In an unprecedented act of blogging fanciness I decided to make a video documenting how I create the woodgrain texture (so thoroughly p...
Heather Thomas teaches you about adding texture to the surface of your quilts by wrinkling the fabric in this video.
I'm teaching a Free Motion Quilting class starting in April at my LQS, Heartstrings and Heirlooms. I finished up the class sample over the weekend. In the class the students will do larger samples, but I needed a small book of designs to advertise the class. As you can see in the above end view, I used three different types of batting for my sample book - Quilter's Dream 100% Cotton, Hobbs 80/20 (80% cotton and 20% polyester), and a 100% wool. I used a tutorial from a recent Quilting Arts Magazine issue (the February/March 2014 issue) to make my little book. The instructions involved drawing some lines on a piece of fabric, then sewing on the lines with a walking foot to make a larger sheet and baste the layers together. Then you quilt your designs and cut the "pages" apart. The tutorial in the magazine was very good. If you are interested in making a book like mine, I suggest you get a copy of the magazine. Below is a collage of designs I plan to cover in the class. Along the top of each page I wrote the name of the design, the batting type and page number from the book I will be using for the class. In case you are interested, I'm using the book Free Motion Quilting with Angela Waters. It has become my go-to book for quilting ideas as of late.
Learn four simple methods forto created textured fabric for your quilt
Download the FREE Ombre Puff Quilt Pattern here! If you've been around for any amount of time, you might've seen my Puff Quilt that my grandmother made for me. I love this thing SO much. She used various scrap fabrics and clothing to create this very dense, yet very snuggly quilt. . . . When I look at this quilt, I see something new each time. Recycled tablecloths from the 80s, pieces of my grandfathers button-down shirts, left-over fabrics from previous quilt projects. The list goes on. Some fabrics are used multiple times within the quilt, while other fabrics are only represented once. I love looking over all of the puffs and finding all of the similarities and differences between the squares. . . . My Granny made this for me when I was 7 years old. I absolutely LOVE that she created a tag for this quilt. I also love that she referred to the quilt as a
Quilting for Beginners teaches newbies how to quilt from the basics, start to finish. This 5 part series walks you through each step of quilt making.
There's an imminent new arrival in our extended family, so it's time for me to get working on another version of my baby beach scenes. Simon suggested I incorporate surfing since the father is a keen surfer. That was the starting point for my designing, anyway. I ended up with this row of (potentially surfable?!) waves which will go across the top of the reef/water section, and I started by piecing them. I divided the waves into organic shapes, much like those I used in the much larger Australian scene and space quilts, which I could then piece from different colour water fabrics. The first step was to trace these onto mid-weight non-woven interfacing and mark some registration points along the curved seams to help piece thems evenly, then cut the pieces apart. After carefully selecting the fabrics to use for each piece (colour, and a smooth gradation was the main consideration)I placed the interfacing patter piece directly on the fabric and drew around it with a air-erasable marker, adding the 1/4in seam allowance by eye as I went. I then added the registration marks and the piece number with a fine-tip permanent pen before cutting it out. I've saved all the interfacing pieces in case I want to do the waves again. Then I pinned all the pieces in place on my pattern and checked I was happy with my fabric choices. Then it was just a case of gradually sewing them all together, carefully easing the curves. The wave section is all done now and will be pieced to the top of the reef/water section once that's done (the bottom is straight-ish).
Quilted fabric postcards are fun to make! Use a heavy fusible interfacing for the core. Add background fabric and design elements!
