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Looking for a way to use up surplus Half Square Triangles (HST)? This might be just the thing you are looking for. Gather up all the HST you have laying around, pick a size, add some low volume scraps, and, before you know it, you have a beautiful quilt to share.

I built my quilt without sashing, and the quilt sizes below assume that. You will likely come up with variations, and I would love to see them all.

NOTE: The quilt above is a 2-1/2″ HST variation using 36 blocks and finishing at 72″x72″.

This started off as a little bundle of three floral print fat quarters. I found some friends for them and, using my favorite Heart Block Pattern, started sewing.

The 6″ size made best use of the fabric I had available. When trimmed to 2-1/2″ the HST cut-offs became the border.

The backing matches beautifully and came from stash, where it had been for a long time. Don’t you just love it when fabric finds its purpose?!

I have another heart quilt in mind and hope to start it in the next few weeks. I need to get the ...

I had seen something similar (without a pattern I could identify) on Pinterest . It turned out to be a good idea that didn’t work.

I am very pleased with the solid flying geese blocks. But, the background…If it had all been the flowers, or the other bright print. But, mixing the two with some leftover scraps…Not successful.

That said, I am going to try again with a single print. The idea deserves a second chance.

ps–I have been calling it the Ugly Geese Quilt, which isn’t fair, because the geese aren’t ugly at all.

I got a little behind due to…well, life! But, I am caught up with the  2026 Sew Along: Scrappy Sampler.

Week 3 and Week 4 are available on YouTube.

I changed to using the red, white and blue color patterns. They work better with my scrapp-ier plan. I am very pleased at how blocks 7 and 8 went because of that.

I was also glad to use some of the pre-cut items that Debra included in the mystery kit she sent me. No, those are not going to waste.

Looking forward to the coming blocks this week.

They are so much fun, you can’t make just one.

So, I made 27. I pulled an assortment of cool color 2-1/2″ squares and warm color 2-1/2″ squares from my precut scraps bin. The black and white borders came from the black print scraps bin. (Yes, I have a lot of bins).

Ta-dah, before I knew it there were blocks ready to mail off to  Many Hands and Many Hearts. You still have time to join in. They are accepting blocks until the end of February.

I learned about Many Hands and Many Hearts from Quilting JetGirl. She recently featured their current project: Black and White Framed Charity Blocks.

Yep, I’m on board. And cutting scraps. And gathering squares. I hope to have a good number (maybe between 20-30) to send in by the deadline (end of February).

If you have scraps, why don’t you join us? It is fun to have fun, but you have to know how…

I am slowly working my way through the projects inherited from Susan Nixon. It is bittersweet–glad they are finished, sorry she isn’t here to finish them…

This one is another variation of a Log Cabin, her favorite block. Here is a link to the less-than-traditional one I finished earlier in 2025.

About 60% of the blocks are Susan’s, and the rest are built by me. Some use strips that were included with the blocks, and I added some fabrics from my own (considerable) scrap stash.

The quilt is 72″x 88″. Not sure what to do with ...

I don’t use patterns very often, but I saw the Starlets pattern and knew it was just what I wanted for a patriotic couch quilt.

I did modify by replacing some of the stars with solid pieces of mostly larger print fabrics that wouldn’t work well for the small, pieced blocks. As built, it is 72″x72″.

The bandana print background has been in my stash for a long time. I believe I bought it on clearance at a local quilt shop for $2.99/yard. (Ah, those were the days…)

Husband helped to pick out the binding ...

In a scrap bag were small pieces of some super cute farm fabric–chickens, sunflowers and text. They aren’t the kind of prints where cutting them smaller would be a good solution. But they could be combined with something else.

I added the gold geometric print in the 4-1/2″ squares and built 4-patchesout of 2-1/2″ squares using coordinating fabrics.

I even had some matching sunflower fabric for the back.

It is even cuter in person, but this at least gives you an idea. Cheap and cheerful, but it will go in the donation pile for next year ...

 Once upon a time, I came across a tutorial on how to make a quilt with collage pieces. It was a llama and I really enjoyed the process of making it.

The blocks for my model quilt are complete, and I am working on layout.

Finish and tutorial coming soon!

I have managed to finish a project, only six weeks after our newest granddaughter was born. It is based on the pattern Christmas Jam Place Mats from the Winter 2025 Issue of Quilter’s World magazine.

My blocks are 8″ square. It seemed like such a great idea, until I realized that the finished project would have over 900 pieces. In a baby quilt. But, it was too late…I really wanted to see the finished product. So, I carried on.

You may notice that each fabric appears only one time, including the yellow star centers. I tried to pick ...

Daughter (Sparkle Jane) is still quilting, but with a 2-year old and a second baby due any day now, her time on social media is limited. I wanted to share a recent project of hers, though, because I got to be a part of it.

She had twelve “figure” blocks made by Susan Nixon (her quilting grandma) that she wanted to turn into something special. With the addition of 13 9-patch blocks (and a truly inspired backing) she now has a throw quilt.

Some of the blanket stitching on the figure blocks wasn’t finished, so Sparkle did that part ...

Here is my promised three-charm-packs quilt (could also be made with a layer cake or cut from scraps).

Finishes at 66″ square. Great throw, table topper, or even wall hanging (if you have a big wall).

Tutorial coming soon (probably next week).