Sweet Tooth Cutie Quilt in Low-Volume Fabrics

I am finishing a month of medical treatments and the accompanying "blah" feelings.  One thing I do when I feel blah is quilt something fun.  Fun quilting for me involves RIBBON CANDY!!!!

I dove head-first into my 1 1/2" strip bin and pieced some quilts that would allow space for lots and Lots and LOTS of ribbon candy quilting.

The first quilt I finished was a Sweet Tooth Cutie Quilt:

While I personally think that more color is better (ALL THE COLOR!), some folks like less color.  I made this quilt for one of those folks.

The part of this quilt that was for me was all the delicious ribbon candy quilting!

Yes, my neutral fabrics include trombones, penguins, Christmas trees, giraffes, and more!

Join other As the Bobbin Turns subscribers to watch how I quilted this beauty.

ABC 123, part 3

 I designed the ABC 123 quilt pattern as a great Practice with Purpose project.  It uses two charm packs and some background fabric and I'm quilting each one using rulers and stencils.  Download the free pattern HERE.

I quilted the charm squares with a swirl made by holding a ruler against the foot of a home sewing machine.

I quilted the background fabric using a Geometric Swirl stencil and some background quilting.  While these designs work great on this quilt (they really do), once you learn them they become tools in your quilting toolbox that you can use to finish future quilts.

Be sure to watch the video of this quilt and all the ABC 123 quilts so that your quilting toolbox gets a little fuller. 

Happy Quilting!

Book Report with Teri Lucas: Scrappy Wonky

The fabulous Teri Lucas and I had a delightful conversation about the fun new book Scrappy Wonky by Shannon Leigh Roudhan and Jason Bowlsby.  

I love scrap quilts (see my Color Blocks patterns/classes as proof).  I save 1 1/2" squares, 1 1/2" strips, 2 1/2" squares, and fat eighths.  Many of these scrappy quilt ideas could use some of my preferred scrap sizes while others use strings and crumbs and other sizes of scraps I fight hard to NOT save.

The quilted jacket pattern in the book drew me in immediately and it's now added to my list of "quilted jackets I hope to make."  That list gets longer and longer and yet.... no jackets have been made.  Weird how that happens.

Teri is very much NOT a scrap quilter, so it was interesting to see her thoughts on this delightfully inspiring book.

After watching this conversation, come back and answer my question (below) to enter to win an e-copy of the book!

Question:  What is the smallest size of scrap fabric you save?

Check out other reviews of this book:

• Monday, June 17th – Virtual Book Tour Announcement on the C&T Blog 
• Tuesday, June 18th – Becca from Sugar Sand Quilts Co. (Blog & Instagram)
• Wednesday, June 19th – Lana Quilts (Blog & Instagram)
• Thursday, June 20th – Red Bird Quilt Co. (Website, Instagram & Facebook)
• Friday, June 21st – Teri at TerifiCreations (Website & Instagram)
  Friday June 21st – Debby Brown at Debby Brown Quilts ( Website & Instagram)
• Saturday, June 22nd – Mary from Mary Quilts (Blog)
• Sunday, June 23rd – Barbara Emodi (Instagram)
• Monday, June 24th – Lynn from Create Whimsy (Website & Instagram)
• Tuesday, June 25th – QuayIn Stark (Instagram)
• Wednesday, June 26th – Deb from QuiltBlox (Website & Instagram)
• Thursdays, June 27th – Pat Sloan (Blog & Instagram)
• Friday, June 28th – Raylee from Sunflower Stitcheries & Quilting (Blog & Instagram)

Cutie Pattern (variation): I Can Buy Myself Flowers

 I've had this line of fabric on hold waiting to make this quilt.  The events of the last 18 months delayed me, but I love how this quilt turned out!

I took a Bouquet Cutie Pack (16 fat eighths), a Bouquet panel, my Go with the Flow Cutie Pattern, and some background fabric and I Can Buy Myself Flowers came to be!

I wrote the directions for how to turn Go with the Flow into I Can Buy Myself Flowers.  You can download it from my website HERE.

How many other panels do I have stashed away?  The world many never know, but now I know how I will use some of them!

To see how I machine quilted this quilt, watch the YouTube video HERE.

P.S.  I think that these leafy feathers would be a great start to a Machine Quilted Feathers, Vol. 2 class, don't you?

