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# marymarcotte.com

Where Improv Meets Intention

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://marymarcotte.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [Blog](https://marymarcotte.com/blog-2/)
- [Citrus Sherbert ~~ a finish!](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/06/19/citrus-sherbert/) - My latest finish is titled "Citrus Sherbert." I wrote about my process of creating the quilt here. I did not, however, write about or show the finished quilt, so it's time. Ready for photos? It's a relatively small quilt at 50" X 50", but I don't make many queen-size quilts. Rich and I gave each My latest finish is titled "Citrus Sherbert." Ready for photos?
- [Sweet Friends with Sweet Ideas and Sweet Fabrics](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/06/16/sweet-friends-with-sweet-ideas-and-sweet-fabrics/) - A while back my friends with the Cotton Quilter's Guild went on a road trip to Mangham, La. They apparently spent quite some time at the local quilt shop, called Stitched in Faith. We've been before and I would have raced to get on that van but, alas, I was teaching middle schoolers. They're less
- [Quilts, Cleaning, and Sunshine -- a Good Combination](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/06/16/quilts-cleaning-and-sunshine-a-good-combination/) - When you have awfully hot, sunny, dry weather there's not much a person can do. Temperatures of 90+ that feels like 110 are not a playground for the faint of heart. While everyone around us got 2-6 inches of rain last week, we joke that we can count the raindrops. Well, I took advantage of
- [Cotton Quilters' Guild Gathers...with me!](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/06/08/cotton-quilters-guild-gathers-with-me/) - Mary Marcotte
- [The Color Choices That Change Everything](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/07/08/the-color-choices-that-change-everything/) - Color is one of the most powerful tools we have as quilters. It guides the eye, sets the mood, and quietly shapes the story a quilt tells long before anyone notices the piecing. When I’m working improv, color becomes even more important — it’s the thread that holds all the spontaneity together. Lately, I’ve been
- [Wonderful Wednesday, Y'all, after GSQA](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/07/01/wonderful-wednesday-yall-after-gsqa/) - I have not written anything about the Gulf Sates Quilting Association's (GSQA) Quilt Show which was last weekend. We spent three days in Pensacola for lectures and a workshop, so I was fairly tired when we returned Thursday night. My niece had come to help her parents with their flood issues, and I wanted to
- [Pensacola: Improv Beautiful Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/06/28/pensacola-improv-beautiful-quilts/) - This past week found us (Richard and me) on the road more than our bodies can handle gracefully. First, we spent three days in Pensacola where I gave two lectures and a full-day workshop. I'm generally not a nervous speaker, but this new medicine has a side-effect that makes me appear nervous, dry mouth. It's
- [Supply Lists for Houston Quilt Classes](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/06/03/supply-lists-for-houston-quilt-classes/) - Exquisite Improv Curves Class Tuesday, Nov, 10, 2-5 PM (3-hr) Variety of large scraps (10″ X 10″ or larger) 6-8 fat quarters in coordinating colors Rotary cutter, mat, and rulers Small tools that you generally use, such as scissors, pins, seam ripper, etc. Almost in Church Stained-Glass Class Saturday, Nov. 14, 2-6 PM (4-hr) Variety
- [One big flood changes everything](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/06/21/one-big-flood-changes-everything/) - If you heard the news about rain in Louisiana, then you probably know that one particular parish (county) flooded with 25+ inches of rain in less than 12 hours. It's insane. The rain did not affect us, except for the damage it caused to our fish pond, but in comparison, that is a little problem.
- [Quilters Paradise Summit News: Some Good, Some Bad](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/06/16/quilters-paradise-summit-news-some-good-some-bad/) - I hope you went online and enjoyed the Quilters Paradise Summit (QPS). I had the pleasure of watching every session. I truly enjoyed them. Some were a bit too beginner for me, but even so, I was able to learn some things that I can use. I taught speech for a few years, so it's
- [And the Good News Is Pounding at My Door](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/06/14/and-the-good-news-is-pounding-at-my-door/) - Last week I told you the good news about teaching a class at International Quilt Festival in Houston. But did you think that it's possible to get better Houston news? Yes, indeed. I got another email asking if I'd like to teach another class. Yes, please! I'll be teaching "Exquisite Improv Curves" on Tuesday, Nov.
- [Teaching Schedule](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/02/27/teaching-schedule/) - 2026 November 10-15 -- International Quilt Festival Houston TX "Exquisite Curves" Workshop (10th at 2-5pm) "Almost in Church: Stained Glass" Workshop (15th 2-6pm) July 1-5 -- BRMQG Retreat Baton Rouge LA June 22-24 -- Quilters Paradise Fast & Easy Summit "Make an Improv Bag Without a Pattern" [online] June 22-24 -- Pensacola Quilters Guild Color
- [Bookstore](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/29/purchase-your-copy/)
- [A Playful, Intuitive Approach to Improv Quilting](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/06/06/a-playful-intuitive-approach-to-improv-quilting/)
- [Houston Quilt Classes Supply List](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/05/19/exquisite-improv-curves-class-supply-list/) - Exquisite Improv Curves Variety of large scraps (10" X 10" or larger) 6-8 fat quarters in coordinating colors Rotary cutter, mat, and rulers Small tools that you generally use, such as scissors, pins, seam ripper, etc. Almost in Church Stained-Glass Variety of fabrics—your choice of solids, small prints, tone-on-tone, or batiks; 10” squares work well,
- [New to the Quilters Paradise Summit--Me!](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/05/23/new-to-the-quilters-paradise-summit-me/) - You heard it here first. Unless you saw it on Facebook, Instagram, or Threads. :-) Really, I have been trying to promote this. Because, you see, I'm also an affiliate marketer for this summit. Which means, of course, If you purchase anything from Quilters Paradise Fast & Easy Summit. I may receive compensation. But only if
- [The Best Houston News!](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/05/16/the-best-houston-news/) - Actually, life has been quite busy. I have two bits of great news but can share only one at this time. The other has to wait until Thursday. What's the big news? I'll be teaching a class at International Quilt Festival Houston! Yes! That's right. Only one, but one is a start. It's on the
- [Bright Citrus Patchwork: Three Quick Bags + A Summit Preview](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/04/28/bright-citrus-patchwork-three-quick-bags-a-summit-preview/) - Every now and then, I fall into a color mood — and last week it was all about citrus and patchwork. Yellow, green, and orange kept calling my name, so I pulled out a stack of scraps in those shades and let myself play. No rules, no plan, just color and curiosity. The result? Three
- [5 Improv Decisions That Change Everything](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/04/24/improv-decisions-that-change-everything/) - Some decisions you make while piecing improv quilts will shape the entire direction of your quilt. And even though improv is flexible, certain choices are easier to make early on than to change later. Here are five decisions that have the biggest impact: 1 Set Parameters Don’t think of these as “rules” — think of
- [A New YouTube Video](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/04/16/a-new-youtube-video/) - I have been working on videos for my YouTube channel, and it's been a rather slow process. I'm a perfectionist who procrastinates. Then I reshoot and reshoot and make the same silly mistakes or forget something. I know there's a better, easier way, but heck if I can figure it out. I guess it takes
- [More Color Inspiration from My Computer to Yours](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/04/07/more-color-inspiration-from-me-to-you/) - If you love color, this post is for you! I love creating these color inspiration boards. They are relatively fast, as I'm getting better at EQ8, which was one of my goals. Also, making them is lots of fun. I generally begin with an inspiration. Today's is an improv log cabin block that I made
- [Color Inspiration Boards: a new toy](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/03/24/color-inspiration-boards-a-new-toy/) - Some time ago, I discovered that it's possible to create a collage of inspirational pictures and words on Pinterest. I played around a bit to figure it out and created a messy, overdone, ugly collage. It's been deleted. Sorry. Just believe the ugly truth. Anyhoo, I've gone back to that collage thingy because I just
- [Aren't You Curiouser and Curiouser?](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/03/31/arent-you-curiouser-and-curiouser/) - I just sent out my first marymarcotte.com newsletter! I'm a bit excited because I got it right. Of course, I have to give a ton of credit to AI. Chatting with a bot is both odd and fun. And helpful, of course. If you'd like to see what's in my little newsletter, you'll have to
- [Flush out this Improv Fun!](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/03/12/flush-out-this-improv-fun/) - Just two days ago, I taught an improv class with the Ozone Layers Quilt Guild in Abita Springs, LA. It started out rough. My assistant, Marcella, and I arrived early enough but could not find the lights or the air conditioning switches. Have you been in Louisiana at 8:30 a.m. when the temperature is 80
- [Quilt Samples for Classes](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/02/26/quilt-samples-for-classes/) - Rather than click on each class individually, this page shows you all the classes I teach and the samples that go along with them. (Some may work for more than one class.) Click on the class title to go directly to the class page. It's a good way for guild members to compare classes when
- [Difficult Website Chores and more...](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/02/27/difficult-website-chores-and-more/) - Sometimes owning and maintaining a website, however much I may enjoy it, it's quite difficult. It would help, maybe, if I could know what I'm doing. I have to spend a great deal of reading and testing and trying to make it work. This website may not have the best look, I'm not sure how
- [Almost in Church: Stained Glass Workshop](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/03/08/new-almost-in-church-stained-glass-workshop/) - Stained-Glass Workshop beginner to advanced; domestic machine; 3 hours; $30 per student with 10 student minimum. Full day (6 hours) $45 per student with 12 student minimum This beautiful table topper or wall-hanging is a fun way to learn how to create lovely stained glass in fabric. The gorgeous window scene will be uniquely your own
- [How to Make Bias Tape for Stained Glass Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/03/05/make-bias-tape-for-stained-glass-quilts/) - My stained-glass quilt workshop requires bias tape to create the illusion of leading between the pieces of fabric "glass." I generally use two sizes of bias when making a stained-glass quilt, but you can used only the larger bias. A half inch bias works well for the longer stretches of coverage. It's wide enough to
- [Crazy Fun Log Cabins](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/03/08/new-class-crazy-log-cabins/) - Improv Piecing Workshop beginner to advanced; domestic machine; all levels 1-3 hours, $25 per student with 15 student minimum. 4-6 hours, $35 per student with 15 student minimum. CHECK AVAILABILITY Book Your Date This beautiful wall-hanging or lap quilt is a fun way to try your hand at piecing using improv techniques. You can choose from
- [Grow Your Garden Applique Class](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/03/08/new-grow-your-garden-applique-class/) - Raw-edge Applique’ Workshop beginner to advanced; domestic machine; 3 hours; $30 per student with 12 student minimum. Full day (6 hours) for $45 per student with 12 student minimum check availability book your dates This beautiful wall-hanging is a fun way to learn about raw-edge applique. The gorgeous garden scene will be uniquely your own despite
- [Day Star Complete and Jumps on the Longarm](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/11/29/auto-draft/) - Since my last post here, I've been trying to get myself moving again. I can't let these middle schoolers beat me. They are just kids, afterall, and I'm a young 62. Where do they get the energy? A couple of grandkids running around is nothing in comparison to a roomful. Anyway, I started this top
- [Day Star Quilt Flimsy Complete](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/12/day-star-quilt-flimsy-complete/) - Do you get tons (yes, tons) of scraps? Do you save them? Do they seem to multiply when you're not in your sewing room? My answer is yes, yes, and yes. It can't be helped, apparently. If you make quilts, you make scraps. The end. So what to do with tons of scraps? Especially since
- [Crazy Curves! Workshop](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/02/12/crazy-curves/) - Three Hour Improv Piecing Workshop advanced; domestic machines; 6 hours; $50 per student with 10 student minimum. check availability book your date Are you ready for curves? Are you ready for the crazy ones? In this workshop Mary will demonstrate curved piecing, beginning with shallow indentions and moving on to more difficult curves. By
- [Improv and Curves in a Day](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/02/15/improv-and-curves-created-for-2023-gsqa-seminar/) - Check availability Book your dates Full Day (6 Hour) Improv Piecing Workshop advanced; domestic machines; 6 hours; $50 per student with 10 student minimum. Created specifically for the GSQA Seminar in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this class touches on the ways that improv can change how you quilt. Improv quilting is a different way of quilting. It
- [Improv Imagine Workshop](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/02/12/improv-imagine-workshop/) - Improv Workshop intermediate to advanced; domestic machine; 3 hours; $25 per student with 8 student minimum. check availability book your date Reimagine new ways of dealing with old problems: scraps and discarded blocks. We all have them and we all need to DO SOMETHING with them. While I will have several quilts available to show,
- [Hello Improv Workshop](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/02/12/wild-improv/) - Hello Improv Piecing Workshop easy to advanced intermediate; domestic machines; 3-4 hours; $35 per student with 12 student minimum. check availability book your dates Improv quilts have their own ideas, voices, and needs. Toss in unique improv makers and improv becomes almost incorrigible, don’t you agree? Yet quilters have methods that “tame” improv quilts. Do
- [40 Years and Counting! Trunk Show/Studio Tour](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/02/15/40-years-and-counting-trunk-show-studio-tour/) - Trunk Show/Studio Tour all levels; 1 hour; $10 per student with 10 student minimum. Interested in having me teach at your event? check Availability book your date mary.marcotte@gmail.com This is such a fun gathering! I’ll show you my quilts, we’ll chat, we’ll laugh, we may even cry. Who knows? I’m a pretty emotional gal. I begin
- [A la Mary Improv Quilting](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/02/12/a-la-mary-improv-quilting-lecture/) - Improv Piecing Lecture all levels 1 hour, $10 per student with 20 student minimum (maximum 45) Improv Piecing Workshop all levels 1-3 hours, $25 per student with 15 student minimum. 4-6 hours, $35 per student with 15 student minimum. Interested in having me teach at your event? check availability book your date Lecture of various improv quilting techniques.
