What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

The Giving Challenge — Extending Grace, Stitch by Stitch

Welcome back to this month’s Giving Challenge! It’s not Tuesday, my usual blog post day, but here I am! I started November with a big list of Charity Quilt Projects to make. At the top of that list are three quilts that have been patiently waiting for their turn in the spotlight—quilts I quilted last month and am now determined to finish and bind. I’m so close, and each one means something special.

Falling Stars Quilt

This quilt has been calling my name for ages. I started this ...

I am totally obsessed with sardines!! They are trending big time. I have a fish keychain from Ruby Star Society, the best goofy doormat featuring a full tin of them (which my husband loves), and my favorite t-shirt is from H&M. I even found a candle at Anthropologie… and I want so much more. That obsession led me to start making some fish templates for us! I’ve already made some fish-themed charity quilt blocks and have big plans for more projects—so stay tuned. To officially kick off my sardine obsession here on the blog, I wanted to ...

From a Pile of Whites to Whimsical Fish

Lately, I’ve noticed an abundance of white fabric scraps piling up in my stash—more than any other color! While sorting through some focus fabrics from my Quilt Guild for charity blocks, inspiration struck. The playful cat print is the perfect contrast to a sardine-themed quilt block I’ve been wanting to make. Last weekend offered an ideal break between projects, so I took the opportunity for a little creative refresh—a “quilty jolt,” if you will. That spark led to the creation of a free quilt block pattern that’s ...

Piecing a Scrappy Back for the Hope’s Path Quilt

Sometimes quilting projects don’t go as planned—like when I completely forgot to order backing for the Hope’s Path Quilt. This is a quilt that is so is special to me. I share the rights with Quilts for a Cause. An organization that raises money to combat cancer by selling quilts. I was working under a tight, self imposed deadline. While it might sound stressful, it turned into an unexpected creative opportunity!

Why? Well, I decided to piece together a Snazzy Stripy Quilt Back made solely from my ...

I come from a family that subscribed to Hoard’s Dairyman, National Geographic, and Burda. To this day, as a farmer’s daughter, I still love flipping through the knee-high stacks of Burda magazines my mom has collected over the years. In fact, I even have a small stack of five Burda magazines that have somehow lost their way and found a home on my bookshelf.

Quilt Jacket: A Three-Year Work in Progress

Each year, I pull them out and dream of making a jacket. I’ve actually been working on triangles from my Terracotta Fiori Quilt Pattern to create ...

As I check out the new quilt fabric collections, I realize that I'm out of touch with the current trends.  Well, maybe not "out of touch" as I keep up with what's going on in the quilt industry.  A better assessment might be "out of sync".  Since I have been interested in and quilting since the l950s, I remain a traditional quiltmaker.  My aesthetic leans toward the grayer, but saturated fabrics -- not the modern graphics on real bright tones or pastels.   I have decided, however, that I will stick with what I'm comfortable with, and not dive ...

Build your favorite city as you piece and applique modern quilt blocks. Select the ones you like for smaller projects, or make the whole quilt!

Welcome to City Blocks – my first quilt book! Published by Leisure Arts and already on sale, this book features 32 blocks I designed, each portraying a place or an experience in a city. There are also six coordinating, smaller projects, many diagrams, and easy-to-follow instructions.

Those of you who have been following me since I began this blog and my Etsy store (2013!) will remember our Sew Along. We made a block every two weeks ...

In the aftermath of creating my Inflorescence Quilt. Amidst the chaos of my sewing room, I found myself adding new scraps to my already overflowing scrap bins. I have more than one place I put my scraps, a writers chest and a utility cart. Thinking there has to be a better way, an idea sparked. I started designing a pattern tailored to repurposing all of the triangular pieces found within the cuts of the Inflorescence Quilt. I have been tinkering with a pattern for a few months. So I decided to take the concept and change it, turning it into ...

