Pattern Designer: Amanda Murphy + giveaway - The Jolly Jabber Quilting Blog

Fat Quarter Shop, Quilt Pattern Ideas & Inspiration

Pattern Designer: Amanda Murphy + giveaway

382 Comments
The Fat Quarter Shop is excited to welcome Amanda Murphy to the Jolly Jabber. Amanda now has eight new patterns that have just arrived to Fat Quarter Shop.

Hello all of you Fat Quarter Shop Fans!

I was so excited when Kimberly and friends invited me to share the new additions to my pattern line with you today. Kimberly was one of the very first shops to pick up my line when it debuted and I’m always excited to show her new additions.

Garden Paths, my best-selling design in the original line, toyed with the idea of making a quilt out of blocks that were “hidden” – where you didn’t necessarily know where one began and the other ended. I took the idea one step further with Bedazzled and Beribboned.

They are charm-pack friendly designs where the blocks seem to create interlocking chains. I use Kona, because I LOVE Kona and was smitten with how the pastel charm pack colors seemed to jump right off of the Bedazzled’s Amethyst background, but you could really use any charm pack you like from your favorite collection for either of these designs. Follow the pressing directions and all the seams lock, which make for a prettier finish.

In Beflowered, I expanded that idea to hexagons – or triangles masquerading as hexagons. In this case, BIG triangles made with the Creative Grids 60 degree ruler. Of course, big triangles need big appliqué – sort of like Blossoms. This might just be my favorite quilt. I love the angled edges and can’t wait to see what you all make with it!

Like most moms, I spend a lot of time shuttling kids around and waiting for them and wanted to design a project that traveled well.

Bejeweled is studded with yo-yos that you can make just about anywhere. (You also attach them onto columns before sewing the quilt top together, so even that step is portable.) Fellow Robert Kaufman designer Laurie Wisbrun’s Modern Whimsy fabric seemed the perfect vehicle for this quilt. I love the bright colors and had fun choosing coordinating solids for the yo-yos. But you can also use any roll-up or 10’’-square (layer cake). And the yo-yos can be made from scraps. Did I mention that directions are included for a charm-square-friendly lap-size version?

Next is Caramel and Cocoa – a modern Bargello design. This was originally a magazine quilt, but I have had so many requests for it in pattern form I decided to add it to the line. It is REALLLLLLLLY easy to put together – big blocks with no matching seams, yet it has a really sophisticate look. I have seen it made in many different color combinations and they all look unique.

Caramel and Cocoa is a great design to feature those modern large-scale prints at their best. Great for scraps of beautifully prints that you just can’t bring yourself to cut up. And it is entirely strip-pieced, so it is simple to sew.

Garden Jewels is a versatile design that showcases Veranda, my most recent collection for Robert Kaufman. But it would work in almost any type of print. Kimberly has kits for it here…

Finally, Garden Sampler may look traditional, but with its big blocks (the large rectangles are 12’’ x 18’’) it is the perfect showcase for large-scale modern prints. I love juxtaposing modern fabrics with traditional designs and vice versa!

So those are my new patterns. Thanks so much to Fat Quarter Shop for carrying all of them!

And now, to answer the serious questions:

1. If you had a mascot, what animal would it be? 
I think I’d choose a polar bear because I think they are just beautiful and I love to watch them swim when we go to the zoo, but that doesn’t really fit because I am only 5’2’’. I’d like to say a snow leopard too but, “That is not really me…” I confess as I trip three times on my way from the kitchen to the family room. Oh well, one can dream…

2. Who is your favorite celebrity?
David Suchet who plays Hercule Poirot on Masterpiece Theater. My kids would tell you that I LOVE Masterpiece Theater. I do, I do, I do!

3. If we were making a movie about your life, who would you want to play you?
Emma Thompson!

4. Who is your favorite designer, not including yourself?
Gosh, that one is hard, because I like A LOT of different styles and designers. I guess I would have to say Kate Spain. She has a lovely hand-drawn character to her lines.

And now, it’s time for a giveaway! I am donating my eight new patterns for three lucky winners.
You have two different chances to enter:
1. Subscribe to my blog and leave a comment on this post saying you did.
2. Leave a comment on this post saying which of my new patterns you like the most.
Good luck!

382 comments

  5. I'm already one of your blog followers. I love Garden Jewels (and your Veranda fabrics, finally got some! YUMMY!)

    Thanks for a chance to win!

  8. Oh my gosh it is so hard to decide. I am a follower of your blog, and I think Bejeweled might be my favorite. Beflowered is really special to me too..

  19. I love Garden Jewels and Garden Path. Now if I could only afford to buy some of your Veranda fabric to make this! Thank you for the chance to win.

  48. Oh I love your Garden Sampler Pattern. I am a follower as GFC esterling1923 at gmail dot com and an email follower as bimbi9 at verizon dot net.

  87. All of these patterns are wonderful but I think I would pick Bejeweled, I really do love yo-yos, and I like the "portability" of the patten.

