Quick update as I just found out that the non-profit that is able to ship the mini Cuddle Quilts to Ukraine will be closing / has closed. As long as your mini quilts are shipped to them -and- are received by the warehouse no later than August 8th, you can still ship!! Please open PDF for note in Ukrainian and English language to include inside the zipped plastic bag with each quilt plus the address label of where to ship.

Thank you to all who participated in this endeavor. I know it was put out to the quilting community rather spur of the moment and without a plan in place as we all watched the horror unfold in Ukraine, but we did it anyway because we knew we could make a difference. Even if a small one.

If there’s any other non-profit organization that is willing to receive more of these cuddle quilts, please contact me via Instagram.

Sue

There’s so much that could be said about today.

And yet there is so much that overwhelms and makes the words escape me.

But I wanted to say something. And I wanted to do it in a way that felt like hope and looked like growth.

I thought I’d share this pattern with anyone that feels like they want to do something to make today a little more hopeful despite the loss of life that happened 20 years ago. Who want to remember the people that were taken far too soon, as well as the miracles and strength of many many survivors.

I hope you make one and/or give one to someone. I hope we never ever forget what happened. I hope we always remember the ones that are gone and the loved ones they’ve left behind.

To my cousins that lost their father that day.. my heart is with you.

To my many friends, acquaintances and friends of friends that lost a loved one… my heart is with you.

To my brother… who didn’t get the interview that morning… 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

Sue

Twin Towers – We Remember PDF:

My sister, @kidgiddy , told me two weeks ago that a healthcare facility in her area of the United States was in need of washable head covers.  I created this pattern over 15 years ago for a friend who is a healthcare worker and thought I would make it into a PDF and available for free for those that know of other healthcare facilities in need of head covers during the pandemic.

I strongly suggest you check with your local hospitals and healthcare facilities first to see if there is a need for scrub caps before sewing any.  Masks are far more important for them to wear, but if your local area has masks and is in need of head covers – this is a great option and fits most size heads!

Healthcare professionals will know how to wear them to fit to their size head and amount of hair.  {I added the pleats so that it will fit individuals with larger heads, thick or curly hair and/or for buns/ponytails – a bun can fit inside the top or just outside the back flaps. If placed correctly on the stretch of the fabric, the scrub hat will fit snuggly to the shape of the head and the ties and partially open back will ensure each individual can fit it to their size head.  The brim/sides can be flipped up for shorter foreheads or left down for larger heads.}  The top seam is a french seam (it’s easy – don’t worry) to help with durability with washing over time.

Please check back here for updates and/or corrections to this pattern.

Please do not sell items made with this pattern as doing so is copyright infringement.  I’ve made this pattern to try and assist in the protection of our heathcare workers during challenging times and do not wish for anyone to profit from it.  {When this is all over, I’ll consider making the pattern available for sale for those that like to make personal scrub hats for friends or for fun – we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it (hopefully soon!).}

Click HERE to download FREE SCRUB HAT Pattern.

I hope you all are well and healthy.

Sue

If you’re looking for a quilty hug.. look no further.   🙂

(to learn more about The Laura Block and to download the FREE PDF.. click below)

Moss & Lotus The Laura Block PDF

 

Quilty hugs to all of you 💕

-Sue

 

 

The first time Nes Tomte made it to paper was sometime in August of 2016 after I had been fleshing out some more of my gnomes, their personalities and stories. But I’m not sure that’s when he really began.

I’ve always had a thing for fairies and gnomes. Little things.. peculiar things.. and stories. (I love a good story.) I’ve also been fascinated with the world that exists between reality and imagination. I also have always loved Christmas. (I blame my mother – who filled the house with very unique German Christmas decorations each December. I loved each and every ornament, decoration, and tradition that she brought back after living there for a few years.)

Each tomte character (and there are so many more waiting to be shown) begins with me, is influenced by the world around me (and my hopes and dreams sometimes and favorite memories) but takes on a life of its own. Getting it right is important to me. (See all the eraser lines for that lantern?!?!). The first idea was for him to be printed (tiny size – winter scene) on fabric to become needle minders, and larger size with some colors filled in, to become embroidery hoop patterns. The rush to figure out who to print the fabric became a stress and I felt I needed more time to decide (still haven’t printed them on fabric and it’s been 2 fast and busy years).

I also knew I wanted him to become a paper piecing pattern. So I began fleshing out the FPP lines on Nes without the lantern or tree. I showed my sister @kidgiddy (my biggest pusher to be a FPP pattern designer) and she loved it. She didn’t just love it though.. she kind of (a lot) stopped everything she was working on to help me get the design into an FPP pattern and a PDF. (It is very time consuming work from start to finish.. I think the easiest part is coming up with the idea and drawing it. The rest takes forever!!).

I can’t just stop at simple though, I guess. And I can’t stop myself from telling a story. And hearing their personalities. And wanting to share it with you. So, he of course, had to have friends… and a place to live.. and.. you get the point.

What I never saw coming.. was doing a sew along that would gather incredibly talented sewists from all over the world who bring life to the patterns in their own unique way. Who pick fabrics that create new personality. Who tell their own stories. Who, I think, also connect to the wonder of the imagination and know the importance of creating.

Nes. He’s always felt like the leader of the bunch for me. A guardian. A protector.

I kinda love the guy. Do you?

You can read more about him by visiting my hashtag on Instagram #MossandLotusTomteStories and clicking on posts of Nes.

~ Sue

When I first started paper piecing there were times where I frequently finished a section and realized I put one of the fabric pieces in the wrong spot. No matter how much I told myself when sitting down to start, that I knew which pieces were for what, I still managed to get a piece wrong (which is pretty frustrating if you’re limited on time!). 

I thought it would be helpful to share what I love to do to get my fabrics in the right place every time (including directional fabrics!) when doing foundation paper piecing. It’s pretty simple, and I know I’m not the first to think of it, but if you do it every time.. there’s a lot less mistakes (and frustration) plus it yields really happy results.  I made up the little pattern piece in the photo below (which is why it looks nothing like a Tomte or anything else 😂) as an example. 

How to get fabric where you want it when paper piecing:

•First.. lay out all your pattern piece sections, making sure to arrange them the way your finished block will look.  

•Using a photo of the finished block as your guide (or the Color Key included in all my patterns) and colored pencils or markers that coordinate with your fabric colors – mark a little line in each piece to match the fabric placement (i.e. turquoise marking on D2 for a turquoise fabric piece). 

•If you have two different fabrics that are the same color, you can also draw a symbol to distinguish the different fabrics (i.e. red heart marking on D1 for red fabric with hearts). 

•For directional fabrics, draw an arrow in the direction that’s most important to match your fabric placement (i.e. words and scenery get an arrow pointed up, triangles that point down get an arrow pointing down, etc.). Pieces that are plain white I’ll sometimes write a “w”‘on it so I don’t forget. 

That’s it!  Give it a try and I can almost guarantee your thread ripper will start missing you. ☺️
~Sue

Are you new to foundational paper piecing or want practice with smaller pieces?  See my free pattern Little Pumpkins to try it out!  

Do you face any other challenges or problems with paper piecing that you want help with?  Let me know in the comments and I’ll be sure to address it in a future blog post!