Movember Moustache Pillow

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This month is Movember, and if you haven’t heard, it’s a month dedicated to raising awareness for men’s health issues, from physical to mental and all aspects in between. To help call attention to men’s health, men are encouraged to grow a moustache, and start a conversation with those around them. Some men have the ability to grow facial hair easily, and others not so much. I have joined the no-shave November club this month (although due to filming obligations, I started my shaving vacation a week early), and I suggest you visit Movember.com to learn how you can help educate others about men’s health issues.Read More →

Buffalo Plaid Quilt

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Inspired by lumberjacks, cowboys, and Scottish warriors, the Buffalo Plaid Quilt is quite possibly the manliest quilt of all time. This is the quilt you reach for after a chilly wood-chopping session. This is the quilt you sleep with in a snow cave carved with your bare hands. This is the quilt that will keep you warm after a long day of wrestling bears and alligators. It’s rugged stuff. Of course, with a soft-as-butter flannel backing, it’s also super cuddly, and strip set construction makes it a cinch to put together. Click HERE to watch the tutorial. (A big thanks to my pal, Shea Henderson,Read More →

Make a Patchwork Infinity Scarf with Rob!

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I love making handmade gifts for my friends and family, but it can be a struggle to come up with something cool for the hard-to-buy-for crowd. But this year, I’ve got a pretty good solution! My Flannel Infinity Scarf is stylish, practical, and totally customizable. Your fabric choice can make this project great for men, women, or even teens. It’s easy to make and super soft. Click HERE to watch the tutorial!    

Seasonal FMQ: Holly and Pumpkins

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Rev up those sewing machines and get ready to stitch, cuz I’ve got two new FMQ motifs that are going to rock your holiday socks off! Pumpkins and vines are perfect for all kinds of festive quilt projects. So crank up your favorite Halloween/ Thanksgiving/Christmas mix tape, and have a blast whipping up these cool little designs! Click HERE to watch the tutorial! 

Make a Reflective Stars Quilt with Rob!

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Half-square triangles are as basic as it gets, but that doesn’t mean they are boring. Those little easy-to-make blocks are so amazingly versatile, I’ll never stop building with ‘em. Today’s project, Reflective Stars, is a modern mashup of simple and complex design elements. But because we’re using half-square triangles, construction is a cinch! Click HERE to watch the tutorial.

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Cork fabric is made from the bark of the cork oak tree. And the cool thing is, these trees are able to regenerate their bark, consuming massive amounts of carbon dioxide in the process. Talk about “green!” The fabric is waterproof and stain resistant. It wears like leather and is super lightweight and durable. In short, it’s the perfect choice for my Streamline Wallet.  Click HERE to learn how to make this cool little project!

Make a Fidget Quilt with Rob Appell

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A fidget quilt is outfitted with a variety of textures and moveable parts: prairie points, ric rac, pockets, velcro, zippers, you name it! It’s purpose is to occupy restless hands and soothe anxious minds – all while keeping your legs warm. Fidget quilts can provide tons of comfort to individuals with Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, and fiddling with those little parts and pieces is great exercise for the mind as well as the hands. (They are also great for kids and adults with ADHD, ADD, or autism.) These quilts are super fun to make, and they bless the lives of those who receiveRead More →

Create a Shark Appliqué Design with Rob Appell of Man Sewing

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I knew the first ever Sharkapalooza Week at Missouri Star Quilt Co and Man Sewing had to be special, and what better way to celebrate this fintastic week, than with a FREE  Shark Applique Design download! To make this project, I grabbed my trusty Shark Applicutter, a Colors of Moda–Blues Fat Quarter Bundle, and some Heat N Bond Feather Lite and ironed on some fusible before I dove into cutting! Once I had all of my pieces ready to go, I went directly to my sewing machine…I couldn’t wait to see this shark come to life! After sewing the appliqué, I used a remaining fat quarter as aRead More →

Learn how to use a walking foot and stitch in the ditch with Rob! Appell of Man Sewing

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Stitch in the ditch is a style of machine quilting that simply follows the seam lines of the quilt top. The trouble is, all those layers of fabric and batting can really bog down the operation.   My advice? Swap out your presser foot for a walking foot. The walking foot is like “4-wheel drive” for your machine. It gently guides the top layer of fabric in sync with the feed dogs, so everything stays smooth and properly sandwiched. Click HERE to learn how to stitch in the ditch with your walking foot!

Folded Fabric Yoga Mat Bag

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A few weeks ago I demonstrated how to build a thick, sturdy Folded Strips Bag out of jelly roll strips. Today I’m expanding on that concept with a Folded Fabric Yoga Mat Bag. The strips are folded and stitched together the same way, but this bag is designed to fit a rolled up yoga mat. In this tutorial, I’ll demonstrate how to install a zipper and attach circular ends to your bag. Click HERE to watch!