  94. You mean I have to try and pick a favorite out of your patterns? Aaaargh!

    Okay then. I'll say…Beflowered. Gosh I love them all though. Really great patterns.

    Thank you for the giveaway!

  117. and Yes, I'm already subscribed to Amanda's blog: in fact, I go and check it out even when I don't get an e-mail notification, just in case I missed something 🙂 Her fabrics and designs are just tooo beautiful!

  122. Garden Paths is my favorite. I love the motion that it conveys. Thanks for giving copies of your patterns. They all look do-able. Kathie L in Allentown

  151. Picking my favorite new design is tough but I'm going with Bedazzled. I have to say Beflowered, Bejeweled, and Beribboned are favorites too.

    lochknitsmonster [at] gmail [dot] com

  152. Oooh, I REALLY would love to win these patterns!!! My favorite is garden sampler because I have just the perfect garden prints to use for the big rectangles!

  154. I actually really like all of the new designs, but Garden Paths and Beflowered are calling to me the most. They are definitely going on my wish list! 🙂

  155. Just one choice–can't do. I like Garden Path and Bejeweled. Several fabrics in my stash would work well with either.

    Thanks for the opportunity to win the patterns.

  159. OK, I my favorite WAS the daisies but I'm now in love with Bejeweled. I'd really like to try it as a lap quilt as I'm a novice and smaller projects suit me!

  166. I'm torn between Garden Paths and Village Green– but if I had to choose just one– then, for tonight, anyway, I choose Village Green! But, they're *all* beautiful! 🙂

  215. Love all of Amanda's patterns! I would love to make bejeweled, been jonesin' on some yo-yos lately and this would be a great way to use them.

    Can you jones on fabric? My teen-aged daughter says I'm behind on all the lingo…sigh.

  221. Hi Amanda! I love your designs! I just subscribed to your blog so I'm really looking forward to seeing more of your work! All of your quilt patterns are so beautiful, but I think my favorite is the Beflowered!

  228. They are all so pretty. I love the garden sampller but I like Beflowered also. Thanks for the opportunity to win and good luck to you!

  247. I just signed up for your blog, and my favorite pattern is "Garden Path". But it was hard to choose! I like 'em all!

  252. Love them all but I would have to pick BEJEWELED because it looks so different. It is beautiful and I can see it in so many differet variations of colors.

  260. Hard to pick a favorite but Bejeweled really caught my eye. You have a great eye for color and design.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    PS Emma Thompson and I have the same birthday– April 15!

  262. I absolutely love the Garden Paths pattern! There are so many different things you could do with color choices for this quilt, but I love it just the way it is in the photo!

  273. I love Caramel and Cocoa….so unique! Thank you for the chance to win these beautiful patterns!
    tamiquilts at att dot net

  279. Of you new patterns, my favorite would be Garden Sampler. I love that it uses the larger prints and I have a large print group of fabrics I bought to make my husband a quilt a year ago. Cafe Mocha is fighting for the top spot of my likes and for the same reason.

    After that my favorites are Bejweled because of the cute yoyo's, then Beribboned (I love the look of ribbons) and Garden Paths.

  283. Garden Sampler is one of my favorites. I like the simplicity of it. I would use Ruby or Terrain. Thank you for a chance to win.

  292. I have now subscribed to your blog…thank you for the chance to win some great patterns
    tamiquilts at att dot net

  298. I have already made the Caramel & Cocoa pattern which turned out fantastic. I love Bejeweled, nice addition with the yo-yo's…..thanks for a chance to win.

  300. I will pick the one with the yoyos as a favorite because I just started making some and they are so fun and fast to make.

  309. Each and every one is beautiful, but my favorite is Garden Path. The fabrics you chose make the quilt sparkle. Thank you for a very generous giveaway.

  312. I LOVE the Garden Path pattern–it would look wonderful in almost any kind of fabric (bright, pastel, reproductions, whimsical prints, etc.)–a FABULOUS pattern!

  317. I'm happy to say I already follow your blog. If I was lucky enough to win your patterns, the first one I would make would be Garden Paths. I have the perfect fabric stash for it. Thanks for the chance to win.

  318. OMG, we have to choose just one. I love all of them but since I have a grandaugher bejeweled or beflowered are the ones I would just love to be able to make.

  323. So many delightful patterns, but I think my favorite is Bedazzled with that gorgeous periwinkle background! Thank you very much for the inspiration.
    ~Debbie

  341. I've been quite taken with Bejeweled, but tonight I would jump up and get started on "Garden Jewels" if I had the pattern here!

  363. I really hate to make choices…so much stress involved when you just want everything! I will go with Garden Jewels being my fav of your new patterns.

  373. I'm already a follower of Amanda's blog. (FB and Twitter as well)

    Thanks for a chance to win.

    usairdoll(at)gmail(dot)com

  381. I love Garden Paths…..and I love scrappy so they all appeal to me…

    Jan

    mjthompson at gondtc dot com

  382. I am now following your blog! I am new o quilting-love your patterns!!! My favorite—yikes, um, Garden Paths, Bubbles, Garden Jewels, Bedazzled…okay, just one-garden paths!