Frequently Asked Questions

How long have you been quilting

I began quilting shortly after my son was born in the summer of 2009. I had a few sewing/patchwork books, including Amy Butler’s In Stitches.I loved the Patchwork Throw and my goal was to make that one quilt. Little did I know how addictive it was going to be to make a quilt.

Help! I have a question/problem with one of your patterns!

Please check the Errata page on my website before beginning work on any patterns. (This is a good habit to get into when sewing from any pattern/magazine/book.) You will find most designers and publishers have Errata pages listed.

I want to resize a pattern, will you give me all the new cuts/directions?

Developing a pattern (or even resizing an existing pattern) takes a lot of time and testing. I receive a lot of emails asking me to send new custom measurements, and unfortunately I do not have the time to rework patterns.

What type of batting do you recommend?

My favorite batting is Quilter’s Dream Cotton Request Loft batting. I have used several other brands and always come back to this.

What type of thread do you recommend?

I use Aurifil thread in my machines.

I want to make a quilt, how much fabric do I need?

This is a complex question because it depends on many factors: finished quilt size, quilt pattern/design, width of fabric used. You may not like to hear it, but math is your friend here and you will need to get out the calculator to multiply your desired finished quilt width by height and then go from there.

I have a question about quilting, can I email you?

Yes! I love hearing from you. I do get quite a few emails and it may take me a few days (or even a couple weeks depending on the amount I receive in a day) to get a chance to sit down and reply, but I do try my best to answer any questions sent to me.

How much fabric do you buy when you see a print you like?

It depends. If it is a collection and I like the whole thing, I tend to buy a fat quarter set. If it is a basic print that I can see using over and over in many projects, I buy 1/2 yard. I also buy 1/2 yard cuts of solids when I buy many at a time.

How do you organize your fabric?

Most of my fabric is kept in flat plastic storage containers. It is organized mostly by color, but occasionally I will keep entire collections together. I also have a separate container for my Denyse Schmidt, Anna Maria Horner, and Heather Ross collections.

Will you review my product/book/quilt along/many, many other things?

I receive multiple requests a week to review products. Unfortunately, I do not have the time/energy/desire for this blog to consist of a ton of product reviews. If you do not hear from me after asking for a review, the answer is no.

Will you blog about my charity organization?

I love quilter charities! I am happy to post your charity/outreach program details on my Community Giving page. See the page for details.

What kind of sewing machine do you use?

I started quilting using a Brother CS6000i.It is a great sewing machine for those starting out. I purchased mine at Walmart.

Later I upgraded to a BERNINA 440QEE, which is my primary machine. I absolutely love this machine and plan on using it…for forever. :)

From 2014 - 2018, I was a BERNINA USA Ambassador and sewed on a BERNINA 750QE and BERNINA 770QE, provided to me on loan through BERNINA. I loved both of these machines - very reliable, great stitch quality, and large throat space.

Because I love everything quilting, I have a 1950 Singer Featherweight machine. It pieces beautifully!

I also have a Brother 1034D Serger, which is a great serger for light use.

When do you find the time to sew?

I sew during the day when my kids are in school full time. When they were younger, I used to sneak time in during their naps.

I am new to quilting, where do I start?

Check out classes at your local quilt shop. I also recommend Elizabeth Hartman’s book The Practical Guide to Patchwork: New Basics for the Modern Quiltmaker to new quilters. She does an amazing job at explaining the basics in an easy to understand way.

Why are some of your quilt patterns free and some for sale?

When I started quilting, I took advantage of many free tutorials and patterns online. I always said that when I started a blog, I would also offer free resources to other quilters out there. That being said, a lot of hours and resources (image editing, fabric, batting, utilities, coffee ;)) go into making patterns and tutorials and even hosting this blog. I try to recover some of that cost of providing the free stuff by also having patterns for sale. Those patterns tend to be a bit more in depth with a lot of diagrams.

Who designed your website?

For the first 9 years, I used WordPress for my blog and I customized the site myself. Recently I switched to Squarespace for economical and technological reasons.