A Journey into Deep Colors, Scrappy Quilts and Wonky Hexagons

Welcome quilting friends! A few weeks back I shared with you my newest pattern, the Inflorescences Quilt. Today, I’m excited to take you on a whimsical journey as we unveil the back of that quilt. A creation that boasts deep, dark colors reminiscent of a starry night and mysterious galaxies, made with fabric scraps. How is this scrappy quilt possible you might ask? With a Wonky Half Hexagon template.

Let’s break the quilt down into three different half hexagons and talk about using templates ...

From Scraps to Fabulous

Let’s turn trash into fun!! One of my favorite things is turning scraps into something usable. I do this in many ways. My favorite way, and the one that I have been doing for the longest, is creating dog beds out of the fabrics too small to do something with and the bits of batting that are not useable. I also love turning my scraps into larger quilt sandwiches so I can practice quilting. Then there is always the quilt back. The perfect way to practice improv quilting and put a dent into the scrap ...

Welcome to Block Mania!! This month’s theme is all about friendship. There are some really cute blocks in this link package, so follow the links on the list below to build the perfect quilt. I have a special treat for you, so keep reading until the end. I went a little deep in thought for my block this month. As I pondered the meaning of friends, how important they are, and how people come in and out of our lives at different points, my block appeared. I just love it. As a modern maker, I took a different approach ...

Welcome to Block Mania!! This month’s theme is all about friendship. There are some really cute blocks in this link package, so follow the links on the list below to build the perfect quilt. I have a special treat for you, so keep reading until the end. I went a little deep in thought for my block this month. As I pondered the meaning of friends, how important they are, and how people come in and out of our lives at different points, my block appeared. I just love it. As a modern maker, I took a different approach ...

Happy St. Patty’s Day!!

I have a plant obsession! I show little snippets of it in my newsletter, but I haven’t talked a lot about it here. Over the pandemic, my plant collection has grown from a small area close to one window to having multiple plants in each and every room. I even have one room that has more than 45 plants in it. I love watching them grow. There is one particular window that has 5 hoyas hanging in pots. It has the best light, and if you don’t believe that, I will have to ...

I have been in a bit of a funk for the past two years. As a result, my list of UFOs (Unfinished Objects) is growing. I have not added many finished quilts to my list of completed projects. The quilting group I am in is called Harmony and is part of do. Good Stitches, a group that makes charity quilts. I get to pick the block used for a quilt two times a year, and that month each group member sends me two blocks. I get about 20 blocks. That is why I am so excited to have finished this ...

The blues are not done with me yet. Here is a photo of the leftovers at this point

All of this plus the quilt posted yesterday came from the little box in the middle of the table (except the backing on the right) and then I found a drawer of 'orphan' blocks, added the ones with blue in them and started making another one. So far this other one is nearly done and still have this table full of bits. They may not survive to go into a third quilt!

As for the second one, it is partly sewn, about ...

We have had a winter snow storm that has been very beautiful.

I have cut for easy breezy, fish school, and the stashbuster 2022 in aqua/ teal for the rainbow scrap challenge at so scrappy. I can sit and do that.

what color is this one? I wish it could make up it's mind

I am linking to:

rsc21 super saturday
oh scrap
put your foot down

wednesday wait loss

I have cut pieces for a stashbuster 2022 quilt in red. I haven't put one together yet but it looks fun. I have a small box of the right size pieces but not matching. So I will cut some more each month.

cut for stash buster challenge

I picked a pile of fabric from my stash in soft blues, golds, purples etc. that blended well but with a good range of values. I wanted soft rather than contrast, muted rather than bright. Blocks finish at 12" so for a king, I need 90 or so, without borders. 

My hubby really likes this. 

So far, these are the ten that are on the wall. The photo ...

Have you ever set aside half square triangle scraps with the intent to use them but can’t figure out what to do with them? What do you do with your project scraps? I always feel so good when I save them. They are perfect to use in charity blocks or a scrappie project. As I was working on two of the three Double Pinwheel Quilts I made, I did a little prep work and laid the foundation for a few hundred half square triangles all from scraps. They have been waiting patiently for me in a basket on top ...