Lately my motivation to sew has been next-to-none. In fact I don't think I've sat down to my machine in almost a month. Summer does that to me. I also haven't had any amazing new ideas either. As I re

Joseph's Coat is a fairly challenging pattern, and it's also one of my all-time favorite scrap quilts. There is no date on this pattern, and I can't read the date on the original envelope. Alice Brooks was another name used by Needlecraft Service, Inc., the same company that published Laura Wheeler

the all well cardigan coat is a foundational sewing pattern for a simple and versatile layering piece that can fill any wardrobe hole you throw at it! this pattern is appropriate for beginners and advanced sewists and everyone in between, as it’s an opportunity to experiment and make choices as you sew to make a completely unique garment each time you pick up the pattern. the pattern comes with fully illustrated instructions and a free hacking guide (!!!) to help the creative juices keep flowing long after you’ve made the pattern once or twice or five or six times! bring your curiosity and your ideas to this pattern and we will walk with you all along the way! More information, pictures, and fabric requirements can be found on our website. (https://allwellworkshop.com/cardigan-coat) PATTERN SPECS: Six sizes (Bust Circumference 32-62" [81-157 cm}) with three length options and custom sleeve length. For more detailed size information, visit our website! Here's the link: https://allwellworkshop.com/cardigan-coat ALSO INCLUDES: The FREE (!!!) All Well Cardigan Coat Hacking Guide, an indispensable guide to making the All Well Cardigan Coat your very own every time. SEWING LEVEL: This pattern is appropriate for beginners, but will be fun for sewists of all levels to sew. PATTERN INCLUDES: - Print-at-home pdf pattern - Copy shop pattern - Instruction Booklet with illustrations. - Hacking Guide with illustrations, instructions, and tons of inspiration. PLEASE NOTE: This pattern is a digital download. It is not available in print. Once you have made your purchase, you will receive a link to download the print-at-home pattern pdf, copy shop pdf, and instructions pdf. Visit our Help + FAQ page (https://allwellworkshop.com/help-faq) or contact us at amy [!at] allwellworkshop.com or through Etsy if something goes wrong and you have trouble accessing any of the files. PRINTING YOUR PDF PATTERN: In the print settings, set the pattern to print at “Actual size” (or 100% scale). You can print your pattern on a wide-format printer or desktop printer—your purchase includes full-size and tiled versions. The copy shop file is A0 in width but takes up less height (33.1” x 24.7” / 84 cm x 63 cm)). You can print the tiled version on US Letter and A4 paper sizes. When printing at home, just print the first page, then check the test square with a ruler or measuring tape to make sure the pattern printed at the right size. If they’re correct, print the remaining pages and tape them together. For printing help, visit our Printing Help page on our website! (https://allwellworkshop.com/printing-help) This pattern was designed by Amy Bornman (www.amybornman.com) for All Well Workshop and produced in collaboration with Amelia Greenhall (www.ameliagreenhall.com). ©️ Amy Bornman, All Well Workshop. All rights reserved. Written permission is required to copy and/or distribute copies of this document, whether or not you profit from it. Photocopying, digitizing and all other copying to share this document is strictly prohibited. Help support the development of new All Well patterns by sharing the link to purchase with any friends who want to make a copy. Purchase of this pattern entitles you to make as many All Well Cardigan Coats as you like for your personal use, including to give as gifts. Please do not sell garments made using this pattern in any quantity.

