Featured Project - Bargello Placemats

This spectacular small project requires only 1/4 yard of 11 fabrics.

Choose three colors that you want to feature, then choose 3-4 gradations of each color to achieve the bargello effect.

The vibrancy of color and movement in the prints of these Asian fabrics make a wonderful set of placemats for your counter or table AND a wonderful gift.

Ask the ladies at Blue Bamboo to make a Bargello Placemats kit based on your favorite colors.

Knock Yourself Out!

Stars In The Night

At last, our very own Stars In The Night is finished and quilted beautifully. Kits and patterns are available for this spectactular wall hanging.

Linda & Liz

Prettiest Patch-No-Work!

Martha Negley, along with Kaffe Fassett and Phillip Jacobs have designed some of the prettiest florals to come around. While at Blue Bamboo, I played and played with them until I was satisfied with these colorations for my fast and easy Patch-No-Work queen size strip pieced quilt. This quilt just eats up big prints and I especially can't wait to make up the Tall Hollyhocks in yellow. It is so unique. Also shown below is a color group featuring Tall Hollyhocks in pink. Enjoy, Lori Allison, Allison Quilt Designs

Kan't Get Enough Kaleidoscope

If you just can't get enough of this technique, here is one of the prettiest kaleidoscope patterns to come around. Designed by Minnesota native, Marilyn Foreman, for the quilt pink event last year at the Mall of America, this pattern has wonderful possibilities, like the Asian Hyakkaryouran fabric used in this bright version.

I'd like to use one of those big beautiful Benartex Flower Show or Flower Mart prints that Blue Bamboo carries and I'd make mine bright and floral.

It's a very clever pattern.

It's A Jelly Roll World!

Take a couple of color graded batik jelly rolls from Blue Bamboo and a yard or so of punch fabric, then strip piece and subcut your way into this stunning quilt. It can be sized from throw to king depending on the number of blocks.

The time honored Trip Around The World block has been given some fast new assembly methods for today's modern quilter. Pattern has jelly roll requirements and number of blocks needed for each size. Each block is like a mini quilt and makes in about 30 minutes so the real fun is seeing how each little mini quilt (block) turns out.

Quilt On.....Lori Allison

Cinnamon & Ginger

Who knew this would be a hot top pattern seller? I certainly didn't because after I designed it, I let it sit in my computer for six months. Finally, two weeks before fall market, I didn't have anything so I looked through my files to see if there was anything at all worth resurrecting.

Well, it just proves that none of us really knows what is going to be popular. People say this is such a warm, wonderful colorway or the geometry of the quilt is unique and appealing. I don't get it, but I know I can't get an afternoon nap without the phone ringing from a quilt shop somewhere that needs to order or reorder this pattern.

Brown might be the new black this year....but what about red? This array of fabrics from Blue Bamboo.

Quilt On......Lori Allison, Designer, Allison Quilt Designs

Blooming Nine Patch

One of the most popular patterns over the past few years has been "Blooming Nine Patch" from the book, Tradition With A Twist by Blanche Young. Depending on the fabrics and fabric placement, this quilt can look like it is lit from within. I don't know anyone who doesn't love this quilt -- including me.

I just never wanted to make teeny tiny little nine patches! Lucky for me, I have a computer and quilting software and I can make them any size that I want to. This is a gift for my neice who is somewhere between traditional and contemporary and I know she likes flowers. I used a yummy rich Moda floral that I found at Blue Bamboo and a few coordinating and contrasting prints.

This quilt, with its 6" nine patches and squares, is 88" x 96" perfect for a queen size bed. Beginning from the outside with color "A" here are the fabric requirements:

Color A: 2 yards (setting triangles and binding)
Color B: 2 yards
Color C: 1¾ yards
Color D: 1½ yards
Color E: 1 yard
Color F: ½ yard
Backing 8 yards non-directional (8¾ yds directional)

Book: Tradition With A Twist

Cut your plain squares at 6 1/2" and your nine patch strips at 2 1/2" For setting triangles, cut 10 squares at 10" and cut on both diagonals to yield 40 triangles. For corner triangles, cut 2 squares at 5" and cut on one diagonal to yield 4 corner triangles.

Above is mine. Maybe this fabric combination from Blue Bamboo will inspire you.

Quilt On....Lori Allison, Designer