- [Want to Learn Improv the Easy Way? Log Cabin Blocks Are a Great Start](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/02/11/want-to-learn-improv-the-easy-way-log-cabin-blocks-are-a-great-start/) - If you want to learn improv, I highly recommend beginning with improv log cabin blocks. There are several reasons to begin here. One is that the log cabin is a basic, easy block. Another reason is that improv log cabins can be made in a variety of styles. Third, you can apply almost any straight-line
- [Rotary Cutting with Your Favorite Pins-even the big ones!](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/08/19/rotary-cutting-with-your-favorite-pins-even-the-big-ones/) - Do you use flat-head pins to rotary cut your patterns? Those are good for lots of things, but I have issues with them: they are thin and bend easily, the heads fall off, and they don't hold the fabric as tightly as I'd like. I want my fabric, pattern and pins to work together. Having
- [If Only I Could Churn Out Quilts This Way](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/01/05/if-only-i-could-churn-out-quilts-this-way/) - Before the quilt discussion, let's just get this out of the way. Our children who live next door had a few goats. Those goats had kids. The kids grew up and they had kids. And... well, you can probably figure out the rest of that line of thinking. All of the goats who are now
- [GSQA Day with Old Friends](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/01/23/gsqa-day-with-old-friends/) - I've been a member of the Gulf States Quilting Association for several years, perhaps longer than I realize. A circuit teacher for at least 7-8 years, I've convinced a few of my Cotton Guild members to join. Two members, Stephanie and Beth have become great Pursuit of Excellence (POE) teachers. POE participants attend a class
- [Years of Handmade Christmases](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/01/29/years-of-handmade-christmases/) - I love handmade items. Especially when I use those items for a specific purpose. One thing I find myself doing every year is to add to my collection of handmade Christmas ornaments. This collection started with items from my sister and an aunt (who turns 90 this year). From here on, all ornaments are some
- [20 Shares from CQG Friends](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/02/08/20-shares-from-cqg-friends/) - The Cotton Quilters met on Monday. Show and Share ideas can run rampant because we're becoming a big crowd. We started the morning with a small project: making key wristbands. Blandina, one of our quiet, demure members, taught the project. (I learned that I definitely need to practice being a quiet student.) Anyway, lots of
- [A new tool for ripping seams to make life easier](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/01/24/a-new-tool-for-ripping-seams-that-makes-life-easier/) - I've been quilting on the longarm this week and had high hopes of finishing by today. Thursday, I pushed myself to get extra blocks done. Okay, so the thread broke once. Then the bobbin needed winding. I just dealt with the little inconveniences and moved on. Ahh, the joy of quilting without big interruptions. Then,
- [Teaching Contract](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/07/22/contract-for-teaching-events/) - My approach to workshops is that of a teacher who taught high school and junior college courses for 30 years. I use the same approaches to teaching quilting: I model a technique, we work on it together, and then students practice it on their own. We make sure everyone is ready to move on to
- [Bipolar depression and people](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/01/15/bipolar-depression-and-people/) - Having bipolar depression (BPD) is difficult. All. The. Time. I don't care who says otherwise. There's the meds: getting them just right can take a long time. Plus, the "cocktail" needs tweaking on occasion. Then, there's the stigma: people are afraid when they hear the words Bipolar Disorder. Plus, let's face it; patients have to
- [Amazon Email is a Thrilling Surprise!](https://marymarcotte.com/2026/01/15/this-amazon-email-was-a-shock/) - I don't really follow myself, but maybe Amazon includes the authors automatically. I hope that Amazon sent it to more than a few people, though I don't know how many followers I have. Since I am not good at marketing for myself, I sort of leave all that alone and focus on my website, classes,
- [An excerpt from A World Alone](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/11/29/excerpt-from-a-world-alone/) - “Damn, he’s beat up. Good thing we know who he was. You sure can’t tell from his face,” Lemoine said as she homed in on the body. His clothing and body had been torn and ripped as he barreled forward with logs and rocks until coming ashore in this shallow, swampy area where the cypress
- [Happy New Year and Swamp Art](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/29/happy-new-year-and-swamp-art/) - Here's hoping you have a wonderful 2026! Meanwhile, I received a reminder email about the Bluebonnet Swamp Art Spectacular held in Baton Rouge annually. I've been entering an art piece since I discovered it five years ago. It is free to enter, and artists are allowed to sell their works. I've sold my pieces for
- [Art Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/01/20/art-quilts-2/) - Challenge Quilts (2) Bipolar Disorder Series (4 quilts) Teaching Samples
- [Bed Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/01/28/bed-quilts/) - This page is under construction. Finding the correct information for each quilt has proven to be something of a difficulty. Quilts with the Fleur de Lis Quilts watermark were made before marymarcotte.com was launched. Paisley in Pictures; 60" X 82; 2011
- [Merry Christmas to Your Family](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/24/merry-christmas-to-your-family/) - Wishing you and yours a wonderful holiday season and a happy 2026! Our Christmas tree is decked out in gold, silver and red this year. The are my thing this year--seven strands seem to be just about right. Many of the ornaments are handmade: the tree drops, embroidery plates, tassels, and birds (except the white
- [A World Alone: book 2 of the series](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/19/a-world-alone-book-2-of-the-series/) - Have you heard? My second book, A World Alone, is published and available right here on marymarcotte.com. There's a quick story about how this book came to be. After retiring and publishing my first novel, This World So Fierce, I decided to teach for a year at St. Mary's Catholic School in Cottonport. (Self-publishing comes with a pricey
- [Terms and Conditions](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/10/terms-and-conditions/) - The Terms and Conditions were last updated on December 9, 2025 1. Introduction These Terms and conditions apply to this website and to the transactions related to our products and services. You may be bound by additional contracts related to your relationship with us or any products or services that you receive from us. If any provisions
- [booking request](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/11/booking-request/)
- [Opt-out preferences](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/11/opt-out-preferences/)
- [Privacy Policy](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/10/privacy-policy/) - Who we are Our website address is: http://marymarcotte.com. What personal data we collect and why we collect it Comments When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. An anonymized string created from
- [Automated decision making and/or profiling](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/10/automated-decision-making-and-or-profiling/) - General Requirements: Businesses must ensure transparency, explainability, and human review of automated decisions. 1 Data Protection Impact Assessments (DPIAs): Required for processes involving profiling consumers. 1These requirements aim to protect consumers' rights and ensure fair treatment in automated decision-making processes. It is essential for businesses to stay updated on the latest regulations and implement appropriate measures to comply with these legal requirements. 
- [What third parties we receive data from](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/10/what-third-parties-we-receive-data-from/) - Obtaining valid consent: Organizations must obtain clear and explicit permission from individuals before sharing their data with third parties. This consent must be informed, specific, and freely given. 2 Transparency: Organizations must provide comprehensive information to data subjects, including details about third-party recipients, the nature of data sharing, and any associated risks. 1 Purpose limitation and data minimization: Data should only be shared for specific, legitimate purposes and to the extent necessary for those purposes. 2 Security measures: Organizations must implement security measures to protect data during transmission and storage. 1 Compliance with industry-specific regulations: Organizations must adhere to additional sector-specific regulations, such as HIPAA for healthcare data. 1Failure to comply with these legal requirements can lead to significant legal repercussions and damage to the organization’s reputation. Organizations must stay informed about evolving regulations to effectively manage their data-sharing obligations. 5
- [What data breach procedures we have in place](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/10/marymarcotte-com-2025-12-10-what-data-breach-procedures-we-have-in-place/) - Notification: Organizations must notify law enforcement, affected businesses, and affected individuals about data breaches. This includes notifying state and federal authorities as required by specific laws. 1 Data Breach Policies: Developing comprehensive data breach policies is essential for preventing, detecting, and responding to data security incidents. These policies should include protocols for safeguarding sensitive information, delineating roles and responsibilities, and outlining procedures for incident management. 1 Compliance with Legal Frameworks: Organizations must comply with various legal frameworks governing data breaches, such as HIPAA, GLBA, and state-specific laws like the CCPA and GDPR. These frameworks establish standards and requirements for responding to data breaches, varying by jurisdiction but often sharing common principles. 2 Incident Response: A well-crafted incident response plan is crucial for minimizing the impact of breaches, reducing legal liabilities, and demonstrating due diligence to regulators and customers. 1 Security Requirements: Organizations must adopt reasonable security procedures and practices appropriate to the nature of the information held by the business. This includes encryption, third-party due diligence, and other security measures as required by applicable laws. 1By understanding and implementing these procedures, organizations can better manage data breaches and protect their stakeholders. It is important to regularly review and update these procedures to stay compliant with evolving legal requirements and to respond effectively to new threats.
- [How we protect your data](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/10/how-we-protect-your-data/) - Transparency: Inform consumers about what data is collected and how it’s used. Consent & Opt-Out: Provide mechanisms for opting out of data sales or targeted advertising. Data Security: Implement reasonable safeguards to protect personal information. Rights of Individuals: Access, correction, deletion, and portability of personal data. Breach Notification: Most states require notifying affected individuals (and
- [Help Me Launch My New Book!](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/12/02/help-launch-new-book/) - Although my website sales page WAS broken (thanks universe), my brother-in-law, Gary helped me figure out the issue. Which really means Gary figured it out, but I have spent the entire afternoon days on this computer fixing the issues. So now, dear friends, it is ready to go! New plugin, check. Setup, check. Tested, check.
- [The Big Unboxing](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/11/29/the-big-unboxing/) - My boxes of A World Alone came in, but I decided to wait until the family arrived in force to unbox them. The guys were outside enjoying the gorgeous weather and man-talk. The girls, however, were close by so they joined the fun and added a touch of excitement. Teenagers. A huge thanks to Meggan
- [A Texas-size Wedding and Big Crowd Food](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/11/12/a-texas-size-wedding-and-crowd-food/) - Last Saturday, I attended a wedding! One of my many nieces said her vows with just the right guy, Em and Zane. The wedding, held in Trinidad, TX, was long because, well, it was in Texas, but also because my sisters all love a great party. Em's mom, Lee, is just like our mom in
- [A Quick Trip Around the State - almost](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/10/20/a-quick-trip-around-the-state-almost/) - Important: all photo credits go to the Louisiana State Parks website. Last week, Rich and I took a short trip "up north" to the Monroe area, though we did not go into Monroe. Instead, we visited the five state parks in that area. It was fun, but Rich is a goer. He can't "take a
- [When you make a mess...](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/10/08/when-you-make-a-mess/) - When you make a mess, you clean it up. Despite how painful it may be to do so. Despite having to say, "I'm wrong. Let me fix it." Despite the naysayers who do not believe you can get things straight again. Let me tell you the story. Our Cotton Quilters' Guild (CQG) meeting planned for
- [My Town Is Complete: Streets: on the Way](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/09/20/my-town-is-complete/) - Town Houses Well, the town's houses are complete. Most of the trees are grown. Heck, I even a few streets are in place. But, for some reason, I have not had a desire to work on it. We had a CQG meeting a couple of weeks ago, and I don't know, I haven't even unpacked
- [Paying The Publisher Is the Hardest of All](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/09/05/paying-the-publisher/) - Deep breath. Slowly exhale. Deep inhalation. Slowly let go. Now, write the number. The publishing company wants their money first. I can't blame them. Most people want what they deserve. But it's still hard to believe that I've come this far. To the publisher's I mean. A World Alone should be hot of the press
- [How to Grow Trees in Your Town](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/08/29/how-to-grow-trees-in-your-town/) - This month I will present the final house pattern to our guild. This pattern is easy, which means it's a quick sew. I finished the five I want for the quilt in just a few days of "building." This week I'm "growing trees." That's what I call it, anyway. Thus far, ten trees. Not too
- [Ways You Can Find Inspiration](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/08/17/ways-you-can-find-inspiration/) - Inspiration can come from anywhere. True or False? I recently joined a group of quilters on QuiltSpace, which is a free app you have to download before joining. I've posted a few of my quilts so people can get to know me, and I've enjoyed seeing other people's quilts. Some of them are absolutely stunning.
- [This Museum is a Surprise Jewel](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/08/14/a-surprise-jewel-of-a-museum/) - Today, Richard and I drove about 40 away to Longleaf, La., to visit the Southern Forest Heritage Museum. We were pleasantly surprised to discover a place that gave us information about the forest industry; how, why, and when the industry helped to change the course of World War II; so much about WWII; and (for
- [Welcome to My Beautiful Studio Tour 2025](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/08/07/studio-tour-25/) - It's been a while coming. I know. I planned to create video content of what my studio looks like for a long time. Like so many other things, life happened. Or maybe I just wasn't ready. Whichever it is or was, I've gotten over it. If you click on this link, it will take you
- [What Day Is It Again? Lilliput Day?](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/07/31/what-day-is-it-again-lilliput-day/) - I know it's Wednesday, but I have to keep reminding myself of that. I haven't been sleeping well, so a quick nap becomes a half-day sleep the moment I close my eyes. Today, the light was really bothersome. I put on my sleep mask and went into a dream coma. It's strange to wake up
- [And Now a GSQA Photo Drop](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/07/25/gsqa-photo-drop/) - I attended the Gulf States Quilt Association (GSQA) meeting in Long Beach, MS., so I'll show you the few pics I took there. After all, a couple of weekend ago, I posted photos of the CQG Show and Share. I always enjoy visiting with the many acquaintances I've made over the years. Some of them,
- [Photo drop of CQG's Show and Share](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/07/17/photo-drop-of-cqgs-show-and-share/) - Here in the Cotton Quilters' Guild, we always enjoy show and share! Yes, despite the fact that I haven't posted anything about it since April. Oops. Sorry! Never the less, our members are talented and prolific. Just take a look at some of our work. I create the blocks in EQ8 and then print the
- [Get Ready! It's almost here!](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/07/14/get-ready-its-almost-here/) - Yes, indeedy! Our guild quilt show is coming up in just eight weeks! I know, I'm a bit excited about something that is still months away, but I'm president, remember? So I've got a few responsibilities. I've been trying to think of ways to make it special, but so far, I'm not likely to pull
- [Summer in the Deep South](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/06/08/summer-in-the-deep-south/) - Summer has already gotten hot here in the South. We are either flooding, as in Arkansas, or sweltering, as in Evergreen, La. The heat index hits 100 degrees like it's the end of July. Of course, hurricane season has begun. Those facts really bring out the best in us, if honeriness were a virtue. Mostly,
- [More Houses Are a Comin'](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/06/01/more-houses-are-comin/) - So I made a crazy mistake. I prepared everything I needed for the next house block for the Cotton Quilter's Guild's Block of the Month challenge. All was going well, and I really thought I'd have a sample in time for Monday's meeting. Well, I pulled it off. However, it's not much of a sample
- [I built more Frank Lloyd Wright houses](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/05/27/i-built-frank-lloyd-wright-houses/) - Our wonderful country life has quieted down--but just enough to sit still without feeling guilty and sitting we have been enjoying! Richard made a bed swing for the patio right after we added it, and I made three cushions: one for each side and one for the bottom. We take naps on it occasionally, but
- [Exciting News! The Sequel Is Coming Soon!](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/05/10/exciting-news-the-sequel-is-coming-soon/) - You heard it here first! I am almost finished with the sequel to This World So Fierce. If you want to know how Trish and Nikki's lives develop after the first novel, this is your chance. For those who have not had the pleasure of reading my novel, here's a quick blurb: Trish and Nikki
- [Our Latest Louisiana Nature Observations](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/05/01/our-latest-louisiana-nature-observations/) - Our Louisiana weather is beautiful! It's warm, but bearable. When that sun is out and not cooking us, we love to spend extra time outdoors. That means, of course, we've pulled a few weeds, though not enough. We're watching the garden with bated breath--the tomatoes are teasing us with their large green orbs. And, we're
- [From Wright Houses Here at Home](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/04/29/from-wright-houses-here-at-home/) - Today, Wright’s work is still considered to be some of the best truly American architecture in the country. [My Modern Met] My sister Laura and her husband, Gary, just finished building a house on the land where we grew up in Plaucheville. It's the cutest house built in the style of Frank Lloyd Wright, a famous
- [One House Row Complete!](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/04/14/one-house-row-complete/) - The Cotton Quilters' Guild asked for a BOM! Yes, and in no time, I was on it. Meetings were getting rather short, but I couldn't figure out what was missing. It's the block of the month thing! Of course, I agreed, noting that the resulting quilt would not be finished for the quilt show on
- [Back to the Old Lace Fabric](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/04/11/back-to-the-old-lace-fabric/) - Two things about me: I love old lace, and I have to keep my hands busy when Richard and I watch movies. It's easy enough to keep up with the movie, unless it's challenging to keep track of characters and plot twists. For me, busy hands mean I'm less likely to talk during the movie
- [Cotton Quilters' Guild Surprise](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/02/07/cotton-quilters-guild-surprise/) - I wrote this post for March 2025. (And maybe it was for some month well into the past.) Apparently, I scheduled it to publish--incorrectly. Of course, I didn't have the time sense to check whether it worked. Anyhoo (and toodly-do) here it is. I'll post the April 2025 photos once I clean them up a
- [Welcome to Spring in the South](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/04/01/welcome-to-spring-in-the-south/) - Here in Louisiana, we are sweating or chilled or wet or happy. It depends on the day, or maybe the time of day, or perhaps what the wind is blowing in. We just never know what we'll wake up to or how the climate might change during the course of the day. So, we deal
- [This World Quilt Is Quickly Progressing](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/03/24/this-world-quickly-progressing/) - On my last post (here), I told you that I've begun another CASA quilt based on my novel, This World So Fierce. Two things are happening quickly. The first is that the sequel A World Alone is close to finished! Well, the writing part anyway. Never the less, I'm terribly excited about that. But this
- [Memory/Tee-shirt Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/01/22/memory-tee-shirt-quilts/) - The quilts in this section are not labeled to protect the owners' privacy.
