Retro Fun Book Cover

Hi I am Kim from My Go Go Life and I am thrilled to be here at the Bake Shop with a fun idea for boring book covers by just using some craft paper and some Moda Freebird charms. Easy peasy lemon squeezy :o) And your daughter will be happy too. 

Moda charm pack or Moda scrap pieces 
Brown paper grocery bag or craft paper
glue stick
White or off white thread
Hexagon template ( or if you want to do 1.5 inch circles I think that would work too)

Ric Rack

Start off with super cute fabrics. I have this charm pack that has the perfect colors.

All measurements are approximate in this project since not all books are the same size. 

For my book, it was about 18×31. That is one of the great things about paper, it is easily adjustable.

Fold down the top and fold up the bottom to where they are just covering the binding of the book.

Fold the ends over the front and back cover to make your pocket.

Now that the basic folding and size is decided, cut your fabrics. I used a hexagon template for mine but you can also use a circle and I think that would look just as lovely.

To cut the stem choose one charm and cut one side 1/2 inch.

From the other side of the same charm, cut out the leaf. It does not need to be perfect, just like in nature.

I tried both of these adhesives and the glue stick won hands down!

A little dab of glue on your fabric pieces to keep them in place…

Ta da!

Use a blanket stitch to connect the seams together in the middle first so that the petals will not shift when moving the paper around.

Then stitch around every other one with a wee bit of overlap but not much.

Starting around the petal to the right of the stem skipped, start at the corner and go around the petal then sew the stem. The leaf will be sewed after the stem.

Finish up the sewing around the other few petals you did not previously sew. When the applique is completed, slip the pockets over the front and back covers. I also added a bit of tape to the inside of the flaps where the paper met the paper to make it more secure. I may try sticky velcro next time.

The before…

The after…

One book cover.


I like this cover since it is personal, kinda old school  {where is my Holly Hobby doll?} and one of those instant gratification projects! It is also an inexpensive way to change the look for the different times of year. I am already planning one for the holidays. 

Kim Niedzwiecki
{gogokim.blogspot.com}

Chocolate Stars

The inspiration for this quilt was not only the beautiful Moda fabric but my strong urge to take the piecing to the edge, stretch my abilities in piecing and inspire you to do the same.

The quilt is shown in Queen size 85″ X 85″ 

The quilt can be easily adjusted to 12 blocks, a Twin size 65.5″ X 85″.

Alternate yardage provided below in parentheses.

Chocolate Stars

85″ X 85″

Featuring Marti Michell Template Set R

Queen Size (twin size)
29 Fat Quarters of FreeBird by MoMo (22 FQ’s)
3 yards sashing Freebird Ovals Nest sku #32245-19

6 yards backing Freebird Leaves Melon sku #32243-13 (4 yards)

1 yard binding Freebird Oval Melon sku #32245-13 (3/4 yard)

Queen Kyoto Bamboo Batting

Marti Michell Template set R

Organize your fat quarters and chose 16 (12) for the large blocks

{I suggest the largest prints–refer to picture below}

Press fabrics and cut {16}(12) 15.5″ blocks.

Set aside.

Next choose 13 (10) fat quarters for the sashing stars and press {I chose mostly dots and lighter prints}

In order to maximize your dark brown sashing fabric cut 15.5″ X Width of Fabric (WOF) strips.

Do this for a total of 6 strips.

Turn your yardage and sub cut into (7 or 8) 5.5″ X 15.5″ strips.

Make atleast 40 sashing strips 5.5″ X 15.5″.

Using the #96 template in set R, place the template on the fabric edge as shown and cut.

Repeat for opposite side.

Disgard the corners.

The result is a sashing that looks like this.

Now take the “sashing star print” fat quarters and sub cut them as shown.

5.5″ – 5 5/8″ – 5 5/8″

Do this for all 13 ‘sashing star prints’ (10 for twin size)

Using template 97 and 97R  (97 flipped) sub cut the 5 5/8″ strips as shown.

Cut atleast {8} 97 and {8} 97R from each fat quarter.

Now take the 5.5″ strip and sub cut into {2} 5.5″ squares.

A design wall or area is essential for this quilt.

I started by cutting all my pieces and laying out the rows.

I did this for the entire quilt BEFORE I started sewing.

Next start assembling the sashing.

Take a brown strip and sew the 97 and 97R template pieces to the sides as shown.

**Note** to construct the block properly there are {2} 97 and 97R pieces needed for each sashing strip. 

***12 of the sashing fat quarter prints are used twice in this quilt.

The 13th fat quarter print is used only once.***

This shows how to match your template seams.

Look how closely they match.

Next, pin pin pin!

Sew and press.

Piecing the sashings as rows was the most organized construction for this quilt.

