Nancy Zieman's Blog, page 72

Winter Wonderland Project Roundup

Stay warm inside while making these Winter Wonderland sewing, quilting, and embroidery projects. You’ll find blue and white-themed, comfortable and cozy projects in each of the linked posts below. All skill levels and project types are represented so you can jump right in!

Quilt and Embroider with a Flurry of Snowflakes!

Novice or expert, quilting is always an exciting adventure. With so many techniques and styles to choose from, it can be tricky to master precision piecing, until now. Let your embroidery machine do the work for you! By using the software in the Flurry of Snowflakes embroidery bundle, you can easily create quilt blocks and finish the design with outline quilting motifs. Nancy shows you the step-by-step process on Stress Free Quilting with Machine Embroidery on Sewing With Nancy. Find out more here.

Sew a Super-Sized Dresden

Start with an approachable lap-size quilt pattern and make a larger, bed-size quilt. The larger Dresden appliqués can be stitched in approximately the same amount of time as smaller blocks, one of the bonuses to super-sizing your quilt blocks. The beauty of this template is that a Dresden Plate block can be made as small as 12″ or as large as 40″—a total of six sizes. Read more on the Super-Sized Dresden blog post.

Foundation-Piece a Festive Reindeer Block

This fun paper-piecing project is much simpler than it looks! Sew a 16″ x 16″ (finished) block to turn into a holiday pillow cover or wall hanging. You may even choose to omit the patchwork border to create a pot holder, or make a few blocks to incorporate into a quilt. Download the pattern here, and see how easy this reindeer is to stitch.

 Sew with Faux Fur

Have you ever sewn with fake fur? A few years ago, when Nancy made a faux fur cape—for her niece to wear on her wedding day, she knew it was time to brush up on that particular sewing technique. You see, the wedding date was in winter and the location—Wisconsin. A faux fur cape would be the perfect coverup to wear between the church and the reception, providing the outside temperature remained reasonable. Nancy and her husband were married in January, and the high temperature that day was -10 degrees! Winter weddings are somewhat of a family tradition. Turns out, we all like to live a little on the edge. Grab the faux fur sewing tips here.

Illusion Quilts Made Easy: Slip Knot Quilt Pattern

There’s something magical about quilts. Perhaps it’s the creative process of selecting color combinations, arranging the blocks to create an overall pattern, or simply enjoying the satisfaction of a well completed project. Illusions Quilts allow quilters and sewists to experiment with hues of color and arrangement of blocks to trick the beholder’s eye into believing the illusion. Based on half-square triangles (HSTs), the illusion quilts are easy to sew and to enjoy. Make yours today.

Sew Green Makeovers: Mittens

Sew mittens for everyone in the family with the multi-size patterns included in Sew Green Makeovers. Mittens are easy to sew from two layers of felted wool. When the mittens are cut out and turned right side out, a little bit of steam pressing will flatten the seams and the mittens are ready to wear on either hand. Sewing With Nancy guest Mary Mulari will show you how here.

10-20-30 Minutes to Sew: Double Duty Mat

When you need flexibility in sewing, create the Double Duty Mat to use as a sewing station and pressing mat. First the sewing station: Set the machine on the largest portion of the mat, which provides a handy area of notions to be stored directly below the mat. Or, slide the mat to a flat surface and use as a pressing area, again with storage options. Outdated jeans provide the stability and pockets for this upcycled project. In part two of this Sewing With Nancy TV mini-series, 10-20-30 Minutes to Recycle Jeans and in the book by the same name, Nancy Zieman demonstrates how easy it is to create this mat.

Sew Simple with Rectangles and Squares Round Up

As you may already know, Nancy Zieman’s approach to sewing involves streamlining and simplifing the sewing process. Making projects faster and more efficient frees up valuable time, and everyone could use more time! One of Nancy’s most popular Sewing With Nancy three-part series, Sew Simple with Rectangles & Squares (Part One, Part Two, and Part Three), addresses streamlining the sewing process. Change the way you think about projects and patterns. Everything demonstrated is simply cut from fabric rectangles and squares!

 

For a chance to win a Clover’s Trace ’n Create Quilt Template—Dresden Collection by Nancy Zieman, please leave a comment below, sharing your favorite winter sewing or quilting project.

 

Be sure to join in and follow the 2018 Nancy Zieman Productions Christmas Stocking Sewing Challenge at the NZP Blog .

 

Happy Sewing,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!

