Visit us at www.stitchesquilting.com As the owner of Stitches Quilting, I opened my first store front in 2002 in Yuma Arizona. It was a thrill and dream come true. There was so much excitment in just touching all the glorious fabrics, threads and samples. I loved being able to inspire young and more mature quilters to work with such beautiful materials. The shoppe was always open to anyone that just simply wanted to come and sew. I loved having it busy with lots of people to inspire each other. We even had a children's area with a custom built cottage for them to play in with lots of toys to occupy their sweet minds as their mothers were distracted.
www.stitchesquilting.com
I had just recently been divorced prior to opening the store and had three beautiful boys. One of my sons had special needs from Tuberous Sclerosis (Luke's web site about TS)and it was challenging running the store but very fulfilling. (I also have a blog on Luke's website that talks about the challenges of being a special needs mom) I used money from my divorce settlement to open the store. It felt so wonderful to be destracted from the stress of the divorce. Unfortunately, my youngest son at 11 months of age had a traumatic brain injury less than 45 days after I opened the store. It was devastating. Despite odds with the help of many ladies and at high cost, I kept the store open. I worked along but realized it was unreasonable to keep the store open without jepardizing things for my children. I closed the store, remarried a phenomenal man, moved to Utah, became a caregiver for my mother with ALS Lou Gehrigs and along with my children. I also got three new step-daughters. My mother passed away, then I started working with my husband at his law firm www.walllegalsolutions.com and applied to be accepted to get my Master's Degree. I was accepted and completed a program in Healthcare Administration.
I love Utah and it is so wonderful to have the time to quilt and sew again. For motivation to complete my Master's thesis, my reward was to quilt again. I actually slept with the fabric and each day would touch it as I completed my thesis. I am not able to work full time outside of the home with the unique needs of my children but feel once again inclined to inspire others to quilt and provide them with beautiful supplies to enjoy. My hope is that you enjoy the online store and contact us if you have any questions. I will also sell patterns that I have designed from quilts I made for those I love. Happy Stitching and please don't hesitate to email if you have any questions.
deanna@stitchesquilting.com
Deanna
Favorite Links
Stitches Quilting
Luke's Tuberous Sclerosis Site
Wall & Wall, Attorneys at Law
“Balance is the key to a happy, productive life filled with wondrous things. It demands us to look at how we spend/ invest our time each day.” Jeff Ribman
How can Balance spark joy in your life? Let’s talk about it!
The Balance Quilt Block is the seventh week on our Live Well Live Strong Quilt Sew Along!
“It is balance; we need it. The sad part is that some people pay more attention to their credit than they do to their own balance in life!” Catherine Pulsifer
There are many Balance Activities that you can do. On the worksheet below, I’m introducing you a couple of my favorites.
Download your Balance Worksheets below and work through the exercises as you focus on making your Quilt Block this next week!
If you haven’t yet, you can join in anytime on the Live Well Live Strong Quilt Sew Along! Get your downloadable pattern right now!
“Live a life that is well balanced; don’t do things in excess.” Daniel Smith
Balance is one of the most important things to have in our lives! Just like when you are riding a bike you need to constantly be moving, otherwise you will lose your balance. You can’t sit at a standstill with you feet on the pedals without falling over!
“When your blood sugar is off balance, you can experience irritability and a lack of motivation.” Mike C. Adams
Positive Balance Challenges could include:
Eat a balanced breakfast
Replace a bad habit with a better one
Take time to exercise AND relax today
Try something new and do something familiar
Cut out excess in your life
Or customize your own personal challenge. Let’s not overwhelm ourselves. Take tiny steps towards a good thing and reward yourself with a quiet moment closing your eyes to feel good about yourself including your body & mind.
Share a photo of your completed Balance Quilt Block on Facebook or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stitchesquilting/ and use the hashtag #livewelllivestrongquilt. If you feel comfortable share a photo that represents a positive step in a Balancee Challenge. Let’s inspire each other!
“I’ve learned that you can’t have everything and do everything at the same time.”Oprah Winfrey
Next week’s block is all about Movement Quilt Block! If you haven’t yet, purchase your Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern!
