Back in May I did a blog post about this awesome collection by Windham Fabrics: Grand Illusion. The motifs were SO perfect for a 2" EPP hexagon. Do you remember these? I give them the name "Marie" because that's what Katja Marek calls them in her "The New Hexagon" book. This is a traditional block, so you can call it Sally or Martha or even Debby! Two Marie blocks using 3 hexagons and 3 diamonds Do you remember how I fussy cut the motifs? Fussy cutting the medallion motifs using a freezer paper "window" And the finished motifs (wrapped around the 2" card stock hexagon). Grand Illusion has two color ways: blue and red. Hexagons for my Marie blocks This is what the border print looks like before I started chopping. Grand Illusion border print And the rest of the fabrics: Grand Illusion fabrics And one more Marie block with the red and black print diamonds: Auditioning my diamonds I cut the fabric for th...

Two of my three daughters took years of music lessons. One played the flute (and competed all the way to the state level). The oldest played piano from the time she was in the first grade until college. You can bet I spent a lot of time waiting in my car while they had their 45 minute lessons each week! Music has always been freely played in my home. We love it! I designed Opus One for Windham Fabrics in 2018. You may have seen this already. I did a blog post in February 2017 about another quilt like this. But it's worth it to share again, right? Opus One for Windham Fabrics I also made a REAL Opus One quilt. I plan on adding borders using fat quarters. Pieced, of course! And I have the perfect young man to gift it to. He is a talented musician who leads the youth music at my church. Shhhh! Don't tell him. Musical Stars using Type Band fabrics If you click on that Type Band link, you'll not only see the fabrics but can download another FREE pattern by C...

I teach Beginning Free Motion Quilting classes for the Sewing Expo. I have for 11 years. Probably at least 5-6 dozen times! I like to introduce a variety of tools and helps. For a few years I offered some printed panels developed by Holis Turnbow for Benartex Fabrics. The panels are no longer in print, so I began looking for other inspiration. As you can see in the next photo, a lot of free motion quilting was generated to transform this hand embroidered crib sheet into a sweet little blanket for my granddaughter! I just wanted to fill in all that white space. Hand embroidered, machine quilted crib sheet Here is one 15" square of that pre-printed panel by Holis. You just follow the lines. The lines will wash off after you're finished. But you have to ignore the folds - no ironing or you will make those blue lines permanent! I had a few of those fabrics leftover from my classes and I joined them with some blue strips and quilted them this way:       Printed ...

Just to let you know: I am NOT a cat person, but this collection called Cat-i-tude is so gorgeous, I just may have to make an exception. What do you think of the main panel? As you can see, each of the six frisky cats is a good size to become the center of an awesome block. And, from what I know about cats, they ALWAYS like to be center stage, right? Main Cat-i-tude panel Now let's look at the fabrics, blocks and final project! Cat-i-tude Fabrics (minus the panel) And a small piece of a border print: Catitude fabrics with border print I was very drawn to the 6 panels of those frisky cats. I cut them out (they will finish pretty close to 10" square. My plan was to use an ATTIC WINDOW treatment using my Magical Mitering technique. I pulled two fat quarters for each of the six panels that I thought would work best. Blue kitty lighting up his life!  Frisky green kitty batting at an ornament. Another frisky kitty wanting to taste those ribbons. Yum...

For some reason, Blogger will not let me comment on any comments made here. Many of my visitors come through as "unknown" with no email. I have NO WAY to get in contact with you or answer your questions. I'm not sure why this is. It is very frustrating for me. I am NOT ignoring you. I read every single comment made. They come through as an email to me, but only a few have valid email addresses for me to reply. I just didn't want you to think I'm an "absent landlord." It is very meaningful to have you visit and make lovely comments about my quilts and lessons. Now for a quilt fix: Here is a quilt I made in 1996 out of deconstructed swastika blocks. A friend gave them to me; I took them apart, and used some reproduction fabrics to make these stars. 1890s Stars  I even hand quilted this!  The combination of fabrics that span over 100 years. Who would have thought? Here's another star using that plaid! So, remember: until...

Sometimes you see a collection that calls your name! I felt that way with Windham's Fantasy . Four color families, and yet they ALL go together. Organic, fresh, happy, no - exuberant! What do you think? Fantasy Collection by Windham Fabrics I started to piece some curved blocks using some of their Artisan Cottons (think: shot cottons). Artisan Cottons I used an older pattern I designed for Windham several years ago called Moonstruck. Just a few halves in process. More coming as I mix and match the Artisans with the Fantasies. Two block parts using the Moonstruck templates But as I was working on that Dresden Plate design last week using Uncorked , I realized that I could perk up my project by using a few of the Fantasy skus and one more Uncorked . Two Fantasy and a companion Uncorked fat quarter Now back to that Dresden design . Do you remember how I left it? You can see the whole post HERE . Uncorked Dresdens I finished piecing the dresden wedges, sq...