Archive for the ‘Design’ Category

The buzz around the studio today is that we are dropping a GIANT pattern release! If you were at the Quilting on the Bayfront show in Erie this month, you got a sneak peek and a copy of my pre-release pattern. But alas, it’s time for the whole world to get another Grow With Me Quilt!

If you haven’t heard about the Grow With Me line of quilts yet, make sure to check out my Grow With Me blog post—it will explain everything to you from start to finish. You’ll learn about what a fitted quilt is, why I chose to invent it, and how to use it. For those of you that already know the spiel, read on! (Continue reading…)

Can you believe that Vacuum was my first quilt entered into a show?! Me neither—I don’t know what’s taken me so long! If you attended the Manusco Quilt Show in Philadelphia PA this month, you might have seen it.

Being my first quilt show, I learned a few things along the way and would love to share them with you! The first thing I learned is that I had no idea how to make a proper quilt sleeve. After a bit of Youtube, I had it all figured out and thought I’d try my hand. Today, I’m going to show you the full tutorial on how to make  a quilt sleeve and give you some tips and tricks to make it easier along the way. (Continue reading…)

As I sat at this year’s Lancaster Quilt Show, I had the pleasure of getting to know Tara, owner of Amelia’s Garden. She recently released her first pattern; the Perfect Wallet and I had the pleasure of trying it out. It’s such a pleasure, every time I whip it out of my purse! I love when someone comments on it & I get to tell them that I made it! (Continue reading…)

If you’ve been watching me on Instagram, you’ve been warned that a BIG GIVEAWAY was coming up! As promised, here it is—just make sure you don’t forget to enter before you get yourself in a tizzy!

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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.

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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.

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…)

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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