Monica Curry Quilt Design

Quilt patterns can come in many sizes. But what if the size of the pattern isn't the size you want? Maybe you want a throw instead of a mini quilt or a baby quilt instead of a king-size. To resize your pattern or block, you need to know the percentage to reduce or enlarge the pattern templates. Read below to learn three easy ways to get the percentage you need to resize templates. THREE METHODS FOR RESIZING YOUR QUILTS AND BLOCKS 1. DO THE MATH Below is the very simple formula to get the percentage for reducing or enlarging. ENLARGING : Measure the shortest length of the original block size? e.g. 6 inches What size do you want the new block to be? e.g. 8 inches Divide the new size by the original size, e.g. 8 ÷ 6 = 1.33. Move the decimal point two steps to the right to get your percentage = 133%. Enter 133% into the copy machine to enlarge your 6-inch block to an 8-inch block.  REDUCING : Do the opposite of above. Divide the small size (e.g. 6") by the large size (e...

A couple of years ago I posted a  Halloween floral arrangement that I made for my home. This year, I made a Halloween wreath for my front door. I turn 60 this October and I love Halloween, so I'm having a birthday/Halloween party for my big day. I wanted a pretty wreath on the door to greet my guests. I saw some beautiful wreaths on Pinterest with skulls and  ghoulish stuff, but I wanted a floral wreath. Everything I used to make this wreath is from the dollar store. It cost about $15 to make which proves you don't need a lot of money to pretty up your home for Halloween.  Happy Halloween one and all!

Halloween is almost here again. This is my favourite time of year. Costume parties, treats, tricks, and spooky stuff; I love it all. Today I'm launching my new Halloween pattern Witchy Boots for 2017. This mini quilt is a simple applique pattern that's perfect for a confident beginner. The finished size is 13" x 15" (32.5cm x 37.5cm). The pattern was inspired by the image from the Wizard of Oz (1939) of the Wicked Witch of the East's boots after Dorothy's house crushes her. Dorothy had a whole mess of problems after that. My version looks the Wicked Witch of the East was stuffed in a trash can, but you get the idea. 

1. How to Make a Vintage Planter Pin Cushion Pin cushions are an absolute necessity in any sewing studio. You usually don't realize this until you don't have one around when you need it. If you go online or on Pinterest, you'll see hundreds of different variations of a pin cushion. There was, however, one pin cushion I fell in love with. It's the vintage planter pin cushion. I came across these little cuties at Lovely Little Handmaids  and knew I had to make one. I picked up a vintage planter at the flower shop and, in no time, I made this adorable little pin cushion. See the instructions below to make your own. I think they would make great gifts for your sewing friends. INSTRUCTIONS You can probably find one of these little planters at a thrift shop or rummage sale for a few cents. You may also want to check out your local florist shop to see if they have any kicking around from days gone by. That's where I found mine. Step One  To give the pin cushion extra wei...

Last week I launched my cute  Kitty Cat placemat pattern. This week I'm introducing its partner, my new Little Puppy placemat. Both placemats are great for kids or grand-kids, but could also be used as hot pads in the kitchen. They are simple to make with basic fusible  appliquè . This pattern is perfect for the confident beginner who wants to learn bias binding and fusible  appliquè .

My favourite cat is the orange tabby. I had an orange tabby when I was young. Her name was Abby; Abby the tabby! I loved her, and it broke my heart when she didn't come home one day. Later in life, I developed an allergy to cats, but I still love them to pieces. I designed this cute Kitty Kat placemat pattern for a child, but a real cat lover could also use it in the kitchen as a hot pad.

Who doesn't love the sweet taste of honey? These stylish and modern hexagon placemats showcase the Bee Creative and Bee Inspired fabric collections by Deb Strain. But no matter what colours you use, these placemats are sure to make a statement. I love the quilting on the back. It reminds me of sacred geometry . OUR HONEY BEES ARE IN DANGER! After being here for thousands of years, their population is declining and one species of bee is on the  endangered list . It’s scary to imagine what would happen if all our honey bees were gone. Most of our non-grain foods are dependent on honey bee pollination. There are 90 different food plants that depend almost exclusively on the honey bee. When my husband and I heard several years ago that the bee population was declining, we planted more flowers and plants that would attract and feed them. Also, we use only non-toxic, natural pesticides. Photo by Monica curry Here are five things you can do in your garden to help the b...