Today is June 18 and the block featured in my new calendar is Glorious Blooms. I've made this many times because it's a super way to feature an awesome print in the large, 11" center! Here is how it appears in the calendar: Glorious Blooms: 20" Here's my most recent block stitched in three fabrics by Windham: Glorious Blooms: 20" in the Solstice and Moonlit Collections Here is the first quilt I made. It appeared in the Fabric Trends magazine many years ago: I also put it in my book, Supersize 'Em Quilts (2009, Martingale): Glorious Blooms with four 20" blocks I made another quilt and gave it to my guild for our local charities: And just a few more blocks to show you how fun those centers can be: Glorious Blooms with lots of prints! And the single block I made using an older Anna Griffin collection: This is a great way to get to a good sized center quickly! As you can see, I love making this block and think you will, too.

  (NOTE:   If you would like to be notified about my blog posts, send me an email:  kratovil@his.com . Blogger no longer gives you that choice automatically.) Today is June 17 and the block is Alaska Homestead. It's a simple block in a 10" size. This block was chosen by both me and  my quilt guild buddy Karen B. and she used two collections by Windham: Insectarium and Watermark . Note: these two collections don't ship to quilt shops until the end of the summer! Fat quarters of Watermark and Insectarium Here is Karen's block: Alaska Homestead by Karen B: 10" And here is my block, which I made with the Benartex blenders called Equinox: Alaska Homestead by Debby K: 10" I'd like to know the history of this block and why it's called Alaska Homestead! If you know, please tell me, won't you?

She sat quietly for many decades. She was tenderly put together, hexagon by hexagon - all by hand. They're 1" hexagons, btw. She was passed from family member to family member, made by an anonymous quilter, but I recognized her glory and rescued her from the Free Table at my local quilt meeting. Free? Really? Vintage quilt top: 65" x 76" The bottom was unfinished and I needed to square it up. I put Kona Snow under those wobbly edges and appliquéd the hanging hexagons onto it to straighten the edges. I straightened the hexagon side by slicing them - yes I did! I had plans and the quilt was SO excited to know it was going to be finished and loved. After quilting and before binding Go ahead - compare those two photos. They're upside down, but you get the point. Now let's look at the gorgeous quilting done by a master longarm quilter, Ada Gosser of 2 Tubs Quilting . She was so delighted to get to work with this quilt top. She knew what pattern to use, but also ga...

Today is June 13 and we're one day early for Flag Day. We learn a lot about our history in school and the American flag plays a big part. I drafted a block several years ago and called it Old Glory Star. I used some red, white and blue fabrics by Windham. Here she is in all of her glory (I couldn't help myself there)! Old Glory Star It is the block in my New Quilters Block a Day calendar for today, too! It's a lovely 18" size. This was also in my 2007 block a day calendar and here is the block as created by Patricia Bryant of Australia. I designed it in a 12" size. Old Glory Star by Patricia Bryant Don't you love those American Girl dolls, too? So - well - American! This block is part of my 3 block banner. I've shared it here before. You will see the other two blocks as they show up on the calendar. Thanks for stopping by, and remember, if you want to be notified of blog posts via email, let me know! kratovil@his.com . Blogger no longer gives you that cho...

Well, actually Bordered Puss in the Corner! This is a block made by one of my Calendar Girls, Leslie P. She chose the lovely Noteworthy Collection by Windham Fabrics. Here's the bundle I got from Windham: Noteworthy Collection by Windham Here are the fat quarters Leslie chose: Leslie's fat quarters She chose the Bordered Puss in the Corner block which appears on June 9 in my calendar. She wanted to sew something that didn't have points (ie, triangles) so that she could encourage newby quilters. I thought that was a great idea! Yes, there are some challenging blocks in my calendar, but also some that don't make you want to pull your hair out! Leslie's block in Noteworthy - 12" Many thanks to Leslie for making such a happy block. I'm not sure why this is called Puss in the Corner. I guess some kitty cat got time-out for misbehaving, do you think?

