New Look!

I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning. -J.B. Priestly

No I have not dropped off the face of the earth. 

No my "New Look" has nothing to do with plastic surgery (although that is not such a bad idea!)

No my designs are not suddenly super modern and hip (although that is not such a bad idea!). 

What is the "New Look"?

Hang in there my friends because Sara from Swoon Media and I have been working on a new web site look and blog look. I am switching my blog from Blogger to Word Press. 

Why? 

Well, I want to expand and do more with my blog and my web site. I can do more with Word Press, or so I have learned.  I have developed some mystery quilt sew alongs, tutorials, kits and other fun things. I have been busy these past weeks getting ready for the switch over.  I will have links to Facebook, Pinterest, with Instagram and Twitter in the works..well maybe Twitter (I'm trying to wrap my mind around that).  My blog brings me so much pleasure and has given me the opportunity to make new friends and form amazing support net work from a professional stand point and a deeply personal one as well. It is my intention to blog more, share more, do more, why not it is so much fun!

So, we are going live beginning TODAY with the new site and blog. I have no idea what kind of confusion this will bring during the switch over time. Sara says that it can take a couple of days to get everything up and running throughout the internet. Frankly I am terrified. Sara may have to come to Atlanta and administer CPR. I am going to sit in the corner and suck my thumb! YIKEEES I also have to learn how to blog with a new dashboard and behind the scenes operation.When I want to do something new I certainly don't hold back do I? Just jump in there with both feet. 

My only hope is that you will hang with me and continue to follow my blog and website. I love my followers more than I love my self cleaning oven, more than Cheetos! (and you know about me and the Cheetos!) 

I know that Google Reader is about to take a swan dive as well. I am switching my blog reading platform to Bloglovin. I can follow your blogs easily and the switch to Bloglovin has been super easy.I love hearing about your lives, family and projects as well.

Change is always a little scary but in the end it is usually very good! I'm looking forward to taking my blog and internet to new heights? Come with me!  Frankly, I would love for you to comment when the new goodies are up and running. Maybe then I will breathe a sigh of relief just knowing you are there.

So, no pictures this blog...When next I post photos they will be on my new blog. (once I figure out how to post that is! Let the learning curve BEGIN)
 
PS. I may just plan some fun to kick this new site off to a big start!!! 
 and I'm all about the fun!!!!!
      

Swamp in the Backyard!

“If I could give you one gift, I would give you the ability to

 see yourself as I see you, so you could see how truly 

special you are.”- unknown

I hope you all had a fabulous Mother's Day, I know I did. When my babies are in the house I am so happy! Jackson's garden is fully planted and will always be a special comfort to us all. We are all pleased with the look. Here is a part of the hydrangeas. There are 11 in all.

The kids helped plant the rest of the garden as well as some other spots in our backyard. Sixteen holes were dug and planted. Our children were so terrific to come and plant! It was a fun Mother's day! I couldn't be more grateful.

We had a great cookout and sat on the porch enjoying the weekend. There was one little mishap. Apparently when the Earl de Schlep and I were digging last weekend we hit a pipe in our sprinkler system. oooops! So now we have a swap back there. Russ and the Earl were literally on their knees in Georgia red clay trying to do the repair but gave up. I  decided that we should make lemonade of the situation and just plant some rice in the swamp! We may have the first rice paddy in Georgia! Very funny The rest of the team decided we should call someone to fix the situation.

Today I am sewing and working on some fun new things. I have office work to do and BJ is coming over. In fact she is on her way now!!! We are almost ready for the debut of our newest pattern in the Celebrations Line of patterns. The name of the pattern will be Lazy Days. I can't wait to show you. Soon very very soon. 

Time to get back to showing some sewing! 

One Year

Today marks the end of a year of grief and sadness. May 7, 2012, Jackson Neil DeLoach was gone from us forever. We have survived a year of firsts. Dear God, if we have survived this year surely we will survive this day as well. When does the grief end? Is it today?I don't think so.

So now I choose to take this day and write some things that I have learned during this very long...very slow year. I hope you will indulge me a bit, today this is what I need to do...write it out....

I have learned that you can cry at some point in every day, 365 straight days.

Tears are the safety valve of the heart when too much pressure is laid on it.  ~Albert Smith


I have learned that you can say "I would give my life for that child to be alive and in his Mommy and Daddy's arms" and mean it. Seriously mean it.

