The Quilt Lovers Blog

Quilting Retreat May 2009 on the Canadian Sunshine Coast - AWESOME!

Quilting Retreat May2009 on the Canadian Sunshine Coast - AWESOME!!

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Colleen's Over The Rainbow quilt

The second collection of Wizard of OZ fabrics tells the story of Dorothy and Toto landing in Munchkin Land. The Good With Glenda is the star of this

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Colleen's Wonderful Wizard of OZ quilt

The fourth in my series of quilts using Quilting Treasures Wizard of OZ fabrics depicts the Emerald City and the Wizard of Oz. The greens, turquoise

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Colleen's Follow The Yellow Brick Road quilt

The third in my series of quilts depicting The Wizard of OZ continues with Dorothy, The Tin Man, The Scarecrow and the Cowardly Lion on the following

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Colleens's UNDER THE RAINBOW quilt

The first collection of Wizard of OZ fabrics depicts the beginning of the movie in sepia tones, the panels with Dorothy and Toto are telling the

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Colleen's Wizard of OZ quilt for Heather Ann

After finishing the last in my series of Wizard of OZ quilts I wanted to use up as many of my scraps as I could. My niece Heather Ann is very special

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Colleen's Journey to THE LAND OF OZ

Hi I am Colleen Pollock from Duncan,Oklahoma. I recently sent Jackee pictures of the quilts I have made using the Wizard of Oz fabrics from Quilting

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Quilting Retreat Mar 2008 on the Canadian Sunshine Coast - AWESOME!!

Quilting Retreat Mar2009 The Best of Both Worlds, Quilting Retreat and the Sunshine Coast of British Columbia

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Quilting Retreat Mar12009 on the Canadian Sunshine Coast - AWESOME!!

Quilting Retreat Mar12009 on the Canadian Sunshine Coast - AWESOME!!

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Sawtooth Star Quilt Block learn how with my free block pattern lessons

Free Sawtooth Star Quilt Block Lesson for beginners, learn how to make one with my free block pattern lessons

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Quilting Ebook Free, quilters ebook, free quilting ebook

Get a Quilting Ebook Free by identifying your biggest Quilting challenge

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FREE Ebook Quilting Challenge, give me your challenge and get a FREE ebook

Take the FREE Ebook Quilting Challenge

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A Home Based Business that started out as a Hobby

How I Started A Home Based Business By Developing a Web Site For My Wife's Quilting Business

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Paper piecing is easy...

Being a traditional strip piecing quilter, I am not. The only quilt piecing I do is paper piecing or foundational piecing. I find it easy, goes

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My hues of Blues Quilt

Five years ago, when the ceramics shops started closing in our town, I knew I had to have another hobby to be able to ease into intelligently. Working

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Looking for a "Petless" Quilter

Deborah writes: I like to embroidery by hand. I do not sew nor quilt.I have made quite a few projects in the last year or so that need to be completed.

I am looking for a "PETLESS Quilter".

I have severe allergies to pet hair. If I even walk into a home where a cat lives I begin to sneeze and my eyes swell up, my nose runs and until I shower and wait for a few hours I don't clear up. I get like this even if I do my son's laundry after he goes riding the horse. I need someone to sew my embroidered lap quilt tops to a backing, bind them, then quilt them. I have lap quilts, pillow tops, baby quilts, lots of projects that need to be finished. So I need someone willing to sew in addition to quilting and they MUST be petless. I recently visited a couple of the quilt shops and they provided me with about 7 names of local quilters but upon calling them they all have pets in their home. Can you help put me in touch with someone who does the sewing, quilting and is petless?I would really appreciate any help you can provide to me.Thank you very much.

Jackee replies: Wow, being so allergic to pets is a huge problem. While I love to finish quilts for others (including any sewing, quilting, binding), unfortunately I too have pets, as do other quilters I know. Would you consider getting the work completed, and then washing everything to get rid of the offending pet hair.

The only other thing I can think of is to keep contacting quilt shops and talking to local area quilters until you find one who is pet free. Check with shops in towns nearby and gradually reach further (neighbouring states) if you have to. I'm certain there must be someone who can help you.

I'm not sure how many machine quilters there are in California, but I do know there are hundreds (maybe thousands now) of machine quilters in Washington State, so don't give up hope! Perhaps you need to reach out to the colder more northern states to find the quilter for you.

Your local quilt shop might also know of an Amish or Mennonite group which would be willing to take this work on. They often supply hand quilting services.

I wish you luck finding the help you need. Please let me know, in case others are in need of a "petless quilter".

