Thimbleanna

The Children are Here!

103 Comments / Quilting, Store / August 22, 2011

Look, Looky, LOOK! Sarah Jane’s Children at Play have arrived in ThimbleannaLand and I Luuuuvvvvv them so! They’re adorable and I even passed up a few hours of painting in the kitchen so I could play with them. (Ok, it wasn’t a stretch to give up painting for quilting.) I started by piecing a courthouse steps block — keeping the pink and aqua in separate ladders.

Children at Play

Then I decided to play a little in photoshop and copy the blocks. The plan for a quilt like this would be to use different little motifs in the centers of each block.  (And happily, my piecing skills at the sewing machine are better than in photoshop, but you get the idea.)

Children at Play

I also decided to do a little copy/paste in photoshop and edit the aqua steps out. For a more aqua quilt, I could have edited the pink out. (Sheesh, I think I need EQ7!)

Children at Play

After the courthouse steps block, I decided to piece a few star blocks.  I love star blocks — they’re so versatile and you can do so many things with their centers.

Children at Play

I could easily have spent a few hours playing with different layouts, but I ran out of time.  (That hopscotch print is killing me!  I spent many hours drawing chalk hopscotches on the driveway when I was a little girl — what fun memories.)

Children at Play

As I was putting my fabric away, I noticed that it matches some of my Divine Twine. How Fun!

Children at Play

There’s even twine to match the boy fabrics.  If only I could make those big toe grabber stitches with it.

Children at Play

I can see a TON of possibilities for this fabric. It’s my new Ghastlies and I might be a little obsessed. I couldn’t help it, so I put some of my favorite prints in the Thimbleanna.com shop. I hope you’ll love them as much as I do.

And Wait! There’s More! If you spend more than $50 in the Thimbleanna.com store, I’ll send you a free pair of ginsu knives these cute little polkadot scissors — another of my favorite little finds. (If you have a color preference, make a comment on your order form and I’ll do my best to honor it.)

Children at Play

And while we’re giving away ginsu knives, let’s have a little giveaway. Leave a comment by Monday, August 22 (Happy Birthday to my bigboy FirstChild) to win a quarter yard pack of my favorite boy prints.  In your comment, would you mind telling me which version of the courthouse steps layout you like best?  Aqua or white?

Children at Play

Good Luck!

XOXO,
Anna

103 thoughts on “The Children are Here!”

  1. Jan

    That fabric is adorable!!! Love the aqua/red combination. I like all your ideas a lot but I think I like the aqua version most!

  2. sue

    My goodness Anna your so inventive. I love the quilts and those little prints are just so adorable. I could easily see a little quilt for someone small in my family. I also see you still sell that beautiful twine, might have to pop by your store next week and buy some. Arent those small scissors so pretty, green might be my favourite!

  3. brigette

    well i dont want to be entered for your drawing, cuz i’m me, but i do want to tell you how brilliant you are! i love your stars and your courthouse steps… i like the aqua/pink one because i think the other one is weird. and your fabric is just beautiful.
    please wish firstchild a happy birthday from all of your imaginary friends.
    nite anna banana
    :waves madly

  4. Jewels

    EWWWWWWWWWWWW Love the aqua and pink, I have always loved courthouse steps/ The prints are just darling too! Happy Birthday to the first child. xoxo

  5. Linda Earnest

    Pink and Aqua! I just love some of the different fabrics that are now available. The pink scissors would be my pick. Love reading your blog and am sorry you didn’t go with the soapstone countertops.

  7. Carol

    Anna I just love the aqua and blue…love your courthouse blocks and om my the stars are awesome…wish I knew if we were having a boy or a girl…LOVE IT!

  8. Niki

    Aqua and Pink, Love that fabric! I am on a fabric hiatus until later this year…. :( (happily that doesn’t include any fabric I might win!)

  9. Vreni

    Well, since everybody so far voted for aqua and pink I’ll play “devil’s advocate” and go for pink and white. But honestly, I think I like both layouts equally.

  10. Ann

    I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE the pink and aqua block but somehow a whole top of them seems a bit too much. Maybe some white sashing? But then I’m always a sucker for white sashing, so maybe that’s just me! Definitely keep the aqua, whatever you decide.

  11. suzee

    oh my I love the children!!! I like both but I would seem the white version is better. Would love to win the FQs!!! thank you!

  12. Jenny

    wow, you were not kidding, you got busy with the Children!!
    i absolutely adore courthouse steps, and i think the white version is most awesome. happy birthday to your son! see you Thursday.

  14. Dorian

    Such darling fabric! I’m going to have to get some…if I don’t win some ;) lol.

    I prefer your aqua courthouse steps. The white looks like a big blotch of something fell there. Course, it probably looks much better if done up in real life, not photoshopped…but, I like the aqua. And love your stars!

