Midlife Quilter

Hello, my fellow quilters! Today I'm continuing with my best tips for saving money on fabric!  Part 1 (here) is a tip that doesn't cost anything--simply organizing your fabric is the first thing you need to do before buying more fabric.  It helps you see what you already have and love! Part 2 does require a little bit of investment, but I guarantee you--this is something worth doing if you quilt on a regular or professional basis. If you are like me, you are in a bit of a "fabric desert."  We don't have a lot of quilt shops here,...

The Cottage Square quilt is finally here! BUY THE PATTERN HERE I have been so excited to share this with the world.  This sweet quilt has such a special place in my heart.  It was designed shortly before my world turned upside with my dad's stage 4 cancer diagnosis. Every time I see it, there is a feeling of nostalgia for the time in my life when things felt simpler and more carefree.  I had no idea the battles that awaited me, but when I see this quilt--it puts me in touch with that softer side of me. Whenever I...

Hello, my fellow quilters! Today I want to talk about fabric--and how to shop smarter. If you are anything like me, you probably love fabric.  And there are a lot of options when shopping.  Most fabric companies release new collections monthly--some even release 3-4 collections per month. As much as I wish I had an unlimited budget for purchasing fabrics, the truth is, I have to have a budget or else I get into trouble.   As a former fabric shop owner, I had to learn quickly that I couldn't buy every collection that was released.  And I had to learn...

Ruffled throw pillows are having their moment!  Every major catalog is now selling ruffled throw pillows and I have to admit—they are pretty darling!  So I decided to learn how to make my own.  And now that I’ve made a few, I decided to share my method with you. These pillows require some patience, but they are not difficult to make at all.  The most time consuming part is creating your ruffle. It usually takes me about 20-30 minutes to create the ruffle, so I will take that piece over and gently tug my threads while watching a TV show. ...

Whenever I share my treasured Phoenix quilt, I always get asked two things: What is that binding?   and How do you do that? I get it.  The very first time I saw chenille it binding was on the Sweet Home Quilt made by Sharon Holland of Sharon Holland Designs.  My mind was blown and I asked those same two questions! Before I give you a step by step tutorial, let me tell you a little bit about chenille it.  Chenille-it is a bias tape that "blooms" in the wash.  You sew it on to your project like you would a...