If there are any quilters out there who do not have pets and are willing to take on projects for allergic folks let me know and I will post your names and contact information on my web site

Dresden Plate Help!!

Hi Jackee my name is Lyn read from Australia I am interested in making some Dresden plate centre's to get the feel for it before embarking on a quilt. I am house bound at the moment due to surgery I do not have the paper you suggested in pattern 3 for Dresden Plate but do have the template. I do have a rotary cutter but have never used it yet as I am a beginner at quilting is it best to start off with just a couple of different colours to get used to making this project. Also do you suggest scissors or rotary cutter to cut fabric out with. Any hints or advice would be appreciated. Thank you Lyn

Jackee answers: Hello Lyn -- thank you for your enquiry.

The Dresden Plate block is great one to embark on and it is good that you have a template. You can cut more paper templates out of magazine backs or fronts, and those annoying little subscription cards they stick in them.

Because you have not used your rotary cutter yet, I think you should cut your fabric pieces with scissors. Make sure when cutting, that you have left a generous 1/4" seam allowance -- it just makes it a little easier to baste the fabric to the paper. Rotary cutters are wonderful for those long straight cuts, but a little more awkward for the curves.

Because there are generally 16 petals in the Dresden Plate, using two or four colors makes it simple.

Good luck with your project, your recovery, and please feel free to email me if you have further questions. I would love a picture of your project if possible -- I always love to see what other quilters are doing!

Happy Quilting!!

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Rotary Cutters can do serious damage!!

Suzanne comments: I couldn't agree with you more about being sure to close your rotary cutters after each use. I was always a stickler about that but, one day, my husband was helping me cut out squares for a quick rag quilt for a baby present. The next day, I was reaching across my cutting table to get some fabric and my rotary cutters, which were hanging on a peg board, slipped off the peg and came down on my thumb. It wouldn't have been a problem but, my husband forgot to close them the day before when he was using them! I instantly knew it was serious. I found out, after getting a quick appointment with my doctor, that I had severed the tendon in my thumb. I had to have surgery to reattach the tendon. I had a cast on for over 6 weeks... which just about killed me because I am a sewing addict and couldn't wait to get back to sewing, etc. You're more them welcomed to use a picture of my hand in a cast to remind ladies (and gents) of the consequences of NOT closing their rotary cutters.

Jackee replies: Suzanne -- thank you for your story! We would be delighted to get a photo of you in your cast, just to hammer that message home. I have to confess that I have had close calls, and the odd wee nick, but nothing like your accident.

It must have been wonderful to have your husband's help with cutting, but I bet you were cursing him when your thumb got cut. I bet he never left a blade open again! I certainly hear your frustration with six weeks of no cutting and sewing!

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Grand Mothers Flower Garden

Connie asks: I'm attempting to make a Grandmothers Flower Garden Quilt. I'm a beginner. I've cut out all of the hexagons, and now I'm going to try and hand sew them together, but I'm not sure how to do this, meaning do I start with the center hexagon first, then sewing the others to it, which looks like that is not the way to do this. I'm sooo confused. Any suggestions are much appreciated.

Thanks

Connie! Don't despair -- you CAN do this!

First of all, are you basting the hexagons to papers, or are you just sewing the fabric pieces together?

If you are basting the fabric to paper template, first do all the basting for one block, so you have the hexagons ready to stitch together. Then starting with the center one, add one at a time. Put two right sides together and whip stitch the edge (similar to how the Dresden Plate pieces are whipstitched under "Learn to Quilt -- Dresden Plate Block"). Add another hexagon, right sides together and whip stitch two sides. You can either do one round of hexagons around your center, or two rounds.

If you are just using fabrics without papers, then you need to draw your hexagon outline on the back of the fabrics, and sew two together along one side only. Add another hexagon and sew it along two sides. Keep going like this until the circle of hexagons is complete. I think it is easier to use paper templates.

I hope this helps..... did you see my "Moms Flower Garden" in My Quilt Gallery? It was pieced using paper hexagons.

Please let me know if you need me to post some photos of how to make the Flower Garden.

Comments from a New Quilter

Margret comments: I am just learning to quilt and just came across your site. I take my first quilting class next week and I am very excited. I live in Seattle and I see that you live in Sechelt. I am anxious to start going thru your website. I just had to email you since I saw that you lived in Sechelt. I will probably have lots of questions soon.

Thank you Margaret

Jackee replies: Thank you for viewing our website. I'm so excited for you and wish you luck with your quilting class. You will have sooooo much fun!

If you have any questions, I would be delighted to assist in any way I can. Please let me know how your classes are going, and what you are learning. Are you starting with a sampler quilt, or another project?