Do you need a vacation?

Is your idea of the perfect vacation one where all you have to do is get there? No planning, no figuring out where to go next, no worrying about what to eat or what to do. Just show up, relax, and enjoy yourself. Well, I’m doing it again — and you can join me on the Perfect Day Quilting Cruise!

Stitchin’ Heaven asked me to teach on another quilting cruise, and it is going to be amazing. Entertainment, food, exploring all within walking distance.

This time, I’ll be cruising out of Miami, which will ...

Last June, I said yes to a thing without really thinking it through. Kate from the Fat Quarter Shop reached out and asked if I would participate in their Flower Farm Quilt Along. Without thinking twice, I said yes.

In my head, I was thinking two blocks a month for 12 months. There are duplicate blocks in the quilt, so I thought, Awesome. I can handle that. So I ordered my fabric, got my book, and dove right into coloring the quilt. Then I looked at the schedule.

Wait. What?!

I actually needed to make two of each of two ...

I Finished My First Celestial Twilight Quilt!

I am so excited!! I finished one of the Celestial Twilight quilts I made blocks for during the Celestial Twilight Summer Block Party. And I mean finished—quilted, bound, the whole nine yards! There is something so satisfying about putting that final stitch in the binding and getting to hold a completed quilt.

I have thoroughly enjoyed putting all of these blocks together. Every week introduced a different technique and design style, making the project feel fresh and exciting from beginning to end.

Let’s take a look back at the blocks we ...

Get your party drink ready… I have my extra-strong coffee in hand, and I am so excited to finally share all the details about my newest quilt pattern — Constellation Crumb Quilt. KEEP READING UNTIL THE END AND YOU WILL FIND THE PARTY FUN!

Let’s Celebrate A Study in Color, Scraps, and Letting Go

This quilt is truly a study in so many things.

First, it is a study in color and how to create a successful gradient. The design moves from incredibly light pink all the way to a deep, rich purple. In between those two extremes are bright ...

There’s something about woven fabric that just feels extra special—and this new quilt has completely stolen my heart.

A Quilt Made with Fableism Supply Co’s Charming Wovens

For months, each time I went into my LQS, Quilt Basket, I would buy a couple of half yards of some enchanting fabrics. I am absolutely smitten with them. I think most of them are from the Lucky Loom fabric line, but there are some from other lines as well. The colors are rich and dimensional, with the most incredible stripes and plaids woven right in. The purples, oranges, and ...

Most of my quilts come together with a lot of time and planning, even before I get the fabric. However, over the years of being part of a quilting bee collaborative, I have learned to let go and embrace the unknown. For this quilt, I sent the group (do.good.stitches – Harmony) an easy heart quilt block pattern, and the blocks decided to take on their own life.

Beginner-Friendly • Scrap Busting • Charity Inspired

Last weekend, I was a vendor at the Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival. With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, it felt like the perfect opportunity ...

This quilt has been a long time coming. I originally started it during a quilt-along hosted by Amy Ellis. She had just released a new book. The Comfort Quilt was what the sew-along was created around. The pattern called for all sorts of scraps, but I had a stack of fat quarters on hand, so I decided to use what I had and make it work. I strip-pieced the sections I needed to create the plus signs, which helped the quilt come together faster. Still, because this wasn’t one of my own patterns, it kept slipping to the back ...

Happy (almost) New Year!! Today, I wanted to share with you a project that has been a draft blog post for about a year now. It is perfect for the New Year holiday because it makes me think of confetti. I worked on this in December of last year when I decided to repurpose a project into a quilt back.

I have a confession to make: I have gallon-size Ziploc bags everywhere. They’re how I store my scraps. Each color gets its own bag. And I also keep leftover piecing from quilts in Ziplocs, with each finished project having ...

From UFO to Done:

For the last five and a half years, I’ve been pulling out the project box for this Modern Star Quilt —sorting the pieces, laying them out, dreaming about the finish… and then carefully tucking it all away again. Every so often, I’d make a little progress by sewing a few star sets together, but it never seemed to get very far.

A few months ago, I made a promise to myself: I wanted to finally finish some of my UFOs so they could become part of the quilts I donate during the Giving Challenge ...

Of all the quilts I’ve created over the years, this Diamond Quilt Set remains one of my absolute favorites. It’s not just the end result that makes it special—though the clean and simple lines are undeniably beautiful—but the process of making it is what truly left its mark on me. This quilt was more than just a finish; it was a great learning point in my quilting journey and the reason why I love jelly roll quilts.

Where Things Began To Click

When I made the rectangles for these quilts, I figured out how to keep ...

Over the years, I’ve grown to really love this part of the process. There was a time when I dreaded binding—and I didn’t even want to quilt my own quilts. I’d send them off to be quilted by someone else or use my sister’s longarm and do an easy Edge-to-Edge pattern. But over the last five years, something has changed. Now, figuring out a quilting plan, quilting and binding have become steps where I can pour my heart into and do it with a smile.

Ways to Quilt

There are so many different quilting options ...

In this months Make Modern

Inspired by my Field of Flowers quilt from last year’s Great Jelly Roll Bash, this is Wind Echoes. I am totally into pinwheel quilts and have made many different types over the years.

One of my favorite parts of the drive to California is watching the wind turbines scattered across the landscape. These giant windmills spin slowly against layered mountains. They captivate me. It might be because my parents are from Holland, but I love all things windmill-ish and pinwheels are just mini windmills.

read more

added by Elisabeth DeMoo 1 year, 3 months ago. under blog , jelly roll , make modern , pinwheel , quilt pattern , quilts , quilts i have made , ruby star society (Comments)

The Garden Star Series

One of my favorite creative traditions is the Garden Star Series. Every year, I release a new quilt pattern that builds upon this growing collection. Today, I’m thrilled to introduce the latest addition—Garden Star 7! This new design made its debut at QuiltCon, and I couldn’t be more excited to finally share it with you here. It is the perfect beginner quilt or a great pattern for your next quick make. Garden Star 7 includes three versatile sizes, giving quilters room to play and personalize.

A special detail I love? When you piece ...

A Joy to Sew!

I had so much fun sewing up this quilt, called Square Up, for the Fat Quarter Shop! This brand-new pattern is simple, beginner-friendly, and incredibly satisfying to put together. Despite its ease, it has a bold, modern aesthetic that immediately reminded me of a mosaic wall—structured yet full of character.

The Fabric: Bee Garden by Gingiber

For my version of the Square Up quilt, I used fabric from one of my favorite Moda designers: Gingiber. Her collections always feel hand-drawn and filled with charm, and this latest one is no exception. From striking, oversized bees ...

I first released the Fields of Flower quilt as part of the Great Jelly Roll Bash in 2024. I can’t believe it has already been six months! Jelly Roll Day falls on the third Saturday of September, and since I’m all about the quilting life, celebrating a quilting holiday makes perfect sense, I always throw a party for the occasion. But it just hit me—I haven’t shared Fields of Flower my row quilt on the blog yet!

One reason for the delay? This quilt is BIG. It wasn’t quilted initially, but that changed for QuiltCon ...

After months of keeping this pattern close to my heart, I’m thrilled to finally share Drift—my newest quilt pattern. That’s right! It’s the Drift quilt pattern release day—scratch that, week. I have lots of fun things planned. The main thing? I am intertwining it with QuiltCon!

The Drift Quilt Pattern

For years, I have been intimidated by curves. I have made blocks that use them here and there, but I was lost when I tried to write a pattern incorporating the technique. This was especially true for an orange peel quilt I attempted to design ...

Exciting News: My Nightlight Quilt is in Make Modern Magazine!

I’m beyond thrilled to share some amazing news with you all—I’m featured in this month’s Make Modern Magazine! read more

Oh my goodness!! Pinch me because I think I am dreaming!! It’s another pattern release day here at Brown Bird Designs and this one has been a long time coming. I came close to picking this design to release instead of Garden Star 2 when I worked with Citrus and Mint’s playful collection many years ago. Instead, I put this design back in my pocket and have been waiting for the perfect time and perfect line to bring it into the world. This is Inflorescence Quilt, and isn’t she lovely?? Grab yourself a cup of coffee and ...

Happy New Year!!! Yes, I am a little late on these well wishes but I got sick on that day and my day job has been keeping me way too busy. I did sneak in some planning for the new year. All of this has kept me on my toes. Since my mind has been circling around the idea of renewal, resetting, and new goals I remembered something… I just realized I haven’t shared my Color Turn Quilt Pattern here or put it in my shop yet. The Color Turn Quilt Pattern is my take on a modern rainbow ...