When I say "A Mom is only as happy as her saddest child". Truer words have never been spoken. As a Mother the pain of watching your children live in pain is almost unbearable. My friend Julie says it is the double wammy, you have your grief and their grief.  She is right. (she usually is but don't tell her).

When you are a mother, you are never really alone in your thoughts.  A mother always has to think twice, once for herself and once for her child.  ~Sophia Loren, Women and Beauty


I have learned that you can cry at the strangest times. One time I was on a step ladder putting crystal in a cabinet and I burst into  tears. I don't know why in that place and in that moment!

It's so curious:  one can resist tears and 'behave' very well in the hardest hours of grief.  But then someone makes you a friendly sign behind a window, or one notices that a flower that was in bud only yesterday has suddenly blossomed, or a letter slips from a drawer... and everything collapses.  ~Colette

I have learned the about depth of love that exsits in our little family. We are a small family but we are mighty. There is great love here. Many go a lifetime and never know the love that we know exsists   every minute of every day. It is almost palpable.

Other things may change us, but we start and end with the family.  ~Anthony Brandt

I have always said that my job as a parent is to be a safety net below my children. Let them fly and "do their thing" we are just advisors, they must fly on their own... and they fly knowing we will be there if needed for the catch.  We have had to do some "catching" this year.

I have learned the blessings of friendship. I swear if I live to be a million years old I will never be able to explain the  comfort, understanding and strength I have received from my friends. I am blessed I am so very very blessed! I live to give back what I have been given. A sacred committment for me.

In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out.  It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being.  We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.  ~Albert Schweitzer

I know now, that short of this side of eternity there are no answers for why this happened to my child and her husband my Son in Love. No answers so I don't waste time looking.

There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go.  ~Author Unknown

I have learned that people say really strange and sometimes really hurtful things. I don't want to even tell you or try to explain the things that have been said to me about the loss of a child. Here is the funny thing. Because of the above blessings...I just move on and smile. After all you can't walk around feeling so lucky and blessed and have anger in your heart and mind right?

... then there is the grief anger thing. I know about the anger that is felt when you can't understand why one so precious is ripped from this world. Yes, Elisabeth Kubler Ross was spot on with those stages of grief! I know the exact feeling that Sally Field portrayed in the movie Steel Magnolias at the cemetary upon the death of her child Shelby. There have been moments when I wanted to scream and punch something. Right Weeezer?

I have learned the death of a child is not normal...not the way it is supposed to happen. I have lost both parents and family members. I know loss, but this kind of loss is mind blowingly crippling.

Grieving is a necessary passage and a difficult transition to finally letting go of sorrow - it is not a permanent rest stop.  ~Dodinsky

I have learned that  you can laugh a lot and still be heartbroken at the same time. Will I ever have a great big belly laugh  again and mean it? I could use that.

I have learned that working like crazy certainly helps to distract you from the grief process but eventually a day comes that you MUST DEAL WITH IT! I have learned you cannot hide from grief, no way!
                    If you suppress grief too much, it can well redouble.  ~Moliere

I have learned how to be phoney. I know I can fake happiness.You can fake it if you have to.  I've gotten to be quite good at it. Someone said to me "You seem to be back to your old self again." little did that person know I was deeper in grief than I had been in past months. I was about to burst into flames my grief was so strong! 
On that note I have learned that people don't need to see you all crummy and sad. It is not good to be all droopy and a bummer of a person. Nobody wants to be around that all the time. 

I don't know why they call it heartbreak.  It feels like every other part of my body is broken too.  ~Missy Altijd

I am learning about deep promises. Promises that come straight from the heart.  I have always thought that promises were very important. I promised Jackson I would be BETTER NOT BITTER. I hope I'm keeping my promise because I think about that every single day. I will work on this for the rest of my life.

I have learned that faith is so important and the value of quiet prayer and meditation is a very good thing. This is a very private thing too, nuff said.

                      God is closest to those with broken hearts.  ~Jewish Saying

I have learned that you can miss someone every day. Someone you never knew.

Where you used to be, there is a hole in the world, which I find myself constantly walking around in the daytime, and falling in at night.  I miss you like hell.  ~Edna St. Vincent Millay

I have learned that there is a lot of stuff in everyday life that is just not important. We talk about that but I have learned about it on the front lines. I am changed. I will run as fast as I can from drama.