Easy Quilting With Your Embroidery Machine

Do you love quilting and not love quilting at the same time? Quilting for non-quilters, that’s what this Sewing With Nancy program is all about. Denise Abel and Nancy show you how to turn your computerized embroidery machine into a quilting machine. Denise is the embroidery and quilting expert at Nancy’s Notions.

Here’s a preview of what you’ll learn on TV!

The piecing of the Simple Shadow Block was stitched on a stabilizer, assuring precise piecing without precise cutting of strips. You can piece a quilt without being a quilter! Denise and Nancy developed a book with 30 embroideries, some of the embroideries are for piecing, the others for quilting! The embroideries are found on the companion CD that is included with the Stress-Free Quilting with Machine Embroidery book. Here are the specifics—it’s quite a deal!

Four piecing quilt block designs: Simple Shadow blocks, Quilt Charm blocks, Fancy Squares blocks, and Crazy Quilting blocks.
Six quilting designs: Leaves block, Leaves border, Flower block, Flower half, Modern Star block, and Modern Star half.
Includes 10 designs in three sizes each for a total of 30 designs:

30 designs: 10 (5″ x 7″), 10 (6″ x 10″), 10 (8″ x 8″).

Includes:

Thread color sequence charts for each design.
10 embroidery formats: ART, BLF, DST, EXP, HUS, JEF, PES, SHV, VIP, VP3
Amazing Designs Edit Xpress software to re-size, re-color, preview and print Amazing Designs collections.



How to piece a quilt block in an embroidery hoop

Listed below is an overview of the technique. There’s more detail shown on the TV show and in the book. Each quilt block design is available in three sizes. Obviously, the larger the block, the larger the embroidery hoop size is needed:

8″ block requires an 8″ x 8″ or larger hoop
6″ block requires a 6″ x 10″ or larger hoop
5″ block requires a 5″ x 7″ hoop or larger

Hoop a Fusible Mesh Cut-Away Stabilizer , fusible side up. (The photos feature a 5″ block.)

Select three fabrics: a light, medium, and dark. Cut 6-1/2″ squares of the light (white) color; then cut them in half, point to point, to create 1/2-square triangles.

Set up the sewing machine with the embroidery unit and appropriate foot.
Import and select the embroidery design for the Simple Shadow Blocks. (There are four other blocks to choose from!)


Select all-purpose poly or poly/cotton thread; wind the bobbin with the same thread as used in the needle. A slightly contrasting color works best. (Now this is different! Rayon thread is usually used for embroidery but they’re piecing quilt blocks!)


Stitch the first thread color directly on the stabilizer, the outline of the quilt block plus the numbers 1–3.

Place the ½-square triangle of color #1 over the section marked #1—right side up. The fabric must extend beyond the stitching lines.

Stitch the second thread color, which bastes down fabric #1.

Align fabric strip #2 along the diagonally stitched line, right sides together. Make certain that the fabric is extending ½″ beyond the outline on the stabilizer at the upper left corner.

Stitch the third thread color.

Trim away the excess fabric along the previously stitched line.
Fold up Color #2.
Press from the folded edge and work to the opposite corner so there are no wrinkles. (Watch how to press while the hoop is still attached to the machine.  Click here to view .)


Align fabric strip #3 along the previously stitched diagonal line, right sides together. Make certain that the fabric is extending ½″ beyond the outline on the stabilizer at the upper left corner.

Stitch the next thread color, which attaches the fabric to the stabilizer

Trim away the excess fabric along the previously stitched line.

Fold up fabric #3. Press from the folded edge, and work to the opposite corner.

Then, stitch the next thread color, which attaches the fabric to the stabilizer along the outer edges.
Stitch the final thread color. This stitching gives a cutting guideline.

Trim the block. It’s the perfect size!

There are more design options to piece with your embroidery unit. The best part is that each block is perfect in size!

Watch Stress Free Quilting with Machine Embroidery Part One  on  Sewing With Nancy  online.

To watch Sewing With Nancy on your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone, download the app.

Leave us a comment sharing your most stressful step in the quilting process, and you’ll to be entered to win a copy of  Stress-Free Quilting with Machine Embroidery. A winner will be chosen randomly and announced on November 22.

 

Happy Quilting with Machine Embroidery,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!

Announcing Nancy Zieman Productions 2018 Christmas Stocking Sewing Challenge

You’re invited to participate in the Nancy Zieman Production’s 2018 Christmas Stocking Sewing Challenge. Use one of the free sewing patterns below, or any stocking pattern, and sew a Christmas stocking for yourself, a family member, or as a gift. Then, enter our Christmas Stocking Sewing Challenge. It’s easy!

