I am posting this on Sunday instead of waiting for the first day of the Blog Hop because many of my followers don't get notice of my updates for a full 24 hours. So, this means they will get this info when I want them to: on Monday! Well, it's here: both Fall and the Leafs Me Happy Blog Hop. Get ready for a wild and inspiring ride from blog to blog, state to state and country to country as you travel the gloriously colored roads of this blog hop. Here are the participants for Monday, October 1: Fuzzy Hat Quilter The Cuddle Quilter Quilts My Way Country Cabin Thoughts and Crafts Dream quilt create Why-Knot-Kwilt Needled Mom Quilter in Motion Sunshine Girl Meadowbrook Just to give you a sneak-peek into what I'm planning for Thursday, take a look:  Just a little teaser! There is no way possible you can figure out this block,  but I assure you it is an awesome block with a small tutorial. And one of my giveaways (one? you mean there are mo...

It's Wednesday and I haven't finished the project I planned for today, which I usually set aside for Windham Fabrics . So, I decided to feature fabrics that are part of their Basics Collection of plaids, checks, dots and stripes - awesome fabric staples. Timeless geometrics that should be in everyone's stash. Hexagon Pinwheels Quilt : 44" x 48" I made this quilt for Windham Fabrics in 2008 and it is still available as a FREE pattern download. While they no longer sell these "Fat Rolls", which are like Jelly Rolls on steroids (5" strips instead of puny 2-1/2" strips), it is easy to cut your own strips from your own stash. I remember first hearing about them from the Marketing Director and I thought, "Fat Rolls? Isn't that something I have around my waist?" The fabrics are still available at their web site and in a variety of quilt shops (though not all skus are still in stock). But we all have a treasured stash of plaids,...

Well, it's Wednesday, but this week is very different in that the Dots on Dots Blog Hop is happening and I am posting a LOT of blocks on Friday (some from Windham and some from Blank). So, I am posting today with Benartex Fabrics . They have the cutest new collection called "Owl Be There" and I used a 60 degree ruler to create a hexagon to fussy cut from one of the fabrics. Don't you just love these owls in a tree? Circle of Owls How did I do this? you ask. Well, it is a future class but I'll share a few secrets with you. 1. Use any 60 degree ruler and cut out a hexagon using freezer paper. Give it a 6" finished height. 2. Fussy cut the fabrics (in this case, the print you can see here) for a total of 6 hexagons 3. Cut out a single contrasting print hexagon for the center 4. Sew the 6 matching hexagons into a ring. Press seams open. 5. Trim 1/4" away from all sides of the freezer paper template and use on the wrong side of each of the 6 f...

Monday is here and I like showing some new things made with Blank Fabrics. It's a collection called Honeybell. I received some small pieces and made myself think beyond a quilt. Everyone needs a pillowcase each night and why not something extra special with a ruffle and print hem? I removed the hem from a purchased pillowcase and replaced it with a print, adding a ruffle between the case and hem. Very, very girlie and certainly can dress up any bedroom decor. Made a ruffle Adding hem to ruffle and pillowcase Regular pillowcase with ruffle and new hem Trimmed a small hand towel  Turned edges under, topstitched on the towel and then put binding along the sides. Why not make a purse?  I took the handles off of a purchased purse, copied the dimensions, cut two 12" x 20 rectangles, quilted the layers (using Warm & Natural batting) and then put it all together. Now that I have the hang of it, I think I'll make some changeable units. The hand...

Dots and Dots in my favorite colors! MultiDot Collection by French Bull for Windham Fabrics Yesterday I posted that I would play with some of these fabrics and I did. I cut 2 large squares from each of the dots collection and then combined them with squares of Windham's Spin Collection of bright, jewel-toned basics. Yummy solids and dots in a real Spin (no pun intended) I made 3 stacks of fabrics out of the first 16 squares and then made 3-4 cuts in each of the stacks. Did a little shuffle and re-sewed the units together. Honest - I am not kidding - it took under an hour to sew all 16 blocks. This is the basis of the class called Colorburst Squares I am teaching this Fall with the Sewing Expo , so I can't give out the pattern here. But basically it is a variation on the ever-present Cobblestone Block that you see in all the magazines and publications. But my quilt has the centers of each block floating around - so there's much more movement. Colorburst Squares©...

Never pass up the chance to buy a dot or stripe when you see it. I found two 1/2 yard cuts of a dot at a local quilt shop the other day. Grabbed them. And a colorful stripe. Got that one, too. I'm in the Dots on Dots Blog Hop next week and I've had a lot of time to consider how dots have shown up in many of my quilts through the years. Since this is Windham Wednesday, I am sharing two things: a quilt made using a LOT of dots and a new DOTS collection. Happy Squares - 46" x 52" Happy Squares was made using the Windham Bright Basics Collection a few years ago (the fabrics are still available, I think). The original quilt I made in 1998 was stolen (long story - I'm over it now). I wanted to remake it and these dots fit the bill. Isn't this a HAPPY quilt? It is easier to make than you think. Those squares are machine appliquéd in the center of each larger square. No triangles and small strips to piece - you just cut out two sizes of squares, center them on...

Wow! A whole month dedicated to sewing. But, wait! I sew all year long; doesn't that count? September is National Sewing Month and I have been thinking about what I will be featuring on this blog in the next few weeks. A section of my Dancing Pots Quilt featured in my 2014 wall calendar of quilts I have been going dotty sewing up a pile of blocks and small quilts featuring DOTS. This is for the Dots on Dots Blog Hop that begins September 10. My day for revealing my creations is September 14, so if you're not on my email list and want to see all the blocks (birds, birdhouses, maybe an owl - I'm not saying anymore) - go sign up! I always include FREE patterns for these things, so there's always something new in your list of things to sew. Paper Pieced Cardinal This paper pieced cardinal was featured in Quilt Magazine several years ago. I hope I can find the pattern for this in the next few days. Where are you Cardinal? But what's a bird without a birdhous...