man sewing | Missouri Star Blog

January 11, 2018January 12, 2018

2017 Year in Review

Happy New Year, dear quilters! This is sure to be a memorable year filled with many exciting moments here at Missouri Star Quilt Co. We are grateful for your loyalty and patience with us as we grow and we think 2018 is going to be the best year yet! But before we jump right into it, let’s take a moment to reflect and look back on some of the highlights from 2017.

Shark Applicutter

Our dear friend, Rob Appell of Man Sewing, designed an innovative cutting tool that took the sewing and quilting world by storm! With a 14mm blade, the Shark Applicutter is the go-to rotary cutter for freestyle piecing and intricate cutting. Learn more about the handy Shark Applicutter HERE.

Missouri Star Academy

Missouri Star Academy began as a dream. We imagined quilters gathering together from across the globe in Hamilton, Missouri, to learn directly from professionals in the industry and from each other. In 2017, this dream became a reality for more than 450 students and instructors who traveled to Quilt Town, USA, for a two-day, immersive, creative experience filled with demonstrations, classes, and trunk shows. We are still amazed by the ideas and inspiration shared during Missouri Star Academy. Thanks to everyone who attended! We hope to see you again this year. Be sure to mark your calendars for June 7 and 8 for our second Missouri Star Academy! It’s going to be a lot of fun!

Jenny Turns 60

Our very own Jenny Doan hit a milestone birthday in 2017, and we celebrated her “Sweet 60th” together. We are so thankful for her contagious enthusiasm, her kind spirit, and the creativity she shares with us every day!

Birthday Bash

Missouri Star Quilt Co. celebrated its 9th birthday last year. Can you believe it? Time seems to have passed as quickly as our bobbins go empty! Three days filled with fun, games, food, and inspiration culminated in a party that will be long-remembered here in Hamilton. Reminisce about all of the festivities from the 2017 Bash HERE.

Stay tuned for 2018 Birthday Bash. We’ll be pulling out all the stops for our big 1-0 coming up later this year, and make plans to attend September 20-22nd!

Hurricane Relief Quilts

Thanks to quilters like you, our hearts were filled to the brim this year by the overwhelming support you showed when we asked for donations to help those affected by the hurricanes that ravaged our coastal states. You answered the call with more than 9,000 quilts, blankets, and afghans, as well as 4,000 pillowcases! These handmade labors of love were donated to organizations and distributed to those in need.

The entire Doan family and dozens of Missouri Star employee volunteers helped sort and repackage the donations.

New Friday Tutorial: The Burst Block Quilt with Rob Appell

The Burst Block is a long-standing Man Sewing favorite, but some of us (I won’t name names…) have been a little intimidated by all those angles, cuts, and math-y decisions. Today, all of that changes!

Rob Appell is visiting Jenny’s studio to teach her the Burst Block Quilt, the easy way using Rob’s new template! It comes together quickly using layer cakes and the result is so stunning! Click on the button below to watch the tutorial and get all the quilting supplies you’ll need to make the Burst Block Quilt with Jenny and Rob!

August 12, 2016August 12, 2016

New Friday Tutorial: The Block and Strip Quilt w/Guest Rob Appell

We live in a culture of chaos. Too many clothes. Too many knick-knacks. Too much clutter and busyness and excess. At times it feels like all that “extra” is clogging up my life, distracting me from the things that really matter. Sometimes, my soul just yearns for a little simplicity.

This week Jenny has teamed up with Rob from Man Sewing to teach us how to make The Block and Strip Quilt. I know you’re going to love how easy it is to put together this refreshingly simple pattern, and if you’re not yet familiar with Rob’s electric personality, you’re in for a real treat!

April 22, 2016April 22, 2016

Our Favorite Quick & Easy Scrap Buster Projects

Quilters are resourceful people who are hesitant to throw anything away, after all, fabric scraps are precious. You never know what they might become. Maybe a beautiful crazy quilt, a fun tote, or a cozy bed for your pet. There are so many possibilities!

This Earth Day, we want to show you some fun ways to reduce your stash, reuse those scraps, and recycle them into fabulous, earth-friendly projects! Show the planet a little love and #makesomethingtoday!

1. Free Piecing Quilt

When you aren’t using a pattern, you can use more of your scraps! Give improvisational quilting a try and watch your scraps disappear. They’ll become something even more wonderful than you thought they could be: a cozy, beautiful quilt!

2. The Crazy Quilt

Don’t be afraid to go a little crazy! If you have a lot of little trimmings left over from strip quilting, this is the perfect project for you. Just grab our crazy quilt template and stitch away! The fabrics don’t have to match, in fact, they shouldn’t. Just put them together in any way you please.

3. Easy Scrap Buster Table Runner Using Binding Tool

This table runner is the perfect solution for all the different shapes of scraps you have hanging around. It uses up 10” squares, 2.5” squares, and 2.5” strips too! Gather them all up and make table runners for every season!

4. Pet Bed

Do you hate wasting fabric, but love your pet? Don’t throw away a single scrap of fabric! They’ll all come together into a super-comfy bed to pamper your furry friends in this tutorial.

5. The Improv Tote

This tutorial doesn’t have to use one single jelly roll. You could use multiple pieces from projects you’ve finished and come up with something totally new! Then, take this tote to the market and avoid using plastic bags too.

6. Wrapped Fabric Bowl

Need a place to store those odds and ends? Don’t go out and buy another plastic container. Stitch up your very own wrapped fabric bowl and organize in an environmentally-friendly way!

7. Wristlet Key Fob

Keep your keys on hand and your scrap pile low with this super-cute key fob. You can use some of your smallest scraps with this project. It’s so much fun, you’ll want to make key fobs for all your friends!

8. Design Your Own Applique

If you’re looking for a new challenge, give this amazing tutorial a try! Create a tribute to Mother Earth by turning your favorite landscape photo into a quilt. Give your scraps new life with this applique project.

9. The String Quilt

This is a great quilt for using up all those little skinny pieces you have left over from trimming. Piece them together into a smart string quilt and get them out of the scrap heap!

10. Fabric Catch-All

These great little catch-alls are awesome for organization and storage. There’s no need to go out and buy little boxes and bins. Stitch them up yourself and watch your scrap pile diminish. When you’re done, you’ll have a more organized home and fewer scraps. Whoo hoo!

Enjoy this playlist of our Favorite YouTube Scrap Buster Tutorials!

February 22, 2016February 22, 2016

Introducing Man’s Land in Hamilton, MO!

Behind every woman in a quilt shop is a man carrying 15+ bolts of fabric and begging her to stop buying more! It’s a classic tale that’s been around for years. But it’s about to change if we have a say in the matter! Amid our eleven quilt shops here in Hamilton you’ll now find Man’s Land, a lounge and billiards area for the men to enjoy! (Find a list of all our shops HERE.)

Take a a nice long look at these comfy recliners, but watch out! Sit down for “just a minute” and you’ll never want to get back up! They’re all facing two big screen TV’s. It’s the perfect setup for watching the big game or getting some shut-eye. Go ahead, take a load off!

Man’s Land is warm, rustic and inviting so you’ll feel right at home… and maybe forget about how much money your wife is spending on fabric 😉

Ahh, so peaceful and relaxing! There’s even a section dedicated to our favorite manly quilter, Rob Appell of Man Sewing! Check out his YouTube Channel HERE!

The name Man’s Land was around a long time in Hamilton before Missouri Star even existed and that’s where we got our inspiration for a manly hangout. We love our small town and we love restoring the buildings to bring them new life. We hope this little haven will give you the opportunity to stay a little longer and feel rested and refreshed by the time you have to go!

Tag: man sewing