Join Jenny, Misty and Natalie in an all new Triple Play featuring three unique patterns utilizing 10″ papers.
In 1899, an unknown quilter began stitching fabric scraps on a paper foundation. Alas, the quilt was never finished. (It happens to us all!) The incomplete top is on display at the Virginia Quilt Museum, and the paper is still intact.
For this month’s Triple Play tutorial, Jenny and the gals designed 3 foundation paper pieced quilts using our favorite new jelly rolls and layer cakes.
Each quilt is made with Missouri Star 10” Paper Piecing Squares, which don’t have the mystery and romance of 19th century correspondence, but they’re SO easy to use! See how simple and fun foundation paper piecing can be!
People often find quilting in times of need to help them through difficult situations – that’s how The Quilting Marine first discovered his love for quilting. After serving 20 years in the United States Marine Corps, The Quilting Marine found quilting as his therapy for PTSD related issues. Now, he has a new goal and his YouTube channel says it best, “I taught myself to quilt and would like to help you make quilts that you can admire for years to come.”
What is your favorite part of the quilting process?
My favorite part is piecing the blocks together and giving the quilt away for someone else to enjoy. It’s the building of the quilt for me and is my therapy. I don’t get wrapped around the wheel on everything else. I live behind the mantra of “it’s only fabric” and “it’s only thread”.
Who are your favorite fabric designers?
Robert Kaufman; Michael Miller; Riley Blake; Brother and Sister Design 2009
What notion or sewing tool are you most dependent on?
I depend mainly on my omnigrid rulers, rotary cutters and my machine, the Brother PQ1500sl. And if I had to throw something else in, it would be the Oliso iron.
How were you introduced to sewing and quilting?
I taught myself around the time my grandson was to be born. I wanted to create something for him that was one of a kind.
The Quilting Marine at work on another project.
What was the most frustrating sewing project you ever worked on?
The one for my grandson was my first quilt and was the most frustrating because I entered a world that I had no idea about. Once I realized that there wasn’t much to create a quilt, that is one of the reasons it attracted me. The repetitiveness of building a quilt keeps me sane. Even though the process is repeated, the result that comes from it is different every time.
What do you do to find inspiration/encourage your creativity?
I find my inspiration from watching other quilters and add or take away from what they have created to make it my own. I love using a lot of color when building my quilts. Colors to me bring out the quilt.
What occupation would you like to try if sewing/making wasn’t an option?
I would love to be a hard hat diver/saturation diver. They get paid handsomely to do what they do and the risk is tremendous.
Who is your favorite fictional character?
The Punisher. He is a normal guy who has no superpowers and takes on the responsibility of fighting crime. I like normal guys who do extraordinary things.
A beautiful example of The Quilting Marine’s artistic ability and craftsmanship.
What fabric have you been hoarding/saving the longest?
Batiks are my all time favorite and whenever subscribers send me fabric, I will hoard Batiks until I find something that the fabric is perfect for. I don’t normally like flowers, I’m not the flower guy but the 2009 Brother Sister Design Studio Fabric has me hoarding it too. This one is super hard to find now so I hoard it as much as I can.
Describe your perfect day.
A day on the beach in the Caribbean with my wife, a fishing rod with a line in the water and no hook and a cool drink. Sleep, wake, piece a block and repeat. Maybe some eating in there somewhere as well.
Want to know more about The Quilting Marine and his incredible journey into quilting? Join us on Missouri Star LIVE, June 1st, 2021 at 11:00 am CST, as he joins us as a special guest! Until then, be sure to follow him on Instagram and Facebook and don’t forget to subscribe to his YouTube channel to keep up with his journey while learning more about the art of quilting.
Join Jenny, Natalie and Misty for a Triple Play! featuring three new design of Tumbler quilts.
In the olden days, tumbler quilts were often made with scraps gathered from friends and neighbors. A bit of paisley from Aunt Maude. A stripe or two from Granny. A pretty toile from Jane next door.
The Patchwork Tumbler from Missouri Star Quilt Co.
For this month’s Triple Play tutorial, Jenny and the girls are whipping up 3 new tumbler quilt patterns. They’re using layer cakes, charm packs, strip sets, and four patches to create tumblers like you’ve never seen!
The Cactus Pincushion from Missouri Star Quilt Co.
Did you know today is National Walnut Day? Of course you did, who could ever forget such a major holiday! We here at Missouri Star Quilt Co. are big fans of this special day because walnuts can be your new best friend when it comes to quilting and sewing! Crushed walnut shells are often used as stuffing material for pincushions because, not only do they hold their shape and make a great pincushion, the oil from the walnut shells has restorative properties that keep our needles sharp.
So grab some fabric from your stash (you won’t need much) and check out these three great and unique ideas for a pincushion – each featuring crushed walnut shells as the filling! You may surprise yourself by how creative you get with found materials from around your sewing studio!
The Mason Jar Pincushion from Missouri Star Quilt Co.
Who doesn’t love repurposing materials from around the house? Not only do you get the opportunity to flex your creative ingenuity, but you make something from scraps that would normally just be discarded. This handy upcycled pincushion not only stores your pins (and keeps them sharp thanks to our friend the walnut) but offers additional storage for bobbins, bits of thread, and whatever you can think of in the jar below!
The Happy Chicks Pincushion pattern from Missouri Star Quilt Co.
Let’s face it, you can’t help but love the classic farmhouse sewing notions from generations past. Remember the little sewing tomato? We know you do! Pay homage to yesteryear with this scrappy quilt block chicken pincushion – the perfect combination of farmhouse chic and scrappy modern piecing! With the addition of a bag of crushed walnut shells, this simple project comes together in a flash and is a great addition to your sewing table.
The Cactus Pincushion in a Missouri Star Thimble Container
We are absolutely in love with this cute cactus pincushions (and they look mighty fine planted in a Missouri Star Thimble Container too)! While this project might look slightly more advanced than the others, that couldn’t be father from the truth. Grab a little green felt and your favorite pot to plant this project in and you’ll be ready to store and sharpen your pins in no time!
Years ago – when Missouri Star was just starting out – we held monthly “Friday night sews” at our one tiny quilt shop.
10 or 12 of us gathered to chat, snack, and quilt. We took turns choosing patterns: Churn dash, log cabin, bowtie.
When it came time for Jenny to pick a block, she chose the Missouri Star, and … everyone kind of groaned. The Missouri Star was waaay too tricky! Boy, have things changed!
Jenny’s Design
Natalie’s Design
Misty’s Design
This month’s Triple Play tutorial is all about the Missouri Star. And with a few new tips and tricks, those pretty blocks come together easy as pie!
Click HERE to learn how to make 3 new layer cake quilts with our beloved Missouri Star block!
