Some people take my umbrella class and then can’t remember how they did the tips when they go home and make the second umbrella. Or, they purchase the umbrella and pattern but the tips have them perplexed. Well, it isn’t hard, but it’s the part of the umbrella instruction that usually needs the most explanation. So, I am putting photos of the step by step process here. When you have

I love the book “Pat the Bunny”. It’s a toddler book. Little kids and babies love texture. You often see them crawl over to something and scratch with their little fingers to feel the surface. Or, when you’re holding them, they rub their little fingers on surfaces to get the feel and the comfort. There is definitely something about growing their little brain cells that is involved with tactile sensations.

There are times when I love a particular layer cake and I don’t know what to do with it. Even when I love a particular fabric, and I can see that it would bring me joy for years, often I can’t picture it in any quilt. That’s when the always dependable hourglass design is useful. I have made several of these quilts because they’re beautiful, and work well with most

I have been doing a lot of teaching these days. That’s how it goes in the summer. I tend to do one on one teaching of children for several reasons. For one, I like to give them undivided attention. Where hot irons and sewing machines are concerned, you have to watch them like a hawk. Secondly, when I advertise classes for children at particular times, hoping to get 2 or

As you certainly know, I am in love with sewing. Any sewing (except hemming and alterations…oh, and throw in sewing buttons back on). I am not really sure when this all started. Perhaps it was when new deals were reached with foreign industry. Anyone could walk into a Wal-Mart or K-Mart and purchase a pair of pants for yourself or your kid and unbelievably low prices. I remember looking at

Today I would like to talk about making pillow forms in a simple but very decorative manner. Certainly, you could just cut out the size squares that you would need to cover the pillow, sew them right sides together, insert the pillow and stitch it the fabric closed. If you do that, what you end up with is something that cannot be easily removed to be laundered, and something that

These shorts are just so cute. They totally remind me of the sunsuits from the 50s and 60s. My sister Kathy had such bad allergies that in every home movie we had there she was…running around with a handkerchief pinned to her sunsuit. We all wore these. These are classic. I found several bubble shorts patterns online. I downloaded 2 of them. This is the first one I tried. The

Improvisation is a word that is often reserved for improvisational quilting, improv Theatre, improv comedy. We have become accustomed to think of it in those terms. With so many gadgets at our disposal, we sometimes forget that our mothers and grandmothers had to improvise all of the time. Have you ever had one of those days where you look at some design element or decorative piece in your house, and

So we are cleaning out our cabin on the bluffs above the Mississippi. For those of you that are not familiar with Southwestern Wisconsin, it is one of the most beautiful areas of our country. Right here, in Wisconsin? Are you kidding? No, I am not. If you’ve never visited the Driftless Area of Wisconsin, you need to go. Now. Don’t delay. You will find a magical place that time

Everyone loves these fun, easy, throw or baby blankets. They are always one of the first thing people notice when they come into the shop. They always ask how to make the mitered corner, and, how are these made anyway? So, I have decided to have a demo day. These are fun to make, and there’s a little trick to the miter. However it doesn’t take a full class to