 Goose in the Pond . Duck and Ducklings . And now we have Geese in the Air! What's with all these birds? I'm just kidding. Birds chirping and tweeting are my favorite sounds, especially as they chirp their way to new life in the height of Spring. Today is June 8 and I have two versions of the Geese in the Air block. The first is by Kathy G. Here is the Windham collection she is working with: Under the Canopy . Fat quarters of Under the Canopy by Windham Fabrics And Kathy's block - don't you love how she fussy cut that deer in the center? Geese in the Air: 10" The next block is by Diann C. She used a Windham collection called Tempest : Fat quarters of Tempest by Windham And Diann's Geese in the Air block: 10" Geese in the Air I made a list of all the blocks in my Block a Day calendar that use the word "geese." There are 18, with 10 of them appearing in October! I have a plan to stitch all of them and hope to make a quilt. The sizes range from 8...

(NOTE:   If you would like to be notified about my blog posts, send me an email: kratovil@his.com . Blogger no longer gives you that choice automatically.) Oh, not really! But the name of this block for today, June 7, is Windblown Square. I'm just saying . . . My friend Julia R. chose today's block to stitch using the Duchess Collection by Windham Fabrics. It's in quilt shops right now! Fat quarters of Duchess by Windham My calendar has the block in a 12" size. Here is Julia's: Windblown Square by Julia R. Windblown Square by Linda D. uses Insectarium and Watermark by Windham: Fat quarters of   Insectarium  and  Watermark  by Windham And Linda's block: Windblown Square: 12" I had this as a project in my 2010 desktop calendar. Here is the digital quilt using 20 blocks. Isn't this great how the blocks create a secondary pattern when they are sewn block to block without sashing? Little pinwheels appear. I guess they're blowing in the wind, too! Win...

Oh, this really quacks me up! (Sorry - I couldn't resist). Today is June 5 and the featured block in my new calendar is Duck and Ducklings, 15". Here is one done by Patricia Bryant of Australia from my 2007 Block a Day Calendar: 10" Duck and Ducklings How about a vintage look at the pattern? Can you believe the templates? It's what we did before the magic of rotary cutting. I asked my Calendar Girls to create monthly blocks from my new calendar using some beautiful, current collections from Windham Fabrics . Here's one made by Susan B. She used the Moonlit Collection . Here is Susan's fat quarter collection: 13 fat quarters from the  Moonlit Collection And Susan's block: Duck and Ducklings by Susan B. Here's the one I made using Moonlit and Solstice. First, some of the group of 13 skus and their "partners." My grouping And now my block, Duck and Ducklings: June 5 block: Duck and Ducklings, 15" I still have lots of fat quarters remainin...

Not sure why this block has this name, but, that's the way it's been for about 100 years. Here it is from the early 1920s as shared by Ruby McKim for the Kansas City Star (newspaper). Goose in the Pond is the June 3 block in my new Block a Day Calendar and it is 15" square. First, the fabrics I chose: Windham Fabrics: Moonlit and Solstice Those 9 patch units are small! I did a lot of piecing, but sometimes you have to change your mind as you go. I didn't like the center square to be the light green. So, yes, I took it apart! 5 horizontal sections of the Goose in the Pond Variation Here is my finished block. Whew- what a lot of pieces! But, I do like that center better with one of the Solstice prints, don't you? Goose in the Pond Variation: 15" block I had a similar block in my 2007 calendar and this is how Patricia Bryant photographed it: Goose in the Pond by Patricia Bryant I really like combining the Moonlit with the Solstice. The colors are so happy toget...

 I do a lot of sewing, but didn't want to stitch all the blocks in my new calendar. Then I had a great idea: how about I ask some local quilting buddies to become my Calendar Girls? I would give them one of my new calendars and new collections from generous fabric companies and they could stitch blocks every month! They use their own same collection for each month. Of course, they said yes! All I asked is that they choose whatever block they want to sew from each of the month's lineup. They don't have to tell me ahead of time. It doesn't matter if more than one chooses the same block (and they already have!) They send me photos of each month's block. They get to keep the end result. They have enough in their collections to end up with a good sized quilt. They can keep it or give it away. Here's what I'm working with - for now! Half of the full collection of Moonlit by Windham Fabrics . Another Calendar Girl has the other half. This is going to be a fun ride....