Today is going to be a little different than usual. No fun tutorial, exciting pattern release, or witty ideas. I think it’s time to share a little bit of my heart, what’s been going on in my life, and what I’ve been working on in my personal time. If nothing else, I want to help anyone who has been through something hard. If you’re in a similar situation to me I’m hoping that you’ll find hope, or spark an idea—or, at the very least, know that you’re not alone.
As I sat at this year’s Lancaster Quilt Show, I was drooling over the cork fabric in Amelia’s Garden, the stand straight across from me. I just kept walking over during a slow moment, touching it and thinking “what can I make with this?!”
Don’t worry—this story has a happy ending. The cork ended up being the fabric I chose for this fantabulous wallet, the Perfect Wallet! (Pattern review coming soon!)
But you might be wondering, just like I was, how do I sew cork!?
Sounds scary, right?
But it’s not! Cork is my new favorite sewing material and I’m just waiting for another cork project to come my way. Let me tell you all about it:
Note: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, this means that if you chose to click on and purchase through these links I will receive a small commission. This is how I’m able to provide you with great tips and tutorials every week, free of charge! Thank you for your support.
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It’s been a while since I’ve had a pattern release. And let me tell you, it feels great to finally be able to share this pattern with you! It feels even better to be giving it away to celebrate! That’s right—during the pattern release celebration, you can get my Merry Mixer quilt pattern for free! Make sure to read this post and see all the amazing variations of this sweet and simple pattern. (Continue reading…)
Self-watering might sound a little bit robotic, so maybe I should title this post DIY Sub-irrigation Pots and Planters, but that doesn’t sound nearly as fun! But, let’s be clear, this home made system can be really really helpful when it comes to watering, but you’ll still need to water your plants once in a while.
So, what began this experiment? Let me explain: as part of our front yard un-landscaping project I’ve done my research on how to keep my window boxes lovely and lush all summer long. Even though I adore this simple front yard decor, I forget to water, which makes them not-so-lovely. The answer to my watering problems: sub-irrigation.
I know I promised this post a while back, but I wanted to make sure that these self-watering systems really held up to the hype. In my summer of experience, I can say that these help, but you’ll still need to water your plants at least once a week. Possibly every other or every few days, depending on your climate. (Continue reading…)
Chain Piecing: You may have heard about it in relation to some super complicated quilt—must be something that you’re not ready for—right?
Wrong!
Chain piecing is often used with intricate quilts or tiny piecing, but don’t let that keep you from giving it a try. When it comes down to it, chain piecing is really a simple technique that makes any quilt project more quick and efficient! (Continue reading…)
A lot of blood, sweat, and tears goes into every pattern I release (and maybe a few cookies too…brain food!). I make each design at least once (usually twice), and sometimes 3 times to make sure that everything is perfect when you purchase a hard copy or PDF pattern from my shop. Every time I release a new pattern my release and pattern say “tested for accuracy.” But what does that actually mean? Today, I want to share with you how I ensure that every pattern comes out picture perfect: fabric requirements are accurate, cutting instructions make sense, and everything as clear as possible. I want sewing my patterns to be fun and relaxing—and that means that every part of my pattern matters. None of my patterns would be quite so polished without the help and varying skill levels, techniques, and ideas that come from my pattern testers! (Continue reading…)
After finally hanging up the valance in my bathroom (it’s been on the project list for about 2 years now…) I was just tickled with the look—it really brought everything together, but something still wasn’t quite right! I needed to add a little more fabric to the space, just to add that one last touch. I remembered a trick that I had seen my mom do to some of her kitchen towels and knew it was perfect! I was off to HomeGoods in no time, picking out the perfect plain old towels to transform into my final accent in the bathroom!
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“Did you weed the flowerbed out front?”
“Uh…no.”
“Me neither…you don’t think the neighbors weeded, do you?”
“Well, that’s embarrassing” (Continue reading…)
The big reveal is finally here! That’s right—the wee babe is almost 2 months old and I’m just waiting until now to show you her lovely little nursery. It’s like newborns take over your life or something…
But really, we are so excited to finally be able to hold our little ladybug and we thoroughly enjoy every sweet moment we get with her. This nursery was certainly a labor of love, and I’m so excited to finally be able to share it with her and now you too! So here it is: our Hot Air Balloon Nursery… (Continue reading…)
Greenery: wandering trough the woods, breathing in the fresh scent after a rainstorm, sounds of lingering raindrops gently falling from leaf to leaf and finally to the forest floor, the squish of moss under your feet — the color that surrounds you while you adventure in the great outdoors. (Continue reading…)
Today is all about returning back to the basics! Some of you may have experience with a color wheel, but I’d be willing to bet that a majority of quilters, sewists, and DIYers have never thought much about this useful tool. It’s incredibly helpful for those of us that like to sew with solid fabrics, rather than prints, or for those times when you just can’t find the right inspiration and have to come up with a color scheme on your own. Plus, knowing the rules of color gives you a lot of freedom to branch out and try color combinations that you might have not otherwise tried! So, today I give you an intro to color theory and how to use the color wheel. (Continue reading…)
As you may know, I recently took a cross country train trip with my Husband, Steven in June. I can’t wait to tell you about the whole trip, but today I wanted to show you one of the most inspiring places that we visited along the way! We went to Mission San Xavier Del Bac in Tucson Arizona. There was lots of inspiration to be had on the entire trip, but this was an especially magical place. With painted stucco and Native-American inspired designs, I found a way to bear the heat and really soak in the beauty of this place. (Continue reading…)
