A Ribbon Candy Border for your Quilt

October 9, 2026 No Comments

Ribbon candy isn’t just a sweet treat—it’s also a lovely quilting design!

With its flowing curves and repeating folds, this free-motion quilting design adds movement and texture to a quilt border. I love the way it creates a decorative finish while giving you a chance to settle into a stitching rhythm.

In today’s video, I’m demonstrating a ribbon candy border so you can follow the movement and try it on your own practice sandwich.

VIEW VIDEO HERE

Before you start stitching, try drawing the design on paper. Practicing the path with a pencil can help you become comfortable with the changes in direction.

Give yourself permission to practice without making every curve identical. You’re building confidence, and that comes one ribbon at a time!

Where would you use ribbon candy quilting on your next quilt?

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Check out my new, ONLINE, ON-DEMAND Free-Motion Quilting Course

CLICK TO LEARN MORE

A Celtic Knots Lesson in Fabric Contrast

October 8, 2026 No Comments

Last Sunday, I showed you how I made my first Celtic Knots block.

I loved it!

So I picked out three more fabric sets and made three more blocks.

Then I put all four on the design wall.

That was when I noticed something important: the two blocks on the upper right…

…didn’t have enough contrast.

Some of the fabrics blended together, and the knot design wasn’t as clear as I wanted.

It’s a good reminder that I need to look carefully at the fabrics within each block, not just at how pretty they look together in a stack. The design wall helped me see something I hadn’t noticed while I was sewing.

Will I keep those two blocks or remake them? I’m going to wait until I’ve made the other 23 blocks and can see how everything works together.

If they still stand out for the wrong reasons, they’re history—or perhaps they’ll find a home on the back of the quilt!

Note to self: Make good fabric choices!

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Do you have a stack of scraps that you want to use in a fun design?

Check out this pattern for a quick and easy scrap quilt that will help empty your bins and bring a smile to your face!!

Full-color pattern includes step-by-step instructions for blocks and border.

Click HERE for more information.

Quilt Design Inspiration from Pompeii

October 7, 2026 2 Comments

When I look at this photo from Pompeii, I see plenty of quilt design inspiration!

There are the strong vertical lines of the columns, the gentle curves of the arches, and the horizontal lines of the steps. Behind them, the mountain adds another shape, while the sky gives everything room to breathe.

Straight lines, curves, texture, and open space….all in ONE photo!

We don’t have to recreate the whole scene to find an idea worth playing with.

I think that’s one of the pleasures of looking at travel photos with quilting in mind. A photo can hold a memory AND the beginning of a new idea.

A line. A shape. A color combination.

Who knows which one will find its way into a quilt?

What catches YOUR eye first in this photo?

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Quilts and Other Stuff from Frances