Recently I came across a post called Anomaly, which I wrote when I last sewed an Ikat quilt. It was during that peculiar year (2018) during which my family was quietly researching possibilities for a permanent move abroad. Freshened with the benefit of (then private) background info and hindsight, I think you’ll enjoy this flashback post!
Read MoreIt’s happened to you too, I’m sure. You’re happily sewing, your mind relaxed, contented and open. Suddenly it strikes you that the scraps of your current work-in-progress are positively perfect fodder for a new idea, and you feel instinctively that it must be.
Read MoreOk, I am just having So Much Fun cutting these hexagons. Something about the shape makes every already-pretty fabric positively glow! Hope you’ll join us for Honeycomb Stars in October. You can sign up to sew-along now!
Read MoreA few mistakes or a sprinkling of irregularity are like a fingerprint. I was here. This was made by hand. Made for love and pleasure, and to be celebrated, warts and all.
Read MoreHappy September! I love this time of year - the return to routine after busy days of summer, sweaters and jeans, apple picking, leaves changing and gatherings around the fire. Here’s a collection of fun, modern quilts I’ve recently had the pleasure of longarm quilting.
Read MoreI confess that these blocks are a bit too similar for my tastes. Although I am using different fabrics, I get a strong sense of déjà vu each time I start a new one. At the moment my main satisfaction is that Aria loves watching her quilt grow!
Read MoreWeaving together my life as a maker and other spheres of life: Best of August, experimenting with new Email Options for Subscribers, 3 good books, celebrating your makes and feeling grateful for return to routine.
Read MoreRecently a Dutch woman journeyed to my home to bring a precious project years in the making - an Art Deco quilt. Well friends, I hadn’t seen anything like this before. Really I don’t think I could ever have imagined this quilt in my wildest dreams.
Read MoreThere’s everything magical about flowers. They are sunshine to the mind, food for the soul and inspiration to the eyes. What serendipity that I happen to be sewing with all the flowers, at this very moment.
Read MoreWhen I’m starting on a new block, I always begin by arranging all of the pieces in Ikat formation. It’s like building a puzzle, actually! Elora is learning to recognize the patterns of this patchwork, so she can help me set out the pieces.
Read MoreToday I’ll show a few of my recent favorites from Dashwood Studio available at sponsor shop Purple Stitches and then finish with a fun giveaway that is open worldwide!
Read MoreShall I start a second quilt? I think I shall! As we lean toward autumn in the northern hemisphere, I’m craving a quilt that’s layered and bohemian and lovely. I so often sew with helpful fabrics, those that have one main color. This quilt will be quite a departure from that. Exciting!
Read MoreSewing an Ikat block takes time. These are big blocks, finishing almost 20” square! The sewing is all very straightforward, but you want to watch your seam allowances so that everything fits together nicely.
Read MoreQ: I’m sending my quilt for long arming for the first time ever. Can you give me some examples of quilting density? What does open, medium or dense quilting look like?
Read MoreIf your quilt-in-progress has blocks that interact with each other you need some way to stay organized so that everything will match up at the end. Don’t have a design wall? No worries. Here’s how to easily organize your quilt project so it can be packed away, while keeping everything where it should be.
Read MoreThis quilt was always a sure thing, and that’s what made it perfect for vacation season. The combination of simple squares patchwork with a Rifle Paper bundle - what could be easier? It felt good to update my free Penny Patch resources, too.
Read MoreNotice that the sashing colors are white and taupe - two fairly similar shades. Even though some blocks have fairly strong contrast, the pools of low contrast in between create an overall gentle and peaceful vibe.
Read MoreContrast is a classic element of design, referring to the juxtaposition of differences: big vs. small, light vs dark, shiny vs matte. I use color and value contrast very often in my work. It’s one of the things that probably makes my quilts look like “me”.
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