Got scraps? Matching scraps? Well, this is the perfect way to use up those scraps to make lovely gifts for teachers, friends, stocking stuffers, and just about any occasion to say "I care." This is a repost from 2017 and I've shared this technique many times on this blog. Always good to see it again. Here's a link to a  TUTORIAL . Remember? 7 little tissue holders made with Windham  "It's a Hoot"  Collection Then I made some with my Kaffe Fassett scraps. And I have a LOT of them. Here they are: 4 little tissue holders using my Kaffe scraps Now for some quick steps (which were shared in more detail at that  previous post  using the What a Hoot collection): Two rectangles. The outside (wavy print) is cut 6" x 7". The inside lining (dots) is cut larger at 6" x 8-1/4". Start with two rectangles Sew the two short sides together as shown. Yes, the rectangles are not the same size. There's a reason for this! Sew the two rectangles togeth...

I designed this quilt for Blank Fabrics in 2007 and called it Color Blox Stars. It uses the traditional Souvenir Block. I made it in the blue colors and the brown quilt is just a digital. The blocks are 15" x 15". (The blue one is the real quilt.) Color Blox Stars : 65" x 65"  And the brown fabrics: Color Blox in Browns Click the links and you will be able to download the color 2 page pattern. Here is the Stash Block in a 10" size. This ran in Quilt Magazine in 2007. Notice the Asian flavored fabrics. Souvenir Block: 10" x 10" Here is the cutting diagram for the 10" block. So, grab some scraps and make a sample block. If you like it, make some more and soon you'll have enough for a quilt! Believe me - I honestly read every comment and appreciate everything you say (except the spammers!)

I came upon 2 very used, very old, very beat-up quilts about 10 years ago. Paid $15 for both! They were destined for the trash heap (according to the owner) and I swept them up just for the sheer urge to at least give them a proper burial. One became a dog blanket (trust me - it was torn, etc beyond repair). The other I put up in the closet and used it to cover my grandkids when they stayed overnight. Pink vintage quilt from the 1960s: 62" x 77" (approx.) The pink solids and prints are poly-cotton. The white is cotton and that's where the disintegration occurred. Sun damage. Sitting quietly up in my hall closet, wanting to grow old with grace. This quilt was hand pieced and hand quilted. The binding was attached by machine. Then I got this request from my oldest daughter: "Can you make me a vintage quilted jacket?" She sent links to "repurposed" quilts into jackets - $575!! I told her "no" right off the bat. I said it was anathema (forbidden)...

I pulled out a workshop box yesterday and realized I had enough fabric and cut patches to make a large, 4 block quilt using one of my hexagon patterns. It's an upsized Double Star. Here's the simple version: Double Star : 18" x 21" Same quilt! Double Star : 18" x 21" I added more diamonds and triangles and made it larger. I turned the six corner diamond/triangle units outward (instead of inward as shown in the Star of David). There are no y-seams. The only diamonds are the purples. The turquoise fabrics are two triangles pretending to be diamonds! I made two of these blocks. They will finish to 24" high! It's very much like my Star of David table topper (same patches). This is a popular pattern in my Etsy shop. Easy to cut and stitch. Star of David table topper (or wall banner) And I made two of this next block. Somehow I am going to join them with side triangles. I've cut them and I was able to squeeze enough out of my selected fabrics. Purpl...

I got busy last Christmas and made some Twisted Hexagon coasters (or large mug rugs) using up some lovely holiday scraps. The center hexagons are 5" high, with a finished height for the coaster of 10". Twisted Hexagon coasters I was able to get two hexagons out of the Santa prints and then used two different prints for the half-hexagons. The binding is NOT cut on the bias - it's printed that way, so let's keep this secret to ourselves! Santa Twisted Hexagon Coaster: 10" x 12" The half-hexagons are also easy to cut using a standard 60 degree multi-sized triangle ruler. I know you have one in your sewing room drawer!  Cutting the half hexagons Here are some half-hexagons I cut for a larger quilt. I had just a few left over and they inspired my coasters above. Half-hexagons My Festive Chickadees Twisted Hexagons quilt is ready to come out of the closet for decorating! These use the same size half-hexagons, but in a different fabric collection. Festive Chickad...

While I'm not Jewish, I do have Jewish friends and neighbors. And, believe it or not, I have some Hanukkah items on hand for gifting when needed! I've even made some special blocks for my quilt guild's holiday block swap. I made 12 in Christmas fabrics and 12 in Hanukkah fabrics! I don't know where the pattern for these came from, but they will finish to 10". 4 of my 12 blocks I've made cards using those "window" openings and placed some pre-quilted fabric (just fabric and thin batting) inside. Hanukkah Card I've made coasters using my paper piecing Dreidel block. Dreidel Coasters I used this in my Dreidel gift bags which was featured in Quilting Arts Magazine a few times (2015 and 2021). The simple 6" block is paper pieced. I built the bag around the block. Dreidel Gift Bags And last December, my local library asked me to fill their display case. I devoted half to Hanukkah and half to Christmas. Display case with my holiday items By far, my...

I like to revisit vintage patterns with today's fabrics. This is an off-center Log Cabin made with a 2015 collection from Windham. I named it Sweet Baby Logs. I was working with fat quarters and had to get creative with my borders! Sweet Baby Logs  from 2015. 10" blocks; 44" x 44" quilt This is a great scrap buster quilt. Anything goes with this quilt. I remade it in some Kaffe Fassett fabrics using blues and white, with hints of green and lavender. I added wider border strips to this one. It was quilted by Lee Taylor of White Stone, VA. She is the owner of the Sew Lovelee Quilt shop. I have since put binding on it. I got creative with the border (as I did with the one above). I didn't want to use a single fabric. And, again, I was working with FAT QUARTERS, so I cut strips from those and used a positive/negative arrangement. My Baby Logs Have the Blues This is an Off-Center Log Cabin using thick and thin strips. Am I a genius? Hardly. This quilt went home with a...

I love to revisit some of my workshop samples and try to empty the box of blocks and parts. I made a few quilts using my Hexagon Wreath and Stars pattern and had several blocks in process that begged to become a quilt. Do you remember this Dancing Christmas Mice quilt? I gave this away soon after I quilted it. Hexagon Wreath and Stars : 38" x 42" Here is the second quilt I finished earlier this week using the leftover blocks. As you can see, I had to get creative with the star parts. But, you don't think a little child will worry about the 2-color stars, do you? Of course not! I also had to use 3 different prints (from the same collection) for the borders and I pieced those. I only had fat quarters. I dare you to find the seams! Dancing Christmas Mice: 38" x 42" Here's a pic of how the diamonds are sewn to one hexagon. Then I made 6 of these. Here's a photo of the quilt center (first version). No y-seams. Hexagon Wreath and Stars center And the very fir...

My daughters have told me "No more quilts for the grandkids . . ." and I guess I have to comply. But, it doesn't keep me from wanting to sew with kids' prints and make some cute quilts! There's always some small child that comes into my life and what kid doesn't like something with Santa on it? Storybook Christmas bundle from Windham Fabrics Windham Fabrics has released several collections of reproductive 1930s fabrics and they are called "Storybook." The Christmas collection came out in 2016 and I made several items with it. My go-to idea is always hexagons. You may remember how I cut some of these prints into 5-1/2" hexagons: I cut a strip 5-1/2" x wof (in this case, I only had 22"). Then folded it in half with the fold at the bottom. I aligned the 2-1/2" horizontal ruler line with the raw edges at the top (that's because 2-1/2" is half of the finished size of 5"). This is what you get. Move the ruler over (DO NOT...