A couple of years ago I stumbled across this awesome book at my local public library. It was filled with simple fun baby gift ideas. Today I couldn't tell you the title of that book. I did end up purchasing a copy during a library sale fundraiser but haven't a clue where that book is now. Hopefully I will now be able to find the book!! I'm also certain it is storage with the rest of my crafting books. But that's off topic. Every time someone I know is pregnant or has a baby, I make the same baby quilt. The one I found in that book. It is super simple to make, uses limited fabrics and comes together quickly. Wanna know how to make this wonderfully easy gift? You're in luck! One of my co-workers down the hall just had a little boy with his wife and I just haven't had time to make their gift until now! You only need three fabrics to make this little quilt. It is a great early tummy time quilt. You'll need the following cuts of three fabrics for the quilt top: Fabric #1 and #2: 1/3 to 1/2 yard (depending on direction of print) Fabric #3: 2/3 to 3/4 yard The final front will look like this diagram: You will also need an additional 1 1/2 yards of one of the fabrics for backing. To create this quit top: Cut 14 5.5" by 5.5" squares from both Fabric #1 and Fabric #2 Cut 8 10.5" by 10.5" squares from Fabric #3. Pair up Fabric #1 and #2 and sew together with a 1/4" seam to create 14 total rectangles. Be sure to press each to the same fabric on all. To pair them up, I just sit each stack of blocks next to my machine and stitch away. I also do not snip the threads between each rectangle until I sew all 14 rectangles. Chain sewing like this creates a steady flow and also speeds things up. Take your 14 rectangles and match them up as show in the above diagram. Your seams should be pressed opposite of each other and butt up precisely. Sew these all together using chain sewing using 1/4" seam. You will end up with a total of 7 blocks. You will now take the Fabric #3 and match it up with the created blocks of Fabric #1 and #2. I generally pin a pairing of five to chain stitch these. Finally I add in my third block to each row to do a final round of chain stitching to finish the rows. After all of the rows are sewn, sew each row together. Do pay attention to the direction of your print and placement. You should end up with this: (Ignore the other quilt! I was too lazy to take it down before I took this picture!) For this quilt since the fabrics are so busy and I enjoyed the straight stitching so much with the last one, I did it again using my secret weapon: painter's tape! (Thank goodness for the Dollar Tree and $1 tape!) I have still binding to add but that's a post for another day! How's your sewing going? Love, Ashley
Happy New Year! Despite the long pause in postings, I did actually complete a few more sewing projects in 2014. January 2014 - Drawstring book bags for Allie and Cate's birthdays February 2014 - Robert Hughes baby quilt (I really need to consider taking a "how to photograph your quilts" workshop:) quilted with stars and spirals May 2014 - Amy Becker's HS graduation lap quilt Amy picked out fabrics at Fabric Depot during her Portland visit, Christmas 2013. I supplemented with a few fabrics I found at The Stitching Post and at Kapaia Stitchery during a trip to Kauai (always looking for an excuse to fabric shop). The blue batik with butterflies was the first fabric Amy chose. Other colors were built around that. quilted with vining flowers and leaves Now Amy has this nice warm lap quilt - perfect for her college years at the University of Arizona in Tucson. She assures me that it does get cold there, especially when the air conditioner is running. November 2014 - New curtains and duvet set for the Sisters house After 20 years, Stefanie and I decided it was time for a change in the upstairs bedroom in our Sisters house. We found some curtain fabric at IKEA (seen below in the medium-sized pillows). After a futile search for a coordinating duvet cover I decided we just needed to make our own. Not as cheap, but so much more fun! On the bed in Anna's old room at our house (tempted to keep it here, but...) Had to add a border piece as it was just a bit too small. Found a fun coordinating fabric at The Stitching' Post. Shams and throw pillows. The quilting in the shams mimics the print in the curtain fabric. All set up in its new home. On to 2015... January 2015 - Jeanne's lap quilt This quilt was made for my good friend and fellow swimmer, Jeanne. She will be out of the water for a bit, recuperating from surgery, so of course this called for a quilt! My daughter, Anna, suggested the colors - perfect for a swimmer. Another swimmer friend, Jenn, joined me for a shopping trip to Fabric Depot and also helped with part of the sewing. Sandi and Jeanne The design incorporates over 60 small blocks with names of some of Jeanne's friends. Next Up???? cityscape art quilt based on a photo of Roussillon, France art quilt based on our Croatia travels last September flower/plant themed art quilt for the Hardy Plant Society Hortlandia Plant Sale in April hopefully taking Hilde Morin's Bowl Art class
Imagine my excitement when I learned Renee Nanneman (fabric designer for Andover and publisher for Need'lLove) chose my Cotton Daisies pattern to create this beautiful quilt using her new fabric line, Beehive. And...it's hanging in the Andover booth at Quilt Festival in Houston! Cotton Daisies quilt pattern can be found on my website: Laughyourselfintostitches.com Digital Downloads and Mailed Patterns Renee was so gracious to take a couple photos for me and i asked her to make sure she was in each picture!! She is the kindest person! Renee added a gold flange to her Cotton Daisies quilt, which adds such a nice touch! The quilting is gorgeous too! I can't take any credit for it...but whoever quilted this for Renee...it's wonderful! Here is my Cotton Daisies quilt. I literally pulled fabrics from my stash to make this and when i saw Renee's quilt, oh my gosh!! I loooove the softness of her Beehive fabrics! And the pattern cover...showing an alternative colorway...i think this quilt has soooo many color options! Looking for the pattern? I have it available in instant pdf's or mailed copies. Find them in My Etsy Shop And if you wait a bit, (Renee is at market right now) I bet she'll be offering some Cotton Daisies kits using her Beehive fabrics/pattern included! Thanks for stopping by! Learn, Share, Quilt! ~karen
Learn how to square up fabric before cutting any pieces for your next quilt - especially when dealing with longer strips.
