French General: the new pattern designers - The Jolly Jabber Quilting Blog

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French General: the new pattern designers

191 Comments

French General has designed two quilt patterns for their new Fall fabric line, Maison de Garance. Inspired by old shades of color found in a rural chateau, the line is filled with bright reds, deep chocolate browns, naturals and tea stains. The Maison de Garance Quilt is a small 46 x 46 applique quilt with a beautiful old house on the front. This is one of those quilts that you not only want to make, but want to keep.

Reine des Abeilles is a larger quilt, 75 x 82, with a charming hexagon pattern and a wide border print.  I think this quilt would look perfect on an old farm bed or hung on the wall – it’s got a great balance of light and dark and lots of red, of course. Each kit is complete with the fabric and pattern. The Maison quilt comes with a full size template for the house applique and the Reine quilt comes with a plastic hexagon template. Both kits are packaged in a fabric carry-all with two custom labels. Patterns for each quilt are also available at the Fat Quarter Shop.

Now, just in time for Christmas it’s giveaway time!  The Reine des Abeilles Quilt Kit is on the line this time– provided by French General Fabrics!  To enter comment below telling me a present you want most during this  holiday season.  Contest closes Monday, December 20th @ midnight CST.

191 comments

  2. I would love to have a new sewing machine. Janome has a new one out. Other than that I don't want anything as I have everything I need. Merry Christmas to all!
    as always,
    Val

  3. Oh. My. Goodness. Beautiful!

    I want this for Christmas! And a walking foot. And a million dollars to spend on fabric, but I will be content with wining this! 🙂

  4. The gift I want most this year and if all goes well I will receive it is that I get to go to West Virginia and visit with my Mother.

  5. Love French General. My most hoped for gift this year? I really want some expedit shelving from IKEA. I told my DH I want them as tall as possible so I can organize my fabric easily and still have room for all of my glass jars full of impedimenta.

  6. I love the new shades, I can picture a quilt for my bed, with that fabric.

    Right now, I just want to be healthy again. Got sick, threw my ribs out from coughing and bad ribs got me sick again, so really really tired of it, lol.

    Debbie

  7. Being from another country, I always wish I could go home for Christmas(mine you my kids remined me, that this is home. Canada) But this year I did splurge and since everyone is a teenager and over twenty at home. I give my self the gift of going home, all of us. So this year is happening but another extra present, (since any other is not happening now) would be perfectly acceptable.lol.

  11. I most want the gift of more time. I keep looking for it but can't find it. I would pay a lot for it. Thanks for the great giveaway.

  12. Wow – these two quilts are amazing! Beautiful!

    What I want most this Christmas is some quiet time to myself over the break from school. I spent all of last Christmas vacation marking, with the exception of two days and, boy, was I bitter. This year, I know I'll have some work to do but I need a bit of time to spend with my family too!

  14. Fabric! I've told everyone to get me gift certificates for fabric to help with my stash. My SILs are loving it because they know it will aggravate their brother!

  17. We don't really celebrate christmas with gifts here in Holland but what I would really like is something for me myself and I. Not something that is also needed for the children or the house but something to pamper myself.
    Oh the luxury of a hot bath, a book or simply some peace and quiet!

  18. The gift I wanted is the whole collection Civil War from Judy Rothermel and the fabric to make this gorgeous quilt The reine des Abeilles to keep me warm all the year.Merry christmas for you and your team from the Netherlands.
    Marianne

  19. What I most want I know I can't have – I want my boyfriend to be able to be home for Christmas! Unfortunately he's in the military and stationed a few thousand miles away. We'll get to do our Christmas presents via Skype and hopefully he'll be able to come home on leave in mid-January…

  21. this is silly, but I want my husband to buy me something! Anything! just show me you put some thougth into me this year!!! (it's been 5 or 6 years since there's been naythign for my under the tree that wasn't from my parents.)

  22. I would love to have a new sewing machine! This would be really great. But I am mostly a handquilter and so, don't worry! Thanks so much for this give away! I would love to win!

