I have been playing with paperless paper peicing. I always like to try a sample with scaps before committing to the whol quilt. I enjoyed the theory and I am getting ready to schedule a class to teach it at Intown Quilters. I made my sample into a pillow cover for my sewing room!

How to square a quilt

I just returned home from a trip to Texas. My mom has a long arm quilting machine and Allyson and I quilted 14 quilts in 7 days! Have you ever sent a quilt to be quilted? Did you pay them to square your quilt? Did you get your quilt returned to you and wondered, "What in the world do I do with all of the extra fabric around this quilt." A longarm quilter will charge you  for squaring your quilt. My mom charges $10.00 per quilt, but I am sure the price ranges depending on who is quilting it. If you are interested in doing it yourself I will show you how to do it yourself.

  This is what your quilt will look like when it comes back from the quilter. Now we need to square it.

 I love this ruler! It is the same one that my mom uses to square quilts for her customers. It does fold for easy storage. My ruler is the Salem Rule FSQ-1. Looks like you can call them at1-888-209-4087.

 I lay the ruler on the corner of the quilt. You want the ruler 1/4" from the edge stitch. You want to cut off the batting.

 If you do not have the corner ruler do not fret. You can also use your standard quilting ruler. Cut one side, then cut the other.

When you are done the quilt will look like this!

Your quilt has now been squared and you are ready to add the binding.

Style Stitches Pattern Review

I love Amy Butler books. I just finished a sample purse from this book for my local quilt shop "Intown Quilters". Have you seen the book?


I decided to make the Perfectly Pleated Clutch! I was excited to try her pleating method and I really enjoyed doing it. I have even been thinking about where I could use it again in future projects. The pattern was rated as intermediate and I found that to be accurate. Some of my friends have commented that they are not fond of the center wrist band, but it does not bother me. I did find that the amount of fabric you are told to buy for the body of the bag is actually enough to make two bags! You can pick another accent fabric for your top and have two great clutches instead of one. The only feature of the bag that I would choose to change when making it again is that I would divide the inner pocket into two sections. The one large pocket is the same size as the bag and feels a little floppy, but divided into two sections I think it could be more useful. All in all, great job Amy Butler! I can't wait to try more bags from this book, next on the list is the Cosmo Bag!

$25.00 couch makeover!

I have been so tired of looking at the same toss pillows on my couch, and I knew I needed a change. I made these pillows shortly after we moved into our house 8 years ago. I visited a local discount fabric store and found this modern fabric and I knew it had to be mine. I also scored 2  27" pillow forms at the same place. So for $25.43 I ran home with my fabric and started cutting. Here is the before and after, sometimes it only takes a small change to make me happy to walk into a room that has been boring me for so long. I will be adding a little tutorial on the pillow making process shortly, stay tuned!

Years in the making!

O.K. so I have been thinking of doing this for aprox. 3 years. I am always sewing and creating, now I want to share it with you! Welcome to my world, stay tuned...