What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

As we close in on the Memorial Day weekend and kick off the summer season, here’s a quick review of great Marcus looks you can find now in your favorite local quilt shops…

Create a patriotic look with STAR STRUCK by Nancy Rink. Then mix in some PRIMROSE GARDEN WEAVES by Katie Solberg. The addition of Katie’s blush with the red, white and blue tones in Nancy’s signature Jacobean print styling takes it from patriotic into an all-occasion look with ease!

In June, look for fresh summer blues of GENEVIEVE, the debut collection by Carrie Quinn. Try ...

This piece, entitled “Soldier’s Quilt: Square Within a Square,” is in the permanent collection American Folk Art Museum, a fabulous New York City resource where admission is always free!
The quilt is made of wool, likely from military uniforms, dating approx 1850-1880. At the time, soldiers quilted while convalescing from wounds, and as a more “wholesome” downtime activity in general.
We love the second image, a detail of tiny pieced squares. Feeling inspired? Check out our Lanacot Wools collection online at MarcusFabrics.com.

MIXING TEXTURES: The only thing better than a Marcus print collection is the addition of interesting textures like wools and dobby weaves. Two of our newest designers, Dawn Heese and Katie Solberg, have done just that in their debut collections, for next-level quilts, fashions and home accents!

ENGINEERED PRINTS: While some of us still embrace the term  “cheater quilts” (a topic of friendly debate in our office!) these wonderful time savers are now known as  Engineered Prints.  Whatever you call them, we can all agree that with limited time to create, we continue to enjoy the headstart afforded by Judie ...

In honor of Judie Rothermel’s 35th anniversary as a quilt industry designer and innovator, we’ve put together a fun challenge especially for her most dedicated fans (of course, everyone is welcome to enter!).

All you have to do is click on the Official Entry Form, and correctly identify the six Judie Rothermel collections shown, a mix of Aunt Grace, Civil war and others. We’re awarding 35 Anniversary Prize Packs to those with the correct answers, so enter now thru December 31, 2022. (HINT: You might want to save the images, then do your research ...

When the Material Girlfriends created these Naughty Elves for the holidays, we had no idea just how naughty they were… .

They actually hid the free projects from us so we couldn’t post them earlier, but the projects have been recovered and the elves have been reprimanded! .Sooo, you can now find the FOUR free projects here on the Marcus Fabrics site. Choose from the Bedtime twin quilt, the panel with Border quilt, Pillowcases and Mug Rugs with Runner. .

And be sure to check out the Girlfriends’ Naughty Elves promo video. Happy Holidays to all!

DOWNLOAD these free projects

We can hardly believe that it’s been 35 years since Judie Rothermel designed her very first line of quilting fabrics! In 2022, we’re celebrating the 35th Anniversary of Judie’s iconic designs for Marcus Fabrics and her unique contribution to the world of quilting!

That first collection came about because Judie grew tired of tea-dyeing the available prints at the time to achieve an antiqued look. So, she set out to design a group of prints with the look she desired. It debuted in the Marcus booth at Quilt Market in 1987. Since then, she’s created thousands ...

Here at Marcus, we’re welcoming Spring 2022 in a big way, with a brand-new release of gorgeous designer collections! Check these out in detail, including the full collections and project options where available:

As we conclude another exciting Monday with Marcus designer series, “The Colors of Marcus”, we wanted to give you an overall view of the free projects. Links to all of them remain available on the MWN page on the Marcus website, and we invite you to visit and follow each designer’s own sites and social media to learn more about them! View SLIDESHOW below

It all began on February 14, when we launched the series with the color RED. All of the participating designers created projects in red for Valentine’s Day and beyond…You’ll find the links ...

In case you missed it, Series 3 of our popular Mondays with Marcus designer project series is now in full swing, following a fun multi-designer launch on Valentines’ Day! Then, the inspiration continued with Gennifer March’s ORANGE yo-yo embellished gift tags, and Nancy Rink’s cheery YELLOW stylized log cabin wall hanging. If you missed the debuts, no worries – you can get links all of the Series 3 projects throughout. And each Monday through April 18, we’ll have another new designer color launch (or two!)

And as this slideshow proves, our RED designer launch projects are perfect anytime ...

Cindy Staub of Quilt Doodle Designs has been busy creating fresh inspiration for her SEASON SAMPLER collection, including her signature pre-printed panel and coordinating prints. Taking inspiration from the seasonal changes in her own garden, Cindy started with the BOM program, a collection of four season-themed wall hangings highlighted with hand embroidery, piecing and applique – the program begins next month!

Next, Cindy created fun FREE projects using the fabrics. They’re available for download on the Marcus website…shown here are her Shoo Fly quilt and Mini Seasons, versatile 12.5″ blocks. Both incorporate the fussy-cut printed panel and hand ...

