Uncategorized Archives - Made By Marney

Posted on February 8, 2026February 8, 2026 by maryhertel — 2 Comments

Valentine Patterns for Your Loved Ones

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

Posted on November 28, 2022November 28, 2022 by maryhertel — 4 Comments

Tree Skirts for the Holidays

As I started putting up my Christmas decorations, I realized I have plenty of Christmas tree skirts to choose from. They are all handmade and, of course, all paper pieced.

Any tree skirt pattern can be created as a table topper instead, just don’t cut the hole in the center. The BEARY-Y CHRISTMAS TREE SKIRT would also make a super cute table centerpiece.

When I am decorating using a more farmhouse look, I use this tree skirt.

LITTLE RED TRUCK TREE SKIRT is so easy! Consider using fabric photos to paper piece into the windows. Your kids could be driving the trucks!

I absolutley loved using my GNOME FOR CHRISTMAS TREE SKIRT last year when I decorated my tree with gnomes! I used some of these gnome patterns to create some gift bags and stockings, too!

Here’s a more traditional rendition of the Gnome Tree Skirt. I call it the CHRISTMAS TREE SKIRT SAMPLER, and comes with 8 more typical Christmas images.

My 2 newest Christmas related gnomes are both Mrs. Claus blocks…

Most of my patterns are 20% off through the month of November for CYBER DAYS! I hope this helps to motivate you to start some of your holiday projects! Have fun creating!

Posted on August 5, 2022August 5, 2022 by maryhertel — 7 Comments

PIECING PALOOZA

August 23rd, 2022

1 pm-5 pm

Recording available afterward

C&T Publishing’s Piecing Palooza is pure summertime fun. A four-hour event with over a dozen live sessions, a panel discussion, and a keynote speaker to help you become an expert piecer!

We gathered quilt piecing experts to share all their pro tips, tricks, and techniques with you. Alex Anderson, co-host of The Quilt Show, kicks off the fun as the opening keynote. A beloved figure in the quilting community, Alex sets the tone for the event by sharing her love of patchwork.

Next, get inspired with 12 30-minute workshops! You’ll get a bespoke experience by joining breakout rooms of your choice that focus on specific piecing subjects, from working with fabric scraps to hand piecing to sewing accurate Flying Geese every time — and so much more!

Sessions include:

Color Schemes for Scrap Quilting (Judy Gauthier)
Find your Zen with Hand-piecing (Becky Goldsmith)
Beyond Basic Dresdens: Piecing within the Wedge (Candyce Grisham)
Foundation Paper Piecing 101 (Mary Hertel)
Playful Piecing with Panels (Cyndi McChesney)
Rapid Piecing with Precision (Lee Chappell Monroe)
No Fuss Flying Geese Blocks (Patty Murphy)
Making Piece With your Sewing Machine (Bernie Tobisch)
Pinless Piecing & Press as You Go (Shelley Scott-Tobisch)
Mastering Color Palettes with Gray-Tone Block Tools (Amy Barrett-Daffin)
Building Your Skills with C&T’s Block Tools (Gailen Runge)

Whether you love paper piecing, hand piecing, or want to be a better precision piecer, every quilter can gain valuable skills to level up their craft.

Worried you’ll miss out on a session? No worries! If you are unable to attend live, all sessions will be recorded for viewing at your leisure.

I will be teaching FOUNDATION PAPER PIECING 101 in my 30 minute session. You will learn all the steps to paper piece this adorable polar bear, and receive the pattern for the Polar Bear block and the directions for the mug rug.

What to expect at Piecing Palooza:

Choose your own learning adventure! Each session breaks into smaller groups for live interaction with your instructors.
Whether you love paper piecing, hand piecing, or want to be a better precision piecer, every quilter can gain valuable skills to level up their craft.
Win big with live prize giveaways throughout the event
All guests receive a virtual swag bag with goodies from the instructors
This is not a webinar. See fellow quilters and ask questions with a mic (or chat)!
Includes access to recordings of all the instructions afterward

PRESS HERE TO JOIN THIS FABULOUS EVENT!

Use my code to get $20 off: marypp22

Wouldn’t this stinkin’ cute Polar Bear make an adorable holiday gift?

Posted on May 25, 2020May 27, 2020 by maryhertel — 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…

I designed this ROCKING HORSE BLOCK for a baby quilt.

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 January 28, 2020January 28, 2020 by maryhertel — 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.

