About Quilts Blog

Nov 8, Perth Quilt Tour 2019

Thu, 8 Nov 2018 16:17:57 -0500

May 19 to May 28 2019 – Time for a getaway Join the fully escorted tour and take in the sights and tastes of the Margaret River Valley, visit the Perth Craft & Quilt Show and plenty of other exciting inclusions. Contact megan.brunel@helloworld.co.nz to register – spaces are limited

Oct 13, Pattern available for the Conical Felt Tree!

Sat, 13 Oct 2018 23:21:34 -0400

The Conical Felt Tree pattern is now available. This is a fabulous Christmas tree to make for young children. They will decorate this tree over and over again! Suppliers of the thick felt & Velcro fabric are listed in the pattern. Have fun making your wee Christmas Tree!

Oct 11, Conical Felt Christmas Tree

Thu, 11 Oct 2018 21:00:22 -0400

Cassie is having fun decorating her Christmas tree! The pattern will be available at the end of October 2018.

Sep 24, Alice In Wonderland Pattern

Mon, 24 Sep 2018 22:32:33 -0400

The Alice In Wonderland quilt pattern is now on my site and available to download. It is a very large file due to containing full sized templates and placement guides. Also there are a number of coloured images showing the detail of the original quilt. I hope you enjoy making your own Alice quilt! Please add a photo of your completed Alice quilt to my site or on my Facebook page - I would love to see it!

Aug 8, Alice Quilt Update

Wed, 8 Aug 2018 18:41:56 -0400

There is just one main applique block remaining to finish and that is 'Painting the roses red'. The pattern writing is coming along nicely and hopefully it will be ready some time in September for all those Alice in Wonderland lovers to use!

Jul 29, Alice Quilt Update

Sun, 29 Jul 2018 22:08:52 -0400

Another four blocks have been created in EQ7 for the Alice in Wonderland quilt... All the fine details will be added in the pattern and you can choose whether you want to stitch them in or do as I did and draw them on.

Jul 16, Alice Quilt Update

Mon, 16 Jul 2018 23:28:10 -0400

Four more blocks have been created in EQ7 for the Alice in Wonderland quilt. I'm now over half way through creating the applique templates for this quilt...

Jul 12, Alice Quilt pattern Update

Thu, 12 Jul 2018 00:51:02 -0400

There are 5 completed appliqué blocks for this quilt, into EQ7. Each block is now taking only 2 evenings to draw. The finished blocks will create clear, correctly sized and easy to use templates - perfect. I had a slight issue about 10 days ago when I lost 3 1/2 of my blocks that I had drawn in EQ7 - not a good day! I’m sure it was my issue not saving before a power outage or similar… I would love to hear any suggestions you may have regarding what you’d like to see in the pattern. You can contact me via the ‘Contact Me’ at the bottom of any of my pages, via Facebook or in the comments section at the end of the Alice page. Looking forward to hearing from you…

Jun 29, Quilt Shops in the Netherlands

Fri, 29 Jun 2018 00:44:23 -0400

Are you planning a trip to the Netherlands some time in the not too distant future... and wanting to know if there will be any quilt shops close by? Check out the Netherlands quilt shop directory and then plan on having a lot of fun!

Jun 19, Alice Quilt Pattern Coming later in 2018

Tue, 19 Jun 2018 19:00:18 -0400

Due to multiple requests I have finally decided to write up the pattern for this gorgeous quilt. This quilt was made using hand drawn patterns so I'm re-creating these in EQ7. I will post progress here.

Here is the first completed applique block Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum.

Jun 14, Italy Quilt Shops

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 19:01:29 -0400

Are you planning a trip to Italy some time in the not too distant future... and wanting to know if there will be any quilt shops close by? Check out the Italy quilt shop directory and then plan on having a lot of fun! I have added a Google map to show the exact location of each shop!

May 18, 'New' - Shop added

Fri, 18 May 2018 00:38:02 -0400

Added to my site is a shop tab in the navigation bar at the top of the page along the base of the header. Here you will find the patterns that I have written both for sale and for free. All the paid patterns are just US$2.99 each and payment is made via Paypal. My apologies to those of you that have tried buying a pattern of mine and struck a problem... the fault was all mine and has now been fixed... All future patterns when completed will be added to my shop. I hope to begin work on 'Alice in Wonderland' quilt & pattern next month...

May 10, The Felt Christmas Tree Pattern is HERE!

Thu, 10 May 2018 10:03:00 -0400

The pattern for this gorgeous Felt Christmas Tree is now available. It includes full sized templates for both the tree and each of the decorations. Also included are the links to the suppliers for the thick felt and the velcro fabric. Enjoy making your felt Christmas tree!

May 9, It's nearly here!!!

Wed, 9 May 2018 11:05:00 -0400

May 8, 3D Felt Christmas Tree Pattern coming soon...

Tue, 8 May 2018 19:41:22 -0400

May 7, Baby Snuggle Bag

Mon, 7 May 2018 17:56:07 -0400

I just received a lovely email from Francine showing the fabulous baby snuggle bag she has made for her expecting grand daughter. It's great to hear from visitors to my site and find out what they have been inspired to create after their visit.

Apr 25, Felt Cupcake

Wed, 25 Apr 2018 22:44:15 -0400

What child doesn't love a cupcake. This cute wee one has 2 layers of icing and some fabulous buttons as embellishments that add a nice textural element for wee hands to explore.

Apr 20, Felt & Fabric Presents

Fri, 20 Apr 2018 19:15:00 -0400

These wee presents have been made from felt and Christmas fabric, then embellished with ribbons that add a lovely textural element for wee fingers to explore.

Apr 19, Jingle bells, jingle bells...

Thu, 19 Apr 2018 19:15:00 -0400

A simple wee bell to hang from the tree. I have used twisted two toned satin ribbon for this and for the bow.

Apr 18, Christmas Pudding

Wed, 18 Apr 2018 19:15:00 -0400

Two felt Christmas puddings made with 2 variations. Firstly they attach to the tree differently and secondly one is in traditional colours while the other is in pastel tones. I have done this with quite a few of the decorations so that they can be sorted using different criteria by an older child...

Apr 17, No Christmas tree should be without a cute Santa!

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 19:15:00 -0400

My felt Santa needed a bit of a lift so was embellished with rosy cheeks. Eyes are dolls buttons and he can be attached to the tree via the wee velcro dot on his back.

Apr 15, Cute Teddy with a Scarf Decoration

Sun, 15 Apr 2018 19:15:00 -0400

Who doesn't love a cute wee teddy... even one this small. Eyes are created using dolls buttons - just the right size. Mouth has been drawn on using permanent fabric pens.

Apr 12, Embellishing Your Felt Decorations

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 21:25:54 -0400

There are many ways you can embellish your gorgeous felt decorations. I like using beads, buttons, ribbons and permanent fabric pens. This is the brand I have used for almost 20 years and they have never been a problem so I have never had a need to look for another brand!

Apr 12, Simple Felt Star Decoration

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 19:12:17 -0400

This simple felt star is made from two different yellow felts. To give it a bit of life it has been embellished with wee gold beads. This adds a lovely textural element for wee hands to explore!

Apr 12, Cute Felt Elf Hanging Decoration

Thu, 12 Apr 2018 18:40:36 -0400

Here's another cute wee felt decoration to make for your child's Christmas tree. It has twisted satin ribbon attached so it can hang and is embellished with wee buttons. Mouth & nose were drawn on using permanent fabric pens.

Apr 9, Felt and/or Fabric Christmas Stocking Decorations

Mon, 9 Apr 2018 19:00:00 -0400

Two variations of the same pattern - a felt stocking and a fabric stocking. When using fabric I find it best to reinforce it with woven fusible interfacing for extra strength as well as adhering those loose edge threads together before sewing..

Apr 7, Cute Felt Gingerbread Decorations

Sat, 7 Apr 2018 17:00:00 -0400

Another cute wee felt decoration to make for your Christmas tree. These wee folk measure 6.5cm or 6" tall not including the ribbon.

