Every year I make ornament stars and this year I have learned a new trick and I am glad to share it with you! Also, this year I have created a new star ornament pattern, for a 6-point star. The older pattern (for an 8-point star) is wonderful... ... but the 6-point star has a few advantages: you finish it quicker, it requires less fabric but most importantly: if you want to make … [Read more...]
Zigzag fun and a quilting tip
One-strip zigzag...Yes, the fabric you use matters. Two-strip zigzag... Three-strip zigzag... Why not a four-strip zigzag? If you bought the pattern, you know the technique and you can use it in so many ways! I just had to make a sample using a gradation fabric (Gelato). I had fabric only for this piece... I quilted straight lines with the walking foot... … [Read more...]
Half square triangles – a tip and some formulas
Any quilter knows how to make half square triangles (HST), and there are several techniques that you can use, depending on the number of units you need and the size of initial squares you have on hand. You can make 2, 4 and even 8 units at once- obviously, for 8 units you need bigger squares than for 2 units. I needed sets of 4 HSTs made from the same fabrics so I used the technique that makes … [Read more...]
10 Quilting Mistakes I made as a beginner and how to avoid them
As long as we quilt, we make mistakes but fortunately, we learn best from mistakes. But some mistakes can be avoided, that's why I thought to share with you some of mine! Some of them are from my first months of quilting, so if you are a beginning quilter, I hope you will find something helpful. 1. Not pre-washing, starching and pressing fabric before starting a project. It looks like an … [Read more...]
Quick Christmas Quilts and a Trick!
These are my new quick Christmas quilts- patterns here. You see they come in pairs... It was DOUBLE FUN but NOT DOUBLE WORK! The designs and the techniques I used just REWARD you with applique pieces for a second quilt- without any effort from your part, without additional fabric or time. All you need is one more background fabric. The pieces are small - 14'', and SO … [Read more...]
English Paper Piecing Tips
Who doesn't love a few English paper piecing tips? Here is what I learned only from sewing these little samples for my pattern Summer Sorbet : a patchwork pattern that includes 3 designs for English paper piecing. Pre-washing fabric It is best to pre-wash the fabric for English paper piecing; you want to be able to easily fold and crease the fabric over the paper. A crisp fabric will … [Read more...]
How to sew faux trapunto
Do you quilt with two layers of batting? For this quilt-as-you-go quilt I used for some blocks cotton+a fluffy polyester batting and this gives such a wonderful definition to my quilting. But this time I wanted to use cotton+wool and I wanted to mimic the trapunto look without stitching trapunto. So here is a small faux-trapunto sample. I traced the design on fabric and outlined it several … [Read more...]