with Rob Appell
Maranta leuconeura is probably the most reverent plant on earth. Every night at bedtime, its leaves fold up like praying hands. Combine that pious personality with crazy good looks, and you’ve got a plant worth quilting!
This week Rob is working on a Prayer Plant quilt using layers of batik applique and Quick Bias Tape by Clover. Click HERE to learn how to make your own tropical masterpiece!
If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you bring?
Rob would bring a massive stack of half-square triangles.
Why? Half square triangles are the ultimate building block! With a healthy supply of HSTs, you’ll be cranking out chevrons, stars, diamonds, and pinwheels ‘til the rescue ship arrives!
This week Rob is using half-square triangles to make the Ribbon Pole quilt. You may know it as a Pole Twist, Ribbon Twist, or even DNA quilt. Whatever the name, this pattern is quick, easy, and tons of fun! Click HERE to watch the tutorial!
Are you on Santa’s nice list? If so, we hope he leaves a Shark Applicutter under your tree this year! That pint-sized rotary cutter navigates curves and tight corners with ease. This week Rob used it to fussy cut dozens of little fish for his freestyle applique Coral Reef quilt.
This tropical quilt pattern leaves lots of room for creativity, and it’s a blast to put together! Click HERE to learn how to sew up your own tropical ocean scene! (Be sure to watch to the end for some great tips on free motion quilting!)
What can you do with a skull cap? Plenty!
Doctors and nurses wear skull caps (or scrub caps) to secure their hair during surgery.
Chefs wear skull caps to keep hair out of their twice-braised beef.
Motorcycle riders, football players, and construction workers wear skull caps to make their helmets and hard hats more comfortable. (And to look super cool, of course.)
This week Rob is working on a totally rad, custom skull cap. Make it out of superheros, Harry Potter prints, or a gnarly Indian Motorcycle design, and you’re guaranteed to be the coolest dude around!
Click HERE to watch the tutorial now!
Yep, it’s true. Real men sew. But that’s not all. We cook, too!
Some slave over 5-course feasts, and some stick to frozen pizza, but all of us need a cool, custom potholder to protect our manly hands.
Rob’s new potholder pattern allows you to slide your hand right inside, and it can be made with fabric of any style: Classic cars, galloping stallions, Star Wars, sports prints, you name it!
If you’re looking for a killer gift idea, this is it! Throw in a matching Applique Tea Towel or a BBQ Utility Apron, and you’ll be the king (or queen) of the Christmas exchange. Click HERE to watch the tutorial!
A good magician can saw a woman in half, make a rabbit disappear, and pull an entire bouquet of flowers out of thin air.
It seems impossible, but we know the truth: It’s all an illusion. With a few tricks up the sleeve, anyone can perform “magic” – no supernatural power required!
Rob’s new Optical Illusion Checkerboard Quilt may look like a maze of intricate piecework, but we assure you – this pattern couldn’t be easier! Click HERE to learn the secret to this illusion!
Spider webs are pretty incredible. They catch prey, provide shelter, and act as protective egg sacs. Some spiders even use a silken thread as a safety line while navigating tricky obstacles.
Coolest of all? Webs can be used for flying! Certain types of spiders create web balloons that send ‘em sailing across air currents like gnarly little eight-legged surfers.
This week Rob is using a web motif to finish off my spooky Science Jars quilt. (Bonus: the thread glows in the dark!) Click HERE to watch the tutorial!
When was the very first quilt made? We don’t know for sure, but evidence suggests quilt-making actually predates the invention of the wheel!
In 1903, archaeologists in Egypt discovered a 5,500-year-old statue of a pharaoh wearing a quilted cloak. It’s a cool, geometric pattern and it even has a scalloped border. We’d love to travel back in time and check out the fabric choices!
This week Rob is working on an easy pyramid quilt. It’s made with strip sets of brilliant color, and it comes together like a snap. Click HERE to watch the tutorial.
If you love to make stuff, chances are you have a lot of gear. Maybe it’s crochet hooks. Maybe paintbrushes. Maybe screwdrivers or art pencils or leather tooling stamps.
Whatever your craft, you can keep your gadgets safe and organized with a custom roll up case. Click HERE to learn how to make it!
Cue up a rad movie marathon and grab your sharpest snips; we’ve got some serious cutting to do!
The Applique Bouquet quilt is made with broderie perse applique. That means fussy cutting a boatload of little flowers in preparation for total applique domination!
This project is super creative and relaxing, and I know you’re gonna love it. Click HERE to watch the tutorial.