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...]
How to finish quilted coasters without binding
I love to sew mini blocks! These ones below measures 2.75''. In case you think that you don't have patience to sew such blocks, I can tell you that the piecing is really fun, because it is actually strip piecing. For these blocks I used 1'' wide strips. The pattern for this block is here. I stitched a 16'' pillow and I thought to turn the three orphan blocks into coasters. At this … [Read more...]
Seminole piecing tutorial- Part II
This technique is too fun not to explore it more, so I present you Part II of the Seminole Piecing tutorial. You find Part I here. Yesterday someone asked me if this technique works with ombre fabric. Of course, but you will not have such variety in color compared with a rainbow fabric. Many ombre fabrics are monochrome, but there are multicolor fabrics as well. For this new design I used … [Read more...]
Rainbow seminole patchwork tutorial- Part I
This is PART I of a series about SEMINOLE piecing. PART II is here and you can download all these instructions. Seminole patchwork is just a fun and quick process of piecing strips that helps you create intricate designs with ease. There are so many patterns you could sew using this technique! It works with strips in any size but I find it particularly interesting and helpful when you need … [Read more...]
3D Pinwheel Tutorial
How many charm square packs do you have at home? I don't collect charm squares, I don't buy everything that is new or I like and still I have 4 charm packs! So if you don't know how to use them, here is an idea: 3D pinwheels. You can make this design as scrappy as you want (using your scraps), but I think the assorted squares of a collection you find in a pack make the design even more … [Read more...]
Flanged binding tutorial
You can add a special detail to a quilt even after the quilting is done and that detail has a name: flanged (or faux piped) binding. Unlike the regular binding made from one fabric, the flanged binding uses two fabrics: a main fabric and an accent fabric. See below my quilt to better understand how to choose the fabrics for this type of binding. The accent (flange) fabric must contrast … [Read more...]
How to sew a zippered pillow cover
When you sew a pillow cover, you spend time to sew/quilt a beautiful front then all you want is to finish it as quickly as possible. So you sew an envelope closure that takes 5 minutes. It is a great closure but if you want/need something fancy, then a zipper closure is the answer. If you cringe when you read the word "zipper", fear not: this technique is so easy, quick and it does not even … [Read more...]
Batting, interfacing and foam scraps – what to do with them?
Batting and interfacing are bulky so shipping is VERY expensive (especially for those who order them from abroad, like me!). This makes every little scrap of it valuable. So, what can we do with these small scraps? Small bags, pouches, boxes and bowls are a few options. BATTING SCRAPS I use scraps when I have to make larger pieces, too. I join the batting scraps into bigger pieces and I am … [Read more...]
Quilt as you go tutorial
Are you afraid to machine quilt your quilt tops? I know many quilters enjoy sewing quilt tops so much but then they are afraid to machine quilt them themselves. If you are a beginner or even an advanced quilter that finds machine quilting difficult, I am glad to share with you a technique that makes it easy, helping you at the same time to quilt BIG quilts with ease. This technique was a … [Read more...]
How to add borders to octagons
Yesterday a reader asked me what she could do with a 20'' octagon panel, how could she turn it into a bigger quilt? My answer was: add borders! I detailed the response to her and then I thought that maybe there are other quilters that have the same problem so here is a short tutorial on how to add borders to octagon blocks/panels. I needed an octagon so I made quickly this block. I used my … [Read more...]
- « Previous Page
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- …
- 10
- Next Page »