1. Everyone has an OLFA story – what’s yours? Quilt-along, video, more!

    Posted by on February 15, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , ,

    Let’s face it: our quilts wouldn’t roll along as fast—or be as much fun—without the rotary cutter!

    Throughout 2019, our pals at OLFA are celebrating 40 years of rotary cutting. The company invented the rotary cutter in 1979. If you were quilting back then, you know what a revolution the rotary cutter was to your creative life!

    OLFA’s kicking off their celebration with a 40th Anniversary Quilt Along—here’s a sneak peek of the cute 40-block quilt you’ll be making:

    OLFA Quilt-Along

    The quilt-along runs for 40 weeks and new block patterns are released each Monday. Head on over to this post on OLFA’s blog for all the details and to start sewing! Forty blocks means 40 different designers: sew along with Martingale’s own Publisher and Chief Visionary Officer Jennifer Keltner and with authors Terry Atkinson, Barbara Groves, Lori Kennedy, Roseann Kermes, and Pat Sloan, plus many more!

    Speaking of Pat Sloan . . . What’s your OLFA story? Pat shared her own memories of her first encounter with OLFA rotary cutters in this cute video—we think Pat may be the most bubbly personality we know:


    Reading this post in email? Click here to view the video online.

    Just as Pat shared her OLFA story, OLFA wants you to share your story too! Use the hashtag #myOLFAstory to share your memories on social media, and follow the hashtag to read other quilters’ stories too. OLFA will be hosting giveaways for people who use the hashtag, so write up your story, snap a pic of your favorite cutter, and share it!

    If you’re headed to Quiltcon in Nashville, Tennessee, next week (February 21–24), you’re in luck! OLFA will be at the show (booth #900) showing off their latest rotary cutter in RUBY red.

    Visit their booth, try RUBY on for size, and throw your hat in the ring to win a RUBY cutter of your very own!


    Last year’s Makers’ Hands event in the OLFA booth; so many hands, so much creativity!

    Most every quilter has an OLFA story; what’s yours? First tell us in the comments:

    When did you get your first OLFA rotary cutter?

    • Less than a year ago
    • 5+ years ago
    • 10+ years ago
    • 20+ years ago
    • I was first in line 40 years ago—happy anniversary to us, OLFA!

    Then share your #myOLFAstory on social media and in the comments below too!

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  2. It’s our Splendid Sampler Sew-Along day! Flying geese with Martingale’s Chief

    Posted by on February 14, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , , ,

    Good morning and Happy Valentine’s Day to our Stitch This! readers AND to all the “Splendid” stitchers visiting us for the first time!

    We’re honored to be the publisher of Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson’s two best-selling books: The Splendid Sampler and The Splendid Sampler 2. Pat and Jane have united quilters from all over the world with their books and their Splendid Sampler Sew-Along Facebook group, which you can visit anytime for a melting pot of friendship, education, and inspiration.

    The Splendid Sampler series

    Today’s a special day, as Martingale’s own Publisher and Chief Visionary Officer, Jennifer Keltner, is hosting the delightful quiltmaking journey known round the world as the Splendid Sampler Sew-Along.

    At Home Anywhere quilt blockThere’s Always One is the name of the block Jennifer designed for The Splendid Sampler Sew-Along—if you’ve been quilting along since the first Splendid Sampler book, you’ll remember her adorable At Home Anywhere block (right). In The Splendid Sampler 2, she’s created a Flying Geese–style block that reveals a little more about her love of quilting. Here’s Jennifer to tell you more.

    Jennifer Keltner“My block is called There’s Always One, because in my life, there’s always one. One more idea, one more thought, one more chance, one more thing I have to complete, one more thing I want to do . . . you get the idea.