“Sometimes the most important thing in a whole day is the rest we take between two deep breaths.” – Etty Hillesum
We just need to take a moment or two and take care of OURSELVES! Just like how you are told to put you own oxygen mask on before helping another passenger with theirs on an airplane, in order to take care of others, we need to take care of ourselves first!
“Self-compassion is simply giving the same kindness to ourselves that we would give to others.” – Christopher Germer
Positive Self Care Challenges could include:
Go for a walk or run
Take a nap
Read a book
Take a bath
Learn a new skill
Do something kind for another.
Be easy on yourself.
Or customize your own personal challenge. Let’s not overwhelm ourselves. Take tiny steps towards a good thing and reward yourself with a quiet moment closing your eyes to feel good about yourself including your body & mind.
Share a photo of your completed Self Care Bow Tie Quilt Block on Facebook or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stitchesquilting/ and use the hashtag #livewelllivestrongquilt. If you feel comfortable share a photo that represents a positive step in a Self Care Challenge. Let’s inspire each other!
“The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.” – Steve Maraboli
Next week’s block is all about Balance Quilt Block! If you haven’t yet, purchase your Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern!
A caterpillar has a lot of work to make its way into a cocoon then birth itself into a butterfly. Freedom can take work!
Do you remember radios that you had to dial into a station trying to decrease the static? There can be a lot of static in our lives that can interfere with our freedom to tune in. What static can you eliminate?
Positive FREEDOM Challenges could include:
Forgive Yourself.
Forgive Another.
Improve Education to enrich future opportunities.
Spend money this week within your means.
Make a positive choice for your future.
Work on eliminating a bad habit.
Do something kind for another.
Be easy on yourself.
Or customize your own personal challenge. Let's not overwhelm ourselves. Take tiny steps towards a good thing and reward yourself with a quiet moment closing your eyes to feel good about yourself including your body & mind.
Share a photo of your completed Freedom Flying Geese Quilt Block on Facebook or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stitchesquilting/ and use the hashtag #livewelllivestrongquilt. If you feel comfortable share a photo that represents a positive step in a Freedom Challenge. Let's inspire each other! Oh my... freedom and I have become good friends.
Remember this is just about you and all of us possibly lifting each other to a better space. AND.... the Live Well Live Strong Quilt is not about being negative. Be kind and positive with yourself. Be as generous to yourself as you are to others. Share your thoughts! Remember this week of freedom will give you energy! I always need more energy.
Next week's block is all about Balance Quilt Block! If you haven't yet, purchase your Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern!
Floral Boho Chic Baby Girl Shower with the Cricut Maker
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
What a Floral Boho Chic Baby Shower we had waiting for Baby Ellie to arrive into the world! The Cricut Maker made everything come together seamlessly! First we designed the invitation and had the Cricut Maker cut them out!
We wanted to make decorations for the Baby Shower that could be used for Baby Ellie or in her nursery TOO!
So we started with a Boho Chic sign for the Baby Shower and Ellie’s new nursery! “Bloom & Grow” Baby Ellie! The Cricut Maker smoothly cut out the iron on for the sign. During the shower, we used the Cricut EasyPress to iron on “Bloom & Grow” to the wooden sign , so all the ladies could feel like they were decorating Baby Ellie’s Nursery! Ohhh….. it is looking so beautiful!
But then…. just because we CAN, we cut out a small “Bloom and Grow” for a Baby Onesie we made with the Cricut Maker! YES! You read that right…. Simplicity has sewing patterns in Cricut Design Space Software to make a Baby Onesie!
I used the Simplicity Pattern for a Baby Bodysuit to make the white baby onsie! The Cricut Maker cuts out the knit fabric like butter with perfect notches for matching up your pattern.
And YES! You see darling newborn baby shoes we made for Baby Ellie’s Boho Chic Baby Shower. Soooo fun! And look at the baby bib patterns in the Cricut Design Space too! I used the “Bib” Simplicity Pattern with the pink dot on it!
Log into Cricut Design Space to check out all sewing patterns! Celebrating life is endless with the Cricut Maker!
A new little girl needs to be decked out with a smart pair of shoes her grandma made! I can’t believe that the Cricut Maker with the Rotary Cutting Blade has now added COBBLER to my list of maker skills! We will do a LIVE video making these cute little shoes on Facebook, Instagram & YouTube!
Supplies needed for the Simplicity Baby Shoes are simple acrylic felt you probably have laying around your home, cotton fabric and Pellon WonderUnder. Really, it is that simple to make these shoes!
Baby Shower Decorations
Let me highlight a few decorations we made for Baby Ellie’s room before the tutorial. How about putting a bunch of flowers in a cardboard “E” for Ellie? You could cut out all of those flowers with paper or fabric on the Cricut Maker too!
How about a Welcome Baby Ellie Banner? The print and cut feature is easy to do on the Cricut Maker!
If there’s a Welcome Banner, then how about a clothing line of baby laundry and outfits waiting for sweet Baby Ellie? We also used lots of wild flowers & succulents to decorate with baby pictures of Mom and Dad hanging around for guests to check out!
When I saw my son’s baby photograph with mom’s baby photograph it was fun to daydream what Baby Ellie was going to look like!
Total life celebration and sweetness is coming soon! All of us at the baby shower are loving the baby VIBE.
The three dozen Krispy Kreme Pink donuts are the hit of the party along with Cheesy Ham Sliders, Fruit, Cupcakes and….
Pink Drizzled Chocolate Covered Strawberries Of Course!
Cricut Baby Shoe Tutorial
It is so fun to celebrate a baby! But let’s get back to making heirloom keepsakes for baby with the Cricut Maker!
Find your Simplicity Baby Shoes pattern in Cricut Design Space! Iron on your Pellon WonderUnder to your showcase (floral) fabric to be cut out face down on the pink Cricut FabricGrip Cutting Mat.
You can see in this image with the cut fabric slightly lifted up how I cut the main floral print face down on the Pink Cricut Fabric Grip Mat with the Pellon WonderUnder ironed on to the back side of the floral fabric.
Before I cut the white felt on the Cricut Maker, I ironed pink polka dot white fabric to the felt. After you have ironed on the polka dot fabric with Wonder Under, then place the polka dot side of the felt facing down on the Cricut Pink FabricGrip Mat. The rotary cutter is perfect to use for cutting the inexpensive fabric bonded acrylic felt of course.
Increase the pressure to “MORE” on your Cricut Maker cutting machine with the Felt, Acrylic Fabric setting to go through the ironed on layer if you want to line your shoes with fabric like I did!
Look at how beautifully the Cricut Maker cut out all the pieces for the heirloom baby shoes sewn by grandma! Of course we decorate the Floral Boho Chic Baby Girl Shower with lots of succulents too!
Layout the pieces of the shoe fabrics to line up with the felt shapes!
Use your Cricut EasyPress to adhere the floral fabric to the backside of the felt cut out baby shoe pattern shapes! The sweet polka dot print is on the opposite side of the felt!
Now…. there are lots of ways to cut things….. but I sure love cutting materials to sew on my sewing machine with my Cricut Maker! I think it’s my sewing machine’s new best friend as they sit together all the time. The Cricut Maker cuts items out as I stitch them together!
I LOVE my antique scissors! BUT it sure is fun to modernize my sewing tool kit with the Cricut Maker!
Our Floral Boho Chic Baby Shower has a lovely greeting table!
We made more things for Baby Ellie’s Nursery room decor that we used for the Baby Shower! You could cut out the wooden “E” with your Cricut Maker and knife blade with Balsa Wood!
Don’t forget to pop back on over to the Cricut Baby Arrow Quilt that I designed and made for Baby Ellie too! What a magical Floral Boho Chic Baby Shower we had!
I’m so grateful that Ashley carried sweet Baby Ellie for nine months! Are you ready to see Baby Ellie?
Baby Ellie has arrived! Isn’t she just beyond beautiful? Professional photos of Baby Ellie and sweet pregnant Ashley by Sally June Photography in Utah check out her Instagram feed!
Happy Life Celebrating with the Cricut Maker & Cricut EasyPress!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine. This post contains affiliate links that if you click on them affords me to make a small commission and helps me to pay my business expenses. You are never charged any more for clicking on these links.
