Today is May 22 and my calendar block today is a whopping 16". But it has a lot of parts and is stitched in diagonal rows, so that can be a challenge.  First, let's see the block as it appears in the calendar. Actually, it was recolored in lovely blenders by the C&T graphic artist, so it looks a lot better in the calendar ! Antique Album: 16" I cut and stitched it several months ago using the Benartex Collection of blenders called Equinox. Here are the parts: Patches are sewn along the diagonals Here is the block sewn: Antique Album in Equinox fabrics: 18" And here is a quilt made using 9 of these Antique Album blocks. This was made by my friend and fellow editor Jean Ann Wright. It appeared in my second book, Supersize 'Em Quilts (2009). If you have a copy, it's on page 76! Secret Garden Album by Jean Ann Wright: 72" x 72" And, yes, the "album" part of the block's name is for that center white fabric for gathering signatures in a ...

The calendar block for today is Country Lanes Variation. Barb R, one of my Calendar Girls, made one using the Windham Watermark Collection. Notice the different sized squares. Country Lane Variations: 12" Here is a photo of some fabrics from the Windham site: This is a VARIATION of Country Lanes. Do you remember the block I shared in a post on July 11 by Susan B? The squares in this block are equal size. Country Lanes by Susan B - 12" This appeared in my 2012 Quilter's Block a Day Calendar, which is very hard to find used. Do you still have yours? 2012 Quilting Block a Day Calendar (and lots of quilts!) I just found mine in a cupboard out in the garage. What a trip down Memory Lane! I actually created 15 of these calendars - hard to believe! Here is the quilt that combines the Country Lanes block with the Contrary Wife block: Black, Red and White Quilt: 76" x 76" (12" blocks) Of course, you will need your own copy of the  calendar  to know how to cut and st...

Such a funny name for a block, huh? But maybe not so funny to the man married to such a lady! Two Three  Four! of my Calendar Girlfriends chose to make this block for today. The 4th one came in yesterday and I am delighted to add it. And I actually have a digital quilt that uses it along with the block for tomorrow (Country Lanes), which I'll share tomorrow. Here is the block made by Kathy G using the Windham fabrics called Under the Canopy: Contrary Wife by Kathy G. - 12" And here's the block done by Julia R. with her fabulous Duchess Collection: Contrary Wife by Julia R. Kathy M. made her block using the Benartex Collection called Find Your Way: Contrary Wife by Kathy M. Diane L. made her Contrary Wife block using Windham's Grounded Collection: Contrary Wife by Diane L. Thank you, dear friends, for staying with me in this calendar journey. Most of my 12 Calendar Girls have stitched 12 blocks and so I eagerly wait to see how they want to put them together. I'll b...

Today is May 18 and our calendar block for today is Grandmother's Basket. It is 10" finished and you really have to pay attention to your 1/4" seam allowance. Here is a lovely block stitched by my Calendar Girl Karen B. She even stayed with the same colors in the printed calendar! Grandmother's Basket: 10"  She has been working with the Insectarium and Watermark Collections by Windham Fabrics: Thank you, Karen, for a lovely block. This is added to her other blocks: Can't wait to see how she puts these together into a quilt! There's still time to get that 15% coupon off the price of the calendar. It goes until the end of May. Of course, you will need your own copy of the  calendar  to know how to cut and stitch each of the 12 blocks. Remember, if you don't have yours yet, the 15% off coupon is still available until the end of this month (May).

More quilts to go with my 3 Colorburst Squares blocks in the calendar this week. The most recent was made using some Brandon Mably houses and some blenders called Bedrock from Windham Fabrics: Mabley's Houses: 40" x 50"  Here's the first quilt I made with this pattern using batiks Colorburst Squares: 62" x 72" Another one using a Windham collection from years past (Meadow Whispers): Meadow Whispers: 50" x 60" One more with the same fabrics! Yes, I squeezed a lot from that line. All these blocks are the same (from Wednesday - Blocl #1). And the last one is a digital image I did for a fabric company: Check out my pattern in my Etsy shop . And, don't forget to get your calendar (if you don't have one already) - C&T Publishing shop .

Today (Wednesday), Thursday and Friday I feature 3 blocks from a quilt I designed about 20 years ago. It was part of a series I called Magic Stax. I chose 10-1/2" squares of different prints (I started with batiks), put them in piles based on the number of patches the resulting block will have (ie, 2-5). I draw the cuts onto a 10-1/2" piece of freezer paper, iron it to the top of the pile and then using my ruler, slice into the pile along the lines. Then I shuffle the patches. Take a look here for my Stained Glass Pickup Stix : Magic Stax Pickup Sticks Let's see the blocks for THIS WEEK: Colorburst Squares quilt Block #1 made with a current Benartex collection:. Looks like a simple Cobblestone block. Colorburst Squares #1 - 10" Block #2 (comes tomorrow). Same size center square but the outer logs are irregular. Colorburst Squares #2 Block #3 (comes on Friday in the calendar). Only has strips on 3 sides of the center square And how do these look like in a quilt? I put...

This is block #12 in the Indigo Sampler. Today's calendar block is Yankee Puzzle. A very traditional block that's been around for a long time (and probably originated in America. First, a block taken from a finished quilt (though I can't remember from where!) Yankee Puzzle If you have the calendar, you have the cutting information. I gave the fabric supplies twice already. The finishing is pretty simple as those outside blocks (Castle Wall) were given a few days ago and you need to make 46! The corner blocks are also 6" and I will give that info at the end of this post. And here it is in the blues from the Indigo Sampler with those extra dark and light blue strips around the outside: Yankee Puzzle: 18" Here is the info for the four corner blocks in the Indigo Sampler: Make 4 Border Corner Blocks: 6" Of course, you will need your own copy of the  calendar  to know how to cut and stitch each of the 12 blocks. Remember, if you don't have yours yet, the 15% o...