I have a local thrift shop very close to my house. I stop in from time to time and a few months ago discovered something that made my heart stop. This amazing Santa quilt made of 49 log cabin blocks that finish to 2-1/2"! Can you imagine piecing all those logs? Log Cabin Santa: 22" x 22" And look at that sweet appliqué. Such a humble Santa face. What shocked me was the price - $1.00. Yes, that's one dollar! Do you know how many dozens of hours it took for the maker to create this? Maybe 30 or more! Have no idea who made it. Unfortunately, it was probably in someone's estate and the family members didn't want it. I did discover a signature (sort of) on the back. It says "YAS '89. Log Cabin Santa quilt by YAS 1989 Well, if YAS is looking down from quilter's heaven, she is smiling to know her Santa quilt was rescued. I sent it on to my two great nieces - Judy (3) and Alice (6 months) so they can enjoy it. And what does Santa say? "Ho Ho Ho and ...

The Quilt Builder Christmas Card Deck Yes - a box of Christmas quilt blocks! This is a fun, new addition to the other series sets by C&T Publishing. 40 blocks with all sorts of helpful diagrams on how to arrange into quilts, runners and pillows. But, the best part is that the block is offered in several sizes from 6" to 36"! Sample cards with cutting directions I found some fun blocks to sew and decided on the "Ho" block (for a Ho Ho Ho quilt). Let's see one of those blocks. I simplified the several squares that make up the vertical strips - I made them rectangles (quilter's privilege, of course). 12" Ho block for a Ho Ho Ho One of the designers of the deck, Gailen Runge, made several quilts using the blocks. Here is her candle banner: Candle Banner by Gailen Runge Fun motifs can be pieced with squares and triangles and rectangles: Trees, Santa Belt and Hat, Elf Shoes, Grinch's Heart (no kidding). Words like Joy, Ho Ho Ho, and Joy. Candles, Star...

Today is November 17 and the calendar block is Twenty-Five Patch. It is one of the two blocks that make up the Irish Chain quilt! Here is the block made up by Susan B. Isn't this so cute with her turkey? Twenty-Five Patch by Susan B. Here's my quilt from early 2000 which uses the same 25-Patch, only in a smaller size. It appeared in my first book, Bold, Black and Beautiful (2004). I was enjoying the embroidery unit on my Pfaff sewing machine and was able to capture two motifs stitched in pink in the large un-pieced section of the Domino Chain. Double Irish Chain: 31" x 31" Yes, those are small blocks (4-1/2")! The blocks in my calendar are much larger (10"). Let's see them. Twenty-Five Patch: 10" And the block for tomorrow, November 18 is Domino Chain: Domino Chain: 10" Now, let's see a REALLY old quilt I made in the early 1990s (ignore the date stamp there). That was when I was still hand quilting. I hadn't discovered machine quilting...

Yikes! I almost forgot to post this block today. My friend Diann C, one of my Calendar Girls, made the block 3 weeks ago! I recorded it in my notebook but I forgot to check in with that notebook! Here are the fabrics she's been working with: Tempest Collection by Windham Fabrics And here's her Cross and Four Patch block: Cross and Four Patch: 10" A simple way with squares and rectangles. Using the Tempest fabrics shows off those patch lines beautifully! Check your local quilt shop for my calendar so you can have your own Cross and Four Patcs block. You can find my calendar here, also: on  Amazon at  C&T Publishing and in  Barnes & Noble  stores

I found a wonderful project that uses those 10" squares (layer cake) we have bundles of but are not sure what we can do with them! I've made several in all sorts of prints, but today I want to focus on the new Benartex Harry Potter Collection . Harry Potter Collection I was given a few prints and coordinating blenders and was challenged to do something fun and easy. I thought of the SewCanShe fabric bags and that settled it! You start with two 10" squares for the outside and two 10" squares for the lining. The bags are reversible, so you can feature 4 awesome prints or two prints and two lining blenders (which I did). Here are one outside print and the red lining for that side of the bag. Yes, we cut 2-1/2" squares from the bottoms. And, yes, that is fusible fleece ironed to the outer layer (all info is clearly explained in that link ). HP print outside; red lining Then, the 2 lining pieces are stitched together along sides and bottom AND the two outside pieces...

Today is Veteran's Day in America. We celebrate and honor those who serve and have served in our military. There are so many fabulous groups that bring attention to this and two of those are the Quilts of Valor and the Honor Flights. Here is the calendar block for today as a tribute to our veterans: Double Star: 12" And the block sewn by Diane L, one of my Calendar Girls: Double Star by Diane L. A fellow quilting teacher,  Didi Salvatierra ,  is an award winning professional fiber artist. Her quilts reflect a love of color and texture while incorporating techniques of traditional quiltmaking. Her passion combines modern and traditional techniques.  Didi spends most of her quilting time these days making Quilts of Valor and participating in the Blue Ridge Honor Flights. Let's see one of her Quilts of Valor: QOV quilt by Didi Salvatierra What a wonderful way with a gorgeous panel! Here's what Did says:  Doing both Quilts of Valor and the Blue Ridge Honor Flight is my p...

Did you know that there are several series of blocks named for our 50 states here in the USA? I actually patterned all of them in one (or more) of my previous desktop calendars. The one I want to show today is in my latest calendar. It was made up in beautiful fabric by my sister Janet. Arizona block: 18" I also featured it in my Martingale perpetual calendar in March. Here it is as stitched up by Patricia Bryant of Australia. It is 12". Arizona: 12" The center of the block is a wonderful place to feature a lovely print or awesome motif. Here's how it appears in the printed calendar: Check your local quilt shop for my calendar so you can have your own Arizona block. You can find my calendar here, also: on  Amazon at  C&T Publishing and in  Barnes & Noble  stores

If you like big blocks, you will like this 24" Woven Star as the November 5 block (today). I first made this about 20 years ago, simplifying a common block pattern. It appeared in Quilt magazine (when I was an editor) with this cute doggy! Woven Star quilt  I simplified it by removing the templates and making it with rotary cutting. I added the woven effect by making strong contrast between the colors. Let's see some more quilts. Center Woven Ribbon Star in my Galaxy of Stars quilt Woven Ribbon Star (24") as the center of a child's quilt Same star, different borders My sister Janet (who has the calendar) chose to make FOUR of these large blocks and use sashing and no borders. Very lovely! Janet's 4 Block Woven Ribbon Star And one more using Kaffe Fasset bold prints. Notice that my borders are the same color BUT not the same print. Yes, I give you permission to do the same! Woven Ribbon Star using Kaffe Fassett prints I offer the 24" star in my Galaxy of Stars...

I was asked to teach my Flying Swallows class again, though it hasn't been confirmed. I started thinking about those diamonds and how they appear in several other vintage inspired quilts I've made. First, my most recent Flying Swallows quilt using Michael Miller's Fairy Frost fabrics for those diamonds: Flying Swallows : 48" x 48" The diamonds are easily rotary cut from 2-1/2" strips (this shows cutting from 3-1/2" strips, but the same method). Think differently about those diagonal lines on your rulers! My first Flying Swallows : First Flying Swallows from 2000. Now let's look at the diamonds - very neat, huh? NO templates! Rotary cut 45 degree diamonds Swallows in the Window uses the SAME diamonds. The way the background triangles are arranged and the addition of a center square makes this unique. Here's the vintage pattern for a 9" block (gasp!!) And my most recent Swallows in the Window quilt (my second one). Uses the SAME diamonds. Sw...