American Patchwork & Quilting Podcast

We can't believe it's 2020, but we’re so excited to see what this new year and new decade bring to the quilting world! On this episode, we're sharing some concrete ways to conquer your UFOs or unfinished objects. We know that finishing quilts is a resolution for many quilters, and we want to help! We also talk about ways to keep accountable on your UFO journey and why handwork is making us happy....

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 o...

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 y...

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 Gett...

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 communit...

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...

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...

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 Collec...

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 t...

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 ho...

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 convers...

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 t...

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...

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 P...

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 HollyAn...

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 r...

Learn the tools and techniques that will help you successfully sew with batiks. We also share ideas for organizing your digital patterns, must-know tips for using a rotary cutter, and creative ideas for labeling your quilt. We also explore tips for growing your social media accounts with expert Kim Niedzwiecki of Go-Go Kim.  Let's dive in. For more resources from today's show, visit the show notes...

Pressing well makes a big difference in your finished quilt's appearance. And when you're making a quilt, we can promise that you'll be doing A LOT of it! We'll share the secrets to pressing like a pro! We chat with Tara Curtis, a pattern designer and the inventor of Wefty Needle. We'll also give sewing storage hacks from your kitchen, tell the history of pincushions, and share stories of quilters...

Learn to de-clutter your sewing room, so you can have a more productive and less stressful time sewing. We have practical tips to make the process as painless as possible. We give ideas of what to do with unfinished quilt tops or blocks that have been gifted to you, announce a new quilt along, share what we're loving right now, and do a fun Q&A with designer, fabric weaver, and Instagram personali...

Mini quilts are so fun to make! They're a great way to test out a fabric combination or new-to-you technique. Or they can just give you the satisfaction of starting and finishing a quilt quickly! We're talking about the best tools, tips, and tricks for sewing mini quilts. We'll also give tips for using acrylic rulers, share stories of quilters making a difference in their communities, and intervie...

We're breaking down the basics of needles and threads, so you can choose the best combinations for your projects. We gives tips for using wool batting and keeping your workspace clean, share heartwarming stories of quilters making a difference in their communities, and play a fun game with the staff from WOOD magazine (can they guess what common quilting terms mean?). For more resources from today...

Whether you’ve been growing your fabric collection for years or are just starting to build a stash, we find that some quilters are actually afraid to dig into their fabrics for their projects. So, we're sharing tips for getting started on using your stash.  We'll also share some tools the editors are loving, the history of signature quilts, give a behind-the-scenes look at a dream sewing space, an...

Have you ever been on a quilt retreat? It can be an inspiring and fun event for all those who attend -- and a way to make new quilting friends while you make a lot of progress on your projects. We're sharing advice on how to plan or attend a successful quilt retreat. And Vanessa Vargas Wilson of Crafty Gemini talks about the luxury quilt retreats she operates (sign us up!). We'll also chat how to...

T-shirt quilts are incredibly popular and a great way to create a quilted keepsake. We're sharing 10 tips for making T-shirt quilts -- from planning to piecing to quilting! Then we tell two stories of people making a difference in their community through sewing. And we interview Rachael Dorr, the quilter behind Quilting a Memory, a charity dedicated to providing free quilting services to the famil...

We're going to be talking about an issue that plagues many quilters -- how to make more time to sew even when you're busy. Summer usually has our schedules packed, so Lindsay and Elizabeth give 5 ideas for squeezing more time in your sewing room! Then we tackle a listener question -- how to avoid bulk when many seams come together in your blocks. The staff shares what trends and designers they're...