how to: thoughts

July 8, 2020 how to: thoughts

Thoughts – Pep talk for New Quilters

Little Miss Sawtooth I show little snippets of my garden on IG here and there, but I think...

January 3, 2020 How to: Quilting•how to: thoughts

Thoughts About Quilting

I think it’s been a bit since I wrote a post that was only about some thoughts, but I used to do it often. Maybe I’ll bring that back. Today I just wanted to put some of my thoughts down on paper or just this web page. I am currently in a mood for quilting and a curiosity to know more, get better and be more versatile. For over ten years I have quilted almost every quilt I’ve made with a basic meander and it’s worked well for me. Lately though, especially after Tracy quilted last summer’s Bad...

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December 11, 2019 applique•how to: thoughts•work in progress

Thoughts on Hand Applique + Progress of Para Para Quilt

If you missed my previous post on Para Para, you can find it here. I’m back at it and hoping to finish by the week’s end. Fingers crossed. I’m always behind on my plans, but as you can see from above I’m pretty close to having a finished quilt top. What you don’t see in this picture, is that stool at the bottom that I’m teetering haphazardly on trying to get a flat lay picture from way too high. Ha! My design walls just can’t seem to hold this one. Thanks for showing up here today, let’s get...

December 4, 2019 how to: thoughts•work in progress

Work In Progress – Para Para Quilt – Beginnings + Why seams are off sometimes

Fabrics Pictured Field Suede – Alma – By Alexia Abegg Butterscotch – Spark – Melody Miller Cactus – Add it Up – By Alexia Abegg Add it Up – By Alexia Abegg Cotton Couture Solid in Quartz Pale Peach – Brushed – By Sarah Watts Sweetheart – Grunge – By Basic Grey Cotton Couture Solid in Gold Bleu – Grunge – By Basic Grey I’m working on a new quilt pattern. It’s called Para Para. It’s a modern sampler quilt and I’ve had my mind on this quilt most of this year. The idea came a year or...

October 25, 2019 all about scrappy•how to: thoughts•scrappy quilts

All About Scrappy Quilts

Next Wednesday, I’m releasing my first set of scrappy patterns called Scrappy Pattern Pack. With that pattern you get three limited quilt patterns: Trippy, Migration, and Tea Time. In preparation, I thought I’d post all about what a scrappy quilt is. I have found this is surprisingly different depending on who you talk to, but what I think we can all agree on is that it’s a quilt with way more different fabrics included then what a quilter would normally use. So while I’ll be explaining to you what a scrappy quilt is to me know that it’s...

October 2, 2019 How to: Binding•how to: thoughts

Exploring the Many Ways of Binding A Quilt

We all have a method of binding that we like best and that we think is the “best” way. What happens when you no longer love your binding method? What if it this really trusty method you’ve been using for oh, about eleven years makes you shake your head and say no more. That’s the experience I’ve been having. Binding is such a preference thing. There is no wrong way, but there is a YOUR way. That’s what I want to find, a method that I’m in love with, so I’ve set out to explore all the different...

August 29, 2019 how to: thoughts•Little Miss Sawtooth Quilt Along•product reviews•quilt makers toolkit•sewing supplies

An Interview with Shelly from Havel’s Sewing + My favorite Havel’s products

We start the Little Miss Sawtooth quilt along in 8 days! I hope you are ready! The quilt along is free provided by our sponsor, Havel’s Sewing. It’ll take place over on their blog. That is where you’ll find the main post and all the patterns throughout the quilt along. You can sign up for the quilt along and in doing so receive an email each time a pattern releases pointing you to the right place. I’ll also have a post up here each time pointing you to the right place as well. This is my second year...

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June 13, 2019 beginner friendly quilts•how to: thoughts

A Guide for the Beginner Quilter + Tips from Experienced Quilters

With the release of my Patchwork + Make class this week I’m on the topic of the beginner quilter. I get quite a bit of questions in my inbox from beginners and it’s almost always the same ones, so I thought I’d take a moment today and just answer a few basic questions and then move on to the tips I’ve been collecting. I won’t be teaching anything today, just pointing you into the right directions. Product Spotlight The Very Bari Bundle 12 pieces Fat quarters Will hopefully inspire your inner bohemian Get your bundle here. ...

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May 10, 2019 how to: thoughts

A Scrappy Low Volume Background Guide

This is a topic that I get asked about on a weekly basis and I thought it was high time I posted about it. I’ve often told you about my love of low volume fabrics, I told you what low volume fabric was in this post, but I’ve never detailed how I choose the fabrics I use in the background, and with the Bad Girl quilt along coming up, it felt like a good time to do so. What do you mean background? So let’s talk backgrounds before moving on to the actual topic of...

January 30, 2019 all about scrappy•how to: thoughts

The Great Big Scrap Discussion – Part 3 – Tips + Patterns

This post is part of a 4-series of posts dedicated to the topic of fabric scraps. Find all the posts in this series here. Find all my scrappy quilts here. What is a scrappy quilt? Let’s settle that first! A scrappy quilt is any quilt that you use bits of fabric in and doesn’t have a set number of fabrics. You may see a particular fabric once or twice, other fabrics even more. There’s no rules. Scrappy quilts can have scraps used in some parts of the quilts and a lot of background...