There is an easier way to bind a quilt: use the backing fabric. Learn how in this tutorial from NewQuilters.com. #bindingaquilteasy, bindingaquilttutorial
There is no anxiety sewists dread more than the anxiety that comes when you are snipping away at your precious fabric. The saying "measure twice, cut once" is there for a reason. If you cut your fabric incorrectly, it can ruin a project and it can cost you a ton of money. That's why we have this quick guide on How to Cut Fabric. This resource is going to provide you with the basics of cutting fabric for sewing and more. Fabric is not cheap and if you do not know how to cut fabric properly, it can do some serious damage. It is even harder to learn how to pin and cut a pattern on the fabric. You have to cut your fabric to match your piece, ensure that your print is going the right way, and make sure that you cut the right side facing out. Stressed out yet? Don’t worry, sewists. That’s why we are here yet again to help you out. This sewing guide is going to give you the top 5 things you can do to cut fabric perfectly every single time. For more sewing inspiration, sign up for our e-newsletter!
How to hand quilt in 3 easy steps! In this blog and video tutorial I'll list out all of the supplies you need and show you how simple hand quilting is!
Never make the mistake of forgetting these 4 important things to include when you gift a quilt! You'll be so glad that you did #4!!
Description The horse is a recurring theme among quilters. It represents freedom, beauty, and power. I wanted to pay tribute to the life force of this animal in a simple representation, made of natural colors, suitable for adventurous beginners. This meticulously crafted pattern features vibrant hues from the Robert Ka
Finished your quilt top and ready to quilt? Continue reading for 10 quilting designs for beginners perfect for your first quilt!
When we came across this article of the best machine quilting tips we knew we had to share it with our readers. The tips are detailed and contain links to products that will help you to get the bes…
Learn how to make yoyo quilts (or yo yo quilts) and create a fun yoyo project. Great way to use up those fabric scraps!
Easy quilts to make in a day. A lot of beautiful patterns, designs, and quilt ideas for you to make in one day only and the tips to finish it
The Maypole design is the fastest baby quilt pattern you can make! It's beginner friendly and made using large strips of fabric.
Last year, I cleaned out and got rid of most of my fabric stash. (Read about that here). I didn't touch my scraps though. I can't bring myself to get rid of them because someday I'll make a postage stamp quilt or a string quilt or a scrappy something! (Maybe I'll design a quilt meant to use scraps...hmm...) In the ba
How To Make A Fun Fabric Fish - DIY Sewing Free Tutorial and Pattern
Description Imagine quilting your favorite dog breed tomorrow... Ask for the breed you want, I create them on demand and upload them here every week. Craft this Havanese Quilt Pattern, a delightful addition to your sewing projects! This meticulously crafted pattern features vibrant hues from the Robert Kaufman Kona Cot
(Please note that affiliate links have been used in this post.) I started quilting in 2007 / 2008. My sisters bought me a small Singer Promise they found listed as a Black Friday deal from Target o…
Knowing how to start a quilt, especially when it comes to quilting can be difficult. Get expert tips on how to start quilting your next quilt.
Are you new to machine quilting? You may have made tied quilts for a while and now want to explore machine quilting. I’ve seen a lot of advice given for how to machine quilt but I think mos…
This hummingbird paper piecing pattern is great for mini quilts, or for incorporating into a bigger quilt! Three different block sizes are included (9", 12", and 18" finished). This pattern assumes knowledge of basic paper piecing techniques. For a free downloadable tutorial click here. You will receive: • Full-size foundation patterns for all sizes (When printing your pattern, please ensure that scaling is set to 100% in order for all pattern pieces to print correctly.) • Coloring pages to test out your fabric choices The background uses approximately 1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 yard of fabric for Large, Medium, and Small sizes, respectively. Download: You will be emailed a download link after checkout. Please save the PDF to your hard disk immediately; patterns are limited to 3 downloads. EU/UK customers: In order to comply with VAT regulations, please purchase this pattern through my Payhip shop. This pattern is for personal use and for one person only. Please do not distribute. All digital pattern sales are final.
DIY Fabric Pumpkin Free Sewing Patterns
Two layers of Embrace Double Gauze from Shannon Fabrics with Pellon Wool Batting in the middle makes for a super soft and cuddly quilt. The wool is lighter and fluffier than cotton batting — the only difference in care is that it can't go in the dryer. It's just returned...
Coins quilt pattern by Emily of quiltylove.com. This simple coin quilt pattern is beginner friendly. Use charms, layer cakes, jelly rolls or fat quarters.
Orange Peel quilt pattern and tutorial using big stitch hand quilting with perle cotton. Fabric is from the Canyon collection by Kate Spain.
