Quilt As You Go, Simply Done

Simply Done

Quilt As You Go

Lori’s Quilt

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Lori sent me this message and a short video!

My sister had her 40th birthday party on Saturday in Pennsylvania. I couldn’t be there, but her good friend shot the video for me. I did free hand quilting on each block, writing in meaningful words and images. (Names of childhood pets, favorite teachers, etc). I am including a clip that shows her reaction after looking over the quilt. I had no particular pattern or plan…other than your book telling me how to finish any quilt. I had to make peace with my imperfections (I am a brand new quilter) and remind myself not to stress. In the end, it was Forever a lesson for me…it was perfect….crooked seams, puckers and all!!

Quilting has come to my life at a perfect time for me and your videos gave me the courage to jump in! I have my sewing room set up with Costco tables, styrofoam insulation and vinyl sheets!! I love it!

Lori Z

Click to watch —-> QuiltGift


Alane’s Quilt Story

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Alane was working from my book “Finish (almost) Any Quilt” when she wrote to me. She was working on a quilt for her dad, sitting by his side in the hospital. Alane was hand piecing her blocks but she wanted to quilt them (and bring the quilt together) with a quilt-as-you-go method. She updated me recently with this note and pics of her quilt.

This quilt will always be special to me. I hand pieced it while sitting in the hospital with my dad, and the decorative stitches I used over my seams made me feel confident that my hand stitches would never rip out. I am still working on what to say on my label, but I’ll figure that out in time.

I did learn that you have great tips in the book, and if you don’t do it, you regret it….My quilt is not perfect by any means, I made a lot of errors when I didn’t follow your directions exactly.

I’ve started another quilt using dad’s dress shirts, and will attempt quilting again using your method. Thanks so much!

You might want to add that the entire quilt was free except for thread. Along with calling it my Ugly hospital quilt, I call it my “Green” quilt. I used scrap fabric, an old mis-shaped fleece blanket for the batting and and some old flat sheets for the backing.

ugly-quilt.-a



Cutting Fabric for a New Quilt

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Hi Quilters, I was giving a trunk show a couple of weeks ago and the topic of fabric cutting came up. So, when I started cutting my fabric for a new quilt I thought I’d video it and share the process that I use for cutting my binding and all of my joining-sashing strips from the same length of fabric and, most importantly, why I do it this way. It’s a little on the long side but I hope it has a few tips that might help you.





Four Gorgeous Quilts!

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Marion (from Toronto) sent me pics of her quilt (she used our “Easy to Go Crazy” pattern from Crazy Shorcut Quilts) and her fabric colors are so warm and beautiful! Here’s the note she sent – and I love the ending

I have been quilting for about a year and a half and have made about 50 quilts. Not as big a deal as it sounds. I am retired and I only make small quilts for babies and wheel chair lap quilts. My mother has been a quilter for over 50 years and I never had any interest. Now I am addicted.

I saw a video of yours on youtube and thought this was the answer to my problems with quilting as I would like to make larger quilts.

Attached are photos of my first try (not perfect).

I’ll take gorgeous over ‘not perfect’ any day 🙂

Marion’s Quilt

A peek at the back







Barbara send me a pic of her Jelly Roll Quilt, from the video and the new book – Quilt As You Go {reimagined}, along with this note

Hello Marguerita!

I just wanted you to know that I FINALLY finished my jelly roll quilt. ..(from) last year… lol! Anyway, I wanted to send you the pics of my quilt. I wanted to send a pic of me holding it up, but I’m too *shy* 🙂 Thanks for your time and your book! I have a Kindle Fire now, like you, and want to get your next book as soon as I can!

Take care!

Barbara R

Barbara’s Jelly Roll Quilt

Her own unique design!


















Now, for some bright and bold – Elaine sent pics of her and Jess’s quilts – in stunning colors

Elaine’s Black-White-Red Beauty

Jess’s – with a hint of pink and great border












My thanks to Barbara, Marion, Elaine and Jess for sharing their quilt photos.

Quilt As You Go {reimagined}

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4 New Quilts – Endless Possibilities

I found a way to hide the joining strips – sashing, in our first book – and I played with the concept until I had 4 quilts made.

