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I had intended to make a single block of this design each month as a take-along project for sewing days sponsored by our local guild. However, once I had all of the blocks done — many of them done at home when I simply couldn’t resist working on. them — I just had to see […]

What can I say? I was on a roll and just couldn’t wait to see how each of these little birds would turn out. So here are the final five birds, all ready to be combined into a quilt top! My Bernina has really had a workout in the past several days! The photo on […]

I’ve been having so much fun making the various different paper-pieced bird blocks designed by WonderFil last year that I haven’t been able to stop. I’d originally planned to work on them *only* at the monthly (more or less) sewing days sponsored by the local guild, but I keep making “just one more” at home. […]

Every 2025 issue of AMERICAN QUILTER magazine will include a Made By Marney Collectible Pattern. How exciting!

Each issue has not only the full pattern, but also has a link to a free video with paper piecing tips and tricks. “Bee My Honey” includes this free video Using the Butterfly Effect While Paper Piecing…

The “Some Bunny Loves You” issue includes this pattern and a free video on Connecting Paper Piece Segments Together. This bunny would be great for an Easter project.

The “Think Spring” block will be arriving in the ...

My “bird project” is supposed to be something I’ll work on during sewing days sponsored by my guild. Somehow, though, I just couldn’t resist making the third in the series at home a few days ago — and it’s a very good thing I did! The designs are paper pieced, so I printed this one […]

Twelve fresh water fish patterns included in the SOMETHING FISHY QUILT PATTERN, plus directions to construct this lap quilt.

Fish included: PERCH, BLUE GILL, GRAYLING, MUSKIE, TROUT, SUNFISH, WALLEYE, CRAPPIE, BASS, PIKE, SALMON, and BULL HEAD. All of these fish blocks are also sold separately.

POND COLLECTION is a bundle of 4 block patterns. FROG, TURTLE, and DRAGONFLIES.

Plus this CATTAIL BLOCK is an extra block that can be used along with the Pond blocks in a quilt.

And for the gnome lovers…GNOME WITH BIG CATCH is ...

I’m making more progress on the various blocks-of-the-month (BOMs) that I’m suddenly involved in. How did I get wrapped up in three all at once? The most recent one is the birds from Wonderfil’s BOM last year. We had another sewing day sponsored by the local guild, and I worked on the second bird in […]

There are 7 bachelors ...

Get ready for time in the wilderness with this free star quilt pattern! Make it for your home or your animal-lover friends.

Magic Under the Stars

Are you ready for a new, easy project? Then, download Magic Under the Stars – a free pattern I designed for Studioe Fabrics’ Woodland Magic collection by Ashley Satanosky. Owls, deer, foxes, bears, and rabbits bring their magic from the woodlands into our homes in this quilt where stars light up the sky, under which all is quiet and asleep!

The quilt measures 51″ x 51, and the blocks finish at 8″. Only the ...

Yes, I know — I have two block-of-the-month projects going, but I needed something to work on at our guild’s (sort of) monthly sewing days. One of the BOM projects is too quick for an all-day session, and the other requires my embroidery module; there’s not enough room for that at the sewing days, and […]

Its time to dust off those bunny decorations. Let me help you with that!

Here are some of my favorite paper pieced Easter patterns…

All 6 of these bunny and peeper blocks are included in one pattern: EASTER TABLE RUNNER AND POTHOLDERS. Easy peasy patterns, and a great way to use up those scraps!

HAPPY EASTER DUCKY and HAPPY EASTER BUNNY are fast and easy and make great gifts.

I sewed tiny little egg buttons in the EASTER BUNNY GNOME basket. Too cute!

The LOP ...

Between trips across the river to

check on the cows and calves

I have been stitching...

I have been in the mood to do some

Paper Piecing... 

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, here are some clever paper pieced blocks for spring…

The bolster pillow was created by Ann using my LUCKY LEPRECHAUN block pattern. What a clever idea for a sofa or bench pillow.

This is an example of a table runner using my CLOVER LEAF BLOCK with a LEPRECHAUN BLOCK.

Brigitta from Austria created this adorable place mat using my LEPRECHAUN GNOME pattern.

Here are some of my new patterns ...

I just got a new add-on for my Electric Quilt program called Kaleidoscope Two. It is a great program for those who love complex blocks. I played around with this block, coloring it several ways with bee theme and daisy fabrics within the program. Here is my final version.

The power of this software is that it will give you the block in several methods of piecing. You can print out templates for transfer to plastic, or it will give you rotary cutting instructions for those who’d rather construct that way.

For a block like this, where precision of ...

Growing up in rural Wisconsin on a quaint dairy farm, has given me a love for animals which is very evident in my designing. Lately I’ve had lots of requests from customers for more farm blocks and farm quilts, specifically when they are making my FARMYARD STARS pattern.

Since animal designs are a favorite of mine, this is a happy request. Here are some resent quilt blocks that I think will go great in a farm quilt.

FARMER GIRL and FARMER BOY are sweet blocks, and of course have to have chickens are ...

 I'm making progress on the second side of my little hexagon bag project.

For this side I decided to just applique the hexagons down to my linen base in a pattern. I have more to add, but this is as far as I got yesterday afternoon while watching the NFL playoff games with my hubby.

I took a photo of the pre-made hexagons and the embroidery floss my friend gave me. I wish I had thought to take of photo of the hexagons before I started using them! They looked so pretty all laid out in rows that it ...

 Every January I like to try to make something just for me. So I started this little project. It will be a zippered bag when it grows up.

Excellent news this morning! Yesterday was the winter solstice, meaning the sun rises a little earlier each day! I also have to be thankful that I live south of where my parents live, so the sun rises earlier than in Saskatchewan!

While I had "stuff" to do yesterday, I took the day off and sewed all day! I'm working on my UFO, which is due tomorrow, but despite having a specific goal, I'm doing something else—the same project but another part. You'll see it after I show it to the group tomorrow. All I can say ...

WOW—I'm surprised at the response about the personal trainer! Thanks for reminding me that this is an excellent idea! 

I've worked with personal trainers in the past but just got out of the habit. I think we got stale, and it was time to find someone new, which I did NOT do. I'm anxious to see how it works out. Brooke was recommended to me by another trainer I've known for a long time. Maria is stepping back as she wants to enjoy more free time and has no time to pick up a new ...