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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!

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Men’s formal wear can be a bit of a snooze-fest, but it hasn’t always been that way. During the 1700s, fashion-forward dudes wore vivid colors, lots of embroidery, elaborate hair pieces, and even high heels. That’s a far cry from the basic black of the modern tailored suit. Now, I’m not lining up for lacy cuffs or powdered wigs any time soon, but I do like to add a little personality to my outfit with a custom bow tie. Click HERE to learn how it’ done!

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A quilt top, no matter how intricate, doesn’t have a ton of texture. It’s just…flat. That’s where FMQ comes into play. Because with a little planning, your stitch patterns can force the batting to puff – or crush – exactly where you want it. Last week I pieced together a Mariner’s Compass, and this week I’m finishing it off with an action-packed session of free motion quilting. Click HERE to learn how to give your compass quilt tons of 3-dimensional character with a few basic FMQ motifs.

Mariner's Compass Quilt

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Ahoy there! Don’t be afraid! Rob’s Mariner’s Compass Quilt may look like a doozy, but he’s got a secret weapon: The Quiltsmart paper piecing pattern with printed interfacing. This genius product will guide you every step of the way with sea-worthy accuracy – just like a real compass! Click here to watch Rob put together this gorgeous quilt!

Science Jars Quilt

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My quilting laboratory is stocked with all sorts of spooky specimens, thanks to Tula Pink’s De La Luna fabric. Time to make a Halloween jar quilt! I use my mini rotary cutter, the Shark Applicutter, to fussy cut creepy apothecary jars filled with eyeballs, skeletons, bugs, and bats. This is a super fun project with tons of room for creativity, so let your imagination run wild as you concoct this spine-chilling quilt!

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Hop into a time machine and travel back 400 million years. You won’t find humans or even dinosaurs that far back, but you will find sharks. Why have they lasted so long? Probably because they’re totally rad. Sharks have up to 3,000 razor-sharp teeth at a time, and when one falls out, it can be replaced in as little as one day. Their senses – sight, smell, and hearing – are insanely powerful, and they can even detect the electric charge of other living creatures. They never stop swimming and they never really sleep, they just cruise through life like the undisputed kings of theRead More →

Man Sewing Crazy Cat Star Quilt

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It’s the big winter games, and the best athletes in the world are competing for top honors. The best human athletes, that is… Because if we’re being honest, in a contest of the most extraordinary physical feats, you’d have to include the common house cat. A domestic cat can run 30 miles per hour. (That’s faster than gold medal runner Usain Bolt, folks.) They can jump seven times their own height, and 90% of cats can survive a five-story fall. But perhaps most impressive, the average cat sleeps 16-18 hours a day. (You may have observed this impressive talent in your own home.) This weekRead More →

Pineapple Peekaboo

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  We love following trends. In the 70s it was bell bottoms and disco. The 80s brought perms and acid wash to the masses. Grungy jeans and flannel were all the rage in the 90s. And today? Well, it’s all about pineapples! Pineapples are everywhere in fashion and decor. I’ve seen lamps, socks, earrings, and even a little pineapple-shaped dog house for your pampered pup. The whole world is in love with these golden fruits, and it’s no wonder; pineapples represent sunshine and warmth and far-off adventures. This week I’m making a reverse applique pineapple quilt using fantastic batiks and my trusty Shark Applicutter. ThisRead More →

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There’s nothing cooler than a map – especially if it’s a location you know and love. You can point out a spot and say, “That’s where I first picked up a surfboard.” and “There’s my old college town.” I’m a California guy through and through, but Missouri is my home away from home. So this week I’m putting together quilts dedicated to each of those great states – and I get to show off some fantastic precuts in the process. Join me and I’ll show you how to appliqué an awesome homage to your favorite state, too!

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If you love exact measurements, rules, and instructions, it can be hard to let loose with Free Motion Quilting. How do you know if you’re doing it “right?” Where should you stitch next? How many swirls is the right number of swirls? Luckily, the Circle Grid Motif is the perfect mix of creativity and structure. You’re working on a grid, so all you have to do is swoop from point A to point B. And swoop by swoop, your FMQ confidence will grow – and your quilt will look awesome. Click HERE to watch the tutorial!