    In my quilting life, I dream of being a precision piecer with an ultra-organized work surface and all my patchwork pieces lined up with military precision. But my dreams are indeed not my reality. I tell my sewing buddies that I’m a serial encroacher, with my sewing supplies leaking into shared spaces. I like to chain piece, but I also like to see a block come together. Consequently, I start and stop more than I should and scurry between my machine and ironing board and stop to grab a cup of coffee (or two) in between steps. The result? I get to use my seam ripper more than most, because I sew the seam on the wrong edge, or I get the pieces turned the wrong way when I pick them up. It used to drive me crazy. Now, I just accept it as part of being me.

    There's Always One quilt block
    There’s Always One block by Jennifer Keltner (on page 13 of     The Splendid Sampler 2)

    I love to quilt. I love to retreat and sew with friends. I might as well embrace it all! Why not? So rather than stressing when I find an error in my block, I just remind myself that there’s always one.

    Friendly disclaimer: If the orderly among you can’t bear the thought of turning that one Flying Geese block upside down, go ahead and sew them all pointing in the right direction. Not everyone appreciates a misfit in the block crowd.

    You can piece this block in the traditional sew-and-flip way, but I tried a new tool when making this block. Here’s a little tip I’ve included in the book if you want to try something new.”


    I’m not one for sewing with too many gadgets. But after sewing alongside some of the best quilt designers I know, I noticed one gadget that kept appearing on their cutting mats: the Bloc-Loc Flying Geese ruler.

    Cutting is my least favorite part of the quilting process; sewing oversized blocks and trimming them down isn’t a technique I’m drawn to. But, I gave it a try, and guess what? The Bloc-Loc Flying Geese ruler gave me a perfectly shaped unit every time. So, if your flying geese aren’t all you want them to be, try a specialty ruler like Bloc-Loc. You might just like it!

    Can you spot Jennifer’s block in Pat and Jane’s 100 Blocks + 1 sampler quilt below? You’ll find a link to download complete directions for making four beautiful sampler quilts, both big and small, in The Splendid Sampler 2.

    100 Blocks + 1 sampler quilt

    Have you been following the Splendid Sampler Sew-Along?

    • Yes, every block, every week, every month since the beginning!
    • Yes, and sometimes I keep up!
    • Not yet but the group and the books sound fun—can I be a Splendid, too? (Of course you can!)

    Tell us your Splendid experience in the comments!

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  3. 7 fun ways to applique words on quilts (+ giveaway!)

    Posted by on February 13, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , ,

    The word is out—adding text to quilts is IN!

    Text It!

    Share a sentiment, stitch an inspiring statement, or create cute and quirky messages in fabric with Text It! Use the letters, numbers, and symbols of SEVEN different fonts, provided on pullout pattern sheets, to create 10 quilt and pillow patterns as shown in the book. Or personalize projects with one-of-a-kind wordplay!

    Fonts in Text It!
    Example of the seven fun fonts in     Text It!

    Appliqué text with a variety of techniques, including fusible, bias-strip, and needle-turn appliqué—author Sherri Noel has even created a way to turn hexagons into letters and sew them by machine. Mix and match lettering styles, sizes, colors, and fabrics for layers of creative fun. Take our word for it—you’ll love expressing yourself in fabric this way:

    From Text It!

    From clever catchphrases to sayings that are good for the soul, Text It! will help you choose just the right words to convey your thoughts in fabric—as we quilters love to do.

    We’re so pleased to introduce Sherri to you today as our guest writer. We’re hanging on her every word! 😄

    Sherri NoelI grew up in New England, the youngest of four children. My mother wasn’t a quilter, but lucky for me, we did have a sewing machine in our home. I was also fortunate enough to have a presence of both of my industrious grandmothers in my life; painting, sewing, and knitting were collectively their creative passions.

    I didn’t realize until later in life how much creativity surrounded me in my youth or how my family influenced me. Not only in their creative endeavors, but in their loving and fun, cheeky ways. That’s why my designs almost always center on my love of family, silliness, or positive persuasion.

    Bee Happy quilt

    My own quilting endeavors began in college. I had friends that were sewing and it became a creative outlet and a way to express myself. One day I realized that each quilt I made had an intention or a message for the recipient. I didn’t sew only for fun; it was also my way of expressing myself and my love for the recipient. While I stitched away, I would focus on the person who would receive the quilt with a message I wanted to convey—sometimes loving, sometimes silly, but always with a positive spin.

    Counting Sheep quilt

    While I had lots of fun making all the projects in Text It!, I do have my favorites. The Freedom quilt probably holds the most meaning to me.

    Freedom quilt

    A fellow quilter, Tara Miller of Quilt District, sent me her thoughts on the Freedom quilt: “The Freedom quilt is symbolic of my new direction. Freedom from fear, freedom from self-doubt, freedom from complacency, freedom to make choices for change. Great things are happening and I’m walking into them free.”

    I can’t wait to share Tara’s Freedom project with you, along with all the projects remade by some of your favorite quilters! Get a copy of Text It! and gather your silly sayings and your powerful messages. Mark your calendars and get ready to share your creativity. I’ll be hosting a fun blog hop that kicks off March 4 at my website, Rebecca Mae Designs.

    Text It!Thanks for introducing us to your fun new book, Sherri!

    We have a copy of Text It! to give away to one winner today! To enter the random drawing, tell us in the comments:

    What would you “write” on your first Text It! quilt?

    We’ll choose a random winner one week from today and let you know by email if you win. Good luck! And if you’re ready to start texting on your quilts right now, you can purchase Text It! at our website, ShopMartingale.

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  4. Flying Geese quilt-block tutorial with designer Pam Buda (video + giveaway!)

    Posted by on February 11, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , , , ,

    From Vintage PatchworkOkay, let’s have some serious quilt talk today.

    Let’s talk fudging.

    Have you ever had to fudge your patchwork units? S-t-r-e-t-c-h-ing them or easing them to fit together?

    If you’re familiar with fudging, raise your hand. 🙋🙋🙋 Well, fudge no more! Vintage Patchwork author Pam Buda knows that just a few minor adjustments in your piecing will result in more accurately sized units. Which makes more accurately sized blocks. And more accurately sized quilts!

    Pam recently shared her “Four Principles for Perfect Connector Corners” with us via video, and her technique works for any stitch-and-flip unit or block. (Spoiler alert: the tip is all about that flip!)

    Take a look at Pam’s method, demonstrated in this Flying Geese quilt-block tutorial:


    Reading this post in email? Click here to view the video online.

    Leave it to Pam to bring better precision within reach. Did Pam’s Flying Geese quilt-block tutorial reveal a new strategy for you?

    Pam uses lots of Flying Geese and half-square triangles in her little quilts from Vintage Patchwork. We think you’re going to love her pretty, pint-sized patchwork projects—all made from ONE bundle of 10″ squares!

    North and South quilt
    North and South

    Little Women quilt
    Little Women

    Tess of the d’Urbervilles quilt
    Tess of the d’Urbervilles

    Ready to take a “little” break to play with petite patchwork? Well, our friends at Marcus Fabrics gave us TWO beautiful 10″ precut stacks from Pam’s Prairie Basics & Prairie Shirtings line to give away to two winners today!

    Vintage PatchworkFor your chance to win Pam’s fabric plus a copy of Vintage Patchwork, tell us in the comments:

    How much of a precise piecer are you?

    • I am very precise; I already follow Pam’s method.
    • Sometimes I get it just right and sometimes I fudge.
    • My precise piecing needs some practice!

    We’ll choose two random winners one week from today and let you know by email if you win. Good luck! And if you’re ready to break out a stack of fabric and sew with Pam, order Vintage Patchwork on our website and we’ll ship it to you toot-sweet!

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  5. Easy quilt-as-you-go method for smallish quilts – 3 simple steps

    Posted by on February 8, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , ,

    Lazy River Bed RunnerHave you tried the easy quilt-as-you-go method? It’s packed with some serious quilting magic!

    You start by basting your backing and batting together; then you stitch the pieces for the patchwork on top of the batting and backing. Which means you’re machine quilting your project at the same time you’re piecing it.

    Mind blown!

    If you’ve never heard of the easy quilt-as-you-go method or if you’ve yet to try it, take a look at our excerpt today from Gudrun Erla’s book Learn to Quilt-As-You-Go. After she had designed patterns and owned quilt shops in her home country of Iceland, quilting brought her to Minnesota in 2003. Since then Gudrun has been designing full time, and her quilt-as-you-go technique is super-popular. You’ll see why below!

    QUILT-AS-YOU-GO BASICS

    Excerpted from Learn to Quilt-As-You-Go by Gudrun Erla

    Gudrun ErlaEvery technique starts with knowing the basics. Once you understand the basic method of building a backing-and-batting sandwich and applying strips to it, you can piece and quilt your projects in a single step. In Learn to Quilt-As-You-Go, I delve into working with triangles, filling areas with strips that go in different directions, adding appliqués and dimensional embellishments, and creating the illusion of curves. It’s a fun method to rely on for smaller projects—and when you realize the quilting is complete once you’ve sewn your last patchwork piece, you’ll be amazed! So let’s talk about the basics of this fun process.

    1. Baste the Backing and Batting Together

    Before adding any quilt-top pieces, you first need to baste the backing and batting together. There are several ways you can do this, but whatever method you use, make sure there aren’t any puckers or wrinkles on the backing before you begin piecing.

    My preference is to use fusible batting or interfacing and then fuse the backing and batting together. You can also use nonfusible batting with basting spray, quilter’s safety pins, or thread.

    2. Mark the Batting

    Once the backing and batting are basted together, you’ll need to mark the batting to use as a guide for placing the fabric pieces. Each project in the book specifies how to mark the batting. Use a clear ruler and a marking pen or pencil to mark accurate lines that are easy to see.

    3. Piece the Top

    Your fabrics are cut, the backing and batting are basted together, and your machine is ready to sew. It’s time to quilt as you go!

    Place the first fabric right side up on the batting where instructed, using the lines on the batting as a guide.

    Position the next piece over the first strip, right sides together, aligning the raw edges along the edge indicated in the project instructions. Pin the pieces together.

    Using a ¼" seam allowance, sew through all the layers, remembering to lock your stitches at the beginning and end of the seam.

    With your fingers, open the second piece to the right side and finger-press the seam. Then use an iron to press the unit. Try to avoid directly touching the iron to the batting so as not to melt it. For some projects I simply finger-press each piece as I sew, and then press with an iron after I’ve completed a full row. Use your best judgment and go to the iron if you feel like your pieces aren’t lying flat with just finger-pressing.

    Lay the next piece in place as directed in the project instructions and pin it in place. Sew through all the layers, and press as before. Continue in this manner until all the pieces have been added.

    What’s next? The binding—other than that final step, you’re done!

    Thinking about giving the easy quilt-as-you-go method a whirl? Gudrun’s got you covered with more helpful details about the whole process. Pick up Learn to Quilt-As-You-Go and you can choose from 14 small projects. Start with one of four beginner projects:

    Let's Dish Place Mats
    Let’s Dish Place Mats

    Then move on to triangles:

    Winging It Table Runner
    Winging It Table Runner

    Strips:

    Spring Bouquet Wall Hanging
    Spring Bouquet Wall Hanging

    Prairie points:

    Lucky Charms Topper
    Lucky Charms Topper

    And (the illusion of) curves:

    Petal Play Topper
    Petal Play Topper

    What’s your experience with quilt-as-you-go: love it, learning it, or haven’t yet tried it? Tell us in the comments!

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  6. Steal this deal: year-round inspiration, 6 cents per day (supply limited)

    Posted by on February 7, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , ,

    If we offered you quilty inspiration and eye candy for only SIX CENTS per day, would you take us up on it?

    Well, today is the day we’re offering you just that!

    We can finally bring you this AMAZING deal: get the Stitches to Savor 2019 Calendar by Sue Spargo for only $4.60—that’s 80% off the retail price!

    Stitches to Savor 2019 Calendar

    Enjoy Sue’s captivating work all year long in this spectacular wall calendar, featuring a 3″ x 6″ at-a-glance calendar format. Sue’s quilts shine in big, beautiful photographs that are so realistic that when you hang the calendar, it actually looks like a quilt on the wall! (Patterns not included.)

    From the Stitches to Savor 2019 CalendarBecause it’s a time-sensitive item, the rest of our (quickly diminishing) inventory must be sold now. And that means YOU get a sweet deal—so why not pop a calendar in your shopping cart right now?

    Sue’s 2019 calendar is more inspiring than ever. For less than $5.00, you can give one to a quilty friend or one to yourself. Or both! You deserve to indulge, especially at such a great price!

    These magnificent hand-sewn works of art will have you yearning to put needle and thread to fabric—stunning, close-up photography captures every detail.

    If you’ve owned one of Sue’s previous calendars, we’re here to warn you: you might have a hard time letting it go at the end of the year. But guess what? You can remove the pages and use them to pretty up other items!


    Turn calendar pages into bookmarks, envelopes, notebook covers, and coasters—you already have a fun project planned for 2020! (    source)

    Grab your calendar before they’re gone and enjoy Sue’s breathtaking work all year long!

    What one project are you most looking forward to making in 2019? Tell us in the comments!

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  7. New Country Threads quilt patterns! 14 stunning Civil War-inspired quilts (+ giveaway!)

    Posted by on February 6, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , , ,

    Capture the old-fashioned feel of quilts from the Civil War era—and make it fun with this gorgeous collection of all-new Country Threads quilt patterns!

    Beyond the Battlefield

    Mary Etherington and Connie Tesene’s signature make-do style comes to life in Beyond the Battlefield. Inside, you’ll find 14 stunning quilts, from small, simple tributes to larger quilts featuring hundreds of scrap fabrics.

    From Beyond the Battlefield

    Projects are paired with period photographs and fascinating true stories of heroines of the Civil War, from women who disguised themselves as soldiers to others who became doctors, nurses, and even spies in order to serve. Here’s one of those stories from Beyond the Battlefield:

    Circa 1865: Pauline Cushman

    Born in 1833 in New Orleans, Harriet Wood dreamed of becoming an actress. In those days, it was a rough life with lots of travel, poor accommodations, little pay, and public disapproval. Despite all of this, Harriet took the name Pauline Cushman and became well known for her stage performances. She sided with the Union when the war began and passed information through a Union network of spies. She escaped capture, and when sentenced to hang, she pleaded illness. President Lincoln made her an honorary cavalry major, and newspapers called her a heroine. She eventually went west, and when Pauline Cushman died in 1893, hundreds of Union veterans attended the service. She was buried with military honors in San Francisco’s National Military Cemetery.

    Whether you’re a fan of traditional designs, Civil War fabrics, or scrappy-to-the-max patterns, these stunning quilts are sure to inspire you. What else will inspire you? Our Q&A with Mary and Connie!

    Connie Tesene and Mary EtheringtonStitch This!: Your first two books on Civil War quilts, The Blue and the Gray and Civil War Remembered, were instant best sellers. What inspired you to team up again for Beyond the Battlefield?

    Mary (right in photo): We love to sew! We may have closed our quilt shop but we STILL LOVE TO SEW!

    ST!: What’s your designing process like—do you draft a pattern first or gather fabrics first? Do you draw ideas on paper or use a computer? And how do you split the work of creating a book?

    Mary: I’ve never drafted a pattern using the computer. I wouldn’t even know how!

    Connie (left in photo): It all starts with coffee! Mary and I meet at our local coffee shop along with bags of books and drawings. We start with what we are inspired by and the techniques that we want to include in a book. We are both old school, working with rough graph-paper drawings. Sometimes a quilt block will lead to a different setting or idea—there’s a lot of back and forth! The invention of the cell phone with a camera has been a real game changer for us!

    Caring Hands quilt
    Caring Hands

    ST!: What’s inspiring you right now?

    Mary: Our blog readers are inspiring me right now! They’ve loved making our Bullseye quilt (below) from our most recent quilt-along, and now I’m deciding on the next quilt-along that we’ll do. I want our readers to have that satisfaction of a finished quilt, so whatever I choose will not be too difficult. Want to join us at the Country Threads Chicken Scratch Blog? Sign up in the sidebar here.

    Connie: More like who is inspiring me right now—Zen Chic, Kim Diehl, and Carrie Nelson. Also Magnolia Market—we’re remodeling our basement and I love their take on a modern and antique look.

    21st-Century Bullseye quilt
    21st-Century Bullseye quilt from the eBook     Quilts from Aunt Amy

    ST! What’s on your sewing table right now?

    Mary: Bullseye!


    Mary’s Bullseye quilt in progress

    Connie: Bullseye!


    Connie’s Bullseye quilt in progress

    ST! What’s your #1 tip for beginning quilters?

    Mary: Accuracy in cutting, sewing, and pressing. Get familiar and comfortable with your machine, and remember—this isn’t the last quilt you’ll ever make!

    Hiding in Plain Sight quilt
    Hiding in Plain Sight

    5 Quick Questions for Mary and Connie

    What’s your secret talent?

    Mary: I’ve been a church pianist for 60 years.

    Connie: Master Gardener.

    What’s the last thing you Googled?

    Mary: How to do something on my iPad.

    Connie: A recipe for lemon poppy-seed muffins.

    What movie have you seen again and again?

    Mary: The Sound of Music.

    Connie: The Harry Potter movies and The Wizard of Oz.

    Heartbeats quilt
    Heartbeats

    Beyond the BattlefieldThanks for answering our pressing questions, Mary and Connie—your new book is absolutely beautiful.

    We’re giving away a copy of Beyond the Battlefield to one lucky winner! Will it be you? To enter the random drawing, tell us in the comments:

    What size of reproduction fabrics do you own right now?

    • Scads of yardage
    • Stacks of precuts
    • Scraps, scraps, and more scraps
    • All of the above!

    We’ll choose a winner one week from today and let you know by email if you win. Good luck! And if you’d like to join Mary and Connie for some Civil War–style sewing, order Beyond the Battlefield at our website and we’ll send you a link to download the eBook version for free.

    Comments are closed for this post.

    Thanks to all who entered the drawing! The winner is Sharon, who says:

    “I only have a few pieces of yardage and a lot of small scraps and fat quarters but I’m always searching for good ones. They don’t sell them where I live and it’s hard to tell what they really look like on the computer. Love the new book!”

    We’ll email you about your prize, Sharon—congratulations!

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  8. ❤️ 7 handmade Valentine’s Day gift ideas for darlings, sweethearts, and honeys ❤️

    Posted by on February 4, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , ,

    “Without Valentine’s Day, February would be . . . well, January.”

    –Jim Gaffigan, Comedian

    What’s the first thing you think of when you hear the word February? Maybe you feel a flutter in your heart because you know spring is closer than it’s ever been; maybe it’s the birthday month of somebody special to you. Heck, maybe President’s Day is your jam! But for most of us, February turns our heads toward our hearts . . . because Valentine’s Day is on the way!

    Whether you want to shower someone you love with hugs and kisses, candy and flowers, or a night on the town, a gift you’ve made with your own two hands will help the day last forever. Today we’ve rounded up some smallish projects to whip up in plenty of time for the 14th—who would you make these pretty handmade gifts for?

    ❤️ Turn itty-bitty buttons and bits of wool into a beautiful pillow with a happy heart! We love how Stacy West adds pretty feather-stitched details to the seam that joins the front and back of the pillow:

    Folk Art Heart Pillow
    Folk Art Heart Pillow by Stacy West, from     The Best of Buttermilk Basin

    ❤️ We envision this little quilt in red and white—and the embroidered sentiments are something your sweetie will want to hang every Valentine’s Day (or perhaps all year long):

    Love and Dreams Wall Hanging
    Love and Dreams Wall Hanging by Gail Pan, from     Patchwork Loves Embroidery Too

    ❤️ This darling tote bag shares an embroidered verse on the front that celebrates friendship in its many forms:

    True Friend Tote
    True Friend Tote by Natalie Bird, from     Cottage-Style Charm

    ❤️ Here’s another cute project from Natalie—wouldn’t this be a perfect gift for a little one who’s in love with a doll or a teddy bear? A tiny blanket for their bestie!

    Heart and Bloom Mini-Quilt
    Heart and Bloom Mini-Quilt by Natalie Bird, from     Cottage-Style Charm

    ❤️ Just one charm pack is all it takes to make this pair of coordinating mini-quilts—one to keep and one to give to a treasured friend:

    Forever Friends
    Forever Friends by Lisa Bongean, from     Moda All-Stars: Lucky Charm Quilts

    This teeny heart quilt is perfect for making in multiples—sew one in each family member’s signature colors:

    Little Love
    Little Love by Edyta Sitar, from     Moda All-Stars: Mini Marvels

    ❤️ Okay . . . so you might not be able to finish this gorgeous quilt by Valentine’s Day—but it looks so fun to make. And Valentine’s Day 2020 is only 375 days away!

    Flower Power
    Flower Power by Helen Stubbings, from     Red & White Quilts

    Who would you like to surprise with a fabric valentine this year: your main squeeze, your mom and dad, your kids, your grandkids, your best friend? Tell us in the comments!

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  9. Wish List Day! Rolling, celebrating, and bargello-ing 😄 (+ giveaway!)

    Posted by on February 1, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , , ,

    Introducing Martingale’s March 2019 new releases: get a sneak peek today! We’ve got an exciting lineup of new books coming to you in March—keep track of your favorites by using the “Notify Me” and “Wish List” options at ShopMartingale.com. Browse the latest batch of Martingale books below; then enter to win your favorite book of the month at the end of this post!

    Subscribe to our blog and you’ll always be first to see new Martingale books, plus special sales, freebies, tutorials, and more.

    Moda All-Stars: On a RollModa All-Stars: On a Roll
    14 Quilts That Start with 2½" Strips
    Compiled by Lissa Alexander
    Release date: March 1

    The Moda All-Stars are on a roll! The All-Stars are back with sparkling projects for irresistible Jelly Rolls—coordinating precut 2½" strips of fabric that slash cutting time and speed up sewing time.

    Patchwork reigns in 14 quilt patterns created by favorite Moda designers, including Lisa Bongean, Betsy Chutchian, Joanna Figueroa, Sandy Klop, and Anne Sutton. From simple and classic to fresh and contemporary, you’ll find a beautiful quilt that’ll inspire you to get the ball rolling!

    The designers and team at Moda Fabrics are donating all royalties from the sale of Moda All-Stars: On a Roll to School on Wheels.

    From Moda All-Stars: On a Roll

    Pat Sloan's Celebrate the SeasonsPat Sloan’s Celebrate the Seasons
    14 Easy Quilts and Companion Projects
    Pat Sloan
    Release date: March 1

    Greet each season with beloved designer Pat Sloan leading the way! Pat’s clear instructions and encouraging “You can do it!” attitude make this collection of seasonal projects a snap to create. Choose from 13 simple patchwork and appliqué projects for spring (stitch a bouquet of scrap-happy tulips), summer (make a pillow in sky blues and sunny yellows), fall (harvest a fun pumpkin wall quilt), and winter (get cozy with a Nordic-style snowflake quilt). Each season offers something special to celebrate—and Pat’s easy-to-make projects will inspire you to welcome each turn of the calendar page.

    From Pat Sloan's Celebrate the Seasons

    Strip-Pieced BargelloStrip-Pieced Bargello
    Dynamic Quilts, Step by Step
    Judith Steele
    Release date: March 1

    Make mesmerizing bargello quilts with the easy-to-follow instructions and charts included in Strip-Pieced Bargello. It’s like quilting by number! Simply sew strips of fabric together, slice the strip sets into segments, and arrange segments into swaths of movement and color. Create the illusion of curves using only straight strips! Start with as few as 4 or as many as 24 fabrics to sew a table runner, wall hanging, tote, tree skirt, or larger quilt. Armed with Judith’s tools, tips, and techniques, as well as her smart methods for staying organized, you’ll be ready to make your first—or your 21st!—bargello beauty.

    From Strip-Pieced Bargello

    Which book would make your March extra sew-a-licous? Name it in the comments and you could win it! We’ll choose a random winner one week from today and let you know by email if you win. Good luck!

    And by the way . . . February books are available NOW!

    Beyond the Battlefield Text It! Stitched So Sweet Yoko Saito's Beautiful Bags, Pouches & Quilts

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  10. Apliquick method of applique: have you tried this turned-edge technique? (video)

    Posted by on January 30, 2019, in quilting & sewing, , , , , ,

    Fashionable Pineapple blockIt seems like there are countless ways to appliqué—by hand or machine, with turned-under or raw edges, using freezer-paper, back-basting, fusible web, and more! But there’s one way to appliqué you may not have heard of—the Apliquick way.

    The Splendid Sampler 2 co-author Jane Davidson (with Pat Sloan) recently introduced us to the Apliquick method of appliqué, and it looks intriguing! The Apliquick company is based in Spain, and the Apliquick Rods shown in the video below were developed by Olga Rosa; you can find them at your local quilt shop or online. Take a look at the technique, where Jane shows us how she appliqués her Fashionable Pineapple block from the book. Have you tried using these rods?


     Reading this post in email? Click here to view the video online.

    Turn under, glue, and stitch. Hmm, the Apliquick method of appliqué is looking satisfyingly simple!

    There are nearly 40 blocks in The Splendid Sampler 2 that you can appliqué—or Apliquick!—along with 60+ blocks to sew using patchwork, embroidery, foundation piecing, and English paper piecing. You can share your blocks online at The Splendid Sampler Sew-Along Facebook group, where more than 30,000 quilters are doing the same! Have you seen the samplers yet? Along with 100 block patterns, the book includes directions for four sampler settings:

    100 Bocks + 1 sampler quilt
    100 Blocks + 1, finished size 72½" × 72½". Designed and pieced by Jane Davidson and Pat Sloan and quilted by Jane Davidson.

    Heart and Hands Sampler quilt
    Heart and Hands, finished size 52½" × 56½". Designed by Pat Sloan, pieced by Melanie Barrett, and quilted by Shelley Pagliai.

    Nine Patch Dance quilt
    Nine Patch Dance, finished size 25½" × 25½". Designed, pieced, and quilted by Susan Ache.

    Lovin' the Blues sampler quilt
    Lovin’ the Blues, finished size 30″ × 50″. Designed, pieced, and quilted by Tammy Vonderschmitt.

    Make a big sampler or make it small . . . make just a few blocks or make them all!

    Have you tried the Apliquick method of appliqué? What’s your favorite appliqué technique? Tell us in the comments!

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