  24. I'd love a new sewing machine. And a bunch of Maison de Garance – love that line! My FAVORITE colors. :o) Thanks for the awesome giveaway!

  25. Wow! Love the Quilt!!! The border fabric is especially yummy! My main Christmas wish this year is something that cannot be bought, so I will just keep wishing…

  28. Because most things are too big and too complicated (saving the planet, world peace, etc.), I'll go for an iPhone and a gift certificate to Fat Quarter Shop 🙂

  33. Hello! Thanks for the giveaway!
    I'd love a Handiquilter frame for my machine, make it easier to handle the bigger quilts to machine quilt!
    Also an Accuquilt Go! would go a long way too!
    or, …. a bit, not a lot, of money so I could retire early!
    Just hoping Santa brings us health and happiness as we travel to visit family over the holidays!
    Take care, Happy Holidays everyone!
    Leslie

  34. I would love to have so many things, mostly craft related! but most of all, I just want my family to all be happy and healthy for a wonderful Holiday 🙂
    Thanks for the chance!
    hugs, margie

  35. I'm actually wishing for a BOM membership, so I keep enjoying it all year!! May have to buy it for myself if I don't get surprised by someone else!!

  37. Besides health & soft living for my loved ones, what do I want for Christmas? Easy peasy, quilting fabric! Not only is it beautiful eye-candy (who needs candy canes when fabrics create drools 😉 and awesome to touch, but it shapeshifts with patterns, needles and threads.
    p.s.~ My home is drooling over French General, please make it happy.
    Blessings, Jackie in NC

  38. I'd love to have all my kids and grandkids home for Christmas. Otherwise I'd love a long arm quiling machine and room to put it. Just love French General!

  41. I would LOVE a Scottish Terrier puppy for Christmas, but I know it isn't going to happen. 🙁 So instead, a gift certificate so I can add to my fabric stash would be wonderful!
    Merry Christmas!
    Sandy A

  42. What I want the most is my mom to feel better (she is a beautiful 85 year old lady)…But besides that I would love love loooove some beautiful fabric and time to do something beautiful with it!!

    Thanks for the opportunity to win and for your generosity..

    God Bless,

    ^A^ngel♥

  43. What beautiful fabrics!! The gift I'd love most is good health for all 2-legged & 4-legged inhabitants of our home!
    Thanks for the chance to win!

  44. The best present would be for everyone in my family to be healthy and happy and to just be really happy spending Christmas together. I wish that for everyone else too!

  45. I just received my wish…. I was just told today that I don't have thyroid cancer for the second time…. It is going to be such a better Christmas…

    Sandyn

  49. An FQS gift certificate or a new sewing machine would be wonderful, but honestly I'm richer than I deserve to be. thanks for such a great giveaway!

  50. Wow what a wonderful giveaway.
    The best present would be health and happiness for my family and friends……

  52. My husband's in Iraq and due home just in time for Christmas – if everything goes according to plan. Needless to say, that's all we want in this house: Daddy home! Course, since this is my (current) favorite collection this would be a great addition under our tree 😉

    Thanks!!!

  53. Anything French General!!! I don't understand why we don't get these fabrics in our area. But truthfully, what I really want this year is for my family to be together. Thanks for sharing such a great giveaway 🙂

  55. This year for Christmas I would love to have my family about me, good health and peace in our hearts.

    Thank you for this opportunity and your generosity.

    Merry Christmas!!

  57. Hhmm-it is not flashy but a small chest freezer would be great. I have officially turned into my mother, asking for such practical things but like I told DH – we are not kids anymore.

  58. We neither need nor want for anything – but I'd love to be able to finish quilting the 2 quilts I'm giving as gifts this year. Sitting at the computer reading blogs doesn't help!
    Health and happiness for all.

  59. Very early last Saturday morning I was awakened by a horrific crash/crunch of metal — there was a terrible accident fairly close to where I live. I later found out it was a 22 year old husband and father of a two year old and one due next month. He is now sadly a quadraplegic…the gift I want most this year is God's peace for this young family and His strength to endure the struggles their future will encounter. And I'd love some French General too 🙂
    Blessings to all – Laurie (llsbaskets@comcast.net)

  62. This Christmas I want peace for my Mom. We just put her in a nursing home and she's having a rough time which is totally expected. Love of family is all that's important during the year. Thanks for the giveaway. I'd love to make a quilt for my Mom and I think she'd love this fabric.

  63. I just want to spend Christmas with my parents as I didn't get to do so last year as my husband and I hosted his family for Christmas. Some special fabric for Christmas would just make it perfect. Merry Christmas!

  66. I'm hoping to attend a quilt retreat in February. I've asked Santa to help me with the cost:) A quilt shop gift certificate is always a perfect gift:)

  67. Christmas is also my birthday week and with a home of all guys and they seemingly think my need is electronics (can anybody relate?) I'd love for ONCE to have a gift certificate so I can get what a quilter really wants!

  68. I really want a 1/4" seam foot for my Janome. I want to make a cathedral quilt and I think have a 1/4" seam foot would really help!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

  71. I would LOVE a gift card to a fabric shop – online or brick-and-mortar! This quilt is gorgeous. Thanks for the chance to enter.

  74. A quilt kit would just make my holiday season even better! The French General kit is just gorgeous – thanks so much for this generous giveaway and Merry Christmas!

  75. Love this new line of fabric, it's beautiful! Would love to have an iPod for music. I've never had one, but think it would be nice to have. Thanks for the chance to win!

  77. What I want most for Christmas this year-a cure for cancer. But I know this will not happen this Christmas-but maybe/hopefully in the near future.

  78. I want an engagement ring for Christmas. 🙂 I'm pretty sure I won't get it for Christmas, maybe Valentine's.

    Love this collection and the quilts. Thanks for the give-away!

  79. I really wanted a FQS gift certificate – and it arrived in yesterday's mail! So…the second thing I wanted most would be for my new longarm to arrive before Christmas! Thanks for a fantastic giveaway and Happy Holidays to all of the wonderful folks at The Fat Quarter Shop!
    Cheers!

  80. Thanks for the opportunity to win this beautiful kit. As a mom with 3 grown children with families of their own, I'm thankful everyone will be arriving next week. That's my gift, a houseful full of family. Merry Christmas.

  81. What pretty quilts!
    What I want most for Christmas is to have my sewing room finished. We are converting a part of our walk in attic. Hopefully we will be finished soon.

    ginger c at gmail dot com

  82. I don't want or need anything for Christmas, I have everything I need in a great husband, wonderful family and good health.

  83. There is so little I need – but I'd love to have more time! So many quilts to make, and never enough time to make them. But I'd give this one a jump to the head of the line!!

  85. I asked my daughter and she said a million dollars. But for me I'd love a long arm machine, but will settle for fabric 😉

  87. I love French General Fabrics! They are just they right colors and prints! I love that my favorite shop-Fat Quarter Shop is carying them. I would like time with my family, time to quilt and time to sleep since I teach! Merry Christmas to all of my favorite people at Fat Quarter Shop! PS i would love to win this kit to add it to my French General Collection!

  88. I'm looking forward to spending the Holiday's with my family and I'm wishing that everyone stays healthy! Why does at least one person have to be sick during the Holidays???

    Oh, and after today, No Snow Please. 🙂

    Cynthia
    In the windy, snowy, icy, Mid-Atlantic!

  89. My family to be together, my sewing machine humming, the dog at my feet, the cats on the cutting table, the smell of something wonderful coming from the kitchen and new fabric from the French general. Claudia

  92. I laughed when I read this post. My daughter asked me a few days ago what I really wanted for Christmas. My response was, "the only thing I can think of is a gift certificate from the Fat Quarter Shop!" I just love fabric — it makes me happy!!! Happy holidays to everyone!!