I have re-learned that there are some things in life that you didn't think were important one day and then you learn the next day just how important that very thing was. So, with that I have learned to listen closely. Sometimes the most important messages come in a whisper.

 In the night of death, hope sees a star, and listening love can hear the rustle of a wing.  ~Robert Ingersoll

I have learned the true meaning of hope and this is where I live now in a place called HOPE. I choose positivity and hope.

 That hurt we embrace becomes joy. Call it to your arms where it can change. ~Rumi

We are planting Jackson's garden. My dear Thimbles Club friends gave us a gift certificate last summer to begin Jackson's garden. It was very hot to plant new things (we do live in Georgia/HOTLANTA) so we said we would begin the garden on May 7th 2013. We actually began this weekend. It is going to take some time to get it all planted. I have made 73,000 trips to every nursery within 50 miles of my house!

I love Hydrangeas..serious love so there are lots of those!

along with Gardenias, Roses, Butterfly bushes and Bridal Wreath Spirea!

And the BEST a little statue of a little boy sitting and reading. I love him. I swear I do. 

Joyful days ahead, with belly laughs and happiness ! I know it I swear I do. 

We miss you JND and will forever. 
  

Will ya look at this!

“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” 

– Buddha

Well will you just look at this! I love me some Martingale. Go on over there and get your free pattern. That pillow is on my bed every day. (pinky swear!) Here is the linky to get you there in a jiffy!

http://blog.shopmartingale.com/quilting-sewing/crushing-on-neutrals-free-pillow-pattern/

Crushing on neutrals: free pillow pattern

Neutral quilt patterns are all the rage—and it’s hard to argue with the trend. Neutral quilts have a way of exuding elegance and beauty no matter where you display them, adding a touch of sophistication to any space. Best of all? They coordinate with any space too. Traditional pomp, country flair, modern minimal, and more—toss a neutral quilt into most any decor and it instantly elevates the scene.
When Pat Wys debuted her book Spotlight on Neutrals, quilters immediately connected with the versatility of the neutral look. The book has topped our bestseller list and received rave reviews from Fons & Porter’s Love of Quilting magazine, Connecting Threads, and FaveQuilts.com, to name a few. Today, Pat has kindly allowed us to share a free pillow pattern—a bonus project from her book—where simple, classic piecing meets timeless hues.

“Wrapped in Comfort” (front)

“Wrapped in Comfort” (back)
Pat says she designed her “Wrapped in Comfort” pillow for one simple reason—cozy, cushy comfort! Use a body pillow form, which can be found at your local bedding store, to create this design for a bed or sofa. Sign in or register at our site to download Pat’s free pillow pattern right now.
Of course, you’ll want to choose from a bounty of neutral quilt patterns to coordinate with the pillow you make, and Pat’s book has nine beauties to choose from. Plus more pillows!

Left: “White Chocolate” (with the “Wrapped in Comfort” pillow). Right: “French Silk” with a coordinating bolster pillow.

Left: “Sunnyside.” Right: “Summer Stitch In” with a coordinating woven pillow sham.

Left: “Going My Way?” Right: “Havenstone.”

Left: “Scrappy Nines.” Right: “Kitty’s Baskets.”

Left: “Baby It’s Cold Outside.” Right: “Winter Solstice” mantel scarf.
Another special touch in Spotlight on Neutrals is favorite feel-good quotes, chosen by Pat, to keep you inspired. Here are a few of our favorites.

Download Pat’s bonus pattern now, and then purchase your own copy of Spotlight on Neutrals so you can make a quilt to match. When you buy the book, you can instantly download the eBook version for free—start choosing your favorite pattern right away!

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Thimbles Show and Tell

If you think you're too small to make a difference you haven't spent a night with a mosquito. - African Proverb

So much to sho you but first I wanted to invite you  (if you are in the Atlanta area) to a lecture I am doing for the East Cobb Quilt Guild. I will be there with a ton of quilts and fun. St. Ann's Catholic Church in Roswell Georgia. 9:30 am on Friday. I would love to meet some of my blog readers, yes I would!

Thimbles met last weekend. I had been missing in action for two meetings (sick, so sick!). In 10 years of hosting this fabulous group I had only missed 4 meetings. Guess I blew my record good this time.  When I walked into the room I got this surprise from the Earl de Schlep! (he takes such good care of me!)

