Pat Sloan's Blog

Pat Sloan: 2014 May Aurifil Designer of the Month

The Aurifil Designer for May is Amy Smart. I really enjoy Amy's style, and loved getting to know her better when I interviewed her for Aurifil! Here is my version of Amy's block. Her block is an updated version of the first block her mom taught her to make.. you can read all about it in my interview with Amy HERE. I have a few tips to give you on how I made my version Each month I get out the prior blocks to see what fabric I used. It's always so fun to look at all the blocks together... Read more →

Pat Sloan: Fabric Combos

Playing with fabric is my favorite part of quilt making. Working with new color combos and trying them out. Before I try them out by cutting them up, I will create fabric stacks to see how they look together. my current stacks are gray and green.. not just ANY green and not just ANY gray... but thse 2 combos. I want to start doing some color studies with them to sew how the fabrics look together. I want to see what i can add in as a little spark of color. Maybe a light blue, or a raspberry pink. (those... Read more →

Pat Sloan: Today is a Favorite Encore Radio show!

I'm working out of town today and I am running a favorite encore show. Today is a perfect day to catch up on past shows. Get them downloaded to your player and listen when you can. Did you know...... I have a lot of recorded shows before I worked with American Patchwork & Quilting magazine? CLICK HERE to listen or download those shows And it might be eaiser if you are looking for shows you missed, to download them from my station. CLICK HERE for ALL my shows with the magazine. The first time I saw one of Sandra Leichner's... Read more →

Pat Sloan: How Making a Sampler Quilt helps you understand your fabric choices

When I'm out teaching and when I'm with you in my internet groups.... some of you tell me you find selecting fabric hard to do. You agonize over it. Often second and third and fourth guessing your fabric choices. And some of you have told me it's not your favorite part. (so sad!) And a group of you seem to get a bit stuck in a colorway. You love those fabrics.. and it works for you, but when you want to break out and do something different you get stuck on how to do that. I come from the other... Read more →

Pat Sloan: Quilt Backs

I was photographing my quilts to send off to my publisher for my next book and I took pictures of my quilt backs. Then I got to thinking... I have been piecing backs since my 'official' first quilt.... although on my First First quilt I didn't (CLICK HERE to read about that quilt... it's kind of funny!) When I first started quilting there was a book published that had ONLY Quilt backs, I loved that idea! I am not a rules follower.. so in the beginning I pieced many quilt backs from random fabric that didn't even go with the... Read more →