  93. well, if we're doing fantasy, then a sewing studio with a new bernina and a long-arm would be quite nice. as it is, a day out with girlfriends and without kids will suffice 🙂

  94. I want my grandchildren to come to my new home for Christmas! Of course, I want my children as well, but Christmas is so special with little ones. I love them to the moon.

  96. I would love to be the winner of this beautiful kit that is being offered by Fat Quarter Shop!! 🙂

  98. I already got the present I want most- my husband will be home this year (rather than deployed) so our second Christmas married will be our first Christmas together. It's the best gift, especially in anew house! He also wants an espresso machine, though- since I used to be a barista! All that espresso could fuel some serious quilting binges!

  99. I see the honeycomb shapes on the Reine des Abeilles quilt that must have inspired the name. It is very cool.
    I am hoping to get more dies for my Go! cutter. I have been getting a few of my scraps tamed (although I swear the pile is bigger now!). I used one fat quarter bundle to make a tumbler quilt, so now there is room for more fabric lol
    Helen

  100. Well..I never knew I would ever want one of these for Christmas (but quilting does odd things to you)–I want a really good iron and iron board cover! The French General lines are always breath taking!

  101. On my wish list is some second hand furniture for my quilt room. I saw it at a vintage cottage, it's from the 70's era, very feminine and fun!!! Love the giveaway and I am so wanting to make a red and white quilt! thanks for the chance!

  103. I want absolutely anything French General, I'm in Heaven, when I see the new lines. This winter I'm working on my hand pieced Rouinneries quilt! Oh I just LOVE it!!

  104. Besides a gift certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop, I would like a cabinet for my sewing machine to use for free motion quilting. I've decided the frame is just not for me.

  105. The thing I want most for Christmas is just for everyone to be happy, LOVE their gifts and have a wonderful, relaxing stress-free Christmas! That would be the best gift I could receive!

  106. I don't have any wants this year…I'm going to be the difficult one to buy for 🙂 I think though, that I might like a watercolor painting dvd or lessons…

  109. Oh! & just how good would Maison de Garance look sitting under the Tree come Christmas Morn. Such Sweet Dreams brings a smile 🙂

  110. More than anything I would like a membership to Paris in the Fall Block of the Month and the backing to go with it. I love French General fabrics and this gift would go on all year long! How wonderful would that be?

  111. What beautiful fabric, thank you for the chance.
    What I want most for Christmas is good weather for traveling so that all of my family can be together. I always want fabric, too!! I am pretty sure there is some under the tree:)

  112. All I want to have is healthy for our familiy and friends and also more time for quilting and many new ideas. I love the fabrics of French General :-))) Merry Christmas!

  114. I always want time to sew. No harm in asking Santa for it – right? That's on the top of my list. I also would love a Kindle. Thanks for the opportunity to win.
    Mary

  116. Greetings from Northern Saskatchewan CANADA.

    I am very blessed to have everything I want and then some. My Christmas wish is that everyone would get their wish!

  117. This year I would like for my children to be happy and find direction in their lives. For my husband to have success in his business and my Mother to be in good health.

  118. I would most want for Christmas for all 5 of my grown kids & 6 grandkids would be home for Christmas. Nothing they could give me would match that. Love the new French General fabric & especially the Hexagon pattern. Thanks for the chance to win.

  119. I would love to have our all of our soldiers home with their families. World Peace.
    Love the new French General collection, would love to add it to my collection.
    I have been a good girl this year!!

    Thanks for a wonderful website.

  120. OH, what a beautiful kit. What I would like to have is my son and his wife to be home for Christmas but it wont' happen this year because of their work schedule and they live in another state.
    Merry Christmas.

  121. I love this fabric line! Up until today I wanted a new set of tires for my truck for Christmas. Now, I want a new set of tires and this kit!=)Thanks for the opportunity to win!

  123. I have been emptying out the condo of a 95 year old lady that I dearly love so it can be sold. My house looks like a warehouse right now. I'm washing, cleaning, packing and donating as fast as I can. I would love to be finished and have my tree put up so my 3 year old grandson can come see Christmas at Grandma and Popok's house! Thanks for hte great giveaway. Merry Christmas!

  124. I would love to have my bathroom remodeled but since I will never get DH motivated to take that on, I would love a new Bernina. What I really need though,is TIME to do all the fun quilt projects I have piling up! Thanks for the give-away.
    Karen in Breezy Point

  126. My sister has had some health issues recently and my hope is for good health for my family and I. Thanks for the great giveaway!!!

  127. What I want for Christmas is a new sewing/embroidery machine and all the time in the world to be able to use it.

    I love the Maison de Garance fabric and will definetely be buying it for a quilt in the new year

  128. Apart from a nice peaceful healthy Christmas for one and all… as a gift, I'd like anything farbic-y, quilt-y, stitch-y or books/patterns related to the above.

  129. These fabrics are lovely! My favourite fabric colours at the moment are beige, red, brown, and blue.
    For Christmas I am hoping to have a nice relaxing day at work (I'm a R.N. & am scheduled to work Christmas day – blah) but I know I'll have the evening to spend with my 2 favourite people: my husband & son.
    My Christmas wish list: anything to do with quilting: fabrics, quilt books.

  130. What I would want most is to be locked in my sewing room for a month. Someone could slip my meals under the door… If I could finish some projects I could justify buying more!!

  131. What I want most for Christmas is for my family to be happy and well. After that I would have to say some fabric would be wonderful and a few more hours each day to sew.
    Jill

  135. Besides this lovely fabric – or any MODA fabric for that matter I want for little. I have enough stuff. I just want to watch my family open their presents from me this year and for them to know that I love each and every one of them.

  136. I really am blessed, but always wish for more quilting time. I got an early Christmas present of a new sewing machine and my plan for 2011 is to reorganize my sewing space. The lovely quilt kit would sure make a great gift too.

  140. Besides winning this beautiful kit (which saw and wanted on the French General site) — I would like a big GO! with lots of dies… or maybe one of those motorized Sizzix cutters with lots of dies.

  141. For Christmas, the best gift would be all together with my family. But winning this quilt kit would sure be a lot of fun! Thanks for the give away.

  142. Would love to have a gift certificate from Fat Quarter Shop or a fat quarter bundle of the Maison De Garance by French General

  144. All I want for Christmas besides "World Peace" is fabric! This is on my list every year and my family is wonderful about gift certificates for Quilt Shops!!! I have them trained very well. 😀
    Merry Christmas to all!!!!

  145. all i asked for this year is a bed pillow that won't go flat. i'm not sure that such a pillow exists. really, i would be happy if my two girls – aged 5 and 9 – have a happy christmas and like their presents. that is my christmas wish (but the kit would be nice too!!!).

  146. Assuming we live in a perfect world and all the major things are taken care of, I would like a new kitchen floor. We have lived in our house for 20 years. When we moved in, there was a worn spot on the kitchen floor, now you can't tell where that worn spot was because the whole floor is very worn. Fabric would be nice too.

  148. I love all of the fabric lines by French General. I think they're just in sync with my tastes. I would really like a new cutting mat for Christmas this year and some Dovo scissors. I don't need any big ticket items as I'm already so blessed.

  152. Mmmmm what I'd like most for Christmas is for all those who lost every worldly possession in the Black Saturday bushfires (here in Victoria, Australia) to finally move into their new houses. It's been nearly 2 years & many still live in sheds or caravans (motor homes)Please cherish your family & friends….. think of others less fortunate; and even if I dont get any presents I'll be happy to have my family around me. Mery Christmas to all at the FQSJJ

  157. My Christmas wish is that my Dad would be completely cancer free & that not another family member or anyone else would have to die from this terrible disease. More time for quilting & some beautiful fabric would be great!
    Merry Christmas everyone.

  159. I'm wishing for peace & healing for some families who have had health crises with their children this yr and one who just lost their home to a fire. So, feel guilty wanting anything when they have nothing!
    Thanks for the chance for someone to win this kit, I'm sure anyone who wins it will be thrilled!
    LOVE French General, this is BEAUTIFUL!
    Merry Christmas to ALL! 🙂

  162. I just want to spend some quality-time with my family – this would make a great present!
    Wish you all at Fat Quarter Shop a great Xmas-time and all the best for 2011.
    Hugs
    Ineke

  163. All I want for Christmas is no stress! Is that possible? Oh, and fat gift certificate from Fat Quarter Shop would be nice too.

    Merry Christmas to Kimberly and the entire staff at FQS! 🙂

    -Natasha

  164. I simply love the designs of French General. Thanks for the oppotunity to win this new line.

    Wishing you a great Christmas

  165. Dear Fat Quarter Santa, I have been a very good girl this year, I havent ignored my 3 boys pleas for attention often while playing with nina bernina, and very rarely have I thrown food at them in a hurry so I could finish a row of quilting…… but what I would really like for christmas is a SILENT NIGHT! pls let my twins sleep for at least 8 hours! ….and send more fabric
    thank you ….joh

  167. That line of fabric is so pretty!! What I most want for Christmas is for my turkey to turn out. I've never cooked one before and I'm hosting my whole family this year.

  168. So *beautiful*! 🙂 I told my husband I wanted a diploma for Christmas (I'm a graduate student) but I think that one will have to wait just a few more months. Honestly, some family time with my new baby will be the best present for me–and I think I'm going to get it, too! 🙂

  172. I would love to go home to Florida for Christmas. Please Santa bring me some warm weather!!

    Thanks for the generous giveaway

  173. For a really good day for my mother, so she could enjoy her family again. She has alsheimer's – would love to here her voiceagain and especially her laugh – wow did she have a laugh.

  174. Actually, this kit has been on my wish list ever since I saw it on the French General blog a few weeks ago. Thanks for the opportunity to win one!

  175. My only wish for every christmas and new year is Peace, health and happiness for our family and for people around the world.

    Winning this would be wish come true for this season

  176. A job at the Fat Quarter shop – complete with employee discount?!?

    Or one of these quilt kits.

    Or a serger.

    Or all of the above and a maid to allow me more sewing time.

    Merry Christmas!
    Shelley

  177. FABRIC, FABRIC, FABRIC!!!!!
    TIME, TIME, TIME!!!!!

    The fabric has to come from Fat Quarter Shop though 😉 The time I will take from anywhere. ha!

  179. Dear Fat Quarter Shop,
    What I want most this Christmas is the chance to adopt again. My husband and I adopted from China last year and we would love to have a sister for her. If this isn't to be possible, then just that we trust the Lord with what we have!!!! vickiehalley@yahoo.com

  180. oh what another superb range!! I love this fabric.
    Waht I want most this Christmas is for all my family to be together, and mostly we will be, so for that I am very thankful1

  181. I've asked my husband to take my kids to my local quilt shop so they can choose some fat quarters as a gift for me. I hpe they're open late on dec 24 cause that's when he shops!

  182. A present I really want this Christmas?????….how about full use of my left leg/hip after fracturing it in Paris in October this year!!!
    Last day in Paris, in a bookstore, near the Sorbonne, and down I went!
    The French provided fantastic care, but now,I just need to lose the 3rd leg(a crutch!)and get stronger…great present it would be! Independent again!
    What a great giveaway!!

  187. I would love to have more time for Christmas! I'm looking forward to a quiet day with family to chat, eat, read books … Thank you for the giveaway and happy holidays!

  188. I asked for a Kona Solids Color Card and Bella Solid Color card. I hope I get one or both! It would make shopping online for solid fabric so much easier.

  189. Ohmygosh-so holiday harried I don't even know if I saw this one! Santa – please replace my iPod that just broke during the most expensive month of the year, wrapped in Maison! 🙂

  190. I really wanted for Christmas my kids all to be home – and they are – that is the best!
    thanks!
    butler83ataoldotcom

  191. I would love to have meant something meaningful to someone by Christmas time – hopefully I can help someone and do some good.

    Beyond that, a small crafty piece of bliss for myself!