The Magic 8 method is certainly not original with me, but I thought it was worth sharing since I’ve been using it religiously on one of my newest designs (It’s called Breezy, and you’re going to love it! It will be releasing sometime in April.) Anyway, there are lots of ways to make Half Square Triangles, but this method is the fastest and most precise that I’ve found.
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Today I want to share one of my favorite patterns with you and explain how to use it. It’s a newer concept that I came up with & sometimes quilters have troubles knowing what to do with it. I’m talking about my Grow With Me sewing pattern, of course! If you’re not familiar with this pattern, let me explain, I bet you’ll love it once you understand it: (Continue reading…)
I’ve received lots of questions about today’s topic because I mention it in almost all of my patterns & my binding tutorial. So, I’m going to share one of my favorite products with you:
Can you guess what it is?
The Fons & Porter Binding Tool!
Maybe that’s your favorite thing too, or maybe you’ve never heard of it. If you haven’t heard of it, then let me tell you all about it! (Continue reading…)
Coffee, Cake, and Quilting—the perfect night at the quilt guild to take a project that needs ripped out. Yep—I was in a rush to finish a project, got sloppy, and decided to rip half of it out. If I had to rip seams, I might as well do it among people who know my pain and can chat with me while I endlessly rip. I found a seat, hunkered down over my quilt, and dug into my project. I looked up and saw Diane making her way over to me and she quietly asked, “Do you want me to show you a better way to rip seams?”
“Heavens yes!” I replied—I felt a little sheepish, knowing that I probably just should have googled this long ago, but I gladly took her up on her offer. (Continue reading…)
Today is the Sew Much Fun Blog Hop & let me tell you–it’s been amazing! 10 amazing bloggers are sharing free quilt blocks with you! I hope you caught Jen’s free block over at Patterns By Jen and our other great bloggers, you’ll be glad you did.
Today I’ve got a simple and wonderful little 12″ quilt block for you—you’re going to be seeing more of it in a few weeks when my newest quilt pattern releases—you’re going to love it when you see it all together! (Continue reading…)
You might remember a post from a while back talking about The Great Pre-wash Debate: whether or not to pre-wash your fabrics. But, did you know that there is a fabric that you should always prewash!? That’s right — Batiks, with their vibrant dyes will often times bleed onto lighter cottons when washed. Which spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E for your light background! So, what’s a ready-to-roll quilter to do when those lovely, natural, delicious batiks arrive to the sewing room? (Continue reading…)
At the beginning of the month I attended my first quilt guild. I know—it sounds crazy…a designer that’s never been to a guild meeting, but hear me out—it didn’t seem like my cup of tea. I now stand corrected; guild meetings are fun for all! I’m super excited to join as a member at the next meeting of the Lancaster Modern Guild! I learned so much at my first demo night, one technique was of particular importance to me: the invisible appliqué machine stitch. This is a technique that isn’t all that new, but I was unaware (and in need) of it until now. I was so inspired that I went home and ripped out a freshly finished appliqué quilt that was just begging for this technique! I’ll require a bit more practice until it’s perfected, but I love the clean edges that it allows (Continue reading…)
Today I’ve got a fantastic DIY project for you! In a new adventure that I’ve gotten ourselves into, we’ve decided that it’s time for a big change in our front yard. I’ve dubbed this project as “un-landscaping.” After a whirlwind year, and our front flowerbeds mysteriously being weeded (I’m assuming by our sweet neighbors) while we were away for the weekend, it’s time to step back and admit our limits. Flowerbeds aren’t beautiful when they are being taken over by weeds and untrimmed, disproportionate shrubs. (Continue reading…)
I know this is a first time parent thing…but I am absolutely convinced that my exceptional daughter is bored out of her mind…I mean—how couldn’t she be!? So, rather than waiting for teethers and grasping toys to arrive in the mail, I did what any good mommy would do: I made her some toys! Today’s post is a quick and easy tutorial on how to make a ribbon blanket for your baby. It’s the perfect home made teether or grasping toy! Let’s get started: (Continue reading…)
The blue Tupperware.
I remember it well; this blue Tupperware container was made for making homemade wipes. My mom used it for my brother, my sister, and me and even saved the container to pass onto us when we had our own babies to make wipes for. Smart lady, because Tupperware stopped making these containers!
I know it sounds like a big hassle, but making your own wipes is an incredibly easy way to save some cash when you’ve got kids in diapers! My Mom shared this recipe with me, and now I’m sharing it with you! (Continue reading…)
As many of you know, I’ve recently published my newest quilt pattern, Timber!, in One Thimble’s February issue. This week I’ll be guest posting THREE times over on their blog! So, needless to say, while things will be hopping over there, things will be pretty quiet over here. Here’s all that’s going on this week—make sure to check it out—it’s some pretty fun stuff! (Continue reading…)
It’s Valentines Day; Love is in the air, there are sunshine, flowers, and tutus everywhere! Actually, tutus aren’t just for ballerinas and Valentines Day, but for birthdays and Christmas and all year around. I’ve seen these tutus all over Etsy and the rest of the internet for incredible prices, but did you know you can make your own for less than $5? It’s really simple, so today I’m going to show you how to make your own tutus for any celebration, for just $5. (Continue reading…)
