almost five christmases later.

if y'all follow along via instagram, chances are, you know that i spent yesterday making these lovelies.
(i'm @rachelgriffith if you're interested.)

miss lindsey was born in september of 2010.
i'm sure some of y'all remember this.
(yes, it's really been that long ago!)

well, back in 2007, i made stocking for everyone in our house.
when lindsey was born, i told myself i needed to make her a stocking, too.
here we are, almost five christmases later, and that baby FINALLY gets her stocking.
mother of the year award goes to ... ;)

xo, rachel

quilt calendar 2015.

if y'all are anything like me, you wait until the last minute to get a calendar for the upcoming year.
generally, i'm the girl at the mall, on new year's day, pondering the leftovers at the pop-up calendar store.
(do i want cats? or motorcycle mamas?)
well, folks, things are changing this year!!!

y'all remember my book, quilts made with love, right?
well, the lovely peeps at martingale chose one of my book quilts to be featured in their 2015 calendar.
see, look ...

that's me, miss january. :)

even if you already have my book, there's 11 more beautiful quilts for you to enjoy as the year goes by.
and let me tell y'all, they are yummy.

there's something for both the modern and traditional quilter!
the projects range in size from wall hangings to bed sized quilts.
and on top of the quilty eye candy, step by step instructions are included for each month!
awesome, right?!

so, y'all grab one for yourself, your quilty friend, or even your mother in law.
it's the gift that keeps on giving.
(purchase via amazon, here.)

xo, rachel

shop small with a big sale.

i hope y'all had a wonderful thanksgiving. we did!
my only complaint is that i didn't get the pumpkin roll made.
i think that's on my to do list for today, along with decking the halls.
i just LOVE this time of year!

today is small business saturday.
so, we're having a sale in my pattern shop!

buy one, get TWO free on all PDF patterns!!!
no special code needed.
simply enter your free choices in the notes to seller box upon checkout.
(patterns pictured are: savvy, impromptu & reverie.)

xo, rachel

cotton + steel winners!

the winners of the cotton + steel giveaway are ...
heidi, becky, keri, and whitney!

congrats to y'all!!!
email me: rachel at psiquilt dot com

once i have y'all's mailing info, the lovely peeps over at fat quarter shop will ship your bundle!
i hope y'all get the one you were drooling over!
they're all so dang dreamy.

a big thanks to all of y'all that entered.
you're all winners in my eyes. mean it.

xo, rachel

cotton + steel giveaway!!!

*comments are closed! winner will be announced in next post!*

we haven't had a giveaway in f o r e v e r!
am i right?
well, that's about to change, folks.
the lovely peeps over at fat quarter shop really, really love y'all.
how much?
so much that we are giving away 4 BUNDLES of cotton + steel basics!!!
gah!
i know i've said it before, but i have literally never wanted to win my own giveaway as bad as i do now.
must. have. all. these. fabrics.
siiiiigh.
so, here's the deal, FOUR lucky ps i quilt readers will win ONE bundle each.
to enter, leave a comment.
any comment will do.
remember, flattery will get you everywhere. KIDDING. ;)
winner will be announced tuesday!

happy commenting!
xo, rachel

trimmings.

i grow attached to my trimmings while i cut fabrics.
how attached?
well, for starters, i take a picture.
;)

what about y'all?
do you ooh and aah over your trimmings? keep them? reuse them? take pics of them? throw them away?
inquiring minds want to know.

xo, rachel

y'all guessed it!

i have finally jumped aboard the modern maples bandwagon.
i'm SUPER excited to make this quilt.

y'all know me, i'm kind of addicted to fall.
so, why not have a really adorable fall quilt?

i started out using mostly katie jump rope fabrics. (shown in previous post.)
but once i started cutting fabrics, i took out a few and added a few others.
i love my first block.
what do y'all think?

oh, and for those of y'all that don't know about the modern maples quilt, here's some logistics:
modern maples was designed by amanda jennings of hey porkchop!
she designed the quilt for john adams' (quilt dad) book, pretty in patchwork: holidays.
there's even a whole flickr group devoted entirely to modern maples. sigh.

