English Paper Piecing with hexagons is a great take along handcraft. I have been working on some blocks off and on for a few years. I just pulled them out of the closet and realized that I used more of Laura Heine's Potpourri Collection for the background squares. Do you remember the fabrics? Potpourri by Laura Heine for Windham Fabrics They were released last June and I've made a few different projects with them. My latest is playing with more paper piecing. I like to have handwork to take with me if I'm at the park with my quilt guild or am sitting on my deck after dinner. Here is a simple Grandmother's Flower Garden using some older Windham Fabrics with a fussy cut motif from their Paper Dolls Collection (from almost 10 years ago!) I added another row to this and then appliquéd it to a 14-1/2" square from Potpourri. Aren't those the sweetest dragonflies? Grandmother's Flower Garden block using 1-1/4" hexagon papers I actually took the last of those

I always like looking back on the dozens of projects I designed for various fabric companies. I realize that I inevitably use traditional patterns to feature those newly released collections. I combined a simple 9 Patch with a Rail Fence and then put them on point. I let the fabric do all the work! This was made for Blank Quilting in 2008. I created 3 different colorways in their Chantal collection. Click the links and you will go to the free pattern. Chantal in aqua: 57" x 57" And the second colorway: Chantal  in black multi: 57" x 57" And one more in mauve: Chantal  in mauve: 57" x 57" I made two more quilts using this collection. They appear in my books. The first one was in my Supersize 'Em Quilts book (2009, Martingale). The blocks are 20" and the quilt is 46" x 46" Diana's Rose Garden And the next one appeared in my last book, Paper Piecing Perfect points (2013, Martingale). This quilt is NOT for the beginner! There's a lo

Getting ready for my Christmas in July posts. One is with Windham Fabrics and their Merry and Mod collection. I am combining it with their new Diamond Dust blenders (released in 2020). Diamond Dust by Windham Fabrics Merry and Mod is releasing to quilt shops this month (June 2021) and it a fun, fresh and colorful group of Christmas fabrics. This was designed by the VERY talented Natalie Barnes (one of my favorite fabric designers!) Merry and Mod by Natalie Barnes for Windham Fabrics Let's see another shot of these fabrics. Isn't this the greatest with the three Buffalo Plaids (green, black/red and black/white)? They are an unusual - but perfect - accompaniment with those fabulous prints! I used one of my tried and true patterns and was able to use 6 of the prints in my yet to be revealed 30" x 30" quilt. Remember, I am working with fat quarters, but I can do wonders with those cuts and you will love to see my creation. Yes, I still have several of the other prints l

I have been sewing since I was about 12 - decades! Garments. Home dec. Kids' clothes. Even altered my husband's clothes (ie, suits - yikes!) And, yes - I even sewed my wedding dress (but that's because I was living in Africa and that was about the only way I could wear a traditional dress!) But, I am a Minky virgin! Never sewed with it other than putting two pieces together and stitching them up into a doll quilt. First Minky adventure I'm nervous but ready to take on my next sewing adventure. Michael Miller invited me to play with their latest Minky fabrics and this is making me sweat some bullets! This stuff is so - FLUFFY! Beary Soft Minky fabrics from Michael Miller And stretchy and thick, but OH SO SOFT! Yes, I sewed a lot of polyester in the 60s and 70s. That was just about all we had. This is 100% polyester, so I have to put a different hat on and approach it from a very different angle than the 100% cottons I've been sewing and quilting with for the past 35

Solstice by Sally Kelly for Windham Fabrics has so many possibilities. I've made some blocks with circles: 6" Circle Blocks A CD-ROM was my template! And Square in Square blocks, also 6" (finished). Paper is still on the back of these (since removed). Yes, I paper pieced them! 6" Square in a Square blocks Then I saw these fabrics on another Facebook page. They reminded me that I hadn't done anything yet with the blocks above (though I DO have a plan). And the member said that she was going to use these gorgeous fabrics for English Paper Piecing. Here are just a few of the 28 fabrics. Some of the 28 fabrics from Solstice I keep coming back to one of my favorite EPP blocks. It's a Pentagon Wreath using 2" papers. Do you remember this from the Foxwood Collection (also Windham)? Foxwood Friends  pattern on Etsy Here is my first block (not stitched down yet). It still has the papers on the back. Pentagon Wreath And what do those papers look like? Notice that

Sometimes I discover a fabric collection that wants me to sew until I have NOTHING left. That's the way it was with the Storybook Americana collection (early 2017). This next quilt uses my Steps to the White House pattern (from my Block a Day Calendar ). While it's not technically a Memorial Day quilt, the colors are the same. Steps to the White House : 22" x 22" center square You've got to see these fabrics up close (I've shared them before). Can you see that image of George Washington chopping down that cherry tree?!! And who's scolding him? Gotta love this, right? Storybook Americana fabrics (some) Here's my Hey, Hey USA banner made with - you guessed it - more Windham Fabrics. It's their Pride and Honor collection. FREE PATTERN Hey, Hey USA made with Pride and Honor These are blocks from my Quilter's Block a Day Calendar and I have my 3 block banner hanging in my kitchen. These are 18" blocks! Hey, Hey USA Banner You only need to sig

I keep these quilts in a section of my hall closet that has other holiday quilts (Christmas, Halloween, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day - you get the picture!) and I pulled them out yesterday so I could hang them throughout the house.  This single LeMoyne Star appeared in my second book: Supersize 'Em Quilts. The block is 19" x 19" and is all rotary cut with NO y-seams. Single LeMoyne Star: 31" x 31" I also made this 9 block star quilt with the same collection. Notice that there are 3 different renditions of a LeMoyne Star! Yes, these are also 19" square. Windham Fabrics owns this quilt. Farmhouse West Stars: 92" x 92" And one more that I made using one of the Storybook Collections from Windham. Here it is with my neighbor's Barbie dressed in her Air Force uniform (my neighbor served with the Air Force). This just came out of that closet - she's SO happy and is celebrating in my living room! Storybook Americana Lone Star : 31&qu