    Thanks for a chance at winning. Happy birthday to your bigboy. My oldest boy had a birthday last week, and my youngest boy does this week :)

  15. Ann

    It’s my youngest daughter’s bday on the 22nd as well…she’ll be 16 and then that’s it…I’ll never see any vehicle in our house again as all 4 kids are now of driving age. Of course I don’t have to do drop offs and pick ups either hhmmm???? maybe not so bad.
    I too love the Children at play line but I’m trying to be good and not buy any fabric until my stash dwindles to a reasonable (???) size, but winnings are another matter..those can be heaped on the stash with wild abandon. I like the aqua courthouse steps the best altho’ this fabric is so terrific anything seems to look wonderful.
    Thanks for the chance to win !

  16. Sarah

    first, this is so adorable you should send it directly to sammi!

    second, the aqua is more traditional (my preference), the white more modern.

  18. linda noblog

    since i am not a quilter…have no blog…do enjoy yours…please let me wish your first son a happy b.day…& for the record (not this great giveaway- please do not enter me…a quilter should be the grand recipient) i LOVE the very first photo…the square is stunning…i LOVE the combo…)
    btw: i had to google EQ7!!!!
    i always have fun around your blog posts!!

  19. linda townsend

    I liked the original one with aqua, but my very favorite was the stars. I also love your new fabric and your kitchen paint.

  25. Robin Crittenden

    I have a boy so love the fabrics. And Definitely use the aqua in your quilt. It just pops!

  27. Susan

    I am having a terrible time posting here today, let’s hope this goes through. This is one of the most refreshing fabric lines to date…love what you’ve done with it. And EQ7, you and me both.

  29. periwinkle

    I just have to enter as I think those fabrics are just adorable. We’ve been thinking of putting the boys in the same room and decorating with more boyish colours etc so if I were to win these it might just be the kick up the backside that I need to make them some quilts. You always find the best fabrics what with these and the Dr Seuss ones , oh and I like the aqua the best xx

  30. Luba

    I love these fabrics! I like the red/aqua best.
    I would (credit to another poster) “run on my street naked with only fuzzy earmuffs” if I may
    win. That’s how often I win give-aways, but I keep
    entering, hoping to win. tee-hee. Thank you for a great blog and a lovely give-away.

  33. Doni

    What adorable fabric! I can totally understand your obsession. And I like the aqua best. :)
    And a Happy Birthday to your son! :)

  35. Nicole

    Hey there, the red and blue steps are quite attractive (and display excellent photoshop mastery), but I actually am intrigued by the whited out version, the red becomes something totally different…..

  36. Marlene

    Love, Love, Love the Pink and Aqua. Happy Birthday Big Boy (First Child)! Boy print would come in handy with my third Grandson coming in October! Yea!

  38. Annalea

    Aqua . . . all the way. I’m a little bit smitted with those kinds of blues and reds/pinks together. Sigh . . .

    Off to peruse those lovely prints in your shop!

  39. Donna R.

    I like the aqua and pink the best. But I like the stars even better, my favorites are stars and pinwheels. I would love to win that fabric, need to make some boy quilts. thanks for the chance to win.

  41. trash

    Happy birthday to your gorgeous boy Anna. All the acest boys are born in the Summer ;-)

    If you were willing to listen to the input of a glacial crafter I would say the aqua. It just seems to have a bot more punch to it.

  42. Clare

    Definitely the Aqua …Love love love the courthouse step pattern & the centre piece of each block is to die for !!! Thanks for the giveaway with 2 little boys this would be very handy.

  43. Cory

    I love the pink and aqua courthouse steps the best. Thank you for the chance to win this beautiful fabric. Take care and God bless, Cory

  44. Mariannne

    My vote is for the pink and aqua. The close-up of that block is soooo cute. I’d love to win the fabric. Thanks for the chance.

  46. Cindy Rutledge

    Happy Birthday to The First Child! August babies rule (yes, my bday is in August).

    I like the aqua blocks best.

  48. Peggy

    Anna:
    I would have to say the aqua is my favorite. Love the blocks. Also love the fabric you are having a give away for.
    Happy Quilting!!

  49. Elaine/MuddlingThrough

    Oh, Anna, you’re having too much fun! Way to GO! And the Courthouse Steps, for me the aqua is a little too much and the while is not quite enough. But I do like the white better. Isn’t it good to find a fabric line that you really love!

  50. dottycookie

    I like the white, but then I have two very pink children.

    Happy Birthday to your FirstChild – he shares a birthday with my brother-in-law (though I’m guessing the number of the birthday is a little different ;-)

  52. amandajean

    don’t enter me in the draw, darlin’, but i have to tell you, your blocks are AdoRAble! LOVE them to pieces! loving the courthouse steps blocks. and as to which one is my favorite, my only question is why would you split up red and aqua? ;)

  53. Karen

    Oh we are kindred spirits sister. I saw this fabric somewhere in bloggy land and feel in love with it – it’s freakin adorable :) and I don’t usually go for this type of fabric – BUT I feel the winds changing a bit as my friends are becoming grandparents now I’m looking at fabric a bit differently :). Hey what a great quinky dink that it matches your twine – LOVE that stuff to :)

    Hugs Mrs. Farmhouse :)

  54. ina

    I;m in love with the fabric, too…and her embroidery patterns! I plan to put the Children At Play fabric around the embroideries. ;0

    Anna, I’m in love with aqua so that’s my suggestion! ;0

    Have fun playing…no pun intended

  57. Amy

    Happy Birthday to FirstChild – and to you, she who did all the work…

    I like the red/aqua combo better. The white kind of washes out the kids to me, and I want them to shine in all their glory.

