Posted on April 3, 2020May 22, 2020 by Deanna — 2 Comments

Healthcare Hero – A World of Hearts Quilt Along

Healthcare Heros Heart Quilt - Free Pattern A World of Hearts - Let's show the world our LOVE in stitches

Calling all quilters & sewists to show the world our love in stitches! Let’s have a quilt along with a small 24 inch heart quilt to hang in our windows!

Now that we have been in quarantine with CoVid-19, have you seen the hearts popping up in windows? The hearts in the windows are a sign to our community that we are all in this together while sending love out to the world.

View this post on Instagram

Looking out at our world from home and sending love and hope to everyone who walks by! #aworldofhearts We are holding on to these slow times and are going to cherish them forever. I just know some good and positive is going to come from this awful time. Stay safe and for my fellow distance learning parents, stay sane. Also keeping all my RN friends and the first responders on the front lines of this crisis in our prayers. We can do hard things. 🙏🏻❤️💪🏼💕 #stayhome #staysafe #worldofhearts #aworldofhearts2020

A post shared by SD Custom Homes (@sd_customhomes) on Mar 29, 2020 at 3:03pm PDT

Check out the #aworldofhearts2020 or #aworldofheartsquiltalong hashtag on Instagram or Twitter.

So…. Let’s start our own movement and hang quilted hearts in our windows to let everyone know that even though times are tricky that we love the world and wish everyone well! Check out Liz Boyce’s windows filled with love in Canada!

A World of Hearts Quilt in window sharing love out into the world

Download your free pattern to make your very own “Healthcare Hero – A World of Hearts Quilt”. The pattern offers quilt sizes of 24 x 24 inches or 57 x 57 inches along with a bonus options to put a medical plus sign in the heart to show your love for healthcare front line workers.

A child's fascination with hearts in the window. Make a quilt to cheer up your neighborhood. A World of Hearts Quilt Along 2020 with granddaughter Ellie

Children love to find positive things hanging in windows along with adults too! Let's spread some cheer and love around our neighborhoods.

It feels great to have a fast sewing project! Perfect to make for a seasoned or new quilter with video tutorials to guide you through the steps.

A World of Hearts Quarantine Quilt Along

Add a cross in your quilted heart to honor our first responders working so hard right now! Hang it in your window or give it as a gift to someone that you know that is working hard to heal our world right now.

Use the hashtag #aworldofheartsquiltalong or #aworldofhearts2020quiltalong to share with others on social media!

A World of Hearts Quilt Pattern 6 Time to quilt your quilt

Let's talk about supplies! You probably already have lots of fabric laying around that you can use for this 24 x 24 inch or 59 x 59 inch quilt!

You will need a variety of fabrics that you have around your home right now!

Variety of fabric laying around your home right now
Rotary Cutter
Rotary Cutting Mat
Sewing Machine
Scissors
Pins
Pattern - Download the FREE pattern

A World of Hearts FREE Quilt Pattern to Adorn your home with LOVE

Check out how I added a quilt label to the World of Hearts Quilt. Have you labeled your quilts? Make it easy and just use a sharpie marker and set the ink with your iron.

Check out how I added a quilt label and quilt hanger on the back of the A World of Hearts Quilt. Cut 2 ten inch squares, fold them into a triangle and tuck them in the top corner of your quilt in the binding. These flap then can be use with a hanger slipped in them to hang in your window or on your front door.

Look at how many A World of Heart Quilts Donna Beaulieu made! Everyone is sharing the love around as gifts too.

We can make a First Responder Quilted Pillow! Just change the size of the square you are working with to 2.5 inches! I made this 16 inch quilted pillow by sashing the heart quilt block with 3 inch strips of white fabric. Then I quilted it with a matchstick quilting effect, but added random wavy lines every so often so everything doesn't look exactly perfect! Doesn't it look just spendid? The envelope pillow took me about 2 hours to make from start to finish. It felt so GOOD to have a quick sew and a finished project!

Now don't forget that you can hand embroider a message on the bottom left and right corner of your heart. These scripture embroidery patterns are available with the pattern.

Join the Everyone Can Quilt Facebook Group! It's a friendly online quilting group.

