Ice Cream Swirl Mug Rug

WHO WANTS ICE CREAM?!

My Ice Cream Swirl mug rug is a simple foundation pieced pattern. You can create it in your favourite ice cream flavours. The block is 7" x 7" (15cm x 15cm). Make nine blocks in different flavours for a cute mini quilt like the one below.

Make a few Ice Cream Swirls to create this cute mini quilt.

Autumn Star Quilt Block - FREE Download

Designed for the beautiful colours of autumn, the Autumn Star quilt block is stunning. I created my sample using batik and hand-dyed fabrics. This block would be nice in any fabric, but I really like it with batiks.

FREE DOWNLOAD

Autumn Star Quilt Block by Monica Curry

Autumn Star quilt idea

A Little Crazy Mug Rug: Free Pattern

This charming A Little Crazy mug rug is a foundation pieced design inspired by the crazy quilt. It measures 10 x 7½ inches. I love the oval shape and the fussy cut center adds an interesting focal point. The piece is quilted with decorative machine stitching to mimic crazy quilt embroidery. This would be a fun and fast project for anyone new to foundation paper piecing.

Pattern includes instructions for how to do a fussy cut, with template included, and how to cut foundation fabric pieces accurately.

The print fabrics I used are from the Garden Party collection by Tea & Sympathy. The yellow fabric is Henna Mustard Seed from the Eden collection by Tula Pink.

How to test fabric for fiber content in ONE EASY STEP

I occasionally pick up fabrics from thrift stores, and I can usually tell the difference between cotton and polyester, but there are times when I'm stumped by the blends. The ladies at So Sew Easy put together a good video on how to determine if your fabric is synthetic or the real deal. It's important to know what you're working with before it's too late. Case in point, I once made a whole wack of HSTs and when I went to press my first batch, one triangle on every HST shrunk because I didn't realize it was polyester/cotton. Why did the triangles shrink? The poly fibers in the fabric melted from the hot iron. Poly is short for polyethylene aka plastic.

See the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oDXOl4UbSqU

TEEPEE TRAILS Quilted Placemats

For me, the teepee is a symbol of home and especially being at home with nature. I paid homage to the humble teepee with my new placemat pattern, Teepee Trails. The pattern comes with yardage for two and four placemats. This foundation pieced project is simple to make for a beginner and a quick project for the seasoned pro.

Blue Frost Quilt Block Pattern

The cold Canadian winters can be trying, but they can also beautiful. When conditions are right, ice crystals form on the tree branches (called hoar frost) and it's a sight to see; it's truly magical. And in the sunlight, the snow takes on a gorgeous blue cast.

My favourite thing about this block is that it's Jelly Roll friendly. The strips required are 2-1/2 inches wide. So, if you have any Jelly Roll scraps hanging around, this could be the block for you. It's quick to make and a great project for quilters new to foundation paper piecing.

Blue Frost Quilt Block

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Easter Egg Table Topper

Get hopping and cheer up your table this Easter with this sweet Easter Egg table runner. My cheery table runner pattern is ready just in time for Easter. I love the Easter colours. They remind me that spring is finally around the corner. This table runner/topper measures 22" x 16" (55cm x 40cm) and could also be used as a placemat or a cute wall hanging. The kids are sure to love it.

How to Make Your Own Quilt Ruler Grips

You can easily make your own quilt ruler grips in a few easy steps. I recently bought a couple of new quilt rulers, but I didn't think to get any quilt ruler grips. Also, the ones on my other rulers are starting to wear out a bit. So, wanting to pinch a penny, I decided to make my own ruler grips. They're really simple to make and you most likely have everything you need at home to get started.

YOU WILL NEED

• 1/2 inch double-sided tape 
• *220 fine-grit sandpaper. 
• an old pair of scissors (or utility knife)

*Don't use anything higher than 220 grit because it won't grab, and don't use anything lower than 180 grit because it could damage delicate fabrics.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Stick a strip of the tape on the paper side edge of the sandpaper.

2. With scissors or utility knife, cut along the side of the tape to make a strip of sandpaper. Do this over some old newsprint to catch any loose sand. I made a couple strips for future use.

3. Cut 1/2 inch squares from the strip.

4. Peel the tape paper off to expose the sticky side and stick your grips to the back of your quilt ruler.

Make Perfect Pinwheels Every Time!

I love the pinwheel block. It’s a timeless classic that can easily be incorporated into traditional as well as modern quilt designs, but piecing all those little triangles is a pain. Below is a quick method for making any size Pinwheel block you need.

Get my pattern on Etsy

FORMULA FOR QUICK PINWHEELS

Note: The finished block size is the size of the block after the quilt is finished.

1. Determine the finished block size, e.g. 6 inches
2. Divide the finished block size by 1.41. (6 ÷ 1.41 = 4.25)
3. Add this result to 0.875 (4.25 + 0.875 = 5.13)
4. Round up the above result to the nearest 0.125 inches. (5.13 + 0.125 = 5.25")
5. The parent size squares will be 5.25"
6. Square up your block to the correct unfinished size (finished size plus 1/2")

CUTTING + ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS

Wonky Beach House Mug Rug

Wow! Mug rugs are just flying out of my studio these days. I have them all over the house and my husband is still not sure what the heck they are, ha! I love this Wonky Beach House mug rug and the striped "ticking" fabric gives it a very casual "beachy" feel.