Hello fellow bloggers and blog stalkers! I am Melissa, I used to blog with Sunni from Love Affair With My Brother. If you are a follower of Love Affair, than you probably noticed this past summer that when I posted quilt tutorials that the pictures I posted said something along the lines of “BitterSweet Baby Quilt Designs”. Well….that is because I have been toying around with the idea of launching my own separate blog AND business. It took all summer to settle on a name and that name is Sew BitterSweet Designs – I guess you could say I have finally decided to take the plunge!
The BitterSweet is in honor of my daughter. Her name means Bitterly Gracious – and I choose to interpret that as BitterSweet. She is the light of my life and at the core of most everything that I do – so naturally she is at the heart of my blog and future business too.
You have seen some of the quilts I have been designing all summer, and I have more up my sleeve! I just purchased Electric Quilt 7 and I plan to put it to good use, designing new, innovative, and modern designs for quilters of all skill levels!
I hope you will take some time if you are new and check out some of my tutorials and see what I can do.
I have so much in store for this blog including: tutorials for new and experienced quilters alike, free patterns and tutorials, and my adventures in trying to break into the pattern designing world! I hope you will follow along with me via Google Friend Connect or Twitter (I’m still working on getting a Facebook Page)!
I also thought it might be fun to kick things off with a little giveaway! I am giving away a fat quarter bundle of Robert Kaufman’s Pooches and Pickups by Laurie Wisbrun. I am also giving away a charm pack of Retro Thirties Prints.
This Giveaway is now Closed
To enter you must be a follower! There will be 2 entries per person:
1. Tell me something sewing/quilting related that you really want to learn!
2. Tweet, Facebook, or Blog about this giveaway – giving me the link so I can check it out!
This giveaway will close on Sunday September 25th, 2011 at midnight – I will announce the winners on Monday – there will be TWO!
That first question is a tough one, mainly because I know so little to start with! LOL I really want to learn how to sew clothing from patterns and, eventually, to create my own patterns from my own designs.
I am going to follow my second pattern ever for Anne’s Halloween costume – I promise to post pics and blog posts on my progress. This is a dream of mine too!
I really really want to figure out and learn how to paper piece and free motion quilt. I think im just too much of a perfectionist and i struggle with those! (love the 30’s fabric!!! My farmers wife is 30’s fabrics, i could use those with it!)
I am still learning paper piecing myself and I have done free motion twice – we will learn together!!!
You’re already posted at ‘I don’t have a problem, I have a well-rounded fabric stash’, but I just tweeted it as @fabricproblem, and I put in another plug for you in the craft forum at Cloth Diaper Nation! 😀 http://clothdiapernation.com/vbforums/showthread.php?p=2353856#post2353856
Thanks Kris! And I’m so glad you are here!
I want to learn a good way of choosing my fabrics instead of just buying out of one collection. I think it would help me to use more out of my stash and not worry about how it will look in the long run.
I don’t know if I can help with this one, my stash is such a disaster – it is something we can work on together.
Hi Melissa!
I’m really interested in learning how to “quilt as you go!” I’ve heard about this technique a few times, and am now working on the “Rose of Sharon” quilt (alzheimer’s initiative quilt), which is done using this method. I’m scared to death to try it, however! If you’ve done this method before, I’d love to hear about it!
~Brandy
PS – I mentioned your blog on my Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/NurseBrandy
Hi Brandy! I will be doing a tutorial on Quilt as you go when I start my Bottled Rainbows quilt. I have been putting my base squares together and I’m all done gathering my scraps (still need orange) I will show everyone how I am doing it!!!
Nice to see you join the Blogging world! congrats on your new venture! My quilt buddy and I just self-published our first pattern. Getting the news out is exciting! check it out on my Blog.
http://mary-quiltingrandma.blogspot.com/2011/09/many-asked-for-it-now-its-here.html
I will definitely have to check out your pattern!
I would absolutely love to work on my quilting skills in general. Good thing I have a best friend willing to walk me through the process and teach me to quilt, so I can finish the first quilt I have ever made. 🙂
Hey, Melissa…great to see the new blog! Thanks so much for running the contest. I FB’d it; you can find it on my page. Also, I’d love to learn about the proper way to apply embellishments on my quilts. Everything from beads to those little mirrors to fun fibers would be great. Thanks again!
Hi Crystal! That will be something we can learn together!
Very nice! Thank you!
I would love to learn how to quilt free motion. Think I’m gonna have to invest in a walking foot for my machine though!
There are so many awesome videos for free motion quilting on You Tube – try googling it!
I really would love to learn more about applique ! thanks! Congrats on the new blog and good luck with your business. thank you for the lovely giveaway.
i’d love to learn how to sew a simple zipper. for some reason, i’m daunted by that idea…thanks for the giveaway, i’m a new follower.
I am still learning how to do zipper’s myself. I will post pictures of how I do it when I put my daughter’s Halloween costume together! Also I have a cute pattern I am going to be putting up on the blog in the next month or so for a simple pouch!
I’m very new to quilting and my last quilt I had issues with the fabric bunching on the back when I was quilting it. I would love to learn more tricks to avoid this! I pined it enough where it “shouldn’t have” happened, but it did and I was stuck working with what I had (which meant I didn’t quilt it in a pattern I really wanted). Should I use spray? Is there a better way to pin it? etc. etc.
I will be doing a tutorial on how to baste your quilt soon – this should help with the bunching issues!
I’d love to learn how to make a FQ tea cozy or better yet a french press cozy!
Sounds like a super cute idea!
I FB’d the giveaway!!! Thank you for the chance to win! 🙂
I’d like to learn more about your red white blue quilt pictured above 🙂 I’m happy to follow along on your new blog, thanks for the giveaway
Hi Jessica, if you go to my tutorials page there is a tutorial to make the quilt!
I can’t think of a thing right now, I think it’s too early in the morning! Lol but Congrats on the blog 🙂
Thanks Jen!
I’ll tweet about the giveaway too.
Good luck with your new venture. I look forward to seeing your patterns and ideas. I am always looking to learn more about different threads available for quilting.
Thanks Karen! I have a lot in store for this blog and I’m glad you will be joining me for the ride 🙂
I am a new follower of yours. I really need to learn more about manageing my quilting time better. lol
Thx
You and me both Lorri!
i really need to learn how to free motion quilt! straight line quilting is getting kind of old…
I am still trying to master FMQ. I think on my new machine it will be easier!
I would love to learn how to alter patterns for clothing….the thought of perfectly fitting clothes is a happy thing. 🙂
I’m still working on sewing clothes – I am going to make my second article of clothing for Halloween!
I would love to learn in depth techniques to assemble backing, batting and top of a quilt to avoid bunching and wrinkles. And, yes I’m a newbie to quilting 🙂
naslyyadid(at)gmail(dot)com
Welcome! I am so happy you are here 🙂 I will definitely be doing some tutorials that should help with the wrinkles and bunching 🙂
Shared a link to your giveaway on facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=10150382870579974&id=722219973
Congratulations! I broke out on my own in April and it’s been great. I would like to be more comfortable with free motion quilting and applique. I’ve also never done circles/curves and I’d love to try that.
Thanks Garilyn! I am excited to be on my own, but I’m not gonna lie – it is a little intimidating too 🙂 Applique I love – I just joined The Applique Society to improve my technique.
tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/blessedmama4/status/116237761547206656
Congrats on the new blog! I just came over from SewHappyGeek. I love to quilt and just started blogging a few months ago. I guess what I would like to learn better is how to quilt my own full sized quilts on my home machine. I have done it, but it is soooo hard and makes me tired. Maybe the quilt as you go would help me out. I look forward to hearing more from you.
I’d love to try paper piecing – there are some great finished items floating around blogland but I have no idea how to start!!
Congrats on your new blog! Looks great!
I’ll be looking forward to any basic quilting tutorials! I’ve never tried quilting but after seeing so much around the blogosphere – I’m going to give it a whirl myself in the new year!
Jill @ Creating my way to Success
http://www.jembellish.blogspot.com/
Congrats on your new blog! And what a great way to kick it off with a giveaway – that’s so nice of you! Thanks for the chance to win =)
Lyanna
Okay so I totally forgot in my last comment to tell you that I really want to learn an easy way to sew y-seams…I find myself needing to know this quite often…
Lyanna =)
Just today I came and studied your flying geese tutorial. I’d love to see more like this–clear, concise tutorials to make my quilting easier and more precise. I’m a new follower.
Congrats and good luck on branching out on your own. I follow Love Affair so I’ve seen some of your stuff. Nice, challenging, interesting. I hope when you talk about basting and bunching on the back of a quilt you have another method than laying everything on the floor. My knees won’t allow me to do that anymore so I pin part and then try to pin the 2nd half and I can’t get it as tight as the first half. Do you know anything about quilt as you go quilts?
Zippers. They just intimidate me.
Here is my tweet:
wordygirl11 Beth Talmage
Found a new blog & entered a great giveaway: staging.sewbittersweetdesigns.com/?p=418. Check out the flying geese tute, too.
(I couldn’t cut and paste the link but I hope this works as verification. I’m a new twitterer.)
The thing I would love to learn is machine quilting. I have done a little on small projects but I would love to really learn how to do it right.
When I buy fabric online it’s hard to know which solids to choose to coordinate with the prints. There’s probably an easy way to do it but I haven’t found it yet 🙂
Thanks for the giveaway!
ap_lemos at yahoo dot com
I need to learn curve sewing.
I tweeted this @shapernes
I REALLY wanna learn how to do curves. They scare me. =)
I tweeted! =) I am @jmmaxman I cant wait to see what you have in store for us!!
I follow you and I put a link to your giveaway on my blog. 🙂
One thing that I really want to learn is how to use the long arm machine that I have. It intimidates me. I’ve never loaded a quilt on it. 🙁
Congrats on your new venture,and good luck also 🙂
I need help with FMQ,would love to learn how to paper piece,and quilt as you go! Just to mention a few:)
I want to learn how to paper piece. That’s been on the list for a while though…
I wanted to learn how to make a quilt 🙂 I have few baby quilt patterns I wanted to make but I do not have time now.. So sad 🙁
Tweeted the news here – https://twitter.com/hueisei/status/116849196161708032
I’ve never quilted and have always wanted to learn how too! Winning this fabric bundle would help me get started on my first quilt!
I just recently did my first quilting on a pillow top and can you say addicting! I have a jelly roll quilt design floating around in my head that *fingers crossed* I can start on soon.
Hooray for your new blog!
I would like to learn more about thread art. Congrats on starting your own new blog and business! Thanks for the opportunity to enter your great giveaway. Good luck in your future designing 🙂
I would really like to know how to sew a tote big enough for me to put my books in to bring to school and blythe doll clothes.
Tweeted
https://twitter.com/#!/Glenys133/status/117210559958630400
I would love to learn more about free hand quilting!
I want to know what to do with small pieces of fabric? (like the bit that is cut off making flying geese) Ps. Love, Love, Love the fabric. and Good Luck on your new adventure!
Hmm, tough one. I need to learn so much. How best to baste, how best to machine quilt, how to adjust block sizes to my needs..
Happy new blog to you! What a lovely inspiration for the name. I would like to learn how to do hexies. Thanks.
Congrats on taking the plunge! I’ve been desiring to learn a little about embroidery and doing some hexagons.
I tweeted! !/dlk3265/status/117217950385192960
I would like to learn the Quilt as you go style. I don’t understand that style.
Good Luck in your new endeavor! I’ll follow you here, as I always enjoyed your posts at Love Affair…
Read you soon…
Paul
http://www.OutnumberedQuilter.com
Even though I was introduced to quilting over 6 years ago, I’ve probably only made 5 or 6 quilts, so I still feel like a beginner. I’ve learned that I don’t have the “vision” required to “see” the finished product in my mind. I sorely lack in the fabric selection department. If I see something I like, the only way I know I’ll be guaranteed to like it is to try to use the same/similar colors as the quilt that has already been made. I’ve read blogs that gave tutorials on how to pick the cool and warm fabrics, and frankly, it just goes over my head. I’m a visual learner, and my best way to learn would be for someone to take me to a local quilt shop, select fabrics, show them to me, explain the concept. Then make ME do the same thing back to them. When I start picking the fabrics and identifying them back to that person, something evidently will “click” in my brain and I understand. Other than that – forget about it. Hope you enjoy your new blog!
am a new follower and I want to learn quilting. I have a charm pack bought but need white ones and they are surprisingly hard to come by. how many yards would I need to make 2 charm packs worth of 5″ squares?
Congratulations on your new adventure! I would like to learn about quilt as you go and more about applique. Thanks for the giveaway!
I am a hand quilter and really want to learn to free motion quilt. Harder than it looks for sure! Good luck on you business!
Good luck with your own blog – seems to be going well!!
I really really really need to learn to FMQ!!!
Hey Melissa,
Congratulations!!! on the new blog. I put a status up with your blog link. I don’t have a blog or twitter or anything else. I LOVE that blue truck fabric. I saw it on another blog and have been fighting the urge to buy it!
I just signed up for a new ‘no sew fabric floorcloth workshop’, I have been wanting to learn this really new skill so much!
Hey Melissa, I had no idea you had already started your blog! I missed a whole week, but am caught up now. Good luck with your new business. You have put your heart into it. I hope it soars on the wings of your creativity.
At this point I’m not sure what I would like to learn more about…maybe paper piecing. I’ve done a little, but being dyslexic creates a whole different situation…have i flipped it over or does my brain just think I’m doing it in reverse, lol.
I’ll be watching…of course i’m a follower now that I know you are here :o)
!/ziamariadesigns/status/117242420600643584
Hi! Kathy here (follower #67). Congrats on your new blog and business. I wish you the best of love. Love what you do and you won’t work a day in your life.
I would like to learn to free motion quilt. I am a hand quilter and love it, but I am getting pretty backed up in flimsies. LOL I became a follower.
I want to learn paper piecing. Good luck in this new adventure!
Hooray for you splitting off on your own – even more good things for me to read and quilt eye candy to see!
I really want to learn how to paper piece!
I really want to learn Free Motion Quilting!
I want to learn to quilt! I keep trying to start & then something comes up & it gets put on the back burner… I love looking at all the gorgeous quilts that are made out in blogland and it keeps me inspired to one day actually get my first quilt made. Once that is done, I would like to learn to free motion quilt as I love the look of it!
Good luck in your new business! 🙂
I blogged about your giveaway at
Congratulations on taking the plunge, chickie! It’s a difficult thing to start out on your own, but thankfully you’ve got some great cheer-leaders here in blog-land! I would really like to know how you get quarter inch seams, and how they turn out so great. Maybe it’s just me, or maybe it’s my machine (a cast iron Singer from 1953 that shakes the table violently), but I just can’t get a straight quarter inch seam. I am newish to sewing, and my love is stuffed toys and dolls. Probably because there is little to no math involved! (That, and I don’t have to do quarter inch seams!!!)
I would love to learn paper piecing
Congratulations on your new blog!!!
I really would like to learn turn of the needle applique.I’ve tried to do it but it didn’t work out.
Hi there! I salute you for taking your dreams and marching on with them! I am in the same boat as you were..but I am still running chicken with it for now… one day…and hopefully sooner than later… I wish you all the best of luck in the world!
I would love to learn more about paper piecing.. I run like heck from it but would love to learn an easy way to do it..
Please enter me in your drawing.. I love the Pooches and Pickups and my grandson would love a quilt made from that!
Congrats on your new pretty website!! I am a new follower and also a new quilter, learning all the basics hopefully won’t be very difficult as I know the basics of sewing, LOL!!
Thanks for a wonderful giveaway 🙂
Posted on Face Book for you!
I am one of your newest followers too. 🙂
I’m new to quilting and really want to learn how to free motion quilt.
Congrats on your new blog. Is there a way to follow you via email since blogger is not being very cooperative lately? (I don’t do facebook or twitter) Thanks!
I want to learn to do quilting on a long-arm machine. Or at least on a machine that has the big frame! lol
I have one friend with a Grace frame that she hasn’t used yet & another that just got a mid-arm & frame & both are expecting me to use them!
Am I lucky or what?
I tweeted about it: !/quiltzyx
I tried hand quilting this week for the first time with embroidery cotton thread. I need a lot more practice. I’d like to give quilt as you go a try sometime too.
I tweeted! !/MoeWest/status/117343729718792193
Congrats on your new venture and thanks for the giveaway!
I’m never sure whether I’ve even got the basics of quilting/sewing right but I definitely need some tips on free motion quilting 🙂
I would love to learn more about landscape quilts. Also, want to do my first “Quilt As You Go.” I’m with you about learning more about free motion quilting! I’ve been practicing today…I have yet to get the stippling part right..my pattern path is not right…too much up and down! I have learned to move the fabric more slowly and press down faster on the pedal, so the stitching is looking better.
I’d like to learn how to free motion quilt
posted on FB
https://www.facebook.com/goonybird
Hi, I follow you on GFC. I would like to learn how to make reverse applique circles without raw edges I had saved a posting about it a few years back but have managed to loose it.
Hi Melissa!
Congrats on your new adventure! I love quilting and everything i have needed to learn has been from my sister. It is neat that now that I am growing I am moving a different direction that what my sister does. I would love to learn paper peicing. I am looking forward to following you along on this new page.
I would like to learn more about prairie points. I think they look great and I would love to see a tutorial on how to make them (easily). 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway. I came over from A Love Affair with my Brother and I now follow you here.
I really want to learn how to free motion quilt!
I tweeted here: !/Lealee33/status/117399291215093761
I’m really interested in free motion quilting. I’m also considering a dresden plate.
I want to learn to sew curves fearlessly
I want to learn how to free motion quilt. 🙂
I tweeted about your giveaway
!/lostsoulhelpme/status/117425114051641344
What I would MOST love to learn about quilting would be EQ! I only could afford to go up to version 5… I just do not have the time to devote to learning the program completely! Working full-time while trying to keep up with family, our home and 2 acres of property,our multiple gardens, dogs, cats, poultry, machinery, etc… not to include my want and need of quilting/sewing as MY outlet in life.
I have SO enjoyed following you on LOVE AFFAIR WITH MY BROTHER… I wish you nothing but smooth sailing and continued success. 😀
Best of luck with your new adventure! Believe in yourself, do what you love and you will succeed.
Your blog is one of my favorite places to come each evening so I am still following and will also follow on FB when you have your page setup. I’m assuming that you will let us all know when that occurs?
Wishing I had a blog so that I could feature you on it. I did share your blog link with my FB people and asked them to visit you. I promised that they would not be sorry nor would it be a waste of their time.
And finally! My answer to your question is……..”drum roll”…lol…..paper piecing. Almost 20 years ago a made a small (12 x 18) wall hanging for my mom and I chose it because it was small and was not at all complicated. To my surprise it came out very well and I was pleased. Then I purchased a paper piecing book and proceeded to try a pattern that was a bit more complicated and it was a horrendous mess. Gave up and into the round file it went! So, now I’m ready to try again.
Have a great weekend!
The quilty related skill that I want to learn is machine quilting with our new domestic sewing machine, both straightline and FMQ. It is scary and don’t quite know how to start. We’ve always hand quilted our quilts. Thanks for the chance. I have some grandnieces that need their baby quilt to be made, and these would be wonderful for an i-spy.
Oh gosh, what don’t I want to learn? I think next up on my list is paper piecing although I’ve read enough about it and have done it through machine embroidery quilt patterns which is basically the same thing without the paper. Instead the machine stitches the space where you lay the fabric and then it does an outline stitch and you flip the fabric, finger press and do the next spot so it’s close but not quite the same ya know.
Color theory/an easy way to actually choose fabrics that go together is something I am definitely struggling with. I learned the hard way that you can’t always buy a bunch of fabrics all from the same line and think they will make a great quilt. I am taking a beginning quilt piecing class now and the very first block I used this gorgeous fabric line that I bought because I fell in love with it. I did as instructed choosing a focus fabric, two mediums, a light and then background for the table runner we’d be creating in this 6 session/12 hour class. I got done with the very last stitch on the first block on the first night, took that to the ironing board and got it all ironed and flat and then turned it over and immediately said EWWWWWWWWWWW it’s horrid! That’s still my review of that block. I completely changed fabric the next night at home, cut out all the same stuff again from that class and restitched a new block. Wow, what a huge difference that made. I love my new fabric choices but I’m still really upset the fabric line I loved so much made such a bad looking block. 🙁 Anyway, choosing new fabrics took me about four hours or more and that was mostly because I wasn’t exactly sure what would work best. I’m sure it’s just a lot of trial and error and that will all come with time. I did happen to have one of those red plastic things you can hold on the fabric which is supposed to help see what is a dark, light or med fabric so that may have helped me more than I first thought because my new block and the others since look pretty good.
Ok I’m a very wordy person when I start so I’m just going to stop typing and leave it where I am now. I think almost anything you choose to teach us is going to help almost anyone reading and some may benefit from the review if they’ve seen or even done it before so I say do what comes to you the day you want to type up a tutorial. 🙂
Congrats on your new blog! I want to learn to paper piece better.
I would really like to learn to do improvisational piecing. I’m sure it is not as random as it looks.
I’d love to learn to make my own patterns.
Tweeted: !/ReefBotanicals/status/117468139217883136
Looking forward to your new blog! I’d like to learn about color options, and planning what to quilt once the top is finished, something beyond the basic meandering. Thanks for the giveaway!
Congrats on starting your new blog! I tend to sew flat items — quilts, potholders, placemats etc –and I am hoping to take the plunge and learn how to make totes.
I’d love to learn more about applique. Congrats on new blog and business.
Blogged about your giveaway. http://ncweekendquilter.blogspot.com/2011/09/giveaways-and-more-giveaways.html
I want to try making Dresden Plates, but so far I have chickened out every time I look at the pattern!
Congrats on your new adventure!
Thanks for offering the giveaway! With two boys underfoot, I would love some truck print fabric for the littlest one’s quilt! Good luck on your new venture!
I found you from A Stitch in Time… and posted on FaceBook about your giveaway.
I really want to learn to free motion quilt – thus far, I’ve followed lines and shapes only.
Thanks for the giveaway!
Crystal
I tweeted about this awesome giveaway, thanks!!
!/BabyDollMaker/status/117614225861517313
Congrats on your new blog…and new business. Best wishes for a great future.
I am a follower, followed you over from Love Affair w/my brother.
I would like to learn more about paper piecing for one (have a long list lol)
Congrats on the new blog and striking out “on your own”.
I tweeted the giveaway
@pdxpam
I would love to learn patience to know that my quilting doesn’t have to be perfect. lol Honestly I love to look at new designs and ways to do things. I am trying to get the courage to begin a blog. Have been toying with the idea for about a year. Good luck with your new ventures.
Free motion quilting and paper piecing top my quilting wish list. I am now your newest follower. Thanks for the chance at your giveaway.
Congratulations on starting your own blog and pattern company. I’m sure your new venture will be successful. You seem to have a double dose of creativity. I have to admit, I lack color confidence. I have read books, taken classes, and stalked blogs trying to learn more about putting fabrics together. I find that I am overwhelmed by color theory and wish I could learn a down to earth, easy method of deciding what types of patterns work together (other than only using fabrics from a particular line).
Congratulations on your new website. Thank you also for the chance to win your giveaway. I am a self taught quilter and always looking for information. I would love to learn how to pick fabrics so that they look as beautiful as the creations others make.
Thank you for putting up the “follow me by email” connection. I am still very nervous about facebook and twitter.
Hugs, Janet
You go girl! So good to hear you want to learn with us, I love your attitude. I am grateful for any tutorials or instructions you share with us..my current bug is trying to hand piece but thats only a side issue. I haven’t touched on paper peicing yet and many other aspects of quilting. I am more than willing to discover the nitty gritties of quilting together:)
I would love to learn how to do free motion quilting. Love your blog!!
I included your giveaway in my blog today:
http://straystitches1.blogspot.com/2011/09/two-shows-in-two-days-photo-heavy.html
Hi. I would love to learn how to machine quilt other than in the ditch. And I woul dlove for my binding to look neater.
I want to learn more about thread painting. Especially for portraits.