Welcome to susies-scraps.com, where a warm greeting awaits you! This website came to be thanks to my husband’s encouragement. He said, “You’re always creating something amazing – you should start a blog!” And here we are, nearly a decade later.
First and foremost, I want to make it clear that I’m not here to sell anything. This blog is purely non-commercial and there’s no shopfront to tempt you. I genuinely don’t want you to spend your hard-earned money, and I have no interest in collecting or selling personal information. My sole purpose is to share the joy of my creative adventures with you.
In the spirit of community, I offer these projects for free, as long as they are used strictly for personal enjoyment. However, I would greatly appreciate it if you could reach out to me if you intend to use my work elsewhere, such as in forums, blogs, social media, or community craft and church groups. Your consideration means a lot to me.
Please note that using my work for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited. I kindly request that you respect my copyright in this regard.
About myself, I live in Australia. I started working from the age of 12. I am largely self taught when it comes to sewing and crafting. Sewing, creating, cooking and health have always been an integral part of my life. I have spent the best part of my professional life (43 years) as a Cardio-thoracic , Intensive Care and Operating Room Registered Nurse. I am recently retired.
All throughout my personal life. I have always been very creative. I made my own wedding dress at the age of 21. I have always been interested in sewing, painting, soap-making, cooking, knitting, crocheting, renovating, repairing, gardening, studying and quilting. I especially love antique and vintage quilts.
Fabric and food are a constant Inspiration for me. I am always creating something new and coming up with new ideas for quilts, baskets bags and scrap fabric projects. Barely a day goes by that I am not cooking up something with seasonal ingredients and creating new recipes and projects.
I love fabric scraps. I can not resist them. Pieces which might otherwise be discarded, are made into items of beauty.
Food and fabrics have endless possibilities. They can be turned into something really beautiful. Whenever possible, I will share my quilt stories and inspirations, recipes, free patterns and tutorials and tips for sewing.
I am very interested in antique and vintage sewing machines. I am no expert but I love to be able to make repairs, get them back to sewing and preserve their beauty.
I will share my experiences, in the hope, it will help you too!
Antique and Vintage sewing machines are a great tool for quilting and piecing as the straight stitch is exceptional. They really are economical, compared with modern machines! Did I mention, They look great too!
You can use them for quilting as well.
So join me and make something exciting with my projects.
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Welcome to The Art of Living.
Always sharing my inspirations and ideas for seasonal cooking and textile creations. Hopefully, I can give you some useful ideas too.
If you would like further information on any of these projects, feel free to contact me on social media or leave a comment on this blog.
I hope you enjoy my posts!
All the best and welcome!
I can always be reached via email (susie@susies-scraps.com) or on social media.
Susie
You’re speaking my language, Susie! I love to make all manner of stuff (dolls, toys, bags, clothes, quilts, whatever), I’ve cooked everything under the sun, I love to quilt with scraps and I’m addicted to old sewing machines!!! I sew and quilt exclusively on my old Singers (201k, 103k and 99k) and a Necchi Supernova.
I’m really looking forward to exploring more of your posts but right now I’m gearing up for pinwheels!!
Sounds like we are sisters! 😄
Absolutely agree with yo with lovely vintage machines – I make quilts with my singer Treadle, 201K, 99k and Elna SU, and Phaff creative
Hello! I saw your site on Pinterest. You are so creative! Could you please contact me about the use of one of your ideas? I’d like to share one of your block patterns with a block swap group that I recently joined. Thanks!
Email: hazle50@hotmail.com
Hi Susie, I live in beautiful Mackay and am an avid quilter, I’m not
professional by any standards, but just love giving it a good crack.
I’m forever on the internet getting ideas and I’m looking forward to
following your blog, best wishes Sue Hazledine
Hello Susie!
I have been sewing for over 50 years and love it. I have not made anything in the past 3 years as my husband died very suddenly and I can’t seem to shake it. I found you on Pinterest and believe you may be a God send.
I look forward to trying some of your projects and recipes!
Thank you,
Susan Sullivan
I happened upon your blog about handquilting and it struck a chord with me. I am currently sewing the binding on a wall hanging that I started about 30 years ago. I machine pieced it and spent time working on it off and on over the years handquilting it. It has been tucked away for many years as I raised my family and took on other handiwork projects. After a recent scrap, stamp & quilt retreat (my friends and I were there as papercrafters) and seeing the beautiful quilts being made, the inspiration hit us 3 to start, or restart in my case, quilting. Which brings me to my 30 year project. My stitches are not perfect, but those 1000s of stitches were made by me….I feel accomplished! However I said I would never handquilt again…..now, after reading you wonderful words on hand quilting, I just may do another project…..but maybe not quite as big. Maybe I will hand quilt a runner! Thank you for sharing your thoughts and love of this art.
💖
Hi Susie,I just love your site and your zest for life,I live on Cape Breton Island in the province of Nova Scotia Canada…I have already made two of your scrappy quilts and love them…it is wonderful of you to post the free patterns so many ones to choose from,please continue sending out your ideas…Deborah
Just found your site – and am loving it! I live in the US – in Northern California, just outside of Sacramento. I lived in Australia (outside Melbourne) many years ago and still miss it. Your blog resonated with me as I have many of the same interests, but primarily quilting. Thank you for sharing so many of your many talents with all of us! Deb E
Ah so blessed to have found a kindred spirit! Especially one who has the spirit of gifting. (very rare) Looking forward to learning and exploring all your wonderful, creative quilts and more. Thank you so very much for your generosity in sharing your love and passion. Aloha from Hawaii.
Be safe, blessings!
Hello Susie from South Africa. I’m so glad to have found your site and just spent half the day looking at it. I have several vintage machines which I restored and use almost daily, they are so reliable and sew beautifully.
You are so inspiring – thank you.
I have been a fan of your patterns for quite some time, just never took the time to leave a comment. I too love vintage fabrics, in fact, it’s about all I work with unless I’m making charity quilts. I also have a collection of vintage Singer sewing machines and 2 Berninas. I wish I could have all of them set up, but just have room for four that I sew on. Thank you so much for offering your talent for others to enjoy!
Such a wonderful site. Really beautiful quilts and ideas. So glad that I found it.
5 august 2021
Just found your wonderful site. I have 6 vintage machines – one I have had for 55 years – an Elna SU – my Cadillac then 35 year old Pfaff creative – and now rescued 4 more, so finding your site is lovely. I do have a question to anyone who may have a vintage Myer Victor zig zag – the foot pedal is hard to sew slow – any suggestions- can I get another foot required.
A site for quilters like the old days, when people put creations and patterns and tips online for free. I quilted a lot for a few years and then stopped for 5 or 6 years. Coming back it’s a whole new world. Nowadays all the blogs have monetized everything. I understand that that pays for their quilting supplies I guess, but I find it disheartening. Amazing to find all your great tutorials and patterns and advice. Really hope you are still posting regularly. My favorite blogs often seem to have dried up in the last few years. Thank you for many inspirational ideas. I’m starting several scrap quilts already.
Hi Susie, just found your blog while searching for information on Singer 31-20. I picked up this machine – not in pristine condition as your 31K20. This one is a treadle as well but has seen heavy use by an employee of Holden making vinyl car seat covers. The machine has a small metal wax pot on top and the heavy nylon thread runs through that wax. As a bonus the man made a cover from a burgundy piece of the seat vinyl- nothing flash but I will keep it. I hope you kept your Singer 31K20 it looks stunning on your photos. Regards Mira from SA.
Hi Susie,
Today must be my lucky day. I was just on pinterest looking, and it seems its turned mostly into an advertisement page for Etsy marketers. Then I saw your project and immediately clicked to see what you were all about. How refreshing your site is. A person who just wants to share. How novel anymore. I too am a long time lover of creating and sharing. Sewing is my peace and my sewing room my sanctuary, many problems solved there. Immediately I signed up for all of your communications, I want to see your creations. It just goes to show how very much alike we all are no matter where we are located. I live in Alaska USA and you are my kind of person. It was your flower bowl that caught my eye. May make some today, if not tomorrow. Thank you for sharing your life and creativity. Your husband is a smart man, he knew how to share you with the world. Have a wonderful day!
Isn’t it amazing? Nothing to sell, just inspiration and beautiful objects! (KS)
Wow, such talent you have! Thank you so much for graciously sharing. I am just starting on my quilting journey, and your quilts and free motion quilting are such an inspiration. Thank you so much.