Apr 5, Making a cute Felt Angel Decoration

Thu, 5 Apr 2018 00:41:15 -0400

Here's a cute and simple angel to make to add to your collection of felt decorations for your felt Christmas tree.

Apr 3, Felt Snowman in a Heart Decoration

Tue, 3 Apr 2018 17:40:50 -0400

This snowman is enjoying playing in the snow. The scarf and beads on his tummy add a nice textural element for wee hands to enjoy.

Mar 29, Felt Christmas Bird Decoration

Thu, 29 Mar 2018 00:00:00 -0400

Two very talkative felt birds to add to the Christmas tree. The beaded legs add a nice textural element to them. Both these birds have ribbon loops sewn into them so that they are hung over the buttons on the tree.

Mar 28, Felt Christmas Penguin Decoration

Wed, 28 Mar 2018 21:26:48 -0400

The first of many cute felt decorations to be made for the felt Christmas tree. These two have velcro on their backs so they are able to be used an all sides of the tree.

Mar 18, 16m old Cassie Having Fun

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 23:25:01 -0400

Now her big sisters are at school & kindy, Cassie can have fun decorating the egg how she wants to...

Mar 18, Grandchildren's Easter Egg Creations

Sun, 18 Mar 2018 17:55:42 -0400

My grandchildren loved the Felt Easter Egg I made them for Easter! Bella (4years old) decided it was going to be hers so she snuck it up to her bedroom for some 1 to 1 play!! Her mum discovered what happened and took the opportunity for some combined play and they made the super chick!

Mar 15, Felt Easter Egg Pattern Now Available

Thu, 15 Mar 2018 23:42:30 -0400

The pattern is now available to make your own fabulous non-chocolate Felt Easter Egg. Everyone will have fun decorating their own eggs at Easter time - or at any time of the year!!

Mar 12, Felt Easter Egg

Mon, 12 Mar 2018 22:12:02 -0400

This gorgeous wee Easter Egg is now complete and I have added videos showing how each type of decoration is made. There are lots of variations that can be made - lots of fun for small children at Easter time. Pattern will be added soon.

Mar 8, Felt Easter Chicken

Thu, 8 Mar 2018 16:56:14 -0500

The perfect addition to making your non chocolate Easter egg gift. This chicken is made from felt with velcro sewn onto the back of each piece so it can be placed onto the egg shape. A quick video tutorial showing how to make these pieces is included.

Mar 7, Felt Easter Bunny

Wed, 7 Mar 2018 22:22:26 -0500

This gorgeous wee Easter Bunny is complete and I have added videos showing how each section is made. There are several variations that you can play with as well - do you want to make a boy bunny or a girl bunny? Do you want to add the back view of the bunny hopping away? Have fun making yours!! Pattern will be added soon.

Mar 4, The perfect non-chocolate Easter gift!

Sun, 4 Mar 2018 16:22:39 -0500

Here is an update showing another view of this cute wee bunny. This is a work in progress... and I have two more sets of accessories to complete before finalising the pattern, that I hope to have available next week. This is such a fun project to work on!!

Mar 1, Non-Chocolate Easter Egg

Thu, 1 Mar 2018 20:42:58 -0500

Easter is fast approaching and my gorgeous 15month old granddaughter isn't allowed to eat chocolate yet so my daughter & I are making a felt Easter egg toy for her enjoy instead. This is a work in progress over the next few weeks up until Easter. I'll add each step as it is completed to my site here.

Feb 26, 3D Felt Christmas Tree

Mon, 26 Feb 2018 16:44:31 -0500

Learn how to make this Innovative 3D Felt Christmas Tree for someone special. The tutorial includes videos of each stage of its construction. You can make one side and hang it on your fridge or make 3 different sides and connect them to make your 3D tree. Make each side different or all the same - you choose. Have fun making your own tree!

Feb 21, Felt Christmas Tree Tips

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 19:44:02 -0500

Learn the tips to making a fantastic felt Christmas tree the first time! I cover types of felt to use, sewing machine needle sizes to sew different types of felt, how to cut your felt when using a pattern and more...

