What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

A hand-me-down bag had a lot of fairly large half-square triangles in it. They weren’t all the same size, but the colors looked nice together. Some were already stitched across the diagonal, some weren’t.

First, I stitched the diagonals as needed, then pressed the blocks open and trimmed them to 4″, the largest size that would fit the blocks.

TIP: When working with Half Square Triangle blocks (HSTs), it is completely worth your time to trim and square up the blocks. There are many good tutorials out there and a variety of methods. Try a few and decide ...

In the last blog I talked about the pattern trends for July. It was a list of the top 20 patterns purchased during the month. In case you missed the post here is a link.

This week I wanted to highlight more of the patterns purchased by our customers. These didn’t make the top 20 last month but I definitely think that they are worth a mention.

The first pattern I am going to highlight is Strippy Whippy. I don’t know about you but I love precut fabrics….. especially Jelly Rolls! I am always looking for something fun ...

A bag of half square triangles came in a hand-me-down package.

They turned in to this.

YAY!

Just a lap size quilt, 42″ x 56″, but it will be a nice donation quilt.

When pioneers trekked west, they took only what could fit in one small covered wagon. Most worldly treasures were left behind. 

But quilts? Quilts were an absolute necessity. They were used as shelter; they were used for warmth. Quilts swaddled babies and protected fragile family heirlooms as they bumped and jostled along the dusty Oregon Trail.

Those antique pioneer quilts were made from scraps, skillfully stitched by hand into simple 9-patches, log cabins, and pinwheels. 200 years later, we are making those same old-fashioned patterns, and they’re just as pretty as ever! 

This week Jenny is working on a ...

Sometimes I am given scraps, or even a partially finished quilt, that just isn’t my style. But, it is an opportunity.

It pushes my creativity, design skills and problem solving abilities. It makes me a beginner again. It makes me learn.

Sometimes a not-my-style quilt is just what I need.

ps–Judy asks a good question: What was I actually given? AGAIN, I didn’t take a picture of the starting point. But, there were a few pinwheels finished, with a dark purple strip sewn to one side. There were several sets of squares (light purple and background) sewn ...

The Framed Pinwheels quilt is a master of disguise. 

It looks like a tricky maze of itty bitty pieces, but don’t be deceived! This block is simply a disappearing nine patch! 

Here’s how it works:  Whip up a nine patch of charms and lil’ pinwheels. Slice up that block. Shuffle the pieces. Stitch ‘em back together. That’s it! 

This pattern was inspired by the creative genius of V and Co, and we’re so excited to share it with you!

Have you ever made a disappearing pinwheel block? It’s easy! Simply stitch up a basic pinwheel, slice it to smithereens, rearrange the pieces, and sew it back together!

This week, Jenny is taking things one step further by spreading those lil’ pieces all across the quilt! The Deconstructed Disappearing Pinwheel is an intricate sea of half square triangles, bar blocks, and itty bitty pinwheels—and it all starts with easy-as-pie pinwheels! Click HERE to watch the tutorial!