Calling spring forward, quilting with the NEW PFAFF creative icon

I have just the thing to get rid of the winter blues: unboxing the NEW PFAFF creative icon and using hot pink fabric to make this fast and easy table runner!

I promise that you’ll have a finished project by the end of the week and you’ll have long forgotten the cold and harsh month of February.

You’ll love this project as it doesn’t require many fabrics; just pull out your leftover 2½” strips from other projects and a neutral background fabric.

While making this beauty, I’ll also be showing you the many features of the new PFAFF creative icon machine that I’ve had the pleasure to sew with.

Over the years, I’ve had many quilters ask me what my favorite sewing machine is. To which I always answered that it’s more important to figure out what features one desires to have on a sewing machine. Picking out a favorite sewing machine is a very personal affair, as everyone has a different approach to quilting.

From this point of view, I suggest making a list of the features your sewing machine doesn’t have that you feel you would love to have.

So, here’s my wish list for the ideal sewing machine:

• Adequate lighting how many of you have stacked up numerous lamps around the sewing machine and still feel these don’t shed enough light?
• Self-threading needle Yes! I finally understand why it’s SO important. Can we say that I have finally reached the age of reason?
• More workspace I want to have more room between the needle and arm so that I can quilt bigger projects on my own.
• Big screen I want a machine that has a big screen which tells me what I’m doing wrong, as in: when I’m running out of thread in my bobbin or when I’m about to start sewing using the wrong foot, or stitch. I want the sewing machine to be idiot proof.
• Sturdy I need a sewing machine that can handle piecing and quilting non-stop when I finally have some “me time”. Whether it’s 3 hours or 3 days.

Believe it or not! My prayers have been answered! And then some! In the posts that follow, I’ll be looking at more outstanding features of the new creative icon.

Reviewing the creative icon on QUILTsocial is quite a treat as it really answered all my needs. And the fact that it also has the integrated Dual-Feed is icing on the cake. The creative icon is German engineered, which means that it will never let me down. You might find it hard to believe, but it has 12.2” workspace from the needle to the arm and is 5.5” high, so I really get to see where I’m going when sewing and quilting. And I’m so happy to say that this area is completely lighted, so no need for all the extra lights around my workspace.

Having all these great features made it a breeze to make this project.  Now let’s get you started!

It may look confusing when choosing the fabrics but just keep in mind the values, ranging from the darkest to the lightest. If you’re not sure, take a picture of your fabrics and transfer the photo to black and white… you’ll clearly see the range.

Strips should measure 2½” wide, I noted the minimum length needed in the list below. You can grab from your leftover strips depending on the length you have or go for your strip prepacks or fat quarter stash.

materials

• 1 strip of 3 dark prints (A1 A2 and A3 must both be 10” long)
• 1 strip of 4 medium dark prints (B1 = 8”, B2 = 20”, B3= 10” and B4 = 20”)
• 1 strip of 4 medium prints (C1, C2, C3 and C4 must all be 15” long)
• 1 strip of 5 light prints (D1, D2, D3, D4 must all be 15” long and D5 must be 20” long)

You will need a yard of your background fabric:

• two 1½” strips
• six 2½” strips
• five strips for your binding

That’s all the preparation you have for today, find those strips and label them to be ready for tomorrow. Playing with your fabric stash and discovering more wonderful features on the PFAFF creative icon will surely help to entice spring forward!