I love blogs. I can get lost in them. That's the problem... I can also waste a lot of time - but is learning, being inspired, and seeing what everyone else is doing a waste of time? I think not. Facebook? Well, that's another story. I haven't figured out their real value. Yet. I'm not in a hurry to learn, either. So, this month, I am once again behind on all of my projects. Nothing has gotten finished, little has gotten started, and yet the first of the month came rapping on my door. Hello? Anybody home? I was out of town for most of the week (more on that, later), and when I got home, a blog post from a friend of mine popped up on my laptop: Denise Green (an amazing friend and longarm quilter) had just posted photos from her trip over to see the quilt show in Kerrville, Texas. Here's what I found interesting about her post: since she's a longarm quilter, her view of quilts is different than mine. So are her photos and comments. I emailed Denise and asked if I could use her blog for my blog. Answer: "I'd be honored!" I'm actually the one that was honored by her quick and positive response. What I thought I'd do is to show you all of her photos along with her comments... and then add my own comments. It's interesting to see how we both view the same quilts. If you want to catch up on Denise's blog directly, you can find it here: http://hollydeequilts.wordpress.com/2013/05/31/its-a-quilt-show-kerrville-style/. Let's get this conversation started, now. Denise's words are in italics. Mine are plain old straight up and down. D: We arrived at the show and my friend, Susie, met us there. She is a member of the Hill Country Quilt Guild and had a few quilts in the show (with ribbons on them!). One of Susie’s quilts – I quilted this for her – her quilts are a delight to quilt – she is very good piecer and I love her colors and pattern choices! S: I love how Denise quilts Judy Neimeyer quilts -- she honors the pattern but adds her own spin with feathers, spikes, swirls, and unique designs. The color choices on this one are great.  D: (This is) Susie’s Prairie Star (a quiltworx.com pattern) – yes there is a ribbon on the right side! S: Well deserved, I'd say! D: I quilted the quilt below for Susie earlier this year – I really enjoyed this one! What I enjoyed almost as much was I sent her my king-size triple 4-patch to quilt and I just got it back. That was a GREAT TRADE! S: I love the soft colors in Susie's "Love is in the Air" quilt. It's from a Lori Smith pattern. I especially love the use of all those golds and blues and browns in the sashing strips. Are those are four-patch sashings? Yes! D: (Susie) added the pieced sashings as well as the applique border. The pattern had plain sashing and border. S: I love those sashing strips. I wish I could think of things like that! This picture needs to go into my folder of "great ideas." Susie machine appliqued the non-pieced blocks/borders. She did a nice job with that.  D: This quilt of Susie’s ("Sew Many Colors") was made as a block of the month from Pinwheels and Posies. Each block is the same (except for fabric placement), Susie quilted this one! S: Pinwheels and Posies is a local quilt shop in Dickinson, Texas. They did this block of the month a while back and it clearly turned out nice. If Denise hadn't pointed it out to me, I don't think I would have noticed that the blocks are all identical. There's a lesson in there for all of us about the importance of value (how light or dark a color is), as it can have a dramatic effect on what a block looks like when you are finished making it. D: Another student, Linda B, was also working at the show and had a ribbon (or 2) on her Glacier Star Quilt that was started in a class I taught at Pinwheels and Posies. I love how she added to the main body of the quilt with her “tucked” border and this beautiful Jason Yenter print. S: If you have a chance to take a Judy Niemeyer class from Denise (her workshop schedule is posted on her blog), it's worth the trip. Denise is an excellent teacher with endless patience for anyone and everyone. In general, I'm not a fan of "cheater cloth" pre-printed borders and blocks. The border on this quilt, though, is really wonderful and frames the quilt nicely!! D: Kim’s quilting (her longarm business is called "A Busy Bobbin") was honored with the ribbon for Best Machine Quilting – WELL DESERVED! Our local longarm bee is excited to have Kim as our speaker Monday night at our monthly meeting. She and Linda B. will be joining us and talking about the rulers Kim uses and how she fills all that empty space with all of that gorgeous quilting. S: I am spoiled rotten by living in an area filled with quilters -- Denise started a longarm bee quite a while back, before it seemed that nearly everyone had some sort of quilting machine. She schedules speakers every month for the members -- and I can't wait to go to hear from this speaker. Look at the unique combination of quilting designs in this quilt.... D: (Here is...) Linda's sweet mini! S: Sometimes it's the little things that count, right? I want to point out that the Kerrville guild puts a wooden clothespin on every quilt. Quilt show attendees can then grab the clothespin to see the back of any quilt without having to hunt down a white-glove lady. What a great idea! D: I took several pictures of quilts that I enjoyed the setting of the blocks. I love how (Holly Nelson) set these blocks. S: I love the wonderful quilt edge, too. And setting those blocks inside a scalloped circle... wow. Holly designed these blocks for an applique class she taught in Fredricksburg, Texas. D: Here's another great way to set blocks. S: Love the blocks. I wondered where Holly Nelson planned to put this piece and was able to read the tag on her quilt, which said she designed this quilt for applique classes in Bandera, Texas - and the layout was an "experiment" as she's running of space for wall hangings. D: This is a great setting for those hexie blocks. S: I love the rich reds against those deep gray-greens and yellow-greens. The information on this quilt says that "Perseverence" was made by Merry Ann Rothe and quilted by Donna Scofield. The pattern is from "Quilts from