Hello! I am thrilled to be here today to tell you about “Paint-By-Number Quilts” the new booklet written by my online friend, and fellow quilter, Kerry Foster and published by C&T Publishing.
Kerry is well-known as Penny Dog in the quilting world and she is originally from the United Kingdom. She is now a fellow Canadian and Albertan living in my old stomping grounds of Calgary, Alberta.
When Kerry said she was writing a ‘how-to’ on her Paint-By-Numbers quilting technique I was so excited for her! I have long admired her amazing animal quilts.
The best part is that Kerry has already figured out how to make these quilts happen and she tells us all how to do it with concise, easy-to-understand instructions with step-by-step photos.
Each of the four patterns in the booklet has a colour key which is printed right along the edge of the page for easy comparison to the fabrics in your stash. So you can easily choose fabrics for your project. Each colour is also assigned a number which corresponds to it’s placement in the quilt layout. So you can’t go wrong! Just number your fabric choices with the numbers in the colour key and you’re all set.
I love the Grizzly Bear Wall Hanging! I’ve seen a few of these in the wild (grizzly bears, not wall hangings). Most memorably, one time in Jasper National Park when I was a young teenager, my family and I were having a picnic, of salmon sandwiches of all things, while a grizzly bear was nearby. I even said to my Mom, “Do you think it’s a good idea to eat salmon sandwiches with a grizzly bear nearby?” But my parents said the bear wasn’t bothering anybody and he was a ways away.
He was going about his business when suddenly he must have caught a whiff of our lunch because he stopped, raised his nose in the air and then turned directly towards us. Five people never cleared a picnic table and climbed into a station wagon so fast!
Anyway, I would love to make this bear wall hanging and am glad I’ve lived to have the opportunity to do so. (And I don’t even like salmon!)
Kerry’s booklet has all the pattern pieces needed as well as layout diagrams for each of the four projects. Detailed instructions are given for every step of the way from choosing fabrics and preparing to cut all the way to quilting the finished quilt top. Of course, you can use the techniques you learn from the booklet to create Paint-By-Number quilts from your own photos. (Sadly it didn’t occur to me to take a photo while running for my life with my hated salmon sandwich in my hand.)
A good project to begin with would be this adorable little Raccoon mug rug. You can get the hang of the techniques before embarking on a larger wall hanging. I have raccoon stories too from when we lived in Vancouver and New Brunswick… they all involve garbage cans.
Anyway, if you’re searching for something fun and new to try I recommend picking up a copy of Paint-By-Number Quilts and learning Kerry’s techniques for animal appliqué quilts. It is expected to be available in stores by the end of September or check C&T Publishing. Amazon will have it early too. The booklet is 32 pages long.
Kerry will be releasing some additional Paint-By-Numbers Quilts patterns to coincide with the booklet release so keep and eye on her Instagram account and blog for information on that!
Disclosure: Kerry asked me if I would be interested in reviewing her booklet and I jumped at the chance. I was given a digital review copy in order to write this blog post. I was truly impressed with the booklet and the quality of the instructions and projects. All opinions expressed here, including my hatred of salmon sandwiches, are my own.