I Scream Color Blocks Quilt

 I scream, you scream, we all scream for ICE CREAM!

I love this June Color Block quiltJune Color Block quilt!!!

Is anything better than a triple scoop ice cream cone?

It was simple to piece, quick to quilt, and ready to hang on my kitchen door for the summer.

I quilted this using white 50-weight cotton Konfetti thread and 80-weight polyester DecoBob thread50-weight cotton Konfetti thread and 80-weight polyester DecoBob thread and stitched offset switchbacks to imitate melting ice cream.  

Join the 2024 Free Color Blocks Quilt Along2024 Free Color Blocks Quilt Along to get this pattern and machine quilting video.

June Color Blocks Pattern: I Scream!

The Color Blocks 2024 quilts are all about the seasons!  So far we've had:

January -- snowflake
February -- hearts
March -- shamrocks
April -- tulips
May -- strawberry placemats
June -- ice cream!

You can still join the 2024 Color Blocks Quilt Along for FREE! by going HERE, downloading the Planning Page, downloading the I Scream pattern, gathering your scraps, and HAVING FUN!

I chose chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla ice cream.  What flavors will you choose?

Eighteen Years Later

 It takes 18 years for a newborn to become an adult, and it took 18 years for me to finish (part of) my Ramblin' Rose Meets Jamestown BOM by Marti Michell.

I took 20 of the log cabin blocks and put them together with some borders to make a quilt 63" x 75".

I had so much fun quilting this!

The dark strips were quilted with ribbon candy, naturally (it's my favorite!).

I quilted feathers with background meandering in the light strips.

I filmed all of this and added instructions in my As the Bobbin TurnsAs the Bobbin Turns subscriber only video class.  To peek over my shoulder as I quilt and get the behind the scenes tips and tricks, subscribe to As the Bobbin TurnsAs the Bobbin Turns monthly or annually.

I have plans to use the rest of the blocks in another quilt, so stay tuned for that!

What's In The Bag?

 I had my seventh back procedure earlier this month and left town the following day.  I really should fire that gal who does my scheduling!  I had great adventures at Anna's Sewing Center in North Olmstead, OH and more adventures keeping my mom company in Pittsburgh while my sister was out of town.

I am back home now and have 21 days to see how much quilting my (new! improved!) back will allow me to do.  In order to get some sewing done, though, I have to find some flat surfaces and finish a few things to make room for new creativity.

Apparently, I store a lot of projects in tote bags.  Doesn't everyone?  I pulled out a tote bag to see what was inside that I could finish easily.

This is Rambin' Rose Meets Jamestown, a BOM from Marti Michell from 2006.  I love using her rulers and templates!  Before I set this project aside EIGHTEEN YEARS AGO, I made 24 log cabin blocks and 7/12 sampler blocks.

This makes a bed-sized quilt and I don't need or want this on my bed.  It will be much more useful made into two giveaway quilts.

I decided to use 20 of the 24 log cabin blocks and make a 63"x75" quilt.  I have the finishing kit so I can cut some of the border fabrics to finish it nicely.

This is going to be so much fun to quilt!  It won't be ALL ribbon candy, but there will be plenty of it.

I pulled out my WonderFil threads -- Konfetti and DecoBob -- and can't wait to get my ribbon candy going!

Once I find my collection of Marti Michell templates, I can start work on finishing those 5 sampler blocks and plan the second giveaway quilt from this UFO.

Do you use Marti Michell templates?  Do you love them as much as I do?

Can You Hear Me Now?

 Way back in 2020, when everyone was first sent into isolation, Facebook started using AI to screen for "violations of community standards."  My blog was deemed scary and inappropriate for Facebook and I was no longer able to share my content.

A while back, can't remember how long ago, I received a message stating that my blog was now safe for Facebook.

Last week, my father-in-law asked, "Jeff used to send me stuff you wrote about what you were doing and what you were making.  How can I find that?"

So.... I'm gonna try this blogging thing again.

Please leave a comment on Facebook if this shows up.

Same Quilting -- New Location

This blog has been declared "Against Facebook Standards" and there is no recourse.  Half of my readers are from Facebook.

For those who read through a blog feed, please follow my new blog: 

https://debbybrownquilts.blogspot.com/

Watch It Wednesday -- Full Heart Panel, part 2

Seven weeks ago, I posted the first video about how to quilt this panel.  Then my disease flared up when my entire house was under re-construction at the same time.  That took some time from my life, as did adjusting to the Corona Virus life of self-isolation.

Now that I'm home for the foreseeable future and filming quilting videos, here's How to Machine Quilt Full Heart Panel, Part 2:



Learn how to embellish this panel with free-motion quilting on a home sewing machine. Join my Full Heart Panel class here: https://bit.ly/371ON8y Part 1 on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/R_dMbTzJCzo Buy the panel here: https://bit.ly/2GV1eID Subscribe to my newsletter at DebbyBrownQuilts.Com Find me on all social media as Debby Brown Quilts

Stolen Serviettes

At their request, I made my daughter's family Serviettes from Benartex Burlap fabric for their in-home dining experiences.  Which is every meal for the foreseeable future.

I told them to choose their colors and they chose Orchid and Charcoal.

I topstitched in a subtly variegated purple thread.  Only I will know that it's there, but it will make me happy.  And now I need to make all of the quilts for the rest of my life in Benartex Burlap.  Because it is YUMMY!

I joked with my daughter's family that as long as these are in my house, they are still mine.  They should have arrived at their house today, if the mail is on time. 

I am putting together some April Serviettes for my children's families now.  Umbrellas!!!

Bon Appetit, girls!

Video Podcast Episode 2: Sweet Tooth

I'm so excited to share with you my video podcast about my Sweet Tooth Cutie Quilts:



This was so fun to film because my friend Joliene Williams from Dutchess County Quilts visited with me via video conferencing.

Show notes: Joliene Williams, Dutchess County Quilts https://www.facebook.com/DutchessCoun... Cutie Quilt Patterns https://bit.ly/2QMl9z5 Cutie Packs https://bit.ly/2WLyMlD Wool Batting https://amzn.to/2UmdbyI Puff Batting https://amzn.to/3apU2kU Cotton Batting https://amzn.to/3dCQ8aH Omni Thread https://amzn.to/2xrUSiJ DecoBob Thread https://bit.ly/2JfAIuH DecoBob Pre-Wound Bobbins https://bit.ly/3dz1H2z How To Bind A Quilt Video Class https://bit.ly/2wxq53Y Burlap Fabrics https://bit.ly/2y6IKUs Serviette Patterns/Kits https://bit.ly/2WNwpz4 Gudrun Erla https://gequiltdesigns.com/ Elvira Quilt Pattern https://gequiltdesigns.com/products/e...

Going to the Quilt Show!

The typically busy spring quilt show season is quiet this year.  Or is it?

Join in the Cyber Quilt Show!

I've been busy at home getting ready for this show.  They call me the "Special Guest"

but I'm really just a quilt teacher.  I was supposed to teach at some shops, some shows, and on a cruise this spring (all cancelled) so I'm ridiculously excited that I get to teach YOU!

Check the Cyber Quilt Show daily for new classes.  Upload your own quilt photos to be a part of the show!

See you at the quilt show!!!

Watch it Wednesdays -- Stitch curves with a ruler on a home machine

This week's video is quilting some leftover triangles on Pterodactyl One.  I left them unquilted because I hoped the wool batting would fill them.  Once I finished the quilt, I thought they were a little crinkly and could use some quilting.  Did you know that you can add quilting after quilting to the edges of the quilt?  You totally can!



I can't quilt at all without my machine quilting gloves and my Multi Clamshell ruler is always by my side!

That DecoBob thread is working great in my Handi Quilter Stitch 710.  It's adding great texture to my quilt!

Is this quilt finished?  Stayed tuned for the next Watch It Wednesday to find out!

Cuddle Cake Scarf

Somewhere along my travels, I picked up a Cuddle Cake.  I put it on the shelf with the rest of my Layer Cakes.  Over time, the package split open from falling off the shelf one too many times, and it looked sloppy.

I decided to solve this problem by using the Cuddle Cake.  I made a scarf!

I made it up as I went along.  If you have a Cuddle Cake sitting around, though, and want to make a scarf, here's what I did:

I stitched everything with 1/2" seam allowances.

I sewed two rows of 10 squares together, pinning seams open.

I folded it in half with right sides together to form a long tube.  I pinned seams open and stitched along the edges, keeping one side open for turning.

I turned the scarf right side out and hand-stitched the opening closed.

