by GillyMac | Jun 16, 2021 | Beginners, blog, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
My criteria as to what makes a quilt pattern suitable for a beginner is The project shouldn’t be too big The pattern should have lots of diagrams and simple steps to follow or be accompanied by a good video. The project should teach you something new, but not too...
by GillyMac | Jun 2, 2021 | Beginners, blog, free, Patchwork, Patchwork Block, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial
In last week’s blog, we learned how to make Half Square Triangle Blocks. This week I have written an easy baby quilt pattern using them. My Super Quilt Baby Quilt is a simple quilt that is a winner every time. Each block is half colourful and half plain. You can...
by GillyMac | May 26, 2021 | Beginners, blog, Patchwork, Patchwork Block, Sewing Made Simple, Tutorial, Uncategorised
Half square triangles (HSTs) were one of the first patchwork blocks I learnt to make. They are easy to make and the design is really versatile. I have used HSTs in many different projects including bags, cushions, table runners, pouches and quilts. One of my absolute...
by GillyMac | May 19, 2021 | Beginners, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
Quilters have been layering and basting quilts for centuries, and as there are lots of different methods. One thing to be clear about is that layering the quilt and temporarily holding it together before sewing, typically referred to as basting, are two different...
by GillyMac | Mar 31, 2021 | blog, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Temperature Quilt
A temperature quilt is a way of recording the temperature in a place or places over time in textile form. You can make it anything you want. It can have the maximum and minimum temperature in your location. It could have the temperature in your area and another place,...
by GillyMac | Mar 24, 2021 | Beginners, blog, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
I am frequently asked ‘how much does it cost to start sewing?’. The amount of equipment and tools on the market is vast and can be confusing. In this post, I have boiled down what you need to just the bare essentials. There is always more to add, but let us start with...
by GillyMac | Mar 17, 2021 | Beginners, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
Breaking thread is super annoying. It happens for many reasons, none of which are any less irritating. Here are my top tips. Start from number one and work through them until it is solved. Get a cup of tea and settle down to fix the problem. When I am stressed, I can...
by GillyMac | Mar 3, 2021 | Beginners, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
Years ago I was once in a class with a teacher who pointed at my thread and said ‘throw it in the bin’. It seemed pretty extreme when looking back, it was insulting, but did the teacher have a point? I think not. Where possible, I will always try and use up old...
by GillyMac | Feb 24, 2021 | Classes, Patchwork, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Virtual Retreat, Zoom
I’ve now been running online sewing classes for three years and pre-recorded, video-on-demand courses, for 15 months. As well as this, I have attended classes as a participant. I’ve drawn up this short list of question you should expect from an online sewing teaching...