The Positive Quilt Block is the fourth week on our Live Well Live Strong Quilt Sew Along! It is exciting to finally be here with all of you on this journey! I loved designing the positive quilt block to be a plus sign quilt block!
“Your positive action combined with positive thinking results in success.” Shiv Khera Positive is important, right?
Use this worksheet to provoke thoughts…. On the Positive Worksheet, scribble on the plus sign quilt block positive activities you would like to do. Then on the gray scaled square, scribble things that are barriers that interfere with being positive. This is your personal worksheet… I’ve written down several Positive exercises you can try out. This is about us becoming our best selves. There are many benefits to being Positive in our lives. I know I feel calmer, energetic, confident, accepting, and less stressed. I feel compassionate towards myself & others!
There are many Positive exercises that you can do. On the worksheet below, I’m introducing you a couple of my favorites. Is your brain trained to process things in a positive or negative way. Then don’t allow negativity to drain your bank. Remember to cultivate a positive kind self talk to get you through the day. Then of course a Gratitude Journal, to thoughtfully examine how you are feeling and evaluate what you are grateful for.
Download your Positive Worksheets below and work through the exercises as you focus on making your Positive Plus Sign Quilt Block this next week!
If you haven't yet, you can join in anytime on the Live Well Live Strong Quilt Sew Along! Get your downloadable pattern right now.
Can you flip a negative situation into a positive one? It takes time to practice but eventually it becomes natural. I have a special needs son but the positive is that I have become a deeper richer patient individual. I was divorced but I learn self sufficiency and eventually remarried. Being married to Cory for the last 17 years, I don't mind his snoring as it is a noise of comfort and rhythm that all is well. I'm seriously grateful to pick up his dirty socks too.
One really important thing occurred to be as I have been studying how I use a positive nature in my life. Expectations can cause negative emotions and feelings. Sometimes we have unrealistic expectations too. We need to focus on what we can control in our life. An example of this could be Thanksgiving Dinner with lots of family and friends. You worked so hard cleaning the house, cooking masterful dishes awaiting the arrival of your guests. But.... later in the day there is some kind of family disturbance or unkind things said. Negative emotions build into the night and next day putting the house back in regular order. One might have all sorts of feelings, but were the expectations that it would be a perfect Thanksgiving unrealistic. Most families when coming together in one room on one day have difficulties. Me... well I'd just be grateful that I could offer some form of warmth to loved ones and relieved that no one stuffed turkey and mashed potatoes into my sewing machine. Hehe... So... we need to examine what we are in control of... we can not control others and how they interact with each other. We can hopefully control that the pie or turkey doesn't get burnt but really that can go bad too. Seriously download and print off the worksheet to consider what you are in control of. If there is something festering in you, examine what you can control. Do what you can and then let it go. For example, if I have a loved one with an addiction. I can't control it, I can love them and not enable them. But really really love them with healthy firm boundaries set. That's all I can do... I have to release it and give it to a higher power that the actions I am taking are what I can do. This doesn't mean that I won't mourn or be sad by the situation at times. But I can privately carry that burden, process it in healthy ways and then do what I can control and feel good about myself and my love for my family members..... Okay! That was a REALLY LONG paragraph..... I don't write long paragraphs and I'm sure I lost a bunch of you. I think I'll have to rewrite this...
Positive Possible Challenges could include:
Don't allow a stranger to frustrate you.
.Practice kind nurturing self talk.
Let go of something you can't control.
Keep a gratitude journal for 5 days.
Do something kind for another.
Be easy on yourself.
Or customize your own personal challenge. Let's not overwhelm ourselves. Take tiny steps towards a good thing and reward yourself with a quiet moment closing your eyes to feel good about yourself including your body & mind.
Share a photo of your completed Positive Plus Sign Quilt Block on Facebook or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/stitchesquilting/ and use the hashtag #livewelllivestrongquilt. If you feel comfortable share a photo that represents a positive step in a Positive Challenge. Let's inspire each other! Oh my... positive and I have become good friends.
