Learn how to make a shoo fly quilt block using one layer cake (plus a little yardage for the center squares). It’s a simple block with half square triangles and rectangle pieces. Easy enough to sew up in a weekend.

Materials Needed to Sew the Quilt

1 – layer cake or 42 10″ x 10″ squares – see below the cutting instructions

28 – 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares (center of each block – DON’T use the layer cake for these!)

Want the ad free pdf file?! Scroll to the bottom of the post for more details!

Layer Cake ...

Learn how to sew a classic Courthouse Steps quilt block—with a fun little twist in the middle and easy strip sewing all the way through! If you’re like me and have a pile of leftover strips from past projects (or maybe a jelly roll or two you’ve been “saving”), this is a great way to put them to work.

This version of the courthouse steps block starts with a simple 4-patch center and builds out using all 2″ strips—no tricky measurements, no fuss, just easy sewing.

It’s perfect for swaps, scrappy layouts, and clearing out ...

Fall color came into its peak at our place this past week, and was gone just as quickly. Early one morning, as the sun came up over the mountain to the east, the oranges and golds were glowing in the light.

The colors were beautiful down the driveway and around the street.

Gracie, our resident squirrel, came up for a treat. Of course, she looks so cute that she got her peanut butter sandwich.

Across the valley, more red can be seen in the pear and maple trees.

Then, one morning, snow! OK, it is just a dusting, but we ...

Learn about the Dear Elizabeth Thread Dispenser from Lemonwood and how it can make binding your quilts so much easier (and less tangled!).

If you’ve ever draped your quilt binding over your shoulder, only to have it twist, tangle, or—let’s be honest—get caught on your shirt button… this little tool is going to be your new best friend.

In the video, I’ll show you how I use mine while sewing quilt binding to keep everything smooth, tidy, and feeding right where it should.

What Is the Dear Elizabeth Thread Dispenser?

The Dear Elizabeth is a ...

Learn how to sew a bread basket cover with this simple and practical sewing tutorial. This quick project adds a cozy, handmade touch to your table and keeps your rolls, muffins, or loaves warm while serving.

It’s a perfect companion for holiday dinners, family gatherings, or weekend brunches—and it’s easier to make than you might think!

This tutorial uses a few fabric squares and simple seams to create a fabric cover that ties neatly at the corners. It’s beginner-friendly, scrap-friendly, and customizable for any size basket. Whether you use it for rolls, biscuits, or even fruit ...

If you’ve got a pile of leftover quilt blocks that didn’t quite make the cut for a quilt top — don’t toss them! Turn those pretties into something quick and useful instead.

These little fabric bookmarks are the perfect scrap-busting project and come together in just a few minutes.

No piecing, no fuss — just a clever way to give your orphan blocks a new life.

Why You’ll Love This Project

These bookmarks are one of those satisfying projects where you blink and you’re done. They’re:
★ Quick – 10 minutes, tops.
★ Easy – Straight stitching and simple layering ...

Let’s see what’s happening.

Y’all, I am so grateful for autumn. It’s my favorite season because it’s finally a smidge cooler and it’s the most colorful! A few leaves have fallen and the puppies are going nuts over them…and the acorns. The Hubs and I figure they’re getting more fiber.

Fall is also my muse for quilting. Projects are filling my head and sewing space and I think this is the time of year when I break rules like the stupid one-project-at-a-time rule. There, I said it. Without further ado, here’s ...

This is it—the big flip! After weeks of clues and block units, the Crosswind Mystery Quilt layout is officially revealed (peek at the image above). All your flying geese, four-patches, and star points finally click together—cue the happy dance!

Crosswind Mystery Quilt — FINAL REVEAL

Below you’ll find what to expect, assembly tips to make your finish smooth, and where to grab the full pattern with diagrams, PDFs, and replays.

Where the Pattern & Files Live

The complete Crosswind pattern (materials list, optional cutting list, step-by-step clues, final layout, and finishing instructions) is inside Patchworkers Plus.

All those clues ...

Learn how to organize your sewing room so you can spend less time hunting for your favorite scissors and more time actually sewing.

Whether you’ve got a dedicated studio, a corner of the dining room, or a folding table you pull out between meals, these sewing room organization tips for quilters will help you make sense of the creative chaos.

This isn’t about picture-perfect Pinterest rooms or color-coordinated everything.

It’s about real, usable systems that keep your fabric, projects, and tools within reach — so your space works for you, not against you.

When Your Sewing Room Starts ...

Learn how to turn that mountain of fabric into finished quilts you’ll actually love with this collection of 25 free quilt patterns. Each pattern is perfect for using what you already own—fat quarters, jelly rolls, charm packs, or those bits of leftover fabric that have been waiting years for their moment.

Let’s Be Honest About the Stash Situation

It starts small.
A few fat quarters here, a charm pack or two “just in case.” Then one day, you open the closet and realize your stash has quietly multiplied while you were busy working on other quilts.

