Meet Newington.

A New Finish!

Designed in EQ8 and made with fabrics from Island Batik collections, Newington is a Christmas quilt finishing at 76" by 100" published in "Let's Make it Merry" (A Quilter's World publication). 

Published

On News Stands

I used the Greens from the Everlasting collection and the Reds/Pinks from Everlasting and Hello Sunshine collections. 

Everlasting

Hello Sunshine

EQ8 Original Mock-up

It was a joy to play with these beautiful pinks and greens. While the red/green color palette is definitely evocative of Christmas, the softening of the reds into pinks makes Newington a fitting ...

Here’s a beginner-friendly appliqué butterfly and stars quilt that looks great as a scrappy quilt or with your favorite fabric collection!

Fly Away – purchase quilt pattern here

Fly Away is my newest pattern release of this year. It measures 56″ x 68″, and the blocks finish at 9″. I worked with the Pixie Patch collection by Lumin Fabrics. If you want your quilt to look just like mine, wait a little, as the collection will ship to stores in January 2027. In the meantime, you can make a scrappy quilt using your batiks or other fabrics you have on ...

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 ...

Download this star quilt pattern for beginners now! Turn half-square triangles into a beautiful heirloom for your home or as a gift!

Autumn Sky – purchase pattern here

Today, I am launching the Autumn Sky quilt pattern! The quilt measures 54″ x 66″ and the blocks finish at 12″. It is perfect for beginners as you will only be making half-square triangles.

For this sample, I used batiks from the Fur and Forest collection by Lumin Fabrics. I love the colors of fall, leaves, and forest creatures and animal prints featured in the collection! Of course, you know I also love ...

Did You Miss It? At the end of last month, I released the Constellation Crumb Quilt Pattern—and I am so excited about this one.

This pattern invites you to dig deep into your scrap bin and create something truly special: a magical scrappy star quilt. And yes, I mean magical because it really feels like we’re turning nothing into something beautiful. It’s one of those moments where one person’s trash becomes another person’s treasure.

One of my favorite things about this quilt is how every single star center comes together differently. No two twinkle alike ...

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 ...

Meet Aidan!

Green Stars

I made a baby quilt (don't know the baby's name) 

Starting here

I have not met the mother (unless you count meeting on Teams)

Design Wall

So when Lina (not her real name) mentioned that she was going on maternity leave, I asked her if there was color/theme to the nursery.

Striped Binding

Green and Dinosaurs, Lina replied. And THAT was enough :-D 

Dinosaur Centers

I found loads of cute green fabrics in my stash. I love that gnome fabric, which I got from the last Quiltcon.

Many cute fabrics

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 ...

Meet Sulaxi.

Thank you, Paul!

Sulaxi is my response to the Island Batik Timeless Traditions Challenge and Blog Hop.  This challenge requires us to make a Lap (or larger) Quilt using the assigned Summer 2025 collection with the following stipulation.

Use any or all of the following classic, traditional blocks! Use a minimum of 5 different blocks in your quilt in any combination and size of the blocks. 

1. Four Patch Quilt Block 
2. Nine Patch Quilt Block
3. Half Square Triangle Block
4. Quarter Square Triangle Block
5. Friendship Star Block
6. Flying Geese Quilt Block
7. Variable Star Quilt Block
8. Ohio Star Quilt Block
9. Nine ...

Stella made the cover!

Published!

Stella is not only published in the We Like Quilting digital/online magazine's September 2025 issue, she made the cover! I am thrilled.

Stella

Star blocks alternate with Irish Chain blocks. A skinny border and a scrappy border complete the quilt top.

Egg White Background

Block Mania Tuesday

Today is the day!!! It’s another block mania Tuesday, and I made it in the nick of time… I really didn’t think I was going to have a block to share this month because I just got back from teaching on a quilting cruise for a whole week!! It was so much fun!  I didn’t get to work on my block on the ship. And I didn’t get to work on it the week after I got home either… but last Monday I put on my big girl panties and got it done ...

Aurelia was published in Make Modern Issue #56.

Blue Skies, Breezy Day

In the land of Island Batik, March is Ambassador's Choice Month.  Mine is Lula May. 

EQ8 Design

Lula May

Designed in EQ8, and made with Island Batik's Celebrate Collection, Lula May finished at 62" by 82".

Love this collection!!!

I wanted to step away from square blocks. I designed a rectangular block measuring 12" by 16". The triangle in a square made the basis for the elongated star. The strip pieced alternate block combines the colors used in the stars, using the leftovers and tying the pattern together. 

Design Wall

Alternate Blocks

I used Aurifil Thread to piece ...

I first made Avantika for the Island Batik catalogue. The working title was Mosaic Stars but once the quilt was completed, it needed a better name. Avantika means princess :-)

Avantika, the original princess :-)

Sunset Backing and Binding

Made using Island Batik Juicy Mosaics fabric collection, Avantika finished at about 64" by 84". 

Juicy Mosaics is a beautiful collection and I love every fabric in it. 

Of course, we took her out for a photoshoot, thanks to Paul!

Ooh, the reflection!!!

I was so much in love that I chose to make these blocks for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge 2023. 

Since ...

In anticipation of the second shipment of Island Batik Ambassador boxes, I had to clean house, get rid of some scraps and make room for the new supplies. 

In doing so, I came across some star blocks, that date back to 2015, I think. Who knows? It was so long ago ...

 Today we've had a public holiday to celebrate Matariki.

Matariki is the Māori name for the cluster of stars also known as the Pleiades. It rises in midwinter and for many Māori, it heralds the start of a new year. From Te Ara, the Encyclopedia of New Zealand.  

Back in 2018 I made a quilt called Matariki +/- 1.  I entered it into the QuiltNSW Sydney Quilt Show and I won a Judges Commendation for it.  

I don't have this quilt any more because a very kind grandma bought it to go on her grandson's bed when he ...

Designing for the May/June 2023 Issue of Quiltmaker Magazine, I chose the fabric line Celebrate. Designed by Kathy Engle, this fabric line will be available in stores in May 2023.

Imagine my surprise when the magazine was published in March 2023.  It is Island Batik's guidance to release patterns as close to the fabric availability as possible. If the fabric is not available (at the time of pattern release or shortly thereafter), then it feels like a tease or even a torture, especially when the fabric is this gorgeous!!!

For this reason, I have been slow/reluctant to ...

This is the second quilt finished while watching Conference this past weekend.

It is based on THIS tutorial (She calls it Sunburst).

It will be delivered to our Assistant Principal who has a great love for Africa and does much good there sponsoring the education of children.

I hope the rich colors will evoke that beautiful place, and the star will demonstrate the light she shares.