New Quilt Pattern Series & Summer Sew-Along
Posted by MJ Kinman on Jun 15th 2021
I’m pleased to bring you textile artist Annette Frye’s newest quilt pattern series, Mighty Magnus. The 6 downloadable-PDF patterns in the series were inspired by her great nephew. Little Magnus was born with a genetic disorder. He fought a mighty fight but, in the end, Magnus lost his battle when he was just 2 years old. Designing these adorable patterns was Annette’s way of honoring her precious boy.
Annette and I hope that you will find joy in creating these critters. We think they’ll delight any little person who is enthralled with dinosaurs.
The 6 blocks are created with freezer-paper piecing techniques, the same technique I use to create my gem patterns. This is NOT foundation paper piecing! There’s no sewing to paper, no flip-and-sew confusion, and best of all, no clawing out paper from the back of your block. This is traditional piecing using freezer paper as your templates. If you can sew 2 pieces of fabric together with a quarter-inch seam allowance, YOU CAN DO THIS!
To learn more, visit mjkinman.com.
The blocks finish to 15.5″ x 20.5″. and the quilt Annette has planned finishes to 63″ x 74.5″. The patterns are available as downloadable PDF files. All the dino patterns are made up of 4 quadrants.
Option #1: Freezer Paper Piecing Techniques — The 4 quadrants of each dino pattern can be printed onto 8.5″ x 11″ sheets of pre-cut freezer paper. You can either make your own using regular freezer paper bought at the store OR by using C&T Publishing’s pre-cut sheets. You can find Quilters Freezer Paper pre-cut sheets in packs of 30 or 75 at eQuilter.com.
Option #2: English Paper Piecing techniques (EPP) –These designs can also be used with C&T Publishing’s new product,English Paper Piecing Specialty Paper also found at eQuilter.com.
Join me for a Summer Sew-Along Featuring the Dinosaurs
If you’re not familiar with freezer-paper piecing or English Paper Piecing techniques, don’t fret! I’m hosting a FREE Summer Sew-Along starting July 1st during which you can join me as I walk you through BOTH techniques.
During the 3-month Sew-Along (July 1 through September 30), I’ll send you an email on the first of July, August & September chock full of information about the pattern and how to make using either technique. To register for the FREE Sew-Along, visit https://mjkinman.com/product/mighty-magnus-free-s...
Meet the Gang
Here’s a more detailed description of the 15.5″ x 20.5″ (finished) blocks that make up this series. You can purchase patterns individually, but you can also purchase all 6 as a set for a 10% savings. To purchase the whole set, visit https://mjkinman.com/product/mighty-magnus-quilt-patterns-full-set-of-6-dinosaur-patterns/.
This gentle beast was heavily armored with scales and horns. But he was a lover, not a fighter. He was a slow-moving giant who loved to graze on the lush plant life beneath his big feet. But if any of those pesky carnivorous dinos started eyeing him for lunch, his great scaly defenses served him well.
Another gentle herbivore, Triceratops was the fashionista of the late Cretaceous period with its backward-facing frill. In fact, its head (including the bony frill) made up nearly 1/3 of its body length. “TCTops” was one of the most numerous of dinosaurs. A little known fact: like other dinosaurs, Triceratops had a beak-like snout that made it possible for it to break off hundreds of pounds of vegetation every day.
I have to admit, this sweet smooth-pated gal is perhaps my favorite dinosaur. She had great lines. With her long sinuous neck, ample body, and fabulous whip-like tail, I imagine she turned heads in her day. Anything that garners the moniker “Thunder Lizard” has to be doing something right.
I didn’t grow up with little brothers, but if I did, they probably would’ve been as annoying as your typical Dilophosaurus. These crested critters had big mouths and short front limbs, so their first interaction with anything would most likely have been with their teeth. Because scientists have decided that their bite wasn’t all that strong, it’s probable that these guys were scavengers, preying on things that had already been taken down by a larger predator. So while they made a lot of racket and quite a scene, it’s likely they were just like little brothers….a pain in the neck.
The Stegosauri were four-legged, herbivorous, armored dinos from the Late Jurassic period. The Stegs had an odd build: short front legs, tall hind legs, and a tail held high in the air. I imagine them as perpetually falling forward into the grasses and shrubs they loved to munch on.
This handsome guy launched the series. When Annette found an image of a T-Rex in profile, she knew she needed to transform him into a quilt block for little Magnus. To piece this fierce-but-kind dino, you’ll print out the 4 quadrants onto freezer paper, plus an extra sheet of freezer paper for his lovely white choppers.
As a mom of 2 military sons (both Air Force), Annette is passionate about supporting our military personnel and their families. A portion of profits from the Mighty Magnus series dinosaur quilt patterns will be donated to the EOD Warrior Foundation. “EOD” stands for Explosive Ordnance Disposal, the disarming, rendering safe, and disposal of explosive hazards. Annette’s son serves as an EOD specialist. For more information about the foundation, visit the EOD Warrior Foundation website at https://eodwarriorfoundation.org.
To listen in on my chat with Annette about her journey from new quiltmaker to pattern designern watch the video:
