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4 Quilting Apps You Can Not Live Without: 2016

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UPDATED: June 06, 2021 Back when I first started quilting, I struggled with yardage calculations, resizing blocks and any other kind of quilting math. Everything was done manually back then. Most of the time I'd just wing it when it came to buying yardage, but that was risky. Resizing blocks was done with graph paper and pencil unless I had a magazine to give me the templates. I didn't even have a rotary cutter! Now technology is helping quilters with all this math stuff and I love it. Here are four quilting apps that will make your quilting a little easier. 1. The Quilter's Little Helper by Robert Kaufman "Master the math involved in quilting! Robert Kaufman Fabrics and Quilters Paradise have joined forces to bring you this updated collection of eight essential quilting calculators. Designed by quilters, the calculators work with both U.S. and metric measurements. With these tools you’ll easily and accurately work out how many rectangular pieces can be cut from a la...

A new year begins: looking back, looking forward.

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Well, a new year has begun. 2015 was full of positive changes, both for me personally and for our home. Personally, I overcame my lifelong battle with depression with top notch professional help and a lot of hard work. Our home has a new kitchen and our yard has a new pond. As of June 2016, we will have lived in our little house for 10 years, and we finally have it just the way we like it. I started my quilting blog in 2015 and, after a number of changes, finally have it set up the way I like it. The setup took a lot of time away from my quilting, which is kind of ironic, but I have ideas for some great block and wall quilt designs for 2016. I can't wait to start posting them! Happy New Year! I hope your 2016 is full of joy and love.

Checkerboard Scrap Mini Quilt: FREE Pattern

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This stash buster is well suited for beginners or anyone who might need a quick gift. You can use the combination of light and dark fabrics or mix it up with a variety of scraps. Instructions are given for light/dark checkerboard. This pattern would be perfect for a young quilter's first project.

Precious Bundle Baby Quilt Pattern

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My Precious Bundle baby quilt pattern is now CHARM PACK FRIENDLY! I designed this sweet little quilt some time ago and finally finished it this week. I love shabby chic and used some beautiful retro-style fabrics from Connecting Threads called Line Dried by Mama's Cottons. The fabric design was perfect for this quilt. It's going to be a gift for a very special someone.

Free-form quilting art quilt

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This quilt, Happy Hour , was created for the Manitoba Crafts Council 2013 annual members' For the Love of Craft art show. I enjoyed making this art quilt. It was inspired by Rayna Gillman's book Create Your Own Free-Form Quilts . I named it Happy Hour because the polka-dots reminded me of Leonard Cohen's song Closing Time. There's a line in the song that goes "and the men they dance on the polka-dots." I was humming that tune much of the time I was finishing up the quilt, and I couldn't get that line out of my head. One of the most enjoyable things about free-form quilting is that it keeps you thinking outside the box. There's no real plan, which means all kinds of cool things can happen.

Many Moons: Free Pattern

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This modern drunkard's path pattern was made with my own ice dyed cotton. I titled it Many Moons because the colours and textures of the fabric reminded me of the moon's surface, and the pattern is laid out similar to a moon cycle chart. The moon is also considered to be the symbol for women. This was my first try at the Drunkard's Path block. I avoided this block because of the curves, but once I did a few, I got the hang of it. Below are links to get this free pattern, instructions for ice dying and a video on a simple technique to sew accurate curves for this block. (I wish I'd seen this video before I made this quilt). Glue basting??  Fons & Porter video demonstrating the glue basting technique for drunkard path blocks.

Happy Halloween!

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Halloween is my favourite time of year. I did this floral arrangement for the season and made a Halloween table topper to go with it. I think the whole thing looks quite cheerful. Also, check out my Halloween door wreath.