 

 

The queen is back! and he is happy, very funny! Whatta guy!

Lookie! This is Elaine's "Lady in Red"...only blue. My pattern, which is in the Quilt Almanac 2013 right now. Love this quilt. This quilt was originally named Mary Elizabeth after my youngest daughter but the magazine opted to change the name. It is a beauty. We still have a very few kits left. On my web site now. 

 Another quilt by Elaine! How cute is this and who doesn't love a great house quilt...or a village. 

Pam and her Comfort And Joy allllll finished. Way to Go. It is magnificently stitched, that Pam does some gorgeous stuff. Leisa quilted it and boy HOWDY is it terrific. I think you can see the free motion feathers in the border. You should see the custom quilting she put on this quilt. 

Karin and her darling cats. A Buggy Barn pattern. Karin did a wonderful job and picked out just the right colors for her quilt. Love love love. Lover Karin Too!

Marie and her blue quilt. The fabric that was chosen was beautiful and fairly close in value blues. The quilt just pulsed with movement. I really was impressed! Just sayin...

Lara and her flying geese quilt. This is from the book 40 Fabulous Quick cut quilts. Soooper doooper Laura.

Sandy and her quilt. I think she said it was a baby gift. Not quite sure. Love the colors. Some little one is going to be happy!

Brenda finished her wooly pocket that we did in Ellijay. That is Brenda's hand dyed wool too. STELLAR!

And then we have another Comfort and Joy finished quilt...from Brenda! Leisa quilted this one too. Brenda is going to enter the quilt in the East Cobb Quilt show...I hope is it accepted. Yes sirreeee. 

 Guess who? Brenda's finished Snowbound quilt..in wool with some cottons. This one BLEW MY SKIRT UP! I can't breathe.

OK Brenda bought this pristine antique quilt. Why can't I find great deals like this? Look at the colors..orange and green. With some pink too and blue/purple too.  

Remember the challenge BJ, Marty, Debbie, Sara and myself are working on. Well here are Sara's first two blocks. I love her "curly fry" vine and flowers. BJ named them curly fries. hahahahaha.. There will eventually be 3 tulips on that hill on the right. STINKIN CUTE. 

More later dear friends. Happy Spring. 

  
 
 

 

  

Bias Binding Tutorial

Use what talents you possess: the woods would be very silent if no birds sang except those who sang best. - Henry Van Dyke

FOLDING FABRIC FOR BEAUTIFUL BINDING!  A tutorial

This method of cutting can be used if you are going to sew the attached binding on the machine. I whip my binding down by hand so this method assumes you do to. You could sew it downon your machine but the Step 5 strips would probably need to be a bit wider. I prefer the look and enjoy the process of hand whipping my binding down. 

Before I show you how I fold my fabic.  I would say that I make bias binding ALWAYS. Are you there? Did you faint? Why do I do this??? Well there are 5 reasons. 

#1: Bias binding is by nature more suptle. It drapes better. It moves better simply because it is bias.

#2: Bias binding has a better shot at longevity. So who cares by the time the binding wears out I'll be bouncing on clouds in Heaven..hopefully! Why bother. Well, the idea of the quilt is to make a lasting project right? When  you have a double layer binding that is bias you have threads running in opposite angles. When one thread breaks or wears out the other treads next to it won't "pop" in succession if bias. They will all quickly pop if cut on the straight of grain.  Let's be kind to our legacies!

#3: I love stripes and plaids on the bias so this gives me the opportunity for the addition of that design element. Usually quilters will tell me that this or if there are scallops or curves  is the ONLY TIME they make bias binding. Nope! not me I do it EVERY  TIME. 

#4: Bias binding is easier to sew onto the quilt and to hand sew to the back of the quilt. It behaves sooo much better. 

#5: Because I just like to make the stuff and I don't use that insane "TUBE" method that has driven more people away from making bias binding than encouraged them to make it. I'm on a mission to convince you.

Ok so here are the steps I use to fold fabric and cut it into strips to make bias binding. It takes minutes to fold and cut I promise. You can do this.

Step #1: Lay out your fabric. This photo shows a full width of fabric with the selvages at the top and bottom of the photo. It does not matter if you are looking at the right or wrong side of the fabric. I like to start with with wrong side facing me.

