Accurate cutting is the basis for good sewing. It is the foundation that you build everything else on, and if you master getting it right first time you will save a lot of time later! Accurate cutting your fabric gives you a decent line to follow when sewing, and makes sure that your seam allowances are correct and that everything will nicely fit together. Trimming blocks like Half Square Triangles can seem laborious but you will be greatful when all those intersections line up beautifully as you piece your blocks together! So how can you make your working more efficient by starting wit ..read more

Hawaiian appliqué is traditionally hand stitched and needle turned form of applique using large, radially symmetrical, natural designs and forms. It speaks of the natural landscape where it originates from, and a shared love of the islands. Certain features mark a design as typically Hawaiian, and one is the large central shape which is symmetrical along a number of plains, the echo stitching inside and outside the design, and the bold single colour design (though sometimes additional colour accents may be added).  Traditional Hawaiian applique is created using a needle turned hand sewin ..read more

This easy pattern is a great example of a textured quilt. Using 5 inch squares you can make this fun project with fuzzy edges that only gets better the more you wash it! This is a fabulous quilt as you go project which you can continue adding to until it reaches the size you want! This samples is 27 inches square but you can just keep adding to it! This is great for beginners and improvers because it is simple to do and it goes together so quickly that you will have a finished quilt in no time! The joy is that you don’t even need to bind it. Requirements A selection of fat 1/4s. Walkin ..read more

Curves are a fabulous finish to add interest to a quilt, and it is also a useful way to finish off stitched items like oven gloves. However, straight strips of binding will not play nicely when you want them to go around your curves. So this is where we take advantage of of the bias stretch of fabric.  Home made bias binding Straight cut binding is very rigid and not suitable for binding curves, so we need to cut fabric on the bias (or on the diagonal). Fold the top right corner down to meet the bottom raw edge of the fabric. Use your ruler to check this is forming a 45-degree angle.&nbs ..read more

  This finishing method was inspired by a trip to Nepal where the quilts there are often finished with prairie points. This method gives the same effect as those traditional quilts but is done by machine. ` Prepare your points. Cut a square of fabric and fold in half on the diagonal and then in half again to form a triangle and press. The larger the starting square, the larger the resulting point.    Working along one side of your completed quilt at a time, align the raw edge of the quilt with the raw edge of the prairie points. Adjust the points into position to create even ..read more

The joy of free motion embroidery is just that – you are free to go wherever you like! You can experiment with colours, threads and you control where the machine stitches, so the only limit is your imagination. Free motion embroidery and free motion quilting use the same tools and skills, so once you get some practice in one, you will be able to do both. You can use my template called Home because it gives us something to stitch around – we all know how intimidating a blank piece of paper can be! This is our little safety net and a good place to start. Home – there is a template here. Fr ..read more

Machine embroidery is a fantastic way to add embellishments to a quilted project. It can be a full embroidered design, or as a ‘free motion quilted’ design. Either type of embroidery can add a great deal of personality to a piece of home decor and adds endless opportunities for personalisation with text.  Text Text is a fabulous way to make your projects unique. Use it to define who the project is for, or to express what it is that makes you happy. What a great way to label your quilts too. Characters Pick a design that show your favourite characters. Make sure that you check the angel ..read more

Welcome to Sarah Payne’s Quilt Hamper. This is hamper is a bundle put together by me for you to have fun with! It launched in Summer 2019 and is going from strength to strength with new Hamperees joining us every month! This has proved so popular and I expect 2021 to be another fabulous year. So how does it work? Well there are 4 hampers sent out a year during the last week of March, June, September and November. You can choose to subscribe: for the year (this option is only available in January),  for the Quarter (only available in January, April, July and October).  Or you may ..read more

So, first question - what is a Block of the Month (BOM)? Well, it is a series of patterns launched every month that builds up over a period of time to make a quilt. These can be themed, or each month teaches a different technique. In that case, you get what is called a Sampler quilt at the end, because it has a sample of different blocks. So what is my Block of the Month? Well I get so many questions from people wanting to learn to make quilts, or just from people who want to work on a regular project that I decided to create one myself. So I have designed my own with 12 inch finished blocks ..read more