I made these Baby Blocks the old fashioned way - with y-seams! Yes, that's right! I know I always brag about no y-seams, but that's not because I'm afraid of them - I just like to do some workarounds. You've seen these little blocks before. These are 4-1/2" rotary cut 60 degree diamonds. Single Baby Blocks  Here is the y-seam from the back. You can see how the 3 seams come together in the center. Then the 1/4" where there is NO seam is spun. Lies flat that way. Baby blocks from wrong side. I squeezed the life out of that swirly fabric. I had to seam two diamonds - gasp! But, it works! This block measures 8" finished from flat side to flat side. I used 4-1/2" 60 degree triangles to set them together. Look closely and you'll see the seams in the multi-colored diamonds I used a mottled batik in a light print for those setting triangles. When you have 7 blocks, you have to get a little creative with their assembly. I cut four more diamonds and put th...

We're back with some beautiful class offerings in an even more beautiful setting in Gettysburg, PA. July 15 - 17, 2022 are the dates for the  Mid-Appalachian Retreat . Let me show you my 3 classes. Friday, July 15 Class:  New York Beauty .  I made this using paper piecing, but knew I couldn't do it justice with my own quilting. I gave it to an expert, Jane Hauprich! New York Beauty quilted by Jane Hauprich We will be paper piecing the center Dogwood Blossom blocks (with the curves). Then the Dogtooth borders and the corner lone star blocks. I am making this again using some Kaffe Fassett prints. What do you think? Dogtooth borders with paper still on   And just one of the units: One part of the Dogtooth Border $15 kit fee  is for the 17 page pattern which includes all master patterns, foundations for most of the blocks, and well illustrated steps. Here is the  SUPPLY LIST  for New York Beauty. There is even a page for you to color a line drawing so you...

Here is a clever use of a pre-printed panel of flower wreaths. They reminded me of Baltimore Album motifs. But, cutting them up gave me a way to set my Nosegay blocks which I paper pieced about 10 years ago. Here is what a Nosegay block looks like. I used some reproduction prints. The Nosegay is vintage and typically has a lot of y-seams. Not the way I do it! Two block Nosegay quilt I made several blocks and knowing I would be setting them on point, I wanted more than just a slab of fabric (though cute fabric is always successful, right?) Same blocks, same setting fabric. Six block Nosegay quilt Then I had even more and now it was time to get creative! I had 5 blocks and cut apart 3 large panel prints and used them to set my blocks on point. Fun, huh? This was donated to my local quilt guild for our charity quilt endeavors. Five block Nosegay quilt Now for the FREE pattern! This is Leslie's Album that was made using some Windham Fabrics about 15 years ago. It was published in a qu...

I have created several Baltimore Album type quilts in my 30+ years of quilting. I say "type" because I have used printed panels (often called "cheater's cloth") for the glorious motifs. Here is one of the first I made about 25 years ago. The date of 2014 was for when I posted about this on my blog. This goes back to my Quilt Magazine days of probably 1998! These little panels were easy to set on point and capture the red and green in the setting fabrics and borders. Then in 2011 I came across some other printed panels, this time much larger. I can't even remember who the designer was. I cut them out and decided to surround them with Dogtooth units. I had to put my math teacher hat on because this was going to require some serious calculating. The blocks (center motifs) will finish to 10". I wanted 3 dogteeth on each side. My 60 degree triangles were cut at 3-3/8" high. I made a mistake with the first batch and couldn't use them. This red block ...

English Paper Piecing (EPP). I like to do that sort of handwork. It's relaxing and there are so many possibilities for using the different patches and shapes. 99% of us begin with hexagons. I came across a little quilt I made in 2017 from blocks I made in 2013! These were class samples and they turned out so cute! This uses a Benartex collection called Knitty Kitty. Grandmother's Flower Garden (GFG) using 2" hexagons  Then I fussy cut another kitty in blues. They sat in a drawer (as class samples they traveled) until my oldest daughter asked for a quilt for a friend's baby. I made something REAL simple. I think the blocks are 14" and they alternate with a cute print in two squares. Easy borders and it's done! Two GFG blocks for an easy quilt I had made some crochet hook holders, etc with the Knitty Kitty fabrics (I DO NOT knit; I only crochet). Not sure if you remember these. I have since given them to my middle daughter who is a rabid crocheter. Cute, huh? It...

When I was a child in school (1960s and 70s), we celebrated President's Day - two of them.  George Washington on one day and Abraham Lincoln on another. Now, we just combine them into one generic day and it's February 21rst this year. Here's a great photo of a really old Windham Fabrics collection that had George Washington's image on it. I gave away all the fabrics I had and wish I had kept some! George Washington from the Old Glory Collection Storybook Americana  is a fabric collection from 2017. These are reproduction fabrics based on REAL prints from the 1930s or so. Take a look at this one! George is being scolded for chopping down that famous cherry tree! George Washington chopping down that cherry tree! And the quilt I designed for Keepsake Quilting catalog using these fabrics. It ran in the catalog as a kit and pattern. The  Lone Star  has NO y-seams and is a 19" block. So easy to cut and sew with any acrylic ruler with those extra 45 degree lines on it ...

Just because a block is presented in a quilt pattern as a hand piecing technique doesn't mean you can't convert it to machine! I do that a LOT, though I love creating English Paper Piecing blocks by hand. The February 10 block from Katja Marek's Hexagon calendar was calling my name, but I could see an easy way to create it by machine. Allow me to share the details! We have 3 half-hexagons, 3 tiny triangles and 3 elongated diamonds (all 60 degree). But look at that center - cold sweats here! - that is begging for a y-seam (and got it, btw). February 10 prototype block Many times I cut and sew a sample block before cutting out the parts for a larger project. If I don't like the one block, who can guarantee that I'll like 16 of them?! Here are the colors and fabrics that I chose for 3 blocks. Yes, I stitched a y-seam! Here's the y-seam from the back: And I was beginning to run out of fabric! What to do? You tell me. I only had small bits of the blue and white print...