Grandmother's Garden" by Jaynette Huff. This is a delightful quilt and the quilting makes it come alive. D: I love Stephanie Brandeburgs panels – I like how this quiltmaker broke up the panel. S: Carol Pope made "My Summer Garden" by using a 22 by 44" panel because she liked its shape and design. Her quilt was quilted by Donna Scofield (I hope I read that right; the label was pretty blurry...). I am always amazed when people can take something like this big panel and have the confidence to slice it up and add some long pieced and printed strips. It's wonderful! D: Great bargello quilt – I love the addition of the leaves in the border. S: You're right Denise - this is a great combination of a contemporary bargello design and a set of classic pieced blocks. Don't you love the little green piping between the outer border and the binding? Little additions like that make the difference between a good quilt and a great quilt. And the quilting is wonderful, with feathers ruffling their way across the bargello and a great leaf shape on the maple leaves. D: And the quilting ideas I find at shows! S: I have so much to learn! Denise is right - the quilting is phenomenal and offers lots of unique ideas for quilting; it changes from feathers to pumpkin seeds to cross-hatching without missing a beat. "Pottery II" was entered by Linda Humphrey, who says this was a "pass around" project of the Sew Bee It Bee. Linda made the center block and then passed it to each bee member to add a border. Other bee members include Helen Ridgway, Anita Crane, Holly Nelson, Marilyn Lampman, Ro Molder, Isabelle Tolliver, and Marvene Wallace. The finished quilt is 38 by 21 inches. And it won a Judge's Choice ribbon! D: Amazing quilting! S: Absolutely. Great ideas here! D: Gorgeous quilting! S: Ditto! This quilt, called "Walking Home," was made by Julie Schlichting. D: Awesome quilting! S: Tremendous! This 16 by 18 inch quilt, called "Desert Hills," was made by Jane Kutach. It was inspired by a workshop with Karen Eckmeier in 2012. D: More quilting to love! S: I do! D: Quilting! S: This is a great example of how to fill a square without just doing "doodling" in it! D: And these were just fun quilts; the colors are probably what draws me in. Love the colors for the Wild Goose Chase – a pattern by quiltworx.com. S: I was attracted to the design (how did they do those flying geese -- I would assume paper piecing?). And I love that diagonal border! D: Love the color in this one too! Great block! S: Yes - this block is incredible, both in the body of the quilt and in the border. My bucket list has a Lemoyne Star quilt in it.... hand pieced with 3 or 4 inch stars.  D: Isn't this little mini pretty? S: I love the rich reds and greens. This quilt is another round robin quilt, with each person (Marvene Wallace - owner - and Anita Crane, Linda Humphrey, Marilyn Lampman, Ro Molder, Holly Nelson, Helen Ridgeway, and Isabella Tolliver) adding a border. The entire process took 8 months to complete. That's dedication! D: Bright and colorful... S: Yes - and a lot of work! D: I love the poppies on this grey scale quilt (that's hubby in the photo). S: This is another beauty! Kerrville has some pretty wonderful quilters in its midst! D: This was a group quilt. They started with a photo, cut it apart. Each member of the group was given a section of the photo to reproduce in cloth - and now you see the quilt put back together. I think this would be really fun to do - what do you think? S: These quilts have always intrigued me. I see them all the time in the Group Quilt category at the Houston quilt show... and they are stunning! This quilt is called "Infinity Interrupted" and was made by Wanna Bee members. D: See the seams? This shows where each member's work was added! D: I am not usually a fan of T-shirt quilts - but this one I love! This was a wonderful t-shirt quilt! S: I agree Denise -- I love the random way the t-shirts were added. D: And of course, I left the BEST for the last - Best of Show went to this beautiful quilt - this pattern is Ladies of the Sea by Sue Garman. Sue is a friend of mine and she was working on this quilt when we travelled to Brigham City, Utah, a few years back. If I remember correctly, the compass corner stones were inspired by some wall art in the facility where she was teaching (I went as her helper because I am originally from Utah). It is a marvel to watch Sue work - she is AMAZING! I hope Sue will enjoy the substitution this quilt maker made to the original quilt. The submarine honors a family member if I remember correctly. D: (Here is a) substitution to the original quilt (which is all tall ships). S: What a gorgeous rendition of this pattern! I love when people personalize quilts and make them speak to themselves or their families or their experiences. It makes the quilt extra special -- and the USS Carbonero is a great substitute for another historic ship! UPDATE! Thanks go to Susan Longacre who Chaired the Quilts in Motion Quilt Show of the Hill Country Quilt Guild in Kerrville, Texas. She sent me some additional information on this quilt. The maker of this quilt is Barbara Woodman, a very accomplished quilter, formerly of Uvalde and now living in Kerrville. She won ribbons for: First Place in Category, Best of Show (large), and Viewer's Choice. The most heartfelt information is that Barbara made this quilt for her husband who served on the USS Carbonero submarine but, unfortunately, he died before she finished the quilt. This quilt is such a beautiful legacy for Barbara and her family - and I thank her for sharing it with other quilters. D: Scrumptious quilting! S: Boy, you've got that right! I'm so sorry I don't know the maker and quilter's name for this quilt -- it is SO well done! D: I hope you enjoy my tour of the Kerrville Quilt Show and if you are in the area for Memorial Day weekend in 2015, you should add this show to your list of activities. S: Absolutely! What a great set of quilts - and definitely a beautiful town to visit! Thanks, Denise, for sharing -- I appreciate your friendship so much. Isn't it great that quilters seem able to make friends with complete strangers in a heartbeat? That's what