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Easy English Paper Piecing Quilt Block – Andy Knowlton
Easy English Paper Piecing Quilt Block designed by Andy Knowlton Learn an easy English paper piecing method to create this pentagon appliqued quilt block. Andy Knowlton shows you how! About Andy Andy is a quilter and pattern designer who loves finding shortcuts and new techniques and sharing them with fellow quilters on her blog: A Bright Corner. She’s been quilting since she was about 7 when her grandma handed her a needle and thread and taught her how to hand quilt a little doll quilt. She lives in Utah with her husband and sons where they enjoy camping, hiking, and playing video games together. from Andy: If you follow me…
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Christian Dior: From Paris to the World Exhibit & Inspiration
Find inspiration to fuel your creativity from the Dior: From Paris to the World exhibit. Fashion Influence Christian Dior, French fashion designer, was influential for his cutting edge shapes and silhouettes. The Dior: From Paris to the World exhibit at the Denver Art Museum showcased many of Dior’s original sketches and works and followed the timeline of the House of Dior into the 21st century. A selection of 150 couture dresses, as well as accessories, costume jewelry, photographs, drawings, runway videos, and other archival material, all combine to explain the history of the iconic haute couture fashion house and its founder, Christian Dior. Christian Dior Exhibit The exhibit ran in…
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Starline Quilt Block – Jacquie Gehring
Starline Quilt Block Create this Starline Quilt Block and use heavyweight thread so the quilting really pops. Combine the blocks into a starburst for a truly striking work of art. designed by Jacquie Gehring Jacquie is a passionate modern quilt designer, maker and teacher. She is known for her innovative designs, striking message quilts and unique style. Jacquie co-authored Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts and her book, Walk: Master Machine Quilting With Your Walking Foot is a comprehensive guide to all things walking foot quilting. She is a leader in and advocate for the modern quilting movement. The International Association of Creative Arts Professionals named her Quilt Teacher of the Year for…
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Matchstick Quilting Quilt Block – Kelly Nagel
This matchstick quilt block is named as such because of the matchstick quilting it features, which really calls attention to the brightly colored thread used on a neutral background. Matchstick quilting is basically straight line quilting but a bit wonky. The stitching lines are placed about a matchstick-length apart, and just like a burned matchstick, the lines aren’t perfectly straight. For this quilt block, we’ll take matchstick quilting one step beyond and use the negative space in the quilting to spell out a name. This process is easy with Sulky Stick ‘n Stitch. Stick ‘n Stitch is a water soluble sticky back stabilizer that is a great tool for straight…
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National Quilting Day + free quilt pattern & embroidery design
Happy National Quilting Day! I hope you’re inspired on this National Quilting Day to find a free quilt pattern you love and start a new project. Quilt Beginnings If you’re new to quilting, we have a ton of resources for you. The best advice I can give is to simply START. Look for inspiring designs that are simple to make, require minimal fabric investment, and get stitching. Start small with a lap-sized quilt (another free quilt pattern) using a craft batting. Or make one block and turn it into a pot holder or coaster. After piecing the top, layer it with batting and a backing fabric that’s large enough to…
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Easter Sewing Projects to Make & Give
Bring on Spring with fun and festive Easter sewing projects! Need Easter sewing projects? Easter is later this year, giving us more time to create handmade gifts, decor and wearables. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing. 1. In-the-Hoop Scissor Case This design is completely free and comes with instructions for both sizes from the digitizers themselves in our free webinar download. Sulky 40 Wt. Rayon Thread really makes this case shine – kits are available, too and come with all you need to make both sizes! Fill it with some Easter grass and a little gift for a friend or little one. Not just for…
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Easter Egg Quilt Block + Free Stitching Templates
An Easter Egg Quilt Block is a great addition to a pillow set, table runner or quilt (of course!). You could also bind the quilt block and use it as a potholder or decorative place mat for Easter. Combine free-motion stitching with paints and learn from Eric Drexler how to create your own Easter Egg Quilt Block work of art. This Easter Egg Quilt Block combines free-motion stitching with custom paints for a truly unique block. If you’re new to free-motion stitching or need a refresher, Eric takes takes you through the process in his video course, Fearless Free Motion. If you want to learn more and have virtual hands-on…
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St. Patrick’s Day Sewing Projects to Make & Give
There’s still time to decorate with St Patrick’s Day Sewing Projects! Here are 5 St Patrick’s Day Sewing Projects to whip up in time for the little leprechauns to visit. Shamrock Place Mats These cute place mats are quick to make and you can use whatever green and white fabric you have in your stash. Try quilting them with Summer Grass Blendables 30 Wt. Cotton Thread. 2. Mug Rug Use this under your Shamrock Shake or Green Tea for a festive addition to afternoon tea. 12 Wt. Cotton Petites Thread is perfect for wool applique. 3. Pretty St Patrick’s Day Pillow Embroider a shamrock, like this Mendhika Shamrock from Urban…
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The Girl Scout Pillowcase + Giving Back
Continuing our monthly Pillowcases for People in Need charity effort, we’re bringing you ideas for introducing sewing to others while giving back: the Girl Scout Pillowcase. Organizing a pillowcase sew-a-thon with your local guild, teaching a neighbor or child to sew a pillowcase or helping a Girl Scout troop earn their badges while doing good–these are all great ideas for spreading the love of sewing while helping those in need. So, what are you waiting for? Pop on some educational songs for children from the KLS YouTube channel and get stuck into this fantastic learning opportunity. Girl Scout Pillowcase Some of my favorite memories from childhood are from Girl Scouts.…
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Make A St. Patricks Day Coaster
Make a St. Patrick’s Day Coaster or Mug Rug for your Shamrock Shake or Green Tea and cozy up to some wool felt applique! I have a soft spot for the minor holidays like Valentine’s Day, Arbor Day, Pi Day and of course, St. Patrick’s Day. Maybe it’s because it’s March and I love green and the promise of spring. Maybe because I could eat corned beef and sauerkraut every day. Or maybe it’s just a great excuse to have a party and stitch something new. My other addiction is coffee. So I decided to design a St. Patrick’s Day coaster or Mug Rug that celebrated both. Instead of…