Today is a helpful post for those of you who are starting to quilt, interested but not sure where to start, and the more adventurous quilter that wants to try something different! There are four basic types of quilting, though there are all sorts of patterns that use more than one of these techniques. Our four basic types of quilts are: Pieced, Appliquéd, Paper Pieced, and English Paper Pieced.
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My husband always finds the most interesting articles! It probably has something to do with actually knowing how to use Twitter, but I digress—he’s the best at finding information that I love. Today an article popped up in my inbox titled The Subtle Design Features That Make Cities Feel More Hostile: Think your city doesn’t like you? You’re right. After reading it, I wondered if there are ways that we make our homes feel hostile without even knowing it. Here are the top 6 most common mistakes that I’ve discovered, making our homes feel unfriendly, even if we aren’t aware of it and how to fix them to make your home more welcoming: (Continue reading…)
Today I’ve got a super-fun super-easy headboard tutorial for you! This all started with an old box of odds and ends that my grandpa (we call him Pappap) gave me. There’s some question as to what all of these pieces once built, but by the sounds of it, it was some sort of hutch that my Great Pappap built himself. Not having any idea what this piece looked like, how big it was, or really what it was for, the box sat and sat in my garage. I nearly threw it away on multiple occasions, but didn’t want to throw away this little piece of family history! (Continue reading…)
The debate among sewists and quilters about pre-washing/not pre-washing fabrics reminds me of the political debates going on now (and for a small eternity until November)! Both sides have valid points, both sides make you question the other, everyone assumes you’re on their side, and, if you’re found out to not be on their side, you’ll certainly be looked down upon! But, just like with politics, you’ve got to cast your vote at some point and live with the consequences. So, let’s get the facts straight and I might even tell you what I think. (Continue reading…)
I rarely watch the news anymore. There’s so much evil and pain in the world and I can’t do a single thing about it. I’m not government, medical, or God—I’m just one little person. Watching the horror on my TV screen is only going to numb me, scare me, and shut me down. It might seem irresponsible to not know exactly what Trump is up to or how the economy is doing, but I just can’t do it anymore. Sure, I catch bits and pieces here and there, catch up on some reading from time-to-time. But if I’m so locked into a screen—shocked at the state of my world—how will I ever change it?
What good does knowing do? Wouldn’t doing something be better? (Continue reading…)
The excitement of a new quilting pattern—I’m not sure anything beats it! You scan the fabric requirements and dream of all the possibilities; you can smell the fabrics already! But then you are stopped in your tracks—Honey Buns?! Fat Eighths!? No, your pattern isn’t taunting you, I promise. Welcome to the weird and wonderful world of pre-cut fabrics. I’m going to give you the full guide on these strange names and what they mean. (Continue reading…)
We are in the thick of the real estate season and many of you are looking at homes but not quite knowing what to keep an eye out for. Well, today my dear dad has joined us to give some sage, tried and true advice. He gave me a list of things to look for or check out when we were looking to buy our first home. I realized after we put an offer in on our home just how useful this tool was! Be sure to check these boxes before you pay the inspector a couple hundred (non-refundable) dollars to tell you what you could have told yourself. (Continue reading…)
Quilting seems daunting even to the bravest of beginners—hand them a self healing mat and a mini pizza cutter and they are sure to sweat a little. It’s intimidating! Today I’m going to show you best practice cutting for quilting. Once you read through this tutorial, you’ll be ready to go! This is also a great brush-up for experienced quilters and their cutting techniques. (Continue reading…)
