I Sew For Fun Sewing Spotlight with Morgan Mahon and Her Machine Embroidered Dragon Quilt
Our sewing friend, Morgan Mahon, read a book series about a family of dragons. She fell in love with the story and was inspired to make a quilt about dragons. She sketched out her ideas and talked with her mom, Designer Joi, about sewing a quilt. Morgan shares her creative journey, today on the NZP Blog.
Morgan’s overall goal was to make a quilt based on one of her favorite book series (completed 2018). This is probably Morgan’s biggest 4-H project and she wanted to do it right. Morgan had the goal of getting advice from many different people so that she would have a keepsake for many years to come. Morgan sought out advice from a quilt store, an award- winning quilter, took a quilt class, and worked with her mom.
Morgan had the goal of designing the pattern and quilt layout—all on her own. This included selecting the right number of embroidered blocks. She wanted to use embroidery to represent the different dragons and selected four designs to represent the four main dragons. Morgan’s goal was to learn more about quilting. She learned a lot, but she shared, “There was a lot more to learn, including many types of quilting.”
The four books each feature a solid color (blue, red, yellow, and green). Morgan knew she wanted to include that idea in her quilt. The goal was to represent the book colors and select coordinating fabrics. Morgan wanted to embroider the quilt blocks to represent the dragons. She looked on embroidery design websites to find just the right designs. She found the dragon embroidery designs through Amazing Designs Dragon’s Lair, and her mom purchased the embroidery collection for her. Morgan did not realize at the time, but she had an unintentional goal of learning about embroidery stabilizers to create the dragon blocks. This goal took Morgn seven hours to complete.
Morgan’s goal in designing was to select elements such as color, thread, and fabric—that complimented one another. She learned to sew and design with quilting fabrics, notions, and batting. Morgan practiced sewing techniques on a small-size project before sewing a full-size quilt. She also wanted to make a matching pillow for practice.
Morgan’s accomplished her goal of learning to do pieced binding with mitered corners and matching different colors of binding correctly. Morgan also had access to a table top quilting machine and was able to quilt this project on that machine, making it look professional and be more durable. Morgan’s Future Goal: To create more quilts based on different book series, and she’s currently working on a design for next year’s fair!
Great job, Morgan! We’re so proud of your talents and accomplishments. Keep up the great work.
Here is the Amazing Designs Dragon’s Lair Collection Morgan used for her quilt project.
To win a NEW!I Sew For Fun Spring Tape Measure or NEW! Clip ’n Glide Bodkin from Clover, please leave a comment below telling us about a sewing or quilting project you have done with your young sewing partner.
Check out our I Sew For Fun sewing notions including the NEW! Clip ’n Glide Bodkin and NEW! Spring Tape Measure by Nancy Zieman Productions for Clover. The new Clip ’n Glide Bodkin provides a firm hold on elastic, ribbon, trims and cording, for pulling through casings with ease. Exceptional flexibility ensures a smooth passage along straight and curvy areas. The Spring Tape Measure is 60″ in length (includes metric and inches) and retracts with the push of a button.
The randomly selected winner of a copy of McCall’s M7655 Knit Overlay Tunic Pattern is Sunni.
Her comment is: View A. I just bought a lovely charcoal grey knit with no project in mind; just loved the fabric. There probably isn’t enough for a dress but I’d be very comfortable with the top. Thanks!
Happy Quilting and Sewing,
Team Nancy Zieman
Nancy Zieman Productions. LLC.
Content in this feed is © copyright 2018 by Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC and may not be republished without written permission. You’re welcome to forward the email to a friend or colleague but it’s not okay to add the RSS feed automatically as content on a blog or other website.
The FTC requires us to tell you that Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC has provided products by other companies in the course of doing business. The FTC requires us to advise you to take this information into consideration when reading this posting.
Make sure you are subscribed to Nancy Zieman Productions, LLC enews mailing list so you won’t miss a thing. Sign up here. Join us on Facebook, plus a host of other social media channels. Connect With Nancy and Friends today!
Gail Beam
I helped my granddaughter make purse linings for the little purses that she had hand woven on her homemade loom.
Pamela Kay
I helped my granddaughter sew her prom dress. She had previously sewn an apron and a skirt but the prom dress was a much larger project. She did a fantastic job and I will always cherish the memories of working and guiding her through the project. A very proud moment for us both that brought us closer together.
Pamela Smith
My first great grandchild is due in April. I would love to make the dragon quilt for him.
Joan Deaver
The youngest Granddaughter made a doll quilt. She entered it in the county fair. It went to State Fair and then she wanted to donate it. It was put with a bear that was donated to Pine Ridge for a Christmas gift.
Terry Miller
I was showing y 5 year-old grand daughter how to sew on the sewing machine by stitching on paper copies of quilt blocks from my books. She was doing so well, we decided to stitch up some scraps. Abby thought it would be nice to make her dog a blanket, so we did. I think he (the dog) really enjoyed it knowing that Abby made it for him.
diane c
My granddaughter is too little yet (can’t even sit up) but I already have plans to get her interested in sewing
Louise King
My neighbor girl became interested in sewing from me making costumes for her and her sister. She asked her grandmother for a sewing machine for Christmas one year and then I taught her how to make tissue holders. She made gifts for all her family using fabrics she picked out from my stash. We both enjoyed the process and her family enjoyed their gifts!
Terri D'Ambrosio
My granddaughter and I made a quilt for her doll. Kyra was 5 at the time. I had her pick out the fabric and helped me cut out the squares for the quilt. She stood in front of me at the sewing machine and did the sewing. I was there for support if she had trouble.
Sandra C
If that young lady lives anywhere near Madison, Wisconsin, she should consider entering her dragon quilt at Quilt Expo. She certainly learned a great deal in making her quilt. She’s an inspiration to us all!
Terry Mcclintock
Congratulations Morgan on a beautiful quilt! I really admire your thoughtful approach to learning. You are building a solid foundation for your many future projects. I hope you share your next projects with us. Best of luck, and enjoy!
Elaine Wong
I can’t wait to teach my new granddaughter (1 month old)
how to sew & enjoy one of my favorite hobbies.
Ellen
My granddaughters live a long way from me so I suggested a project that would teach a nearby 6 year old to machine sew. Even though we did not make a quilt she made a zipper bag and a quilted storage sack with great success. She was and is full of design ideas and I expect her to continue sewing for herself and others for years to come. Another one catches the bug!
Deborah Whaley
My seven year old grandson started asking me to let him sew last year and we began by making embroidered Christmas towels for him to give as gifts last year. He then wanted to help me sew quilts. I make quilts for the hospitals, shelters, etc. and he wanted to learn how so he could help me. I started him off by making a jelly roll race quilt. He loved it and every time he comes over, he has to work on a project. Just last weekend, his six year old brother asked me to teach him how to sew so he could make things too. I love it. My four year old granddaughter likes to sit in my lap while I sew and push the buttons on the sewing machine when they are needed. I love it because my daughter has absolutely no interest in sewing or quilting. My seven year old told me he wanted my sewing machine for Christmas.
RITA
When my daughter was 12 we both began learning to quilt. She had started sewing when she was about 8 and learned to sew pajama pants. For her 4H project when she was 13 she made a quilt using triangles which was a learning project for both of us and earned her a purple ribbon award!
DebbieW
We always need extra notions to carry w/ our portable projects.
Ms. Bi
I helped a young relative learn to thread a needle and hand sew a rip in her favorite pants.
Berenice
LOVE LOVE LOVE the quilt!!
At our daughters’ service organization’s annual convention I have set up 5-7 sewing machines and a serger and teach 1st time sewists to make a super simple reversible cross body bagor tote bag. No zippers or pockets, we only have about 4 hours to get a many girls on the machines as possible, but it is amazing to see the smiles on those young ladies faces when they carry out their new bags that they made themselves!
Karen Poole
My husband and I have been watching our two youngest grandsons since they were 6 weeks old (while Mom and Dad are at work) so the boys grew up I watching me sew and sitting with me at my machine. They both became interested in seeing and are both really great at it! I do charity sewing with my quilt group and the boys wanted to help out! So both of them have been making charity quilts for the past several years! They’ve done a great job and I have photos of each of their quilts, both have actually picked all the fabrics and done the designing of the quilts as well! I’d love to have them featured in a story too!! In fact both boys are the inspiration for starting a Youth Sewing Guild here in my town! We have 16 members who are ages 8-14!
Bonnye
I have been teaching my granddaughter how to sew. We have been sewing 2 1/2″ squares together to make quilts for pets.
Rebecca Christie
Love the quilt, but I want to know the name of the series she loved…
Joi Mahon
The book series is the Inheritance Cycle.
Karen
I worked with my niece she made a convertible bag/backpack.
Mary Nasvik
I would really like to use these items and to increase my sewing/quilting supply!
Linda Charles
I’m working on t-shirt quilts with my granddaughter and grandson.
Marilyn
My granddaughter and I made a stuffed rabbit. She wanted a embroidered wreath on its ankle for a tattoo. She calls her rabbit Wreath because of the shape of the tattoo . Really cute pink and white plaid .
Bonnie Favorite
I helped an entire class of 4th graders make their own individual quilts. They had a blast, and we’re so very proud of their finished quilts!!
Luann Stone
I have a 5 year old granddaughter – she loves to watch me sew and helps all the time. Still too small to use machine she helps me design clothes for her dolls.
laura Kalk
I taught my 10 year old neighbor how to use their sewing machine. Her mom doesn’t see and she wanted to learn.
Pam Landolt
Awesome job on this fantastic quilt Morgan! I love the distinct qualities and impressed at how you went about educating yourself before taking this on. Love your idea to do this based on a book series and how you grouped the colors. I can’t wait to see more from you in the future!
Donna Lake
Granddaughter is10. We’ve made & embroidered a skirt, pantalettes, two dresses, and 6 embroidered water bottle carriers.She is doing an increasing amount of the work, both design decisions and execution. I’m starting her with my diigitising software.
WHAT IS THE DRAGON SERIES? She likes dragons as much as I do.
REBEKAH LILLY
My seven year-old daughter just received many of the “I sew for fun” sewing accessories. She is so excited to continue learning to sew using these and my first sewing machine that I handed down to her for Christmas. She would love to add the measuring tape or bodkin to her collection!