Tutorials

"Catch me if you can" is the name for this quilt I made using Riley Blake Design's fabric from their On the Go line. It is super colorful, I know, but that is how little kids (read 'me') like it! The fabrics are filled with airplanes, trucks, locomotives, scooters, cars... So, I came up with this irregular grid pattern to showcase all the fun prints, with the flying geese to add more motion to the design. Click here to go to the step-by-step tutorial, which is posted on Riley Blake's site, … [Read more...] about Catch me if you can – Tutorial

Fleece feels good to the touch, but it is sort of weird to sew: regardless of how careful you are when measuring and cutting it, as you sew it, one side will stretch and the whole thing will look wonky. Since I do not like fleece blankets with knots, sewing is the solution for me, although I have used a couple of different alternatives to knots when I did not have time to sew it. So, here is my version of a fleece blanket, which includes one fringed side. You will need: Solid fleece, 72" x … [Read more...] about Fleece Blanket Tutorial

Christmas ribbons are so beautiful! I love their designs, their shimmer... Abakhan, a fabric and crafts company based in the UK, sent me a roll of gorgeous Christmas ribbon this week, and I went right to work as I already had a design in mind. Borrowing from ribbonwork concepts, I had imagined a circle of leaves made of wire ribbon. Abakhan's ribbon was perfect for this project, as it had a green center, with extra wide gold borders, and it was very pliable, making it easier to shape the leaves … [Read more...] about Christmas Ribbon Wall Hanging Tutorial

As I promised, here is the tutorial for the placemats I made using Riley Blake's laminates, which go together with the table runner I showed on my previous post (see it here). They are reversible, each side having a different combination of fabrics! I added a pocket for utensils to both sides and quilted right above the pockets only, to hold the batting in place. For the quilting motif, I chose to mimic the chevron laminate design, as you will see in a close-up picture below. My family LOVES … [Read more...] about Laminate Placemats

At this time of the year I search for ideas of gifts I can make for friends, teachers, my husband's co-workers, and others who have affected our life in a positive way during the year. As I make the gifts, I am filled with gratitude for them... and hope they will feel it as they receive the gift. My requirements: the gift should not take hours to put together, it must be creative, and its materials must be easily found in nearby stores. This year I made a Christmas wall hanging decoration … [Read more...] about Holiday Decor Tutorial

This is the tutorial I promised for the Star Mat I am making for Christmas. In fact, I will make a few of them to give as gifts and for the Holiday Festival I will participate in within a couple of weeks - I am sure the ladies will like to give them as gifts, too! However, as I mentioned in a previous post (here), you can use this pattern with any fabric to match your home decor, or for another Holiday. Although this is a simple project, the tutorial is very detailed so as to make it easy on … [Read more...] about Star Mat Tutorial