Step #2: Take the top LEFT CORNER of your fabric and fold it down so that the top edge of the fabric is even with the bottom selvege edge. (Don't worry you can cut the selveges off later when you first start folding your fabric this way it helps to leave the selveges on...with practice you can cut them off from the start!)  You have not established where the bias is on your fabric. 

Step #3: Fold the bottom LEFT corner from Step #2 UP to the top corner. You have just layered folds of the bias edges on top of each other. This is the most important edge..the layers of folds.  The arrow is pointing in the direction you are folding. There will be a single fold at the bottom (where my arrow is..ignore this fold!) Remember this for all the rest of the folds. "ALWAYS FOLD THE BIAS EDGES ONTO THEM SELVES..." This makes the stack of folded edges to come!!!

Step #4: Fold again in the same direction as the last fold. Another layers of folds are stacked! Stack them neatly one on top of the other. You will see that at this point your fabric is at an angle pointing down and to your right.

 Step #5: Gently turn your fabric so that it is perpendicular to your body. Now you can cut your bias strips! First lay your ruler down a 1/4" or so over the stacked folds. Cut the folds away..giving the edge of your fabric a little "Hair cut". Without moving or disturbing the fabric cut your desired width of binding. If you are a beginner start with 2 1/2" cuts. If you are a confident binder, cut 2 1/4". This is a good place to be! If you really want your binding to look the same on the front and back of your quilt, cut 2" binding. Any of these are fine. You do what you are most comfortable in handling.

 

When you are finished you will have many strips. They will automatically be a 45 degree angle because you used this method. Sew the strips end to end at the 45 degree angles. (no waste!)  I like to lower my stitch length a bit giving extra strength to the seam. Press the long length of the binding strip in half pressing each seam OPEN this makes the binding perfectly flat so that you cannot feel the seam...and you are ready to sew the binding onto your quilt!

Please don't let anyone tell you that it takes a lot more fabric to make bia binding. Nope it does not. Use this method and you will see. 


My friend Gene from Alabama did a video on this technique. I have fond memories of showing him and Pat from Deleware how to do this. We were in a restaurant eating barbeque and drinkin sweet tea (this is the South!). As I recall, Gene and Pat folded their napkins and used them as a reminder. Here is the link to Gene's video THANK YOU SO MUCH Gene!.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsB9cmeHQcs
(I run from video cameras he is much cuter than me!)

Another Thank you to my friend Betty Lewis who taught me this technique many years ago!

Polka Dots and SNOWBOUND!

Friendship is like a bank. You can't continue to draw on it without making deposits.-unknown

 Went a little crazy at the Container Store. Blame it on the polka dots..red no less. I was toast! Obsessed. Here they are in their glory in my sewing room. Hello my lovely red polka dot happiness.

Exhibit "A" I already went bonkers over the red stripe baskets some time (years Wally world) ago. Then came the Container Store and I got a hit to the heart, where polka dots live, and I love my bakers rack. But when you add the polka dots! sigh

Exhibit "B" A graduated stack of red polka dots at the end of my work table. bliss

Exhibit "C" Two on each side of my sewing table. Hey! I may need to replace that basket with another Large red polka box/trunk!

I have a confession to make here. Please don't tell anyone. There are two things in life I absolutely can't stand. Get ready!

I dislike with a passion all forms of anything PLASTIC. If I can avoid it, I will. Sometimes it is not possible. Plastic cuttlery is at the top of the list. 

I dislike visible electric cords. They make me itch and twitch. Yup! They are stinkers. See that large basket above? There is nothing in it. It is covering the cords running down the back of the table for all the electrical stuff on my sewing table. There is a small bit of cord to my foot pedal showing. I keep it scootched over most of the time. 

There I have said it my worst hang ups are out in the open. I feel so much better now. 

For those waiting for my SNOWBOUND POST. HERE WE GO! For those leaving right now. Don't bother to go to the Container Store for red polka dot trunk/boxes, I wiped them out. I have a polka dot phone cover too!

SNOWBOUND the final episode (kinda) I will move this post to our Snowbound page on Wednesday where the button is on the right side of the blog posts.

We are going to get a little "technical" here. Let's talk about adding borders and binding to a quilt.  A subject that tons of quilters have questions about. Here is my take on things. 

