Untitled

How to Organize Your Life 1 Week at a Time

It’s that time of year when we all start to take a better look at our plans for the new year. What are you up to for 2017?

The last month or so I’ve found it a little hard to focus and feel like I’m only getting small things done in small amounts. This isn’t a new problem for me, but having a weekly calendar printed and posted helps make a difference.

I get asked all the time how I balance my…

Why I finally upgraded to a DSLR camera

I’ve been using a Nikon COOLPIX L840 point and shoot for years. Mostly because of the price point. However, after spending a LOT of time in post production editing I’d had enough. So I started looking at DSLR cameras again.  I happen to have a few great photographer friends who have taken photos for me and each use different camera brand, Nikon and Canon. A lot of research led me to a Nikon D3200

I think every new quilt pattern is my favorite! New work is always so exciting, although it’s taken me longer to release this pattern than I wanted.

This new quilt pattern is perfect for scrappiness and jellyrolls. I am so excited and just could not wait until the top comes back from the quilter to share it! I stitched it up a Moda Bella 98 solid for the background, but I’m already dying to see…

This Wallflower Quilt measures 46″x60″ and makes perfect use of jelly roll and scrap fabrics.

TODAY Interview today on American Patchwork and Quilting Radio

I am SO SUPER excited to be chatting LIVE  with Pat Sloan of American Patchwork and Quilting Radio

TODAY 4pm EST, 3pm CST, 2pm MST, 1pm PST

I hope you’ll listen to the interview about my design and quilting process, my Acreage collection, upcoming fabric lines, and my love of colors on November 7. Catch it HERE

I hoping I can keep my nervous giggles under control. haha!

  Also don’t forget to…

After going through about a million post-its over the past few years I finally got smarter.

I’m sure you tag your quilt blocks while they are all laid out and ready to assemble right? Little pieces of pinned in place paper that end up everywhere but where they need to be.

So, I finally gave up and typed out the alphabet and a few numbers, laminated the sheet for durability, cut them out and…

Bernina vs Janome: How to choose the right sewing machine

For a year I’ve been in need of and researching sewing machines. I know everyone has a favorite brand and there are so, so many options! Honestly I’ve never had a nice or fancy machine. I’ve been sewing on an inexpensive and ok machine for years, and it was time to upgrade, my machine wasn’t meant to be sewn on 30-40 hours a week.

The most reviewed sewing machine companies are obviously Bernina…

Bella Solids for Acreage Fabric

I’m sure you’ve all be wondering what Bella Solids to pair with your Acreage fabric collection.

  I love matching the bold prints with some solids. It helps ground the whole project I think.

P.S. Over the next few weeks there are some big transitions happening in my family. We are moving from AZ to CA and there will be a serious lack of blogging going on. It’s exciting…until I realize I have to…

The Maker Bag is here!

It took longer than I thought it should, but you know summer happened. BUT now it’s here! My sweet friend Joanna designed this beautiful bag and now you can make your very  own. There  are two methods to the appliqué  described in the pattern, needle-turn and fusible appliqué. There is a medium interior pocket and and big exterior pocket to hold all your maker goodies,…

Appliqué Maker Bag sewing pattern

Designed by my friend Joanna Martinez, the Maker Bag was a hit at Spring Quilt Market. It was particularly designed to show off the large floral print from the Acreage collection but would look great in any fabrics.

Large exterior pocket with  maker script appliqué on the cover can be made using needle turn or fusible appliqué methods, both are described in the instructions. There is also a…

This is a sponsored post. Dritz sent me a pair of sole to try out, but all opinions and photos are my own.

Since I live in Arizona and it’s pretty hot most of the time, I decided to make my Dritz espadrilles pretty light weight and breathable. So I picked out a lightweight denim from my stash, some Osnaburg cotton, and a cute cotton print.

If you’ve never worked with with Osnaburg you can find…

Sunshine colored zipper pouches keep all you little ditties organized in your purse.

The larger one with yellow leaf print in Acreage fabrics and the orange rose stripe measures 5 1/2″wide x 5″tall. Opposite side has a splash of the orange bike print too. Lined with orange roses and has yellow zipper that opens 5″.

The smaller with orange and yellow rose print in Acreage fabrics measures 5″x 3…

Is summer effecting your making mojo?

You know what I’m talking about. There is always some kind of life stuff that gets in the way of carving out time to make, to sew, to draw, to create. If that thing is big enough we let it become an excuse and a reason to set aside the thing we love to do for the thing we haveto do. That being said… it’s SUMMER and I have no control over my day. I no longer have 7 hours of school for kids and…

NEW Sewing Network Quilting Mag

Have you seen the newest quilting magazine from Craft Network? As far as magazines go I’m a tough critic, but this one is so beautiful and clean. Two of my favorite words really.

That’s my Picket Purse featured over there on the right hand side.

And bonus! it comes with goodies! Like English Paper Piecing, complete with the papers, fabric and thread. So if you’ve ever wanted to try it you have…