Time to talk about how we are actually sorting fabric and fabric selection. This applies mostly to scrap quilting, but can be used for any type of quilt you want to make. I have a little decision tree that I use. This is what it looks like. My favorite color is orange, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t have blue or green moods every once in a while. Our

So you want to take the fear out of color selection for your quilts. Well, much of this discussion is going to focus around scrap quilting, but much of what I talk about will relate to all color selection for quilting. The biggest thing that customers ask for help with is color selection. There are so many schools of thought on color, that it will take a series of posts

Have you ever had a situation where you felt that no matter what, you couldn’t make the inside of a garment look neat and tidy? I was taught in my early years of sewing that the inside of the garment needed to look neat and tidy. In fact, I was a 4-Her. We entered our garments to be judged every summer at the county fair. If your garment was really

So, when I wrote my first book, this is one of the first blocks that I had created. I had known that I would use only 3 template sizes for all of my blocks–3 1/2”, 4 1/2” and 5 1/2”. They played so well together in terms of least common multiple, and how well they fit together in combinations of their half square triangles and more. Well, I came up

I just wanted a break from all the packaging orders and sewing things that I was “supposed” to be sewing. It’s January. I just wanted to break loose and sew something totally frivolous. What could be more frivolous than little zippy heart pouches? I want to fill these with candy. They’re little. So, you can’t really put a lot of candy into these. But, it’s perfect. They are small enough

I was always under the impression that hand applique was the gold standard amongst quilters. I still believe this is true. If you’re going to applique, then it should be done by hand. Wait–whoa! I don’t have a lifetime to make one quilt. There are some people that find this to be an activity of relaxation. I find it to be an activity of frustration. While it is true that

On Saturday February 2, Noon-3,  2019 the magnificent Kim Bates will be teaching the Jelly Roll Rug. We started with the rectangular one, instead of the oval one, because there are a little more functional. The rectangle one can be used at a bedside, sink, bathtub, or just as a decoration in front of your favorite chair. There are so many jelly rolls to choose from. Sign up for the

I went to Colorado last month. We went to Colorado Springs. While I was there I wanted to get cowboy boots. When I looked at the prices I decided that I didn’t really need them, but my granddaughter did. After all, who’s looking at me anyway? Well, I bought her the prettiest little red cowgirl boots ever. She’s 3. She is in less than the 20th percentile for size, weight,

I am still in the midst of secret sewing. I have been contracted for 2 more books, and so I will be embroiled in it for a while. I always bemoan the fact that everyone else can show what they’re quilting and I can’t. But the rewards are plenty when I can reveal what I have been keeping under wraps. I have been doing some quilting on my own little