American Patchwork & Quilting Podcast

It's almost a new decade. As we approach 2020, our staff has been reminiscing on the past year, but making big plans, both in our professional and personal lives, but also our sewing lives. On this episode, we're sharing ideas for starting your new year of sewing off right. We chat about a fun store Featherweight lovers will go ga-ga over, give tips for the stitch-and-flip method, and talk about our next quiltalong, which starts in early January. And on Getting Sewcial, we chat with Wendy Sheppard of Ivory Spring, who shares how she got her start in quilting and her latest book Quilting with Kids. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Merry Christmas! We know that this is a busy week for many of our listeners. You may be wrapping last-minute presents, baking cookies, or preparing for entertaining family and friends. This week's podcast is a quick one, but hopefully something you can enjoy while sipping a mug of hot chocolate or driving to a holiday party. Our staff is sharing some festive traditions. We hope you share some of your own holiday traditions with family and friends -- it's so meaningful to pass down traditions and showcase your handmade décor and gifts. We wish everyone a merry holiday season. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode, we're sharing some tips for getting accurate 1/4" seams. Yes, we know that seems pretty basic, but we know a lot of people struggle with their blocks turning out the right sizes, so we wanted to share some tips to help! We'll also take you behind-the-scenes at the trends with saw at Quilt Market -- you'll start seeing these trends appear in fabric and in patterns soon! And on Getting Sewcial, we chat with Jess Zeigler of Threaded Quilting Studio, who shares some fun details of her Q&A interviews she did on our podcast. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today's show is a great one for the holidays -- it's really focused on infusing deeper meaning into our quilts, our hobby, and our collections. We start with a conversation about the importance of quilt labels -- we discuss how to add them, what to include on the label, and some tips for writing and printing on fabric. We share heartwarming stories of quilters making a difference in their communities, including an exciting update to our One Million Pillowcase Challenge. One of our editors shares the story behind her most cherished quilt -- it's the quilt that started her on her quilting journey. We chat about the history of paper needle books and what to look for as a collector. And on Getting Sewcial, we chat with Brittany Lloyd of Lo & Behold Stitchery, who shares how her late grandmother still influences her quilts and patterns. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's already December and we're making a list and checking it twice! Has your sewing space turned into Santa's workshop? If you're like us, we love making handmade gifts for everyone on our list, but sometimes it's hard to find the right project they'll love -- and that you can make quickly! We have some gift suggestions that may be just what you're looking for! We share ideas for organizing using basic office supplies -- perfect for any last-minute sewing items you're stashing away before company comes. We'll also be giving fast finish ideas for any holiday quilts or UFOs you're trying to complete before the end of the year. And on Getting Sewcial, we chat with Holly Lesué of Maker Valley, who talks about the evolution of her business and her love of scrappy quilts. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

To celebrate Thanksgiving on this podcast, our staff is talking about what we're thankful for -- including the quilting communities we're all connected to and appreciate! If you're planning on making your Christmas list or Black Friday shopping, we're also sharing a few products that we’re loving right now including fork pins, which we've actually received a lot of questions about from our readers! And we're also sharing some tips for zippers, which may come in handy if you eat a little too much on Thanksgiving. And on Getting Sewcial, we chat with Latifah Saafir, who talks about her new Quilt Cadets program, which is a line of products and patterns for kids who sew. If you have children or grandkids in your life, you'll definitely want to check this out! For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We'll share how to use everything from a curtain rod to a wine rack in your sewing space. We also share a little behind-the-scenes from our staff's day at Missouri Star, and a few heartwarming stories of quilters making a difference in their communities -- we hope they inspire you to give back to others during the holiday season. And on Getting Sewcial, we chat with Rachel Thomeczek of Wren Collective, who shares how she got her start as a quilter, tips for hand quilting, and how her background in photographer and nursing relates to her quilting life! For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're sharing our best tips for machine quilting -- everything from prepping your quilt top before quilting to picking a design to working with a longarm quilting. We also share popular reader tips about hanging and displaying your quilts. And on Getting Sewcial, we chat with Brett Lewis of Natural Born Quilter, who shares how he got his start in the industry, some fussy-cutting tips, and we get the scoop on his first ever fabric line that's hitting stores in April 2020! For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’ve all been there – you’re working on a project and after making a few blocks, you get bored. Or you pull out a UFO that’s a few years old and can’t get yourself to work on it, because you just don’t love it anymore. But don’t throw in the towel just yet! We have some tips for what to do when you lose interest in a project! We also dive into how to keep tackling your projects during the busy holiday season, what product we're loving now, and why a vintage quilt may be your next treasure. And on this episode's Getting Sewcial, we chat with Meghan of Then Came June, who talks about her start in the quilting industry and the popularity of her Meadowland quilt. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Happy Halloween! On today's episode, we're sharing some spooky quilting stories -- some of these are so frightful, you may need to hide under your coziest quilt while listening. We'll also share tips for what to do when your fabric bleeds, how to work with fabric panels, and some tips for hand quilting. And on this week's Getting Sewcial, we chat with Andrea of 3rd Story Workshop -- it's a conversation you don't want to miss! For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Quilt shows can be overwhelming -- but we're sharing tips to make the most of it while also having time to rest and feel inspired! We'll also share some heartfelt stories of quilters making a difference in their community and some ideas for getting organized before you attend a quilt retreat. And on this week's Getting Sewcial, we chat with Sarah Bond, a talented modern quilter, who shares about the rich history of quilting in her family and how that has influenced the designs she's making today. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We know quilters love to visit their local quilt shops, so we're giving a few suggestions on how much of a fabric to buy when you don't have a specific plan for it. We'll also talk about how one of our editors stores her fabric, our upcoming trip to Quilt Market in Houston, and a few tips for pinning your projects. And on this episode's Getting Sewcial, we chat with Nicole of Modern Handcraft, who shares some details about her new winter pattern and gives some tips for straight line quilting. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are a lot of different battings on the market -- we share more about the characteristics of battings and the questions to ask yourself before choosing one for your project. We also examine when a UFO actually becomes a UFO, share the history of Log Cabin block quilts, and give ideas for storing your sharp tools like scissors and seam rippers. Then, we chat with Lindsey Neill of Pen + Paper Patterns, who shares her own experience with taking a break from sewing and how to set boundaries when you feel burned out. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We're always looking for ways to save money while quilting. From changing your shopping habits to piecing batting scraps, we're sharing a variety of ideas for making the most of your budget while sewing. We'll give tips for storing your WIPs (or works in progress), so you can get organized before the new year. We chat about starting a meaningful birthday or calendar quilt. And we interview HollyAnne Knight of String & Story, who shares tips for free-motion quilting, staying healthy while sewing, and living in a stash culture. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hear 8 bad quilting habits that we all relate to -- and how to overcome them! We share what we're loving now, behind-the-scenes stories from a few photo shoots, and give tips for working with fusible interfacing. We chat about our One Million Pillowcase Challenge and how you can help us reach out goal, plus a heartfelt story of a memory quilt bringing comfort to a family suffering loss. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices