"Retro inspired" - that's how Windham Fabrics describes Merry-Go-Round . What do you think? 23  Merry-Go-Round  fabrics One of the 23 lovely prints There is a large 108" backing that's got a Double Wedding Ring motif printed on it. Now, that's an easy way to get one of those quilts! My friend Julia R (one of my Calendar Girls and a quilt guild buddy) asked for a piece so she could teach her daughter how to hand quilt. I can't wait to see it! She'll be working with a 1 yard cut (36" x 44"). DWR cheater cloth Here's a simple DWR I made as a teaching sample several years ago using some 1930s reproduction prints. Many are Windham reproductions. I paper pieced the curved arches and then interfaced the edges to turn them under and appliquéd them to the cream background! The four corner half-square triangles gave me the straight edges! I have been sewing with the awesome 1930s reproduction prints for almost 20 years. This new collection is beg...

I think things happen in my sewing room when I'm not around. Fabric and blocks multiply! Does that happen in your sewing room? 41 more blocks than I needed! ( They're for sale in my Etsy shop ) Here is a quilt I made several years ago and had it published in McCall's Quilting Magazine. I call it Pixie Sticks. Actually, they called it Pixie Sticks; I called it Candy Stripes Log Cabin. But, hey, they paid me so I didn't really care! Pixie Sticks made with 6" Log Cabin Blocks I love sewing with reproduction 1930s prints and pulled together a stack of candy colored fabrics and some white on white and just started sewing some Off Center Log Cabin blocks. These are small: only 6"! There are a lot of logs in these blocks. But, oh so yummy, don't you think? Here is what one maker sent me with her Pixie Sticks in process: Blocks in process by Renee K. Notice that some blocks begin with a colored print center square and others begin with a white square. This will gi...

I just received the latest in the Windham Fabrics Storybook series called Storybook '22 . I am very partial to these 30s reproduction prints. They just arrived in quilt shops this summer. Here's a sneak peek of the prints: Storybook '22  fabrics There are dancing animals and little kids. Humpty Dumpty. Cows jumping over the moon in all the colors! Little kids playing musical instruments. Flowers in all colors. There's even a boring white - but that's a perfect piece so that the other prints look good, right? There is a panel that uses all the prints in a random sort of crazy patch arrangement. Here's a closeup: Crazy patch panel for  Storybook '22 I'm still waiting for inspiration with these. There are 30 skus clamoring to become something fun and beautiful and they ALL want me to use them in some project! That's 7-1/2 yards! I'm going to revisit some of my favorite patterns that use 1930s prints. Not sure which will inspire me, but I'm going...

I designed a workshop class based on some digital patterns I had published in Quilt Magazine. Just a simple heart shape could dance across a large, plain background piece of fabric. This was a popular class in 2009 and 2010 for the Sewing Expo. I actually made kits for my students! The hearts were backed with fusible webbing and the students could decide how they wanted to express themselves based on a few ideas I gave them. This first one is what I call Dancing Hearts. Dancing Hearts with 16 heart appliqués The next one was a sample I showed with the same 16 hearts making four little groups. I had white and black backgrounds. This was on black. Added borders and gave it to some lucky child. Dancing Hearts: 20" x 29" Then I used some 1930s fabrics for a table runner. I cut out a LOT of these hearts! I used them to make some cards. Then I used some for two runners: And more hearts and a longer table runner which uses 32 hearts. What looks like a border is actually extra wide b...

The pattern for this block is actually called "The Good Luck Quilt." It is vintage and originates in the early part of the 20th century (ie, probably 1930s). I have made it many times and it was a very popular workshop for a few years. I first published it in 2006 (or so) and she actually made the cover. I can say she's a Cover Girl! Good Luck Quilt on the cover of Quick Quilts Notice those blocks. Looks like I used some funky templates (as was done in the original pattern). But, I saw that it could be pieced in strips and then cut into squares and then . . . Good Luck Quilt as it appeared in Supersize 'Em Quilts (Martingale, 2009) I made a lot of samples for my classes. I finally put them together and had them quilted and donated them to a local kids' charity. Here is my blue and yellow 4 Block Good Luck quilt. As you cut and sew, you are making mirror image blocks. That's why I used sashings in these two quilts. Blue and Yellow 4 Block Good Luck quilt I cu...

I have a winner: Susan L. of Connecticut. Congratulations, Susan. Thanks to everyone who left a comment. Stay tuned for more fabric giveaways! Storybook VIII (that's 8 in Roman numerals, btw!) is the sweetest reproduction 1930s collection. Believe it or not, there are 52 different prints/skus. It came out several years ago and I have many of the prints. But the one that tells a story is the one that tells a story! I was able to get 3 sets from the yard of fabric and decided to NOT make another quilt for my granddaughter (and her mother thanks me). I took the 7 panels and machine stitched them to card stock so she and her brother Javier can actually read them as a book. What do you think? Storybook VIII panels The 7 panels are NOT the same size. That's because they were printed in a random arrangement on the yardage. Notice the pink card at the top right with the dancing bunny. I had to cut triangles off the corners because it couldn't be cut square (or the bunny would have...