From elegant to whimsical, Christmas stockings are a great way to add a pop of holiday cheer to any room. Plus, they can readily be sewn in a few hours of enjoyable sewing time.

Here are a couple of free stocking patterns:

I {Heart} Pellon Stocking from Pellon Projects

Christmas Stocking Tutorial from Amy’s Creative Side

Half-Square Patchwork Stocking Tutorial from Nancy Zieman Productions (below)

Christmas Stocking Sewing Challenge Guidelines

Select or create your design. All sewing, quilting, serging, machine embroidery, and embellishment techniques are eligible. Stocking must be made within the last year and may not have been entered into previous NZP Stocking Challenges.
Grab our Stocking Sewing Challenge blog badge and let your friends know about this exciting sewing challenge.
Share your progress and projects on your social media sites using the hashtag: #NZPStockingChallenge
Email your photo to  info@ziemanproductions.com by November 27, 2018. One entry per sewist; open to continental US residents only.

Schedule:

November 6, 2018—Stocking Challenge Kick Off.
November 27, 2018—Stocking Challenge Deadline to Enter.
November 28–December 3, 2018—A Panel of Judges Review Entries.
December 4, 2018—Winners Announced! All decisions made by judges are final.



Half-Square Patchwork Stocking Tutorial

This project uses 1/4″ seam allowances. Approximate finished size: 14-1/2″ x 20″.

Supplies, Fabrics, and Notions:

5/8 yard green fabric (stocking back and lining)
1 fat quarter pink fabric (piping)
16 assorted jewel tone Riley Blake Confetti Cottons, or assorted fabrics, measuring 3-7/8″ x 3-7/8″ This is a perfect stash-buster project or ideal for a package of charm squares .

18″ x 22″ Pellon Fleece
505 Spray Adhesive
  No-Hassle Triangles Gauge
1 pkg 3/16″ or 3/8″ Wrap’n Fuse Piping
Nancy Zieman Downloadable Stocking Template
Optional: Rotary Cutter Pinking Blade

Printing:

Download the Nancy Zieman Stocking Template
Print the stocking template. It’s a large image so opt to “tile large pages” if applicable. The template will print on six pages. After assembled and cut out—stocking shape will measure approximately 15″ x 20-1/2″.
Use the grid within the stocking shape as a guide when taping pages together.



Create the Patchwork

Easily make half-square triangle blocks for your stocking using the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge. There’s no hassle and no need to cut a single triangle! The measurements are printed on the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge designed by Nancy Zieman for Clover.

Reference the left side of the  No-Hassle Triangles Gauge  to select a half-square block size.

 

Layer two 3-7/8″ squares, matching right sides.





Slide the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge to the 3-1/2″ half-square position. Place gauge onto squares and double-check the block size. If the block set is larger or smaller than the confines of the gauge, recut the blocks.
Mark a center diagonal line on the fabric through the No-Hassle Triangles Gauge die cut openings.






Stitch a scant 1/4″ from each side of the center marking.





Cut along the center diagonal line.





Press seam allowances open.





Presto, accurate half-square triangles!

Just click and watch No-Hassle Triangle Quilts online! 

Create the Patchwork

Audition and arrange 31 half-square triangles in a backwards “L” shape patchwork pattern—as shown below.
The stocking patchwork is seven blocks tall.
The stocking top is four blocks wide.
The lower three rows are five blocks wide.

 

 

     Snap a picture of the arrangement to use as a reference.

Join blocks in pairs.
Press seam allowances in one direction.

 

Join pairs to form rows.




Press seam allowances in one direction, making sure to press even rows to the right and odd numbered rows to the left.




Arrange rows.
Lock opposing vertical seam allowances and join rows.



Press seam allowances in one direction.



Spray the patchwork stocking’s wrong side with spray adhesive .
Layer onto the 18″ x 22″ Pellon Fleece.


Quilt the patchwork and batting layers using a Walking Foot. We opted to stitch-in-the-ditch along seamlines, using a Walking Foot.

Create the Stocking

Lay the taped template on the quilted stocking front.
Cut out the stocking shape with a scissors or use a rotary cutter.




Fold the green lining fabric in thirds to create three layers.
Lay the stocking template on the lining fabric and cut three: One stocking back and two lining pieces.

Lay the template on the Pellon Fleece and cut one layer.





Apply spray adhesive to the Pellon Fleece wrong side.
Adhere to the stocking back fabric.




From pink fabric, cut three, 1-1/2″ bias strips.

Join the short ends of bias strips, off-setting the angle by 1/4″.


     Wondering about the red, laser line? It’s a special feature on The Baby Lock’s Destiny II machine. Line up the laser beam with the “V” of the 1/4″ off-set seam allowance for the most accurate stitching!

Wrap the fabric strip around the Wrap’n Fuse Piping and press.





Use a Piping Foot or Zipper Foot to apply the piping to the right side of the patchwork stocking edges.
No need to apply piping at stocking top edge.




Create the Hanging Loop

Cut a fabric rectangle measuring 2-1/2″ x 6-1/2″




Fold the rectangle in half lengthwise. Finger press folded edge.
 Open the rectangle. Meet long edges at fold.



Fold in both top and bottom edges. Press.




Fold in half lengthwise again. Press.
Edgestitch along each side.



Fold the loop in half and pin the cut edges to the top of the right side of the stocking lining.




Baste.




Create the Stocking

Place stocking front and lining, right sides together. Pin along top edge.




Place stocking back and lining, right sides together. Pin along top edge.

Use a 1/4″ seam allowance to stitch along top edge of front and back stocking.
Press seams open.

 Pieces should look like this from the wrong side:






With both stocking back and front open and flat, meet right sides together and pin.

     When joining the stocking, leave a 4″ unstitched opening along the lining straight edge. As a reminder to stop stitching at this area, place a pin parallel to the cut edge, rather than perpendicular.

Stitch around the stocking using a 1/4″ seam allowance.
Backstitch at the start and finish, leaving 4″ unsewn along the lining’s straight edge.
Press the seam allowance at the opening.
Use a rotary cutter pinking blade to trim excess fabric from the seam allowance at the curved edges.



Turn the stocking right side out through the opening.

Hand stitch the opening closed.




Tuck the lining into the stocking fabric. Press.




Our stocking is complete! We look forward to seeing your stockings in the Nancy Zieman Productions 2018 Christmas Stocking Sewing Challenge!





How to Enter

Enter the Stocking Sewing Challenge by emailing a photo to info@ziemanproductions.com It’s easy!

Schedule:

November 6, 2018—Stocking Challenge Opens
November 27, 2018—Stocking Challenge Deadline to Enter
November 28–December 3, 2018—A Panel of Judges Review Entries
December 4, 2018—Winners Announced! All decisions made by judges are final.


 $1,000 in prizes! Thank you to our generous sponsors!

 

June Tailor Shape Cut Ruler, Cut’n Press, T-Shirt Transformation, T-Shirt Project Fusible Interfacing, Holiday Stocking, Morning Blend Table Runner, Casablanca Placemat, Uplifting Mug Mat, Sophisticated Strips a $213 value







Clover-USA, Mini Wonder Clips, Bordeaux Ultimate Scissors 130 with Nancy Zieman, Hold It Precision Stiletto, Wedge Iron, 6 -in- 1 Stick n’ Stitch Guide, I Sew For Fun Retractable Seam Ripper a $151 value

Riley Blake Fabrics/Penny Rose One Quilted bag featuring Nancy Zeiman’s first collection Farmhouse Floral, One Fat Quarter Assortment of Afternoon Picnic, One Mini Ruler Pal, Two different Riley Blake Designs enamel pins a $125 value

 

Pellon prize bundle a $106 value

C&T Publishing, $100 code toward the purchase of any product on the C&T Publishing website ctpub.com a $100 value





Nancy Zieman Productions, Farmhouse Floral Fat Quarter Pack, 3 Quilt Patterns and  Pinwheel Project Sheet by Nancy Zieman Productions. A $100 value






Mary’s Productions and Mary Mulari a collection of gift ideas for stuffing Christmas stockings a $70 value







Martingale Five Random Winners: Merry Makers Book compiled by Lissa Alexander a $26.99 value

 

For a chance to win a  No-Hassle Triangles Gauge from Clover please leave a comment below and let us know if you’ll be stitching a stocking for the 2018 Christmas Stocking Sewing Challenge.

 

The randomly selected winner of a copy of Every Last Piece by Lynn Harris from F+W Media, is Joan Kniffen.

Her comment is: I really like all of them, however, I think the stars would be great because then I could do some machine quilting on the open spaces.

Happy  Sewing and Quilting,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!

13th Annual National Tie One On Day

 

 

 

Give from the heart on Wednesday November 21—then give thanks on Thursday. This Thanksgiving Eve, Tie One On (an apron of course!) and bring joy to the life of someone in need.

Participation is easy and uplifting. Simply wrap a loaf of bread or baked goods in an apron and tuck an encouraging note or prayer into the pocket; then present your offering to a neighbor, friend, or person in your community who could benefit from your gesture of kindness. Tie One On—and put the “give” back into Thanksgiving. There’s also a Tie One On Day card that you can print from the website and include with your gift.

EllynAnne Geisel is the founder of Tie One On Day and has this to say about this unique approach to Thanksgiving. “Women clad in aprons have traditionally prepared the Thanksgiving meal, and it is within our historical linkage to share our bounty.”  

 

 

Sew

You may have an apron to give away or might think of sewing a brand new version. Make coordinating aprons from fabric squares. The instructions are detailed in Nancy’s book, I Sew For Fun—which includes twenty projects designed by Nancy—for you to sew with your little partner.

 

Bake
Nancy Zieman’s A–Z Quick Bread Recipe

Blend together

3 eggs
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Add

1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour (or use 3 cups of all-purpose flour instead of 2)

Add 2 cups of “A–Z”

Such as:

2 cups unsweetened applesauce
2 cups bananas, mashed
2 cups carrots, shredded
2 cups zucchini, shredded

“N” for nuts is optional

Note: For moist bread, use 1 cup of applesauce and 1 cup of another fruit or veggie.

Pour into two loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 50–55 minutes.

Give

Wrap a loaf of bread in an apron and tuck in an encouraging note; then present your offering to someone in your community who could benefit from your gesture of kindness. Tie One On—and put the “give” back into Thanksgiving.

Enter Giveaways at the Tie One On Day website

Encourage involvement and spread the word about Tie One On Day. Please leave a comment over at the Tie One On Day website to be included in the giveaways. 

The randomly selected winner of a copy of The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew, from Nancy’s Notions, is Shirley C.

Her comment is: What a clever way to put on a waistband! I have wrestled with waistbands in the past and this looks so much better. I am really interested in other tricks of the trade and look forward to reading Nancy’s story.

The Best of Sewing With Nancy Marathon airs this weekend on Create TV! On November 3rd, The Best of Sewing With Nancy episodes will air from 6am–12pm and 6pm–12am ET, and Sunday, November 4th, noon–6pm ET. Set your DVR and Tune in Create TV this weekend for six hours of Sewing With Nancy! Learn more at https://createtv.com/Schedule

Happy Sewing and Baking,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!

Ultimate Serger Techniques Workshop

Do you find yourself wishing you had time to take a serger sewing class, yet never finding the time? Solution: Take a serger technique workshop at home. Watch Sewing With Nancy online!  It’s a 2-part workshop with Nancy’s guest, Pam Mahshie,  Baby Lock’s National Sewing Ambassador.

Here’s a preview of the second episode.

Quilt Binding using a 4-thread overlock stitch

With just a few changes, the basic overlock stitch can be modified to stitch binding on a quilted project. Learn how fusible thread streamlines the sewing process, producing professional results.

Gathering with a Cover Stitch

If you’ve gathered fabric before, you’ve probably stitched a row or two of basting stitches and then pulled the threads to gather the fabric. Gathering on a serger with a cover stitch can be automatic—stitch and gather at the same time. Curious? Learn now by watching online!

Creating Pintucks

Create texture with pintucks, again using the cover stitch setting. Light to medium weight fabric can easily take on dimension once you know how to set up your serger.

Embellishing with Decorative Threads

Decorative threads and your serger are a prime choice for embellishing. The amazing part of this technique is that the stitching is done from the wrong side of the fabric—the pretty part only shows once the stitching is complete.

 

A Serger Workbook with 33 Serger Techniques!

Several seasons ago, Pam and Nancy presented a three-part Sewing With Nancy series simply called the Serger Workshop. The Ultimate Serger Techniques Workbook spiral bound book combines the information from this series. Learn 33 techniques using 10 different serger stitches! Now is your chance to win this workbook by leaving a comment telling us a serger technique you’d like to try. One winner will be selected randomly and announced on November 8.

Watch Ultimate Serger Techniques  on Sewing With Nancy online.

 

To watch Sewing With Nancy on your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone, download the app.

 

Happy Serging,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!

Scrappy Quilts Using “Every Last Piece”

Whether you have bins of fabric scraps or just a few odds and ends that you can’t part with, Lynn Harris, Nancy’s guest on this episode of Sewing With Nancy, will share refreshing ways to incorporate scraps in quilt designs. Learn to use fabric pieces of every size, from tiny scraps to larger pieces, during the featured program, Every Last Piece.

Every Last Piece episode is online. Pick up the book and the Every Last Piece Starter Kit at Nancy’s Notions, including:

Every Last Piece book/DVD 
Template Plastic, two 8–1/2″ x 11″ sheets
Glass Head Pins, 100 count
Klasse Universal Needles, five needles
Klasse Quilting Needles, five needles

Window Garden Quilt

In our featured Sewing With Nancy TV show, Every Last Piece, Lynn shares her “string piecing” methods for creating beautiful scrappy quilts. If your scrap bin is like Lynn’s, it’s overflowing with scraps of all sizes and shapes. The square blocks in Lynn’s Window Garden quilt are made with “strings” of fabric. The secondary pattern is created with the addition of Hourglass blocks. This is a great way to make a bigger quilt from fewer string-pieced blocks.

String Quilting Basics

Lynn will demonstrate the basic techniques of how to create string-based designs on this episode. Start by choosing larger scrap pieces that extend past your desired block size. Vary the angle of the seams for added interest. See how easy it is—on this episode of Sewing With Nancy.

Wind Farm Block

Trim the string blocks to fit Lynn’s Wind Farm Block template included within the book and cut the wedge template shape from coordinating fabrics. The effect is a spinning pinwheel design with a unique scrappy touch. (Focus your eyes on the blue areas and the spinning Wind Farm Wheels pop!)

String Quilting Shapes

Now it’s time to take strip piecing to the next level. Instead of creating square blocks, stitch leftover pieces to a specific shape. Lynn’s quilt, Rose Lattice, creates great visual movement by cutting the blocks on point. It’s a relatively simple way of creating a free-form block that really makes a statement. See the quilt on this episode of Sewing With Nancy.

Paris on a Shoestring Quilt

Large pieces of a Paris map fabric inspired the name of this quilt, Paris on a Shoestring. Lynn played around with string triangles that she made ahead, and then laid out the blocks in a star design. What a great way of combining pieces with yardage!

Solar Flare Quilt

No matter what size or shape, use those treasured scraps to fit any template shape. Solar Flare, Lynn’s next string quilt, combines triangles of scraps and other triangles of solid fabric. A layout suggested by her son, has both drama and style.

Beach Balls Quilt

Lynn’s Beach Balls quilt is an exercise in a controlled use of color. The design features monochromatic string-pieced squares in the background and brightly colored beach balls made of wedges. The best part—the design was totally created from her scrap bin. Watch how Lynn demonstrates working with this traditional Drunkard’s Path design on Sewing With Nancy on Every Last Piece.

Making Stars from Fabric Scraps

When your scrap box is dwindling down, it’s time to make stars! Lynn worked on making stars for several months until she had accumulated several hundred! Yes, several hundred patches. Then, she laid them out into 9-patch units. Work in small batches, and soon, you too will have enough stars to make a small or even a bed-sized quilt named Stardust.

Watch  Every Last Piece  on Sewing With Nancy  online. 

For a chance to win a copy of Every Last Piece by Lynn Harris from F+W Media, please leave a comment sharing which quilt (above)  you would like to make.

 

The winner of a copy of Magic Inch Quilts from Modern Quilts Studio is Pamela A McPherson.

 

Her comment is: I don’t throw any scraps away and reuse them on a variety of sewing designs/projects. The smallest is 1/2″ x 1/4″ – they can be used as ‘tools’ for any sewing project, ie, reinforcing elastic used in waistbands. The latter use was a tip I learned on Sewing with Nancy!

Happy Quilting,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!

Elastic – Sew it the Absolute Easiest Way!

Okay, the above picture doesn’t look like much. That’s the point! It’s the easiest way to sew elastic to a waistline without the telltale topstitching of an elastic waistline.

Over the years, Nancy tweaked and personalized sewing techniques.  Her favorites are collated in the book, The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew. She shares a bonus technique for the letter “E” for inserting Elastic in a waistline. We believe you’ll find this technique to be the absolute easiest way to sew elastic to a waistline.

Prepare the elastic.

Cut the elastic 2″–4″ smaller than your waistline measurement, depending on what you feel is comfortable. (If your waist is quite a bit smaller than your hips, pin the elastic together without trimming off the excess.)
Try on the elastic, pulling it up over your hips. If the elastic is too tight to slide comfortably over your hips, readjust the elastic before sewing it together.
Zigzag the elastic ends to woven fabric without overlapping the ends. (This tip eliminates the bulk that occurs when elastic is connected by overlapping its ends. Zigzag several times.




Trim away the excess woven fabric.
Quarter mark the elastic. Fold it in half and then in half again, placing a pin at each quarter.
Also quarter mark the waistline.

Attach the elastic.

Pin the elastic to the garment at each quarter point, meeting the elastic to the wrong side of the garment. 


Serge or zigzag the elastic to the cut edge of the waistband, stretching the elastic to fit. (This is what real sewing looks like, sometimes it’s not perfect.)

 

Fold under the elastic for a casing. Check to be sure the fabric is securely wrapped around the elastic.

Stitch through the elastic and garment at each seam. This holds the casing and elastic in position. Don’t stitch the elastic to the waistline along the lower edge. This is enough stitching! Time for tea…

When wearing the skirt or pants, that telltale elastic stitching is gone. The sewing is about as easy as it gets! How about that?

All of Nancy’s favorite sewing tips are in one book.


The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew chapters include:


Sewing Notions
Sewing Machine Confidence
Serger Spotlight
Patterns
Fabric Facts
Sewing Basics
Beyond the Basics



Watch  The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew (Part One)  on Sewing With Nancy  online.

To watch Sewing With Nancy on your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone, download the app.

For a chance to win a copy of The Absolute Easiest Way to Sew, from Nancy’s Notions, tell us if you have ever used this easy elastic sewing tip. The winner will be randomly selected and announced on this blog.

The randomly selected winner of a set of eight Landscape Quilt Note Cards by Nancy Zieman, is Irene Hynes.

Her comment is: I love all of the art that Nancy has done. My favorite from this group is “Out on a Limb.” It reminds me of the apple trees in bloom in springtime at our country place. The blossoms remind me that life continues, and make me very happy. I have always admired Nancy’s ideas and projects, and the way she taught us. I am so glad the journey continues with Nancy Zieman Productions.

The two randomly selected winner of win a copy of Nancy Zieman the Rest of the Story–A Memoir of Faith, Family and Friends by Richard Zieman, from the October 15 Book Blog Tour are: Carolyn Prentice and Deb Regner.

Their comments are:

Carolyn Prentice—Nancy was my friend to sew with, I love to watch her shows and feel I have a friend with me. I worked a lot as a nurse and sometimes my time off did not match my friends so Nancy was my sewing Friend. I learned so much from her and what others were doing for their community. She truly taught so many of us. Thank you so much for spreading her story. Very Sincerely. Carolyn
Deb Regner—I just commented last night to my husband that I miss Nancy. I was reading a different author’s sewing book that didn’t have very clear explanations and the photos were hard to decipher. Nancy always made everything so clear and easy to follow. “Bye for now,” Nancy!

 

Happy Sewing,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!

Ultimate Beginning Serger Techniques

Do you use your serger sewing machine to its fullest? Are you using it for more than just clean finishing edges? To ensure you are getting the full value from your purchase, Nancy invited serging specialist, Pam Mahshie, National Baby Lock Ambassador, to be her guest on Sewing With Nancy. Pam is a magician with the serger! Simply watch online at  Sewing With Nancy.

Here’s a preview of what you’ll see during the first episode of Ultimate Serger Techniques:

Beginning and Ending Seams

You can’t go in reverse on your serger to lock the stitches, but you can stitch over the thread tails. Learn Pam’s clever ways to lock the thread tails at both the beginning and end of the seams.

Serge a Curve

Sometimes it is difficult to serge around curved edges without getting loopy threads hanging off the edge. This technique will give you smooth results every time.

Piecing Options

Piecing a quilt top with your serger might have never crossed your mind. Yet, for simple quilt designs, the serger is a fast and accurate way to make a quilt top. Seam traditionally or . . . with decorative threads and the seams exposed. Either way, your serger can be a go-to quilting machine.

Piping

Home décor, wearable art, or kids’ clothes—those are all categories where piping accents add interest and texture. With a serger, piping is easier than ever to include in a seam or along the outer edge of your next project.

Adding a Blanket Stitch

A blanket stitch is an ideal way to finish the edges of fleece. Why?—The stitches will always be even and the process extra easy. Learn how to add a blanket stitch with a 3-thread flatlock setting.

Watch  Ultimate Serger Techniques  on Sewing With Nancy  online.

To watch Sewing With Nancy on your iPad, iPod Touch, or iPhone, download the app.

A Serger Workbook with 33 Serger Techniques!

Several seasons ago, Pam and Nancy presented a three-part Sewing With Nancy series simply called the Serger Workshop. The Ultimate Serger Techniques Workbook and DVD is a spiral bound book with DVD that combines the information from this series. Learn 33 techniques using 10 different serger stitches! Now is your chance to win this workbook and DVD from Nancy’s Notions by leaving a comment telling us a serger technique you’d like to try. One winner will be selected randomly.

The randomly selected winner of Eileen Roche’s book, Machine Embroidery in 6 Easy Lessons from Designs in Machine Embroidery is Gail K.

Her comment is: Proper hooping: selecting the best stabilizer for the fabric & design and then trying to get it lined up & hooped without blood, sweat, and tears. Funny, but oh so very true!

 

Have Fun Serging,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!

Create More “Magic Inch” Quilts

Join Nancy Zieman for part-two of Magic Inch Quilts on Sewing With Nancy with modern quilters and husband/wife team Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. Often we think about quilting with squares and rectangles of fabric. In these new modern quilting designs, the piecing technique and the color choices are equally as important as Weeks’ and Bill’s improvisational 1-inch strips of color!

“We enjoy working with color, but also incorporating 1” pieces into quilt designs. The piecing technique and the color choices are equally important.”

 Whiskers Quilt

Bill shows how this Whiskers quilt features a square block that is updated by adding three Magic Inch strips. Using solids for the blocks and a yarn-dyed stripe for the strips, this quilt can be customized for a baby, a teen, or even a quilt for grandpa. Use a basket weave layout for the blocks to add additional interest and repeat the stripe fabric in the binding. 

Pickup Sticks Quilt

Pickup Sticks is the original Magic Inch Quilt that Bill and Weeks designed in 2000. Inspired by the children’s game, these colorful sticks appear to be lying on top of one another as a result of this unique piecing process. For each block you’ll decide how many cuts and where to make them for your one-of-a-kind improvisational masterpiece. Watch online as this quilt is created.

Local Hero Quilt

First-responders are among the local heroes in every town. Weeks and Bill made this quilt for their local firehouse where the firefighters and emergency medical technicians rest when not on call. This improvisational technique creates a patriotic block that can be made by adventurous beginners and veteran quilters alike.

See how we create these quilts with sewing demonstrations on Sewing With Nancy. Watch it online, today. Find your copy of Magic Inch Quilts at Nancy’s Notions.

 

Watch Magic Inch Quilts Part One and Part Two on Sewing With Nancy  online.

 For a chance to win a copy of Magic Inch Quilts from Modern Quilts Studio, leave a comment sharing your answer to: What is smallest fabric scrap you save?

Happy Quilting,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!

 

New! Nancy Zieman Original Giclée Canvas Landscape Art Prints

Now Available! Original Framed Giclée Canvas Print Reproduction of Artwork by Nancy Zieman,
using only the highest quality Giclée printing techniques.

Now you can have your very own Landscape Quilt Art Print by Nancy Zieman—enjoy in your home or give as a gift.

Peak Color – 21″ x 31″ $229

Moon Lit Birches – 31″ x 24″ $239

Out on a Limb – 25″ x 30″ $239

Front Porch – 31″ x 27″ $249

 

To purchase your Landscape Quilt Canvas Print Reproduction of Landscape Quilt Artwork by Nancy Zieman, please mail the completed order form and check or money order to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC.

Print the Order Form—and Order Today!

You will receive a certificate of authenticity with each purchase of Original Giclée Canvas Print Reproduction of Artwork by Nancy Zieman.

Each print is made expressly for you. Please allow up to six weeks for delivery.

For a chance to win a set of eight Landscape Quilt Note Cards by Nancy Zieman, please leave a comment below and tell us which Original Giclée Canvas Print Reproduction of Artwork by Nancy Zieman is your favorite.

The randomly selected winner of a Clover’s Trace ‘n Create Quilt Template—Dresden Collection by Nancy Zieman is Karen Tucker.

Her comment is: I love Dresden Plate designs. Some day, I will get to make several small wall hangings from my late son’s ties! His children will appreciate the memory of their father who died entirely too young in a major tragedy.

Please join us, today, for the final day of The Nancy Zieman—The Rest of the Story Book Blog Tour with a few of Nancy’s friends. View the Schedule of Blog Postings, read book reviews and insights from featured bloggers, and sign up for book giveaways!

Happy Sewing,

Team Nancy Zieman

Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.

Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.

The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here . Join us on Facebook , plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!