Techniques + Tutorials

January 29, 2021 how to: quilt blocks•Quilt Block Building Basics•Techniques + Tutorials•tutorials

Two Methods for How to Make Half Rectangle Triangles

I’ve been working on a gazillion half rectangle triangles today. I have a new sampler quilt pattern coming...

January 8, 2021 how to: quilt blocks•Quilt Block Building Basics•ruler tutorial•Techniques + Tutorials

Half Rectangle Triangles – WITHOUT My Ruler – Video Tutorial

So last week I posted a brand new and improved video tutorial on how to make half rectangle triangles with my HRT ruler. Today though, I’m going to show you how to trim HRTs if a ruler is not in your budget. Find the HRT ruler here See the video tutorial and more detailed process of half rectangle triangles right here Today’s post is part of a series called Quilt Block Building Basics. Consider this a helpful visual and companion for any of my quilt patterns. Sometimes you just need to see it to understand it. ...

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January 1, 2021 how to: quilt blocks•Quilt Block Building Basics•ruler tutorial•Techniques + Tutorials

Half Rectangle Triangles – Explained – Video Tutorial

Today’s post is part of a series called Quilt Block Building Basics. Consider this a helpful visual and companion for any of my quilt patterns. Sometimes you just need to see it to understand it. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. Seems like last February when I published a video tutorial for how to use my Half Rectangle Triangle ruler. Since then, I’ve gotten better at using it. I’ve learned better ways of maneuvering and handy tricks to help myself out. This is what we are chatting about today! Find the ruler...

December 18, 2020 how to: quilt blocks•Quilt Block Building Basics•Techniques + Tutorials

How to Make a Pinwheel Block – Multiple Sizes – Video Tutorial

Today’s post is part of a series called Quilt Block Building Basics. Consider this a helpful visual and companion for any of my quilt patterns. Sometimes you just need to see it to understand it. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. We are chatting today about pinwheel blocks. I have a new quilt pattern coming, LaLa Fancy, and she has pinwheels in her. I thought I’d pop up a little tutorial to help you along the way. I’m also including a PDF pattern today, so that you’ll know how to make pinwheels...

October 28, 2020 applique•How to Make a Dresden Plate•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

How to Make a Dresden Plate – With Double Pointed Blades

Today’s post is part of a series called How to Make a Dresden Plate. There are no measurements included in these posts, but those should be found in the pattern you are following. Consider this a helpful visual and companion for any of my quilt patterns that feature Dresden plates. Sometimes you just need to see it to understand it. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. You’ll recognize this block from my Morning Sun quilt pattern. I’m currently rewriting the pattern and hoping to publish early November. You may think this is quicker...

July 31, 2020 applique•embroidery•How to Make a Dresden Plate•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

How to Make a Dresden Plate – Using Embroidery for Applique

Today’s post is part of a series called How to Make a Dresden Plate. There are no measurements included in these posts, but those should be found in the pattern you are following. Consider this a helpful visual and companion for any of my quilt patterns that feature Dresden plates. Sometimes you just need to see it to understand it. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. It might surprise you to know that the embroidery on the Dresden plate above didn’t take me too long. Less than an hour or two and...

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July 23, 2020 How to Make a Dresden Plate•how to: ruler tutorial•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

How to Make a Dresden Plate – Making and Topstitching a Dresden Plate

Today’s post is part of a series called How to Make a Dresden Plate. There are no measurements included in these posts, but those should be found in the pattern you are following. Consider this a helpful visual and companion for any of my quilt patterns that feature Dresden plates. Sometimes you just need to see it to understand it. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. Today’s post is about how to make and topstitch a Dresden plate. There’s a video tutorial included. If you’ve missed the tutorial on how to...

July 22, 2020 How to Make a Dresden Plate•how to: ruler tutorial•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

How to Make a Dresden Plate – Using a Dresden Ruler and Cutting Blades

Today’s post is part of a series called How to Make a Dresden Plate. There are no measurements included in these posts, but those should be found in the pattern you are following. Consider this a helpful visual and companion for any of my quilt patterns that feature Dresden plates. Sometimes you just need to see it to understand it. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. Today I’m showing you how to use a Dresden ruler and how to cut the pieces needed for a Dresden plate called blades. Before I show...

July 10, 2020 how to: quilt blocks•Quilt Block Building Basics•Techniques + Tutorials

Block Building Basics – How to Make 4-at-a-time Flying Geese

Today’s post is part of a series called Quilt Block Building Basics. There are no measurements included in these posts, but those should be found in the pattern you are following. Consider this a helpful visual and companion for any of my quilt patterns. Sometimes you just need to see it to understand it. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. We are chatting today about making flying geese units. If you’ve ever made my Little Miss quilt then you know this method already. It’s also used in Anthologie. What I like about...

June 18, 2020 applique•How to Make a Dresden Plate•quilt makers toolkit•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

Applique – Using Interfacing or Heat n Bond Adhesive

Since these two methods are so very similar, I decided to pop a video tutorial about both of them into the same post. Before we get to that though, let’s talk about each of them and I’ll tell you what I like about each one. Please note that these two methods are for RAW edge applique. Fusible Interfacing – I use Pellon 911 mid-featherweight. Find it in my shop here. The interfacing will fuse to the wrong side of your fabric. It’s a bit thicker than the adhesive, so if I’m appliqueing something light to something dark, I’m...