- [Here Again But How Long?](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/02/07/here-again-how-long/) - A Side Note: Create Whimsy has as wonderful article about me! You can find it here. My title is a little misleading. Again means simply at the sewing machine. I'm finally sewing the way I love it--however I want to! So yay, this quilt on the design wall here is now off the longarm! I've decided
- [Under My Needle and on the Design Wall](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/03/11/under-my-needle-and-on-the-design-wall/) - I started a new quilt now that Emmy Blue's Quilt is completed. Since the Baton Rouge MQG is working on a book/quilt challenge for CASA, I chose to include my novel, This World So Fierce. I love the description of the duckweed in the lake that Mike wades through as he's running from the police,
- [A New Finish!  Emmy Blue's Quilt](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/03/02/emmy-blues-quilt-finished/) - That's right! A finish! I've worked on this little blue and white log cabin quilt for a few weeks. Okay, possibly longer. I wrote about it here. At that time, I had no clue as to a name. But it needs a name, right? Yes, my quilts must have names. So, I worked on that
- [Two Girls, Two Hoodies, and TicTok](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/02/18/two-girls-two-hoodies-tictok/) - I hope your week is moving along nicely and that you are taking time for yourself by enjoying some stitching or crafting. Whatever it is that helps you to slow down and enjoy life. Also, don't forget to exercise and get enough sleep! It can make a huge difference in how we handle the stresses
- [A Finished Flimsy Ready for Next Steps--the Longarm](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/02/18/a-finished-flimsy-ready-for-next-steps-the-longarm/) - Last week, I told you about this flimsy, my current project. It is based on Sandra Dallas' novel, The Quilt Walk. In the story, Emmy Blue's hand stitches a log cabin quilt as she travels west with her family in a wagon train. She sews the blocks, most reluctantly at first, as she walks alongside
- [Meet my new baby!](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/01/12/meet-my-new-baby/) - I have been hoping for a sweet little Singer Featherweight for so long. I imagine anyone who quilts or sews hopes for one of these. We, Richard and I, have been watching to find one at a good price. I haven't been very consistent with my search. It seems like a waste of time to
- [How to Organize Fabric Scraps for Quilters](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/01/16/how-to-organize-your-scraps/) - I spent Sunday afternoon cleaning up, putting away, and organizing in the sewing studio. It was unreasonably calming and refreshing, at the same time. You can't imagine how much difference it has made. Anyway, I was well into the third pile of scraps and thought this mess could become a tutorial. So, here we are.
- [And the beat goes on... or does it?](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/01/13/and-the-beat-goes-on-or-does-it/) - A Side Note: Create Whimsy has as wonderful article about me! You can find it here. Now that the holidays are over, I can get back to making quilts for grandies. I've had a pretty hard rule of not making the quilts for special occasions. That is because I do not like deadlines. At all.
- [Christmas... is it really over?](https://marymarcotte.com/2025/01/03/christmas-is-ir-really-over/) - Not in the Marcotte home. We always wait until after Epiphany to take down the tree, pack up the nativity, and roll up the leftover paper. The wise men need to visit, after all. It gives me some down time to truly appreciate our many blessings. Meanwhile, I've been working on the last of the
- [The End of the Improv BOM -- Until Next Time](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/12/19/the-end-of-the-improv-bom-goodbye/) - I sort of hate to see the Block of the Month go. I loved creating and writing, but the stress of having everything ready in time was a bit much, and let's remember there was no pay. I simply wanted to see if I could do it and succeeded in not just seeing it through
- [To Retreat We Go! (part 2)](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/12/07/to-retreat-we-go-part-2/) - Finally, what did I manage? Well, I completed one flimsy, to be Ryder's quilt, that gave me fits every step of the way. In fact, I'm pretty sure my friends were tired of my whining. The story behind this quilt is a long one: as you may know, I spoiled our oldest granddaughter, to say
- [And to Retreat We Go!](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/12/08/and-to-retreat-we-go/) - I love to go to retreat: to visit with my friends, sew all I want, eat the best of foods, and rest/sleep like a queen. It's heavenly. And this is the week! Actually, I'm already home. I never seem able to stay longer than three nights. I get much too lonesome, despite talking to Richard
- [T Rex, Brachiosaurus, Triceratops, Pterodactyl, and "Did you know?"](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/11/23/did-you-know/) - I wasn't expecting a treatise on dinosaurs, but I can't imagine why not. I was giving the dinosaur quilt to the boy who LOVES dinosaurs. He looked at the quilt and told me about the T Rex. "Did you know that T Rex was HUGE, and mean, and could eat the other dinos?" Apparently, it's
- [Projects: all the little things](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/11/21/projects-little-things/) - Different angles of the new tree with the older one in the background. In addition to arranging these flowers for All Souls Day, I've been busy with one not-so-small and several small projects. Here's a quick list: Emile's quilt Embroidery Lace fabric birds for ornaments Hat pins Small decorated Christmas tree Pin cushion Covered box
- [Flowers Are New but Cheating with Greenery](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/10/29/cheating-with-greenery-but-the-flowers-are-new/) - Richard and I are Catholic, so we celebrate All Saints Day (November 2nd) by cleaning the graves of family members and placing new flowers on each one. We've helped his mom to do this for the last several years. I promised her we will continue this tradition as long as we are physically able. Ironically,
- [And the Improv BoM is a Wrap!](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/10/19/improv-bom-is-wrap/) - It's been fun and educational and sometimes a little wild, but I am officially finished with the Block of the Month event. Both of my quilts are complete. They even have labels! Not that this is the last I'll write about it: I still want to write about the quilting on each quilt. This first
- [Cotton Quilters Raise the Bar](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/10/07/cotton-quilters-raise-the-bar/) - It's the first Monday! That almost always means a Cotton Quilters Meeting. Whew! What a workout! Sure, I'm president, so there's that, but today Pam and I were in charge of lunch. She decided to have her husband, Derek, make a pot of spaghetti. Now, for most of us that means enough for perhaps ten
- [And the Days Go On...](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/09/28/and-the-days-go-on/) - It's been 3 weeks since Richard's hip replacement surgery. I haven't been in the sewing room much, but I have been quite the movie buff, a physical therapist tech, a chauffeur, chief cook and bottle-washer, and worn a few other hats, though I can't remember them now. My poor fella has been in lots of
- [Second Improv BoM Quilt Top Complete](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/09/24/second-improv-bom-quilt-top-complete/) - Yay! Despite not having an opportunity to work on my quilt top last week, I've managed to finish it up this week. I'll load it on the longarm tomorrow (hopefully) and get started with the quilting. I'm excited to get going on this one. I've decided to quilt using feathers all over the quilt. It's
- [And the quilting is done on one improv BOM top](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/09/11/and-quilting-is-done-improv-bom-top/) - I know, I know. All the details get a blog post. Well, yeah, because while I'm awfully busy, there's not much to write about. I did spend the morning downloading photos of the quilts on Pinterest, then uploading them to a post so that eventually I'll have a portfolio on this blog. But an hour
- [And you thought you wanted this class](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/08/27/and-you-thought-you-wanted-this-class/) - I taught my first class for the new "Grow Your Garden" workshop. We had a full day for playing, learning, and quilting. And we did it all! We started class talking about improv and applique and looking at class samples. Then we chose background fabrics and moved on to finding favorite patterns from my pattern
- [One BOM Quilt Top Finish!](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/08/17/bom-quilt-top-finish/) - That's right. One is finished! And it's the difficult one. Here's the thing: we weren't talking, the quilt and I. For a while, it seemed that we wouldn't be able to even chat. Take a look at our conversation: At first I had this disaster above. A big jumble of big blocks that I didn't
- [Hairbands and Quilt Shows and a Bit of Sewing](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/07/25/hairbands-quilt-shows-sewing/) - Live has been a little busy. Summer is always busy with the kids out of school. There are many activities and a couple of quilt shows to attend. It's finally that time of summer to begin thinking of going back. Most of our grands are just about ready. The moms shopped with and without the
- [Marcotte Family Takes Lafayette](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/07/23/marcotte-family-takes-lafayette/) - The Marcotte Family has had a great summer, despite the heat wave, a heat bubble, and heat that "feels like..." Most of Louisiana can answer the "it feels like" with descriptions such as an oven, a concrete city, napalm, desert, etc. It's not even August, so we still have two months before our week of
- [Water War for July 4th and Family](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/07/11/water-war-for-july-4th-and-family/) - Our family loves games. We have played games with our children all of their lives. When the boys were small, and we had long vacation walks, they would soon get tired and complain. So I made up games that encouraged them to walk. For example, I might walk ahead of Richard and the boys, so
- [Surprise! Retreat with Me!](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/07/08/surprise-retreat-with-me/) - That's right! I'm teaching at a retreat in Mamou on August 2nd. Retreat guests arrive on the 1st and depart on the 3rd, so there will be time for free sewing, which everyone appreciates. Myself included. The first class is "Almost in Church," my stained glass technique. I'll have kits cut out and available for
- [Halfway There: 3 Reasons to Use Sashing](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/06/15/halfway-there-3-reasons-for-sashing/) - Our Improv Block of the Month is getting close to the October finish line! I am finding more and more that my pink quilt will be much larger than I anticipated. Likely a queen size rather than twin/full size. Okay! Since this quilt is going to be such a large one, I decided that it's
- [Stitcheries of Rosary Bags and Old Lace](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/06/12/stitcheries-rosary-bags-old-lace/) - I have been using slow stitcheries as a way to process the loss of my mother-in-law. She and I had become quite close and in the last two years, especially, I helped to care for her as we navigated the diagnosis of terminal cancer. Hand stitching is my current thing, and has been for years.
- [The Sad News of My Mother-in-law](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/06/03/the-sad-news-of-my-mother-in-law/) - I don't remember how much I've written about my mother-in-law's battle with cancer. She was diagnosed with colon cancer a year and a half ago. I'd taken her to the doctor's for bronchitis (I think) and the x-ray tech caught a bit of her abdomen in the picture. The doctor brought me aside and showed
- [Summer, Slow-stitching, and Smart Grandies](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/05/21/summer-slow-stitching/) - A bit of slow-stitching while school is wrapping up for summer, The last of the grandies are finishing this week. It's looking like we'll be babysitting two of the smallest ones. Of course, they are six and seven, so the duties should be light. Two are finishing eigth grade and one is right behind them.
- [Wildflowers for the Girl Who Was the Wrong One](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/05/20/wildflowers-for-the-girl-who-was-the-wrong-one/) - Richard planted wildflowers in a section of our yard. They are blooming like crazy! I go out and appreciate their delightful little faces. It's been difficult, however, since I started with a cough over two weeks ago, and it's kicking my rear end. This cough will not quit. It's knocked me down, so getting out
- [CQG April Show and Share](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/04/14/cqg-april-show-and-share/) - Cotton Quilters met last Monday, but we had a class before the meeting. Normally, this time (10-1) is used for free sewing and visiting, but last month Sheila shared with us a small bag she had made and offered to walk us through the steps. Of course, we jumped on the offer! Everyone made a
- [How to Remember Michael with His Third Shirt Quilt](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/05/07/how-to-remember-michael/) - Do you remember that a while ago I made a couple of shirt quilts for a mom who lost her son? Well, after showing them to his dad, they decided to ask for another. No changes just do what you've already done, twice. Do you also remember that I'm the girl who loses interest easily
- [GSQA 2024 Quilt Show ~~ the moderns](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/04/26/gsqa-quilt-show-modern/) - These photos are of my favorite quilts in the show. They are all modern quilts and mostly improv. Yes, of course. I know a couple of the makers personally and, when I know the quilter, I give credit. Unfortunately I don't know and can't read the cards. I had four quilts in the show, all
- [GSQA 2024 Quilt Show ~~ the winners](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/04/22/gsqa-quilt-show/) - GSQA has a biennial quilt show, which was last weekend. I entered four improv quilts. Two friends from the Cotton Quilters' Guild rode with me to Slidell, La. It's easily three hours of driving, so I welcomed the company. We shopped at Sew This, a quilt shop in Abita Springs, and lunched at the Abita
- [How to Remember Michael with His Shirts](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/04/10/remember-michael-quilt/) - An aquaintance of ours lost her 40 year old son a few months ago. She, of course, is devastated. Several weeks ago she called to ask me whether I could make a quilt from his shirts. I haven't made a memory quilt in such a long time, but she managed to talk me into taking
- [Slow Stitching Another Of The Little Things](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/03/29/slow-stitch-another-little-things/) - I love slow stitching projects. Remember the little projects that I wrote about here? I've managed a few more. One that I use daily is a little drawstring rosary purse that started as a slow stitching project. Richard likes college basketball, and I have him watching old movies. You know, movies from before cursing made
- [Modern Quilters' Guild photo story](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/03/25/modern-quilters-guild-photo-story/) - Here are some of the projects from the Baton Rouge Modern Quilt Guild's show and share. We moved the meeting date to the third Saturday at My Sewing Shoppe in Baton Rouge. It's a great place for a meeting and maybe a little shopping. Also, a quick reminder that the April improv block of the
- [Show and Share From Cotton Quilters' Guild](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/03/22/show-and-share-from-cotton-quilters-guild/) - I have pictures from our last meeting's show and share. I am about as reliable as a three-year-old. Between brain fog and quilting, there's little that I can be counted for. I have several alarms to remind me to pick up grandies. Even so, resetting those alarms when things change can be a lost cause.
- [What to do now to beat boredom? Improv BoM](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/03/18/and-what-to-do-now/) - When you were a kid, did you compain about being bored? "I'm bored" we'd say. But not often. Mom always had something ready for us girls to do: wash dishes, fold clothes, feed the chickens, dig ditches. Because we lived on a farm, a real farm where there were animals and a field of vegetables,
- [Little Projects with Big Attitude](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/03/02/little-projects-big-attitude/) - In my last post, about the Andy Warhol quilt, I wrote about one of my recent finishes. But there have been others, albeit small ones. As CQG president, I have to bring a door prize and, while I do purchase a few things, I also want to include something from my stash or that I've
- [New Classes on marymarcotte.com!](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/03/15/new-classes-on-marymarcotte-com/) - Yes! Three new classes: Grow Your Garden, Almost in Church, and Crazy Cabins. Let me tell you more about each one. Grow Your Garden is an applique class in which students use "Steam a Seam 2" fusible web to learn about raw-edge applique using patterns I created to build flowers. As we move through the
- [Improv BoM -- Choosing Fabrics](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/12/20/improv-bom-choosing-fabrics/) - With only a few days left before the Improv Block of the Month starts, I figured it's time to make some decisions. That said, I've decided to go with my first idea: use some bright, happy colors. This is something I rarely do in improv, despite loving them. I tend to default to my tried-and-trusted
- [Andy Warhol challenge finished](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/02/21/andy-warhol-challenge-finished/) - The Baton Rouge Modern Quilt Guild has a challenge each year that I generally participate in. Not that I put much into it, but I do make an effort. I'm not a competitive person, so bragging rights go to someone else. I suppose I participate for the growth. Some of the topics have been difficult
- [Coping borders to the rescue!](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/01/19/coping-borders/) - When you make quilts using improv techniques, you often end up with blocks and pieces that don’t quite match. There are a couple of ways to resolve these issues. Let's look at a few and their positive and negative results. Cutting or trimming is the fastest, easiest way to handle mismatched pieces. Just chop off
- [And something I don't love](https://marymarcotte.com/2024/01/16/something-i-dont-love/) - I told you in this post that I decided to work on a second quilt for the block of the month. After choosing my fabrics, and showing the scrambles at my guild meeting, I finished up enough pieces to put them on the design wall. This could be (another) autumn-themed quilt. Something I don't need,
- [From Scraps to Scrambles: Three Ways](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/12/15/from-scraps-to-scrambles-three-ways/) - Hello! Welcome to Improv Block of the Month! I know it's not January, yet, but some followers are itching to get started. This post is what we call "lagniappe" in Louisiana French, which means something extra. I hope you enjoy it. If you are just joining us, you might want to look at this post,
- [Improv BoM – Understanding Mary’s Directions](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/12/05/improv-bom-understanding-marys-directions/) - I know that my directions can be…confusing to others. After teaching English for thirty years, I know I need a system. So, I created one. This one seems simple because I break everything down into single steps. Feel free to tell me if something is confusing. Always tell me that, and I’ll try to explain
- [HNY and all that...](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/12/30/hny-and-all-that/) - It took me a while to figure out just what HNY means to the millennials. I default to NY as New York. Anyway, as I read through some of the goofey comments on social media, I determined it acutally means Happy New Year! It's a little early, but HNY to everyone! I'm getting excited for
- [Catching up for Christmas Eve](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/12/23/catching-up-for-christmas-eve/) - Back in August a former student contacted me and asked that I make quilts for her two boys. She had been saving their matching tees for a couple of years and had enough to make each boy his own small quilt. They are meant to be quilts to cuddle under while watching TV or playing
- [CQG Christmas and Surprising News](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/12/18/cqg-christmas-and-surprising-news/) - The Cotton Quilters Guild had a wonderful Christmas party at the beginning of the month. We celebrated with turkey and all the trimmings, including delicious sweet potatoes, green beans, and rolls. The cornbread dressing was the best! Better than Richard's mom used to be (back when she cooked) ...and hers was fabulous. Of course, everyone
- [Andy Warhol under My Needle, Again](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/12/15/andy-warhol-under-my-needle-again/) - A quick PSA (before we get to Warhol) my novel, This World So Fierce, is on sale on this website. Order before the 18th to save $6 and get FREE shipping. You can do that here! Tell your friends or give one as a gift! Books make great Christmas gifts! Now back to Andy Warhol.
- [Improv BoM – Yardage, Options, and Maybes](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/12/07/improv-bom-yardage-options-and-maybes/) - A few of you are ready to get started, but it's too soon. However, I can tell you a few things to encourage you and answer some questions. First off, if you are just joining in, you might find this post helpful. The most asked question: HOW MUCH FABRIC? Okay, okay, you’ll need about five
- [Improv Block of the Month ~~ Something New!](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/11/13/improv-block-of-the-month-something-new/) - How much do you enjoy improv piecing? Here's a new opportunity to LOVE it. I speak to people and groups all over this region and have found that traditional quilters who don't like improv quilts just don't "get it" and either hate them or are afraid of them. So I decided to offer this improv
- [Thankful for Thanksgiving](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/11/27/thankful-for-thanksgiving/) - Richard and I hosted Thanksgiving for our family of 20+. After all, there is much in our lives for which we are thankful. Family. Friends. A beautiful life. A happy home. Grand opportunities to pursue the things we love. Most importantly, our Lord, Christ Jesus weaves throughout our life, and we have the ability to
- [Andy Warhol Under My Needle](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/11/18/andy-warhol-under-my-needle/) - My modern guild has issued a challenge: something Andy Warhol. I've had lots of time to research his life and his work. And I'm still at square 1. Well, actually, square 2 or maybe 3. I've decided to use glasses like the ones he wore as my subject, and I built a pattern. The challenge
- [More S&T from the CQG](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/11/10/more-st-from-the-cqg/) - The last time I posted it was to show you the beautiful work my friends at the Cotton Quilters Guild (CQG) have created. Well, I couldn't show it all! Some people must have the luxury of sewing all day, every day. They bring in fabulously cute little projects. The rest of us ooh and aww
- [New happenings with CQG](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/11/10/new-happenings-with-cqg/) - CQG is my local quilt guild, Cotton Quilters. We meet each month on the first Monday of the month. However, that first Monday thing has been a little wonky lately. But we make it work. Finally, the block of the month game is finished--for me, at least. You can read my opinions about those traditional
- [Flowers for the Family](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/11/04/flowers-for-the-family/) - Since my parents died 10 years ago, my sister Angie and I have taken responsibility for putting flowers on everyone's graves. By that, I mean parents, grandparents, and even a great-uncle (whom we loved as children). Uncle Dave was buried in the same grave as his parents. I can't explain how all that transpired, because
- [Five reasons to hate traditional](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/10/31/five-reasons-to-hate-traditional/) - My Cotton Quilters' Guild is very traditional. I'm very improv modern. (I'm the only one.) There's a clash here. It occurs every year when CQG puts out its block of the month challenge. I participate. Every year. I HATE it. Let's countdown the reasons I HATE traditional BOMs and haven't worked on one since this
- [A Little Bit of Everything](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/10/27/a-little-bit-of-everything/) - I suppose a catchup post would be in order. I have been busy with everything. As the current phrase goes, "All the things." When school ended, I decided to stay retired, but I miss it . There's always that wistful pull to do what I love. The problem is that when I'm teaching, I kind
- [What's A Little Work? Learning So Much More Technology](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/10/23/whats-a-little-work-learning-so-much-more-technology/) - If you know me, you know that I'm cheap, let's say frugal. Yeah, frugal. To the point of putting in extra work to save money. Even in technology. The problem with finding ways to save money in technology means that things happen in the background. Those places you don't know exist. I don't mean the
- [This World So Fierce (all the updates)](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/10/20/this-world-so-fierce/) - News and updates about my recently published book is right here. © 2020. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of
- [This World So Fierce](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/10/24/ebook-launches-oct-26/) - That's right! The ebook for This World So Fierce will be available for immediate download on Monday. Exciting, right? So how do you get it? Easy-peasy. Go to Amazon.com and do a book search for This World So Fierce Mary Marcotte. I know, it's kind of long so copy and paste that bugger. Here's the
- [How Do Scissors Disappear? Discovery Edition](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/08/13/and-just-like-that-two-finishes/) - I've been working on memory quilts for a former student who now has two sweet little boys who outgrew their baby-t0-4T tees. When she asked me to make the quilts, I almost said no. But, well, you can read that article HERE if you need to catch up. After Jude's quilt fiasco, I wrapped it
- [On to Bigger and Better -- Quilting](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/08/06/on-to-bigger-and-better-quilting/) - Now that the kitchen is almost complete--the countertops need work--we have mostly been trying to stay cool. Like everyone else, we're under some "heat bubble" and dealing with 100+ temps. The ONLY thing to do is stay inside as much as possible. And pray that the electricity doesn't go out. What better way to be
- [Cotton Quilters' Meeting](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/07/14/cotton-quilters-meeting/) - So, I told you about the CQG meeting way back on the third of this month. I also told you about the whole friendship fabric collection that Ingrid gave me after their road trip. I have not worked on those blocks since that last post. C'est la vie! (That's life!) Before I show you all
- [The Drama of the New Appliances](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/07/29/the-drama-of-the-new-appliances/) - We have been living with a broken oven. Broken meaning "fried" as in melted digital parts. Seriously. Melted. I used the oven cleaning feature twice. That was one time too many times. Last year we looked at new ranges. Lots of new ranges. Nothing like I wanted. What did I want? A range with little
- [Are You Up to the Challenge? They Asked](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/07/13/are-you-up-to-the-challenge/) - One more post on the Baton Rouge Modern Quilt Guild's summer retreat. We held the meeting at the retreat house on Saturday afternoon and a few members who were not on retreat came over. It was so good to see them. Here's the link to the round robin blocks that I wrote about right after
- [How to Eat Well on Retreat!](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/07/06/how-to-eat-well-on-retreat/) - Okay, remember, I'm from Louisiana. Eating "well" doesn't necessarily mean eating what is good. It mostly means eating too much of what you already eat too much. Does that make sense? Sure, it does. In Louisiana, anyway. We ate tacos. And we had spaghetti. We had Greek (though I'm not sure what it was, exactly).
- [Round Robin Updates That Will Impress You](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/07/05/round-robin-updates-that-will-wow-you/) - You may remember that every year my Modern Quilt Guild works on round robin blocks for interested members. I participate almost every year. Last year I especially enjoyed the outcome of this challenge, thanks to the Paris cats. However, getting to the end of any challenge can be more difficult than one might think. Of
- [Begining Again and Again](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/06/26/begining-again-and-again/) - Yes, I started two quilts on the same day. There's a story, of course. Remember that I worked at St. Mary's last year? Well, that sweet little job cost my time going to the Cotton Quilters' meetings. Every one. C'est la vie. Not going, however, meant that I fell behind the monthy block challenge. Now,
- ["Big Boy Quilt" ~~ a finish!](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/06/04/big-boy-quilt-a-finish/) - I love a finish. Don't you? This one's been quilted for a little while, actually. However, it was waiting for the binding and label. Then it needed a label. Always the label. I think I've resolved that problem. Maybe. Back to that later. Anyway, last summer I cut some of the plaids to make a
- [Improv Process Step-by-Step](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/06/02/step-by-step-of-my-improv-process/) - Today I finished my latest quilt, Citrus Sherbert. Luckily, I took photos along the way. I've been wanting to write about my process. It's time to document it, afterall. I generally pull fabrics based on the colors I've decided on. For this quilt, I thought I'd work with yellows and oranges. Of course, I am
- [Serendipitious Discovery](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/05/23/serendipitious-discovery/) - A while back, I was triming out something--I don't remember what--and dropping the scraps and bits just wherever they felt like going. I must have been cutting several of the same pattern, in the same color, at the same time. Imagine the odds. Anyway, three of four of the bits fell onto the tabletop and,
- [Quilt on the Longarm (and off again)](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/05/22/quilt-on-the-longarm-and-off-again/) - Imagine that! I actually loaded a quilt onto the longarm, quilted it, and have removed it. All that's left are the binding and label. YooHoo! It's really exciting for me because I haven't really quilted since I started this sweet job at the local Catholic school. I've enjoyed my time here, but I promised one
- [Another New Hobby: to support the old one](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/05/17/another-new-hobby-to-support-the-old-one/) - Imagine a quiet hobby I've found something new to do. It doesn't require much in the way of hobbies. However, I've enjoyed the quietness and the chance to not think. Drawing. And I highly recommend it. A pencil. Some paper and voila! I love that I can take it as far as I'm interested in
- [Flying High with the Little Ones](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/05/10/flying-high-with-the-little-ones/) - Recently one of our two great-grandchilden celebrated her birthday. Her mom held it at a place in Alexandria, called Play Cenla, and we wanted to see the rest of our family. A happy time all around. It didn't take long to discover that Play Cenla is a fun place, no matter the reason for showing
- [No school for this girl but reality sets in](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/04/04/no-school-for-this-girl-but-reality-sets-in/) - I missed a few days of school for the Gulf States Quilting Guild Seminar. But the reality of what happened without me set in immediately. The seminar was a great deal of fun, and I loved meeting other teachers. They were all very gracious and we picked each others' brains for tips, tricks, and techniques
- [A Quick Louisiana Spring](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/03/10/a-quick-louisiana-spring/) - Spring in Louisiana can come and go surprising quickly. A few weeks ago we were freezing, literally. Morning lows were in the low 30s. This week we're easily hitting a sweltering 80 by the afternoon. I was shivering through gloomy, cold lunch duties so the kids could play outside...in sweatshirts and long pants. A fierce
- [Cotton Quilters' Guild Meeting in Photos](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/03/10/cotton-quilters-guild-meeting-in-photos/) - I can't tell you much about the CQG meeting last Monday because I wasn't there. I WAS just down the street at work. It's killing me! I have two more meeting before school ends, so come the summer... Anyway, I did get photos to upload on the FaceBook page, so check out what my friends
- [Improv X-blocks, C-curves, and S-curves](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/03/08/improv-x-blocks-c-curves-and-s-curves/) - As promised here last week, I thought I'd tell you a bit about my improv class at GSQA last Friday. I always enjoy teaching quilting, but these students were extra welcoming. One lady told me she scheduled my class first, then scheduled around me! Now THAT'S a compliment! And I can return the compliment by
- [New Friends Learning and Teaching and Quilting](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/03/05/new-friends-learning-and-teaching-and-quilting/) - It was quite a long week--teaching two days at SMS then racing off to the GSQA Seminar in Baton Rouge, which I wrote about here. Never the less, I had a great time meeting the other teachers, chatting about quilting, and learning about the small world a quilt teacher lives. I definitely had more listening
- [You'll Never Guess Where I'm Teaching](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/03/02/youll-never-guess-where-i-am/) - I mean, I'm not expecting that you actually will guess, but I'm hoping you're intrigued. I'm in Baton Rouge for the GSQA Biennial Seminar. The Gulf States Quilting Association covers Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida. We have somewhere around 700 members, and a busy board of officers who somehow keep this thing going. This week
- [A la Mary Improv and More!](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/08/a-la-mary-improv-in-leesville/) - The Sew Crazy Quilters of Leesville, La, hired me to teach improv quilting early last month. You cannot imagine how much fun it is to teach traditional quilters how to let go of everything they've known for 20 years. They are a happy group of ladies. Full of smiles and laughter and good vibes. Oh,
- [Countdown to GSQA Seminar](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/02/03/countdown-to-gsqa-seminar/)
- [5 Ideas to Be a Creative](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/02/03/5-ideas-to-be-a-creative/) - In my last post (here) I mentioned that one of the things I've that I've been busy with is drawing. I use just plain copy paper and a pencil. Usually a dull pencil, at that. But I enjoy it very much and find that it a relaxing, creative enjoyment. So I'd like to share some
- [Where to Begin? Good Question!](https://marymarcotte.com/2023/01/31/where-to-begin-good-question/) - It's hard to know where to start when you've abandoned something for a while. That's what I'm facing right now. Four months down the road is a long time for a blog. Ah well, I'll just begin here and catch you up as I go along. Maybe. Right? Maybe I'll get everything down. Likely I'll
- [Fresh Looks at Old Lives](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/12/12/fresh-looks-at-old-lives/) - Richard and I took a short vacation, oh goodness, in October I guess. It's been a minute. The plan was to go to The Ark Encounter in Kentucky. It's a drive from Evergreen to almost Cincinnati.
