Jami Smith, one of Linda’s stitching friends, sent me photos of her blocks so far. Looking good, Jami! I love the backgrounds you put behind these birds :-). Carolina WrenFlorida Scrub JayArctic TernMississippi Kite ..read more

Judy Ullman wrote to say that she is enjoying researching the birds and used a collage method on Mickey Lawler Skydyes fabric. Well done, Judy! You found a really creative way to use the patterns! Thank you for sharing and it will be fun to see what you come up with next :-). Carolina WrenFlorida Scrub Jay ..read more

From Joan: I just watched and enjoyed your video about preparing circles, since I recently finished appliquéing 81 flannel circles unto flannel squares. This is what I did. (Much similar to your process with a couple of minor differences.) Notice the Easy Needle Threader in background and Needle Caddy… more on the needle at the end of the post. I used the perfect circle template from Karen Kay Buckley. Borrowed it from my friend Jackie. Hers came with a thicker acrylic 2.5” circle to draw around and all the plastic/teflon templates. Drew all 81 circles at once, then cut them 2 at a time with ..read more

This week I’m giving away fun and fellowship – in the form of beautiful playing cards! These are eeBoo’s Bridge Cards From the Garden. What are bridge cards? Do you have to play bridge with them? Bridge cards are regular 52 card sets that are just a little smaller than regular playing cards, fitting snugly in the hand and easy to shuffle. This set features artwork by Sarah Jarrett – truly beautiful! I’ll be back with another Giveaway next Wednesday. Until then you can shop for all sorts of sewing notions, books, and other fun stuff at pieceocake.com ..read more

Elise Boivin-Ford recently wrote: “I finished my very first applique. It took me forever because I always have many projects on the go but I’m rather pleased with it. Thank you for your precious help!” Well done, Elise! She moved on to English paper piecing to make this pouch and wrote: “I found the pattern in the book “Patchwork & Appliqué Pas à Pas” by Murushak Volkova (the book is in French but I think the author is Russian, so it may be a translation). Once again, your videos have been very helpful. Thank you.” I like Elise’s approach, trying new techniques on smaller projects. It gi ..read more

This week’s prize is a pack of 10 little Wonder Clips in rainbow colors by Clover! These handy dandy little clips hold your binding perfectly in place for sewing by machine or by hand. They are also perfect for holding EPP papers together as you sew. You will definitely want to have these on hand. (We also carry Mini Wonder Clips by Clover in a set of 20. They are small enough to make a good substitute for pins in many piecing situations.) Leave a comment/reply on this blog post to enter the drawing. (To leave a comment, click the icon that looks like a ‘thought bubble’ at the top, right ..read more

I’m very happy to carry Lolo’s Thread Tamer in my store. (I got to join in the testing process to carry the perfect thread conditioner!) Thread Tamer is made with high quality 100% plant-based ingredients. Nothing synthetic. It is light and feels great on the thread. Your thread glides smoothly through the fabric with fewer knots and snarls in your thread as you sew. This week I’m giving away a Canadian Birch Thread Tamer, one of my personal favorites – the scent is clean and fresh. Leave a comment/reply on this blog post to enter the drawing. (To leave a comment, click the ic ..read more

This week’s winner will get my one of my favorite tools – Blackwing’s Handheld Eraser! This eraser is made of a special soft material that erases dark graphite lines cleanly and easily. I love it so much on both paper and fabric. The sleek holder is made of durable aluminum that lets you get a solid grip while erasing. It feels great to use. Leave a comment/reply on this blog post to enter the drawing. (To leave a comment, click the icon that looks like a ‘thought bubble’ at the top, right, of the post.) A winner will be chosen by the random number generator tomorrow. I’ll be back with anothe ..read more

Little House makes these grips. There are two medium (pink) or two large (blue) per package. Use one or two on your fingertips to help you grip and pull the needle through the cloth. If you have arthritis or other issues that make it hard to handle the needle, these might help a lot. (If you are allergic to rubber, these are not the grips for you.) Leave a comment/reply on this blog post to enter the drawing. Please include your choice of the medium or large size. (To leave a comment, click the icon that looks like a ‘thought bubble’ at the top, right, of the post.) A winner will be chosen by ..read more

Are you ready for a chuckle!!   Joan made another chicken, this time for her sister—for Easter and it’s a chicken/bunny! Instead of grandma or something more conventional, she is called Bunny by her grandson. Hence, the bunny ears!!   Joan says her sister is going to love it… of course she will ! Joan’s chicken is wearing a rabbit-ear headband. Isn’t that inventive? And, you know what? There could be other headbands… reindeer antlers, hearts, shamrocks, and many more. Joan, feel free to ignore these ideas and thank you for sharing your Easter chicken/bunny ..read more