May 9, 2020 applique•English Paper Piecing•How to Make a Dresden Plate•How To: English Paper Piecing•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

How to Hand Applique

In this post, we are chatting about hand applique. I’m posting this during EPP week, but know that though many use hand applique with their English paper piecing, hand applique can stand all on it’s own. There is no end to all the shapes you can applique. So this tutorial doesn’t only apply to EPP. You can use this method for anything you wish to hand applique that has a finished and ready edge. Supplies for Hand Applique Clover thimble Applique needles Milliners needles Microquilter thread Snips I really love hand applique and...

May 8, 2020 English Paper Piecing•How To: English Paper Piecing•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

English Paper Piecing – How to Make a Hexie Flower

Today’s post is part of a week long series covering all things English paper piecing. This series is in effort to help you along while making the Oh Honey quilt. You’ll find the pattern available here. Visit our EPP shop section here. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. Hexie flowers are probably the most common of English paper piecing, but it doesn’t stop with these little flowers. There are so many incredible blocks, shapes and patterns out in the world. You should really go exploring and have a look around. I particularly like to...

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May 7, 2020 English Paper Piecing•How To: English Paper Piecing•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

English Paper Piecing – How to Whipstitch

Today’s post is part of a week long series covering all things English paper piecing. This series is in effort to help you along while making the Oh Honey quilt. You’ll find the pattern available here. Visit our EPP shop section here. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. We are getting into the nitty gritty now! Time to sew some hexagons together. I’m showing you how to whipstitch today. A few things before we get to the video. My method is not the only way, it’s just mine. There are many other methods you...

May 6, 2020 English Paper Piecing•How To: English Paper Piecing•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

English Paper Piecing – How to Sew Baste

Today’s post is part of a week long series covering all things English paper piecing. This series is in effort to help you along while making the Oh Honey quilt. You’ll find the pattern available here. Visit our EPP shop section here. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. We’re back! And today it’s all about sew basting. There are EPPers that prefer to sew baste and I was in this camp for several years. We’ve got a video tutorial to show you how to get this done. Bonus points because you get to use...

May 5, 2020 English Paper Piecing•How To: English Paper Piecing•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

English Paper Piecing – How to Glue Baste

Today’s post is part of a week long series covering all things English paper piecing. This series is in effort to help you along while making the Oh Honey quilt. You’ll find the pattern available here. Visit our EPP shop section here. To view all previous posts in this series, click here. Hello again! Are you ready to learn how to glue baste? Yay! Let me start this post out by saying that I was s l o w to give glue basting a try. I have sew basted so long and was so used to it and...

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April 27, 2020 how to: ruler tutorial•Quilt Block Building Basics•quilt makers toolkit•ruler tutorial•Techniques + Tutorials

I designed a ruler! The half rectangle triangle ruler + video tutorial

I have been waiting for this day for almost a year. I designed a ruler for making half rectangle triangles last year while in the midst of the Bad Girl quilt along. We were making all the HRTs with a paper template, do you remember? So one day I sat down in Illustrator with a notebook and made ever line, every number, exactly what you see in the picture above. It’s hard to believe that a file in my computer conjured up this tangible piece of acrylic. Can you tell I’m excited? I asked Havel’s Sewing to manufacturer...

November 12, 2019 How to: Binding•sewing finishes•Sponsored Posts•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

Gratitude + Something Gold + Video Tutorial for Chunky Stitch Binding

So many things to say today. It’s November and November is a month for giving gratitude. I have so many reasons to be thankful, family, friends, health and home, health of my loved ones. I could list these bits all day long, but this is a quilting blog and I try hard not to get off topic and ramble. You are here for quilting, I know. But I wanted to say that I am thankful for you just showing up here. I’m grateful that this business has been supporting me and my family for years and I have...

October 9, 2019 How to: Binding•Quilting Basics•Techniques + Tutorials•tutorials•video tutorial

Ditch Binding – Video Tutorial

I discussed this quite a bit in my Exploring Binding Methods post last Wednesday. Forgive me as I repeat myself a little bit on this post, but since this is a tutorial I want you to know all that I know and I don’t want to assume you read last week’s post or make you hop somewhere else if this is the first time you are tuning in. I machine bind like many quilters do, using a method that is in countless Youtube videos. You can see my “old” method here. I’ve since changed my method with the...

September 18, 2019 quilt makers toolkit•Techniques + Tutorials•video tutorial

The Quilt Maker’s Toolkit – Diagonal Seam Tape – SKIP Drawing Lines ( Video Tutorial )

Today’s post is a part of a series called The Quilt Maker’s Toolkit, showing and teaching about the products I use while I make my quilts. There are no products in this series that I do not use and use often, though sometimes my opinions may change as I grow and move along in my journey of quilt making. To view all posts in this series click here. Being excited about this product is an understatement. I’ve used washi tape for quite some time for the purpose of skipping drawing those lines for triangle points in my...

August 2, 2019 Finishing Your Quilt•How to: Binding•Techniques + Tutorials•tutorials•video tutorial

Finishing Your Quilt – Step 3 – Machine Binding – Video Tutorial

After you have completed your quilt top there are still three rather large tasks to complete before you have a quilt that’s ready for snuggling: Baste your quilt Free Motion Quilting and trim up Bind your quilt Today I’m showing you my method for binding my quilts that I’ve used for over ten years. It’s a machine binding and it’s very fast. As you know, I’ve been exploring the different methods of binding quilts, this is not part of that exercise. This is the same old method I always use. If you are waiting for the post...