happened with Mary Clendennen when I met her a few years ago. We bumped into each other at the Houston quilt show and she was so excited that I had gone over to Austin to see their quilt show and her quilt had just won best of show and I featured it in my blog back then. She is just the sweetest person you could ever hope to meet -- and we parted, saying we ought to get together some time. So here we are, a few years later... and we bumped into each other at two more quilt shows... and she again invited me to come visit her for a few days. Below is her quilt, "Ruffled Roses," based on the pattern I wrote for Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims' on "The Quilt Show." I just love the fabrics in it - all from an Elly Sienkiewicz line. But most of what makes this quilt so wonderful is Mary's exquisite piecing. I've never seen such precision! Here is a close-up of her quilt -- take a look at the piecing, but also the quilting (done by Angela McCorkle). Quilting can make or break a quilt, and Mary is certainly fortunate to have found someone who knows the craft well. By the way... Mary doesn't applique (yet), so she had a friend prepare the pieces for her and then appliqued the prepared units in place. She's determined to learn applique in the future. And so..... last week, I headed over to Marble Falls. Mary lives on her ranch along the Colorado River, which, when combined with the sweet blessings of Mary's warmth, hospitality, and friendship, gave me a piece of heaven on earth. I spent several days with Mary and her friend Marcie Wendrock and some others -- sewing, learning, relaxing, and enjoying my first time away from home in several years. It was a sweet breath of fresh air.  Watching Mary work was an inspiration, in itself. Check out one of the blocks she had made: Do you want to know why it was such a joy to see her work? Because she is the QUEEN of precision piecing. I learned that I need to pick up my pace if I want my blocks to be as good as Mary's. But wait! Wait! There's more! Check out the back of her block. Look how she works to press the seams open! It was a great "light bulb moment" for me to see her block from the underside. It's perfection, plus! No wonder her quilts look so great. When I arrived, here is the quilt Mary was working on. She finished adding the final two borders while I was there, and was on to other projects. You can probably guess, by seeing the block above, why Mary's quilt lies perfectly flat. Some of the gals were working on Jo Morton quilts.... And Marcie was designing and working on a brand new quilt based on an antique. I fell in love with it and can't wait for the pattern to be done. You'll have to wait to see it... but the wait will be worth it!!!! One of the women there showed some quilts -- here is an antique spools quilt... And a close-up of it... And Zell Cook's quilts were stunning - she does a lot of quilts using tsukineko inks and embroidery - here's one with very detailed embroidery work in it. And a close-up of one of Zell's blocks... Now that I've finished sharing all those photos, one of you might be asking... but what are YOU working on, Sue? I've been working on lots of different things... and have no photos to share this month. Hang in there - they will show up soon enough. And I think you'll be glad I've kept busy, busy, busy, getting my next quilts ready. Several of you asked how they could find out what my lecture/workshop schedule is. Here is an incomplete list; where the location is undisclosed, it is because the group has asked that they be the first to announce me coming: June 15, 2013 - Lakeview Quilters Guild, Nassau Bay, Texas - precision piecing workshop June 29, 2013 - Sugarland Applique Society, Sugarland, Texas - applique workshop July 1, 2013 - Baytown Area Quilt Guild, Baytown, Texas - lecture July 15-16, 2013 - Hill Country Quilt Guild, Kerrville, Texas - lecture and feathered star workshop August 5, 2013 - Piecemaker Quilt Guild, Corsicana, Texas - lecture October 7-12, 2013 - location undisclosed; lecture and several days of applique workshops October 17-20, 2013 - Greenbriar retreat center, Athens, Texas - lecture, feathered star workshop, applique workshop Late October/early November - reserved for the International Quilters Association quilt show, Houston, Texas Winter, 2014 - 4-5 day personal workshop in my home, demonstrating design, process, etc. February 23-27, 2014 - Applique Away on Galveston Bay, Galveston, Texas - two 2-day applique workshops March 5, 2014 - Coastal Prairie Quilt Guild, Missouri City, Texas - lecture and workshop May 20-21, 2014 - Marble Falls Quilt Club, Marble Falls, Texas - lecture and workshop June 4, 2014 - Alvin Quilt Guild, Alvin, Texas - lecture June 24-25, 2014 - Ozark Piecemakers, Springfield, Missouri - lecture and workshop August 21, 2014 - Pride of Prairie Quilters, Naperville, Illinois - lecture and workshop September 17, 20, 2014 - West Houston Quilt Guild, Houston, Texas - lecture and workshop September 9-14, 2014 - location undisclosed; lecture and several days of applique workshops October 25+, 2014 - reserved for the International Quilters Association quilt show, Houston, Texas April or May, 2015 - Northwest Suburban Quilters Guild, northwest Chicago, Illinois - details to be determined June 18-20, 2015 - Trinity Valley Quilt Guild and Denton Quilt Guild, Dallas area, Texas - lectures and workshops Late October/early November - reserved for the International Quilters Association quilt show, Houston, Texas Much of my time over the past two months has been spent preparing for these workshops. I like to have plenty of examples of how to do things, including options for those who want a simpler or more unique option. Perhaps we'll get to meet at one of these events in the future! One more thing before I close. I am struggling with a creativity block. I want to start a new quilt - probably a block of the month - and cannot seem to focus on anything that really grabs me. So... what have you been looking for, what is your favorite type of quilt to make, what would you like to see me design? I'll listen to any ideas you have! Happy stitching - Sue (c)2013 Susan H. Garman 