Join the Everyone Can Quilt Facebook Group to see quilts that others are making around the world. On Instagram follow me @stitchesquilting or Twitter @stitchesquitin and use the #aworldofheartsquiltalong #aworldofhearts2020 to share your heart quilt with everyone! I can wait to see what you make please tag me!

Don't forget to download your pattern and watch the video tutorials!

Deanna, Owner of Stitches Quilting

Posted on February 21, 2019February 21, 2019 by Deanna

Its a Baby Girl Arrow Quilt with Cricut

Baby Arrow Quilt Tutorial & Pattern with Cricut

It’s a Baby Girl Arrow Quilt with Cricut

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 Three: Playing around with diamonds to make arrows for a quilt in Cricut Design Space! The Cricut Design Space Quilt file is free here:

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.

Posted on December 5, 2018May 4, 2020 by Deanna

EASY No Binding Quilted Cookie Sheet Hot Pad

Cut your fabric for your EASY No Binding Quilted Cookie Sheet Hot Pad. There are two different hot pad size to select from. There is a Wide Short Version or a Thin Long Version. It is up to YOU! Doesn’t it feel good to have possibilities?

Make the Handles for your EASY No Binding Quilted Cookie Sheet Hot Pad

Quilt the handles of your EASY no binding Cookie Sheet Hot Pad

Layer then Quilt the Base of your Easy No Binding Cookie Sheet Hot Pad

Position and Layer your handles to the quilted base of your EASY Quilted Cookie Sheet Hot Pad.

LEAVE a three inch opening as you stitch around the edges of your EASY no binding method quilted cookie sheet Hot Pad.

Turn inside out through your 3 inch opening your EASY no binding Quilted Cookie Sheet Hot Pad

Stitch a finishing stitch along the sides.

Posted on July 31, 2018July 31, 2018 by Deanna

10 Ways the Cricut Maker Can Help With Quilting! Your New Bestfriend!

10 Quilting Tips with the Cricut Maker - Your New Best Friend

10 Ways the Cricut Maker Can Help With Quilting! Your New Bestfriend!

ACCURACY

The Cricut Maker accurately cut out shapes to any quilt blocks.

This is especially critical when making a 6 inch square block with 29 pieces. With any cutting error the block will not square up to fit into your quilt. Even my puppy and tortoise can see that this is one squared up block! Thank you Cricut Maker for the accurate cutting!

Quilting Will Be Enjoyable

Enjoy stitching your quilt pieces together with the accurate cutting!

Design your quilt blocks like a pro and with ease.

The new Cricut EasyPress make pressing your blocks a breeze!

3. Eliminate your need to purchase specialty rulers.

The Cricut Maker can cut out any shape you can dream of! No need to purchase all those specialty rulers!

With perfectly cut quilt pieces your blocks stitch together with perfect points matching.

4. Love applique because your applique will love the Cricut Maker

Perfectly Cut Out Applique Shapes with the Cricut Maker and no need to spend hours tracing shapes from a pattern to fabric and cut them out. Can your cut lines be this smooth? I can’t cut this sweetly especially without cramping up my hands.

5. Easily Cut Large Quantities of Fabric While Doing Other Things

Cut out large quantities of blocks with your Cricut Maker while you sew! Set your sewing machine right next to your Cricut Maker so you can sew blocks together as your blocks are cut out.

6. Save some money and time by cutting English Paper Piecing shapes & fabric out with your Cricut Maker

Stop buying all those precut templates! Instead cut all your English Paper Piecing templates and fabric with the Cricut Maker

7. Tried of cutting out tedious patterns while getting lost in the mess?

Are you tired of cutting out patterns? Use the Cricut Maker to cut out your fabric! Stop taping together pdf patterns too.

Check out all the amazing pre-loaded patterns in Cricut Design Space!

8. Use the Cricut washable blue marking pen so the Cricut Maker marks everything for you.

Who wouldn’t want the Cricut Maker Washable Blue Fabric Pen to mark your stitching lines and sewing markings?

9. Embellish your quilting projects with details you can’t get any other place.

Add the I-Spy words to a quilt with Cricut Sparkle Iron On

Create a delicate face with Cricuts Foil Iron On. I couldn’t possibly draw or embroider something so lovely!

10. After making your quilt accessorize it with customized projects for your loved one!

Accessorize a Jungle quilt with lots of Jungle Fever Extravaganza0 Cricut Fun!

Accessorize your Summer Quilted Pillow with a Summer Fun Bag and Drink Holder!

I’ve certainly enjoyed the Cricut Maker becoming my new best friend as I quilt and sew away!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are all authentically mine.

Posted on July 18, 2018May 21, 2021 by Deanna — 1 Comment

How to Plan a Riley Blake Quilt Kit with the Cricut Maker

How to Use the Cricut Maker to Cut a Riley Blake Quilt Kit

How to Plan a Riley Blake Quilt Kit with the Cricut Maker

Cricut Maker Possibilities Quilt Kit with Riley Blake Designs Comfort and Joy Fabric is a quilting treat together! Have you seen a quilt kit that can become one of four quilts?

Which quilt would you make with the Comfort & Joy fabric? Checkmate Quilt? All Wrapped Up Quilt? Star Burst Quilt? or Big Star Quilt? To see this quilt kit for sale in the Cricut Online Store click here.

But wait…. There is more… in Cricut Design Space there is a Tribal Quilt that also works with the Possibilities Quilt Kit! I’ll make the Tribal Quilt for some Christmas scrappy fun to cozy up in. I feel like it’s been awhile since I have made a scrappy quilt! I can’t wait to sip some hot cocoa wrapped in this Holiday Tribal Quilt!

Can you notice the tonal color gradient in the quilt layout with the row of lime green, dark green and red plaid? I love the play of color patterning in the quilt! Click here to view all quilts already available in Cricut Design Space.

Download the FREE Cricut Design Space app on your iPhone or Mobile Smart Phone, iPad to view the various quilt pattern already loaded into Design Space. Log into Cricut Design Space on your desktop or laptop computer too. Browse through Cricut Design Space and “favorite” the quilts and sewing projects you want to create by taping the yellow star.

Up above you will see the drop down menu of “My Favorites” which helped me decide to make the Tribal Throw with the Riley Blake Comfort and Joy Possibilities Quilt Kit. If you are a quilter you will love seeing all the quilts and sewing projects too! I feel like it’s Cricut married to Pinterest while I favorite all the items I daydream to make! To view your favorites in Design Space, toggle ge your category to “My Favorites”.

When you are in Cricut Design Space, this is what Tribal Throw Quilt pattern will look like. Remember you can make this quilt with your own fabric or purchase the Cricut Comfort & Joy Possibilities Quilt Kit. The Quilt Kit does not include the cost of the pattern, but last time I looked the quilt kit in the Cricut Online Store is $39.99 and half off! Bargain!

When using quilt patterns in Cricut Design Space, you can just digitally save the actual pattern instructions or print them off for handy convenience.

If you are new to quilting, Cricut can very affordably help you get set up with all the quilting supplies you need. I’m excited about using some of their newly developed quilting and sewing products. The new Cricut Rotary Cutting self healing mat, Rotary Blade and Ruler are excellent quality. They all come very handy in the Cricut Rotary Cutting Kit! The 12 x 24 inch sized Cricut Ruler is total awesome sauce to have full control when prepping fabric for your Cricut FabricGrip Mats!

Get decked out with the Cricut Sewing Tool Kit too. The Cricut Fabric Scissors actually say “Fabric” on them so everyone in your family will know those scissors are YOURS!

Next weeks post will be all about cutting the Riley Blake 100% Quilting Cotton Fabric out on the Cricut Maker! Should this quilt be a holiday gift or a special quilt for me? Oh the possibilities!

How to Cut Quilt Fabric with the Cricut Maker — Click HERE to learn how to cut your quilting fabric on the Cricut Maker!

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Cricut. The opinions and text are sincerely & authentically all mine.

Posted on January 14, 2018May 22, 2020 by Deanna — 1 Comment

12 Hacks Every Quilter Should Know

12 Quilting Hacks Every Quilter Should Know

12 Hacks Every Quilter Should Know

12 Hacks Every Quilter Should Know – Summarized for you!

1a Quilt Hack - Piece with Neutral Thread and Use Large Spool of Thread — 1a Quilt Hack – Piece with Neutral Thread and Use Large Spool of Thread

1b Quilt Hack - Use a larger spool of thread — 1b Quilt Hack – Use a larger spool of thread

1c Quilt Hack - Wide Mouth Jar Behind Machine for Large Thread — 1c Quilt Hack – Wide Mouth Jar Behind Machine for Large Thread

For MORE quilt hacks tips & instruction be sure to follow Deanna’s Live Video Tutorials on Facebook or YouTube. Interact and sew along with Deanna as she takes you from the beginning of a quilt all the way through to layering and quilting the quilt on your domestic machine.

2b Quilt Hack - Use Comic Boards to Fold Fabric — 2b Quilt Hack – Use Comic Boards to Fold Fabric

2c Quilt Hack - Fold Fabric Around a Comic Board — 2c Quilt Hack – Fold Fabric Around a Comic Board

2d Quilt Hack -Use Comic Boards to Fold and Store Fabric

3a Quilt Hack - Press Blocks Don't Iron Them — 3a Quilt Hack – Press Blocks Don’t Iron Them

3b Quilt Hack - Use Spray Fabric Starch Press Block — 3b Quilt Hack – Use Spray Fabric Starch Press Block

3c Quilt Hack - Place Square Ruler over Quilt Block after Pressing — 3c Quilt Hack – Place Square Ruler over Quilt Block after Pressing

3d Quilt Hack - Weight the Ruler with the End of the Iron while the Quilt Block Cools — 3d Quilt Hack – Weight the Ruler with the End of the Iron while the Quilt Block Cools

4a Quilt Hack - Measure Quarter Inch Seam Allowance with Ruler — 4a Quilt Hack – Measure Quarter Inch Seam Allowance with Ruler

Build your quilting skills with our Women’s Health Quilt Along and stitch together the Live Well Live Strong Quilt. Weekly Live Video Tutorials, Blog Posts, Tips, Hacks & Inspiration.

4c Quilt Hack - Place Blue Painters tape at the Quarter Inch Seam Allowance as Guide — 4c Quilt Hack – Place Blue Painters tape at the Quarter Inch Seam Allowance as Guide

5a Quilt Hack - Use a Quarter Inch Seam Quilt Foot for Piecing Use a Walking Foot for Binding and Quilting — 5a Quilt Hack – Use a Quarter Inch Seam Quilt Foot for Piecing Use a Walking Foot for Binding and Quilting

6a Quilt Hack - Use Cookie Sheets to Sort Quilt Block Pieces with Flannel Fabric Under so They Don't Slip — 6a Quilt Hack – Use Cookie Sheets to Sort Quilt Block Pieces with Flannel Fabric Under so They Don’t Slip

Build your quilting skills with our Women’s Health Quilt Along and stitch together the Live Well Live Strong Quilt. Weekly Live Video Tutorials, Blog Posts, Tips, Hacks & Inspiration.

7a Quilt Hack - Arrange Quilt Block Pieces on a Felt Design Board from Foam Core so the Pieces Stay Put — 7a Quilt Hack – Arrange Quilt Block Pieces on a Felt Design Board from Foam Core so the Pieces Stay Put

7b Quilt Hack - Quilt Block Arranged on a Felt Design Board Don't Fall Off — 7b Quilt Hack – Quilt Block Arranged on a Felt Design Board Don’t Fall Off

Quilt Block Design Board Hack Tutorial

8a Quilt Hack - Use Washble Elmer Glue Stick to Hold Your Binding in Place — 8a Quilt Hack – Use Washable Elmer Glue Stick to Hold Your Binding in Place

8b Quilt Hack - Rub a bit of Elmers Washable Glue Stick to baste binding in place for stitching down — 8b Quilt Hack – Rub a bit of Elmer’s Washable Glue Stick to baste binding in place for stitching down

8c Quilt Hack - Use Clover Wonder Clips to Hold Binding in place — 8c Quilt Hack – Use Clover Wonder Clips to Hold Binding in place

Build your quilting skills with our Women’s Health Quilt Along and stitch together the Live Well Live Strong Quilt. Weekly Live Video Tutorials, Blog Posts, Tips, Hacks & Inspiration.

9a Quilt Hack - Print off ABCs 123s on Cardstock to Use as Quilt piece identifiers to keep similar shapes sorted — 9a Quilt Hack – Print off ABCs 123’s on card stock to Use as Quilt piece identifiers to keep similar shapes sorted

Use Quilt Markers to Sew Quilt Blocks Accurate

9b Quilt Hack - Label Quilt Block Pieces with ABCs 123s and clamps — 9b Quilt Hack – Label Quilt Block Pieces with ABCs 123’s and clamps

10a Quilt Hack - Clean Your Sewing Machine Don't Use Canned Spray Air — 10a Quilt Hack – Clean Your Sewing Machine Don’t Use Canned Spray Air

10b Quilt Hack - Use a clean paint brush to Clean You Sewing Machine — 10b Quilt Hack – Use a clean paint brush to Clean You Sewing Machine

10c Quilt Hacks - Use a Retractor to Get Lint Out of your Sewing Machine — 10c Quilt Hacks – Use a Re-tractor to Get Lint Out of your Sewing Machine

Build your quilting skills with our Women’s Health Quilt Along and stitch together the Live Well Live Strong Quilt. Weekly Live Video Tutorials, Blog Posts, Tips, Hacks & Inspiration.

10d Quilt Hack - Use the Cleaning Brush that came with your Sewing Machine — 10d Quilt Hack – Use the Cleaning Brush that came with your Sewing Machine

10e Quilt Hack - Use a Pipe Cleaner to Clean Your Sewing Machine — 10e Quilt Hack – Use a Pipe Cleaner to Clean Your Sewing Machine

10f Quilt Hack - Use a Q-tip to Clean Your Sewing Machine — 10f Quilt Hack – Use a Q-tip to Clean Your Sewing Machine

11a Quilt Hack - Press your seam allowances to set seams — 11a Quilt Hack – Press your seam allowances to set seams

11b Quilt Hack - Press your seam allowances to set seams — 11b Quilt Hack – Press your seam allowances to set seams

12a Quilt Hack - Press Seam Allowances to the Dark Side from the back of your quilt block second — 12a Quilt Hack – Press Seam Allowances to the Dark Side from the back of your quilt block second

12b Quilt Hack - Press Your Quilt Blocks up and down instead of Ironing — 12b Quilt Hack – Press Your Quilt Blocks up and down instead of Ironing

13a Quilt Hack - Sew Long Strips Together — 13a Quilt Hack – Sew Long Strips Together

12b Quilt Hack - Sew Sets of Strips Together — 12b Quilt Hack – Sew Sets of Strips Together

12c Quilt Hack - Cut Strip Sets Into Quilt Blocks — 12c Quilt Hack – Cut Strip Sets Into Quilt Blocks

12d Quilt Hack - Arrange Quilt Blocks into Patterns to Sew Together — 12d Quilt Hack – Arrange Quilt Blocks into Patterns to Sew Together

13a Quilt Hack - Use Sew In Interfacig to trace Applique Designs — 13a Quilt Hack – Use Sew In Interfacing to trace Applique Designs

13b Quilt Hack - Use a Shape to Trace the Applique Design — 13b Quilt Hack – Use a Shape to Trace the Applique Design

13c Quilt Hack - Lay the Interfacing to the Right Side of Your Fabric then Stitch on the Trace Line — 13c Quilt Hack – Lay the Interfacing to the Right Side of Your Fabric then Stitch on the Trace Line

13d Quilt Hack - After Stitching Trim the Excess Fabric about Quarter Inch from Shape Line — 13d Quilt Hack – After Stitching Trim the Excess Fabric about Quarter Inch from Shape Line

13e Quilt Hack - Cut a Hole in the Interfacing to Turn it Inside Out — 13e Quilt Hack – Cut a Hole in the Interfacing to Turn it Inside Out

13f Quilt Hack - The Center of the Interfacing has a small hole to turn inside out — 13f Quilt Hack – The Center of the Interfacing has a small hole to turn inside out

13g Quilt Hack - Turn Inside Out so Right Side of Fabric is Showing — 13g Quilt Hack – Turn Inside Out so Right Side of Fabric is Showing

Build your quilting skills with our Women’s Health Quilt Along and stitch together the Live Well Live Strong Quilt. Weekly Live Video Tutorials, Blog Posts, Tips, Hacks & Inspiration.

