New Pattern Set: Back to School

It is new pattern tine at Sew-Ichigo, welcome to 'Back to School', a multi pattern set including a basic pencil block, a pencil wheel and a hi- lighter pen with two variations.

This pattern started with the hi lighters.  Penny designed them as a block for Elizabeth Hartman for her 'Traveling Quilts' Bee which is full of uber quilty brilliant people.

The hi lighters lead to pencils, I had done this block a while back for Ayumi in Ringo Pie

I never drew it up into a proper pattern and now felt like the time.  I tightened it up from my slovenly improv ways of winging it and turned it into a Dresden style wheel with an appliqué style centre.

It is foundation paper pieced, 12" finished size and made up of 10 single sections so the paper piecing is very straightforward- the only seams to join are when you join the wedges together.  I used Liberty Lifestyle Bloomsbury fabrics for the pencils and it shows how a little print can go a long way! 

For the more timid paper pieces who want a genuine beginner block, the solo pencil is perfect.  This has a single pattern piece and detailed instructions including what size of fabrics to rotary cut ready to piece and a cheats way to so pencil tips.    Penny and I put a lot of details into our patterns and share tips and construction details wherever possible.  The  pencil case pattern is available for free at A Spoonful of Sugar Designs  and I just pieced a single solo pencil block into the main fabric.  I will share more details on Sew-Ichigo in case anyone wanted to make one just the same.  The lace zip makes adding a zipper the easiest thing.  It is sewn on top of the finished seams which is such a simple way to add a zip and the metal zipper pull is perfect for a pencil case.  I bought mine at Eternal Maker  here.

Penny combined both of the easiest blocks- the solo pencil and the capped hi-liter pen and used the same pencil case pattern but jazzed it around moving the zipper placement.  You can use text or stamp your fabric for the pen centre or just leave it solid as a block.  There is an uncapped pen too with a chiseled tip like you can see in her travelling quilts block.  All these patterns are available  complete set in our Sew-Ichigo shop and our Craftsy store too!