Whitework Sampler www.therabbitfactory.com

Have you been pinning lately, or have you been fighting the flu virus? It's been the latter for the Marcotte group. Everyone, except Richard and me, has had the flu. They just keep spreading it around to each other. While I didn't get the flu, I got flu duty. All of the kids--no matter what age they are--were laid up for three full days. In fact, I was really concerned about Lane. I didn't see him move. Bathroom, no. Water, no. Sprite, no. Gatorade, no. Medicine, no. Whining, no. I'll assume that he did some of that. Maybe he did all of it. I just didn't see him move. I'd go look in on him, and he may have changed position, but it was barely perceptible. It's unnerving to watch your grandson for signs of life. So pinning was not on the priority list, let alone at the top. But I have some improv quilts that I haven't shown you from my "heart, quilts" board. Here you are.... And there are my pins from

I am working on a Bucket List quilt this week! A traditional Flowering Snowball Quilt has been on my "want to make" list since 2012 when I fell in love with (and made one block) from the Fat Quarterly

The oh my gosh quilt.

Hi all! It's great to be back with an interview with the very talented Kathy Doughty of Material Obsession fame. Kathy and I had a nice chat (via email—Australia and the United States are not entirely compatible for phone calls) about bands, kids, places we've lived, oh, and quilts too! Kathy's books, quilts, and blog are filled with gorgeous fabrics and stunning photography. She taught me to look at my stash in an entirely new way, often with dynamic results! What are you working on now? My studio is full of projects! On one wall I have a quilt using my current fabric collection with Free Spirit called Flock Together made with frames of 2 1/2" hexagons and big medallion prints… on another wall I have a small work in progress using Liberty Fabrics and 1" hexagons! In a corner is a quilt inspired by an antique quilt made by Mrs. Hannaford, a quilter from long ago in Australia. On my cutting desk are five new Creative Grid rulers that I am aching to play with, and in the TV room are the final blocks of Bride and Bloom, a block-of-the-month sample I am making and need to finish!!! If I keep thinking I’ll come up with more started projects!!! Do you have a favorite quilt you've made? Yes… well actually there are several that I refer to as my favorite, sort of like Sophie’s Choice. When we make a quilt it is filled with the desire to express an idea, and it is hard to decide which is more important. However, I’d say Gypsy Kisses, a foundation-pieced Wedding Ring–style block that defines my aesthetic, but I also love Hope Hammock which is in Mixing Quilt Elements . It is a hexagon quilt that I started when I learned I had breast cancer. When I look at it I see my strength and ability to persevere despite obstacles. Do you have a favorite quilt you own (not made by you?) Once, many years back, I “taught” a group of crazy quilters we referred to as Cut Loose. They were traditional quilters looking for new ideas, and we had a blast working together. I’d set a challenge, and they would all go and make a quilt in a month. Together we made a quilt in the style of Gee’s Bend, and I love that for the memory and the style. What's on your Quilter's Bucket List? Time. I want to wake up, walk in my studio, and sew with wild abandon to my favorite radio station, Triple J. No deadlines, no objectives, no restrictions… just me and my glorious stash. That sounds like heaven! Anything non-quilt related on your bucket list? Practicing yoga every day. And just for fun, here's some lightning round questions about how you quilt: Barefoot or shoes? Weirdly, shoes. Quiet or music/movie/tv/podcast? Music!!! Salty or sweet? Salty!! Self taught or schooled? Self taught. Planned or scrappy? Scrappy. Perfect or done? Done… I hate even the word perfect and all it implies. Kathy, thanks so much for your time. Your quilts and your story are truly inspirational! Heather Kojan is a quilt teacher, lecturer, and author living in Baltimore, MD. She's the founder of the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild and a contributing author to Classic Modern Quilts. You can read more about her quilting life on her blog www.heatherkojan.com. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