- [Circle to Circle in Serendipity](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/11/18/dot-to-dot-in-serendipity/) - I did not realize how long it's been since my last post. You know how it works: I'd try to get a post a week in, but unforeseen circumstances got in the way. Again. And again. How that happened after is a complete mystery. But I did the math: it's been a long time. Six
- [A Round Robin and the Paris Cats](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/10/31/the-round-robin-the-cats-and-depression/) - The modern guild that I'm involved in is located in Baton Rouge, about an hour and a half drive from my house. We are a fun bunch! Every year we participate in a round robin quilt-along. Last year, the group ran off with my Paris-themed quilt. Actually the six quilts were all pretty awesome. Read
- [5 Great Ways to Miss Out on Quilting](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/10/01/a-helping-of-hodgepodge/) - This isn't really a countdown so much as it is the five ridiculously wasteful ways in which I've missed out on quilting. # 1 -- Work full time. Yes I know, I wanted this job. And I still do! But Wow! I'd forgotten how much time teaching takes away from ordinary, after-school time. Writing tests
- [Easy Customer Quilts in Pink](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/09/30/easy-customer-quilts-in-pink/) - It's not often that I take in a customer quilt for quilting simply because I can't promise a quick turnaround. I am a working woman again, and wow! does teaching middle school eat up some time. I could have gone the easy route: hand the kids some boring workbooks and let them go, but who
- [Middle School Mayhem](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/09/27/middle-school-mayhem/) - Really, teaching middle school is not as bad as all that. Mayhem may be a bit strong, but it is exhausting work! My classroom looks better, anyway. I have added a few small items to the walls and hanging from the ceiling. Not the look I'd like, but the kids appreciate it, so.... And I've
- [Hello kiddos! Surprise!](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/16/hello-kiddos-surprise/) - By the time you read this, I'll back teaching. For a year. Just one. That's all I promised. Here's the short version of why: three of our grandies attend school at St. Mary's in Cottonport. Teachers are hard to find. (Really hard when the pay is so little.) So I decided to help out for
- [Day Star Quilt Flimsy Complete (part 2)](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/16/day-star-quilt-flimsy-complete-part-2/) - In this post I told you about my most recent improv finish. It's a scrap top in neutrals with a twist. That twist came about because while I like the calm of neutrals, this quilt wanted more. It wanted a wow! and didn't have any of that. So I got to mulling and thinking and
- [Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/29/our-lady-of-mercy-catholic-church/) - It's been a while since I last wrote about a church. Actually, it was this post on Cabrini in Alexandria, so I thought this one would be a good fit. There are many things that might interest you. So, let's get started. The Sunday that I was at the quilt retreat, I attended mass at
- [MQG's Annual July 4th Retreat to the River](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/16/mqgs-annual-july-4th-retreat-to-the-river/) - Every year, or almost anyway, the Baton Rouge Modern Quilt Guilt (BRMQG) plans our River House Quilt Retreat. Not that I walk down to the river, except once on my first retreat. Poison ivy and heat are a horribly itchy mix. Neither are for me. No, I do not handle either, at all. It's always
- [July CQG Meeting and a Great Road Trip](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/17/july-cqg-meeting-and-a-great-road-trip/) - A few weeks ago, the Cotton Quilters decided that a good road trip was in order. Our meetings are on the first Monday of the month, but honestly, they aren't the same since Covid hit. That last road trip though, that was a hit! So why not another? This time we went to north Louisiana.
- [June Cotton Quilters Meeting](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/08/june-cotton-quilters-meeting/) - I completely missed posting about the June Cotton Quilters meeting. That means I also need to post the July meeting, which was very different and fun! But back to June and our show and share.
- [Is This Jurassic Park? Dinosaurs in Louisiana](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/10/is-this-jurassic-park-dinosaurs-in-louisiana/) - There are dinosaurs in Louisiana. I know because I've seen them. But first, the back story: baby-sitting is a hit-and-miss kind of situation for us. The babies' dad is a firefighter with a strange schedule. Let's say we haven't figured it out. But that's neither here nor there. Right? What's important is that we get
- [How to Make a Fidget Bear](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/03/how-to-make-a-fidget-bear/) - I've been sewing for the nursing home a bit lately. Cookie's dementia has gotten worse in recent months. It helps to keep her mind and hands occupied, so I made a small fidget bear using Simplicity S8044 with the necessary modifications to add fidget items. The arms and legs all have something interesting to touch
- [How to Make a Memory Bear](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/03/how-to-make-a-memory-bear/) - Our neice recently had a baby. She and her husband knew early into the pregnancy that the baby had little chance of surviving to full term. Though they saw doctor after doctor, no one was able to help them. They lost little Asher only an hour after he was born. A few days later she
- [A few nursing home niceties](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/07/01/a-few-nursing-home-niceties/) - Perhaps you remember that my sister, Cookie, is in the nursing home about 20 minutes drive from my house. She suffers from dementia, perhaps Alzhemiers but we're not certain. Since I have been visiting for the last year or so, I've gotten to know some of the staff, especially Connie who answers questions, checks in
- [150 Years of a Tiny Town](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/06/15/150-years-of-a-tiny-town/) - Evergreen, Louisiana, recently celebrated it's 150 birthday! It's a small town of about 300 people, so the celebration was small, but we enjoyed the parade, the park games, and the craft booths. There were a few other vehicles in the parade, but I assume that you've seen fire trucks and first responder vehicles. So we'll
- [Well, that internet deal was short-lived!](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/05/14/well-that-internet-deal-was-short-lived/) - In my last post, what two weeks ago?, I raved, yes that's the word, raved about having Earthlink, our new internet system. At the time everything was working. Of course, there was a caveat. I was wired into the router. Unfortunately, I had a direct line to nowhere. I suppose you could argue that it
- [Gardening, Photos, And Sewing... But No Blogging](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/06/14/gardening-photos-and-sewing-but-no-blogging/) - Welcome back! I've been away from blogging for a month. Since the whole EarthLink fiasco. Never, in the ten years since I started this gig, have I been away so long. But I perhaps it's been a good thing. I've certainly racked up a few incidents: gardening, some pictures, some quilting and sewing stuff. I've
- [EarthLink Internet to the Rescue!](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/05/04/earthlink-internet-to-the-rescue/) - For months now, I have a routine for writing. It works but not well. I pack up everything I need--phone, computer, mouse, plugs, extension cord, to name most of it--and go someplace to get on the internet. Oh, the places I'd go to find internet. Yes, trying to keep up with the world has been
- [Pin It Weekly #365 Red and White](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/04/27/pin-it-weekly-365-red-and-white/) - Welcome to PIW, the week of red and white quilts! I have over 60 quilts on the "red and white" section of my "heart, quilts" board. This is just a small taste. Apologies, I was not able to find information on these last two, but they are too pretty to not include. Of course, choosing
- [Pin It Weekly #364 Butterflies and Flutterflies](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/04/13/pin-it-weekly-364-butterflies-and-flutters/) - It's spring in Louisiana. We have spotted a couple of hummingbirds and see butterflies on almost every walk we take. Meme calls them "flutterflies" everytime she sees one. The butterflies are mulitplies quickly and haven't even found the wildflower gardens that Richard and Adam planted earlier when things were just beginning to green up. Right
- [GSQA Show and Quilt Winners!](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/04/11/gsqa-show-and-share/) - The Gulf States Quilt Association, which covers Louisiana, Missippi, Alabama, and Florida, had its biennial show last weekend. What a fun experience! I decided to drive down to Slidell on Wednesday and spend the afternoon helping out. Since my friend Lori was kind enough to offer a hotel room for the night, I was prepared
- [Pin It Weekly #362 Ten Map Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/03/29/pin-it-weekly-362-ten-map-quilts/) - I've been thinking of map quilts for a few weeks now. I don't know what does that....put my mind on a subject. I do know that when that "on a subject" occurs, I am stuck with it for a while. Links to continue your reading and viewing. These map quilts are all on my "maps"
- [Pin It Weekly #363 Abstract Art](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/04/06/pin-it-weekly-363-abstract-art/) - Lots of insipiration in this post of abstract art and how it can inform modern quilting. I've been thinking about the theme for my modern guild round robin. We've mentioned it at the last couple of meetings, and someone has stepped up to chair it, so it's coming soon. I'm excited! Especially since abstract art
- [Ten Early Bloomers for a Spectacular Show](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/03/26/ten-early-bloomers-for-a-spectacular-show/) - I have about doubled my daily steps. Not long ago I was making a round or two in an effort to get 4,000 steps in. Each round gives me about 1,000 steps. To entertain myself, I enjoy the early bloomers that are in their full glory. It’s been a while since I invited you on my
- [Curves and Improv and a Recovery Quilt](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/03/14/curves-and-improv-and-a-recovery-quilt/) - While I was sick with the flu last week, I somehow managed to do a little sewing. I'm teaching a couple of curves classes in the coming months and decided to make a small quilt specifically for this class. Wanting to really show off the lines, I started out with red and white. After sewing
- [Pin It Weekly #361 Ten Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/03/14/pin-it-weekly-361-ten-quilts/) - I got curious a few days ago about what I've been pinning lately. Hmm, can you imagine that it's been mostly modern quilts? Yep! Here are the last ten that I pinned. Of course, there have been many more. After all, it took a few clicks to build "heart, quilts."
- [Back to the Land of the Living](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/03/14/back-to-the-land-of-the-living/) - I have been battling the flu. Well, perhaps it's Covid, but that's not what I was exposed to. At the beginning I had no idea that I'd been exposed to anything, except the beautiful Louisiana days that I raved about. Of course, those are also allergy days, so I assumed the congestion and other unpleasantness
- [Cajun Country Comes to the City](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/03/08/cajun-country-comes-to-the-city/) - If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know that I am proud of my Cajun French roots and I love Louisiana and the Louisiana people. Mix all that up and you have a jambalaya of fun. We speak in English. Almost always. But we express ourselves in Cajun French. I have
- [Goodbye February / Hello March](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/03/07/goodbye-february-hello-march/) - I'm not sure how everyone else feels about our second month, but it seems that it flew by. Quickly. I suppose it has something to do with the cold. Everyone stayed home as much as possible. Trust me, when it's cold in Louisiana, it's truly cold. Being in the South doesn't help much when the
- [Pin It Weekly #360   Happy Dr. Seuss Day](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/03/02/pin-it-weekly-360-happy-dr-seuss-day/) - I'm not sure when Dr. Seuss Day actually is, but Meme's school is celebrating tomorrow. Of course, Dusti enlisted me to make a Sneetch costume. I did not even know there's a book! Happily, Dusti is current on Dr. Seuss and picked up everything we needed. A yellow shirt and yellow pants and yellow shoes.
- [Around the House in Winter](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/02/23/around-the-house-in-winter/) - Some of the scenes from around our house. I sometimes take my phone with me on my afternoon walks. On some of those days, I remember to take photos. Right now, we are getting a miserable rain. Which we are grateful for as there's been a burn band for the state. So we desperately need
- [A Painting in Baton Rouge and One in Texas](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/02/17/a-painting-in-baton-rouge-and-one-in-texas/) - Those are magnolia painting sales. I decided put my magnolia painting at the Bluebonnet Swamp Spectactular (exhibit) in Baton Rouge. I entered a cotton painting last year, which sold. This exhibit features "work from local artists in the fields of Fabric Arts, Fine Arts and Photography – focusing on the theme 'Impressions of Louisiana Nature'."
- [Pin It Weekly #359 Quilty Followers](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/02/17/pin-it-weekly-358-quilty-followers/) - Say hello to Rebecca Budde, one of our new quilty followers, who has a board just for string quilts. Yes, some of these will soon be on my "heart, quilts" board! A surprise for me, this board is almost at 14,000 pins. Though I imagine a few are duplicates. Next, these modern quilts are from
- [CQG February Meeting](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/02/15/cqg-february-meeting/) - The Cotton Quilters are going strong! We have a new president, who is very laid-back. But we're getting things done, because she's game for almost anything someone suggests. How much fun is that? "Our fearless leader" lets us lead! Case in point: we had a sew-day, lunch, and meeting all in one day. And she
- [The (Nervous) Joy of Quilting for a Friend](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/02/09/the-nervous-joy-of-quilting-for-a-friend/) - Don't we all have that one friend? You know, the one who brings great joy and laughter into your life. But that same one has well defined reasons for everything. Imagine quilting for that one will tell you in a second where to get off, how to go and what to do when you get
- [Pin It Weekly #357](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/02/01/pin-it-weekly-358/) - Welcome back to PIW! Let's look at a few modern quilts, all of which are in the modern section of my "heart, quilts" board. The modern section of "heart, quilts" has over 800 pins, so if you need some inspiration to get started on your next project, this might be a place to begin. Have
- [Pin It Weekly 356 -- meet new followers](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/01/19/pin-it-weekly-357/) - Welcome back to PIW! It's time to say "hello" to a few followers. Shelly has a board titled "Scenes of Inspiration." Oh wow! Great title! Georgia Messer is all ready for Valentine's Day. Take a look at some of her pins. Camille J. has a board about camping that has several sections, a rabbit hole
- [More of South Louisiana](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/01/06/more-of-south-louisiana/) - Since I took quite a few pictures from the passenger seat on our trip to Lake Fausse Point State Park, I'm sharing a few more pictures. I've been remiss in keeping up my blog since my visit to the hospital and through the Christmas season. So, Let me make it up to you, sort of.
- [Dutch Oven Club-- a thing!](https://marymarcotte.com/2022/01/04/dutch-oven-club-a-thing/) - A few weeks ago, we discovered something that we didn't even know existed. Firstly that there is a Dutch oven club. In case you don't know, Dutch oven are wrought iron pots used all over the world for hundreds of years. They are almost indestructable, very heavy so they cook evenly, and after a bit
- [Five Ways with Tiered Trays](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/12/14/five-ways-with-tiered-trays/) - Have you been considering using tiered trays in your decor? If so, I have ideas to help you get started. Start easy -- use what you already have! 2. Use color or not. 3. Make your own. Everyone loves handmade these days! 4. Include signs and phrases that you want to share with family and
- [Christmas 2021 Fare Thee Well](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/12/30/christmas-2021-fare-thee-well/) - I'm hoping that your family is well and ready to ring in the new year. We have several sick ones--a positive for Covid, a couple of ear infections, and a stomach bug making its rounds--but we're all here! We spent Christmas with the kids, grandchildren and great-grandies. Some came and went; others ate lunch and
- [Pin It Weekly #355 More on Tiered Trays](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/12/30/pin-it-weekly-355-more-on-tiered-trays/) - Tiered trays are all the rage right now, but what do you do when all the cute little Christmas items are put away? Of course, you can always put the tray in with the rest of the Christmas decor. But why? The empty tray could also become a year-round decor addition. To that end, you
- [Pin It Weekly #354](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/12/02/pin-it-weekly-335/) - It feels like such a long time since I wrote any Pinterest posts. Mostly because things are no better with our internet situation. I just figured out a way to make it work. Here's a short version of how I get things done: 1. write the post at home in Microsoft Word, 2. take and
- [CQG Christmas Party 2021 and My Costly Faux Pas](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/12/13/cqg-christmas-party-2021-and-my-costly-faux-pas/) - The Cotton Quilters' Guild had a lovely Christmas party. The food, catered from Bernard's Catering, was delicious. Each person brought a small gift and we played "dirty Santa," the game in which players can "steal" from someone who has a gift you'd like to have. I walked away with a portable pressing mat, though I
- [Take a Walk with Me](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/12/01/take-a-walk-with-me/) - I try to walk every day. Scratch that. I manage to make myself walk a couple of days a week. It's a boring activity that gets me nowhere. I mean, maybe if I had somewhere to go. But anyway. I walk around our property and try to amuse myself along the way. These are a
- [Baby, It's Cold Outside. How Do Animals Do This?](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/11/30/baby-its-cold-outside-how-do-animals-do-this/) - If you're wondering what animals I'm referring to in the title, it's all of them. My own sweet grands included. We visited the Alexandria Zoo to see their Christmas lights. Naturally it was dark but it was also cold. Breezy cold. I had a hat, gloves, coat, and boots. And I shivered. I suppose if
- [Farm Fresh Christmas Trees... But for How Long?](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/11/28/farm-fresh-christmas-trees-but-for-how-long/) - I have a booth at Griffins Antiques where I can sell a few items. To that end, I've been making mostly Christmas trees: they are easy enough and fun. I especially like that I've been using some of the items from my stash of crafty stuff. (As opposed to sewing/quilting stuff.) It's wonderful to have
- [Christmas Crafting and Now Three](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/11/21/christmas-crafting-and-now-three/) - The Christmas crafting continues! I'm having a great time making all sorts of little crafts, both for our tree and for my booth at Griffins. We just had a Christmas openhouse and there was a great turn out. I signed a few books and sold a couple of the bead ornaments. Richard and I love,
- [Christmas Ornaments Crafting (I may have a problem)](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/10/31/christmas-ornaments-crafting-i-may-have-a-problem/) - In my last post I told you about crafting Christmas ornaments for our tree. It's something I do every year. The goal is to use as many handmade ornaments as purchased ones. I may even one day have enough to use only the handmade ornaments. If so, it will be a few more years. I
- [Introducing CQG Small Quilts for Sale](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/10/02/introducing-cqg-small-quilts-for-sale/) - This link will bring you to a video on my Facebook page. It shows the CQG small quilts for sale. We canceled this year's show. However, members donated quilts to sell during the show. I offered to put them in my Griffin's booth. Next came the whole Robert's Rules: make a motion, vote and pass
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Chevrons](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/10/03/sunday-quilt-inspiration-chevrons/) - Back in 2016 I wrote a Fleur de Lis SQI post on chevrons. It's time to update that post. Back then chevrons were just finding their comeback. Although, we don't call them zig zags any longer. Now, five years later, Pinterest is inundated with chevron pins. Also, I've added a chevron section to the "heart,
- [Christmas On The Lowdown--Crafting Ornaments](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/29/christmas-on-the-lowdown-crafting-ornaments/) - Have you been thinking of Christmas? I've been doing some Christmas crafting. Finishing the findings tree encouraged me to make a couple of ornaments for the real tree. I make a few ornaments every year: here are 2019 and 2020 We've been reading and seeing reports that it will be extremely difficult to find gifts,
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Beautiful Blue Skies](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/27/blue_skies/) - Don't you love blue skies? Who wouldn't? Firstly, there's the perfect weather. Secondly, sunshine. Thirdly, stunning shades of blue. Originally I intended the color of blue skies to be the inspiration, so when I discovered these gorgeous peonies in the just-right color, I couldn't resist. Oh how I wish peonies could survive here! Then these
- [How to Make a NICU Preemie Gown](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/10/29/make-a-nicu-preemie-gown/) - After a few weeks of wearing a diaper only, Caki was finally able to handle being touched and we visited to see our little darling wearing a tiny little handmade cotton gown! I remember crying because she finally seemed human. We had held our breath for weeks before her birth in prayer that she could
- [Cotton Quilters Guild September Meeting](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/24/cotton-quilters-guild-september-meeting/) - I rediscovered the pictures from our guild meeting. Because of the Labor Day holiday, we delayed the meeting until the 13th. So really, as is typical for me, I'm a little late with this post. Here's a link to the last Cotton Quilters Guild post. I posted the pictures on Facebook in no time. Naturally,
- [Christmas in September? Well, sure!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/21/christmas-in-september-well-sure/) - I spent entirely too much time on Pinterest. I'll just put that information out there. It's probably not news to most people. Anyhoo. Lately I've been looking at Christmas crafts and posting them to my Christmas ideas section in the "diy craft make" board. These recycled jewelry trees caught my eye. Between projects last week,
- [How to Make Half-Square Triangles](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/19/how-to-make-half-square-triangles/) - Making HSTs is really quite easy. I can't begin to count how many I've made over the years, and I always use this process. It's just too simple to consider changing. These directions will give you one HST block. I wrote this tutorial in 2012 when I made this quilt for a student who was
- [DIY a Small Table with a Map](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/19/diy-a-small-table-with-a-map/) - This DIY is from 2015. I can't believe that I refinished this table and it's still sitting next to my recliner. I use it daily. Here we go: Richard and I got this table from a second-hand store. I fell in love with it because it's an old school table. I mean, really why bother
- [How to Make a Small Zippered Coin Purse](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/14/how-to-make-a-small-zippered-coin-purse/) - After making my sister a small wallet to hold her credit cards and keys, I decided to use the pattern to make another to hold my rosaries. Since I keep two rosaries in my purse and have had to take measures to keep them from tangling, I thought I'd solve that problem, too. Materials List
- [Book Discussion Questions for This World So Fierce](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/20/book-discussion-questions-for-this-world-so-fierce/) - Chapter 1: How did you feel about the characterization of Bud and Molly? Are they believable? Do you think that a couple could provide a foster home like theirs? Chapter 2: How do you feel toward Mike Turnat? Do you see him as a protagonist or antagonist? Why? Do you think he could become a
- [Cotton Quilters' Guild June Meeting and Daddy](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/06/24/cotton-quilters-guild-june-meeting-and-daddy/) - I am far behind on my blogging. It's already the 23rd, and I'm just getting to the CQG meeting from the 7th! But first, Father's Day just happened. So meet my dad, Riley. This is a photo from, oh, 10-15 years before his death. It's one of my favorites, because it's true to his personality.
- [Monkeys and Tigers and Bears, Oh My Grandkids!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/07/24/monkeys-and-tigers-and-bears-oh-my-grandkids/) - Last week we babysat Ryder and Milly. Marley always helps with the little ones and we wanted to thank her. She got to choose our adventure of the day and, of course, she came along. You see, we decided to entertain Ry and Milly with anything that doesn't have a screen. Two and four, respectively,
- [New and Improved ... check it out!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/07/28/new-and-improved-check-it-out/) - I have been busy. Very. Busy. Not that I've been posting much, but I've been working at the computer, nonetheless. I've updated my Teaching Schedule. That's so easy, I probably shouldn't mention it. But hey, work is work, right? You can find it by clicking on the Home tab at the top of the page
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Old Architecture](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/07/24/sunday-quilt-inspiration-old-architecture/) - Grant it, I love old books and their stories. Yes, and old journals! Therein lie some stories! And dishes of comfort food. And I love old furniture with dings and scratches and tears. Old farm tools that worked the land. Oh, and what about old photographs and their black and white or sepia coloring? So
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Origami](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/08/01/sunday-quilt-inspiration-origami/) - If you've been visiting on regularily on Sundays, you know that I've been struggling to keep up. I suppose that means thanks for bearing with me. SQI posts are meant to inspire you with everyday items and ideas. Last Sunday SQI was about old architecture. I'd love ideas, so if you come up with any,
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Fish, fishy, fishes](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/08/09/sunday-quilt-inspiration-fish-fishy-fishes/) - First some fish to inspire you... I used the fish idea for an SQI in 2016. There are many more fish inspiration pictures, most are of the pretty, goldfish bowl kind. So I thought I'd post something different this time. Interestingly, all of these arty-types just popped up. Inspired? Well then, let's make some quilts!
- [Back to School Uniform Alterations--How Many Grands Do We Have?](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/08/10/back-to-school-alterations-how-many-grands-do-we-have/) - We have four grandies who are still in school. Two begin middle-school, one is a fifth grader, and one begins Pre-K 4. Kiddos starting school can mean only one thing: uniforms. Lots of uniforms. (So, lots of time in the studio :-) All needing some sort of alterting or fixing or repairing. The moms all
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Denim](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/19/sunday-quilt-inspiration-denim/) - What do you do with your favorite pair of jeans when it's time to take them out of commission? Insterestingly, those jeans can come in any manner of clothing, including shoes, jackets, and bags. Also interesting, you can deconstruct many of these other items and use the fabric in quilts and other projects. Quilts in denim
- [The End. But I Have Photos!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/14/the-end-but-i-have-photos/) - The Contemporary Fiber Arts of Louisiana, my fiber arts group, has an annual small quilt display at the Baton Rouge Main Library. Encouraged to find other venues, I called the Avoyelles Parish Library in Marksville and asked the director, Theresa, whether they would be interested in the display. They were thrilled. I was thrilled. I
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Plushies](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/09/sunday-quilt-inspiration-plushies/) - Since I spent some time making plushies for my grandchildren this past week, I thought it might be fun to see what other plush toys are on Pinterest. Here's what I found.
- [Deadline? Is that a real thing?](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/10/deadline-is-that-a-real-thing/) - Several months ago--hmm, maybe a year now--the Baton Rouge MQG issued a challenge. Make a quilt (yes, the whole thing) using ombre fabrics. Now, I had just moved into the new studio (so, yes, a year now) which gave me ample opportunity to see just how much fabric I've collected hoarded. (I may as well
- [Winter Tree Time](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/07/winter-tree-time/) - I joined in a round robin with the Baton Rouge MQG guild. This quilt is titled "The Four Seasons of Improv." Since everyone before me used improv and a bit of black for definition, I took that and ran. Haha, I ran with the idea. I crawled with the execution. I learned many "what not
- [A Herd of Unicorns... Honestly](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/09/09/a-herd-of-unicorns-honestly/) - An entire herd of unicorns came through my living room this past week. I discovered a unicorn pattern online and in less than a minute decided that I had to make one for Milly. She loves unicorns and insists on a unicorn story every time I offer to tell one. Ryder is into big trucks
- [Blogging? No... Sewing? Yes!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/08/29/blogging-no-sewing-yes/) - Though I've been struggling with blogging (mentioned in my last post), I have found myself in the studio again. What a pleasure! Mostly I've been working on small projects, but hey, working on any project is marching forward. One of those projects is this little collection of hair scrunchies. They are fast and easy and
- [Is Blogging a Thing Anymore?](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/08/20/is-blogging-a-thing-anymore/) - I've considered taking some time off from blogging. It's a time-consuming, though worthy, endeavor, but it must always be somewhere close to the surface of my thoughts. Otherwise, I'd never have pictures or ideas for posts. This cutie is off to preK-4, in her new uniform that her DeeDee altered a couple of weeks ago.
- [Succulent Love in Tropical Louisiana](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/08/16/succulent-love-in-tropical-louisiana/) - Do you remember last year's attempt at building a succulent garden? By fall, everything was looking great. Then winter came. We moved the huge succulent pot because a freezing storm was on its way. Oh, the horror! The pot had a small crack, which became a big crack and, by the time we set it
- [Computers, CQG, and Grandchildren Engulf Me](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/08/05/computers-cqg-and-grandchildren-engulf-me/) - Word Press and Wifi Did you miss me? It's been a whole week since my post on revamping the website. Getting anything out is a huge struggle. Word Press has been the bane of my life for the last week or so. Between WP and wifi I am close to done. Most of my WP
- [Pin It Weekly #353 Back at it!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/07/13/pin-it-weekly-353-back-at-it/) - I realized just how long it's been since I've posted a PIW. Oh wow! Of course, I decided to work on that. I mean, really? Thus, I present my lastest additions to "heart, quilts." Though I have been pinning on occasion, I just didn't get to the next step--Pin It Weekly posts! There are 13,563
- [Riverside Retreat House -- All the Makes!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/07/09/riverside-retreat-house-all-the-makes/) - Earlier in the week I told you about my retreat with the Baton Rouge Modern Quilt Guild. Today let me tell you about all the playing we accomplished. Click here for info on last year's retreat. Aren't these blocks stunning? Joyce made several. Imagine a full quilt of any one of these! There are three
- [Retreat and Accomplish -- Make Quilts for Days!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/07/07/retreat-and-accomplish-make-quilts-for-days/) - You know how I go on retreat--generally the first weekend in July, but also this last time in December--and meet friends for lots of sewing, laughter and food? (Click for a post about last July's retreat.) I didn't have a chance to tell you that I had plans again this year, but I had plans.
- [CFAL Exhibit — More of Louisiana’s Many Stories](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/06/30/cfal-exhibit-more-of-louisianas-many-stories/) - Earlier this week I posted half of the "Louisiana Stories" photos that Richard took at the Contemporary Fiber Artists of Louisiana reception in Baton Rouge. It was awfully sweet of him to take pictures while he waited around for a couple of hours. Having food at the reception may have helped, however. Regardless, I appreciate
- [CFAL Exhibit -- Some of Louisiana's Many Stories](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/06/29/cfal-exhibit-some-of-louisianas-many-stories/) - The Contemporary Fiber Artists of Louisiana has its "Louisiana Stories" works on exhibit at the main branch of the Baton Rouge Parish Library. Yes, I have a piece in the show, but mostly, I want to share the excitement of being active again after Covid. Click on the individual pictures and enlarge them to read
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Full of Hot Air ... Balloons](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/06/28/sunday-quilt-inspiration-full-of-hot-air-balloons/) - A hot air balloon struck an electrical wire and went down earlier in the week. How unfortunate that the four passengers were having a fabulous time one second and the next second found themselves free-falling with no hope of survival. I simply don't know what to think. However, no one needs to worry about me.
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Polka Dots for the Win](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/06/21/sunday-quilt-inspiration-polka-dots-for-the-win/) - Diddly spots (random polka dots)polka knots (polka dance steps)shiny watts (lights)Mommy nots (No, again)puppy dots (dalmations)and summer hots. (sweating) Did you play rhyming games as a child? We sang lots of nursery rhymes, but I don't remember word games so much, then I had my own children. And I made up for lost time! Poor darlings, they
- [All New Toys, Just Come By](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/06/18/all-new-toys-just-come-by/) - I have been building inventory in my Griffin's booth. First, I decided to use up some canvas scraps. Then suddenly, I was on Amazon! Sure, that's cheating. We'll see how these work out then consider going back to the original idea. They are blanks that I added a few cute, summer designs to using a
- [New Fun in My Booth at Griffin's](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/06/15/new-fun-in-my-booth-at-griffins/) - It's been a while since I wrote anything about my booth at Griffin's Market, so I thought I'd bring everyone up to speed on that little corner of my life. I added several items before Mother's Day and a few since. These photos show some of both. I hope you enjoy. And finally, will you
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: My Grandmother](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/06/13/sunday-quilt-inspiration-my-grandmother/) - I hope you have fond memories of grandparents. Mine was an idyllic childhood, dispite the fact that I cried All. The. Time. It would take half a lifetime to come to terms with all that crying.
- [Did WordPress die? Can I Kill WordPress?](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/06/08/did-wordpress-die-can-i-kill-wordpress/) - It seems that I write apologies for not writing on a regular schedule. Well, this time, I'm not apologizing. This time, it's all on WordPress. I tried, many times, to log onto the WordPress dashboard last week. Nothing happening. Occasionally I got some kind of "can't access this site" page, but that's about it. You
- [The Sugaridoo Quilt Finished at Long Last!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/29/the-sugaridoo-quilt-finished-at-long-last/) - I was off-grid the last few days. Determined to complete at least ONE project, I locked myself in the studio with The Sugaridoo Quilt. The only sound was the whirring of my machine. Such a wonderfully, calming sound. I began this quilt when Irene of Sugaridoo Quilts and Bernina teamed up to present this modern
- [Jolie Graduates from Bunkie High School](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/24/jolie-graduates-from-bunkie-high-school/) - Graduation Jolie is our fourth grandchild; Will and Stacey's baby. She is beautiful, funny, smart, and has the undeniable ability to drive everyone around her crazy. Stacey says she's just like me, so I guess that means some good and some bad and some I-don't-know-what-to-do-with-you. She turned 18 in February, graduated Friday, and is ready
- [Cotton Quilters' Guild May Meeting + Sew Day](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/20/cotton-quilters-guild-may-meeting-sew-day/) - For some reason it seems to take me weeks to post anything about my guild meetings. CQG meets on the first Monday of the month, which really was two weeks ago. Don't ask me why. Every month I intend to post in a timely manner. I haven't the slightest idea where the first two weeks
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: More Summery Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/16/sunday-quilt-inspiration-more-summery-quilts/) - Last week's SQI was about summer quilts. We are having such beautiful almost-summer (but not yet hot) weather, that I thought why not do it again? Kaja of Sew Slowly blog mentioned that they don't have quilts just for summer. Allow me to explain. Firstly, in Louisiana the heat is muggy and heavy. I don't
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: whimsical flowers](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/23/sunday-quilt-inspiration-whimsical-flowers/) - Before I begin with SQI, I wanted to mention that I've posted an excerpt of my novel here and book discussion questions here. If you've read the book, please feel free to download or print the discussion questions. If you haven't, check out the excerpt...you may want the book. You'll get a signed copy when
- [Pin It Weekly #352 Followers stole my heart](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/20/pin-it-weekly-352-followers-stole-my-heart/) - Before we begin with PIW, I want to announce that I've written book discussion questions for This World So Fierce. You can purchase the novel here on marymarcotte.com but the discussion questions are free! Help yourself: download, print, whatever. Enjoy! It's been a while since we last met followers, so we'll start with Janice Walker
- [Pin It Weekly #349 Feathers and Scrolls](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/22/pin-it-weekly-349-feathers-and-scrolls/) - I've been working on my Sugaridoo quilt trying to finish, but it's taking so much more than I thought. I guess math got me, again. Nevertheless, I needed some ideas for scrolls. Can you guess where I went? Well, of course, Pinterest! Here are some of the pins I added to my "graffiti, quilting" board.
- [An excerpt from This World So Fierce](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/20/an-excerpt-from-this-world-so-fierce/) - “He’s eight. I’m nine. He’s in fourth, I’m in second. His teacher, Mrs. Sheryl, says he’s smart enough to know when to be quiet” answered Willie, who answered for Frankie from habit. “Are you?” asked Mike. “Ha, nope,” laughed Max and Willie simultaneously. “Supper’s ready,” called Molly from the door. “Let’s eat. Fish gravy and
- [Pin It Weekly #351 Modern Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/14/pin-it-weekly-351-modern-quilts/) - Welcome to Pin It Weekly! Since I feel a little guilt over not posting an SQI Sunday, I'll post a few extra quilts today. These are pins on the board heart, quilts - modern section. Finally, if you want more Pinterest ideas from "heart, quilts," you can go to this recent SQI. As always, thanks
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Cuddle up in Summer Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/02/sunday-quilt-inspiration-cuddle-up-in-summer-quilts/) - Only a few weeks ago I wrote about spring-inspired quilts from followers, and now it's all about cuddling up in summer quilts. Already! Hey, A/C can get chilly during a movie! If you are having weather even remotely close to our heat, humity, rain, etc., then you've probably pulled out the flip flops and shorts.
- [Pin It Weekly #350 Lots of Recent Pins I Love](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/06/pin-it-weekly-350-lots-of-recent-pins-i-love/) - Sometimes when my depression is bothersome, I retreat into my phone. Not a good idea if I open a game, which is why to do that I have to download one. Pinning is not quite the same as playing a game: in the end, there's a board of ideas. So I've added ideas to a
- [So Many Apologies, Sort Of...](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/05/13/so-many-apologies-sort-of/) - Sunday was Mother's Day here in the U.S. If you are a mother, I hope you had a wonderful, celebratory day with your children. My day was definitely celebratory. We saw all the Marcotte mothers--Rich's mom, the three daughters-in-law, and the granddaughter. We also spent most of the day with our three boys and all
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration and Thanks, Jenclair!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/26/sunday-quilt-inspiration-and-thanks-jenclair/) - Jenclair Mullens is a blogger who reviews books on her blog A Garden Carried in the Pocket. She reviewed my novel This World So Fierce earlier this month and I thought I'd share that with you. You should check out her blog because she is a prolific reader and reviewer and has an eclectic taste
- [Pin It Weekly #348 The Newest Followers](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/22/pin-it-weekly-348-the-newest-followers/) - Hello to our three newest Pinterest followers! Let's start with Lubna Zeshan, who has some interesting ideas. Here a few that I like and pinned. Next is Pat Vaughn who has a board titled "Quilt--small things" that really intrigued me. Some of these are now on my boards, of course. And lastly, Gwen McAllily Buckley
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: All Kinds of Colors](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/18/sunday-quilt-inspiration-all-kinds-of-colors/) - While playing on Pinterest a while ago, I discovered this little line. Ahh, it describes me so well. Not that I've written so very much, but that my brain can't seem to NOT write. All the time. Even when I don't have pen and paper. I'm still writing and stories (silly little daydreams, I suppose)
- [A Brain Freeze and a Migraine](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/16/a-brain-freeze-and-a-migraine/) - What do you do when the internet simply won't cooperate? Sometimes it's nothing at all, because you can't really fix the internet was down. I can't anyway. Oddly, we could make phone calls, but getting on the computer or using the phone as a hotspot was just out of this world difficult. I can't tell
- [Pin It Weekly #347 Our alligator](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/15/pin-it-weekly-347-our-alligator/) - We have a visitor in our fish pond. That would be the pond that we recently spent money on to restock with fish that are about the size of your finger. They aren't ready for frying. In fact, they are too tiny to even catch. Scratch that: the great heron that visits on a daily
- [Cotton Quilters' Guild April Meeting: keeping up with Sheila](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/07/cotton-quilters-guild-april-meeting-keeping-up-with-sheila/) - Monday the Cotton Quilters showed some beautiful finishes and works-in-progress. As usual, Sheila--a relative newcomer--showed up with a huge pile of quilts and tops. It's amazing how many quilts she produces in a month! Recently retired and new to quilting, she's making up for lost time. All of the finishes thus far are from Sheila!
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Teal or Turquoise](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/05/sunday-quilt-inspiration-teal-or-turquoise/) - Do you struggle to keep teal and turquoise in line? I know I do. I tend to get the names mixed up, but it doesn't help at all that either can be dark or light. And then there's aqua. Both have blue and green pigments, but teal is blue-green (blue mixed into a green base)
- [Pin It Weekly #346 spring-inspired quilts from followers](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/07/pin-it-weekly-346-spring-inspired-quilts-from-followers/) - Edit: Here's a work-around because after a week without internet (well, almost anyway) now WordPress has decided to make me struggle with every little detail. First I couldn't write a post. Fixed that. Then I couldn't save a post. Fixed that. Now I can't publish the post. Can't seem to fix that. I've gone around
- [The New Studio -- I'm all moved in!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/31/the-new-studio-all-moved-in/) - I told you that the new studio is finished. Today I am, finally, all moved in. In fact, I loaded Sugaridoo on the longarm and have made a few stitches. My theory about quilting was "it's like riding a bike" a Southern phrase meaning you can go without doing something for a long while and
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Green and Yellow](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/28/sunday-quilt-inspiration-green-and-yellow/) - Richard and Adam have planted corn in their gardens. It's now popping out of the ground at a steady pace. And the chickens are wanting to help thin out the little green and yellow shoots. This means they've been taking turns on "chicken watch." Literally standing around the yard and watching that the chickens don't
- [Pin It Weekly #345 ~~ followers with common themes](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/04/01/pin-it-weekly-345-followers-with-common-themes/) - Last week's PIW was about loyal followers. Let's stick with followers and take a look at the quilts a few followers are pinning. Jacqueline Giambalvo has a board with these quilts that share a common theme. I had not seen quilts with paddles before, but I can understand that they might be popular with many
- [How to Attach Binding with Mitered Corners to a Quilt](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/04/how-to-attach-binding-with-mitered-corners-to-a-quilt/) - Follow these step-by-step directions to attach binding to your quilt completely by machine. These directions are updated from this Fleur de Lis Tutorial and can be used if you plan to hand-sew your binding to the back of the quilt by following the directions up to the section titled "Stitching the Front." Just be sure
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration:  Oh Wow! Blues](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/07/sunday-quilt-inspiration-oh-wow-blues/) - I'm recycling a post from 2013. Yes, I know, you may have seen it before, perhaps on the old Fleur de Lis site here or on the Pinterest SQI board over here. But this one is different as I'm including some new pictures, of course. The thing is I couldn't resist the birds or the
- [Final Touches on the New Sewing Studio](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/20/final-touches-on-the-new-sewing-studio/) - I think it's done! The new studio, I mean. Last time I wrote about our work, we were close. This week we thought we were there, but as soon as Richard saw the ironing station, he decided to add wiring to the end of the worktable so the iron can plug in right there. Now
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Spring pastels](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/20/sunday-quilt-inspiration-spring-pastels/) - Pastels always remind me of spring. I suppose it's the colors of flowers opening (think tulips), Easter eggs, Sunday dresses, and so on. I love brights and especially jewels, but pastels also have a place in my heart. Honestly, it's probably all colors. I remember when lime green was just the ugliest of colors, but
- [Pin It Weekly #345 -- things I like](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/18/pin-it-weekly-345-things-i-like/) - Last weeks' post was about what followers are pinning. So this week PIW has a few of my recent pins. In no order. Just some things I like and are now on my "craft diy make" board. No rhyme or reason. A few of them I think I'll use for inspiration at some point. Some
- [More on the new sewing studio](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/07/more-on-the-new-sewing-studio/) - The last time I wrote about the new studio, I had just begun moving in. (Actually I started moving in before everything was built and painted. Why wait, right?) We reused several pieces, built new cabinets and cubbies, and started building a worktable. Come take a tour of what we have so far. Remember this
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Dream Big Quilt Panels](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/15/sunday-quilt-inspiration-dream-big-quilt-panels/) - I realize that the Dream Big panels have lost some of their popularity, but I still think they are wonderful. I love the possiblilities that they present. And especially love to look at them for quilting ideas. That's what I'm thinking of tonight as I get ready to (finally!) quilt my Sugaridoo quilt. More on
- [Pin It Weekly #344 -- love for loyal followers](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/13/pin-it-weekly-344-love-for-loyal-followers/) - Some followers have been hanging out with me for, well, let's just say a long time. I always appreciate followers, so I want to go back down the list (how far back is a mystery) and say thanks with a shoutout to them. Pam Jones has a board titled "Coastal Living" that I think you'll
- [Pin It Weekly #343  Art Quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/03/04/pin-it-weekly-343-art-quilts/) - A few of the quilts I've added to a new section in "heart, quilts." Thanks for visiting! Do you have a favorite? Which one?
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Sewing-themed cakes](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/02/08/sunday-quilt-inspiration-sewing-themed-cakes/) - Last week's SQI was about how we use numbers in quilting. Well, I needed to do something a little less mathy. So I went looking for a diversion from my busy afternoon of doing nothing. It happens that many people celebrate life's milestones with sewing-themed cakes. On this Pinterest board I've pinned, oh, 80! Now
- [“Hanten Jacket: Tradition from Japan](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/02/02/hanten-jacket-tradition-from-japan/) - A hanten jacket, or "half-jacket," is what laborers wore in the fields and other work places. Real boro is created over time, generations in some examples. Cothing was made in such a way that it could easily be deconstructed for reuse in making another garment.
- [Pin It Weekly #342 Translating Words from Distant Places](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/02/18/pin-it-weekly-342-translating-words-from-distant-places/) - Yes, of course, I had to use Google translate as I can't read any of the languages in today's post. Now all of this assumes Google knows what it's doing. Either way, it has to be more accurate than my translation, which would be to name the pins. It's been two weeks since the last
- [Pin It Weekly #341 Welcome New Followers](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/02/04/pin-it-weekly-341-welcome-new-followers/) - Hello! Welcome to another Pin It Weekly! While last week's PIW was about my most recent pins, it's time to welcome new followers. Here's a board idea I haven't seen before: dollhouses! Susanne Brobak's board, "dukkehuse" has well over 500 pins. Sandra Wood has a couple of boards on quilting. Here are a few pins
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: NUMBERS](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/31/sunday-quilt-inspiration-numbers/) - It's ironic that most quilters are artists who love color, texture and fabric, and fear numbers. Yet, patchwork quilting requires the use of numbers almost as much as those other elements. Patchwork quilts are made of squares, or blocks, repeated and multiplied by rows and columns. So quilters must use math to be successful. I
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Double Wedding Ring](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/25/sunday-quilt-inspiration-double-wedding-ring/) - Take a look at these pins. It's not a difficult jump from these beautiful gold wedding bands to this double wedding ring block. Who doesn't have a fascination with double wedding ring quilts? Any quilter worth her salt (as the cliche' goes) has at least considered a double wedding ring. I'm included in that realm.
- [“Pin It Weekly #340 : Latest pins for inspiration](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/20/pin-it-weekly-340-latest-pins-for-inspiration/) - I've been pinning a bit lately. In the course of a recent Pinterest episode, I found these adorable little bags that I think the girls would love. The are in my "basket bags buckets" board. And of course, I've been pinning inspirational ideas for the boro jacket (more about that here). It's coming along quite
- [Let's "boro" together: more jacket slow-stitching](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/19/lets-boro-together-more-jacket-slow-stitching/) - I've been sick with a sinus infection that has knocked me to my knees. I've done three things? sleep, sit, stitch. Not a bad combination, but really, it's probably getting time to move. I do have good news though. My boro jacket stitching is coming along. Hours of stitching can really add up. I think
- [Where do we go from here? Studio Update](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/15/where-do-we-go-from-here-studio-update/) - Background. I thought you'd like an update on the studio repairs. One of my recent surprises was a huge nest of termites in the studio walls. The sewing studio is a separate building, so the termites hadn't eaten their way into the house. They have, however, destroyed about 50% of the studio walls. We began
- [Pin It Weekly #339 : new followers always welcome](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/13/pin-it-weekly-339-new-followers-always-welcome/) - It's time to meet a few new followers. Our last PIW was in December, after all. Oh wow! First up is Jacqueline Giambalvo's "Sewing" board. This board has mostly quilts, but there are some other sewing-related items. Now say hello to Marilyn Wilkinson. If you are on Keto, you should just scroll right on by,
- [Slow-stitching: Boro Fabric Beginnings, One Piece Complete](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/12/slow-stitching-boro-fabric-beginnings-one-piece-complete/) - My little boro fabric is coming along quite nicely. It's slow, but that's the idea with slow-stitching. My peeps cannot understand this concept, but their fun doesn't bother me. I'm enjoying the calm that handwork provides during this time of no studio. We've worked out a plan and Richard (poor hubby!) is working diligently to
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: indigo](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/10/sunday-quilt-inspiration-indigo/) - There's an SQI from 2018 on the old blog that covers indigo, but I am into indigos right now, and want to create another indigo SQI, with a bit of a boro slant. I'm thinking it will inspire me as I work on my boro jacket fabric. I have a little done, now, and it's #fleurdelisquiltsonpinterest, #marymarcottepins, #SQI, blue, inspiration, pins, pinterest, quilt, Sunday
- [Quilts of 2020: The Surprise!](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/05/quilts-of-2020-the-surprise/) - #post_crafting, customer quilts, my book, quilting, retreat, sewing, sewing camp, Sugaridoo, This World So Fierce content
- [Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Crazy Quilting](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/03/sunday-quilt-inspiration-crazy-quilting/) - This post is from a time when I was on a crazy quilt kick? I'd look over Pinterest and other sites for ideas for the crazy quilt bolster that I was working on at the time. That bolster was never finished or maybe I gave it away, who knows after 7-8 years. But I'm back
- [Slow Stitching: Practice for a Future Boro Jacket](https://marymarcotte.com/2021/01/01/slow-stitching-practice-for-a-future-boro-jacket/) - While we were on retreat in Baton Rouge, Glen began talking about wanting to make a boro jacket. She'd brought Susan Briscoe's new book and "encouraged" everyone to look through it. Really, it's fascinating and immediately my brain started whirring. Why not make my own? I could easily create my own pattern, after all. However,, boro,
- [Pin It Weekly #338](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/12/30/pin-it-weekly-338/) - I started a new board! Titled "slow stitching handwork needlework" this one is all about embroidery and beautiful stitches. Now, don't get the idea that I'm going to be stitching anything so intricate. Nor will this passing fancy last very long, but while there's a hint of interest, I have to jump on the pinning
- [(2013) Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Quilting Motifs](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/12/27/2013-sunday-quilt-inspiration-quilting-motifs/) - I was working on a chevron quilt for my sister and needed some ideas for quilting it. I decided to look for a few ideas to inspire us all. These are just a variety of some of the quilting patterns I found on Pinterest. Edit: I've added a few new motifs at the end of inspiration
- [Pin It Weekly #337](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/12/18/pin-it-337/) - #fleurdelisquilts, #fleurdelisquiltsonpinterest, #marymarcottepins, #marymarcottewrites, charcuterie boards, Christmas, crafting, crafts, diy, food, inspiration, Paint, pins, pinterest
- [Customer Quilt ~~ finish](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/11/16/customer-quilt-finish/) - I've been so involved with trying to get my website up and running--correctly, thank goodness--that I really haven't been blogging anywhere. Here or on Blogger. In fact, I've pretty much abandoned Blogger for good. If you go there, you'll find my last post is really just the instructions and links to get here. Thank you
- [How to Make a Christmas Gift Basket](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/11/20/how-to-make-a-christmas-gift-basket/) - Do you find that it's difficult to buy just the right gift for someone? Or maybe you have some ideas in mind, but none are quite enough? One way to consolidate all of your ideas is to build a gift basket for the person. I like themes, so I try to stay within a themed
- [How to Make an Elf Christmas Stocking](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/11/20/how-to-make-an-elf-christmas-stocking/) - Elf Stockings are great fun to make and kids love them. You can make small (unquilted) ones to use as ornaments or large, quilted ones to hang on the mantel. Either way, you'll enjoy this fun project. Directions here explain how to make a large stocking. Skip the quilting and reduce the size if you
- [Pin It Weekly #336](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/12/10/pin-it-weekly-336/) - #fleurdelisquilts, #fleurdelisquiltsonpinterest, #marymarcottepins, @fleurdelisquilts, crafting, crafts, inspiration, paint, pinterest, PIW, weekly
- [Retreat to the River, sort of...](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/12/17/retreat-to-the-river-sort-of/) - #fleurdelisquilts, #marymarcottequilts, classes, inspiration, quilt, quilts, teacher, works in progress
- [(2016) Sunday Quilt Inspiration: Christmas Lights](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/12/20/2016-sunday-quilt-inspiration-christmas-lights/) - We spent this weekend in Natchitoches at the Lights Festival. Natchitoches bills itself as "The City of Lights," which has been celebrated since 1926. One of my fondest memories is of my sisters and me playing and rolling down the hill in front of the lake. I also remember picking stickers out of my clothing,
- [Ebook is now available through Amazon](https://marymarcotte.com/2020/10/28/ebook-is-now-available-through-amazon/) - That’s right! The ebook for This World So Fierce will be available for immediate download on Monday, October 26. Exciting, right? So how do you get it? Easy-peasy. Go to Amazon.com and do a book search for This World So Fierce Mary Marcotte. I know, it’s kind of long so copy and paste that bugger. Here’s the thing: adding my

## Pages

- [Home](https://marymarcotte.com/) - Hi, I’m Mary — an improv quilter and teacher who helps makers trust their creative decisions. My classes blend clarity, encouragement, and playful exploration, giving you simple tools that unlock confidence and flow in every quilt. I teach with warmth, structure, and a deep love for the joyful surprises of improv. T I'm thrilled to
- [Making Lace Fabric for Small Projects— Class Access](https://marymarcotte.com/making-lace-fabric-for-small-projects-class-access/) - Welcome — I’m so happy you’ve joined me. This class is all about creating pretty little fabrics from the laces that you've had forever. I know I have some of those! Watch the video, open the guide, and let yourself respond to what’s in front of you. You don’t need perfection — just curiosity and
- [Workshops and Lectures](https://marymarcotte.com/workshops-and-lectures/) - Supply lists for my Houston Quilt Festival classes. Only 24 seats available per class. Exquisite Improv Curves A variety of large scraps (10" X 10" or larger) 6-8 fat quarters in coordinating colors Rotary cutter, mat, and rulers Small tools that you generally use such as: scissors, pins, seam ripper, etc. Almost in Church Stained-Glass
- [A Playful, Intuitive Approach to Improv — Class Access](https://marymarcotte.com/a-playful-intuitive-approach-to-improv-class-access/) - Welcome — I’m so happy you’ve joined me. This class is all about relaxing into the joy of improv quilting. Watch the video, open the guide, and let yourself respond to what’s in front of you. You don’t need perfection — just curiosity and a willingness to play. Take your time, trust your hands, and
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- [Thank You — You’re In!](https://marymarcotte.com/thank-you-youre-in/) - Thank You for Joining! I’m so glad you’re here. Click here for your free guide, “5 Improv Sewing Decisions That Change Everything," While you’re here, feel free to explore tutorials, color inspiration, and behind‑the‑scenes peeks at my quilting and writing life. Enjoy the guide — and welcome to our community. — Mary
- [5 Improv Sewing Decisions That Change Everything](https://marymarcotte.com/5-improv-sewing-decisions-that-change-everything/) - A simple, confidence‑building guide to help you make stronger choices in your improv quilts — without rules, pressure, or perfection. Improv quilting is joyful, intuitive, and full of possibility. Whether you’re brand new to improv or you’ve been sewing for years, the decisions you make early in the process shape everything that comes after. This
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## Recipes

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## Products

- [Making Lace Fabric for Small Projects VIDEO & WORKBOOK](https://marymarcotte.com/product/lace-fabric-class-product/) - Learn how to combine fabric and vintage lace (quilted or unquilted) to create sweet little projects, from bookmarks to bags, from doll clothes for the littles to “something old” to a new bride. Mary shows examples of her works, some of her finished projects, and how she layers lace to give the "fabric" a balanced,
- [Vintage Lace Quilted Bookmark](https://marymarcotte.com/product/vintage-lace-quilted-bookmark/) - Repurposed lace for a bookish surprise! Quilted bookmark covered in vintage and antique laces--some 50 years old. Bookmarks are quilted to hold the lace in place. Each one is encased in a bookmark sleeve and embellished with a gold tassel. Though they may have some of the same laces, no two are alike! These are
- [This World So Fierce: a novel | Mary Bourque Marcotte](https://marymarcotte.com/product/this-world-so-fierce/) - A foster home, a fragile peace, and a trauma that reshapes everything. YA novel of a foster family facing adversity. Trish and Nikki arrive at Bud and Molly’s foster home as children, each carrying more hurt and loss than a child should ever have to bear. But in the safety of that warm, bustling household, something unexpected happens—they become sisters. Not by blood, but by choice, by circumstance, and by the quiet understanding that only
- [A World Alone | Mary Bourque Marcotte](https://marymarcotte.com/product/a-world-alone-mary-bourque-marcotte/) - A missing sister, a dangerous truth, and a bond that refuses to die. Trish and Nikki have finally stepped into adulthood—graduated, moved out of Bud and Molly’s home, and begun building lives that look almost normal. One has found unexpected stability. The other is chasing a fresh start in Baton Rouge at LSU. But the trauma they survived as teens still shadows every choice they make. Somehow, somewhere A missing sister, a dangerous truth, and a bond that refuses to die.
- [Buy Both and Save Bundle](https://marymarcotte.com/product/buy-both-and-save-bundle/) - The World Series follows Trish and Nikki—two girls bound by trauma, resilience, and the fierce love of a chosen family. Book 1 introduces the moment that changes everything: the violence that shatters their teen years and the healing that begins under Bud and Molly’s protective roof. It’s a story of survival, found family, and the
- [A Playful, Intuitive Approach to Improv VIDEO & WORKBOOK](https://marymarcotte.com/product/a-playful-intuitive-approach-to-improv-quilting-video-workbook-copy/) - A Playful, Intuitive Approach to Improv Quilting Improv quilting is an art. The more you understand how to respond to what’s in front of you, the more comfortable you will feel working in an improv manner. Some of the advantages of improv quilting are that there are no patterns, no mistakes, no stress. You simply

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- [book series](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/book-series/)
- [World Series](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/world-series/)
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- [how does color affect my quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/how-does-color-affect-my-quilts/)
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- [YouTube](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/youtube/)
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- [Abstract Assembly; Freedom Stitch Fluid piecing; Unstructured Patchwork](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/abstract-assembly-freedom-stitch-fluid-piecing-unstructured-patchwork/)
- [What do I need to know to make improv quilts](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/what-do-i-need-to-know-to-make-improv-quilts/)
- [scrap fabric bag ideas](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/scrap-fabric-bag-ideas/)
- [best sewing projects for grandkids](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/best-sewing-projects-for-grandkids/)
- [how to make a bargello zipper pouch](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/how-to-make-a-bargello-zipper-pouch/)
- [colorful patchwork bag ideas](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/colorful-patchwork-bag-ideas/)
- [quick sewing projects with scraps](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/quick-sewing-projects-with-scraps/)
- [citrus color quilting](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/citrus-color-quilting/)
- [easy drawstring bag pattern](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/easy-drawstring-bag-pattern/)
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- [scrap‑friendly sewing project](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/scrap-friendly-sewing-project/)
- [handmade gift ideas sewing](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/handmade-gift-ideas-sewing/)
- [beginner improv sewing project bags](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/beginner-improv-sewing-project-bags/)
- [Houston Quilt Festival](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/houston-quilt-festival/)
- [Quilt Fest Teacher](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/quilt-fest-teacher/)
- [supply list](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/supply-list/)
- [Exquisite Improv Curves](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/exquisite-improv-curves/)
- [International Quilt Festival-Houston](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/international-quilt-festival-houston/)
- [What classes are available at Houston Quilt Festival](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/what-classes-are-available-at-houston-quilt-festival/)
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- [Why is this flood called historic](https://marymarcotte.com/tag/why-is-this-flood-called-historic/)
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## Product tags

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