have you made your own modern maples quilt?
if not, do wanna join along?
apparently, there's a little sew along going on over on instagram. (#simplymodernmaples)
OR if you wanna drool over even more modern maples, there's always #modernmaples via instagram.

xo, rachel

a little fall fun.

so, i've been hoarding these lovelies for quite some time.
i pulled them out the other day, and i think i have a plan.
do y'all have a guess as to what i'm doing with them?

here are some hints about the pattern i plan on using ...
it is NOT my pattern
it IS a fall pattern
and i'm almost positive you've seen a handful of these quilts via blogs, instagram & flickr.

any guesses?

xo, rachel

tap, tap.

hey, y'all.
i'm here dusting off this ol' blog of mine.
on one hand, i didn't mean to take a break this long.
but on the other hand, it was much needed.

once upon a time, i fell in love with this marine that just happened to be a northerner.
well, this southern gal moved up north with him and started a family.
we loved starting our family in ohio.
we made many, many memories there.
and after much deliberation, this past april, we packed up our house and moved to my home state of georgia.

my kids and i spent the first few months of the year in ohio while my husband was here in georgia working at his new job.
it's been quite the transition, but we did it!

i'm proud to say that we moved back to my old stomping grounds.
it feels so good to be back in the south.
i can't wait for my kids to experience growing up here like i did.
and i think it's really awesome that they have experienced growing up a bit in the north just like their daddy.
everyone seems to love it here which makes my heart really, really happy.

we're still trying to get completely settled in, but i'm trying to get back in the swing of things.
i finally sat at my machine for the first time in forever.
man, that felt good.
it was like riding a bike. until i had to use my seam ripper. HA.

in my absence, i've been teaching, working on new designs and even mastered the art of putting in a zipper!
say whaaaaaat?!?! LOL.

what have y'all been up to?

xo, rachel

in the works.

something new is in the works.
i'm loving the mix of these two fabric lines.
how about y'all?

fabrics = florence by denyse schmidt and nordika by jeni baker

xo, rachel

sew together bag.

so, i needed a new bag.
yes, needed.
it's legit.

the truth is, everyone on instagram (i'm @rachelgriffith) was making their own #sewtogetherbag.
i just had to have one for myself.

some changes that i made ...
i went with the quilt as you go method (QAYG) for the exterior.
i used pellon fusible fleece instead of a thin interfacing.
i chose 6 different fabrics for my pocket linings to give it more of scrappy look.
i left out the pin cushion and needle landing.
and i did most of the bindings by hand. (old habit.)

all in all, i'm in love.
i think the bulkiness during construction was my least favorite part, but that's my fault because i used fusible fleece.
and get this, i was freaking out over the zippers (remember this post?) but the zippers were actually pretty easy.

and here's the truth ... y'all need a this bag, too.
it holds EVERYTHING.
go and tell your husband i said so.
(;

bag & tool stats:
pattern = sew together bag by sew demented
size = 10" x 5" x 5"
fabrics = scrappy
fusible fleece = pellon (987F)
zippers = via zipit (9" in aqua marine, mustard yellow & slate gray. 18" in gray.)
thread = aurifil (2600 & 5004)
scissors = famore cutlery (715, 719 & 728)
starch = mary ellen's best press (linen fresh)
pins = clover extra fine glass head patchwork pins
rotary cutter = olfa splash
seam ripper = clover
magnetic pin bowl = via pleasant home (hi, jodi!)

so, have you made this fantastic bag?
if not, is it on your to make list?
it should be. just sayin'.
(;

xo, rachel

quilts made with love winner.

the winner of the quilts made with giveaway is ... alyssa.

congrats to you, alyssa!!!
email me: rachel at psiquilt dot com

thanks to all of y'all that entered.

xo, rachel

quilts made with love giveaway!!!

