Simple Projects for Teaching Anyone How to Sew + Sewing-themed Project Ideas Happy Weekend Everyone! I can't believe it's nearly June! It's officially summer vacation here and all of the kids are out of school. Summer is a great time for trying new things and learning new skills - such as teaching kids, grandkids, or a friend how to sew! I updated this simple list (not too overwhelming) of 12 ideas for teaching kids (or grown-ups too!) how to sew. This includes my favorite tutorial for...
9 days ago • 2 min read
25 Project Ideas for the 4th of July + How to Spot fake AI Quilt Patterns + Memorial Weekend Sales Hello friends far and wide! I hope this week's newsletter finds you well. I'm excited because today I have so much inspiration, ideas and information to share with you. Plus some really great Memorial Day weekend sales and deals! First of all, I just wanted to say that I was quite tickled and pleasantly surprised by the response to my article about 12 Things I Learned from 20 Years in the...
16 days ago • 3 min read
12 Lessons I've Learned + Summer Sewing Inspiration Hello friends far and wide! I hope this week's newsletter finds you well. I mentioned in my newsletter last week that I returned from the H+H Americas Spring Show - one of the biggest trade shows in the quilting and sewing industry, where fabric companies, designers, publishers, and creative businesses gather to debut new products and trends. I came away inspired by everything that's new and coming, including renewed interest in traditional...
23 days ago • 4 min read
How to Bind a Quilt + Jolly Bar Sale + Patchwork Tote Bag It's been a busy week around here! I was able to attend the H+H Americas trade show in Chicago. Oh my goodness - so much eye candy and inspiration. This is a show for vendors from the Sewing, Quilting and Knitting industries to share their upcoming products and collections for the coming year to shops and consumers. (It's an industry event for vendors only and not open to the public.) I had big plans to write up some of the things I...
30 days ago • 4 min read
Over 25 Quilt + Project Ideas using Precut 5" squares (aka Charm Packs) Hi friends! Thanks so much for checking in! I've got some fun things to share with you this week. First of all, any guesses of what is my favorite invention of the quilting universe in the past 20+ years? I know it's pretty gutsy to make a statement that bold, but I still stand by this opinion. My favorite invention is the creation of pre-cut and pre-coordinated fabric squares. I still remember the first time I...
about 1 month ago • 4 min read
Americana Quilt Ideas + A New Quilt Along + Ideas for sorting and using your scraps Happy Weekend, everyone! I hope this week's edition finds you as well as possible. I've been making quilts inspired by American folk art, the US Flag and other Americana-inspired motifs since 2001. Quilting has a tradition of commemorating special occasions or historical events with handmade keepsakes. As we approach America's 250th anniversary this year, I've put together a list of ideas for anyone who feels...
about 1 month ago • 3 min read
Repurposing Tips for Quilters + Mother's Day Gift Ideas Hello friends! I hope this email finds you well. Ideas for Making-Do, Using Scraps, and Repurposing Notions & Supplies Quilters are some of the best "repurposers" I can think of. I don't think that's a real world but you know what I mean. We're great at seeing the potential in a pile of scraps, or making sentimental gifts from a cast-off item. We've been doing it for generations! In honor of Earth Day this week, I put together a list of...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
My Most Popular Free Quilt Tutorial + Tips and Tools for Accurate Block Piecing Hello friends! Thanks so much for reading my newsletter! This week I've got lots of fun things to share including tips and tools for accurate piecing, a free sew along, my most popular free quilt tutorial, and a little bit of "Moon Joy" inspiration. Read on! What's New: My Block Pattern for the Free Sewcialites Quilt Along Are you sewing along with the Sewcialites quilt hosted by the Fat Quarter Shop? It's been a...
about 2 months ago • 3 min read
A Favorite Free Pattern + Spring Cleaning Ideas Hello friends! Thanks so much for reading my newsletter! This week I've got some great spring-cleaning inspiration, an introduction to a new website of inspiration and organization just for quilters, and a look at my favorite spring quilt + where you can find the free pattern. How to Spring Clean Your Sewing Machine How often should you clean out your sewing machine? Or change your needle? For optimum use, it might be more often than you think....
2 months ago • 3 min read