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Product review: Lapel Stick for quilters

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A tool that makes the process of quilting easier often gets a permanent spot in my sewing basket. I just tried out a new product that shows promise to take up residence there. It’s a fabric marker called Lapel Stick. The makers sent me some samples and asked me to review the stick as a tool for quilters. I was more than happy to give it a try.

I wanted to see if the Lapel Stick would adequately hold down appliques on a throw size quilt top I was making – long enough to get it to the quilter to do a raw edge and quilt it at the same time. Beforehand, I took a pink block (Kaffe Fassett shot cotton I was using in the quilt) and glued it down to a base square of cotton fabric and left it alone overnight. The next day it was still holding. Best of all when I lifted the pink block off it did not leave behind any fabric fibers – good since you don’t want to stress your fibers. See photo above right.

Next I tested a blue block using what I had on hand so the results are not going to be comparing apples to apples, but we are in the fruit family. I used a small amount of Elmers All Purpose Glue Stick to get the blue square (also shot cotton) onto the white base fabric and left it until the next day. When I lifted the blue block up it did leave some fibers behind. See photo above right. I did finally find a Fabric Glue Stick by Prym-Dritz in my sewing room. I brought it into the testing loop. As you would expect, it did not grab hold of the fibers as much as the Elmers but surprisingly it did grab some – much more than the Lapel Stick. Further, for designing purposes, I found the Lapel Stick glue more forgiving of changes as I moved pieces around (we quilters call it auditioning fabrics).

As I had planned, I used the Lapel Stick adhesive and the Prym-Drytz fabric glue stick for holding down the appliques I made from the pink and blue shot cotton fabrics on the quilt top. With a lighter hold, the Lapel Stick kept the appliques down better than the Prym-Drytz fabric glue stick. I’m a fan.

Here is the quilt top in progress. When finished it’s going to a Mathematics teacher as a gift from her 4th grade students. By the way, the center pattern is Love Emblem by Anna Maria Horner. I will do a later post to give away two Lapel Sticks for a lucky reader to try.

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Comments

  1. I had read that I was one of the winners for the Lapel Stick. I believe it was the day after the winners were announced, I wrote in the comments asking what I should do and where to send my address but never heard back. As of today, I haven’t received the Lapel Stick, either. Now what?

  2. Hi Chris,
    Can you forgive me? I went back and checked my emails and I did put two Lapel Sticks in the mail and one was to a Christina. But it was not to you Chris, the rightful winner. I messed up. I will email you directly so you can give me your physical address, then I will get one of the Lapel Sticks in the mail to you pronto. Again, please accept my apologies. –Scarlett

Have you read?

In the Garden Layer Cake – A Bloom-Filled Fabric Collection for Spring Sewing

Some fabric collections feel pretty, some feel useful, and then there are those rare ones that instantly spark a dozen ideas the moment you see them. The In the Garden Layer Cake from Fat Quarter Shop falls firmly into that last category. From the moment I opened the pack, it felt like stepping into a watercolor garden—soft, romantic, full of movement, and brimming with detail that invites you to slow down and really look.

This collection brings together an elegant mix of florals, garden motifs, and soothing color palettes that feel like they were created for spring quilting. Instead of loud novelty prints, the designer chose a gentle balance of botanical sketches, scattered blossoms, tiny seed patterns, and larger feature florals that work beautifully in both traditional and modern layouts.

What struck me most is how thoughtfully the color stories are arranged. Each print blends seamlessly into the next, giving you a spectrum that includes soft rose pinks, leafy greens, lavender tones, fresh sky blues, rich corals, and delicate neutrals. It’s the kind of palette that instantly feels “quilty” in the best way—inviting, calm, and incredibly easy to mix and match. You can tell the designer planned this for maximum versatility.

Layer cakes are one of the most beginner-friendly precuts, but this collection elevates them with a sense of sophistication. The prints are strong enough to shine in simple patterns, but subtle enough to support more complex designs. Whether you prefer classic half-square triangles, framed squares, modern grid quilts, or something scrappier, this fabric adapts beautifully. It’s also a wonderful choice for table runners, spring wall hangings, and even quilted bags or home décor projects.

One of the nicest surprises with this layer cake is how it manages to feel seasonal without becoming locked into one particular holiday or theme. While the palette is undeniably perfect for spring, the prints themselves are timeless enough to work year-round. A floral quilt made from this collection would look just as lovely on a summer sunroom sofa as it would draped over a guest bed in winter.

The fabric quality is exactly what you’d expect from Fat Quarter Shop—crisp, clean cuts, vibrant printing, and a smooth hand that makes piecing feel effortless. Nothing is too thin or too stiff, and the colors are even more beautiful in person than they appear online.

If you enjoy sewing projects that feel light, fresh, and inspired by nature, In the Garden is a collection worth adding to your stash. It has all the qualities quilters look for: balance, versatility, gentle movement, and that spark of creativity that makes you want to start a project immediately. Whether you’re planning a gift quilt, treating yourself to a new spring project, or simply building your fabric library with a set of prints that will play nicely with others, this layer cake is a thoughtful and inspiring choice.