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Have you ever made a quilted backing for your quilt? Here is your chance to snag a free pattern for an awesome quilted backing you will want to make as soon as you can. McCalls showcased this pattern - the handsome stars quilt - and it's the perfect addition to any home, for a gift, and more. It's pretty simple for any level quilter to make. And with this pattern you can begin whenever you'd like!

Key Takeaways:

• The backing pattern is a free quilt pattern.
• This particular quilt's pattern is a log cabin block.
• The free pattern can be downloaded as a pdf.

"Whether you use this free pattern to make a creative backing for the Handsome Stars quilt or to be the top for a separate quilt all its own, the easy piecing will get you to the finish line in no time. Explore a different color pallete or a different block all together during your next project!"

http://www.mccallsquilting.com/blogs/blog/2017/08/11/friday-free-quilt-patterns-handsome-stars-backing-quilt-2/

A simple word can go a long way to communicate our feelings to someone. A single word, even though it may have a common meaning to most people, can sometimes really strike a chord with us on an individual level. Take the example of these applique'd words "LOVE YOU" - they can communicate a whole spectrum of meaning to different people in different ways. They seem simple enough but may go a long way in building a relationship. Jedi Craft Girl shows you how to applique words onto a pillow and tries to help us remember - never underestimate the power of words.

Key Takeaways:

• Highlights products that have words that are either personalized or that we can relate to.
• Instructs a technique called applique to put words on items.
• You can take your appliqued piece of fabric and use it in the construction of an item such as a pillow.

"I am a word-a-holic and I LOVE anything with words"

Like making pillows? Have you tried a patchwork one yet? Polkadot Chair is sharing a great free tutorial here. They're providing you with a link to download the template of the pillow design for free. It's a very simple design. The article also reminds of a previous tutorial in which people were taught how to add a zippered back to any size pillow. Lots of variety available to you in your pillow crafting fun!

Key Takeaways:

• "You can get the free pattern for the pillow over at BERNINA’s WeAllSew.com blog." Free is always a key takeaway.
• Stitching pillows is an easy, quick fix decorating tip.
• The pillow can be the simple square, but pom poms can make it more fun and interesting.

"I stitched up this pillow last Spring for my booth at Quilt Market. It features my Safari Party fabrics line. I was waiting for “just” the right time to share the tutorial with you guys. Now that our Seasonal Safari Quilt along is over, I thought it would be fun to share the tutorial. That way you can make a pillow to match your quilt!"

Today we're featuring a cute little mini quilt tutorial that Jedi Craft Girl made. It's a perfect summer project when you don't have a lot of time on your hands but are still in the mood to be crafty. This tutorial lays everything out for you, tells you exactly what materials you will need and how much, and also provides a nice little step by step of the whole project.

Key Takeaways:

• This is a darling mini quilt tutorial and she shares some great tips for fussy-cutting cute fabrics, as well as, how easy it is to sew partial seams. It has an adorable Seaside print
• Step by step instructions with images
• so fast to put together and would make a lovely gift for you or a loved one

"This project is simple and fun – a perfect project for summer months when there’s less time for a big finish, but you’re still itching to play with fabric."

https://www.diaryofaquilter.com/2018/06/fussy-cut-quilt-blocks-tutorial.html

If you haven't stumbled across it yet, Sue Daley is releasing a series of blocks with some great videos to show you how to make them. GnomeAngel highlighted this one in particular, which caught our eye.

Key Takeaways:

• Catch a great video of Sue Daley's Block 10
• They also have a monthly prize and a grand prize

"The team at Sue Daley Designs have put together this helpful video that shows how they glue the pieces for assembly and then the order in which they are assembled."

Have some extra scraps of fabric sitting around that's too good to toss out? Learn to sew a DIY scarf! Polkadot Chair helps you, starting with the first step of considering which supplies are needed. Then there's step-by-step instructions and pictures on how to cut the fabric into a square, making sure that it's the proper length. Finally, you'll see how to sew and steam a seam around the edge of the fabric. Steaming, sewing, and then steaming again! :)

Key Takeaways:

• For the necktie to work best, you need a fabric that’s lightweight and has a bit of drape to it.
• If your fabric is slinky or harder to work with you can sew a basting stitch 3/8th inch from the raw edge and use this as a guide to help you get an accurate and consistent hem.
• To wear it, fold it in half to create a triangle. Roll up the triangle beginning at the widest part. Tie around your neck using a double knot.

"So bust out that scrap fabric bin and join us as we learn how to sew a scarf!"

For anyone new to wool, you'll be surprised how very relaxing and simple making a project with it is. Many projects can be done and there are many different styles and ways to do them. You can use almost any type of wool, from reusable garage sale wool to hand dyed and felting wool. Check out this post by Stitch This to see images of various finished projects to get some ideas of what you might want to do with it. If you're interested, check out the video for the blanket stitch too!

Key Takeaways:

• Wool appliqué is very portable, so you can work on it almost anywhere.
• Felting wool requires moisture, agitation, and heat.
• Hand-dyed wools are soft and wonderful to stitch, plus they offer many different texture and color options.

"When choosing wool off the bolt, look for fabric that is at least 80% wool, or it won’t felt. My recommendation is to choose 100% wool whenever possible. Suit-weight wools tend to be too light, and coat-weight wools are too heavy."

Moda & Martingale’s Quiltstock Retreat is starting soon. They recently announced in their Facebook group that sewing will be available... all night long. The classes are taught by four wonderful designers, Lisa Bongean, Me and My Sister Designs, Carrie Nelson, and Kathy Schmitz. All of them are unique and qualified to impart large amounts of knowledge on sewing.

Key Takeaways:

• Lisa Bongean, Barbara Groves and Mary Jacobson, Carrie Nelson and Kathy Schmitz in person.
• A free quilt book from each of the designers.
• Five full days for the quilts display and exhibition.

"Don’t miss your chance to recharge and reinvigorate your creativity at this one-of-a-kind event, brought to you by some of the best in the business!"

Sometimes it's hard to explain why a quilt can be so striking. In this case, we came across a simple baby quilt that just made perfect, adorable sense. The pattern is quick and easy to sew. It's a striped quilt that's great for giving as a gift for a new baby. The original post at Simple Simon includes instructions for cutting and sewing this simple baby quilt pattern. And there's some great photos to help you along the way.

Key Takeaways:

• Making baby quilts is a quick afternoon project.
• Baby quilts are a great gift for new parents.
• Strip quilts are simple to cut and sew up and then you have a nice gift that will be treasured for years to come.

"I love to make baby quilts for new babies, they are my go-to project because they are a quick afternoon sew."

Anyone with a toddler or grand-toddler? We loved this easy tutorial from polkadotchair.com for a ruffled baby doll quilt. Make any little girl feel special with her customized bedding for all her baby dolls! It makes great use of any ruffle strips that you might have laying around. And you will need to piece some strips together to get the 90”.

Key Takeaways:

• The ruffle edge trim sets this sweet quilt apart and makes it playful and fun.
• This would be a fantastic project for beginning sewists, replace the ruffles (which can be a bit tricky to pin and sew) with glue on the ribbon, ricrac or pom pom trim and have them piece the top.
• This fun quilt can be finished in an afternoon, which is always satisfying!

"This quick project is a great way to show off favorite fabrics, practice your quilting techniques and make a little girl in your life happy- all at the same time!"