    Thanks for the opportunity!

  58. Mary ann

    Oh the red and aqua version but the stars are really calling out too me. I’ve been resisting this line, I have a lot of kids stuff in the queu but you may have pushed me over…sigh.

  59. Kim Walus

    Hi Anna. I love, love, love, the Aqua and Pink version of the courthouse step blocks. It frames the fabric beautifully! Thanks for the giveaway too!

  60. Emily

    Such cute fabric – I like both quilts! Maybe try a combination quilt with some white/pink blocks and some aqua/pink blocks? Boy fabric would go to good use in our house. With three little ones (all under 5) there are lots of boys but little quilting time!

  61. Katie

    The fabric is amazing! I love it. Thank you for sharing it. I like the aqua blocks the best. They are dahrling!

  62. Lisa and Sarah

    What lovely fabrics and you have showcased them beautifully in your gorgeous blocks. Can’t decide whether I love the aqua or the white more – both are amazing. The stars are also very sweet.

  68. Lisa

    A girl after my own heart!! I was always on the hunt for the perfect “marker” for my hop scotch game! I could play hop scotch for hours on end!!!

    Now what was the question?? Oh, yes! Aqua or white? I say Aqua!! Love it with the pink!!

  73. Linda

    FABRICS ARE SO NEAT+SO IS YOUR WORK-JUST DARLING!
    I THINK I LIKE THE AQUA BEST!
    THANKS FOR SHARING!

  74. Patty E

    I like the aqua and pink combo. My son’s birthday is the 22nd too !!! He turns 34 on Monday and has been in the Navy since he was 18….he’ll “retire” in 4 years….don’t ask me how many years before I can retire….so not fair…Love that new fabric too

  77. Melody A.

    I am voting for the pink and white version, it seems to enhance the little girl and carriage. Your blocks are beautiful, sweet, and vibrant! Whichever way you go it will be lovely! Thank you for the giveaway!

  81. Melissa

    Love the quilt! I really like the courthouse steps without the blue. But the blue and pink look good together. Happy birthday to FirstChild and also happy birthday to MeMum. Your gift to her was beautiful.

  84. Marie

    Well if I have to decide I’d choose the aqua (even though I hate to make a decisions). Thanks for the giveaway!

  85. yvonne

    Hard choice. I have to go with the aqua. Thank you very much for a generous and fabulous giveaway.

  86. Jody

    Love the Sarah Jane stuff!
    I like the aqua blocks. You need to get you a grandbaby so you can make adorable quilts for him/her.

  88. Peggy

    That fabric is just the cutest. I could surely use that!
    I’d probably have to copy your courthouse steps quilt though :)
    Peggy in NJ

  89. Auntie Pami

    Love this fabric! I want to do the embroideries. The fabric would be great as borders covering up matt board.

  90. Rachel

    I’m not sure how I missed this post. Those blocks are so cute! I especially love the star blocks with the cute little middles. I can see how this is your new Ghastlies, except that I’m not over Ghastlies yet, not quite ready to move on… (no kidding, since I just managed to get my hands on some).

  92. Rhianne

    I love this new line, I’m going to use it to decorate my little boys room. Now if I could just find the right pattern to use. I like the aqua steps a little more, I’m just a sucker for lots of color. Thanks for a chance to win.

  93. Bonnie

    Love the aqua and pink layout. I haven’t seen these prints. They are too cute. Wish I had a wee one to make a quilt for. Happy Birthday to your son.

  94. Gurney

    Love the little blocks but I do like the aqua blocks the best! Glad you took some time to play! You know what they say about all work and no play!I bet your Mom loved her new dishes! It is so much fun to find a gift that you can’t wait to give!

  95. Karen

    You always seem to be ahead of the pack in finding the cutest fabrics. I’m glad you always post about them, so we all have a chance to find them before they’re gone! I like the aqua steps best, but the white ones are nice too.

  97. janny

    Definetly the Aqua. Happy Birthday to MeMum and your son. Pleae put my name in. Gorgeous fabs. Thanks for always sharing.janny

  99. Alison

    Hello Anna
    I really like the Aqua layout. I love the present for your Mum – that is really thoughtful. Hope that your son has a lovely birthday and I would love to be entered for your giveaway.
    Thanks
    Alison

  100. Karin

    You know I love me some aqua with just about anything but I adore the pink and white blocks. It makes that adorable little girl stand out proud!
    I wish I had time to sew. :( Nothing has been produced from my sewing room in ages.

  101. Carole Prevost-Meier

    Wow! I just cannot believe you passed up painting the kitchen. Are you feeling alright? Anyway, you did make the best of that time by coming up with a wonderful way of using the yummy fabric! You are so talented and have a great eye for colour! Thanks for sharing! Cheers!

  102. Jan

    Gorgeous fabrics and the scissors are so cute!!! Love the way they go with your divine twine to. And well done getting some sewing time you!! You need it!

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