This is a simple Cathedral Windows quilt tutorial that uses circles and is also Quilt As-You-Go! I really enjoyed making this quilt – it’s refreshing to make something different from yo…

In response to my guild’s challenge, I designed "Bucket List" in EQ8. I created several embellishments including 3-D flying geese chronologically documenting the quilt style and completion date of a

Fernweh Quilt Pattern Release - Southern Charm Quilts - My quilt pattern releases By Melanie Traylor of Southern Charm Quilts

New York Beauty quilts are a style of quilt with broken circles and rays. They resemble the motif of the Statue of Liberty and Chrysler Building

A Dresden plate is not your typical quilt block, but it doesn't mean they are hard! Continue reading for an easy tutorial to make your own.

Okay. Have you ever felt like George Jetson, screaming "Jane! Stop this crazy thing!"? Man, oh, man, do I ever relate. The last 2 weeks ...

A FEW WORDS ABOUT KAREN H PATTERNS Several of my patterns are FREE! Please do not sell or reproduce my Faeries and Fibres Patterns without my written permission. However you are more than welcome to post a link to my blog so that others can access them. I put a great deal of time and energy into my free quilt patterns. I hope you will use my pattern to make a quilt. If you do I would love to see the finished quilt. Thank you and happy sewing! Karen H 81 The Giant Monstrosity by Karen H Available on Craftsy for $10 US Cherry Blossom Quilt Pattern by Karen H Available on Craftsy - $5.00 US Baskets and Nine Patches Quilt Pattern by Karen H Pattern will be available on Craftsy - $5 US Orange Crush Quilt Pattern by Karen H Available on Craftsy - FREE PATTERN Quilting Bees Mini Quilt Pattern by Karen H Pattern available on Craftsy for $5.00 US Finishes at 12 1/2" square Value Proposition Quilt Pattern by Karen H This 60 page booklet covers everything from fabric selection, rapid fire cutting techniques, basting, sewing and assembly. Included is a master template for the paper hexagons. Available on Craftsy - $10 US Ottoman Pincushion Available on Craftsy - $3.00 US Hexagon Flower Pincushion Pattern by Karen H Available on Craftsy - $3.00 US Hexagon Pincushion Pattern by Karen H Available on Crafsty - FREE PATTERN Easier Than Pie & Beyond - Book 1 Available on Craftsy - $5.00 US Easier Than Pie & Beyond - Book 2 Available on Craftsy - $5.00 US Easier Than Pie & Beyond - Book 3 Available on Craftsy - $5.00 US Easier Than Pie & Beyond - Book 4 Available on Craftsy - $5.00 US Easier Than Pie & Beyond - Book 5 Available on Craftsy - $5.00 US