Remember this is just about you and all of us possibly lifting each other to a better space. AND.... the Live Well Live Strong Quilt is not about being negative. Be kind and positive with yourself. Be as generous to yourself as you are to others. Share your thoughts! Remember this week of being positive will give you energy! I always need more energy.
Next week's block is all about Freedom with a Flying Geese Quilt Block! If you haven't yet, purchase your Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern!
Follow along with video, worksheets and inspiration as we make the Live Well Live Strong Quilt. Click on the images below to see each quilt blocks worksheet, live video and blog post.
The Mindful Quilt Block is the third week on our Live Well Live Strong Quilt Sew Along! It is exciting to finally be here with all of you on this journey! I loved designing the mindful quilt block to be a hourglass quilt block! I think its perfect! I love watching an hourglass.
Buddha says, “Our life is shaped by our minds, for we become what we think.” So….. Mindfulness is important, right?
Use this worksheet to provoke thoughts…. On the Mindful Worksheet, scribble on the hourglass quilt block triangles mindful activities you would like to do. Then on the gray scaled square, scribble things that are barriers and interfere with mindfulness. This is your personal worksheet… I’ve written down several Mindfulness exercises you can try out. This is about you and me helping to become our best selves. There are so many benefits to Mindfulness in our lives. I know I feel calmer, energetic, confident, accepting, and less stressed. I feel compassionate towards myself & others!
There are many Mindful exercises that you can do. On the worksheet below, I’m introducing you to four of my favorites. Experience mindfulness through your senses. During stress in the day or before I fall asleep at night, I might go through the steps of a Mindful Body Scan. I’m always reminding myself to be kind to my body and mind. Then a Mindful Journal, to thoughtfully examine how you are feeling, possibly why, reflect on what you feel grateful for and where your energy sources or drains come from.
Download your Mindfulness Worksheets below and work through the exercises as you focus on making your Mindful Hourglass Quilt Block this next week!
If you haven’t yet, you can join in anytime on the Live Well Live Strong Quilt Sew Along! Get your downloadable pattern right now.
I was always fascinated with an hourglass with sand slowly passing through. Did you like them? I used to have a brass ship looking hourglass always in my bedroom, I think it broke. I just replaced it with a NEW one. To me it represents being present, intentional and mindful as time passes by. What do you think?
I can’t wait to see the Live Well Live Strong Quilt in all black & white! Here are some things that I am working on this mindful week. Select one or several or create one of your own.
Mindful Possible Challenges could include:
Write down a personal challenge. Jot down all of your options. Conscientiously choose the best approach.
Do a Mindful Body Scan.
Attend Yoga in person or virtually.
Let go of something you can’t control.
Practice Loving Kindness to another.
Practice Loving Kindness to yourself.
Experience a moment as it unfolds.
Or customize your own personal challenge. Let’s not overwhelm ourselves. Take tiny steps towards a good thing and reward yourself with a quiet moment closing your eyes to feel good about yourself including your body & mind.
Share a photo of your completed Mindful Quilt Block on Facebook or Instagram. And if you feel comfortable share a photo that represents a positive step in a Mindful Challenge. Let’s inspire each other! You have seen lots of my social media posts this week of enjoying time with my new grand daughter. Oh my… leisure and I have become good friends.
Remember this is just about you and all of us possibly lifting each other to a better space. AND…. the Live Well Live Strong Quilt is not about being negative. Be kind and positive with yourself. Be as generous to yourself. Share your thoughts! Remember this week that Leisure is the opposite of excessive seriousness!
Next week’s block is all about Positive! If you haven’t yet, purchase your Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern!
Leisure gives our bodies a reboot of energy to clearly focus on what we truly need.
How could leisure spark joy in your life? Let’s talk about it!
The Leisure Quilt Block is the second week on our Live Well Live Strong Quilt Sew Along! It is so exciting to finally be here with all of you on this journey! I loved designing the leisure quilt block to be a pinwheel quilt block! I think its perfect! Do you have memories as a child blowing into a pinwheel? How did you feel? I felt amazement and joy! But… I can’t say I’ve picked up many pinwheels as an adult to amuse me.
