Tuesday Tutorial: Walking Foot Crate Quilt

One of my greatest joys in life is teaching people to machine quilt.  I see students in person in my classes and know that they take my Craftsy classes and watch my YouTube videos.  I hope that my classes help, but nothing replaces practice.

I know many quilters won't sit and practice machine quilting on practice pieces but would rather just get quilting.  This year, I am suggesting that quilters make small crate quilts for animal shelters and practice their machine quilting while doing good!



Raid your scraps, make a crate quilt, and practice using your walking foot.  Sew together a few mini charm packs for a color co-ordinated crate quilt.

Have you tried to quilt a quilt using your walking foot?  You can quilt many different patterns using your walking foot, but start with this simple pattern if you've never tried it before.

Quilting Therapy

I was away all of last week with my Handi Quilter buddies.  We looked at quilts, talked about quilts, and made some wonderful memories and plans for the coming year.

Yesterday, I chained myself to Errol because I missed him so much!  At the end of the evening, I had a charity quilt for the veteran's home.  The guidelines say 36"x42" and patriotic colors.  I made my quilt from red, white, blue, black, gold, and brown fabrics.  Who knew that my huge box of scrappy 2-1/2" squares only had 5 blue squares in it?

I basted the quilt last night:

It's small enough to easily baste on my kitchen table!  I rolled the batting and top on old cardboard tubes to keep it contained while basting.

I plan to chain myself to Hedwig today and machine quilt the day away.  Which thread would you use?  I think I like Midas Touch (it's my go-to thread on the left), but I also considered Blue Heaven (middle) to add the blue that this quilt is missing.  I pulled out Mudpies (right) just because.

Once you choose my thread for me, I plan to quilt it the same way I quilted the last Crate Quilt.

I still have enough squares to make another veteran's quilt.  

I'll make that quilt the next time I'm in quilting withdrawal.

Tuesday Tutorial -- Starburst free-motion quilting pattern

My local weather has me seeing STARS!  We had a snowstorm on Sunday, it will be over 70*F tomorrow, and right back into the 20*Fs by Thursday night.  I think that Phil* is playing Bop-a-Mole!

This week's Tuesday tutorial is how to quilt starbursts on a crate quilt.


Products in video:
FabuLux Royal Robes thread
DecoBob thread
Steady Betty Bands

Watch all of the weekly tutorials HERE.

Have you made a crate quilt yet?  Which machine quilting pattern did you use?


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*Punxatawney Phil is the groundhog who predicts 6 more weeks of winter or not.

Sweetness and Bright!

I'm trying something new this year -- starting a project and then staying with it until it is completed.  Weird, right? 

I dove head-first into my bin of 2 1/2" squares and grabbed anything that was bright and cheery.  I took the scraps to the sewing machine when the weather and I were both dark and gray.  I put on my headphones and stitched the gray away:

I asked for help in picking the quilting thread:

I picked pink, by the way:

Then began the fun job of quilting this beauty:

Because you will ask:  It's a Multi Clamshell ruler and a Steady Betty Band.

Want to see how I did the quilting?

After I finished the ridiculously fun machine quilting, it was time to grab my Binding Baby:

This 36"x42" quilt is quilted, bound, and ready to bring some warmth and happiness to a senior in a nursing home:

Come back tomorrow where I plan to post a full tutorial on how to quilt this pumpkin seed design on a Crate Quilt.

Time to find another quilt to finish!  Should I be responsible and finish one already started?  Or should I start something new and exciting?  Or should I delay this decision by working on some postcards?

Tuesday Tutorial: Walking Foot Quilting (offset angles)

Happy Tuesday!  It's time for another Crate Quilt tutorial using the walking foot on your home machine!



I used Paradise FabuLux thread in the needle, DecoBob in the bobbin, and Quilter's Dream Green batting (made from recycled soda pop bottles!).  I am almost finished piecing wheelchair quilt for a senior at church and I just might use this pattern to quilt it.

Stay tuned!

Tuesday Tuturial: Machine Quilting with Rulers (Clamshells)

Have you made a Crate Quilt for a shelter animal yet?  Hopefully this week's tutorial has you jumping into your scrap pile so you can practice making clamshells!



Supply List:

HQ Multi Clamshell ruler

Handi Grip

Steady Betty Bands

FabuLux In The Pinks thread

quarter-inch masking tape

My stack of Crate Quilts for the shelter is growing.  Is yours?
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*1.  Believe it or not, this cover photo was the best of the ones that they offered me.

2.  I have no idea why this 12 minute video is over an hour long.  Please don't watch a blank screen for an hour!

Tuesday Tutorial -- Hearts and Vines

This week's machine quilting pattern is timely -- hearts and vines for Valentine's Day!  See how I stitched it on a crate quilt:


Materials used in the video:

Steady Betty Bands

FabuLux In The Pinks thread

DecoBob thread in the bobbin

Quilter's Dream Green batting

Happy Valentine's Day!  I hope you enjoy a sweet day with your sewing machine!

Tuesday Tutorial -- Walking Foot Chevrons

Happy Tuesday!  This week's Tuesday Tutorial is about quilting chevrons using your walking foot on your home sewing machine.



Wasn't that Cuddle thread gorgeous?  Do you have a roll of 1/4" Quilters Tape at home?  Here's where to find the Laser Marker.

I have so many ideas to quilt on Crate Quilts.  What shall I film next?