It's time for another blog hop featuring the newest lines from Island Batik! Starting today the Island Batik Ambassadors will be showing their skill and creativity by making a quilt using New York Beauty blocks and the bundle of fabric we received from Island Batik! New York Beauty quilts are on a lot of quilter's bucket lists apparently, I know I love them, and was excited for the opportunity and challenge of making a quilt using this showstopping block! As always, Island Batik is sponsoring giveaways each week, and many of the ambassadors will be as well. This week, you have the chance to win these lovely bundles: a Rafflecopter giveaway Here is the schedule and a peek at the new lines! Some gorgeous fabrics here! June 6: Gail Sheppard, Quilting Gail Elizabeth DeCroos, Epida Studio June 7: Reed Johnson, Blue Bear Quilts Andi Stanfield, True Blue Quilts June 8: Sandra Starley, Textile Time Travels June 9: Jennifer Fulton, Inquiring Quilter Mania Hatziioannidi, Mania for Quilts June 10: Blog Hop Round-Up Week 1 and Giveaway June 13: Jennifer Thomas, Curlicue Creations Maryellen McAuliffe, Mary Mack Made Mine June 14: Pamela Boatright, Pamela Quilts Anorina Morris, Samelia’s Mum June 15: Michelle Roberts, Creative Blonde Gifts Lisa Pickering, Lisa’s Quilting Passion June 16: Denise Looney, For the Love of Geese Connie Kauffman, Kauffman Designs June 17: Blog Hop Round-Up Week 2 and Giveaway June 20: Claudia Porter, Create with Claudia Brianna Roberts, Sew Cute and Quirky June 21: Gail Renna, Quilt Haven Threads Preeti Harris, Sew Preeti Quilts June 22: Megan Best, Bestquilter Leah Malasky, Quilted Delights June 23: Suzy Webster, Websterquilt Emily Leachman, The Darling Dogwood June 24: Blog Hop Round-Up Week 3 and Giveaway June 27: Jane Hauprich, Stitch by Stitch Custom Quilting Brenda Alburl, Songbird Designs June 28: End of Blog Hop and Final Round-Up

Patterns (you may be directed to an outside link) Free Tutorials Sewing Techniques

As Quilters we all have quilts to make on our bucket list. I personally have probably 2 pages of bucket list quilts to make, but I just don...

Giant xPlus Block with Bonus HST Tutorial This Tutorial variation was inspired by: Amy/badskirt 8" which she credits inspiration to Setsuko Inagawa's quilt and original block attributed to Nancy Cabot. Brenda/Just a Bit Frayed 12.5" Rossie/Fresh Modern Quilts Mega xPlus flickr group Japanese + and X along Me & My Mixed Scale xPlus Top 12.5" blocks Mixed with 24" blocks A few weeks ago my picture caught a lot of attention on flickr and comments on a recent blog post so when Leanne at She Can Quilt invited me to be part of the FAL Q3 Guest Tutorials, it was perfect timing. I've only written a tutorial twice before; Polaroids and Tassels and have never been a guest blogger - so if all of this seems a bit rough around the edges you'll know why! Thanks for having me, Karen 24" Block Cut List: Plus Center = Two 4.5"x 4.5"and One 4.5"x12.5" Plus End Tabs = Two 6.5"x 4.5" and Two 4.5"x6.5" (or Four 4.5"x 6.5 if non-directional) Background = Eight 6.5"x6.5" X = Four different fabrics, each 10.5"x10.5" (fussy and non-fussy instructions given below) all seams 1/4. all seams ironed open. the FABRIC Grouping Audition and Decide on Fabric Placement The look of the block varies greatly based on your choices, so have fun deciding what goes where! Another Fabric Grouping Sample Take a picture for reference later, especially if you are chain sewing several blocks at the same time. the PLUS Plus Center Cut Two 4.5"x 4.5" and One 12.5"x4.5" for the Plus from the same fabric. Above you can see a fussy and a non-fussy version. Plus Ends Cut Two 4.5"x6.5" and Two 6.5"x4.5" for the Plus End Tabs of the same fabric if your fabric is directional like the sample below. Later, you'll also need to pay attention to orientation during assembly OR you can cut Four 4.5"x6.5 of non-directional fabric stacked like the picture above. the FUSSY X Using a 12.5" square ruler, cut a visual guide out of tracing paper 5.5" wide. Draw a line down the center. Place it on the mat using the 45 degree line & vertical reference (see arrows). Cut one tip. Cut the First Guide Tip Reposition the ruler on the tracing paper at the 10.5" line shown below with red arrows and at the center line on the guide shown below with a green circle. Cut the second tip. Remember that this is not a cutting template, but rather a visual guide for the X portion of the block. Cut the Second Guide Tip Mark the center of the guide and tape it to your ruler. Play around with the fabric pattern repeats until you find what you like. Because the block is Jumbo, you can highlight special larger scale prints. Cut the two sides where your tracing paper is at the ruler edge, shown at the top of the photo above. Reposition the ruler and cut the other two sides to get a fussy 10.5"x 10.5" square. the NON-Fussy X option Cut a stack of 10.5" squares. I prefer the look of mixing fussy and non fussy x segments together. the BACKGROUND Cut Eight 6.5"x6.5" Background. For a high contrast, pick something that is similar to your Plus Center fabric and different from your X and Plus Ends fabric since they will touch. Draw a line down the center of the wrong side of the background squares tip to tip and another 1/2" from it on the outer side only. These will be your STITCH lines. Align the background squares with the edge of the x square and put one pin where they overlap and one pin near each outer point to help keep things in place. Chain piece all of the center lines on one side, then the center lines on the other side. Do the same for the outer lines. Easy as 1, 2, 3, 4. The bonus half square triangle are well worth the second pass because they're so large. Cut 1/4" from the center line right between the two stitch lines. Here are the X parts once the background bonus half square triangles have been trimmed off. Press seams open being careful not to stretch or distort the square because they are now on the bias. Close Up on one fussy cut X segment the ASSEMBLY Sew a 6.5"x4.5" Plus End to the left and right of the Plus Center 4.5"x12.5". Sew a 4.5"x6.5" Plus End to the Plus Center 4.5"4.5" and repeat to make two. Refer to the numbers and picture above, pressing open seams between each step: Sew an x segment to each side of the vertical Plus, repeat to make two. Sew the horizontal seams #3 & #4 and you're done! During the final assembly steps I pin the ends and along the joints but I don't stress about perfect joints. the BONUS HSTs Measuring just shy of 6", these are totally usable parts for another project and you get eight from each block with little extra effort. I will probably clean up them to 5.5" before sewing them together. the SAMPLES Sample of a lower contrast background. Sample of using all very similar X and Plus Ends Four 12.5" blocks sewn together join nicely to the 24" blocks. Another shot of my Mixed Scale xPlus Top

