The block for March 3 (today) is Circling Hearts. It's also known as Card Trick. The math on the block is in fiddly numbers in order to please my publishers and make it a "normal" 12" size. Here's how the block was made by Patricia Bryant of Australia. She was working from my previous calendar (2007). Card Trick Kathy M. made the Circling Hearts block using the Finding Your Way fabrics by Lisa Ruble for Benartex. Circling Hearts by Kathy M. - 12" There are 4 distinct hearts there. I call my adaptive version " No Tricky Card Trick " and made a fun quilt using some Kaffe Fassett fabrics. Easy to cut triangles and squares and rectangles, though it does create an "odd sized" block. Who cares if they all go together into one quilt?! No Tricky Card Trick : 54" x 54" The quilt pattern version is an alternate path to the traditional block (which is in my calendar). Let's see: Center of the Card Trick block All I need to do is add th...

Not my barn door - just the block in my calendar. Today is March 2 and this is what the calendar features. Two of my Calendar Girls created the block; let's see the first one by my sister, Janet: Hole in the Barn Door by Janet G. - 12" March 2 is also my dad's birthday. He has since departed and living in heaven (he was born in 1917, so he would be 109 years old!) Here he is with me, Janet (back row in pink) and another sister Kathy (back row in navy) in 2006. He used to play the guitar with the big bands in Atlantic City in the 1940s! And one more Hole in the Barn Door block created by Barb R. Hole in Barn Door: 12" And here's a beautiful quilt (from Quilt Magazine when I was an editor) using these blocks: Twin bed quilt So, I guess if this was a barn door, the hole would be that center square, right?

As I've shared here before, I'm a BenartExpert (a fabric ambassador) for Benartex. The latest fun is a FREE block hop and sew along with a new design for a 12" block revealed once a week. The first one is  March 5 !  That's Thursday and I want to give you time to sign up! (I'll remind you again in a few days.) Here is the link to sign up:  BenartExperts Spring Block Hop  . You will need to scroll down to bottom of the page for the sign up info. And what are the 12 blocks that will be offered? Yes, that's my Squash Blossom block on the bottom left! She's SO thrilled to be there. 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 BenartExpert's web site to get the FREE pattern. Each of us received 6 solids to create our blocks. I seem to have only used 4. I hope I...

Today is February 28 and the calendar block for today is the Gems Block. Lots and lots of  half-square and quarter square triangles - with a few squares thrown in. I designed it in two colors. Here is the calendar image: Gems Block: 15" Here is the version that my sister Janet G. made. She prefers low contrast in her quilts. The multi-colored print is in the blue position of the block above. She also made another block for February, the 18" Double Geese. I shared mine almost 2 weeks ago on February 16. Here's Janet's: Double Geese: 18" Now, if this was a leap year, we'd have February 29 tomorrow and not March 1. Because my perpetual calendar has to work for any year, we added a block for February 29 (BIG WOW!) The block for February 29 is Chicago Geese. It's a block I designed about 25 years ago when I was visiting Chicago and saw a variation on flying geese in some print ad. I  moved some triangles around and here she is: Chicago Geese: 12" I had a ...

Today is February 24 and the calendar block for today is Sage Bud. My Calendar Girlfriend, Julia R. made her block using the Duchess Collection by Windham Fabrics. Duchess Collection by Windham Fabrics Here's Julia's block: Sage Bud: 12" by Julia R. Thank you, Julia, for sewing those triangles with precision and taking advantage of the lovely prints. What a fun block, huh? Do you have your own calendar yet? Did you want one for Christmas but they were sold out? Please let my publisher know that you were disappointed about that (as I am). General inquiries, website orders, product support:  ctinfo@ctpub.com Marketing department:  marketing@ctpub.com Sales department:  sales@ctpub.com It has taken 4 months to get the next batch of calendars and I'm hoping they're back in stock at the end of the month . . .

Today is February 23 and I'm sharing a block that came in last week while I was out of town and not able to post it. It's called Crow's Nest and is the February 19 block in my Quilter's Block a Day Calendar. It first appeared in the Kansas City Star in 1932 with an extra set of sashings around it. Mine is based on the 1933 version: Crow's Nest from Kansas City Star Here is the 1932 version as it appeared in today's fabrics. This was made by Patricia Bryant from my 2007 Block a Day Calendar . Yes. that's a crow peering at the block! Crow's Nest made by Patricia Bryant And here it is by one of my Calendar Girls, Susan B: Crow's Nest by Susan B. Thank you, Susan, for a lovely block in the middle of a dreary Winter! Do you have your own calendar yet? Did you want one for Christmas but they were sold out? Please let my publisher know that you were disappointed about that (as I am). General inquiries, website orders, product support:  ctinfo@ctpub.com Mark...

George Washington was our first president here in the USA. Washington Square is the block for today. What? You forgot what Washington looked like? Allow me . . . Printed fabric with vintage image of Washington Today is Washington's 293rd birthday. I even wrote a blog post about it here . And you can see ALL sorts of Americana quilts here  where I wrote another post about his birthday. Now, the calendar block for today is just triangles and squares, of course. My Calendar Girlfriend, Barb R. did a lovely job with her fabrics. As you can see, she had a bit of that fabulous Insectarium fabric to give a bit more personality to the blenders. Washington Square: 12" I made the same block using some Christmas fabrics: Washington Square with Christmas fabrics Thank you, Barb, for a lovely block in the middle of a dreary Winter! Do you have your own calendar yet? Did you want one for Christmas but they were sold out? Please let my publisher know that you were disappointed about that (as...