Leisure can be an energy source in our lives! Yes really Leisure! Have you ever gone on a vacation and returned home invigorated ready to live life to its fullest? Well don’t deprive yourself of the mini reboot that small amounts of leisure can provide.
How do you picture leisure as a child? I picture myself swinging on a swing with pig tails in my hair. I can feel the wind blowing through my hair rocking back and forth in the swing to maintain momentum. It feels wonderful… I can imagine myself jumping off the swing running with enthusiasm to my next adventure. How do you picture Leisure as a child?
I don’t have a picture of me swinging but here is a picture with my childhood enthusiasm on a chimney.
Think back to what you enjoyed as a child. What are some Leisure activities you can enjoy now? You know… I might be carpooling kids around but have a quiet moment in my car to enjoy a game of solitaire on my phone. Do I savor that moment of solitaire as leisure? Maybe or maybe not. There are different types of leisure. Active versus Passive leisure, such as I could take a walk in my neighborhood or read a book. Social or solo leisure might look like attending a quilt guild meeting or quilting at home. There are many types of leisure… more than just going on a vacation. So let’s indulge in mini reboots of leisure to energize ourselves.
Use this worksheet to provoke thoughts…. On the Leisure Worksheet, scribble on the quilt block triangles leisurely activities you would like to do. Then on the gray scaled square, scribble things that are barriers and interfere with leisure. This is your personal worksheet… No comparisons to anyone else. This is about you and me helping to become our best selves. Then on the side of the worksheet write thoughts about how adequate leisure will spark joy in your life.
I’m a really hard worker and love to work. I get joy from it. A barrier for me to feel leisure is that I’m being lazy! Okay, Deanna! What can I do about that? I know it exists right? Well I can funnel into my brain positive self talk that says, “Deanna you deserve a break and need to experience leisure today.” There are benefits of leisure like decreased anxiety, calm countenance and wellness. Nourishment of self is one of the best preventive medicines.
But let’s remember that the word leisure is a NOUN. It is a state of being. Do you sometimes do something that could be categorized as leisure but don’t give yourself permission to enter that leisure state? I do and you know I’m missing out BIG TIME!
Leisure Possible Challenges could include:
10 minutes each day for Leisure
Choose a Leisure state of mind
Plan mini boots of leisure as an energy source
Plan a leisure activity in your week
Include active leisure in your week
Plan a vacation or day activity
Plan you own personal challenge
Or customize your own personal challenge. Let’s not overwhelm ourselves. Take tiny steps towards a good thing and reward yourself with a quiet moment closing your eyes to feel good about yourself including your body & mind.
Share a photo of your completed Leisure Quilt Block on Facebook or Instagram. And if you feel comfortable share a photo that represents a positive step in a Leisure Challenge. Let’s inspire each other! You have seen lots of my social media posts this week of enjoying time with my new grand daughter. Oh my… leisure and I have become good friends.
Remember this is just about you and all of us possibly lifting each other to a better space. AND…. the Live Well Live Strong Quilt is not about being negative. Be kind and positive with yourself. Be as generous to yourself. Share your thoughts! Remember this week that Leisure is the opposite of excessive seriousness!
Next week’s block is all about Mindful! If you haven’t yet, purchase your Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern!
Many happy wishes for a well fueled week! Live Well Live Strong! XOXO!
We’re on the eve of expecting our first grandchild! Soooooo…. I just had to make a Baby Girl Arrow Quilt!
First step: Shopping with Mom to three quilt stores! I loved learning Ashley’s vision for Baby Ellie’s nursery!
What could be more fun than shopping with my daughter in law for fabric! I loved how Ashley selected fabrics from different designers and brands combining a real delicate touch of peaches, pinks, eucalyptus greens and whites. Photo by Sally June Photography find her on Instagram!
Second step: Pick Ashley’s brain to design a quilt that matches the style she envisions! Ashley likes the shape of diamonds that then transition into arrow…. Soooo off to Cricut Design Space I go!
Step Four: Can you see the vision? But wait…. we skipped a step – Let’s go back to cut the diamonds out with the Cricut Rotary Blade for Baby Ellie!
