New Let’s Play Dolls- Let’s Party!

It has been a busy Spring here at Firetrail Designs.

Fresh Market Flowers 2, our latest flower collection, was released a few weeks ago, perfect timing for some Spring sewing. And now we are happy to announce that the latest installment of our Let’s Play Dolls collection began shipping to local quilt shops this past week!

In this latest collection of Let’s Play Dolls we combined a few of our favorite things- baking, birthdays and parties! As we design new panels we think about what our 18″ doll still needs in her wardrobe. Of course she needs a fun party dress to wear at her next birthday party or other special event! We decided on kind of a flirty, drop waist dress in a bold, zebra print. Paired with a matching shoulder bag and your 18″ doll is all set to party.

Drop Waist Party Dress in Aqua

With this “party” theme in mind, we thought about all the fun party treats and cakes that we like to make getting ready for a special event. Why not add a fun apron, chef hat and oven mitt so that the 18″ dolls can have fun baking too? The cupcake apron is reversible and comes complete with pockets and adjustable straps.

18″ Doll in the Kitchen

We also created a separate child’s size apron panel so that little girls can have a matching apron!

Matching Kid’s Apron Panel

Last but not least we added a few party decorations to the “party” panel, a table cloth filled with sweet treats and a matching party banner. Put them all together and you have the perfect 18″ doll party!

New Installment of Let’s Play Dolls: Let’s Party

All three panels are available in the 2 color ways shown, pink and aqua. Feel free to mix and match! We have also experimented with mixing in a some of the other items in our Let’s Play Dolls wardrobe and they pair perfectly too.

All of the Let’s Party panels are available at local quilt shops in your area (find one HERE) or Online. As with all of our Let’s Play Dolls panels we have Step-by-Step tutorials for each of the panels on our website.

Happy Spring and Let’s Party!

Michelle

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April Showers… Bring Fresh Market Flowers

Spring is definitely here in the Pacific Northwest and it is so exciting to get out in the garden and see all the plants coming to life. This exciting start to the new season has also inspired my Spring sewing. Time to break away from the cozy winter colors and fabrics and dig out the vibrant, exciting colors of Spring.

New Arrival just in time for Spring!

Just in time for Spring sewing, our fabric latest collection, Fresh Market Flowers 2, has arrived from Andover Fabrics. In our first collection of Market Flowers we put together all of our favorites to pick up at the local farmers market or down at Pike Place in Seattle. As a follow-up, we wanted to include the flowers market you can find right in your own backyard. Roses, sunflowers, hydrangeas, peonies and one of our favorites in springtime, magnolias!

Spring in the Northwest with Fresh Market Flowers 2

 

Mix and match your favorite prints to create your own “bouquet.” Perfect for table runners, place mats and other items to enjoy around the house. We have also seen lots of amazing floral fabrics in ready to wear fashion this season- maybe a flirty sundress or gathered skirt will be the perfect addition to your spring wardrobe.

We have also come up with a few great quilt ideas to combine some of these beautiful florals. Our FREE downloadable pattern, Garden Scroll, reminds us of a garden trellis or an English garden laid out in beautiful blocks of color. Inspired by a traditional churn dash quilt block but then we added our own twist to it with the fabric placement.

Garden Stroll Downloadable Quilt Pattern

We also re-imagined our best-selling pattern, Focus Feature, using a selection of the latest Fresh Market Flowers. Perfect sewing project for weekend sewing this Spring.

Our Focus Feature Pattern with Fresh Market Flowers

The possibilities this Spring are endless! We can’t wait to see what you come up with. Now time to get sewing!

Happy Spring!

Michelle

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Let’s Play Dolls: Let’s Pretend

There is no denying it… Fall is upon us!

Stores are setting up their Halloween and Harvest displays and my Pinterest feed is filled with great ideas and recipes for my favorite season. While the weather hasn’t quite changed yet here in the Pacific Northwest, I am so ready. Bring on the rainy days, hot cocoa, late night sewing and baked apple anything!

In honor of the arrival of Fall and with Halloween just around the corner we are unveiling TWO new Let’s Play Dolls panels from Andover Fabrics– a Princess and a Rock Star doll costumes. Perfect for dressing up on October 31st or anytime during the rest of the year.

Let’s Pretend: Rock Star and Princess Costumes

Each costume comes in a PINK and an AQUA colorway, and the aqua princess reminds us of a certain “frosty” princess that is all the rage these days.

New Princess and Rock Star Outfits

Like all of our Let’s Play Dolls panels, both costumes fit most 18″ dolls and we have step-by-step picture tutorials posted on our website should you get stuck while you are sewing. They also each come with a great accessory to complete the look. The Rock Star panel comes with a Zebra print headband that can also be used as the perfect hair tie. The Princess panel comes with an adorable little crown that you can decorate with rhinestones and glitter to really make it shine.

Let’s Pretend: Princess Panel in Pink

Each of the Let’s Pretend panels are available at local quilt shops (find one near you HERE) and Online. Watch for a helpful tutorial using one of our favorite notions here on the blog- it will definitely come in handy while you are stitching up the Princess dress. Now time to get back to sewing!

Enjoy the Arrival of Fall!

Michelle

P.S. We have added some adorable shoes and accessories to our website that match the costumes perfectly. Be sure to check them out.

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We have a Winner!

Thank you so much for the amazing response to our Fresh Market Flowers giveaway! It has been so much fun reading all of your comments- over 300 of them! We are truly feeling inspired for Spring and all of the new possibilities it will bring.

A lot of you can’t wait for the horrible winter to end. Others are anxiously awaiting the arrival of Spring flowers or the time when they can get out in the garden and get all of their flowers and veggies growing. There were also quite a few big life events you are looking forward to… new babies, weddings, family trips, etc. All so exciting!

Blocks from our Fresh Market Flowers Panel.

Now, TIME TO ANNOUNCE THE WINNER of our Fresh Market Flowers fabric bundle..

We selected the winner by assigning each comment a number and then randomly selecting one of those numbers using a Random Number Generator.

Congratulations KARLA RUSCO!

On Thursday she posted, “So excited for the arrival of spring. Even if the weather isn’t cooperating. Some bulbs are up and buds are growing. Ready to plant a new perennial garden as well as flower boxes and tomato plants. Always feels better when there is new life in the yard and garden. Creating with this new fabric would keep the flowers of spring around all year long.”

Join us in congratulating Karla, we will be sending her bundle to her this week so that she can get sewing!

Again, thank you all for your support and if you were not the lucky winner, Fresh Market Flowers is now available at your local quilt shop. Be sure to follow along with us here on the blog or “Like” us on Facebook. We have a lot going on this Spring and you don’t want to miss out. We even have another GIVEAWAY or two up our sleeves : )

~Michelle

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GIVEAWAY: Fresh Market Flowers

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW COMPLETE. THE WINNER WAS ANNOUNCED APRIL 7TH, 2014. Thank you to all of those who entered.

In honor of Spring we are giving away a bundle of our latest fabric collection, Fresh Market Flowers, from Andover Fabrics. It includes a Fat Quarter (approx. 18″ x 22″) of each allover print (13 total) and one complete panel. Just enough for the winner to make some beautiful Spring projects or to incorporate into other projects they already have started.

Fresh Market Flowers Giveaway prize!

TO ENTER just make a comment on this blog post- maybe tell us what you are most excited about this Spring!

The winner will be randomly selected at 9:00 AM PST on MONDAY, APRIL 7TH 2014 and will be announced here on the blog. We will also be posting some of your comments, along with some of our favorite things about Spring, on our Facebook page over the next few days. Be sure you “Like” our page and follow along with us!

Good luck!

Michelle

P.S. Don’t worry if you don’t win, Fresh Market Flowers is now available at local quilt shops and online.

 

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April Showers Bring… Fresh Market Flowers

The past few days in the Pacific Northwest have been amazing! I spent most of the afternoon yesterday out in the garden preparing the beds and even getting the potatoes and onions planted. I’m hoping to plant my favorite vegetable, peas, today. Last week we also took a trip up to the Skagit Valley to see all of the beautiful daffodils in bloom. Just a few more weeks and the tulips will be up!

Daffodil fields in the Skagit Valley, Washington 2014.

Spring had definitely arrived and so has our latest fabric line with Andover Fabrics, Fresh Market Flowers. Inspired by our local Pike Place Market and the incredible flower markets we visited in Paris, this line includes NINE stunning flower allovers. Tulips, Mums, Irises, and Daisies! It arrived just in time for all of your Spring projects, maybe even a table runner or napkins for your Easter table.

A few of the fabrics included in our Fresh Market Flowers Collection from Andover Fabrics.

This line also includes a PANEL with eight, different flower market scenes. Perfect for a colorful quilt, table runners or other items to use around the house. Each block pairs perfectly with the market allover or wide awning stripe. We have a FREE Downloadable quilt pattern available on our website that uses one panel and a selection of the colorful flowers. I love using the green awning stripe as binding!

Free Downloadable Quilt Pattern for Fresh Market Flowers.

Watch for a fun GIVEAWAY of Fresh Market Flowers coming on the blog. You can also “Like” us on Facebook to make sure you don’t miss out.

Happy Spring!

Michelle

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Let’s Play Dolls: Summer Fun

Spring is here and who isn’t ready to escape all of the winter weather!

We are so excited that Spring has arrived. The cherry blossoms are blooming, the garden is coming alive and we can’t wait to start planting lots of new flowers and veggies. It is also the time of year when we all must to find a new balance between our life outside and our life inside. After all, we can’t just abandon our sewing machines, they might rebel!

A few of the prints in our new “Summer Fun” collection.

What better way to get in the “Spring Sewing” mood than with a new project and a new fabric collection. We are so happy to announce that our new fabric collection, Let’s Play Dolls: Summer Fun is now available. It is the perfect fabric group to celebrate Spring and everything it has to offer. Full of fun florals and butterflies in bright, cheery colors it is a great way to freshen up your home and your sewing.

Completed 18″ Doll Outfits in each Summer color way

The line also includes two new adorable outfits for 18″ dolls on pre-printed panels. Each panel comes complete with one 18″ doll outfit, matching doll accessory and complete sewing instructions. There are also step-by-step illustrated tutorials for each panel on our website if you should get stuck.

All About Summer Top and Capri Pants Panel

For all of those little girls that love to dress just like their doll, the matching outfit patterns are also now available and include sizes 7 to 14. Each patterns comes with a bonus accessory pattern to compete the look!

Matching Outfit Pattern in sizes 7-14

Be sure to watch for new ideas and tutorials coming soon in the next couple of weeks. Maybe even a Giveaway or two… We also have lots of projects that we hope to have done before Quilt Market in May- both personally and professionally. We can’t wait to share!

Happy Spring Sewing!
Sharon and Michelle

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