It’s true!! We’re back with our third Mondays with Marcus FREE PROJECT SERIES, The Colors of Marcus!  This time, we’re launching on Valentine’s Day, so naturally, our talented designers are focusing on projects using RED fabrics.  Watch the video below for a preview of the RED launch projects, the visit our MWM page for links to their project instructions. Then, every Monday, through April 18, each of our designers will choose a color to feature in a second free project.  Collect any or all of the free instructions, and if desired, you can even order fabric ...

It’s Holiday Season again, and however you choose to spend your special time, we wish you a season of healthy, happiness and creativity (with at least a little quilting time squeezed in!).  We’re looking ahead to 2022 with enthusiasm, and we can’t wait to share our excitement with you in the coming year, starting with beautiful new designer collections and programs in January!

Not to mention, the launch of our third series of Mondays with Marcus – stay tuned for details on our Mondays ...

We’re thrilled to announce our new addition to the Marcus design team, folk artist and wool applique expert Rebekah L. Smith! Her new LANACOT WOOLS (in 22 colors!) and coordinating cotton print collection, REBEKAH’S BASICS (20 prints) are perfect for experienced wool artists and beginners alike! Look for them in your local quilt shops in early 2022, both on the bolt and in convenient precut assortments.

And Rebekah already has pattern inspiration for you, too… look for her “Thistles” table runner, “Folk Hearts for Home” and other gorgeous wool applique patterns at Rebekah L. Smith

LANACOT WOOLS are ...

If you haven’t seen our new website yet, this is the perfect time! We hope you’ll enjoy its streamlined design, and for quilt shop owners, the simplified online ordering process. We’ve also just unveiled TEN gorgeous designer collections this month, including:

(Click upper right corner of the photo if the slideshow doesn’t not begin automatically, or simply click thru the images at your own pace.)

Many of these new collections also feature free projects and/or patterns available through the fabric designers (you’ll find these under the MAKE IT tab on the site), so get ...

Quilting friends, you’ll want to take a minute NOW to review what we’ve got coming for Fall 2021! Just launched: three beautiful new Block-of-the-Month programs, designed to appeal to a variety of tastes…let’s take a look:

“My inspiration for this quilt came from the collection itself, A RETURN TO ELEGANCE and what could be more elegant than a ribbon running through the blocks, tying them together in a sophisticated on-point composition,” Lynn Wilder says of her new BOM for Marcus Fabrics READ MORE

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Next comes a complete color departure in FANTASY, Sarah Maxwell’s new ...

It’s May 17 already, and with today’s reveal, we complete the second series of Mondays with Marcus! Laura Berringer mixes strips of her own SPICE BAZAAR collection to create easy quilt-as-you-go coasters! You can even apply this technique to a matching table runner or placemats. DOWNLOAD the FREE PROJECT HERE.

The warm, inviting tones of this collection were inspired by Laura’s pre-pandemic travels to Singapore. In addition to the many decorative and ornate batik fabrics there, she discovered wonderful markets with rich colors and spices to excite the senses.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this latest series ...

As our Mondays with Marcus Series II winds down (with just one more week to go!), it seems that each project is better than the next! We love Deirdre Bond Abel’s appliqued baskets, done in her own collection, THE MIDLANDS. Download her FREE PROJECT here.

Deirdre drew inspiration from mid-19th century Colonial homes in The Midlands of Tasmania, in a group of florals and geometrics in a beautiful range of soft, smoky tones…the palette is subtle but striking, isn’t it?

Join us again next Monday for the finale project (by Laura Berringer). This time around, some projects ...

Sarah Maxwell of Designs by Sarah J brings us a perfect project to welcome Spring, in a palette that is sure to sparkle in traditional and contemporary settings alike! Follow her creative lead by using prints from her own DANCE AT DAWN collection, or customize the colors to your liking. Either way, be sure to grab the free download on her website, using the code “Sparkler” at checkout.

Come back each Monday thru May 17 (just TWO more weeks to go!!) for another fun free project from your favorite Marcus designers. This time around, some projects will also be redone ...

Just look at this gorgeous quilt by Krisanne Watkins of Quail Valley Quilts! It’s featured in the current issue of American Patchwork & Quilting, and features the rich, warm tones of the INDIGO & MADDER collection by Paula Barnes. The June issue is available now, and the fabrics are available at your favorite quit shops and online outlets now!

#MondaysWithMarcus continues today with beautifully stitched words of wisdom from Tracy Souza of Plumcute Designs!

You’ll find Tracy’s free project here. Choose your favorite Marcus low-volume background fabric to add a bit of texture, and stitch!. Follow Tracy’s lead of framing your piece in a small embroidery hoop with ric-rac trim, use a traditional frame, or even incorporate the block into a quilt. It makes a perfect gift!

Come back each Monday thru May 17 for another fun free project from your favorite Marcus designers. This time around, several projects will also be redone by other designers ...