13h Quilt Hack - Use a Point to Point Turner to smooth the edges of your applique — 13h Quilt Hack – Use a Point to Point Turner to smooth the edges of your applique

13h Quilt Hack - Place your Pressed Applique Shape into Place then machine or hand stitch — 13h Quilt Hack – Place your Pressed Applique Shape into Place then machine or hand stitch

Build your quilting skills with our Women’s Health Quilt Along and stitch together the Live Well Live Strong Quilt. Weekly Live Video Tutorials, Blog Posts, Tips, Hacks & Inspiration.

What Quilt Hacks or Tips did you find useful? What other Quilting Hacks or Tips can you recommend? We need more!

Posted on November 18, 2015April 24, 2016 by Deanna — 27 Comments

Stitches Quilting AUTUMN FABRIC Giveaway Pre Black Friday

Stitches Quilting Autumn Fabric Giveaway Pre Black Friday

It’s time for another giveaway to celebrate the season! So before Black Friday, Stitches Quilting has some Autumn Fabric to giveaway. There are several ways to enter the giveaway and you can enter more than once.

There will be 5 Stitches Quilting Autumn Giveaway Winners that will receive a package of Autumn Fabric in the mail! The giveaway will be open from November 17 to 23, 2015.

Please share Stitches Quilting Autumn Giveaway. I am trying to get this blog and quilt store soaring to bring you the brilliant ideas, incredible fabrics, free patterns, tutorials, ideas and more. All you creatives out there, please leave comments and let me know what you like to see in creative blogs or online stores

a Rafflecopter giveaway

I promise to notice if you share or pin this Giveaway Post with others… Just use #stitchesquiltingfall when you share and I will find it!

I will also host 4 fantastic giveaways in the next two months. Please follow me as I will have lots to offer.

I am generous at heart and love to share my enthusiasm for quilting, sewing, being smartly frugal, fantastic parenting, home décor, crafting, DIY and more! I love FABRIC, threads and want to help all of you find the best way to get and use those things. I’m also a dreamer of becoming a fabric designer and working on that too! Dreams…. I bet you have those too! What dreams do you have? What dreams are you working towards? What style of quilting or sewing are you drawn to?

Choose one or all the ways to enter the giveaway! If you are the kind of person that just likes to enter a giveaway once then please do so as all entries are equal just doing more increases your odds as I can use all the extra love and time you can offer but…. I know time is a precious commodity too so let’s get practical!

The 5 winners will be randomly selected. Due to laws in other countries, only individuals in the US can enter. No purchase is necessary to enter the giveaway. You must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

40% OFF Quilting Stitches FALL SALE Storewide

Right now everything in the Stitches Quilting Store is 40% off and free shipping! That is like cost to ME! Isn’t that a giveaway too?

We just remodeled our creative shop and studio! We shampooed carpets, moved heavy antique cabinets, shelving, displays, long arm quilting machine, sewing machines, inventory and more! That was a lot of stuff. I don’t have everything set back up but I can’t wait for you to see our new space and inspire you with lots of ideas to showcase your things! So buy as much as you can so I don’t have to move or arrange more inventory than I have to!

Thank you everyone for entering… I have wonderful plans of free ornament patterns, free quilt patterns, free Christmas Tree Skirt patterns, Traditional Holiday Decorating, Grinchy Holiday Decorating, Affordable Personal Gifts to Make, DIY projects, Sales, Giveaways and Inspiration to Keep You Motivated and going! Let me know what you would like help in and I will deliver it!

If you have a creative idea, blog or business and think we might be a good fit, let me know if you would like to collaborate on something. I’m always looking for other creative friends! Email me at deanna@stitchesquilting.com

Lots of happy thoughts being sent your way!

Posted on February 22, 2012July 24, 2015 by Deanna

Quilting Motivates Me

I organize my life and balance my responsibilities so I can enjoy it! Quilting is always waiting for me in the background if life does get crazy and I need to put it on the back burner.

Quilting motivates me first of all so I can live a long healthy life to execute and complete all the amazing things I dream to create. I love my family and want to be healthy like eating well and exercising so I can hopefully avoid unnecessary disease and pain to be fully functional and capable of doing the many things I day dream about long into life.

There are so many ideas buzzing around in my head that I want to execute that I hope that long healthy life is waiting for me.

That’s the beauty of quilting; there are so many different things you can do from piecing a quilt top together, strip piecing for easier quilt, to complicated piecing, machine appliqué, hand appliqué, domestic machine quilting, long arm machine quilting, hand quilting, hand piecing…. too much to name.

Secondly, quilting motivates me to live an organized life. By living an organized life, I will have more rewarding time stitching away.

Thirdly, quilting is my reward! I get every room put back together after an evening of children being home, clean the kitchen, throw a load of wash in, prepare dinner, get necessary mundane tasks completed like paying bills and then quilt, quilt, quilt away! It feels great; even if it is only for a short bit of time.

When I worked on my master’s degree while at the same time worked at my husband’s office and managing kiddos at home, there was not much time for quilting. There was just no room for creativity to flow BUT I longed for it. I couldn’t wait to finish and for life to settle down to enjoy the colors and fabrics and creation of beautiful things for loved ones. There is a time and season to all things. Well as I was working on my master’s thesis and to break the barrier for motivation, I bought some special fabrics for a quilt pattern that I had longed to complete from many years prior. The pattern came from an old quilting book that I had admired and tucked away.

Then I LITERALLY slept with the fabrics under my pillow and in my bed with me every night. I would fall asleep touching the fabrics and admiring the color collection carefully fanned out, after a long day of forcing myself to be disciplined on my project. In the morning I would wake up and again touch them then turn with the determination to get my mountain work done each day.

Finally, the day arrived and I finished my master’s thesis. I had done all the work for whatever reason comfortably sitting in my bed on my laptop. When I pressed send on the email to my professor with the master’s thesis attached, I turned to my fabric and smiled!

I then went down stairs to my sewing room, dusted off the sewing machine, rotary cutter and mat and started playing with the fabrics. It was just a sweet quilt for my son that played soccer that would become a wall hanging in his room. But that quilt represented so much to me, the freedom that I know had to be creative again and the discipline I used to do hard things.

Jake's Soccer Quilt — The quilt that was made from the fabrics I slept with

I finally did it! Finished my Master's degree!

The quilt now years later still hangs in his room as he is now on a competitive soccer team. I have made several more quilts for him in his room for him to feel the warmth of his mother’s love. That mother’s love spills over as I attend all those soccer games taking amazing photographs of him with quilts to sit on or keep me warm. That mother’s love also spilled over as I went to all the amazing wrestling matches for his older brother and sat there hand appliquéing wrestlers with a tiger head and took pictures there.

Wrestling Quilt for Nick — Wrestling Quilt I made for Nick.

Quilting enriches and motivates me to be a better person and keep my life prioritized. Quilting motivates me to live a balanced life so I have time to put a healthy hobby like quilting in my routine. Quilting is so spectacular and there are just so many pleasing things to do with it!

My soccer player now! I love that little guy! Such a pleasure being a mother.

Nick Runyan Wrestling — My happy wrestler that threw me a smile while wrestling to his mama for the photograph. I love that guy!

Posted on February 15, 2010July 24, 2015 by Deanna

Quilting is Therapy!

Quilting is Therapy! When I had my storefront quilt store in Yuma, Arizona, I featured a local customer as Quilter of the Month and showcased her quilts in the shoppe. It was an absolute delight to see the gorgeous quilts come out of the closets and drawers to hang them beautifully around the store. I couldn’t wait each month to see the unique style of each quilter unveiled each to learn more about her.

One gal that I approached for Stitches Quilting “Quilter of the Month” having her quilts showcased in a future month was hesitant. She said that she loved piecing quilt tops together but that she rarely quilted and finished them. I told her it did not matter, that we wanted to see and display all her work. She said she didn’t care about finishing them because each quilt top of quilting was her therapy!

I agree 300% with that. Quilting is therapy! There is nothing like being discouraged in life and thoughtfully pause with beautiful fabrics, and threads to execute something your mind has envisioned. There have been many times that I have felt so downtrodden not knowing what to do, but in this confusion I would quilt and create while thoughtfully considering how to react to an event in my life. I remember those quilts so vividly and I am so deeply attached to those stitches. It was through those stitches that I decided how to rise above a situation that was challenging. Often I made quilts for other people at those times and I think that by serving another through my stitching, I was able to put my troubles into perspective.