**giveway is now closed. winner has been posted.**

i hope y'all enjoyed the past 19 days of seeing the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
i sure enjoyed sharing them with y'all.

with that being said, let's have a giveaway!!!
one lucky ps i quilt reader will get their very own signed copy of quilts made with love!!!

to enter, simply go through my posts and pick out your favorite quilt from the book.
then, come back to this post and tell me which one is your favorite and why.

easy peasy, right?
winner will be announced on wednesday.

xo, rachel

embrace.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is embrace.
tragedy, in any capacity, takes a toll on everyone involved.
draping a quilt around someone's shoulder seems like a small gesture, but it can mean the world to someone in pain.

quilt stats:
size = 51 1/2" x 51 1/2"
fabric = bella solids for moda
piecing = lani padilla
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = embrace from quilts made with love

tragedy or not, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

sincerely.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is sincerely.
who doesn't love knowing that someone's thinking of them?
everyone deserves a "just because" present every now and then.
what's better than a quilt?

quilt stats:
size = 69 1/2" x 69 1/2"
fabric = pedal pusher for dear stella
piecing = rachel griffith
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = sincerely from quilts made with love

"just because" or not, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

heartfelt.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is heartfelt.
nothing can replace a lost loved one, but wrapping someone in a quilt is a great way to make them feel comforted.
this quilt can easily reflect a loved one's personality and tastes by your color choices - or even the use of old garments as scraps for the patchwork.

quilt stats:
size = 54 1/2" x 62 1/2"
fabric = marea for dear stella
piecing = molly culley
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = heartfelt from quilts made with love

who has a rememberance or sympathy quilt on their to make list?

xo, rachel

turnaround.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is turnaround.
i believe that curling up with a pretty quilt is very therapeutic, especially when everything else in the world seems out of place.

quilt stats:
size = 58" x 58"
fabric = kona solids for robert kaufman
piecing = molly culley
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = turnaround from quilts made with love

no matter what the reasoning, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

epilogue.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is epilogue.
for anyone struggling with addiction, depression, or a disorder, small gestures - like this quilt - can mean a lot.

quilt stats:
size = 55 1/2" x 55 1/2"
fabric = hyperreal garden and oval elements for art gallery
piecing = jennifer blosser
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = epilogue from quilts made with love

no matter what the reasoning, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

second wind.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is second wind.
when loved ones are facing and injury or illness, it's easy to feel powerless to help them.
presenting them with a quilt is a sure way to express your willingness to care and comfort.

quilt stats:
size = 65 1/2" x 65 1/2"
fabric = stitch by betz white for robert kaufman
piecing = lani padilla
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = second wind from quilts made with love

illness or not, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

look to the stars.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is look to the stars.
although it's honorable, deployment can take its toll on both soldiers and their families.
my husband has a military background, so we've seen our fair share of deployments, and trust me, gestures like this quilt, given to the soldier or the soldier's family, can make someone's week.

quilt stats:
size = 66" x 66"
fabric = heirloom and lanikai for dear stella
piecing = rachel griffith
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = look to the stars from quilts made with love

who has an deployment quilt on their to make list?

xo, rachel

farsighted.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is farsighted.
everyone gets a little homesick, but wrapping up in a quilt can be so comforting.
i love pairing busy fabrics with a simple design.
this quilt would make any college student feel right at home.

quilt stats:
size = 60 1/2" x 60 1/2"
fabric = terrain and cuzco by kate spain for moda
piecing = rachel griffith
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = farsighted from quilts made with love

dorm quilt or not, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

around the block.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is around the block.
retirement definitely deserves to be recognized as a lifetime achievement.
i love the design play of this quilt.
it's simple yet effective, and perfect for gift giving.

quilt stats:
size = 60 1/2" x 60 1/2"
fabric = kona solids for robert kaufman
piecing = molly culley
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = around the block from quilts made with love

retirement or not, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

happily ever after.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is happily ever after.
hearing about couples who have remained married for years upon years makes my heart happy.
i look up to these relationship superstars.
this quilt is a celebration of time spent together.

