Bunny Lane

 Bunny Lane

We're so thrilled to be sharing with you collection number 4!

Bunny Lane is our first digitally printed collection, and that's very exciting for two girls who love colour!  Our other collections have been silk screened.  Though we've loved that process too, silk screening limits us to 16-18 colours per print; but colour is unlimited in digitally printed lines, so unlimited is really quite exciting!


Also, three prints in this collection will be printed in minky and will launch this fall.


Here's a link to our Bunny Lane Lookbook.  It includes two new quilt patterns from us, a free pincushion tutorial from us, and a few other patterns from other creatives.  We hope you'll check it out.

And, here's the collection!

Patchwork Twist Pincushion

Patchwork Twist Pincushion

A Biscornu pincushion is an eight pointed pincushion made with 2 squares.  But how is that possible?  It’s possible because of the “twist".

I'm so happy to share a quick tutorial on how to make this great pincushion. This pincushion is big, about the size of your open hand, and so I like its weight and have found this style fits well in my sewing room.  Also, the pinch in the center turns the shape into a  shallow bowl.  I find that helpful for holding clips. 


If this is your first time here, WELCOME! We hope you'll subscribe while you're here.  We'd love to share upcoming project ideas with you! 

We made this free tutorial to celebrate the launch of fabric collection #4, Bunny Lane.  I'm in love with Caverly's storybook illustrative artwork for this collection.  Sweet Toiles, Wildflowers, Hide and Seek Bunny Calicos, Bunny Dots and Garden Tosses.  It's been a treat to sew with these fabrics, and I'm so thrilled the collection launches today, and now we will get to see what YOU make with the collection!  That's always the best part.

(You can make five pincushions with a charm pack, but these instructions are for making one.)

For this pincushion you will need:

Thirty-two 2” squares 

Two 6.5” squares of fusible fleece or fusible interfacing 

Fiber fill

Embroidery floss

Darning needle

Instructions:

Make two patchwork squares with 16 squares each (4x4).  Press seams however you like.  These will finish at 6.5”.

Topstitch 1/8” around both squares to keep seams from opening.

Press fusible interfacing to wrong side of both squares.

Now it’s time for the twist.  See in this picture how the sew line (shown in pink) is jaggedy?  This happens because we're sewing only the length of two patches, then pivoting. 

Imagine the square's 1/4" seam lines, and the corners and mid point marks as indicated by the dots.

The way these two squares are sewn together together is twisted.  You will actually sew a corner of one square to a midpoint of the other square. As shown in this image...  

...But the above image is only to help you see the process.  The image below is how you will line things up at the sewing machine for your first segment.  See the pink sew line.  Line up your squares so that a corner is on a midpoint, and a midpoint is on a corner.  Start with a backstitch, and sew.  

Once you have come to the end of the pink line, with the needle in the down position, lift your presser foot and bring together the next corner and midpoint, shown by the arrow.  This will be sewn a total of seven times around the block, leaving one opening. Finish with a backstitch.

Turn inside out, poking out all eight corners.

Stuff until semi-firm. 

Use a ladder stitch or your preferred stitch to sew closed the final seam.

Cut three 16” pieces of embroidery floss.  Thread embroidery floss through your darning needle so you have 6 strands.  Sew through the middle of your pincushion from the top, then back.  Take the two ends of the floss, tighten to create a simple knot in the center of the pincushion, and tie a double knot.  Trim floss ends 1”.

Happy Sewing!  

Our Team

It takes a village of amazing people to make Briar Hill what it has become, and we are so thankful for all the collaborators and helpers who were part of our creative process, by testing our patterns, sewing samples or quilting.

Here's our list of projects and the friends who helped us brig them to life.  Also, below I've listed the business names of those who have collaborated with us, Caverly and Julia.

Bunny Lane Lookbook Projects
big thanks to creators Karen Chase, Kim Galley, Sarah Blades, Gillian McDougall, Mary Guildford, and pattern testers Beatrice Matheson, Paula Hampton and Jane Barnhill

Canada 150
Chantelle Abarca

Starbright
Kathleen Scully, Sheri Lund

Afternoon Sun
(just Julia)

Crystal and Gem
Samantha Whitaker, Sheri Lund, Chantelle Abarca, Kim Galley

Garden Lattice
Sheri Lund, Kim Galley

Train Station
Dorie Hruska, Kim Galley, Joanne Harris

Barn Doors
Sheri Lund, Madge Phillips

New Spring
Sheri Lund, Gabrielle Robles, Annegret Pohl, Anita Skellanger, Chantele Abarca

Glimmering
Sheri Lund, Chantelle Abarca, Kim Galley, Sharon Hartling

Best Dressed
Kim Galley

Dapper
Sheri Lund, Kim Galley

Potter's Wheel
Sheri Lund, Kim Galley, Chantelle Abarca, Madge Phillips

Petticoat
Dara Tomasson, Kim Galley, Cate Callard, Karen Chase

Botanica
Sheri Lund, Jan Kaye, Jennifer Wiltrout, Janie Sims

Sweet Bloom
Dara Tomasson, Gillian Noonan, Kim Galley, Jennifer Wiltrout

Thorn and Thistle
Dara Tomasson, Joanne Harris

Shawl
Sheri Lund, Judy McKay, Kim Galley

Prim Pillow
Gillian Noonan, Kim Galley

Mulberry
Anja Clyke, Helen Kirk, Sheri Lund, Julie Ott, Sue Vinyard, Debbie Thompson

Cameo
Dara Tomasson, Janie Sims, Cami Russell

Starstrung
Sheri Lund, Kim Galley, Janie Sims, Jan Kaye

Yonder
Chantelle Abarca, Eleanor Thili, Debbie Thompson

June's Cottage Lookbook
Hobbs has happily supplied batting for the June's Cottage Lookbook and I continue to use it.
Karen Chase sewed the dress on page


Bequest Lookbook
Fiona Kelly of Tangled Blossoms has made the 'Companion Carpet Bag'
Quilts were quilted using Aurifil thread
The 'Jane Dress' by Violette Field Threads was made by Sophie Bizier of 'Sooo Fun Design'
'Harmony Skirt' is by Rachel Rossi Design


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Sheri Lund is the heart and soul of Violet Quilts.  She's located in Fall River Nova Scotia, and does custom computerized and E2E work on her Gammil Statler. Any FMQ I have done has been on her second Gammil, Bella.

Dara Tomasson of Stitched Quilting Co has been our collaborator with our Coast to Coast Quilt Along, a monthly mini including lessons on piecing, and free motion quilting. Dara has also free motion quilted many quilts as listed above.

Karen Chase is a modern quilt designer located in Nova Scotia, Canada

Fiona Kelly of Tangled Blossoms is a handbag maker, and online quilt fabric shop located in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia