Bluebird of Hope

I am not ashamed to say that I love the bluebird.  This may go back to the early Disney movies I watched as a child.  In these, Snow White sang to a bluebird and a bluebird was a special friend to Sleeping Beauty.  And then there is that cool scene in Cinderella where the bluebird…

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Color Pick of Grays

We have had two new projects held up by the color pick of grays dilemma.  How hard can it be to find seven shades of gray that gradate, comes in a fabric that works, and is available in the quantity that we need?  Turns out it is quite a feat!  And I thought red was…

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The Sewing and Quilt Expo Was Great!

The Sewing and Quilt Expo ended Saturday, and I have to say, I came home and fell asleep. (If you want to read more about it, click HERE.)   Sunday I rested and mentally processed all that had transpired.   I met so many wonderful people… Pins and Needles Sewing Center employees, sewing machine company reps,…

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Off to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo!

We are off to the Original Sewing & Quilt Expo in Cleveland/Akron OH!  Does our excitement show? We will be located in the Pins & Needles Sewing Center’s booth with these lovely samples and our kits.   If you are attending the show, please stop by and introduce yourself to Deb.  She would love to meet…

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I Love Celtic Knots!

I have been so interested in knots as long as I can remember.  It started with my father’s boat, then Girl Scouts, then macramé… and has never ended.  When I first really noticed Celtic knots and their symbolism, I was hooked.  Celtic knots are not so much knots as braids, and once you notice them, you…

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Free Hood Pattern to Keep You Warm!

We have snow everywhere!  My husband has spent hours out there shoveling over the past couple of days.  And it is COLD.  So how does this good man stay warm out there?  He has a few of my snow hoods made from this free hood pattern.   One is not enough, because we all know what…

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The Wooden Tailors Clapper: A New Thing???

I heard on a quilting related show recently about this brand new quilting tool that Riley Blake just came out with:  The Clapper.  The Clapper?   New?   Are we thinking about the same item? Yes,  Yes we were.  New?   No.   Not at all.  You see, I have a Tailor’s Clapper.  It is at least 30 years…

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To Sew or Not to Sew Over Steam a Seam 2?

.  To Sew or Not to Sew?   This is one of my most frequently asked questions!   A customer recently contacted me and asked this about the snowflakes.  I was happy to reply, but after doing so thought that I should address the need to sew over Steam a Seam 2 here as well. The answer…

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Organic Cotton Is a Good Thing. Right?

The New York Times has an article titled “The Cotton Tote Crisis” today that raises so many questions in my mind that I do not have answers for… According to this article, an organic cotton tote bag requires daily use for 54 (Yes! fifty-four!) years, to offset its overall impact of production. ( I had…

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Can I Quilt Over a Steam a Seam Applique?

Two questions I get asked quite often are, “Can I quilt over the iron on applique?” and “Do I need to stitch the applique down, and if so, how?” The tote bag in the featured photo is my go to example to answer these questions.  I made this tote bag almost three years ago, and…

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