Category: raccoon block

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Valentine Patterns for Your Loved Ones

Patterns to use for Valentine gifts.

If you are new to paper piecing, I would love to share some tips for a beginner, or as a refresher. This past year I did a series of patterns and helpful videos for the American Quilter magazine. I can’t offer the pattern to you at this time because of publication rules, but I would love to share this short video on paper piecing tips. The video was linked to the January/February issue. Every issue in 2025 has a link to a video with my paper piecing tips.

PRESS HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

This video explains the “butterfly effect”. Understanding this helps so much when placing your pattern on the fabric. Have you ever sewn your piece, then after flipping it behind the pattern, find that your piece is not fully covered with fabric? You maybe should have placed the fabric a bit higher or lower? If you use the butterfly effect, this will never happen again. There are different approaches to paper piecing. Every little tip can help as you discover the methods that work best for you.

These adorable honeybees were the January/February 2025 block featured in American Quilter. See how the tail from the bee outlines a heart? This could work for a Valentine.

If you are looking for an idea for a hand made gift for Valentines , or just because… this pattern was published by McCalls, but is now available for sale on my Etsy shop. The FOXY VALENTINE would be super cute on a pillow or potholder.

If you have a valentine who loves animals, RACCOON ROMANCE is just the ticket. This was also published in McCalls, but now can be offered to my customers on Etsy.

This is one of my favorite gnome patterns…HEARTY GNOME. I used it for a pillow and gave it to myself 🙂

But this is my customers favorite valentine gnome…GNOME WITH HEART. Can you think of a clever way to make this into a Valentine’s gift? Please share with me at maryannhertel@gmail.com

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20 Adorable Woodland Animal Blocks for Creative Sewing

With 20 adorable woodland animal blocks to paper piece for your sewing fun, this book will give you hours of creative projects! Plus, all of these blocks are interchangeable with the projects from my previous books.

Adorable “Zippy Pouch” and large enough to hold a tablet.

Sew A Winter Woodland Christmas book

Sew a Winter Woodland Christmas Book

$27.95

“Sew a Winter Woodland Christmas” book contains 20 mix & match paper pieced block patterns and 9 projects; including lap quilt, Christmas tree skirt, apron, pillow, table runner, stockings, zip bags, and gift bags. Price includes shipping.

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Enjoy creating these 20 winter images. Let’s embrace winter with these new block patterns.

These stockings are for the puppy and kitty in your life. With patterns for a quilt, tree skirt, table runner, pillow, apron and more…get ready for some frosty fun!

SEW A WINTER WOODLAND CHRISTMAS book is available from this post, or press here for my ETSY SHOP.

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When Do You Start Planning For Christmas?

If you are like me, you usually wait til November, but then wish you had started earlier. This year, I am starting now. My newest book, SEW A WINTER WOODLAND CHRISTMAS, just arrived to help you start creating your Christmas projects today

With 20 adorable paper pieced blocks to choose from, you are going to be motivated to start sewing now.

Where else will you find a pattern for a sloth hanging from a candy cane, an ice skating polar bear, or a busy beaver cutting down his own Christmas tree. THIS BOOK has them all, and so much more.

I know how much my customers love their pets. Designing these cat and dog Christmas stockings was such fun! These treasures would make great gifts for the animal lovers in your life.

Personalize this little red truck with any photo. How cute is that?

Lots of cozy animals to choose from to decorate quilts, table runners, gift bags, and more!

This foxy tree skirt is so cute, I have to keep it for my own tree.

This lap quilt uses almost all of the blocks in the book. It looked fabulous on my sofa, and will look great on yours too!

SEW WINTER WOODLAND CHRISTMAS , order your copy now 🙂

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Heart Bandit

Here’s a cute paper pieced mug rug pattern just in time for Valentine’s Day. You will find it in the January/February 2021 issue of McCalls Quilting.

This HEART BANDIT MUG RUG is cute, cute, cute! The magazine has full instructions for paper piecing the raccoon block and consructing the mug rug.

The sassy little raccoon block is easy to complete in a day. You could have some sweet Valentine’s gifts done in no time.

Wrap up this mug rug with a coffee mug and some hot cocoa!

GNOME LOVE

One of my customers, Nickola, requested a gnome couple holding hands. GNOME LOVE is now available on ETSY. This would be so cute for February projects. I am going to make a potholder for a wedding. What would you make?