Today is April 1 and I'm not fooling around! And the calendar block for today is called Alabama. I ran out of the cream fabric for the length strip I needed, so I pieced it! Can you see the seam? April 1 Alabama Block: 18" If you can't find it, don't worry. Neither will anyone else when it's put into a larger quilt. I just gave you permission to do the same thing! No fooling!! It seems that April will have a LOT of block and quilt posts. Some of them will include a FREE pattern for a quilt. They are patterns I've designed in the past for various fabric companies. Here's one that's coming up: I'll be back tomorrow with another block and a digital idea for a quilt! Check your local quilt shop for my calendar. It's also back in stock with C&T and other retailers! on  Amazon at  C&T Publishing and in  Barnes & Noble  stores

This is a repost from a few years ago from a Block of the Month. My March 31 calendar block is the Rosebud! *********** Here she is - the Rosebud Block. These are blenders from Windham Fabrics called Uncorked. They have these little flecks of gold throughout. Uncorked fabrics for my Rosebud block Here is the block in the original quilt. This was featured in the Keepsake Quilting Catalog a few years ago. It was beautifully quilted by my friend, Connie Gallant, who now owns the quilt. (She quilted it and loved it and took the quilt as payment - I got the better end of the deal, believe me!) Rosebud block in the original Blue and Gray Sampler I cut out the patches according to my pattern and actually cut out a few extra in the pink. Not to worry - just follow the cutting schematic in the pattern (link is below). Patches cut out and the C Patches stitched and cut from squares  Now let's see another step. The large A triangle is sewn to the smaller pink, red and blue triangles. You make...

Today is Monday March 30 and the calendar block is Picnic Patch. I got a distress email from Diane L. asking me if there was an error in one of the patches because she honestly couldn't make them fit together! And - she was right! I made a mistake (really?) and I told her so! Please note: I have an  Errata page  for errors in the first edition. Click that link. If you find others, PLEASE let me know! (kratovil@his.com) She breathed a sigh of relief because she could trim Patch C (and not throw it out). Its measurement is 2" x 3-1/2" (and not 2-1/2" x 3-1/2"). It's since been corrected in the 2nd edition (now in stores everywhere). Let's see Diane's block as she photographed it in two different ways: Picnic Patch: 12" Don't you just love her doggie dressed up for St. Patrick's Day? Patch C are the green rectangles! And one more shot she took with her gorgeous hand quilted Double Irish Chain hanging in the background. Picnic Patch with Dia...

 I somehow overlooked this sweet block made by my Calendar Girlfriend, Diann C and I wanted to feature it today. It appears on March 23 (which was this past Tuesday) in my calendar. Diann has a lovely memory she allowed me to also share: My parents were both born in the 20s. My mom’s name was Betty. She loved to sing the old songs from that era.  Of course, the one I loved the most came from the old Betty Boop short films.  “Boop-oop-a-doop” still brings a huge smile to my face and a warm feeling to my heart.   And here's the 12" block that Diann made. Isn't it fun to see the images of  Betty Boop, too? Dancing Betty by Diann C. And, wouldn't you know? I got the same block from Susan B. yesterday - just in time to be included here. Bonus! Dancing Betty by Susan B. Thank you, Diann and Susan, for your lovely blocks and Diann's memories!  My calendar is back in stock with C&T and also with other retailers! on  Amazon at  C&T Publishing and i...

I just discovered I have named 3 DIFFERENT quilts with the same name! Good thing I didn't do that with my 3 precious daughters who also are different. The first one is a FREE pattern today. I designed it for a Windham fabric collection called Modern Grace. It is raw edge appliqué. I've used this pattern with other collections, too. Modern Grace with 10" blocks Here's another quilt using the same photo corner treatment. I put these sweet birds in the center of the photo corners Photo Corners Birds quilt Here is another quilt I named "Dancing with the Flowers." It was in my 2nd book (Supersize 'Em Quilts, 2009). Dancing with the Flowers: 76" x 76" And one more made just a few months ago using a Benartex collection by Lisa Ruble. I used a Stacked Bricks pattern in the center and then surrounded them with those lovely dancing flowers! Dancing with the Flowers: 40" x 40" Don't forget to get your free pattern for the quilt at the top o...

Are you still with me on this fantastic Sewalong by Benartex? A new block drops each Thursday and today is Block #4: Moon Bloom  By Jen Wagner –  Snapdragon Quilting Block #4: Moon Bloom (Here is the link where you can still sign up:  BenartExperts Spring Block Hop .) And you can see all 12 of the blocks as we hope they will appear in the final quilt. If you missed the first 3 blocks, here they are: Block 1 is  Coral Bell s. It is by Kari Matthews and is the 3rd one down on the left in quilt above. Block #1:  Coral Bell s Block 2 is  Starburst  by Maude McDonald. It's the top left block above. Block #2:  Starburst   Block 3 is  Static Spin  by Sarah Fulks. Block #3 is   Static Spin This is all based on the  Superior Solids Collection . Of course, you can use whatever fabrics you wish. With each block release, there will be a link (sent to your email - that's why you have to sign up) that takes you to each of the 12 BenartE...

The beauty of living on the East Coast is getting to experience the four seasons. Watching Nature change her clothes several times a year has given me a new appreciation of the steps involved in quilt making. A few years ago a catalog bulb company made an error in my order. Instead of one bushel of daffodil bulbs (200), they sent three!   Wild daffodils in my yard I went feverishly to work that November planting 600 spring bulbs, not knowing the wonderful surprise I would receive come March. The breathtaking display of yellow in all its glory was only enhanced by the spring green background. It was a welcome sight after a long, hard winter of gray, white and dull brown. It reminds me of the Daffodil Block from the Memory Bouquet quilt I made with my quilting friends from Atlanta 25 years ago. The Daffodil block from the Memory Bouquet quilt Here's the whole quilt in all its beauty! The blocks are 9" x 12" and the whole quilt is 63" x 63". Memory Bouquet Quilt ...