A Quilting Change in Direction

 After 25+ years of designing my quilt patterns (all still available from my website here and here), I’m now back to creating textile art quilts, using embroidery & embellishments. 

I’m sharing how I create these, through a weekly video, hoping to inspire other hand stitchers. 

I'm still living off-grid, with my cats, in a forest in Nova Scotia.

It all began in 2024 with my Bits & Bobs Collage Quilt.
I started to collect things and then make elements for it, sharing all the details with members of my Victoriana Quilt Designs website.

You'll find all those details here:

Click the buttons below, to take you to the different videos I've made (available to all), about the making of this quilt.

If this Bits & Bobs Collage Quilt series interests you, I'll be adding a video each week, showing my latest progress.

You'll find the whole Bits & Bobs playlist here.

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In 2025 I also began a (free) Let's Play video series, which is still available.
Click the buttons below, to get to the information page, for each of the monthly mini quilts.

  

 

I know it's been a while since I posted, so I thought it was time to catch you up!

If any of these videos inspire you, I'd love to hear about it!

Happy Stitching!

 

A Patchwork Curtain

I've always wanted/planned to make a patchwork curtain - I love their charm!

I even started to collect wool patches, decades ago, in blacks, burgundy & grey...but the collecting stopped, when I moved away from the window it was planned for.

I currently have a bookshelf, that is used for storage, so not very pretty to look at.
Time to go through my buckets of fabrics kept eluding me.

Last week I noticed the stack of 8" squares, of my Victoriana Patchwork fabric samples.
They're perfect to use for the curtain, and seeing my designs, as a patchwork curtain, is the cherry on top!! :)

The math worked out that I needed 5 squares across and 10 rows down = 50 squares.
I have more than enough samples, so I picked my best basics.

After trimming them all to an equal size (7¾"), I laid them out, until I was pleased with the arrangement.

I started sewing the patches in pairs, and the pairs into very large 4 Patch units.

These are the largest 4 Patch units I've ever made. 
You can also see the smallest 4 Patch, I've sewn.

I made vertical 2 Patch units, to be the 5th patch in each of the rows.

Because it's hanging in front of the shelf, I didn't line it, or even do something fancy to hang it.
If you were making one for a doorway or window, I would suggest you do both.

What I did do was fold over the seam allowance along the edges, and top stitched them.

Don't you love how it turned out?!
I took this picture before the final pressing - which I'll get to, on the next, endlessly sunny day.

I hope I inspired you to make your own patchwork curtain!

Happy Stitching!

  

20 Years of Sharing Quilting with the World

 I'm so thrilled to be able to say, that I started offering my quilt designs, on my website Victoriana Quilt Designs - 20 years ago, this month!

It's been an exciting month, so far.

I hope you requested the special (free) Q is for Quilting mini quilt pattern, that I've posted as my gift to say - Thank you for your continued interest!

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I was also honoured to be included, on the #womensart twitter account.

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Back in 2017 the Membership series I offered through my website was
Playing with Pincushions.

We made 9 different pincushions. 

Each year since, in June, I've offered the Members a bonus pincushion pattern.

They've now grown to a lovely collection!

My favourite is still the Crazy Quilted Dress Form.

It all started with the sweet, tiny Hexagon pincushion.
The tutorial for it, is still available on my site.

The link to it can be found on the Playing with Pincushions page.

This year, my bonus pincushion is a tutorial (below), that is available to everyone interested!

It's the general directions that will allow you to make any small, treasured container into a pincushion.

I made mine a basket.

1. Begin by choosing your container.

I had two small baskets and a cracked egg cup that I considered.

Some things to consider - if you plan to use it, you may want to weigh it with something, on the bottom of the container - if it's too light, just so it'll stay put, when you're pulling pins out.

2. Measure the longest side - up the side, across the top, and down the opposite side. An approximate measurement is fine.

Psst...You'll find a tutorial to cover a plastic tape measure (like the one in the picture), here.

3. Find a circle (mine was a plate) that is the same measurement.

4. Using your circle, draw a circle on the back of the fabric you're using and also on a scrap piece of cotton batting.

5. Cut the circles out.
    For the batting, trim an extra 1/8" off, as you cut out.

6. Pin the batting in place, in the center of the wrong side of the fabric.
Turn over the raw edge, approximately 1/4", towards the batting and stitch it down using a running stitch.
Do not knot off the thread when you have stitched all the way around.

7. Pull the stitching to gather the edge towards the center, until you have a 2" hole.

Fill the middle with stuffing, until you are happy with how 'stuffed' it is.
Then continue pulling the thread, to close the hole further, and knot it off, to hold it in place.

Now you stuff this ball into the container.
You can glue down, if you feel it needs it.
Mine is tight in the basket, and didn't need it.

Happy Stitching!