I came across this quilt made many years ago and gifted to a young couple for their wedding. This uses one of the blocks I've already given you. But look how you can create a different look by adding the Four and Nine Patch Block. Isn't that fun? Phil and Kat's Stars I have had several bloggers send me pics of their stars so far. Can I show them to you? First, here are Amy's blocks. I love that center star. It's one of my favorite blocks! Amy's Blocks Amy sent another pic of her blocks arranged in a different assembly: Amy's Blocks all together Now for Marie T's blocks. She is using purple in her center star. Marie T's blocks Now, how about Maureen's blocks with the white background? I love it! Maureen's Blocks It's ok to be behind. This is NOT a contest or a race. Just sew at your own pace. Maybe you can catch up in the next month or two - or never! I just want you to have fun. My November block will b

I am what is called a "Topper." That means that I love piecing and sewing quilt tops. I get the greatest pleasure from taking a pile of fabrics to cut up pieces of fabric to blocks to quilt tops. Then I move on to the next group of fabrics. I have a closet full of quilt tops! Many/most are from the classes I teach. Or just experiments. I love to experiment with fabric. Many ideas stop at just a pile of blocks. But when it's time to give a gift of a quilt, I realize that a quilt top just won't do it! So, I have to get them quilted or - gasp! - quilt them myself! The Handi Quilter Sweet 16 has REALLY helped me in the past few months finish quite a few of my tops. I've given several away and have several waiting for the next time a call goes out for local charity requests. Here's what I worked on yesterday afternoon: Cookie Cutter Hearts , tutorial and free pattern The Cookie Cutter Hearts was a tutorial and free pattern in partnership with Benartex Fa

I have been sorting my class samples and realized this little mini didn't yet have any binding. I use it when I teach beginning machine quilting. I challenged myself to use every single color in the Gee's Bend Collection by Windham Fabrics and then I quilted it using a different stitch in each patch. It's about 12" square. Improv Mini Quilt using the Gee's Bend fabrics  Then there's the one that was the basis for my No Sneaky Peeky class. No two student quilts looked alike (that was the point!) It was fun for everyone. Again, an improv quilt. I think this has gone to live with my daughter Hilary. Though she's not too crazy about the swirly quilting. She's young. She likes the modern straight lines. No Sneaky Peeky Improv quilt Then there's the Modern Adventure Class I taught. This quilt actually appeared in Modern Patchwork Magazine a few years ago. It looks difficult but is doable as we worked with blocks and not the entire thing at o

You've seen each of these before. But why not again, I say? The first one is from my now out of print 2nd book: Supersize 'Em Quilts. It is a GIANT 30" star block using fat quarters of a fun novelty print with mice and pumpkins throughout. This goes to my youngest grandson who turns 3 years old on October 30 (yes, he's a Halloween baby). Trick or Treat Mice from Supersize 'Em Quilts: 42" x 42" Because I was working with fat quarters, I had a border challenge. So, I just used various sized pieces cut from the fabrics. More fun for the grandson this has been gifted to. The next quilt goes to my granddaughter. She is only 1-3/4 years old, so she doesn't need anything big yet. This little Harvest Pumpkin quilt is  FREE pattern at my Craftsy site. Click the icon on the right and you will find it there. Harvest Pumpkins: 8" block, 25" x 34" quilt Now, the last quilt is one that I started last year with the Spooktacular Collect

Keepsake Catalog asked Windham Fabrics for a quilt that uses Dresden Plates but isn't a Dresden Plate quilt. Huh? Windham called me and asked if I had any design ideas. I said, "Sure! I've done my Dresden Butterflies a few times before and I'd love to do it again." And, of course, it's with their new Storybook Vacation Collection ! Here's the lovely little quilt, straight from the pages of the  catalog  (on page 30): Storybook Butterflies: 34" x 34" I used my "go to" batting, Warm and Natural and quilted it on my HQ Sweet 16 machine . Now, what did the first quilts look like? The first one was made with authentic feedsacks for the wings. Lovely prints, huh? Feedsack Butterflies The next one was made using brights set against black. It was stolen in 2005. It appeared in my first book, Bold, Black and Beautiful: Butterflies at Night: 35" x 47" And I remade this quilt, which is now being quilted by Kathy

So hard to believe it's Fall. Love the cooler weather but I am missing the extended sunshine. How to stay happy? Sew and quilt, of course. October's block is the  Evening Star Variation . We had another Evening Star in January. This one is much simpler. Evening Star Variation I also promised that I would send some information regarding the finishing of the quilt. Here is a Stars Assembly page to help you plan all the sashing, corner stones, etc. Next month (November) I will give you the patterns for the four 6" Square in a Square units that are in the four border corners. For those who have not been successful with the paper pieced blocks or haven't enjoyed making them, please know you can repeat a few of the rotary cut blocks. I also hope to offer a few more rotary cut blocks as substitutes next month. For now, here is the same Evening Star block above, but now with a Four Patch center. No pdf for this; just use the directions for the Evening Star Variat