On 3 August Nicole Calver (of Snips Snippets) and I will be kicking off the Jen Kingwell’s Gypsy Wife Quilt Sew-along. Jen...

I don't know if you have a "quilting bucket list", but I sure do! And a cathedral window quilt was at the top of that list! There's something so elegant and perplexing about how they're constructed and I always love a good challenge of figuring things out and stretching my skills and this quilt did just that! I first d

Learn about Pamela Goeke Dinndorf’s beautiful art to play with color and stripes - showcased through 12 projects in her book Parallel Lines.

This quilt went home today. I really enjoyed myself on this kimono shaped quilt that belongs to Jerry. Sit back and enjoy the show. I used both new and older elements with the quilting: another c…

Here are some of the quilts I have made over the past twelve years of teaching workshops. Also, please refer to my page on the Jane Austen Quilt Collection for extensive photographs of those quilts. "Ashbourne Mill" Detail: "Aura" "Bloomin' Logs" "Cherry Ripe" Detail: "Canobalas" (Bargello) "Florentine" "Flowers from Chelsea" "Fragrant Flowers" "Heartstrings" "Henrietta" "Mansfield Park" "Marrakesh" (Whack and Stack Dresden Fans) "Millefiori" (Whack and Stack Triangles) Detail: "Navaho Star" "Ode to the Rose" "Pennsylvania" Detail: "Rose Rhapsody" Detail: "Sakura" (Reversible Quilt-as-you-go Log Cabin) Floral Side: Indigo Side: "Spikes and Specks" Details: "The Way Ahead" (Foundation Piecing) Detail: "Yuletime Stars"

This is the quilt in five big chunks. Here it is after I have sewn the big chunks together and completed the top. It's going to be a...

Mrs Billings is one of my favourite antique quilts of all time. The original is a stunning masterpiece created by a very talented seamstress at the end of the 1700's and early 1800's. The original maker is unknown but her quilt lives on. There have been many variations made from the detailed pattern I have written and here for you to see are a very small sample! These quilts have been created by Mary, Laurie, Sue, Josephine and Joan. They are all amazing! Would you like to create your very own Mrs Billings? I will be teaching a two day workshop this April at AQC (The Australian Quilt Convention) here in Melbourne, Thursday 16th and Friday 17th. Visit here for more information and class vacancies.

We have a monthly bucket list challenge over on Cbees. This month is flying geese. The purpose of the bucket list is to broaden your methods or techniques with a selected skill. If you want to join in the fun, you can join the group HERE . It is important to know that Cbees is a sister 'activity' list of Cyberquilters, so you must be a member of Cyberquilters first, before you can join Cbees. Now, stay calm. I know you are joining two yahoo groups, but they are some of the best quilting groups on the internet and membership is FREE ! LOL I'm tempted to say they ARE THE BEST quilting groups, but I also want to avoid receiving any hate mail from members of other groups. Okay, so I've been working hard, stitching bits and pieces into my Dizzy Geese piece. This is only the center of my piece. I know, it doesnt look like it should be two days worth of work. But, hey, this center piece finishes at 6-1/2 inches square. So, you're more impressed now? LOL Now, back to the borders. I'm anxious to get this done because I have other projects that I feel ready to get started. So have a Happy Day and see you soon.