NC Stitches Blog

Understanding Sewing Machine Needle Sizes and Thread Weights

By NC Stitches Wednesday, April 30, 2025

It happens to all of us. You need to find a sewing machine needle for your latest project. Selecting the correct sewing machine needle and matching thread weight is confusing for both beginners and experienced crafters.To make matters worse, the naming conventions used for ...

April is Autism Awareness month

By NC Stitches Monday, April 7, 2025

In observance of Autism Awareness Month, I created an Autism Awareness quilt pattern. My original quilt was created as a puzzle quilt. When a friend saw my new quilt, she stated, “What a beautiful autism quilt.” Since Autism has affected many of my f...

How to Clean an Iron

By NC Stitches Monday, March 24, 2025

Making landscape quilts is one of my favorite pastimes but this hobby has a few annoyances. If a hot iron touches the fusible side of the interfacing, it can create a brown sticky residue on your iron plate. For years, I struggled to keep my iron clean. Although a tub...

Cary Quilting HANDMADE MARKET

By NC Stitches Monday, March 3, 2025

NC Stitches has been invited to participate in the Cary Quilting HANDMADE MARKET on April 12, 2025..10am - 4pm ( 935 North Harrison Avenue, Cary, NC 27513) We will have over 70 quilted items for sale. Stop by and browse our handmade quilts, wall hangings, b...

Bobbin Storage Solutions for your Sewing Room

By NC Stitches Thursday, February 27, 2025

Everyone who sews knows how easy it is to turn an organized sewing room into a disorganized mess. You know there is a matching bobbin for your spool of thread, but you can’t find it when you need it.Some options are more successful than others. Below are some of my top solu...

How To Topstitch a Landscape Quilt

By NC Stitches Monday, December 2, 2024

Olfa Cutting Products

By NC Stitches Friday, November 15, 2024

I recently watched a video produced by Olfa about their rotary cutter and cutting mats. Over the years, when my rotary cutters started skipping threads, I assumed it was due to a dull cutting blade. I would buy a new blade but still had the same problem...some of the ...

Stained-Glass Window Quilt Pattern

By NC Stitches Monday, October 21, 2024

When teaching a quilting class, an example of the quilt is displayed so prospective students can see the finished product. My Stained-Glass Window quilt has been exhibited over the past several months, and many shoppers have requested a pattern. Since this quilt was a...

Creating Borders That Don't Wave

By NC Stitches Thursday, September 12, 2024

It's not unusual for the four edges of an unfinished quilt top to all be slightly different lengths because the edges of quilts are often stretched out of shape a little during construction. These instructions for measuring and sewing straight borders to a quilt can be u...

Zipper Pocket Bag

By NC Stitches Friday, September 6, 2024

Adding a zippered pocket to any bag keeps your items organized but the process can be intimidating. However, it is easier than you think.Creating a zippered pocket is a three-step process: Construct the Pocket, Install the Zipper, and Attaching the Pocket to the Tote Bag.Sup...