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 | May 12, 2021 | GillyMac Doodle Challenge, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple, Uncategorised
Let’s get stuck in quickly to solving these problems. Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) does not need to get complicated, and the common issues that arise are easy to fix. You can find details of the set up for FMQ I recommend here. The most common Free Motion Quilting...
by GillyMac | May 5, 2021 | Doodles, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
Doodle quilting is both a method of learning free motion designs and a way to stitch the patterns out. With doodle quilting, you will learn your designs with pen and paper first. Your brain learns the patterns by doodling them repeatedly. As a child in class, I would...
by GillyMac | Apr 28, 2021 | Beginners, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
Start free-motion quilting by following my simple steps will make it easy. I have listened to many speakers who make it sound incredibly complicated. As a beginner, an essential activity for you to master is setting up and practising sewing regularly. The Foot To...
by GillyMac | Apr 21, 2021 | Beginners, blog, Quilting, Sewing Made Simple
Following on from last week’s blog, I am focusing on starting your quilting journey with your walking foot this week. Here is a list of my favourite beginner-friendly walking foot quilting designs for you to practise. The practice session aims to get you...
by GillyMac | Apr 7, 2021 | Applique, blog, Sewing Made Simple
The following process is simple and accessible with any smartphone and a free app. What you will need is; photograph cropped to the specific area of interest smartphone with the MOLDIV free app paper large enough to trace the pattern. This could be A4 sheets joined...
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...
