Vintage Sewing Machine Mini Quilt Pattern

This is my most recent foundation pieced pattern, Vintage Sewing Machine mini quilt pattern.

I have this up and my studio and love the bright colours. It measures 15" x 15" (37.5cm x 37.5cm) and would make a perfect little project for your sewing room.

Buy now in my PATTERN STORE

NEW Pattern! Feather Your Nest Table Runner

Buy this pattern HERE

I had a great summer! I finished up some UFOs and I have some beautiful new patterns to launch in the next few months. I'm sure you'll love them as much as I do.

My new pattern launch for this month is my Feather Your Nest table runner pattern. I had been seeing the feather block all over the internet and had to make my own pattern for it. My method for making the feathers is simple. My instructions are thorough and easy to follow, so don't be afraid to jump right in and give it a try. This pattern is great for using up your scraps. The finished table runner is 38" x 14".

The pattern also includes instructions for making a single 12" x 12" block for people wanting to make a feather quilt.

While I was taking pictures my little Sophie decided to take center stage. She's such a ham.

AUGUST STUDIO TOUR Part 2: 10 rotary cutting shortcuts

Click HERE for Part One

NOTES

• All calculations have been tested for accuracy.
• Finished block = block after piecing. Unfinished block = finished block plus 1/2 inch
• All instructions assume a basic knowledge of rotary cutting and patchwork piecing.

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Read the calculations carefully then cut the required pieces needed to make the block. 
2.  Once the pieces are cut, use the step-by-step diagrams to assemble the block. 
3.  Several calculations might make a slightly larger block. Square these up to the correct size.
    Find instructions HERE for squaring up a quilt block. 

YOU'LL NEED

• Rotary cutter with a sharp blade 
• Cutting mat
• Quilting ruler 
• Calculator 
• Seam ripper 
• Iron 
• Light colour fabric 
• Medium colour fabric 
• Dark colour fabric 

Download your FREE Modern Baby Quilt pattern HERE. 

This cute little quilt uses nine of the ten blocks you've learned in Part 1 and Part 2. It measures 36" x 36" and the block size is 8" square. This is a perfect pattern for beginners.

AUGUST STUDIO TOUR Part 1: 10 rotary cutting shortcuts

Click HERE to see Part 2

When I bought my first rotary cutter in the 1990s it opened up a whole new world for me as a quilter. Not long after this, I started to learn about block cutting shortcuts. Block cutting shortcuts are calculations that are used to cut quilt blocks with a rotary cutter quicker and eliminate the need for templates.

The first shortcut I learned was for the Half Square Triangle (HST). It was like magic. With a simple calculation, I was able to cut my HST without templates. After trying my first quick HST, I began looking for other block cutting shortcuts. I now use ten shortcuts that have helped speed up my quilting immensely.

In this Studio Tour, I will show you my ten favourite rotary cutting shortcuts in two parts starting with the five simpler ones. Also, to give you some practise using these shortcuts, I'm giving away a Modern Baby Quilt pattern available for download at the end of both parts one and two.

NOTES

• All calculations have been tested for accuracy.
• Finished block = block after piecing. Unfinished block = finished block plus 1/2 inch
• All instructions assume a basic knowledge of rotary cutting and patchwork piecing.

INSTRUCTIONS

1.  Read the calculations carefully then cut the required pieces needed to make the block. 
2.  Once the pieces are cut, use the step-by-step diagrams to assemble the block. 
3.  Several calculations might make a slightly larger block. Square these up to the correct size.
    Find instructions HERE for squaring up a quilt block. 

YOU'LL NEED

• Rotary cutter with a sharp blade 
• Cutting mat
• Quilting ruler 
• Calculator 
• Seam ripper 
• Iron 
• Light colour fabric 
• Medium colour fabric 
• Dark colour fabric 

Download your FREE Modern Baby Quilt pattern HERE. 

This cute little quilt uses nine of the ten blocks you've learned in Part 1 and Part 2. It measures 36" x 36" and the block size is 8" square. This is a perfect pattern for beginners.

JULY STUDIO TOUR: Tips for finally finishing those UFOs

For the past few weeks, I've been working on my unfinished quilt projects aka UFOs. I gave myself an official UFO challenge.

For July's Studio Tour, I decided to share some of my tips for starting your own UFO challenge and finally getting your unfinished projects done.

1. Get everything out in the open.

Pull out all of your UFOs, and I mean all of them! Lay them out and review exactly what you're dealing with.

2. Weed out the rejects.

Look at each UFO and decide which ones you'll keep and which ones you can part with. Some UFOs are UFOs for a reason. Maybe the colours are wrong, the pattern is boring, or the workmanship is poor. Don't spend precious sewing time on projects that don't thrill you. If a project doesn't make the grade, let it go. Use it for a scrap quilt or give it away.

3. Store each UFO where you can see it.

After you've sorted out your projects, store them where you can see them. I use clear plastic 12" x 12" scrapbook bins that I buy at Michael's. I prefer to use see-through bins so I can see my project at a glance. You could also use those clear bags that you get with new sheets. Also, Ziploc makes a really nice storage bag that would be perfect for storing projects.