This cutie I designed this year…

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 June 19, 2019June 20, 2019 by maryhertel — 16 Comments

Camping/Glamping

My sweet customer Julie suggested I design some paper pieced Camping/Glamping blocks. I’m not so clear on the “glamping”, but the “camping” suggestion was spot on, especially with summer just starting.

I decided that 9 blocks would be the best. Nine is enough for a quilt, but customers could also just purchase 1 or 2 blocks for smaller projects. The 9 designs are CAMP TENT, CAMP FIRE, PICNIC TABLE, VINTAGE CAMPER, CANOE, OUT HOUSE, BEAR FISHING, HOWLING WOLF, and FIRE UP THE GRILL.

Each 8″ x 8″ unfinished block can be purchased separately, buy them as a group at great savings! Set of 9 CAMP BLOCKS.

Thanks for the suggestion Julie! Keep them coming.

Linking this week with:

Posted on June 7, 2019June 10, 2019 by maryhertel — 15 Comments

Furry Friends from Made By Marney

Two more adorable pups have been added to my paper pieced dog block collection. Betty sent me photos of her sweet AUSTRALIAN SHEPHERD to inspire me to create this new dog block.

Here is a side by side comparison photo of my block and Betty’s pup.

I love how expressive he turned out! Find the pattern HERE on Etsy.

It was also brought to my attention that I did not have an IRISH SETTER in the collection.

Making an image that has wavy or curly hair is very difficult in paper piecing. It is all an illusion, made from straight seams. I have always loved the beautiful fur on an Irish Setter, and am pretty in love with his soft wavy ears. You can find this cutie HERE on Etsy.

Thanks for stopping by…

Linking today with:

Posted on May 28, 2019May 28, 2019 by maryhertel — 5 Comments

Paper Pieced!

Last week I had so much fun paper piecing with the Village Quilters of Lake Bluff, Illinois.

Such a lovely group of quilters! It is inspiring being with friends who love to paper piece as much as I do. When I returned home, I was motivated to do more designing.

Carol, a customer from the West Bend Quilt Guild asked me create a set of blocks that would work for a special child who loves Paris. We brainstormed a bit about things that might work for the “Parisian Collection”.

The EIFFEL TOWER is one of the images that Carol specifically requested. This grey check, used on the bias, worked well to give the illusion of the delicate lines criss crossing the structure.

FIFI THE POODLE needs a lot of small pieces since there’s quite a bit of detail in this block. I’m using gray and pink in all 3 designs to make them look like a complete collection.

The TIARA BLOCK completes this Parisian Collection (for now!). I hope these images will work for Carol. I had lots of fun creating them. All blocks measure 8″x 8″ unfinished.

Please let me know what new paper pieced images you would like to see!

Linking this week with:

Stitch All The Things

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

Love, Laugh, Quilt

Cooking Up Quilts

Clever Chameleon

Posted on May 19, 2019May 20, 2019 by maryhertel — 2 Comments

More Dogs

A customer request came from Angie for a HAVANESE paper pieced block similar to her pet.

After seeing this adorable Havanese, I was motivated to do it justice.

Sometimes it takes a couple of tries before I get an image that makes me happy. This image was my best HAVANESE.

Abigail sent this cute photo of a cushion she is making using my KING CHARLES block.

Kelsey sent this adorable photo of a pillow using my CORGI block. This reminds me of Andy Warhol’s paintings.

Elaine created these sweet pillows using the CHINESE CRESTED block pattern.

When a customer requested a block of a Chinese Crested, I asked if that was a bird… I’m learning.

Linking this week with:

Kathy’s Quilts

Tish’s Adventures in Wonderland

Super Scrappy Saturday

Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

Love, Laugh, Quilt

Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Posted on May 13, 2019May 17, 2019 by maryhertel — 3 Comments

Paper Piecing Lecture and Workshop in June

If you want to learn to paper piece and live near the Fox Cities, keep reading. The Darting Needles Quilt Guild from Appleton, WI is sponsoring me to hold an all day workshop on Paper Piecing Basics, Friday 14 from 9 to 3. This class will be held at the Fox Cities Quilt Company in Appleton.

Those attending the workshop will learn how to paper piece simple and combination blocks from my Sew Yourself A Merry Little Christmas book.

On Thursday, the day before the workshop, I will be lecturing on” Paper Piecing, and Selecting the Right Fabric for your Projects”. Join me for an evening of fun held at the First United Methodist Church on Franklin St, Appleton at 7pm. The lecture is free!

Contact JoAnn Nemitz for information about the Paper Piecing Workshop, (920) 731-3722.

Linking this week with:

Quilt Fabrication

Sew Fresh Quilts