Posted on 1 Comment

SEW MAGICAL Trunk Show

I am super excited to share my newest book, SEW MAGICAL. This paper piece book is FANTASTICAL!

SEW MAGICAL

The 16 mystical blocks in this book are amazing. I can’t wait to see what you will do with them. Here are some of the things I came up with, and all of the directions for sewing these projects are included in the book.

Lap Quilt

This adorable lap quilt is so versatile. You can add any of the blocks from the book to create your own masterpiece quilt.

Backpack

This super sweet Backpack would make the nicest gift for someone you love.

Baby Quilt

This quilt could be for a baby, or perhaps just someone who loves mermaids!

Unicorn Pillow

There are 2 pillow patterns in the book, so any of the blocks can be incorporated into a pillow.

Gnome Pillow

Plus these 5 blocks…

Gryphon
Fairy
Hydra
Pegasus
Knight

This book is jam packed with fun for all you paper piecers! If you live anywhere near APPLETON, WISCONSIN, please join me on Friday, June 26 for my official SEND OFF for SEW MAGICAL. This Trunk Show is being held at FOX VALLEY QUILT COMPANY, and I will be there to meet you and sign books from 10 am -1 pm. The address is: 1400 W College Ave, Appleton, WI 54914.

There will also be a Quilt Show with 20 of my newest projects. Hope to see you on Friday!

Posted on 5 Comments

QUICK & EASY QUILTS

After months of staying home, I am ready for something fresh and new, and I’ll bet you are too! Fons & Porter has started a brand spanking new publication, QUICK & EASY QUILTS, and this fun, fresh, and new publication is bound to put a spring in your step.

The premiere issue is coming in August/September. Inside you’ll find 12 fresh projects that are not only Accessible to Beginners but Appealing to All Quilters and guess who has a project inside…

  • All of the Star-Studded Designers in this issue include:
  • Victoria Findlay Wolfe @VictoriaFindlayWolfe
  • Charisma Horton @CharismaHorton
  • Kimberly Jolly @itssewemma and @fatquartershop
  • Abigail Dolinger @aby.quilts
  • Geraldine Wilkins @LivingWaterQuilter
  • Jen Daly @JenDalyQuilts
  • Mary Hertel @MadebyMarney (me!)
  • Scott Flanagan @ScottAlanFlanagan
  • Nancy Mahoney @NancyMahoney
  • Reed Johnson @BlueBearQuilts
  • Ramona Sorensen
  • Gina Reddin @GinaReddin
POCKET PILLOWCASES

My Puppy and Kitty Pocket Pillowcase patterns are featured in the issue. This pint-sized pillowcase has a paper pieced pocket that can hold a special surprise for your little one.

A 12″ x 16″ travel pillow fits perfectly in this mini pillowcase. The pocket can hold a toy or book, to entertain your child when you are traveling.

The pockets are paper pieced, and so easy. Make both pillows in no time!

I am so excited to share the news about this new publication. Order your copy HERE and see 11 more stunning projects.

Posted on 7 Comments

Snoozing…not really!

While I have been relaxing at the cabin, sipping Bailey’s and coffee, and enjoying the serenity, my friends and customers have been hard at work paper piecing!

I am super impressed with Anita’s fabulous adaptation of my HAY GIRL horse quilt pattern! Wow. Blue and brown has always been my favorite color combination. Didn’t she do an awesome job?

Christine made this charming birthday pillow using just one of the horse blocks. I love how she choose neutral colors, which will match anyone’s decor. This pony is one of my all time favorite horse patterns. I even have it on my computer screen saver!

Besides the 12 ponies in the HAY GIRL pattern, here are some of my other iconic horse patterns…

ROCKING HORSE BLOCK

I designed this ROCKING HORSE BLOCK for a baby quilt.

PONY

This sweet PONY was designed for my first book, CUTE AND CLEVER TOTES. I’ve always loved her hairdo. She has inspired many of my other horse patterns.

If you have created anything with any of my horse patterns, I would love to see a photo! Send pictures to: maryannhertel@gmail.com

Linking this week with:

Posted on 5 Comments

Paper Pieced Garden Gnome

I am obsessed with paper pieced gnomes. They are so stinkin’ cute!

This is my newest Gnome pattern: GNOME WITH A BIRD. I call him my “garden gnome”, so he would make a great Spring or Summer project. But he could also be holding a red cardinal for a winter project.

GNOME WITH MUSHROOMS is another cute block. I used this block in a small sofa pillow. His nose could be a button, or made from fabric. I used a small wooden plug (like a carpenter would use) hot glued to the finished block.

This Gnome is in my newest book SEW MAGICAL. It can be pre-ordered from AMAZON, and is expected in June.

This is going to be my cutest book ever! You can see the Gnome Pillow on the cover. He is 1 of 16 magical blocks included in the book.

His nose is made from a stuffed yo-yo. I’m using my Gnome pillow on my bedroom sofa.

GNOME, SWEET, GNOME!

Linking this week with:

Posted on 3 Comments

Under the Sea Paper Pieced Patterns

I designed my newest pattern with my Florida friends in mind. After spending a week with my sister in February in the Villages, Florida, and admiring all of her lovely sea turtle sculptures, I designed a paper pieced version. After adding a few more ideas, I designed this sea lovers dream.

