Category Archives: quilting

Holiday Gnomes

Since Gnomes are all the rage this holiday, my customers have been requesting more gnome designs…and I love a challenge!

LUMBERJACK GNOME

I LOVE this super cute LUMBERJACK GNOME. I can’t wait to make my paper pieced block into a cozy winter pillow. What will you do with yours?

GNOME WITH LANTERN

The only item hotter than gnomes right now are lanterns. This clever little gnome is done in Christmas colors, but doesn’t need to be. The GNOME WITH LANTERN would be adorable all year round.

MISS GNOME

I like a gnome with braids. MISS GNOME has very cute braids, and she pairs nicely with GNOME WITH A BIRD. These 2 would make a lovely pair of pillows or potholders.

GNOME WITH A BIRD

As always, I ‘m open to suggestions…what other gnomes would you like to see designed for the holidays, or for anytime!

Halloween Patterns

My newest book, PAPER PIECING ALL YEAR ROUND, has patterns for every month of the year. This book is hot off the press and can be pre-ordered on Amazon.

Here are 2 October blocks from my book made into Mini Quilts…

Mini Quilts

These 2 blocks are some of my many Halloween patterns. Check out what my friends and customers have been creating with some of my other paper pieced Halloween patterns…

Toothy Witch, Glinda the Witch, Frankenstein, and Dracula

This adorable wall hanging was created by Bernadette.

I have lots of different Witch patterns!
Bewitched!

This adorable wall hanging was constructed by Christine. I love the fabrics she chose.

Witchy Feet and Kit Cat

Love, love, love these placemats put together by Leeanne. I would love to have these on my table.

Trick or Treat Bags by Joyce…stinkin’ cute!

BOO COLLECTION

What a great table runner by Eva!

GHOSTS and JACK O LANTERN

An awesome table runner by Sharon. Super cute!

Check out my many Autumn patterns on Etsy.

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!

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.

Breezy Butterfly patterns FREE!

Welcome summer! These BREEZY BUTTERFLIES are just right for some warm weather paper piecing.

BREEZY BUTTERFLY 1
BREEZY BUTTERFLY 2

These patterns are easy enough for beginners, but fun for intermediate paper piecers, too. If you are new to paper piecing, watch some of my free tutorials on my “Video and Tutorials” page.

Please consider subscribing so you can download the FREE BUTTERFLY PATTERNS HERE:

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FREE DOWNLOAD

Send download link to:

After subscribing, the Butterfly downloads will be sent directly to your email.

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:

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:

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:

Happy Easter Duckies

I put out my Easter Ducky potholders this month. Love Easter and I love Easter paper piecing!

These Duckies are from my EASTER TABLE RUNNER pattern.

Here are some of my Easter block patterns that sell separately:

Bunny and Duckie Potholders

Happy Easter Bunny Block and Happy Easter Duckie Block.

CHOCOLATE BUNNY
EASTER BONNET
PEEPER, this block is part of the table runner pattern.

The majority of my time this month has been devoted to sewing masks for friends and family.

So far I have given away 100 masks, although shortages of elastic has made this project difficult.

Please stay safe and healthy!

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!