I remember quilting while I was expecting my second child knowing that he had severe special needs (tuberous sclerosis) and wanting to wrap this child with my love when he arrived. I remember making a quilt when my little brother died to comfort my mother the first Christmas that he would not be with us. I remember making my mother an intricate quilt and so lovingly picking out fabrics and designs when we learned of her diagnosis of Lou Gehrig’s disease. I made that quilt to manifest my love for my mother; that quilt laid over her as she progressed through the disease and I cared for her until her death. I cherish that quilt now in my home representing the bond of our mother daughter relationship.

I remember being bewildered at the thought that I was quickly going facing a divorce with three small children to care for. The youngest was three months old and the second oldest with very severe special needs. The thought of the challenges ahead overwhelmed me, but what did I do? I quilted. I quilted a simple quilt for my special needs son and as I stitched I knew that I would have the strength, dignity and resolve to face the challenges ahead.

I recall quilting in times of joy and anticipation to celebrate moments. I remember vividly creating quilts with carefully selected fabrics for people who I loved. I remember thoughtfully selecting fabrics to make a quilt for my fiancé and current husband. I wanted him to know how much I cared for him and appreciated his love. He was so delighted to see me come off an airplane with a quilt tied in a bow hoping that it was something for him. It was for him and how I enjoyed giving him something I created with my hands to represent my devotion to him.

Quilting is Therapy… there are so many challenges that we may face quietly stitching away while deciding our resolve or approach. Quilting is Therapy… in the friendships that we create as we stitch, share and dream together. I am so grateful for such a beautiful healthy hobby to embrace that helps me become a better person while doing something positive. Whether we stitch alone or with others, pull out a sewing machine, let it hum and sooth your troubles to become peace within your soul. Allow yourself to lay fabrics on the floor next to each other for hours deciding upon a beautiful combination that will express what you need to share. Give yourself the permission that no matter what you will face in life that you can still create and feel joy.

Stitch, find peace and be happy,

With Love,

Deanna

NEW Sue Daley Rotating Round Cutting Mat

You Are Loved Quilt Kit

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 4.5 x 4.5 inches

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 2.5 x 2.5 inches

NEW Sue Daley Rotating Round Cutting Mat

You Are Loved Quilt Kit

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 4.5 x 4.5 inches

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 2.5 x 2.5 inches

NEW Sue Daley Rotating Round Cutting Mat

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 4.5 x 4.5 inches

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 2.5 x 2.5 inches

NEW Sue Daley Rotating Round Cutting Mat

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 4.5 x 4.5 inches

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 2.5 x 2.5 inches

NEW Sue Daley Rotating Round Cutting Mat

You Are Loved Quilt Kit

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 4.5 x 4.5 inches

Cute Cuts Trim-it Quilting Ruler 2.5 x 2.5 inches

It’s a Baby Girl Arrow Quilt with Cricut

Quilting with Cricut: Additional Tips and Tricks for Cricut Design Space and the Baby Arrow Quilt:

Quilting with Cricut

EASY No Binding Quilted Cookie Sheet Hot Pad

Linen Color Natural Fabric By Riley Blake LN300

Linen Color Dark Gray Fabric By Riley Blake Designs LN300

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN

Linen Color Natural Fabric By Riley Blake LN300

Linen Color Dark Gray Fabric By Riley Blake Designs LN300

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN

Linen Color Natural Fabric By Riley Blake LN300

Linen Color Dark Gray Fabric By Riley Blake Designs LN300

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN

10 Ways the Cricut Maker Can Help With Quilting! Your New Bestfriend!

How to Plan a Riley Blake Quilt Kit with the Cricut Maker

12 Hacks Every Quilter Should Know

12 Hacks Every Quilter Should Know – Summarized for you!

For MORE quilt hacks tips & instruction be sure to follow Deanna’s Live Video Tutorials on Facebook or YouTube. Interact and sew along with Deanna as she takes you from the beginning of a quilt all the way through to layering and quilting the quilt on your domestic machine.

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Pattern

Live Well Live Strong Quilt Kit – NO PATTERN