Then I gave my machine a good cleaning, because Cuddle sheds

Now I have a scarf for me for next winter.  Or maybe for someone else as a gift.  

(ok, probably for me)

If you need more quilting information and inspiration, check out QuarantineQuilting.Com.  It's full of links to tutorials, patterns, projects, kits, and quilt alongs from your favorite quilting designers.

Hang in there, quilters.  Keep in touch.

Binding: The Final Stitch

Are you, like me, home and finishing quilts?  Are you unhappy with your quilt bindings?

As I've been finishing quilts, I've filmed my binding technique and put it into a class.

Quilting Essentials -- How to Bind a Quilt

I cover how wide to cut your strips, how turn corners, joining your ends, and MORE!

Check out my binding class and put a fine finish on your quilts.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! -- late

Before everyone's daily schedule went kerflooey, my husband and I planned to celebrate St. Patrick's Day today, our 32nd wedding anniversary.  Due to my weekly medication cycle, I tend to be nauseous on Tuesdays and knew that I wouldn't be able to eat corned beef that day.

That gave me extra time to finish some new Serviettes for our table tonight.

Pattern
Serviettes

Fabric
Green Burlap
Leaf Burlap

Thread
Essential Thread Parrot

I had been sending my children's families monthly-themed dinner napkins.  Due to travel, construction, and my health I skipped March.  I texted my daughter's family to see if they wanted these for next March.

I told them to go to my website and pick which Burlap colors they wanted.  I can't wait to see what they choose!  I'll share pics of whatever I make, so wait for them.

I'm not done playing with Burlap, though; I just cut Burlap Cutie Packs (16 fat eighths) for my shop and now have to decide on which Cutie Pattern I'll choose!

Which would you choose?

If you need more quilting information and inspiration, check out QuarantineQuilting.Com.  It's full of links to tutorials, patterns, projects, kits, and quilt alongs from your favorite quilting designers.

Hang in there, quilters.  Keep in touch.

Watch It Wednesday -- Ribbon Candy

This week's video is a inner border on Pterodactyl One.  I left it unquilted because I hoped the wool batting would fill the border beautifully.  Once I finished the quilt, I didn't think that inner border was as beautiful as I wanted it to be, so I added ribbon candy once the quilt was done.  Did you know that you can add quilting after quilting to the edges of the quilt?  You totally can!



I can't quilt at all without my machine quilting gloves.

That DecoBob thread is working great in my Handi Quilter Stitch 710.  It's adding great texture to my quilt!

Is this quilt finished?  Stayed tuned for the next Watch It Wednesday to find out!

Watch It Wednesday: Uneven Piano Key Border

This week's video shows how I quilted an uneven piano key border.

I chose to quilt quarter-inch lines between the ribbon candy to add some texture.  I chose ribbon candy because I love it and because it fits well in all the different sizes of this uneven border

DecoBob thread: https://bit.ly/38YymMg Quilting Gloves: https://bit.ly/2PmV0px Multi Clamshell Tool: https://bit.ly/3abnHhe Handi Grip: https://bit.ly/3cdeWoT Subscribe to my newsletter at DebbyBrownQuilts.Com Find me on all social media as Debby Brown Quilts

Watch It Wednesday: Freehand Feathers and Ruler Quilting

It's Wednesday, so it must be time for another machine quilting video.

This week's video is a border on Pterodactyl One.  I used a Handi Quilter Multi Clam Ruler to stitch the spine and then free-motion quilted the feathers.



I can't quilt at all without my machine quilting gloves.

That DecoBob thread is working great in my Handi Quilter Stitch 710.  It's adding great texture to my quilt!

Stitching While Waiting

Sadly, my Relapsing Polychondritis flared up this weekend.  Usually I know it's coming when an ear or my nose is inflamed and becomes very painful.  Not this time.  My cauliflower ear was only tingly and I went straight to crippling joint pain while the disease was attacking the cartilage there.  I'm chalking this flare up to the stress of living in an active construction zone. Who knew that could be stressful?  (sarcasm)

I'm supposed to treat a flare-up with steroids and I HATE STEROIDS!  They rot my stomach, make me manic and chatty, make me rather testy, make me hungry, and make me gain weight.  The long-term effects are far worse.  I'm blessed to not be on them full-time any more, but I put taking them off as long as possible.  When I finally took them, I had to wait until they kicked in.