You could say I “Cricut” cut Ashley’s seven most favorite fabrics in the shape of diamonds for Baby Ellie. Quilting with Cricut to welcome Baby Ellie into the world! She is coming really soon – in fact due in 4 days! Thank goodness this Cricut cuts fabric fast and accurate! Accurate is important to try to stitch theses diamonds together quickly! Love using the tiny rotary cutting blade in the Cricut cutting machine. See additional step by step Cricut Design Space layout images below.
You can see by placing together two diamond shaped fabrics on point it looks like an arrow head.
For the design of this quilt we are offsetting the Arrow Head Quilt Blocks with background polka dot fabric. The background fabric will subtly help the arrow heads to pop from the quilt design.
It may not feel right but you have to separate the arrow heads and sew together the diamond blocks in a long row. After stitching two long rows you can then put the arrow heads back together.
Sew together two offset diamonds for an Arrow Baby Quilt. Do you see the little 1/4 inch “dog ears” that allow you to sew them into a straight line?
Take your squares over to your sewing machine to stitch together for your Baby Arrow Quilt. I love keeping my Cricut Maker next to my sewing machine! It cuts fabric out as I sew it together!
Sewing together long rows of diamonds for a Baby Arrow Quilt!
Piece the rest of the quilt top together! You will have five rows of arrows horizontally and 10 rows of arrows vertically.
Now time to brain storm how to quilt the quilt! What suggestions do you have? This is the rocking swivling reclining chair to comfort baby in Ellie’s nursery! After stitching together this quilt top, it’s time to quilt the layers! Ohhhhh… I can’t wait to see this baby girl with my son Nick and his beautiful wife Ashley! It’s going to be a brand new family! I think I spy some darling baby shoes on the dresser waiting paitently for a Baby Ellie!
New baby shoes made with the Cricut! I can’t believe I might be able to put cobbler on my crafting ability list! This is a Simplicity Pattern available in Cricut Design Space. I can’t wait to share how I made these shoes!
I also made a darling baby onesie using another Simplicity Pattern in Cricut Design Space! Ohhhh the power of the Cricut Rotary Blade, fabric, felt and wonder under! I feel like a super hero with the ease of the Cricut! I don’t think I would have ever tried to make a pair of shoes without the handy Cricut next to my sewing machine! My partner in creativity!
Baby Onesie made with the Cricut Rotary Blade with Simplicity Pattern in Cricut Design Space. Accented the white baby onesie with roses.
Subscribe to Sttitches Quilting -Deanna Wall to get all the upcoming tips on these projects! Follow Stitches Quilting -Deanna Wall for Live Videos on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube Tutorials! I’m SEW excited to be sewing things for Baby Ellie and have tons of new projects coming for you along with all the details of our Boho Floral Baby Shower I hosted with lots of Cricut Creations to decorate the nursery and have some fun at the baby shower!
Quilting with Cricut: Additional Tips and Tricks for Cricut Design Space and the Baby Arrow Quilt:
Change all your cutting mats from the default 12 x 12 size to 12 x 24 inch size.
After you open the Baby Arrow Quilt in Cricut Design Space, click on the three small dots in the left hand corner of the diamond. Select “Move to Another Mat”.
Select which mat you want to move the diamond to. You can arrange 8 diamonds on one 12 x 24 inch Fabric Grip Mat.
Now you only have to cut a 9 x 22 inch piece of fabric to cut 8 diamonds. That’s just half a fat quarter or work with a 1/4 yard of fabric on each mat. Pretty convenient eh?
Quilting with Cricut
It’s amazing how you can use Cricut Design Space basic shapes to design quilts. Using Cricut Deisgn Space is FREE – all you do is create a free account with an email address. You can access it on your computer, laptop, smart phone or iPad. It was easy to design the Baby Arrow Quilt and then color and arrange the quilt blocks as a vision board. Try it out and let me know what you think! It’s a great way to experiment using Cricut Design Space intuitive features. Quilting is easy to do – especially with the Cricut cutting out your fabric. It’s usually just straight lines.
I have lots of free tutorials on how to use the Cricut on my website and social media channels along with free patterns with SVG files.
I’ll post pictures of Baby Ellie as soon as she arrives! Along with pictures of the quilted quilt and all the other goodies I’m making! Can’t wait to share with all of YOU! Any suggestions?
Join our Facebook Cricut Maker Quilt & Sew Group! I’d love to see what you are making and be inspired by you! I’m also available to ask any quilting or sewing questions using Cricut!
Happy Stitching!
This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all mine.
Fuel Your Body & Mind with Adequate Sleep, Food, Water & Positive Environment
How could adequate fuel for your body spark joy? Let’s talk about it!
The Fuel Quilt Block is the first week on our Live Well Live Strong Quilt Sew Along! It is so exciting to finally be here with all of you on this journey!
How we fuel our bodies makes a difference in how we feel. The half square triangle in this block is simple like the principle of adequately fueling our bodies. It’s easy to get distracted in life; we need to slow down and think about what we put in our bodies so we can do what we want to do.
Garbage in garbage out right… certainly affects how we feel and how are bodies work. But… let’s not think about the negative… Let’s fill our lives with things that spark joy!
Now here is just a simple green pepper. What is in your refrigerator and pantry? Are they full of things that would give you adequate energy? A green pepper may not ordinarily spark a lot of joy but if I close my eyes and think about smelling then nibbling on a crisp cold slice of a green pepper things I might feel a bit differently. Imagine the nutrients and how this green pepper is going to fuel my body. I can look at consuming this green pepper a little differently if I consider the benefits right? You may have a different relationship with green peppers. I don’t ordinarily crave green peppers but this imaginary can be used with anything we can fuel our bodies with. I envision my body stronger after enjoying that delicious green pepper. I envision a better me.
Use the Fuel Live Well Live Strong Quilt worksheet to provoke thoughts. On the Fuel Worksheet, jot down items on the quilt block triangles that would ideally fuel your body. Then on the gray scaled square, jot down things that do not ideally fuel your body. This is your personal worksheet and you shouldn’t have comparisons to anyone else. This is about you and an aide to help us become our best selves.
The next time you go grocery shopping look at what is in your basket. Will it bring to your body or family what is truly needed? Remember fueling your body isn’t just about food. What about water? sleep? circulation? breathing?
I have a sweet son with special needs. Every time we visited one of his doctors, the first question she had for us was, “How is he sleeping?”. His doctor wouldn’t treat anything without first fixing sleep. Lack of sleep has been used as a torture method. Lack of adequate sleep can impair us to be our best selves.
What about water? Our bodies are 80% water. Are we drinking enough water? I’m not and need to improve. To make water consumption easier for me, I carry around a water bottle filled with ice so I can sip throughout the day. I’m grateful grateful for the opportunity this week to focus on my water input.
Fuel Possible Challenges could include:
Drink 8 or X glasses of water
Eat a fruit & vegetable each day
Organize balanced meals & snacks
Get 8 or X hours of sleep
Improve sleep patterns
Customize your own personal challenge to fuel your body adequately. I might get motivated to clean my refrigerator and pantry! Take tiny steps towards a good thing and reward yourself with a quiet moment closing your eyes to feel good about yourself including your body & mind.
Share a photo of your completed Fuel Quilt Block on Facebook or Instagram. On Instagram share your photo and use the hashtag #livewelllivestrongquilt and tag me @stitchesquilting. On Facebook join the Everyone Can Quilt Group and share your photo in there with the #livewelllivestrongquilt. If you purchased the LWLS Quilt Workshop & Course then there is a private Facebook group to share your photo in.
If you feel comfortable share a photo that represents a positive step in the Fuel Challenge. Let’s inspire each other! I think I’ll share a photo of 8 safety pin representing 8 glasses of water I drank with some clothespins representing how many fruits and vegetables I’ve enjoyed this week!
Remember this is just about you and possibly lifting each other to a better space. The Live Well Live Strong Quilt is not about negative vibes. Be kind and positive with yourself. Be as generous to yourself as you are to others. Share your thoughts by emailing me or posting on social media. All of you truly inspire me to be a better person and even the smallest of your comments encourages me to be my best person possible.
Next week’s block is all about Leisure! If you haven’t yet, purchase your Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern!
Sewing together long rows of diamonds for a Baby Arrow Quilt!