January 23, 2019 all about scrappy•how to: thoughts

The Great BIG Scrap Discussion – Part 2- Cutting + Storing

This post is part of a 4-series of posts dedicated to the topic of fabric scraps. Find all the posts in this series here. Find all my scrappy quilts here. We are at the second part of this series and the focus today is cutting and storing. I feel like the way you handle your scraps is very personal. You will be the one using them after all, so only you know how they need to be stored and what way to do that best works for you. However, if you are sitting there with all...

January 16, 2019 all about scrappy•how to: thoughts

The Great BIG Scrap Discussion – Part 1- What is a fabric scrap?

This post is part of a 4-series of posts dedicated to the topic of fabric scraps. Find all the posts in this series here. Find all my scrappy quilts here. I’ve been working on this post for weeks, and I’m so very glad to get this out to you today! It’s my favorite topic! Many of you who have been around here for a while know that I am completely dedicated to scraps and the scrappy look. It is my ultimate love when it comes to quilting. Some of you have been talking to me, telling me...

October 19, 2018 fabric organization•how to: thoughts

A Quilter’s Fabric Stash – Sorting and Storage

For some time now I have been researching fabric stashes. Any why not? Fabric seems to be one of the most important thoughts in making a quilt. Without fabric there is no quilt. Fabric excites us, inspires us and if you are like me it can literally make you drool. I am not alone when I say that I am thoroughly obsessed with fabric. There’s an army of quilters that feel the same way. And if you are here reading this, chances are you are part of that army. There are few things that can unite so many...

October 5, 2018 how to: thoughts•quilt finish•Quilt Reveal•scrappy quilts

Loving + Hating a Quilt – Marcelle Medallion – Quilt Reveal

Today I’m talking about my Marcelle Medallion quilt that I just finally pulled from the dryer. I’m also talking about the many different stages a quilter goes through as she makes a quilt. You know the one’s: I love this quilt and I hate this quilt, sometimes I don’t want to finish this quilt and all the rest of them. SO many stages! They are all part of the process. And sometimes, at the end we really just don’t like the quilt we made. I started this quilt last April or May (can’t remember exactly), but it...

October 3, 2018 how to: thoughts

Quilters Using Instagram

The Carolina Mingle Quilt (click for pattern) I’ve been wanting to write this post for some time. I intend on showing you how to use Instagram and Pinterest (a later post) as a quilter. A lot of you don’t need this info, but you might be surprised by how many questions I get about it from the people who do. The majority of my own readers aren’t even on Instagram which kinda surprised me. I’ve had to give many instructions on how to use it by email and thought it might be helpful to have it in a place...

September 19, 2018 creativebug classes•embroidery•Hand Craft•hand sewing•how to: thoughts•quilted pillows•sewing finishes

Why I LOVE embroidery – Signature fabrics Embroidery Pillow – ( sewing finish )

Last week I completed my most favorite pillow ever. I’m calling it my favorite because of the most perfect to me fabrics I used and the most time consuming embroidery work I’ve ever done. I carried the embroidery part around for a month stabbing at it with my needle over and over and over again. Today I wanted to share why I so love embroidery and what it means to me. Where I learned to embroider I learned how to embroidery in a Creativebug class. This one here. I was addicted from the very start, but even...

August 15, 2018 how to: thoughts•Meaningful fabric choices•memory quilts•quilt finish•Quilt Reveal

Little Miss Sawtooth Quilt Top #3 + Your Loved One’s Clothing – (quilt reveal)

I am over the moon about my latest quilt finish. As you may or may not know, I also make a lot of custom quilts for other people as a means for my income. Most of these quilts are memory quilts. Just in case you are unaware, a memory quilt is a quilt made with the clothing of a loved one. This clothing may be of someone happy and living and just a reminder of a time in their life such as babyhood, school age, college age, all those concert or maybe vacation tshirts you purchased or in can...

July 5, 2018 how to: thoughts•quilt makers toolkit

The Quilt Maker’s Toolkit – The Topstitch Needle for Quilters and Tips for Solving Your Frustrations

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. I don’t know about you, but there are times when I think my machine is a janky tyrant out to make my life so much harder than it...

May 11, 2018 how to: thoughts•quilt makers toolkit

Testing Threads + Your Thoughts

Hey sweet friends! I’ve been quiet this week, I know. I’ve been battling un-inspiration. That may not be a word, but it’s definitely a thing. I have felt zero desire to sit at my machine and get my quilts completed. Instead I’ve been sitting in different places, like my sofa, my front porch swing and my lounge chairs out back. I’ve been dragging around an old completely handmade quilt and doing a repair job on it. I’ve been pretty happy for the break. I also think I’ve mastered whip stitch repairs, which is new for me. Normally I do...

March 21, 2018 applique•embroidery•Hand Craft•hand sewing•how to: thoughts•round up posts

5 methods of Hand Work that will Soothe Your Soul

I feel like before my mind realized I needed a slow down, my body already knew. Prior to the end of 2016, I had already dabbled here and there in ‘slowing down’. I had just not given it a name or thought very much of it. I learned to do some needle work because of a project in particular. I learned to crochet because I had an aging grandmother and it was HER favorite pastime and I didn’t want her life to end without teaching it to me. But at the very end of 2016, I read something that...