Project bins for my UFOs (12" x 12" scrapbooking bins from Michaels)

4. Buy what you need to finish each project.

Write down a list of items that you'll need to complete each UFO. Check if you need thread, fabric, quilt backing, etc. and take a shopping trip to pick these things up. After you get your supplies put them in the project bins. If you get your supplies ahead of time everything will be ready for you when you start. You also won't be tempted to put the project aside again until you get to the fabric store.

5. Start with easiest first.

Start with the easy projects first and work your way up to the ones that need more attention. I find starting with the less demanding UFOs keeps me motivated.

Spools mini quilt for my studio | 14" x 14"

6. Do a little each day.

Even if it's only 15 or 30 minutes, work on your project every day. You'll be amazed at how much you can get done in a short time. Try setting goals for yourself to finish something each day.

Binding made and ready to quilt.

Download my free checklist HERE to keep your progress on track.

Free UFO quilt block HERE

If you have your own tips for getting your UFOs finished, please leave a comment.

JUNE STUDIO TOUR: Colour Wheel Combinations for Quilters

The fabrics you choose for your quilt can really make or break your project. I prefer not to stumble blinding when picking my colours but choosing from all the beautiful fabrics out there can be overwhelming. There are many wonderful pre-cuts that make most of the colour decisions for you, but it's still good to know at least the basics of colour theory.

Purchase a colour wheel by Dritz that is specifically for quilters. The colour wheel will help you choose colours a little more easily. Buy the Dritz quilting colour wheel HERE

COLOUR WHEEL COMBINATIONS

Below are the basic five colour combinations you can get from the colour wheel. I use one of these as a starting point when planning quilt colours. With practice, choosing fabrics will become easier starting with just these five combinations. Get a FREE PDF download with all these combinations HERE.

1. MONOCHROMATIC are different shades and tints of the same colour.

2. COMPLEMENTARY are those colours that are across from each other on the colour wheel.

3. ANALOGOUS are colours that are beside each other on the colour wheel.

4. SPLIT COMPLEMENTARY The base colour (e.g. red) and the colours that are adjacent to that colour's complement (e.g. green).

5. TRIAD are three colours that are evenly spaced on the colour wheel.

MAY STUDIO TOUR: Downloading + Printing PDF Quilt Patterns

When I first started selling my quilt patterns I decided to offer them in downloadable PDF format only. It's much more cost-effective for both my customers and for me. Printing costs for patterns are expensive and those costs are normally absorbed by the customer along with mailing costs. Another advantage of buying PDF files is that you don't have to wait days for your pattern; instant gratification!

Since I only sell PDF downloadable quilt patterns at my  PATTERN STORE, I thought it would be helpful for my readers and customers to have a list of five hassle-free steps for downloading and printing them. I will be including these steps with all my patterns from now on.

What is a downloadable PDF file?

A PDF (Portable Document Format) "is a file format that provides an electronic image of text or text and graphics that looks like a printed document and can be viewed, printed, and electronically transmitted." -- Google Dictionary

STEP 1 - Get Adobe Acrobat Reader

Before you can download your PDF pattern you will first need the Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer. CLICK HERE to download the Acrobat Reader for free.

STEP 2 - Create a pattern folder 

Create a pattern folder on your hard drive to keep your purchased PDFs. You can call the folder Patterns or Bought Patterns or whatever makes sense to you. If you buy a lot of quilt patterns online, you could also create subfolders for particular designers or quilt types.

STEP 3 - After you buy your pattern, where do you find it?

After you purchase your pattern most sellers allow you to download your file immediately from their site and/or will email it to you. If your file is emailed and you can’t see it, check your email “Junk” folder in case the file was read as spam. It's important to download the emailed PDF files promptly because some might have only a limited time frame (e.g. 72 hours) for you to do so. If you register with a seller, such as Etsy, they will provide you with a personal order history page where you can retrieve your patterns at any time.

Important: Whichever website you purchase your PDF pattern from, read their instructions for downloading or contact the site's tech support.

STEP 4 - Rename and download your PDF

Some quilt patterns files you buy are poorly named, e.g. AQS-pattern-144-1.pdf. So, before downloading your PDF to your computer, rename your quilt pattern file something that makes sense to you, e.g. pattern name_quilt type_designer.pdf

STEP 5 - Print your pattern correctly

Before printing your PDF file set the "Page Scaling" option in the print setup box to “Actual Size” or “None.” (Fig 1)  This will ensure your quilt pattern templates are printed to the correct size for your project.

Figure 1

After printing your pattern, measure the 1-inch square (test block) that is provided on the template page of your pattern instructions. If the test block measures too large or too small, double check the printer setup box and reprint the pattern. If there is no test block, measure the templates as best you can to be sure they're the correct size. (Fig. 2)

Figure 2

Springtime on the farm means babies!

Springtime on the farm means babies! This spring I'm launching two new placemat patterns, Baby Jersey and Piglet. Aren't they adorable? I'm sure your child or grandchild would love one of these to make mealtime fun. These placemats are easy to make using fusible applique and simple straight line quilting.

Baby Jersey Placemat Pattern

BUY NOW @ MY PATTERN STORE

Piglet Placemat Pattern

BUY NOW @ MY PATTERN STORE