My Finished Flag Quilt + 10 Tips for Sewing Machine Success

Hello friends!

Lots of good stuff to share today. First, I finished my American 250th Anniversary quilt! Also, did you know that it's National Sewing Machine Day? I have some practical tips to share about Sewing Machine best practices, as well handmade Father's Day Gift Ideas.

New on the Blog!

New today on the blog I’m sharing my finished Fly the Flag quilt, which I made to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary. My mom made a patchwork quilt back in 1976 for the Bicentennial and it's been a family favorite over the years. I wanted to do the same with this milestone.

I’m excited to show you the completed quilt as well as a few details about the pattern, fabrics, and quilting I chose. You can also get a look at my mom's 1976 commemorative quilt.

Click below to check get all of the details. It's not too late to make a project of your own! I've got a link to the easy steps break-down we used in the Quilt Along.

It's also the last chance to get this quilt pattern for 25% off.

Did you know that TODAY is National Sewing Machine Day. I've been sharing sewing machine tips for years now, so in honor of the invention of one of our favorite tools, I've put together a list of tips and techniques into one handy reference post.

Since this is a "National" event, I think that you/we are fully authorized to celebrate by spending time with our sewing machines as much as possible that day (or week, if you like.) 😉

Click below to get the list of 10 Tips and Techniques for maximizing your current sewing machine including maintenance tips, how to choose the right needle for each project, and some great sewing machine feet options.

Free Positively Quilt Tutorial

Here's a project from the archives: a cute little plus mini quilt OR crib quilt version. This project comes together so quick and it's great for playing with scraps or charm squares. It's a perfect quick summer project.

Click below for the free printable tutorial for both versions of this quilt.

Fun Finds on the Web - Handmade Gift Ideas for Dad

With Father's Day next Sunday, here are a few handmade gift ideas that would be perfect for the favorite Dad or man in your life:

Make a classy looking armchair caddy to control clutter and prevent lost remotes!

Or maybe make a new custom necktie with this tutorial from Dana of Made Everyday​

This tutorial for a simple cord keeper would be useful to any Dad, (heck, anybody!) to coral all of those charging cords that seem to multiply.

Melissa at the Polkadot Chair also has a cool tutorial for repurposing one of Dad's old ties into a cool zipper pouch. Would make a great sentimental gift.

The Polkadot Chair also has a bunch of free Father's Day party printables to make your day more festive.

A few quick thoughts today. Not a lot of sewing going on this week, other than binding my Flag quilt.

I'm still playing catch-up on life after being out of town for a few weeks. There's more yard work that needs doing but I'm enjoying it. (In part thanks to my fun new hose. 😉)

I'm also getting distracted (in a good way) by the gorgeous weather we've been having. I'm trying to get outside to exercise and get into hiking shape again. I'm slower, creaky-er and sore-er than I'd like to be, but grateful to be able to get out and do something that I love.

This week we went to one of my favorite hikes - Scout Falls. (I live in Utah.) We make sure to hit this one at the beginning of June every year as the snow-runoff makes the falls fuller and louder. The falls will get smaller and drier as the summer goes on. Plus the view from there is pretty spectacular. (You can see video of both in my latest IG Stories.)

We even took the quilt with us to the mountains for some beauty shots. (Shoutout to my favorite quilt-holder/hiking partner for always being a great sport about this gig.)

As always, thanks for stopping by! I hope you're enjoying some summer activities where you are too.

See you next week!

Amy

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