Of course, my idea is that there are LOTS of quilts we can make using this new innovation, but I wanted to get it to you now! So, we wrote and published a smaller book {only 78 pages} with just 4 quilts in it, but I’m pretty sure that when you see the quilts, you’ll imagine how you would make yours, using some of our techniques and your own adaptations.

Each of the 4 quilts has options for changing it and I hope you’ll give them a try.

Meanwhile, we have several more in the works – watch for pics of them here as they are finished.

The new book is available on Amazon, in print (on white paper, not glossy) for $18.95 and for the Kindle Fire for $8.95 (which you can read on any device with their Kindle-for-devices app). I must say, I like the look of the Kindle version (on my PC) best 🙂 You can read more about the book here, and see the quilts that are in it.



Quilt As You Go Quilt Retreat!

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If you are in (or coming to) Alaska and want to take an exclusive class with me, here’s your chance! Only 10 people will be able to sign up for this weekend retreat, which is a fundraiser for a friend. I’ll be bringing quilts from my first 2 books plus quilts I have made for the next two books – a little exclusive sneak peek!

We’ll spend the weekend making a Shortcake Quilt – 36″ x 45″ – and covering the basics of quilt-as-you-go and then jump into adapting the QAYG techniques to work for other quilt blocks – not just the Crazy Shortcut Quilt style.

It will be a little bit of everything 🙂 June 8, 9, 10th, 2012 in Palmer, Alaska — $100 per person — email me to sign up — MMQuilts @ gmail.com

If you are (or know of) a quilt shop owner in the area of Anchorage to Palmer, and you want to host the Trunk Show, please let me know. I am looking for either Thursday June 7th or Friday, June 8th, from about 7-9pm.

Crazy Shortcut Quilt Retreat

New Quilt Pics!

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Stella made her fourth Crazy Shortcut Quilt! On this one, she writes:

I have shown the back as it has a rather lovely fabric with ‘wols’ (owls) on it. I went a bit over the top and added two more designs which I knew she would like. One of the seaside to remind her where she comes to stay and her favourite hot air balloons. She lives in the middle of the Swedish countryside where there are a lot of lakes but no seaside.

Stella's Quilt for grandchild Cayley


Back of Caley's Quilt
















Linda Rheault sent two views of her Jelly Roll Crazy Shortcut Quilt! Check out these colors – I want one like this!

Hi! After fighting with machine quilting a large quilt I found your site and decided to give it a try. I was especially inspired by your red and white jelly roll quilt and the directions you gave in your video. I did get your book in addition to watching the video. I had never heard of jelly rolls since I haven’t quilted for many years. I just finished the quilt which is a gift for friends.

I needed a big queen size quilt so my borders were added last like an envelope and then filled with batting and quilted on my machine.

I have enjoyed your videos especially the one on thread which was enlightening.

I will attach some pictures but I’m afraid they aren’t very good because the quilt is so large

I do want to do one more short cut quilt wall hanging out of Alexander Henry’s Freida Kahlo fabric.

Have a great day! Linda Rheault

Linda's Jellyroll Quilt

What a gorgeous border!






































Nicky Lowitz is an expert at re-inventing quilting! She recycled Hawaiian Shirts to make the quilt below and Nicky also made a Tee Shirt Quilt! – click on the Tee Shirt Quilts tab above to see them. About her Hawaiian Quilt she writes:

I love your method, and it was wonderful to do the whole thing myself, and avoid the machine quilting expense. This one is 90 x 90, and made from recycled Hawaiian shirts from the local thrift stores. I also bought all the threads from the thrift stores, as I was not working when I started the project. My Hawaiian quilt was in the Quilt Faire show at Ironstone Vineyards in Murphys CA this weekend. Several ladies in the Guild asked me how on earth I joined the squares! I gave a demonstration with pieces of paper and they both asked for your name and the name of the book, which I was pleased to give them!

Nicky's Hawaiian Shirt Quilt

Gorgeous matching shams!






Back of the Shams

Beautiful Stitches