There isn’t much waste at my sewing table! Since I began making pincushions to sell about 4 years ago, I have saved any of the leftover scraps from the ‘backing’ squares that can be put in this quilt. Some are pretty tiny, but it will give me a history of the feedsacks I’ve used and tell a good pincushion story! Bits and scraps of quilted feedsacks I think what makes this so fun is the bright colors and fun prints. Did you know there are over 18,000 documented feedsack prints? They were created from the late 1920’s, when there was a shortage of paper. Mills began using fabric bags to use for ..read more

I finished the pink quilt and it’s fabulous! I purposely saved the cleaning for the last because it had no awful smells and not many stains. I also wanted to clean the backing as well, so it saved a lot of time! Double Wedding Ring pattern, circa 1930’s I think I will title this quilt, “Does This Quilt Make You UNCOMFORTABLE?” Due to the odd shape, it may bother quite a few folks, and that’s OK! Most quilt tops that I find and eventually quilt, are left in the way that the maker made them. Many have been hand pieced, which overall gives the top an ‘out-of-square’ shape. Think about it, no rot ..read more

I recently spent a few days visiting my family in the PNW. That means a lot of airport and airplane time. I always prepare LOADS of hand-stitching, downloaded movies and I get caught up on deleting items in my phone. I realized I could make a ‘movie’ while on the plane, so I put together a clip of all the pincushions that I sold and made in 2023. You can find it below on YouTube. It’s 17 minutes long, so you may want to do some fast-forwarding, or just enjoy the peaceful nature of the video! Enjoy ..read more

PINCUSHIONS, ALL MADE FROM ORIGINAL FEEDSACK FABRIC AND VINTAGE EMBROIDERY Pincushions!! They have become my love, my obsession, my therapy, and mostly, consume many hours of my day. Folks ask how I can give them up and sell them. I remind them it’s my job, well, my ‘hobby job’. Seriously folks, I am blessed. Who gets to do a job like this, make and sell pincushions?!! If you are just joining me in this adventure, it all started back in 2019. I was dealing with a small bit of breast cancer……GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS!!……and my summer had essentially been postponed. All of my teaching and travel had ..read more

Seriously, this is my mantra this year, CREATE your best year!! For me, that really means CREATE! If you’re a ‘Creative’, then you get it! My mind never stops and neither do my hands. I have something ‘making’ at all times. Evening work, beading a pincushion top Morning sewing, stitching a pincushion top While I have pincushions going on in one sewing area, I have the longarm loaded with a quilt. Actually, I have 2 loaded longarms, a Handi Quilter Simply Sixteen and a Forte with Prostitcher, so I can take advantage of my mood! Do you work this way?? Mood driven? Vintage Double Wedding Ring ..read more

Yes! Believe it or not, it’s possible to remove that burn mark on your favorite shirt or fabric. I learned this trick years ago and it has saved me multiple crying spells! No fancy pictures today, just the facts and the easy method to remove a mark like this. Do you have an iron print like this? I lay out the technique to remove the scorch in this video. I hope it helps you!! Good luck ..read more

Cloth label by Ever Emblem I am often asked where I get the labels for my pincushions. If you click on the name, Ever Emblem, you’ll find a good read on their blog. You can order on their WEBSITE. I need my labels to be very small, so I use the ‘heavy’ iron on, (15 seconds, be sure to use a pressing cloth!), cotton label, .5” x 1.5”. You can customize them any way you like. They have LOTS of options and you can call or email if you have questions. Make sure you sign up for their newsletter for an added 10% discount. Get some today ..read more

I found this quilt at the Junkerville antique mall in Webb City, MO, just on the outskirts of Joplin a few months ago. I believe it was $25 and I knew not many folks would take on the challenge! I snapped it up and it was on my longarm shortly after that. I have tips and techniques on how to deal with a quilt like this on my YouTube channel. This video, Longarm a Vintage Quilt can be helpful when working with a hand pieced vintage top. This is before I used starch and steam on the top. It almost looks untouchable, but once I start that process, it begins to tighten and the excess fabric shri ..read more

On my Facebook page, I’m often sharing a favorite tool or notion I’ve just acquired. I decided to put them all here in one place! Some are affiliate links to Amazon, where I make a few cents when you purchase an item. You do not pay for any of that, it’s taken care of by the seller. Other links may be to small businesses. Did you know that thousands of small businesses sell their items on Amazon? To know if it’s a small business, just select that option in the filters. You’ll find that on the left-hand side of Amazon products. OK, let’s see the good stuff!! Handi Quilter Batting Scissors H ..read more

Did you know the combination of chlorophyll and sunshine will brighten fabrics? There are many ways to clean fabric, new and old, but this is my method in the YouTube video below, that I’ve used for years without fail. Now, I will tell you to be extra vigilant about watching fabrics that might bleed, like reds, dark colors, blacks, etc. I would always toss in a few Color Catchers (found in your laundry aisle) and if you see dyes begin to come out in the water, stop your cleaning, rinse well and do not repeat. There are just some fabrics that cannot be cleaned in water. You can always put it o ..read more