Maeberry Square

Five years ago during the holiday season, my mom shared with my brother and me (and our families) that my grandma had been diagnosed with ALS. She had spent several years under the impression she had a mini-stroke, but was simply never getting better. Here’s the story about my grandmother’s life and death and this quilt. When I was a kid, we went on a few occasions to visit my grandma. She lived a thousand miles away and we were not a vacation/traveling family. So, those handful of trips were pretty special for a kid who had rarely been outside of the Midwest.   During our visits, I would join my grandma on her daily walks. We often walked in the evening as summertime in the Southwest can be particularly hot. One of my favorite memories was looking for coins on the ground as we walked. Just about every time, we came home with a penny here or a dime there and my grandma always let me keep that change ;) I loved that time together. Since we walked in the evening, we often return

I recently learned about Yvonne Fuch’s ( QuiltingJetGirl on Instagram !) #2020PlanningParty and I thought it was just the swift kick in the pants I needed to really think about my professional and personal quilting goals in 2020. Here are my thoughts leading into the new year. Professional Goals 1. Teach new quilters. The wheels have been set into motion for an opportunity to teach a quilting 101 class in my community in the spring. I’ve spent the last several months developing a beginner sampler pattern and I’ll be wrapping it up in a few weeks. Here’s hoping there are a few people interested in learning how to quilt! 2. Print four of my patterns. A few shops and guilds have asked me about printed patterns for their stores or for upcoming lecturers. Currently I only offer patterns as PDFs so I have a goal of getting a small batch of four specific patterns printed in 2020. 3. Release three new patterns. With some of my other professional and personal quilting goals in 2020, I’

My newest pattern – Quadruplicity Quilt – is now available in my Etsy shop – pick up your PDF copy here ! The pattern is designed to allow you to use larger fussy cuts and let them shine! Novelty prints and florals are two excellent options to try with Quadruplicity Quilt. It’s also a great pattern to practice half-square triangles and quarter-square triangles. The pattern was originally a sketch in my notebook that I revisited as I was thinking about a quilt I want to make for my daughter. The name – quadruplicity – means groupings of four. It also has an interesting astrological meaning. You can read the full inspiration story by clicking here . The pattern includes full, throw and baby size quilt options. It’s yardage, fat eighth and scrap-friendly! Dig out those coveted fussy cuts and get started on this quick, beginner-friendly pattern today! I’d love to see what you make - use #quadruplicityquilt and #maeberrysquarepatterns and tag me @maeberrysquare on Instagram ! P

I have used a variety of marking pencils and chalks to mark my quilts but nothing compares, in my opinion, to the hera marker. What is a Hera Marker? A hera marker is a small piece of plastic with a curved tip used to make a crease in the fabric. I use the “Clover Hera Marker Slim” which is a slightly longer, slimmer version than the regular “Clover Hera Marker.” Honestly, I couldn’t tell you why I chose the slim version – all I remember is trying to find one online because I wanted to try it and this is what I ended up with. How Does it Work? To use the hera marker, line up the curved tip on the fabric and press down, like you're using a pencil, to create the lines or shapes you desire to quilt. I use my quilting rulers in order to achieve straight lines. The curved plastic creates a temporary crease in the fabric. I’ve used it on all shades of fabric, from light to dark, and have always been able to see the crease as I quilt on my machine. Also, there’s no harm if you deci