What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

I recently finished two patriotic quilts that I’m excited to share as I say, “Happy Birthday, America!”

This first one is called Positive Vibes and is a remake of a pattern I first had published in a magazine nearly 10 years ago. That was before I became a fabric designer and I always knew I wanted to remake using red, white and blue scraps of my own fabrics.

I quilted it with Red, Aqua, Navy and Gold Metallic threads. In each of the aqua, red and navy rows of plus blocks, I quilted straight lines to represent stars. In ...

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In the stash was a gorgeous piece of rayon challis that I wanted to turn into a lounge wear set. I love the Asian style print of the flowers on a dark background. I wanted something cool for summer, and in a fabric that was not knit. It is irritating that everything these days is knit fabrics in leisure wear. I don’t care for knits as they are too hot. I much prefer woven cotton or very light weight synthetics. Anyway, this fabric was perfect. It is lightweight, drapes beautifully, cool and comfortable. I got out my patterns and ...

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 The sneaky artist strikes again.

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I first heard of prosperity hens almost 2 years ago, when reader Becky mentioned them in a comment, then sent me a photo of hers. Prosperity Hens originated in India where having a flock of chickens could make a difference for a poverty stricken family. They are meant to bring prosperity to a home and are generally hung near a doorway or window. I kept her photo, and the project stayed in the back of my mind. When the longarm went down again, and I found I had time on my hands, it seemed a perfect time to finally make ...

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First I tried straw, then I teased out wire scourers to apply as mulch, splitting open the end of my thumb but NOTHING seems to stop the pesky slugs that are trashing my strawberries. I have been out at dusk with a trowel, waging war against the slimy pests. My next strategy is to put out beer traps, otherwise I will not be able to eat a single homegrown strawberry without biting into something vile and squelchy. 

It was all-systems-go at work with customer quilts. I think 4 different ones were on the frames this week ranging from brightly coloured ...

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I have a crafty swap event coming up at the end of the month and I need to make 12 of something. I haven’t made my mind up yet but I’m considering making little rope bowls so I started making bowls with my scrap pieces of 3/16” cotton rope and the tiny bowl came out so cute I thought I would share it with you!

Tune in for tips and a how-to on making this tiny rope bowl. It’s perfect for holdings rings, crystals and other small objects.

I have a full 3-project online video course ...

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 Good evening, friends. It's been a while. How are you? We are doing well here in the northern most part of Ohio. I have gardening and quilting on the brain, and so that's what I've been doing a lot of.

I am still working, but a little closer to home these days. Not that this has given me much more free time, I do have teenagers and small children after all. But it has made the drive home shorter and allowed me to sleep in just a little bit longer in the mornings. 

I have decided to ...

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The gift gallery at the show was really spectacular with well over 1000 items to choose from. Isn’t shopping fun! But, I put in way too much, with over 100 items. Granted, 40 of them were fabric stars that were displayed on one mug rack and 30 were handmade cards in a basket, but I still had much too much left over. The small room had every wall covered plus three tables in the middle covered with items, along with several quilt racks, and more outside the door.

Some of what I made for the show were items any ...

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Ever made a bag that just won’t stand up the way you want it to? That’s usually where box corners come in. This simple sewing technique is what gives bags, pouches, and bins that flat bottom so they actually hold their shape and work the way they should.

The good news is there’s more than one way to do it—and none of them are hard. In this tutorial, you’ll learn 3 easy methods for sewing box corners, so you can pick the one that makes the most sense for how you like to sew. Once ...

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When we left off last time, the front and back of the tote were complete and ready for assembly. If you missed the first part with the cutting directions and initial construction, click on Sew Pretty Tote.

Because I want to work on this while it is flat as long as possible, the first thing to do for assembly is to sew the front and back together on bottom seam. I use clips instead of pins for this due to the bulk.

Lay the piece out, and hard press the seam open. Then press from the top side to set ...

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Learn how to sew soft hacky sack snowballs that are fun to toss, easy to make, and perfect for using up fabric scraps. This is one of those quick projects that doesn’t take much time but ends up being used over and over again.

If you’ve got leftover fabric pieces and want something simple to sew, this is a great option. These little fabric balls are soft, lightweight, and safe for indoor play—making them perfect for kids, classrooms, or just a bit of fun around the house.

They’re also a nice break from bigger projects. You ...

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I got around to the embroidery tote this past week, and made good progress. I had embroidered several things on a cream color tone on tone print including this sentiment, along with a couple of sewing machines. The Japanese print I loved only had a small amount. So I cut it into four equal pieces. I added more tone on tone white to the bottom of the embroidery to match that measurement. Then, the sides were sewn to the middle and this became the front of the bag. The width is 22 inches, limited by the size of the zipper ...

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Quilted hot pads are my go-to palette cleanser whenever I want to refresh my kitchen or whip up a thoughtful gift in a single afternoon. They are the ultimate scrap-buster and a low-stakes way to play with a new technique without committing to a full-size quilt.

I love exploring all the different ways to make them functional and fun—whether it’s adding sturdy hook loops, handy pockets, or sizing them up for large casseroles. From unique geometric shapes to interesting trims, there are so many ways to add a little personality to something you’ll use every single day ...

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Today we’re officially launching my brand new Sewing with Cotton Rope: First Edition course! read more

Vanessa has been playing around with different ropes/clotheslines and making a few bowls. Join the livestream today and learn a few more rope bowl making tips that you can use on your next rope project!

Vanessa will also share the rope projects she’s been working on. If you rarely use your sewing machine’s zig zag stitch this is a super fun project to work on.

• How to make a coiled rope bowl tutorial: https://youtu.be/Bpz6VTFS0Zo?si=pQB02DBK7CVyoSMi

• Scout Mini Satchel Bag: https://craftygemini.com/shop/scout-mini-satchel-video-course/

Join our email list: https://craftygemini.com/newsletter/

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I was going to buy a notebook, then I saw a good old partially used notebook laying around in our office. I decided to whip up a notebook cover to make it more pretty. When I say "whip up", it literally means quick and simple and it was possible with my Baby Lock Victory. I didn't exactly time myself, but I would say this whole project took me 30 minutes or less. If you are looking for an easy peasy, pretty and practical sewing project (and gift) idea, this is it! * You Will Need Notebook - The notebook I used ...

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Have you ever turned a clamshell design on its side and used it as a border design? Well, here you go!

The machine quilting design Foliage is based on molar feathers and quarter circles. The grid design works well as a single border design or as a repeated grid pattern, like in the image below.

Foliage is loose and structured at the same time. Yes, the grid in this design creates structure, but the molar feathers are loose and free-flowing within their available space. 

Stitch this design from left to right as a single or double row and pre-mark it ...

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Vanessa has been playing around with different ropes/clotheslines and making a few bowls. Join the livestream today and learn how to make a simple coiled bowl using a zig zag stitch! If you rarely use your sewing machine’s zig zag stitch this is a super fun project to work on.

• Slanted Zipper Pouch: https://craftygemini.com/shop/slanted-zipper-pouch-video-course/

• How to make a coiled rope bowl tutorial: https://youtu.be/Bpz6VTFS0Zo?si=pQB02DBK7CVyoSMi

• Gypsy Quilter cotton rope (100ft) (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/4mHrucy

• The Mountain Thread Company Cotton Rope: https://www.themountainthreadcompany.com/shop/p/316-100-cotton-rope-by-the-yard-made-in-america

Join our ...

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