quilt stats:
size = 54 1/2" x 54 1/2"
fabric = palladium and maasai mara for dear stella
piecing = rachel griffith
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = happily ever after from quilts made with love

who has an anniversary quilt on their to make list?

xo, rachel

no place like home.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is no place like home.
a new house always needs a special touch, and nothing beats a homemade housewarming gift.
i love that this quilt is full of color and can be used in any room of the house.

quilt stats:
size = 56 1/2" x 56 1/2"
fabric = simply color by v and co for moda
piecing = julie herman
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = no place like home from quilts made with love

housewarming or not, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

unconditional.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is unconditional.
give the bride and groom a keepsake that can be used for many years.
you can easily personalize this quilt by matching fabric to the wedding invitation.

quilt stats:
size = 72 1/2" x 72 1/2"
fabric = bespoken and paradise for art gallery
piecing = molly culley
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = unconditional from quilts made with love

who has a wedding quilt on their to make list?

xo, rachel

it takes two.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is it takes two.
two people falling in love and deciding to spend the rest of their lives together is a beautiful thing.
i like this quilt's simplistic design and it's ability to playfully grab your attention.

quilt stats:
size = 60 1/2" x 60 1/2"
fabric = pure elements for art gallery
piecing = lani padilla
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = it takes two from quilts made with love

engagment or not, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

pathways.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is pathways.
perfect for teens and grads.
this quilt is sure to be cherished for years when made in school colors.
i really love the playfulness of this quilt.
the design feels improvised but is actually controlled, and makes a big statement.

quilt stats:
size = 59" x 63 1/2"
fabric = kona solids for robert kaufman
piecing = karrielyne winters
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = pathways from quilts made with love

who has a graduation quilt on their to make list?

xo, rachel

oh happy day.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is oh happy day.
your family and friends deserve to be celebrated on their birthday.
do it with a quilt.
i love that this quilt can easily be adapted to the recipient's taste and favorite colors.

quilt stats:
size = 66 1/2" x 81 1/2"
fabric = marmalade by bonnie & camille for moda
piecing = molly culley
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = oh happy day from quilts made with love

who has a birthday quilt on their to make list?

xo, rachel

all together now.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is all together now.
adopting a child is exciting for the whole family.
using stash fabrics to make a scrappy quilt can be a special gesture symbolizing a "pieced" or blended family.

quilt stats:
size = 56 1/2" x 56 1/2"
fabric = scrappy
piecing = molly culley
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = all together now from quilts made with love

adoption or not, this is a fun quilt to make. (and give!)

xo, rachel

sweet cheeks.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is sweet cheeks.
this is my go to baby quilt when i need a shower gift.
it's perfect for both boys and girls, comes together quickly, and is oh so sweet.

quilt stats:
size = 36 1/2" x 36 1/2"
fabric = odds and ends by julie comstock for moda
piecing = rachel griffith
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = sweet cheeks from quilts made with love

who has a unisex baby quilt on their to make list?

xo, rachel

hopscotch and ribbons.

in a continuing effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day.

today's quilt is hopscotch and ribbons.
little girls love hopscotch and ribbons.
and they're sure to love this quilt.
this is a great quilt to showcase your favorite prints.

quilt stats:
size = 36 1/2" x 42 1/2"
fabric = little kukla by suzy altman for robert kaufman
piecing = rachel griffith
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = hopscotch and ribbons from quilts made with love

who has a baby girl quilt on their to make list?

xo, rachel

bitsy baby.

in an effort to document all of my quilt making over the past couple of years,
i'm going to share all of the quilts from my book, quilts made with love.
my goal is to share one quilt a day for the next few weeks.

first up, bitsy baby.
simple and sweet for your favorite little guy.
i love this quilt for its traditional yet modern feel.
it's perfect for using those special little bits in your stash that you don't want to throw away.

quilt stats:
size = 40 1/2" x 40 1/2"
fabric = scrappy
piecing = molly culley
quilting = darla padilla
pattern = bitsy baby from quilts made with love

who has a baby boy quilt on their to make list?

xo, rachel