Free motion fusible applique with the Dreamweaver XE

Embroidering words with the Brother Dreamweaver XE

Machine quilting with decorative stitches using the Dreamweaver XE from Brother

Machine quilting a serpentine stitch with the Dreamweaver Xe from Brother

Using the pivot function on THE Dream Machine 2 from Brother

Couching with THE Dream Machine 2 from Brother

A simple yet amazing tool

Every once in awhile, my Gammill does this weird thing and leaves random loops of top thread on the back of a quilt. 

Up until now, I've struggled with how to fix the back of the quilt. I recently discovered the Snag Magic tool and it works so well to fix these loops! Basically it's a heavy needle with a flexible loop on the end. 

 You insert the needle at the base of the thread loop and catch it in the loop of the needle...

 You insert the needle at the base of the thread loop and catch it in the loop of the needle, then pull to put the fabric loop into the batting. So easy!!! 

This tool is so much easier to use than what I was using - a punchneedle threader. I'm so glad that Doug at Snag Magic asked me to give the tool a try!

Check out their website at http://www.snagmagic.com/

Surface Design with Shiva Paintstiks

Quiltworks Studio is now OPEN and we've already had our first workshop!!

Our first set of students spent a Saturday morning working on the first block of our Tweets & Twinkles Block of the Month and everyone seemed to have a great time!!

Our next workshop is this Saturday and I'm super excited because we are going to be designing our own fabrics usually Shiva Paintstiks!!

We are going to use lots of different techniques such as stenciling and rubbings.

If you can't join us on Saturday, but are curious about paintstiks, there are lots of instructional videos online that show you how to use these amazing products!

I'm hoping that we'll be able do a series of different workshops that focus on different products for surface design such as paintstiks, Inktense pencils and Tsukineko inks! Hope you'll be able to join us!

Follow our Quiltworks Facebook Group to get the most up-to-date info about our workshops and other events!

Quiltworks Studio - Opening SOON!!

Nellie and I are expanding Upper Canada Quiltworks Publishing to include a new studio space for workshops!! We have set up a classroom in her home and our open house is THIS SUNDAY!!!

Not just for quilters, our new studio space will be used to encourage creativity with paper, fabric, paint, journaling and much, much more!!
Here is the first list of workshops that will be available:

• January 28th - block of the Month #1
• February 11th - surface design with Shiva Paintstiks
• February 14th - stitcheries
• February 25th - block of the month #2
• February 28th - altered board books
• March 4th - art journaling
• March 7th - wool appliqué
• March 25th - block of the month #3
• April 22nd - block of the month #4
• May 13th - block of the month #5

We are also open to suggestions for workshops and are willing to host groups of friends who would like to learn something new OR just have some creative time as a group.

Join our Facebook page for updates and news and we hope to see you at our open house on Sunday!

New Beginnings Block of the Month quilt patterns are NOW AVAILABLE!!!

Wow - where did 2016 go??? We had a blast making our New Beginnings Block of the Month blocks all year and have just added two patterns for finishing the quilt blocks into quilts. 

The first quilt pattern set the blocks on point with simple sashing and cornerstones:

This quilt finishes at 78" x 97" and showcases the pieced blocks alternating with plain blocks perfect for showcasing machine quilting motifs.Click HERE to go to our Craftsy page with the Quilt #1 pattern.

If you are looking for a more complex pattern, then check out Quilt #2:

This amazing 66" x 82" quilt, sets the 12" blocks in a straight setting but adds pieced sashing strips resulting in a secondary star pattern. The scrappy border finishes the quilt off perfectly and ties together all of the different block designs. Click HERE to go to our Craftsy page with the Quilt #2 pattern.

Check out our Upper Canada Quiltworks Craftsy Store to see all of the individual block patterns!

5 Great ideas for New Year's Resolutions

Happy New Year!!

This year I've decided to make some DIFFERENT New Year's resolutions. More of a to-do list than a list of resolutions. Of course I'm going to try to eat better and exercise more but I'm also going to focus on some other types of self improvements. Here is my list of 5 great ideas for New Year's resolutions.

1. Take a class. 

I love using my digital SLR camera but I have to admit that I REALLY don't know how to use it past shooting in auto mode. I got a tripod for Christmas, so I've signed myself up for a Craftsy photography course. I signed up for Product Photography at Home but there are TONS of other courses in a variety of subjects. Find one that you will love to take!

2. Drink more tea. 

Ok - I'll admit it, I love coffee and I have one every morning. But tea has so many health benefits that I want to try to drink it more often. I also have a wonderful selection of Davids Tea - and got a great gift pack for Christmas!!

3. Spend more time hand stitching and less time on my iPad. 

I, like many other people, LOVE my iPad and I spend a lot of time on it playing games, checking email and looking at Facebook. Most of this time is pretty unproductive, so this week I'm going to put together some hand stitching projects to work on. This way when I realize that I've been getting too much screen time I can pull one out and get stitching.

4. Read more.

This one also goes along with reducing screen time. I have a PILE of unread magazines and a shelf full of unread novels just waiting for me to put down the screen and curl up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good read.

5. Create with friends.

This one may be the best one of the year!! In February I'll be heading to Nellie's quilt retreat AND starting this month Nellie and I will be welcoming students to our new Quiltworks Studio where we will be offering workshops in Art Journalling, fabric embellishments, hand stitching, papercrafting and MORE!!! I can't wait!!

Finishing up the 52 week UFO challenge

52 Week UFO Challenge Projects #41-#44

Well, my 52 week UFO challenge has come to an end and I'm proud to say that although I didn't get all 52 projects done, I did complete 44 of them!! I've outlined projects #1-#40 throughout the year and here are the final four projects:

Candy cane punchneedle candle mat which was featured in last month's Primitive Quilts & Projects magazine:

Flower and bee applique block finished into a wall hanging:

Leftover quilt blocks made into a modern baby quilt:

Fairy applique block finished into a small wall hanging:

Thanks for joining me on my 52 week challenge!! I've had lots of fun making my way through all of these UFO's and have a great sense of accomplishment looking back at all of the projects that I've finished this year!!

Happy New Year!!!

Making quilted pillow covers with leftovers

52 Week UFO Challenge - Project #40

A couple years ago I bought the most amazing fat quarter bundle of Japanese fabrics from Kallisti quilts when she had a booth at the Ottawa quilt show. I've made a few projects from this bundle of fabrics, including a table runner made with hand pieced hexagons and a lap quilt made with hexagons and triangles all cut with my Accuquilt Studio cutter.

But I LOVE this fabric so much that I didn't want to waste ANY of it, so the scraps that were left from the previous project were all cut into small triangles using my Accuquilt triangle die.

I sewed them all into rows of 12 triangles each:

And used little half-triangles on the ends of the rows to make them square:

I then sewed all of the rows together and found that I had enough rows to make two square pieces that were each 17" x 17" - just big enough to make the fronts of pillow covers!

I layered them with batting and backing and quilted one with a spiral design and one with a leaf design:

I then followed the directions that I gave on my quilted pillow post on June 5th to make them into pillow covers. I LOVE them!! And have officially used up EVERY scrap of that fat-quarter bundle!!

Project #40  is done!!

Experimenting with WonderFil Threads

Happy Boxing Day!!

I can't believe that Christmas is over for another year! Today we are spending the day relaxing by the fire, watching movies and enjoying the gifts that we received yesterday from our family. Tonight is turkey soup night at the Baker's and tomorrow turkey pot pie (my favourite)!!

This week I am guest blogging on QUILTsocial and once again I am experimenting with WonderFil threads. This week I am using their Eleganza threads to do some wool applique, embroidery and sashiko!! What a nice treat to do some hand stitching after the busy times leading up to Christmas!

Here are some of the previous projects that I have made for QUILTsocial using WonderFil's threads - hope you find something that piques your interest or inspires you to experiment too!!


Tablerunner using WonderFil's Razzle and Dazzle threads:

Hexagon "Back Porch Pillow" with Fruitti threads:

A machine quilting design sampler with Spagetti threads:

A thread painted book cover with Tutti and Konfetti threads:

Fall fusible web tablerunner with Mirage and Decobob threads:

Christmas Tree wall hanging with WonderFil's metallic threads:

As you can see I've had lots of fun in the past experimenting with WonderFil threads - please join me on QUILTsocial this week as I explore more ways to use these wonderful threads!

Final New Beginnings Block of the Month block now available on Craftsy

December block now available!

I can't believe that December is finally here! It has been a great year full of creativity for me and I'm so happy to share with you my final (and maybe favourite) block for our New Beginnings block of the month program.

The December block ePattern is now available for download from Craftsy.

I managed to keep track of my cardboard markers ALL YEAR LONG and they are still super helpful for keeping track of what fabric is what when I get to the sewing machine

My finished block looks awesome and I'm so looking forward to getting all of these blocks together in my quilt.

In a couple weeks we'll be posting two different patterns that can be used to sew all of your BOM blocks into a quilt!!

Have you submitted YOUR blocks??

New Beginnings Blocks

Our New Beginnings BOM for 2016 is almost finished and now we are looking forward to the year end draw!!

It's not too late to download the patterns and to enter your finished blocks into the draw. We will be picking the name of one lucky quilter who will win a kit for one of our Northcott quilt patterns!!

Kathy S. from Winnipeg, Manitoba only started working on her blocks in September but last night she submitted all of these blocks and got her name put into the draw EIGHT TIMES!!

I just love that polka dot fabric and I can't wait to see which finishing pattern she decides to use to make the blocks into a quilt!

The patterns for both of the finished quilts are just being written now and will be posted in December!

The Canadian Sampler quilt

A few months ago Sew Sisters quilt shop asked us if we would design a couple blocks for their Sesquicentennial quilt project "The Canadian Sampler". We designed our blocks, made them and then mailed them to Sew Sisters along with the instructions. And yesterday we received an email with a picture of the completed quilt.

The quilt is made entirely with Northcott's ColorWorks fabrics in Cardinal and Winter White and is a combination of traditional and modern blocks. Sew Sisters is running it as a block of the month starting in January. 

This is the link to the registration: http://bit.ly/2fIPrxC

This is the link to their blog with the info on all of the designers. http://bit.ly/2fEmJPq

New quilt pattern now available

Savile Diamonds now available

Nellie and I have been so busy since returning from Houston! This morning though I was able to find some time to get one of our newest patterns up onto our website and onto Craftsy. Here is Savile Diamonds:

Savile Diamonds - blue version

Savile Diamonds - brown version

This one is a "manly" quilt as it uses Northcott's new flannel line of plaids prints called "Savile Row". and our pattern gives directions for both colorways. But look what happens when I use the magic of EQ to try out some other fabrics:

As you can see - it gives it a whole new look!!! If you've got a focus fabric that you would love to use in a quilt, give this pattern a try!!

Look for it on our website: Savile Diamonds

Or on Craftsy: Savile Diamonds

Sewing adorable wool felt animals

 Leisure Arts recently sent me the cutest book to review - "Crafty Critters" by Vickie Clontz of Annie's Keepsakes.

This fun little book has patterns for purses and pincushions, coasters and magnets and lots more projects. The directions are well written and easy to follow.

The hedgehog pin cushion is my absolute favourite! Look how cute it is with pins sticking in it!

If you've got an outdoorsy little girl on your Christmas list, there are two adorable purse patterns - this little fox purse and a raccoon one too!

  

This book is available in print or as a ebook right from the Leisure Arts website or look for it at your local bookstore or craft supply store! Have fun sewing up a zoo full of adorable wool felt animals!