Jan 25, Craft Bookmark Family

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 22:05:28 -0500

Welcome to my craft Bookmark family. I made these as gifts for family & friends this last Christmas and they were loved by everyone! I have created a brief tutorial showing how I made mine - so click the link below to read more....

Jan 25, Free Paper Piecing Tutorial

Thu, 25 Jan 2018 20:09:51 -0500

Have you tried paper piecing before and become lost and/or frustrated by the process? I have added a clear and simple tutorial to help you have fun with this technique so a whole new world of quilt making is open to you. In my instructions I use a very simple block for you to practice this technique with and this will have you enjoying paper piecing from now on!!

Jan 14, Planning a Trip to Ireland

Sun, 14 Jan 2018 21:06:22 -0500

Added to the directory are 15 quilting shops that you can enjoy while visiting Ireland!

Dec 28, Planning a trip to Germany...

Thu, 28 Dec 2017 21:40:33 -0500

Are you planning a trip to Germany some time in the not too distant future... and wanting to know if there will be any quilt shops close by? Check out the Germany quilt shop directory and then plan on having a lot of fun!

Dec 13, Christmas Wreath Wall Hanging

Wed, 13 Dec 2017 16:28:40 -0500

This gorgeous wall hanging was made in 2011 as a fun project with my quilting group. The pattern came from a very old Quiltmaker magazine that was published 17 years ago! If you'd like to know how I made this quilt then subscribe to my newsletter and check out my next issue...

Nov 2, Baby Busy Book Started

Thu, 2 Nov 2017 20:29:47 -0400

Are you thinking about making a busy book for a wee one - then check this one out for some inspiration. Made for my granddaughter's 1st birthday it has several tactile pages and where necessary zip pockets to hold removable items. This book is currently being made so only the completed pages are shown.

Oct 30, Planning a Trip to Austria.....

Mon, 30 Oct 2017 17:37:36 -0400

Added to the directory are 16 quilting shops that you can enjoy while visiting Austria!

Oct 25, Do You Use Spray Starch

Wed, 25 Oct 2017 23:21:52 -0400

Do you use spray starch when making your quilts? Occasionally do you forget because you're in too much of a hurry or you ran out.... What initially seems like another step in the process can make such a huge difference to the end product. I have been recently researching homemade starch recipes to try and came across a fabulous story...(paraphrased by me) "A group of older quilters were seen spritzing their fabrics with starch at the ironing table... when they started spraying some in their mouths & laughing uproariously! What was in there? Chemicals...? Turns out they had made their own spray starch from water & vodka!"

Oct 16, Quilt Shops in UK

Mon, 16 Oct 2017 23:59:53 -0400

Here you will find a listing of over 160 quilt shops in the UK. I have added a photo from inside each shop where possible so you can see the fabric range and accessories they offer. If you know of a quilt shop that is missing then let me know - I greatly appreciate it. Enjoy!

Sep 29, Quilt Shops in Australia

Fri, 29 Sep 2017 00:15:48 -0400

Here you will find a listing of over 100 quilt shops in Australia. I have added a photo from inside each shop where possible so you can see the fabric range and accessories they offer. If you know of a quilt shop that is missing then let me know - I greatly appreciate it. Enjoy!

Sep 21, Quilt Shops in NZ

Thu, 21 Sep 2017 00:39:01 -0400

If you or a friend are planning a trip to New Zealand then you'll find most of the NZ quilt shops listed here. This is a massive task that I'm embarking on so, if you have a favourite quilt shop (& I haven't listed it yet) anywhere in the world please let me know. Photos can also be added. I have placed a form for you to add your favourite shop(s) and it can be found in the navigation INFORMATION tab above... Thank you!

Sep 5, Alice Applique Cushion

Tue, 5 Sep 2017 00:27:39 -0400

A recently completed applique Alice cushion that my granddaughter requested (and helped me make) so that her bedroom could be more themed. Years ago I made her an Alice In Wonderland quilt but never any accessories. I have added a wee tutorial showing how I made the applique rose and its backing fabric.