While I was waiting, though, I dug into my basket of 1 1/2" scrap squares.  Quilting is a great distraction.

I made some progress on Dottie (L).  She's now 12" tall.  I hope she grows to be 60" tall, so I still have a ways to go.

I started playing with a new block (M).  I have tons of squares and an entire basket of black scraps so I can work on this for a long, long time.

I have tons and Tons and TONS of blue squares so I decided to put together a 6" blue and white checkerboard block (R).  I might make some blue/black and some blue/gray, or maybe I'll just keep up the blue/white theme.  I'm not sure yet.  Maybe I'll mix in some red/white blocks?  Who knows?

So I made some happy blocks while waiting for the happy steroids to kick in.  I have quite an energy burst now and am able to move around again.  I'll be annoyingly chatty and won't get much sleep for a while.  Hopefully a few weeks of treatment will bring my disease back under control. 

None of us know what life is going to bring us, but fortunately quilting is always there to get us through the rough spots.

Watch It Wednesday: Feathers

Last year, I pieced Pterodactyl One.  Since I've been living in an active construction zone this week, I decided it was time to reward myself by quilting this quilt!

What could be better a better reward than quilting fun feathers on the center medallion of this quilt?

I put on my quilting gloves, threaded my machine with DecoBob, and sat down to enjoy myself:

Have you ever tried quilting with 80 weight DecoBob?  It adds this beautiful texture without showing the thread.  I use it 100% of the time in my bobbin, and it's just as fun in the needle!

In Search Of: Sanity

Nearly 6 months ago, my house was destroyed when a tree fell on it.  We've been living in chaos ever since, waiting for the insurance to come through, the contractors to be available, and the stars to align.  They finally did, and my house is HOPPING!

Since the insurance company couldn't match our damaged, faded, 1974 powder-blue aluminum sidingk (who knew?), my house is now green, shutterless, with fresh white trim.

I now have walls and ceilings.

I picked out paint last night.

To keep sane through this chaos, I'm quilting.  I pulled out my Squared Away Cutie Pattern and a pack of orange fat eighths.  I'm ready to piece today while they (maybe?) start framing a door for my sewing room.  Happy Birthday to ME!!!!

Which background would you choose?

Feel free to suggest something that I haven't shown, as well.

Ollie

Did you know that sometimes I make quilts that have nothing to do with work?  That sometimes I buy a quilt kit just because I like it?

Several years ago, I bought this Ollie Cutie Quilt Kit from the Quilt Basket because I needed this quilt in my life.  I pieced it last year and recently I finished quilting it:

Please remember that dreary winter months in New York make for awful photographs.  This quilt is richer in normal daylight.  Spring, please come soon!

I had so much fun quilting this quilt!!!  I used several Full Line Stencils to help mark the blocks.  I posted not one but two tutorials about how I quilted the borders. I didn't film a tutorial of the block quilting, but I made this fun little boomerang for you:

Every time I glimpse this quilt, I fall a little more in love with it. 

I'm keeping this quilt.  The only person who will get this quilt from my hands is a grandchild.  Until then... I get to look at this quilt as often as I want!

Isn't it amazing how simple quilting with only one thread color can make a quilt sing???  The wool batting doesn't hurt, either.

Watch It Wednesday -- How to Layer Quilting in a Border

This Cutie Pattern is named Ollie and it's for ME!  The solid burgundy spacer border is a perfect place to quilt to impress!

I chose to use only one color thread (gray/green) and it blends well with the prints and with this border.

I used my 2-inch Circle Grid Stencil and Pounce Pad to mark the center of the border and layered some beautiful quilting.  Watch below!



This border looks complicated but is actually a few simple designs layered together.

Subscribe to my email newsletter, my YouTube channel, and this blog so that you don't miss any new videos!

Watch It Wednesday -- Loopy Ribbon Candy Using a Stencil

This Cutie Pattern is named Ollie and it's for ME!  OK, it will be put aside for any future grandchildren, but it will live with me for a while.

I chose to use only one color thread (gray/green) and it blends well with the prints and with this border.

I used my Ribbon Candy Stencil and Pounce Pad to space the ribbon candy, and then enlarged and embellished the border.  Watch below!



Doesn't that make a plain border look like something special?

Subscribe to my email newsletter, my YouTube channel, and this blog so that you don't miss any new videos!