What a treasure trove of beautiful quilts and ideas and patterns! I found you and now your website on Pinterest. You are everything Pinterest started out to be. A place to share ideas and talents. It turned into a site that mostly links to people selling and extremely frustrating. So thank you for sharing your creative life with all of us. You are both very talented and equally as kind!
Hi Susie. I just found your blog and looked at some of your posts. I LOVE IT!!! l also love the vintage kinds of fabrics you use, and the things you make! I have my Mom’s old Singer machine, and it looks just like yours!!! It works fine, although my husband bought me fancier machine several years ago, which I do use. I am working on making some recycled wool mittens for some friends, then, I need to finish a T-shirt quilt for my youngest son. After that, I want to make some baskets out of your “ropes”. It is so wonderful of you to share your gifts with many people! During these “crazy, unsettled times”, it is soothing to be creative. Blessings to you! I think we would have such a great time together if we were friends. I also enjoy gardening, and cooking healthy things! Rhonda
Thank you for this site. You are giving me a little clarity in this messed up world. Like people scraps combined can be beautiful.
Hello from Canada Susie, I found your site this morning. What a delightful discovery. I look forward to going through all your tutorials and tapping into your expertise. I adore scrappy quilts. Thanks for sharing. I love your old Singer BTW.
Hi Susie,
I just found your site, and am loving it! So beautiful and creative, just the way I aspire to live. Thank you so much for sharing.
I expect to learn a lot.
Ciao carissima, mi sono iscritta in questo momento! Ti ho scoperto per caso curiosando su PINTEREST, sei molto brava e grazie di cuore per condividere con noi ciò che ami. Ottime spiegazioni e belle foto.
Hi Susie. I’m inspired to look in my small bag of scraps. I think i can get many 2″ or 2.5″ blocks from the bits i didn’t need from blocks and fabric etc. My question is how do you cut a square from say a 2.5×3″ piece of scrap? Do you use a rotary cutter and ruler or do you trace the square and use scissors? May seem like a dumb question but i am newish to quilting! I made my son a scrappy 5 inch block quilt with borders and am piecing my rows to my 52 blocks in 52 weeks.
Dear Lisa, I cut all my scraps with a rotary cutter and ruler. I think this gives the most consistent results. I’m excited for you. It’s amazing what can come out of a bag of scraps!
Glad I found your blog…..can’t wait to spend some time reading thru your posts & making some of your wonderful quilts. I can relate to your love of fabric & flower gardening…..it is a passion for me as well! I live in beautiful Powhatan, VA USA! So love finding Aussie folks…..y’all are so talented!!!!
I just finished my scrappy strip diamond blocks quilt by following your directions which I had found on the web several years ago. Thank you so much! I love the quilt. I flipped some of the groups so I have a combination of stars and medallions cascading across the quilt. I used scraps of all color groups with a fair amount of black prints I mixed in at random. It’s the first quilt I’ve made I might hang on the wall but it’s pretty on the bed too. Many thanks!
Dear Nancy, sounds wonderful! 💕
Greetings from Pennsylvania. So far I have seen just this page of your blog and find it lovely, as are the quilts in this post. I have signed up to follow and look forward to reading the entire blog.
Susie, hello from Missouri, USA. I saw your Double Scrappy Pinwheel Block on Pinterest and was amazed. I will be making the Framing Pinwheels Quilt very soon. I live about 40 miles from Jenny Doan and visit MSQC often. I, too am a nurse, retired. I look forward to reading more about you and your quilts. Thank you so much for the terrific patterns.
Hi Susie, I am new to your site, found you through my search for the Arrowhead quilt block; can you believe it? I was fascinated with your method of making this block–thank you! I live in the USA and have signed up to receive your blog posts. Happy sewing, and thank you for your sharing.
Hi Susie, I’ve just found your website looking for inspiration for quilting pattern for a Friendship Star Wreath wallhanging. I like the look of the Clover quilting pattern on the background areas of the broken 4patch gift for your stepson. Then I thought ooh! I like the look of that quilt and that one too! It’s an inspirational website …thank you. I’m in the UK also, although I did live in Melbourne for several years.
Thank you Carol! Welcome x
What a lovely site. You are a rare breed indeed. It’s lovely of you to help us all without anything in return. Thank you so much. I live in England and you are so refreshing.
Many thanks Eileen for your kind words. Best wished from Australia. Susie
I live in Adelaide too and have just acquired a Singer 201K treadle, 1951. it seems to be in good order and the inside is very clean, not even 1 thread of cotton. But i need to get a new belt and would quite like an expert to look at it before i get going. Can you point me in the right direction? many thanks.
Hi Meredith. That sounds amazing. I would test it out myself. The price of someone looking at it may be more expensive than the machine itself…..you can get a new belt from All make Sewing Machines on Goodwood Road. I think you will love it!
do you have a catalog or something that you can order from
Dear Judy, thank you so much for your interest! I dont sell anything, however, I do share all my patterns / tutorials and inspiration for free.
Glad I found your site via your you tube video on free motion quilting on a singer 201.
I have been collecting and using vintage sewing machines for about 6 years now too we have the same machines thanks for your great inspiration
I notice you do not mention that this should be a scrim free batting and if they use regular batting there is a severe chance of burning if they use this article in a microwave. The batting used must be cotton and 100% scrim free.
Love the pink/brown four square quilt in your welcome message. Where can I find a pattern? Hoping to make a charity quilt for breast cancer “run for the cure” fund raiser and this would be a perfect pattern.
Dear Dianne, thank you. I will write a pattern for this quilt. It’s easy to construct. Will you be starting it soon? Here is the link to the quilt story. Susie
http://susies-scraps.com/category/quilts-and-quilting/chocolate-box-four-patch/
Dear Dianne, I think this is the quilt pattern you were looking for? All the Best, Susie
http://susies-scraps.com/2016/01/23/country-roses-four-patch-quilt-pattern/
Just found you…excellent!
Just love your site…thanks for sharing!
Beautiful pictures!!!
Love your ideas. Thanks for sharing.
Susie, we at Orange Tree quilters wish to thank you for bringing the two boxes of fabric to us to use in our quilts for sick children.we understand that the fabric came from one of you friends, so do thank her for us. Let’s all keep sewing!cheers June
Love your site! Thank you for sharing!
I am a beginner quilter. Someone gifted me vintage quilt square (189) 4×4 already for a quilt. These were done by his grandmother who passed in 1955. I would like to use the country rose four patch for this quilt. How much fabric do I need to purchase for the borders and binding? Your input would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you,
mariel47@juno.com
Dear Marie, that’s sounds wonderful. You would need at least 2 metres, or 2.2 yards for the background. If you like to pre wash your fabric like me, then I would suggest getting a bit more. You will need at least 70 cm of fabric for the binding. I would love to see your finished quilt. 💕 All the best with your project! Susie
I have been searching all over for the material you, Susie, used in your Nine Patch Delft Blue quilt posted May of 2015. Can you help me find this blue delft rose material? Thank you so much.
Dear Jan, I recently saw this fabric at a craft fair. I should have bought it for you! 😐 I suggest looking/asking at some destash groups, but I must add that I believe you could substitute another fabric with the same tones of blue and white and still get a very similar result. Just think of the fabric as colour. I have also seen similar styles of faric at Spotlight not so long ago. All the best to you. Susie
Wonderful inspiring site -Just found it and I feel the need to make one of your lovely baskets with my scraps. Thanks for sharing.
I enjoyed your Singer 99 revival and would like to follow along too.
so glad I found this site.
i am enjoying your recipes, your quiIts, and especially the fact that the way you present everything is just Iike you are speaking directIy to us- not just a tutorial, i Iove the stories- thats what quiIting was about in my granny/s
– community- Iove and sharing. thanks so very much for brightening my day!
Just looking for a ‘subscribe’ to your site and not seeing it except the “notify” below. Will that do it? I hope so. What a nice place to do some reading with a morning cup of coffee!
Hi just found your site and I love it. My sister is a quilter also my best friend so that has put me off trying. Your work is beautiful and I can’t wait to try your food. I have old machines Singer 66 treadle 128 hand crank 201 electric and I am in the UK.
Dear Lucy. Thank you for your lovely comments! How exciting that you have some VSM Singers too! Maybe you will try some quilting? Don’t worry, we were all beginners once. Have a lovely day!
Love this site!!!! I will be visiting often.
I feel so lucky to have found your site I love it and will come back omg I haven’t checked it all out yet..
Thank You so much
Wow just love your site, thanks for sharing have some interesting things to check out, love your quilts will keep in touch Jan
I so love your site and your heart to share!