with Rob Appell
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is a giant floating island of trash that stretches from Hawaii to Japan. It covers an area larger than the continental United States, and it gets bigger every single year.
You can be part of the solution with my eco-friendly Reusable Grocery Bag. It’s super simple to make and extremely durable. Use it in place of plastic shopping bags – Mother Earth will thank you!
Click HERE to watch the tutorial!
Click HERE for a free downloadable PDF!
In 1905, an eleven-year-old boy accidentally invented the popsicle. He had intended to make a batch of flavored soda, but he left the concoction out in the cold all night and it froze solid – stir stick and all. Luckily, the unexpected result was even better than the original plan!
When I first started designing this week’s quilt, I had a pretty clear picture of what I wanted it to look like. My plans took a complete 180, however, and I ended up with the Half Burst Block. Click HERE to see this unexpectedly awesome pattern!
Wow, how quickly this past year has gone by. As I hit this next mile stone, five years without a drink, I look back and really need both hands to count all of the blessings.
In the past few months I have been reunited with my quilt “and the Flag was still there” – a quilt that I have donated to Operation Home Front and now am on the final fund raising drive to finish the Mission. You can read more about that HERE.
Then my dream of inventing the coolest, smallest rotary cutter for appliqué finally came true. I have worked for the past four years to develop The Shark Applicutter and it launched into the market with a huge success. I am very proud to have created a tool that works so well for my style of appliqué cutting. The Man Sewing brand is growing by leaps and bounds and most importantly we are having a blast creating the free tutorials and all of the other fantastic content for all of our fans!
But, you know you can trust me to give it to you straight. So as I approach this anniversary I have also been troubled greatly with an overwhelming rawness to my emotions. It has been explained to me that after years of drowning my emotions, they are growing back and they, like the rest of my body, are becoming stronger. I cannot say that I have been over the top happy this past several months. I found myself feeling on the top of the world during my third and fourth years. First due to the physical and mental improvements in my life, then for the ability to convert my dreams into action due to the newly found strength. Now as I reflect back I find myself plagued by thoughts of lost time and bad decisions from my past.
I am a man of faith, and truly believe that this is all part of God’s big plan. I know that my eyes should stay focused on the future. Looking back just leads to more unanswered questions and fear of what I was really running from when I ended up at the bottom of the bottle. Each day offers new challenges and what I wish to remind myself of is the simple decision that I needed to make. That for me, recovery is a lifetime choice that I must live out one day at a time. If you are on a similar journey I wish you all the strength in the world, keep pushing on I know it is worth it.
Freestyle applique leaves you with a million raw edges. And then, when it’s time for machine quilting, you have to carefully stitch along the perimeter of each piece. Frankly, it cramps my “free” style.
Today I’ll show you how to add a layer of nylon netting over your quilt top. It’ll hold everything in place so your stitch patterns can be wild and free.
Click HERE to watch the vid!
I enjoy quilting from a pattern, but my first love is freestyle applique. I let my imagination take the wheel as scraps of fabric are transformed into a totally unique scene.
Globe trotters, today’s your day! I’m working on a fabric luggage tag that can really take a beating. It’s made from a solid piece of James Thompson canvas, so it’s incredibly strong and durable.
Customize this project with your favorite fabric color, cool decorative stitching, or even a bit of applique. Then slide in your business card, and you’ve got a unique tag that’ll last for years to come.
Click HERE to get the free downloadable PDF!
Man Sewing gives me a lot of fun opportunities to travel and I’ve become a bit of an expert, if I do say so myself. Traveling can be cumbersome and draining, or it can be smooth sailing. I prefer to make things as easy as possible on myself and plan ahead. I’ve even used quite a few of my own tutorials to whip up some awesome accessories to carry along with me wherever I go. So take my advice, the extra suitcase is worth it to carry along the comforts of home.
My travel must-haves include:
Before you hop on that plane, remember, a Man Sewing trip is much more fun than just a regular trip. Traveling can be a lot easier when you have the essentials. Catch you later!
I cannot begin to say how excited I am to share this news with you. My new Shark Applicutter rotary cutter is now available for purchase (at missouriquiltco.com)! This product has been in my head for years and I am so happy to finally be able to share it with all of you! This cutter is the perfect tool for applique and other detailed projects! The 14mm blade is the smallest available, perfect for those curves and tight angles.
Watch the video to see it in action!
The Shark Applicutter makes intricate cuts easier and more exact with these great features:
I can’t wait to hear about your experiences once you get to try it out for yourselves! It’s available at Missouri Star Quilt Company HERE.
Rob demonstrates a square and arc stitch motif for FMQ on a home sewing machine. This design is perfect for a modern quilt pattern or even to bring more life to a solid choice in fabric! He uses Machingers Quilting Gloves and a Sew Slip Multi Purpose Sheet as he quilts.
Click HERE to get supplies
