shipping to quilt shops this month, so keep your eyes out for it arriving at your favorite fabric store! You can check out all of the other darling prints from the line below while we’re all waiting to catch it in person.

Happy sewing!

It must be the season of the Irish Chain Quilts because this is quilt number two that I’ve finished in as many months (plus I have one more Irish Chain in the works)! There’s just something classic and timeless about an Irish Chain design, right?

The Irish Chain quilt design has been around for over 200 years! Crazy, right? While I love the classic two color Irish Chain quilts, I wanted to go a little more modern this time around. I used Riley Blake Designs new Hush Hush fabric line to create a great low volume, scrappy background. I paired the gorgeous subtle prints with one of my fabric bold Confetti Cotton solid colors, Curry.

The result is a fun, scrappy take on the classic Irish Chain design!

For the quilting, I chose a design called Russian Flame. I wanted something with curves and movement and love how the dense machine quilting adds another modern element to the classic quilt design.

I loved making this fun quilt and am just so pleased with how it turned out. I now have it listed in my Etsy shop, so if you’ve been looking for a handmade quilt, you can check it out HERE.

I was recently featured in a Redfin article sharing some of my favorite ways to decorate with quilts and wanted to share the article with you. There are a lot of great tips on how to use the projects you make and love to add warmth and comfort to your home.

You can find the article by clicking HERE.

Happy sewing!

 Two color quilts have always been a favorite of mine. They are timeless and classic and really let the pattern shine. This summer, I decided to try a two color quilt with a pattern I’ve never made before: a Double Irish Chain.

Amber from Gigi’s Thimble has a wonderful (and free!) pattern for a Double Irish Chain quilt, so I started by downloading her pattern. The pattern includes instructions for both twin and queen sized quilts and uses strip piecing for fast assembly.

I chose to use Confetti Cottons in Songbird and Riley White for a soft, calm color scheme then quilted it with a Centered Baptist Fans design.

The Double Irish Chain design mixed with the soothing blue and white fabric really gives this quilt an heirloom feel. You can find the free pattern download from Gigi’s Thimble HERE and the Etsy shop Simply Love Fabrics carries both Confetti Cottons Songbird and Riley White (plus ALL the other Confetti Cottons colors). So you can choose your favorite combination of colors for your very own Double Irish Chain.

Happy sewing!

We’re down to a little more than a week before The Sock Quilt Sew Along starts and I wanted to share a fun freebie–a printable coloring page plus schedule! Print out the schedule to follow along with each week’s tasks and color in the socks as you complete the blocks. Because who isn’t motivated by a color-as-you-go schedule?!?

Click on the link below to download your copy of the schedule and coloring page.

The Sock Quilt Schedule and Coloring Page

As you complete your sock blocks, you can also use the full page coloring sheet to plan out where you want each block to go. Or just bring it along to your next doctor appointment as a way to pass the time. 😉

Remember to sign up for the sew along (click here to sign up for free). I’ll be sending out weekly emails with the week’s assignment along with some tips and tricks to help you along.

In the meantime, keep gathering your fabric for the sew along. I’m excited to start cutting on May 17th!

Kristina

I’m so very excited to introduce my new pattern: The Sock Quilt!

The Sock Quilt is a throw size, beginner friendly quilt pattern that finishes at 66″ x 82″. There are three different sock blocks in the quilt–the Classic Sock, the Striped Sock, and the Toe + Heel Patch Sock. The variety of blocks plus the fun fabric options makes the quilt extra enjoyable to sew. There’s no time to get bored, since every single block is unique!

The Sock Quilt is perfect for all those great prints you have in your stash that you haven’t known what to do with (hello, fried eggs fabric!). In my sock quilt, I have lots of animal socks (my personal favorite), Halloween and Christmas socks (we all love holiday socks, right?), and a bunch of super quirky socks (octopus and mushroom socks for the win!). Really, anything goes for The Sock Quilt. Plus, the stripes and toe + heel patch pieces are great for digging in your scrap bins! With the large variety of prints, The Sock Quilt ends up being a super fun I-Spy Quilt that little (and big) eyes will want to search over and over.

You can find The Sock Quilt as a digital download in my Etsy shop HERE. The pattern is all traditionally pieced (no paper piecing or templates) and has color illustrations to walk you through every step of the process.

And if you want to get going right away on making your own sock quilt, please join me in The Sock Quilt Sew Along! I’ll be hosting the sew along on Instagram and I’d love for you to make a quilt alongside me!

We’ll start The Sock Quilt Sew Along on Monday, May 17th, and will be working our way through cutting the fabric, sewing the blocks, and assembling the quilt top before we finish toward the end of June. Right now, you’ll just need to grab your pattern HERE, sign up for the sew along HERE (completely free), and start choosing some fabrics for your socks! Plus, when you post your progress photos to Instagram , you’ll be entered to win some awesome weekly prizes!

I hope you’ll join me!

Kristina