Quilting on the Side
by lsmith | Oct 27, 2025 | Quilting Tips
My Podcast Chat with Tori & Andi I love to tell stories. It’s probably the Irish in me. So when my friend Tori asked me to join her and Andi on the Quilting on the Side podcast, I was both flattered and excited. Talking with them felt like sitting down with...
From Santa Fe to the Sewing Room
by lsmith | Aug 27, 2025 | Quilting Tips
Finding Your Artistic Voice Last week, my husband and I wandered through Santa Fe, where adobe walls glow like warm sand at sunset and creativity hangs in the air like chile peppers drying in the plaza. While we at lunch at the Plaza Cafe, I was distracted by a...
The Basic Anatomy of the Blanket Stitch
by lsmith | Aug 13, 2025 | Applique Quilting, Quilting Tips
(aka The Backbone + The Bite) Some folks call it a buttonhole stitch, but here’s how I see it:Think of the blanket stitch as a little “L” shape repeated along your edge. The backbone runs parallel to the appliqué edge. The bite reaches in toward the center of your...
🧵 Tools We Love (and Where to Find Them!)
by lsmith | Jul 25, 2025 | Quilting Tips
Let’s talk tools. After 30+ years of quilting, I’ve learned that the right tools don’t just make sewing easier—they make it way more fun. But with so many gadgets and notions out there, it’s hard to know what’s worth it and what’s just clutter. That’s why I’m thrilled...
Radiant Red: Bold, Brilliant, and Beautifully in Formation
by lsmith | Jul 24, 2025 | Color Theory, Quilting Tips
There’s something about red that calls to me. It doesn’t whisper. It shouts. It struts into the room in heels and lipstick and dares you to look away. And in quilting? Red doesn’t just sit there—it commands attention – like a Sun King. That’s exactly why I...