Which way do I press seams? Well this has become a "deep" subject. When I first started quilting (when dinosaurs roamed the earth). The rule of thumb was to press seams to one side, usually to the darkest fabric. More and more we see quilters pressing seams open. Both methods are valid and appropriate so let's not get ourselves all wounded up and worried here. My answer is to use both methods when they feel appropriate and when they get you to the finish line with the best look. At the end of the day the important stuff is on the front of the quilt and in the precision of the matching of seams and sharpness of points...right? So, I press to one side a lot! And more often than not I press the  final seam of block construction open. I also press block to block and row to row seams open a lot too. 

Lookie! We see Kristie press some seams to one side and then at the final joining of two blocks she pressed the seam open. She combines both methods as well. 

Below you see the center of the Snowbound quilt. The center snowflake will be appliqued on the front. She pressed that final seam open!

 Many times I will "spin", "pop" or "splay" the center seam...but that is a separtate tutorial from what we are discussing here.

Tip***If I decide to press the seam open I will lower my stitch length a bit, this will give some added strength to the pressed and opened seam.

Let's look at some fun things going on with Snowbound! Look at that snazzy scarf on that snowman...not so primitive HUH? cute!

 Border Construction

This is the method I use when I add borders to a quilt, and YES! I do it all the time. Seriously I do not skip this step. 

I take 3 measurements of the base quilt. 

The FIRST measurement is taken approximately 3 inches from the outside edge of the quilt. Write the EXTACT NUMBER DOWN. no cheating.

   
The SECOND measurement is taken through the middle of the quilt. Write the EXTACT NUMBER DOWN. no cheating

The SECOND measurement is taken again approximately 3 inches from the opposite outside edge of the quilt.Write the EXTACT NUMBER DOWN no cheating.

Add the three numbers and divide the final number by 3, which gives you the average number. Cut two border strips the width of the border and to the EXACT averaged number for the length. 

In the case of the Snowmen you may have cut a strip to the width of the border and a couple of inches longer, done your applique, and now you are ready to cut the strip to your border measurement. This is easy. 
1. Just locate and mark what will be the center of the applique design. 
2. Divide your measurement for the border in half and cut each side to the left and right sides of your applique. Now you have a perfectly centered design and perfectly measured border too!

1.Fold the base of the quilt in half and pin at the fold.
2.Open the left and right sides of the base of the quilt and match them to your pin and put another pin at each quarter fold. 
3.Follow the same folding and pinning method for the the 2 strips you have cut for the top and bottom borders. 
4.Match the pins of the borders to the half and quarter pins of the quilt. If there is any "easin and squeezing" of the quilt to match the borders let it be evenly done HERE AND NOW. It will be gently eased.  
5.Sew the top and bottom borders on to the quilt.   
 

See those pins all matched on Kristies quilt!

 

Press the seams well (I would press them open in this case)

Congratulations! You have added borders to opposite sides of the quilt. Guess what? Now you go back to the beginning and measure cut, pin and sew the other 2 sides. This time the averaged number will include the borders you just added.Then.....YOU ARE DONE!  

Well not really. It is a real good idea to stay stitch slightly less than 1/4" around the quilt. It stabilizes the fabric and will help if you are sending your quilt to a long arm quilter. 

Tip***When I have a pieced border quilt (Snowbound is not in this category) I ALWAYS stay stitch the edges of the quilt. (Always, I'm not kidding.)

Now that the work is done let's look at some fun photos!.

Kristie loves this Snow Guy..she says he is her "fav".

This bird cracks me up...he looks like he is saying..."If you touch my worm it will be trouble in River City!" so cute.

Can you see the use of varigated thread??? It is such a great thing!

All finished and done, but where are the snowflakes... After the quilt is quilted. She will add buttons for the flakes. I even have flake buttons. You can find them at quilt stores and big box stores as well.
Please my friends support your local quilt shop. We need them!

While we are technically done with our Quilt Along lessons I do want to share with you how I fold and make binding. I'm going to do a tutorial on this subject on Thursday April 11th  on my blog. This tutorial is done so that I can share the technique with all who read my blog not just the Snowbound participants.  Also, a new look will be coming soon to my blog. I am working on lots of tutorials for the new blog. I hope you will check with me often. At the heart of it all I love to share! Hopefully you will enjoy my "Primer" which will be a virtual classroom for YOU!