What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

I participated in an online fabric swap last year hosted by redrainbootshandmade. I loved the wonderful variety of all the 5" blue squares that I received but struggled a bit with how I was going to use them. Julia, the swap host, offered a pattern to go along with the swap, her pattern was called "Amarillo Skies". It is a great pattern but revised my version a bit to include a blue/gray sashing

I participated in an online fabric swap last year hosted by redrainbootshandmade. I loved the wonderful variety of all the 5" blue squares that I received but struggled a bit with how I was going to use them. Julia, the swap host, offered a pattern to go along with the swap, her pattern was called "Amarillo Skies". It is a great pattern but revised my version a bit to include a blue/gray sashing

You saw that title and thought that I might be engaging in a physical challenge at an exotic location, didn't you? Ha! Nope. But I am challenging myself, to use up all of the 1.5" scraps out of the precut bin. After finishing "No Scrap Too Small" last month I decided to keep on using up those itty-bitty four patches that have been assembled, L-E* style, over the years. Here's the design plan

You saw that title and thought that I might be engaging in a physical challenge at an exotic location, didn't you? Ha! Nope. But I am challenging myself, to use up all of the 1.5" scraps out of the precut bin. After finishing "No Scrap Too Small" last month I decided to keep on using up those itty-bitty four patches that have been assembled, L-E* style, over the years. Here's the design plan

Mom's been gone for over two months now. The new normal has settled around me. I miss her daily phone calls; she would always lead off our chats with "what are you working on?" I find myself talking to her sometimes, reporting on my latest projects. After her eyesight failed through advancing macular degeneration she couldn't sew anymore and, I believe, that she enjoyed just thinking about, and

Mom's been gone for over two months now. The new normal has settled around me. I miss her daily phone calls; she would always lead off our chats with "what are you working on?" I find myself talking to her sometimes, reporting on my latest projects. After her eyesight failed through advancing macular degeneration she couldn't sew anymore and, I believe, that she enjoyed just thinking about, and

I missed wishing you all a Happy 4th of July, but, today, I'll wish you a happy July instead! Our flag was flying proudly yesterday, as always, and we're keeping busy as these days grow increasingly warmer. The potted flowers in front have never been prettier than this year, I can't take any credit, all I did was set them into the pots. Recently, we've had additional heartbreak where our nesting

I missed wishing you all a Happy 4th of July, but, today, I'll wish you a happy July instead! Our flag was flying proudly yesterday, as always, and we're keeping busy as these days grow increasingly warmer. The potted flowers in front have never been prettier than this year, I can't take any credit, all I did was set them into the pots. Recently, we've had additional heartbreak where our nesting

Hey there, friends!  I am so happy that today I get to give you a little overview of the final sections of my new book, Scrappy Improv Quilting.  The third section of the book is titled Seasonal Sensations and contains six adorable little seasonal quilts.

Quilters are some of the most resourceful, green people we know! We are always saving up scraps and asking other quilters for ways we can reduce, reuse, and recycle quilting and sewing materials. We never want to throw anything away if we don’t have to!

In recognition of Earth Day and being green, here are a few ways that we choose to reduce, reuse, and recycle to demonstrate our support for the environment!

Found Fabrics

Found fabric is fabric that you can find . . . anywhere! Make a trip into your closet, into a loved ones closet, to the closest thrift ...

My last post was a November "wrap-up" post and today we are mid-way through the month of December; that's a good indication of the busy-ness of this season that's upon us. I'm sure it's the same at your house. I'm ordinarily very organized regimented(!) about my approach to decorating the house and preparing for Christmas. Typically, I assign a task a day in the beginning of December and then

My last post was a November "wrap-up" post and today we are mid-way through the month of December; that's a good indication of the busy-ness of this season that's upon us. I'm sure it's the same at your house. I'm ordinarily very organized regimented(!) about my approach to decorating the house and preparing for Christmas. Typically, I assign a task a day in the beginning of December and then

If you’ve been making quilted objects for a while you’ve probably built up a pile of sewn together orphan bits. They may have been surplus to the final project, made as trials, cut off from tops because they just didn’t … Continue reading →

"Sweet Sixteen" is off the rails, binding has been applied and the hand finishing has begun. I'm quilting up a few table runners right now, one day has a way of sliding into the next. The quilts are piling up. Mr. Goodneedle asked me last evening who this quilt was for. I have no designation in mind, I just keep at it, one quilt after another; and sew it goes. One would think that these

"Sweet Sixteen" is off the rails, binding has been applied and the hand finishing has begun. I'm quilting up a few table runners right now, one day has a way of sliding into the next. The quilts are piling up. Mr. Goodneedle asked me last evening who this quilt was for. I have no designation in mind, I just keep at it, one quilt after another; and sew it goes. One would think that these

I hope to be a lifelong learner; I pray that I never get to that place where I think I've learned all that there is to learn. My grandmother used to tell me that every day spent without learning something new was a wasted day. Recalling that now, probably told to me when I was Jr. High age, was most likely in response to thinking that I already knew it all!  We kept the grandchildren late last