by GillyMac | Jan 2, 2025 | blog, Classes, Dressmaking, general, GillyMac Community, Improv Sewing, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Teens
2024 was a busy and exciting year at GillyMac. Working with Janome, the WI Learning Hub, and being involved in filming later in the year stretched the business in different directions. The core of GillyMac remains the weekly classes and sewists who transit through...
by GillyMac | Mar 23, 2022 | Beginners, blog, free, GillyMac Community, Patchwork, Patchwork Block, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial
Many people find quilting the most challenging part of the quilt-making process. In this post, I will give you some ideas on how to quilt the Spring 22 Baby Quilt, but I want to encourage you to have a go and finish off this gorgeous project. How to set up for...
by GillyMac | Mar 16, 2022 | Beginners, blog, free, GillyMac Community, Patchwork, Patchwork Block, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial
Let’s make the quilt. All seams we are about the sew are ¼”. If you didn’t collect the requirements in last week’s post, you could find them here. Make twelve blocks using the method in the video here. Join the blocks in four rows of three...
by GillyMac | Mar 9, 2022 | Beginners, blog, free, GillyMac Community, Patchwork, Patchwork Block, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial
Over the next three weeks, I am sharing how to make this quilt. The finished quilt is 41″ x 53″ and comprises twelve 12 ½” blocks. Today’s video explains how to make a block. It is a straightforward block, and your colour choice will...
by GillyMac | Mar 2, 2022 | blog, general, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial
I rarely create facings for my work, but I resolve to do it more frequently because it looks great every time I do. Quilt facings are a different way to finish an edge. Typically for quilts, we add a binding to cover raw edges, and for garments, we have hems. It is...
by GillyMac | Feb 9, 2022 | blog, free, GillyMac Community, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial
February is such a funny month. The excitement of Christmas and New Year has died down, and it’s like the day after a party with nothing fun to do. Well, it’s not long until we see signs of Spring, so until then, I have curated a group of free sewing...
by GillyMac | Jan 5, 2022 | blog, Patchwork, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial
Of the many things I made in 2021, this table runner is my favourite. Apart from many other qualities, it is an exercise in achieving perfect points. This runner and the accompanying Snowy Days Quilt were the projects in last Autumn’s Virtual Retreat; however,...
by GillyMac | Jun 30, 2021 | Applique, Beginners, blog, Patchwork, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial
Following on from last week’s tutorial on raw edge applique, let’s have a look at using invisible thread. This tutorial follows some of the processes to create my Flower Power Quilt. Last week, with raw edge applique, we sealed the edge with thread. If the thread had...
by GillyMac | Jun 23, 2021 | Applique, Beginners, blog, Patchwork, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial
This tutorial covers raw edge Applique. Next week, I will cover turned edge machine applique with invisible thread, often called invisible machine applique. With all machine applique, there are three steps. Preparing the applique piece Providing the first fix of it on...
