I'm Moving...

… to a different blog address! Check out new content over at Johanna Masko Quilts! See you there!

5 Quilting Myths Debunked!

1. Quilts must be perfect. 

I prefer "finished" over "perfect." That it pleases my eye and I'm digging the fabrics is a given. If we can let go of the idea of perfection for every little detail, we can get a whole lot more done. That's not to say that slap-dash is as good as well made (it isn't), but a quilt can certainly be lovely, well made and finished without perfect points and exactly matched seams.

2. Quilts must be made completely by hand.

I hope we all know by now this is utter nonsense. If you love handwork, great! Do handwork! If you are comfortable at the machine, by all means put the pedal to the metal and machine sew. Or, do both (I like to mix it up). Whatever method gives you pleasure in the making is the way to go.

3. Quilts take a REALLY long time to make. 

An emergency baby shower gift quilt can be whipped up in an afternoon. A good sized quilt top can be accomplished in a few days. If you know a long arm quilter, even better- she could quilt a queen-sized behemoth in a matter of hours. But between you and me, this myth can be kept under wraps. Let them THINK it took you ages if it enhances their appreciation of your awesome quiltmaking efforts... Shhhh...

4. Quilts should be bed coverings. 

Or table runners, placemats, mug rugs and wallhangings. Or free form, wonky, patchwork, experimental thing-a-ma-jigs that have no real "purpose" other than the fact that you enjoyed its making. That in itself is purpose enough.

5. Quiltmaking is a dying craft. 

This one is my favourite. Classes full of eager new quilters tell me a very different story. I teach a lot. Classes are often sold out with wait lists, and the people I have the pleasure of meeting in these classes frequently tell me that the quilt they are about to begin is their very first one. I rub my hands together and tell them "welcome to my world" with a gleaming eye and a wink. 

Also, spend a little time on the Internet and you will find numerous Modern Quilt Guilds, multiple quilting   tutorials on YouTube and dozens of quilt-alongs. Those quilt-alongs include projects for all levels of experience, from easy beginner quilts to epic samplers like Dear Jane and the Farmer's Wife.

Quiltmaking dying? Far from it.

So, with Five Quilting Myths Debunked, keep calm and quilt on, my friends- our quilty To Do list projects won't sew themselves! :-)

Ryan Gosling says...

Sneak Peek...

New Pattern: Insects

It's here!

The first chart in my cross stitch collection is "Insects." Originally created for my Intro to Cross Stitch class, this bug-filled sampler is really, really fun to stitch.
This sampler is specially designed to fit into a standard 8" x 10" frame with about an inch between the stitching and the frame.

Get it while it's hot at the workroom in Toronto! Ask about a floss kit- the workroom puts together the whole lovely palette in Cosmo embroidery floss for you so you can get stitching right away. Awesome!

Oscar Night!

My Oscar night project- hand-finishing the binding on my "Print Party" sampler quilt. Finally!

First Aid For Fingers

Here's a little something you might want to tuck into your sewing kit- a small bottle of New-Skin.

Sounds weird, I know. But between a cold Canadian winter, lots of needlework stretching and my refreshed obsession with hand stitched hexagons, my fingers are taking a beating this week. New-Skin paints onto your skin like nail polish and creates a clear barrier layer on your skin that reduces the wear and tear and seals up dry skin cracks. You can wash your hands and it stays on while still giving you full finger-feel that you lose when wearing a bandaid.

Three coats of it on my craft-abused thumb and I'm good to go.