No Flies On This Block.

The second block in our Block of the Month series goes by the whimsical name of Shoo Fly. Whether or  not you think the name of this block originated from the blooms of the clover broom plant, which the pattern is said to resemble, this simple nine-patch, composed of blocks and half-square triangles, is an…

Charmed, I’m Sure.

Continuing our exploration of all the fabulous precuts available to quilters today, we’re going to talk about one of the best all-around sets available: 5” charm square packs. Charm squares generally come in packs of 42 squares. (Check the pack for the exact number—some may differ.)  One of the great things about a charm pack…

Fat Quarters: The Original Precut

One of the first strange terms you hear when you start quilting is “fat quarter.” What the heck is that, you wonder? A special coin minted for quilters? An extra-big slice of pie? We’d be happy with both of those, but they’re not as useful and versatile for stash building as the kind of  fat…

Enlightened Embroidery: Stabilizers

What goes through your mind when you think about a new embroidery project? Do you struggle with what stabilizer to use? Do you worry that the embroidered design will pucker when completed? Have you almost completed stitching, only to see the last outline stitches aren’t next to the design? Do you just want to throw…