Yes, it's true. Most of us are under what I call House Arrest. And because we are quilters and are sitting on quite a stash, we are making quilts, right? I've been home for 2-1/2 weeks with 5 teaching contracts cancelled. Am I twiddling my thumbs? No! I've been sewing and quilting and finishing quite a few quilts. I created a Facebook Page called House Arrest Quilts . It's open to the public (until someone misbehaves). It's for YOU to also share any quilts you're working on. Here is my Minton Elephant that I haven't seen in about a year. I tore my sewing room apart last week looking for her. And then I heard a little whisper from my desk: "In here, Miss Debby. Look in this folder." And there she was in the plastic sleeve I placed her in to keep her safe. Minton Elephant in the protective binder sleeve I cut this out a few years ago and auditioned it on a lovely cream background: Minton Elephant from 2016 Since the elephant left th...

Sometimes you come across a fabric that asks you to make more than one quilt. You look at it and see so many possibilities - and Sunburst (designed by Kaffe Fassett for Rowan) was just one of those. Here is my latest: Off Center Log Cabin . Sunburst Off Center Log Cabin : 42" x 42" I shared about the first quilt made using these little squares. Sunburst squares combined with some blenders I updated a traditional Trip Around the World using those little squares. As with all panel type fabrics, the cuts are not usually in whole numbers. As they were printed, they measured 3-7/8" x 4". I had to recut ALL of my squares to 3-7/8". Quite a tedious task, but I love the result. Sunburst Fabrics before cutting And here's my first quilt. I have since had it beautifully quilted. Just need a sunny day for a photograph. Sunburst Trip Around the World : 57" x 57" Now, let's see my approach to the Off Center Log Cabin. I cut a bunch o...

Well, why not another FREE pattern ? You need inspiration to sew from your huge stash and many of you have the time. Even making one block will give you an idea if you want to make more. Like I always say: "If you don't like one block, do you really think you'll like making 16 or 20 or more?" This is from an older Windham Fabrics collection called Bright Basics. Happy Squares : 46" x 52"  6" squares This is a redo of another quilt I owned. And you know the story: it was one of the 30 quilts stolen in 2005. Not to worry! It's hanging on the Giant Quilt Rack in the sky. Here's the original which appeared in my first book: Bold, Black and Beautiful. 98 Dancing Squares. Smaller blocks (5") Let me show you a few others made with the very same pattern. Check out the blog post for a few pics. Dancing Squares using Uncorked Collection by Windham Fabrics And one more. This one is so sweet and one of the sweetest juvenile collec...

Who says it always has to be on Friday? I was looking for one quilt and came upon the pictures of another. It's my kaleidoscope quilt done with Kaffe Fassett fabrics back in 2006 and published in Quilt magazine. Purple Kaleidoscope child's quilt and pillow Here is a flat shot: Same quilt And then I realized I also patterned this for Windham Fabrics using their reproduction feedsack collection (2007). This is a poor picture, but you can see this better online . Feedsack Kaleidoscope . 10" blocks. 50" x 50" quilt So very scrappy! But fun to make. Full size paper templates are included, but I bet you have one of those multi-sized kaleidoscope rulers in your sewing room! A kaleidoscope ruler is 45 degrees at the tip. It is NOT a Tri-Recs ruler. It is NOT a 60 degree spiderweb ruler. What else do you have to do today than sew, right? I've just pulled out my only kaleidoscope ruler and want to make a few blocks. And I have a few extras from thi...

I was the January speaker at a local quilt guild. As is true with most guilds, there was a free and giveaway table in the back of the room. Books, fabric, patterns, thread. Piles of lovely things. But what caught my eye was this lonely hand quilted block square with a few stains in the corners. We are talking OLD! It called out to me: "Please, Miss Debby, will you please take me home? No one wants me. I'm old and stained and abandoned." It just broke my heart! Abandoned hand quilted block about to get a beauty makeover She convinced me and I immediately had a plan. This would be a perfect sample for my Free Motion Quilting classes I teach for the Sewing Expo. I wanted my students to see hand quilting up close (so they know why they are learning machine quilting) and this would be awesome after her transformation. I trimmed this to a perfect 14" square as shown above. I had to deal with those nasty stains (which I don't have pictures of). I realized I coul...

I was looking through some pics of my quilts and realized I have several using my Diadem pattern. (Diadem = Crown, right?). In light of being sequestered in our homes, mine keeps getting knocked sideways off my head! Diadem is a redo of a vintage block made using templates but, you know me: I simplified it for today's quilter.  It's a wonderful block to feature a special floral pattern or to fussy cut a beautiful motif. This is my most recent version of the Diadem made using some Kaffe Fassett fabrics. These are 14" blocks with the points paper pieced. The Diadem Quilt : 48" x 48" using the larger 14" block as appeared in my book And a close up of a single 14" block: Single Diadem Block: 14" x 14" Here is the first one I made, which appeared in my second book (Supersize 'Em Quilts, 2009). I used a lovely Christmas fabric for the block centers. Christmas Diadem Quilt Another of the quilts I made I called "Blast Off!...

Contest is over and winner is chosen! We all have them: Jelly Rolls, Charm Squares, Layer Cakes. But after the impulse buy, we sometimes are in a quandary about what to do with them. I selected a stack of 10" squares (a Layer Cake) from the Social Butterfly collection. I wanted to revisit my Bubbles pattern. Here's a peek at the fabrics. 10" squares of Social Butterfly (42) I first made this Bubbles Quilt in 1996 using a small half-hexagon template and some 2" strips. These fabrics are SO old, but they worked! I named it Half Hexagon Jewel. Half Hexagon Jewel Let me show you what I did with the Social Butterfly 10" squares. Many of the prints are directional. We don't want any dive bombing butterflies now, do we? I cut a 1" strip off one side of my 10" squares. That's because I am aiming for two 4-1/2" x 10" rectangles from each square. 42 strips 1" x 10" Then I cut two 4-1/2" x 10" strips fro...

This pattern has been the basis for a set of workshops and also appeared in my second book, Paper Piecing Perfect Points. I designed this particular Mariner's Compass for Blank Fabrics in 2009! The collection was called Fun Dip! 6 Block Mariner's Compass : 50" x 68" Here are a few of the 16" blocks: EZ Mariner's Compass Block with sashing In pinks and purples: And the quilt that appeared in my book: EZ Mariner's Compass : 28" x 28" The 6 page pdf assumes you know how to paper/foundation piece. The block is pieced in four sections and then the center circle (interfaced to turn the edges) is set in place and appliquéd down (I used an invisible monofilament thread. And a closeup of my block (with pins in the center). 16" Block with center pinned ready for appliqué Pattern has full size foundation (you will need four for each block) and the template for the background. It is well-illustrated and you can make i...

Laura Heine has designed a gorgeous fabric collection called Potpourri . And, yes, it is a mix of many things - all of which are beautiful and happy and full of flowers and dragonflies. It is due to be in your local quilt shop in June. Let me give you a sneak peek : Potpourri Fabrics And another shot: Potpourri Fabrics Make sure you check out the Look Book on the Windham Fabrics site. It is filled with beautiful projects by Laura. In the meantime, I'll be thinking about what to do with these fabrics. I keep thinking butterflies. I have a great vintage appliqué pattern for one. I have several butterfly quilts I designed for my Block a Day Calendars over the years. Here's one from 2010. Butterfly blocks are 12". Skies Full of Butterflies: 48" x 48". And another one with just that one butterfly: Butterfly Blues But I keep leaning toward the following pattern. These were made about 3 years ago with some Windham Fabrics (Painted Wings). I put...