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Diary of a Quilter

Hello! I'm Amy Smart. Subscribe for weekly emails with free quilt tutorials, seasonal projects, sewing room organization tips, and new content every week! Join 70,000+ other quilters! πŸ’Œ

Featured Post

Economy Quilt Block Pattern + Printable Quilt Size Chart

Economy Blocks Tutorial + Printable Quilt Size Chart Hello friends! I hope this email finds you well. Lots of good quilting fun and inspiration to share this week! First of all apologies to anyone who had trouble clicking on links last week - there were technical issues with my website. Good news - they are resolved! πŸ˜… But I'm sorry for anyone who was frustrated. Thanks for your patience with me! Man, technical issues are not my strength. Let's get back to talking about something I feel more...

Spring & 🐣 Easter Sewing Inspiration + Sewing For a Cause Hello friends! Happy Spring! March's uneven temperament continues to display itself as most evident by the snow falling on the yellow buds of my forsythia bush this past week. But I'm okay with the fits and starts of spring as evenings are starting to stay lighter, longer and the world is slowly getting greener. I think real Spring is really on it's way. Fun Finds on the Web: Spring + Easter Inspiration All of this has put me in the...

Irish ☘ Chain Quilt Tutorials + 25% off my Most Popular Quilt Pattern Hello friends! I hope this week finds you well! First off, official business: Happy National Quilting Day! You are officially authorized by me (and whoever created this holiday) to celebrate however you like best whether it's some quality time at your sewing machine or supporting your favorite local quilt shop. It's the National Quilting Day thing to do. And I've got more celebratory items below! But first, new version of...

Free Mini Quilt Pattern + Tips for Finding Time + What's New Hello friends! Happy March! I hope you're feeling some of the effects of spring sun and hope wherever you are! (Well, if you're in the Northern Hemisphere that is.) Did you know March is also National Quilting Month? Apparently, it's a thing. Any excuse to celebrate quilting and I'm all in! In honor of the occasion I'm re-sharing the free Mini Quilt pattern called Bright Star with all of you. Click below to find the post to download...

Shamrocks and Rainbows Stitching

🌈 Rainbows + Shamrock ☘ projects + QuiltCon Recap Hello friends! Happy MARCH! Woohoo. I love March. My first round of crocus flowers have officially bloomed and that makes me so happy. Spring is finally on it's way (even if it's in fits and starts). If you're in need of some cheery sewing projects to get you through until the spring weather officially arrives to stay, I've put together a list of Rainbow + Shamrock sewing and quilting projects from a bunch of different quilters and designers....

Jelly Roll Pattern Sale + Manx Quilt Block Tutorial Hello friends! Thank you so much for stopping by. ❀ This week I'm at QuiltCon, soaking up all of the quilts and color inspiration. Check out my posts and stories on Instagram to see the highlights! I'll be writing up a recap and sharing next week. New on the blog this week, a new quilt finish that was quick thanks to strip-piecing techniques. This Jelly-Roll-friendly quilt pattern, A Bushel and a Peck is perfect for a quick make! This...

Free 2025 Quilt Along, Machine Quilting at Home + Weekend Fabric Sales Hello friends! I hope this finds you well. Here's what's new around here: For a myriad of reasons, this week was not as productive as I'd hoped. But, I did get some time at my machine to start catching up on the 2025 Riley Blake Designs free Quilt Block Challenge. Mainly I'm slow getting started because it took me a minute (okay, a month) to pick fabric I wanted to use. Here's a look at the progress that's been made! This...

New Tutorial + Fabric Choosing Tips + Last Minute πŸ’• Projects Hello Friends! Happy weekend! Welcome to all of the new subscribers who came from the Quilted! Summit this past week! And thank you so much for the kind feeback. In this week's newsletter edition I'm sharing a new tutorial, some fun last minuteπŸ’•'s projects as well as some very practical tips and suggestions for one of the biggest dilemmas in quilting. New Tutorial This Week - How to make a Tumbler Patchwork Quilt This week I...

Log Cabin Heart Free Quilt Block

Free πŸ’— Quilt Block Pattern + Bright Color Inspo for Winter Blahs Hello Friends! I have so much good stuff to share with you this week! First of all, let's pause and celebrate the fact that we made it to February. In honor of that fact I've got a few fun and simple heart projects. Some would be festive last-minute Valentine dΓ©cor, others would be sweet gifts. Brand new on the blog this week: Sydney Nordgren shares this absolutely delightful Log Cabin Heart quilt block tutorial! And she shares...

My #1 Quilting Tip + Red & White Quilt Inspiration Hello Friends! I hope this week's edition finds you well. First of all - this is the last weekend of my January Shop Sale! Everything (fabric, kits, and patterns) are all 20% off through tomorrow, 1/26. My full shop only goes on Sale twice a year - January and September, so don't miss out! Discount taken automatically at checkout. No coupon code needed. Shop Sale HERE My #1 Quilting Tip! Some of you may have already heard this before, but...