Suddenly ...

Now that Halloween is past, we turn our attention to Thanksgiving. For the final project post of Fall Fortnight, I’ll show some fun ideas for placemats and tablescapes to make our holiday celebrations special. Today’s post will have the final drawing entries for a Fat Quarter Shop $50 gift certificate!

From 2023, these Turkey Talk placemats and centerpiece are the ideal base for a Thanksgiving table. The placemats are a square in a square center set on point, with coordinating print on the sides. See the tutorial on how to make them on Turkey Talk Placemats.

Using them ...

Today’s free pattern is a small project with big appeal. This little one-handed hot pad is specifically designed to take hot things out of a microwave, with pockets on the top for your fingers and thumb to grip the edge of a hot plate or bowl, or a handle. Of course, they also work for taking pans out of the oven. Chickens seem to be a popular theme for kitchens, and my own kitchen is chicken themed too. So, lets make some Micro-Mitts today.

Begin by layering a cute print, batting and a neutral backing together and quilt the ...

Learn about the TrueSharp 2 Power Rotary Blade Sharpener and how it can help you keep your blades cutting cleanly and smoothly—without needing to replace them every time they start to dull.

If you sew or quilt regularly, you know how quickly rotary blades can lose their edge, especially when cutting through multiple layers of fabric or batting. This electric sharpener takes the work (and guesswork) out of restoring them. With just a few passes, your blade will feel almost new again—ready for your next round of cutting.

I’ll walk you through how it works in the ...

Are you a fan of quilt retreats? Love sewing away the day with other quilters? This is your shot to come to one – you pick… either in person or virtual.

Either way, you’ll find yourself surrounded by quilty friends, lots of projects in progress and possibly a few fun finishes! Plus, we always supply you with a fun swag bag and fun games – and don’t forget about those giveaways and prizes. yay!

Check the dates. Check your calendar. Pick up your spot at either the Quilt-Away Retreat or the Gather and Stitch Quilt Retreat.

When it comes to ...

Ready to escape without ever leaving home?

The Quilt-Away Virtual Retreat is your chance to hit pause on the everyday hustle and dive headfirst into a weekend of fabric, friends, and finishes.

Imagine three glorious days of guilt-free sewing time, a brand-new quilt pattern created just for the retreat, a super fun Mug Notion Caddy project, and plenty of games, prizes, and laughter along the way.

No packing, no hauling your machine, no hotel bills — just you, your sewing space, and a community of quilters stitching right alongside you.

Trust me, this is one weekend you don’t want to ...

Learn about pre-wound bobbins and why they might just become your new favorite sewing supply. If you’ve ever run out of bobbin thread in the middle of quilting, or spent extra time winding several bobbins before a big project, pre-wound bobbins can save you time and frustration.

They come ready to use straight from the package—already wound, even, and consistent. You can find them in different colors, thread thicknesses, and bobbin sizes to fit most sewing machines. Just be sure to double-check your machine’s bobbin type before buying so you get the correct fit.

In this post ...

I’ve been sewing produce bags this summer, and today I’m going to give you the pattern and tutorial. If you do not sew, the ones I have made are available for purchase, just skip to the bottom of this post. These bags are great for taking to farmer’s markets and produce stands to hold my purchases. One big benefit of the mesh is it allows those pesky little gnats to escape so I don’t bring them home with the vegetables. You can hang the bags in your pantry to keep onions and potatoes as the mesh ...

Another autumn week went by in a flash! I am busy with customer quilts, several of which also required binding. I have a couple of tight deadlines because the clients are flying off to Australia and Houston and want to take the quilts with them. I went along to the Doughtys Fabric roadshow in a Cornish village Hall where I bought 3m of fabric to line the coat that has been on the go for ages since I “lost” its lining fabric in my move.

Nessie had a fancy haircut and the groomer decreed that she should attend the hairdresser ...

It’s time to finish the 2025 Block of the Month – Hidden Gems in Patchworkers Plus! This has been a wonderful year of beautiful blocks and now is the time that all your efforts come together and you get a finished quilt.

This is one of my favorite things about designing patterns… to see them come together in the end. To see all the variations that you’ve chosen. You picked your fabric. You chose the placement of those setting blocks. You’ve been sewing away each month making progress. And now, they all come together to make something beautiful ...

Learn how to sew a festive Halloween table topper using the AccuQuilt Flying Swallows die. This die is designed to create swirling blocks that look like they’re flying in a circle when four are sewn together, but it also works beautifully with single blocks—giving you plenty of layout options.

For this project, I combined the Flying Swallows blocks with simple nine-patch blocks for contrast and variety. While I was sewing, I accidentally switched the placement of some of the block pieces, and it created a completely different look—more like little bats swooping through the quilt! It was ...