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Amazing how one border proceeded to two borders done! Then a third border soon followed.  I am on a mission to get this done quickly.   As I was looking at this photo before download, it was noticed that some of the plain blocks on the outer part may need to be changed around a bit.  In this photo it seems that the right hand side looks a bit darker than the left side.  Best to fix this now

I get this question almost weekly.  "Hey Mel, I am making a quilt and my blocks are supposed to be 12 inches but they all come out at 11 and 3/4 inches.  What have I done wrong?"  It's almost impossible for me to give a direct answer.  There are too many causes to pin point it.  When Paul asked me why his quilt blocks didn't come out the right size the other day I got a few more grays but went through the list with him until we realized what the cause was.  I realized it was ...

Hi Everyone,

I’m sure you’ve heard about the great new TV show called Fresh Quilting.

Riane Menardi and Me on the Set.

Well, the second series has launched and I’M IN IT!  As the song says…..Look Ma, I’m on TV…..

Fresh Quilting is co-produced with the Modern Quilt Guild and features today’s most innovative modern quilters who reinterpret traditional techniques with a fresh, modern aesthetic. These designers may be familiar to you or new faces.  Some of the Series 200 designers include Nicole Neblett, Leslie Jenison, Violet Craft, Yvonne Fuchs, Luana Rubin and many ...

A frequently asked question here in the quilting room is how to cut lots of fabric strips.  Quilters are either looking to skip buying pre-cut fabrics or they need a different a different size of strips.  There are lots of options on the market today for quickly cutting fabric strips.  This is just one one of the methods.  Paul bought me this a few years ago for Christmas because I saw Eleanor Burns using it on an older Quilt in A Day on YouTube.

Back To School Blog Hop Introduction Post So what is next in the calendar of big events? We will be going back to school…. wait what?! Yes! We are going back to basics with sewing and quilting tips and tutorials. Our host for this event is Sam Hunter from Hunters Design Studio Sam has collected and amazing group of people who will be helping you along the way.  There will be a variety of topics from machine cleaning, threading, paper piecing, piecing, applique, binding, fabric storage, tools and just so much more. I can’t wait to see what everyone ...

As you know, I'm working on quilting the Cows quilt. I have four heifers left, a few churn dashes and the barn. Well, I also have to finish the other half, or two-thirds more like it, of the border.  As is usually the case when I quilt a quilt, I have a very, I mean very, vague quilting plan in my head.  Once the quilt is loaded, it starts to talk to, sometimes whisper to, sometimes cajole, me.  Such was the case with this one.  I had no idea how I was going to quilt the churn dash blocks ...

As you know, I'm working on quilting the Cows quilt. I have four heifers left, a few churn dashes and the barn. Well, I also have to finish the other half, or two-thirds more like it, of the border.  As is usually the case when I quilt a quilt, I have a very, I mean very, vague quilting plan in my head.  Once the quilt is loaded, it starts to talk to, sometimes whisper to, sometimes cajole, me.  Such was the case with this one.  I had no idea how I was going to quilt the churn dash blocks ...

I often get asked how I keep producing projects for the blog.  I am usually doing multiple quilt projects at once.  You can do it too!  It takes a little planning and a little organization but it's not hard to do.  It really does make quilting go quicker and might get a few naysayers off your back when they see how much you are getting done.  Are you ready to learn how to piece multiple quilt projects at once?

The opportunity to play with fabric is what attracts many of us to quilting in the first place, but actually selecting fabric to use in our first (or 21st) quilt can be daunting and make us doubt our own preferences and instincts long after that initial trip to a fabric store.

The first time I ever selected all the fabrics at once for a specific quilt was for the project I’d be making in a hand applique class at my favorite quilt shop. I had been quilting for a little over a year at that point and I had ...

Welcome guest blogger and quilt designer Karen Ackva. A Michigan native who has lived in Germany for a number of years and built her family there, Karen blends her American heritage with the traditions of her adopted country in her designs, such as in her crib quilt Whale of a Tale. You’ll find this quilt in the McCall’s Quick Quilts August/September 2017 issue. We’re excited to have Karen here to talk about her design process!

This is my very first quilt found in McCall’s Quick Quilts, and I am so happy to share it with ...

Some quilt blocks have a lot of seams that come together and then you end up with this odd bump you can't iron flat.  It's a whole different issue when it comes time to quilt.  So what are you to do?  You spin your seams!  Spinning quilt seams allows you to distribute the fabric better so there isn't a wad in one spot.  That means it will lie flatter and be easier to quilt the finished project.  The finished project will just look better when you don't have wads of seams in your project.

After sharing my Orange Peel Mug Rug last month, I promised you some mug rug binding tips.  Here they are – better late than never! I tried something a little different for this project and I’m pretty happy with the results.  I think you will be too.

Mug Rug Binding Tips

Mug rugs are such delicate little things.  In the past, I’ve used traditional binding techniques with 2 1/4″ wide binding strips.  This time I tried a single-fold binding, and I think it “fits” the petite nature of these mini quilts.

Tip:  Single-fold binding reduces bulk in the ...

“Bind the quilt to finish.”

a pieced scrappy binding

That simple instruction, which ends almost every quilt pattern ever written, refers to a step in the quiltmaking process that in itself requires a few different steps. When a quilt pattern editor writes “bind the quilt to finish,” it’s assumed that the quilter knows what this means.

Most patterns assume you will use a continuous double-fold binding technique in which you 1) stitch together narrow strips of fabric with diagonal seams to make one long strip, 2) press your binding strip lengthwise and wrong sides together, 3) align the raw ...

Inside: Hand Appliqué: Making it easy and fun. Technique, tips, and hints.

The class was my friend’s first try at appliqué. The instructor looked at her work and told her she needed to unpick everything and start over. No, no, no! This is not the way to encourage people to learn to appliqué! My friend never finished the project.

The kind of appliqué I do is purely needle-turn, where the pieces are marked with a small seam allowance and just sewn on by hand.This tutorial will explain how I do this.

Marking the Appliqué Pieces:

I use freezer ...