Such an interesting topic and it took this little complex block to really give me the example I needed when I say you can (and maybe should) do both - pressing to the dark side and pressing open. It is all about the block........ This little complex block is only 6" (finished),, therefore each of its components are 2" each (finished), which makes the strips for the squares 1 1/2" and the starting block for the HST easy 8 6 1/2"....... that is working (for me) in the smaller

Well I am on a mission this Easter weekend to get some quilt tops quilted and taken off the UFP quilt pile and onto the UFP just needs binding pile....... Firstly though I needed to finish quilting my "Colours on the Wind" quilt. It has come together rather nicely. The quilting was done colour on colour again and is all curves using my circle quilting templates by Amanda Murphy. It was very random, free motion with a ruler template type of quilting, which suits me well, as it

Behind the scenes of creating a colouring book for quilters..... It is finally ready........ just one of those projects you think up in the middle of the night, well 2:30am actually...... Not sure why it came to mind then, at that precise moment, but it did and..... well, you can just imagine the rest........ As those who know me well, know, I love colour. I love playing with fabrics to see how well they play together, how they complement or contrast each other, how when you

Every quilter has a place where the fabric comes out, the ruler appears, and the first seam is stitched. For some people it is a beautifully organised studio with everything precisely arranged. For others it is a lively space where fabric piles grown and tools migrate across the table as a project develops. Most of us live somewhere in between those two extremes. I certainly do! My room has grown, and changed as I have grown and changed in my quilting journey. Sometimes it ge

In search of perfection? excellence? the perfect point? - nesting Half Square Triangles A little while ago, early February infact, I did a blog on a particular block. This one actually! The other day I used it in a quilt design and have started sewing it out. Well it's an interesting one. The first test block did not go too well, and yes it is nesting those points! So I am on a mission to find out why, and for this quilt, how to get the best nested blocks I can, given the f

Learning to quilt is such a personal journey, isn’t it? Some of us thrive in lively classroom settings, surrounded by chatter and shared excitement. Others prefer the quiet comfort of their own sewing room, where creativity flows at its own pace. I’ve found that understanding how you learn best can make all the difference in your quilting adventure. That’s exactly why One Loose Thread is here—to support those who want to learn in the calm of their own surroundings. Why Learn

Let's talk about pressing and the two different views........ press seams open or press seams to the dark side............ Now I am a Star Wars fan and the first time I heard someone say "Press to the dark side" I laughed and immediately thought of Star Wars...... but in all seriousness, pressing to the dark side is a good technique, but so is pressing the seams open. I do both and it depends on what I have sewn and how I think a seam or series of seams coming together in one

Well I did not expect to be revamping my website so soon, but in lots of ways I am glad I did. It has been a very interesting exercise and I have learnt a lot, thanks in the main believe it or to to Chat GPT. Lots of information on how to manage your website, how to create videos, images and all the things I needed but could not find easily. The website I think has a fresh look to it. Hopefully it will be easier to navigate and less restrictive. I have to get back to working

When I was writing some of the 101 block designs yesterday, I was quite taken by the "North Wind" block. Mainly HSTs, quite simple in layout and very interesting when you start to position the blocks and rotate them! As you can see, quite a simple block really. You will find it in the 101 quilt blocks - Number 12. This is one of the quilts I came up with.................. there are more in the inspiration section of my web, where I also talk about the impact of colour and th

I'm having a good afternoon creating the 101 quilt blocks, even though it is a slow process - I only have 13 loaded ...... What is a lot of fun actually is taking the block and seeing what quilt options you can come with, just using the block or adding one you have just created to it..... the options become endless. Have a look at the 101 quilt block area on the Community site, I have changed the order, so you will see the new ones first....... Here is a sample of the quilt d

Wow.......I have really been on a steep learning curve.......... I have tackled Quilt Math and Quilt Calculations! You will see a Quilt Math section has appeared in the Free Section of the Quilter's Community. I have made three calculators for you to try............ please let me know what you think. We all have trouble at some stage with Quilt Math, so I thought it might be helpful to have some calculators on the site. I have created three so far Quilt Binding Calculator Qui

Well I am about to tackle a quilt I made a few months ago using Foundation Paper Piecing, it is extremely vibrant and really needs custom quilting, so it will have to be done on my Bernina Q 20. This is the quilt. It is called Summer's Night Candy. You can see what I mean about custom quilting, edge to edge I don't feel will work. I am going to quilt in matching colours as well. The colours I have from Wonderful Tutti range of 50wt are variegated, but a perfect match colour w