The UNDER THE SEA pattern offers 12 paper pieced blocks with a nautical theme. Customers were requesting sea shell patterns, so of course I went all in and added fish, turtles, and even a lobster.

These are some of my faves!

LOBSTER
CONCH
LIGHT BULB FISH
JELLYFISH
SEA SHELL
CLOWN FISH
SEA TURTLE

Thanks for joining me today and allowing me to share how I am spending my time indoors.

Linking this week with:

Posted on 3 Comments

New Patterns for Spring

Congratulations to Karen Miller, the winner of the Piggy Pillow pattern. Thanks for all of your sweet comments.

Here are some of the new blocks that I worked on this week. All of these images were requested by my lovely customers.

ANT BLOCK

This ANT BLOCK was so much fun to make, I plan to make more insects. I already have butterflies and spiders. Any other suggestions?

FROGGIE

The FROGGIE BLOCK is an adaptation of a frog from my FAIRY PRINCESS QUILT pattern.

FAIRY PRINCESS QUILT

And for baseball lovers, these fun BASEBALL POTHOLDERS will be perfect! Use your team’s colors to make these potholders work for your favorite baseball team.

Thanks so much for stopping by to “visit” today!

Posted on 64 Comments

Pig Day and Pig-Give-Away

After reading Kathy’s Quilts cute post on “National Pig Day” on March 1(who ever knew?), I realized there must be many more people who have a pig obsession besides me!

Her pig pattern came from Kelli at Seriously I Think It Needs Stitches, where Kelli shares this Pig Block tutorial. This has motivated me to also have a PIG-GIVE-AWAY.

After reading Kathy’s blog about Pig Day, I started thinking about how many times I have created pig related patterns…

FARMYARD STARS

“PIG-CASSO”is one of 12 farm animals named after celebrities in the FARMYARD STARS pattern.

PIG-ABUNGA

After designing the PIG-ABUNGA wall hanging, I had so many requests for that cute pig that it motivated me to create the PIGGY PILLOW.

PIGGY PILLOW

I also have a pig in my newest book SEW CUTE AND CLEVER FARM AND FOREST ANIMALS.

See how much I love my PIGS!
Yup, I do love my farm animals!

In honor of National Pig Day, I am giving away 1 free download of my PIGGY PILLOW pattern. All you have to do for a chance to win this download is leave a comment below. The give-away will end next week on Wednesday, March 11.

Linking this week with:

Posted on 7 Comments

A “Trunk Full” of Love For You!

I’m sharing some of my favorite patterns that have HEARTS for Valentine’s Day! Enjoy…

ENOUGH ELEPHANTS PILLOW

The ENOUGH ELEPHANTS pillow and lap quilt are both included in my pattern. These quirky elephants are so easy to paper piece.

LOAD OF LOVE

This adorable LOAD OF LOVE dump truck would make a super cute pillow for your truck lovers! Those are buttons on the wheels for easy hubcaps. You know I like to keep things easy.

SCALLOPED HEAR PILLOW
SCALLOPED HEART PILLOW

I love my SCALLOPED HEART PILLOW! Designing all the scallops took some time, and I would recommend this project for an intermediate paper piecer. My fond customer Marilyn created this adorable project that I just have to share…

Love you Marilyn!

Thanks so much for visiting today. If you are new to paper piecing, consider watching my FREE tutorials. Just click the Tutorial tab at the top of this page.

Linking this week with:

Posted on 4 Comments

Getting Ready for My Valentine…

It’s time to dig out my Valentine pillows. I’m looking forward to some chocolate and flowers! Right?

This is a Valentine doggie block I designed in 2019.

BE MINE PUPPY

This cutie I designed this year…

EYE LOVE U PUPPY

Wouldn’t these blocks make cute pillows or potholders? I’m going to try to sew them up before Valentine’s Day.

Both patterns can be found in my ETSY SHOP. I’d love to see what you can create using these sweet pups.

The winner of my CARDINAL WALL HANGING pattern is Nancy B. Congrats to her!

Linking this week with:

Posted on 3 Comments

Sew Sweet!

Some super sweet customers have been sharing photos of adorable projects they have created using my paper piece patterns. I LOVE to see their fun creations.

Bella is a first time paper piecer. She entered her CORGI quilt in her 4H competition and won first place. I love how she repeated the dog blocks in an Andy Warhol Pop Art inspired composition.

Andy Warhol’s
Marilyn Monroe

Sharon created this awesome neutral colored Dog and Cat quilt. She has incorporated blocks not only from me, but from lots of designers. This makes the quilt very interesting, since it’s not just one designer’s view point.

This is cuteness overload…Lori has made this adorable dog pillow for her sweet dog, Bear.

I am in love with Jennifer’s festive red, white, and blue Chihuahua!

Bella the Labradoodle

Here’s a photo of Bella, cutest little Labradoodle ever. This is my girl friend’s pet, and she wants a memory pillow of lovely Bella. Sweet Bella is slowly loosing her eyesight.

LABRADOODLE BELLA

LABRADOODLE BELLA is my newest dog pattern. Here’s the pillow that I made, too!

And here’s another new dog block to add to my collection of over 65 different dog breeds, the AFGHAN HOUND.

AFGHAN HOUND

Coming soon is the WINTER BLUES BLOG HOP, a collection of bloggers and artists sharing projects done with the color blue. Can’t wait!

Linking this week with: