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...]
How to quilt spirals
Here are some of my latest projects. As you see, in the center there is an octagon ... ... and a dodecagon (a polygon with 12 sides). Notice the quilting; it looks like concentric shapes: quilting lines that follow the shape of the center design, stitched at the same distance one from another. You may like this too: Pillow corner trick. But it is not concentric shapes - … [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...]
A quilting tip
One of my latest quilts was a long table runner; it was so fun to sew it (pattern here)... I did a quick and easy quilting, and then it was the time to photograph it. I tried to align one of its long edges with a long line of my floor, and to my surprise, I could not do it, because the edge of my quilt wasn't straight! Obviously, I did not square it up perfectly, but there was one more reason … [Read more...]
Acorn block pattern
I have a gift for you! Autumn has so many beautiful colors, why not bring them into our homes and keep them for awhile? I made an acorn block; twice- because I was not happy with the first version and I changed it. Here is! It measures 11'' x 18'' and you can add borders from one of the fabrics used and make a pillow. Or if you have more fabrics, sew a few and make a bigger … [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...]
How to add borders to EPP quilt projects
Have you seen my latest quilt? It is made using the English paper piecing technique. It was such a joy to sew the top...But at the end, I wanted it bigger so I thought to add borders. But how to do it? How to combine EPP with machine piecing? At first I was in panic - no idea how to do it... ... but then I found a technique that works really well! If this is a first for you, too, … [Read more...]
There is always a solution!
Design too complicated for machine piecing? You can always sew it by hand! English paper piecing is a blessing for designs too intricate to be sewn by machine. What do you think about this design? I confess at first I wanted to sew it by machine and I gave up immediately. Now that I made it by hand, I made one more try to sew it by machine and gave up again! This time because I could not … [Read more...]
Tips for sewing vinyl/faux leather
I am in love with my reverse applique technique (see some patterns here) so I thought to use it for bags too, not only for quilts. It works wonderfully with vinyl/faux leather, as it does not fray. These are my first tries - more designs are in the works. I copied the design on fusible web and then I fuse it to the back of the faux leather - YES, you can do that! Just don't use the … [Read more...]
Pillow corner trick
We sew a square pillow cover but the finished pillow is not square at all! It could look like this... or this... or this... What's wrong with these pillows? The sides curve in toward the center, changing the original shape of the pillow; the pillow insert will not be able to fill completely the corners. The result - floppy corners, known as "dog ears". Sometimes the issue … [Read more...]