Continue to sew the 97 template pieces to the dark brown sashing.

And continue to piece the rows.

Here I added the 5 inch print square.

pin, pin, pin!

Again, look at how nicely the seams match.

now once the pieced sashings are complete, start assembling rows with the large print 15.5″ squares.

And assemble the rows that are just pieced star sashings. 

Take care in organizing your rows as you sew them to keep pieced sashings in the correct direction to form the stars.

Here the quilt top is starting to come together.

At 85″ X 85″ it doesn’t quite fit on my design wall.

Once the rows are assembled then the rows can be sewn to each other.

The top is done!

Quilt, bind with lovely orange Freebird fabric and you’re done.

Chocolate Stars Quilt

Queen size

85″ X 85″

I hope this tutorial inpsired you to try a new template, stretch your quilting skills and use some fun fabric too!

Thanks Vickie E

aka Spun Sugar Quilt designs

Freebird Interpretations Quilt

Hi, I’m Andrea from Millions of Thoughts. I’m thrilled to be able to share this project with you. I designed this quilt after my 7 year old son surprised me with a special drawing of a quilt for me. In return, I decided to interpret his drawing into a quilt.

1 Layer Cake – Freebird by Momo
1 yard Snuggles – Cream
2 yards Snuggles – Chocolate

This quilt can be made in a variety of ways, but I chose to designate each row of blocks with a main colour (green, blue, red and brown rows) Notice that each row has 5 unique sized inset blocks.

Step 1 – Choosing Fabrics

Select 4 main colours from the layer cake. You will need five 10″ squares of each colour:

Step 2 – Cutting Fabrics

Cut blocks A-E for each row. Use one 10″ fabric per block. You should have 20 blocks cut in total.

Block A 4 ½” x 8 ½”
4 ½” x 4 ½”
4 ½”x 4 ½” (inset)

Block B 3 ½”x 8 ½”
5 ½” x 3 ½”
5 ½”x 5 ½” (inset)

Block C 3 ½” x 8 ½”
5 ½” x 4 ½”
5 ½” x 4 ½” (inset)

Block D 5 ½” x 8 ½”
3 ½” x 5 ½”
3 ½” x 3 ½” (inset)

Block E 5 ½” x 8 ½
3 ½” x 3 ½”
3 ½” x 5 ½” (inset)

*I cut a few additional inset block sizes from the layer cake prints to add variety to my inset blocks.

Narrow vertical sashing – cut sixteen 1 ½” x 8 ½” strips

Horizontal sashing – cut three 5 ½”x 44” strips

-cut two 2 ½” x 44” strips

Binding – cut five 2.5” strips x width of fabric

Step 3 – Organize

Separate inset blocks after cutting and organize into sizes.

Pin block pieces together and organize piles based on sizes:

Step 4 – Mix and Match

Mix and match outer blocks with a contrasting inset block. :

**Pin the block sets together after you have matched a contrasting inset block.

Step 5 – Piecing Blocks
**Sew all blocks and sashing with ¼” seams, and press well after each step.

Sew inset block to outer block in two stages shown below.

First, sew inset to lower outer block:

Then, sew left side of block to right side of block to make a complete block:

Step 6 – Arrange Blocks for final layout

Once all 20 blocks have been sewn and pressed, arrange blocks in colour rows, in preparation for sashing the blocks:

Step 7 -Vertical Sashing

Sewing with Snuggles TIPS – use a walking foot when sewing with the Snuggles Fabric. It is a thicker pile with some stretch to it and the walking foot helps minimize stretch and shifting of fabrics. Do a test strip first with scrap fabric to get the feel for the extra pile and ‘give’ for seam allowance. I estimated about 2 millimeters ‘shift’ when sewing the Snuggles to the cotton.

Pin and sew narrow sashing to each block. (Do not stretch the fabric!) Note that the far left block and far right block do not have sashing on the outside edge of the quilt.

Trim and square up the sashing, as the Snuggles may stretch somewhat in the sewing process:

Step 8 – Horizontal Sashing

Pin and sew wide 5 1/2″ horizontal sashing below rows 1, 2, and 3:

Trim and square if needed. Pet your quilt.

Pin and sew the narrow 2 ½” sashing to the top and bottom of the quilt.

Trim and square if needed. Your quilt top is complete!

Step 9 – Layer and Quilt

Layer your quilt top with batting and the Snuggles backing. Baste with your preferred method.

I usually pin baste my quilts densely, but I spray basted this one generously, and it was super!

I chose to machine quilt the individual blocks using a gentle meander:

In another one I’ve made, I quilted the entire quilt.

One soft and cuddly quilt, measuring approximately 44″ x 50″
You can easily make an additional quilt with the leftover layer cake fabric!