TheQuiltingCoach.com

How to Improvise an Extension Table

Sat, 24 Nov 2012 00:00:00 -08

It was an exciting day in La Mesa, California. All the stores were closed and I didn't have an extension table...

The Bat Quilt Block

Sat, 20 Oct 2012 00:00:00 -08

This easy-to-sew quilt block could test your ability to keep your bias edges from stretching.

Snail's Trail Quilt Block

Mon, 09 Jul 2012 00:00:00 -08

Snail's Trail Quilt Block is a traditional pattern that uses half-square triangles as well as quarter square triangles.

Quilting with Chenille

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 00:00:00 -08

It's no surprise that the French word for caterpillar is chenille. Think about chenille fabric. The cords are fuzzy and tickly, just like a caterpillar.

Sewing an Accurate 1/4 inch Seam Allowance

Mon, 16 Aug 2010 00:00:00 -08

Sewing accurate 1/4" seam allowances every time will go a long way toward sewing square blocks that are all the same size.

Scrap Quilt Expert Bonnie Hunter - Eavesdrop on a Telephone Conversation

Sun, 08 Feb 2009 00:00:00 -08

Quilts were made from scraps of fabric, whether they were clothes that had been outgrown or worn out, or curtains that had been taken down, or old sheets that had been replaced on the bed. And Bonnie Hunter has a system for using the same fabric sources in her quilts of today.

An Idea for those 4 inch Batik Squares

Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -08

This quilt is made from small batik squares that many quilt shops sell in a pack. These were all cat squares. Each kitty square is 4 inches, and I surrounded it with squares and half-square triangles forming a type of Pinwheel Block. Then using the colors that were in the background

Trick or Treat at the Haunted House

Sun, 15 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -08

Halloween is one of my favorite holidays! I remember many Halloween evenings sorting through various candy treats. This Halloween, I decided to create a special quilt - Trick or Treat at the Haunted House.

The Shelf Life of Thread - with Bob Purcell, President of Superior Threads

Wed, 04 Jul 2007 00:00:00 -08

Bob Purcell, President of Superior Threads, talks about the shelf life of thread and the wisdom of storing thread in the refrigerator or freezer.

Lesson 11 - Planning Your Quilting Design

Tue, 15 May 2007 00:00:00 -08

Planning your quilting design may be one of the most challenging aspects of making a quilt. Every quilter has their own idea of how to pick a great quilting design, and hundreds of books have been written showing thousands of quilting designs to choose from.

Lesson 10 -- Practice Machine Quilting

Wed, 09 May 2007 00:00:00 -08

It seems that all good machine quilters agree -- practice makes perfect.

As I talked to expert machine quilter Pam Bauer, she said that she always machine quilts a practice square before she starts quilting a quilt.

Lesson 9 - Layering Your Quilt

Wed, 02 May 2007 00:00:00 -08

One look at the back of your quilt top with all of the seam allowances and hanging threads showing is enough to see that leaving it that way just won't work! In this step you will layer your quilt -- adding batting and a backing.

Lesson 8 - Adding Borders to your quilt

Wed, 25 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -08

Lesson 8 will guide you step-by-step through the process of adding borders to your quilt.

Lesson 7 - Sewing the Quilt Top Together

Tue, 17 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -08

The next step is to lay out your blocks as you would like to sew them together for your quilt top, and then begin to sew.

Lesson 6 -- Sewing Patches

Tue, 10 Apr 2007 00:00:00 -08

Before I begin to sew anything, I lay out the blocks on my flannel board or a piece of flannel. My small flannel board is about 18 inches square -- large enough to hold the patches in a 12 inch block.

Lesson 3 - Color and Quilts

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -08

Color is one of the most challenging topics to quilters. For example, a search on amazon.com for books about color in quilts nets 1,182 results, indicating that there is no shortage of books written on the subject. Which translates into a lot of opinions and "expert advice."

Lesson 2 - Calculating Yardage with a FabriCalc

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -08

If you have a FabriCalc, the first step is to calculate how many of each shape you need for the quilt.

Lesson 2 - Calculating Fabric Requirements

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -08

In Lesson 2 we will be calculating the yardage requirements for a quilt.

Lesson 1 - Figuring out Your Quilt and Block Size

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -08

Once you have determined what quilt block pattern you will use, the first step in making any quilt is to decide what size the quilt will be.