My new publishing venture just went live on Amazon.com: a little 2015 monthly calendar featuring cats and their quilts. I know a lot of you quilt with a kitty for company. Don’t you love the way a cat takes over a sewing room as if you and everything in the room were nothing more than…
This little graphic expresses one of my most important rules for quilting: “If it looks good from twenty feet away, while you drive by at 20 miles an hour, it’s perfect! Don’t change a thing.” Silly as it is, this quilter’s saying still expresses something important about how to approach quilting (or any creative endeavor)…
I recently posted some photos of Mary S.’ very first quilts. After that post went online, I got an email from another quilter, Margie. Margie saw Mary’s quilts and sent me these photos of the quilts she made for her five grandchildren. If you feel hesitant about making your own first quilt, I think you…
This is my quilting version of a Zen saying that goes like this: “Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: chop wood, carry water.” The tasks that go into making a quilt couldn’t be more simple: cutting, sewing, and pressing. But the quilt that comes out of those everyday tasks can be deeply satisfying…
The best thing about writing a book comes long after the book is finished, when you hear from readers who liked your book and learned something from reading it. I was thrilled to hear from Mary S. recently. Mary just made her very first quilts using the instructions and quilt patterns in my book, Quilts…
I know a lot of quilters whose social life revolves around quilting. I’ve never been organized enough to quilt in a group. For me, quilting is mostly a matter of snatching a few minutes here and a few minutes there in between all the other things I have to do. It takes place in my…
I’ve been doing some research for my next book and came across this wonderful animation that shows how a sewing machine links the upper thread and bobbin thread to make stitches. Have you ever wondered how this happens? To tell the truth, I never did until just now. Once I saw how clever the stitching…
I like making quilts for Valentine’s day. Maybe because the seasonal reds, whites, and pinks are so cheerful in midwinter. Maybe because I make my Valentine’s quilts to hang on the wall, so they are small and easy to make. The inspiration for this heart quilt came from a wonderful banner quilt I saw on…
What’s the best way to try out new quilting techniques you would like to master, but don’t feel comfortable with yet? Go small. It’s much easier to experiment on a project the size of a placemat or a small wall quilt than it is on a large bed quilt. If you make a mistake or…
Are you working on any Valentine’s Day projects? I’m planning to quilt with cupcakes. Food = Love, right? (At the very least, Chocolate = Love). Maybe that’s why I associate cupcakes with Valentine’s Day. I do have some plans for fabric Valentines that feature red and pink hearts, but I was also captivated by these cute…
Before and after the holidays, I logged some long days at the sewing machine, making presents. I made lots of different things —quilts and double-sided napkins, fabric bags and pajama pants. One of the unfortunate side effects of all that sewing was a sore back and shoulders. I’ve also been reading depressing news about how…
We have big plans for our quilting and for this blog during the new year. Well, little plans. Well okay, no plans. But lots of quilting and sewing projects already almost finished, some well underway, quite a few half thought of, and surely some not even imagined yet. This is the year we’re going to…