Here is the last block in the Ocean Breezes Block of the Moment. I hope you've enjoyed making these blocks and are near to completion on everything. If you'd like to share your own blocks, send the pics to me and I'll have a blog post or two next week about them! (send to: kratovil@his.com) We only make one of the Sailboat (whew!) and it's appliqué. Let's see it finished, and then I'll show you some steps. Sailboat from the Ocean Breezes quilt I use raw edge appliqué exclusively. But I am "religious" about the steps I take to ensure it looks nice to the eye. Here is my stitching on the mast up close. I first practiced on scraps so I could get my "zig" and "zag" to behave. Close up of stitching I also used the full size printed pattern underneath my 8-1/2" cream background square to assist me in lining up my patches. Once they were in the right place, I pinned, removed the pattern and then fused my patches in place. And here...

Here we are in August and in the Northern Hemisphere we are sweating! I'm thankful for Willis Carrier and his invention of the air conditioner! I hope you're ready for the color page of calendar blocks for August. Let's see a few of the blocks. August 6th (Saturday) showcases the Florida Jay block from the Laurel Wreath quilt . I actually made the block into a quilt! I gave this to a dear neighbor several years ago. The Florida Jay block from the Laurel Wreath quilt Here's the French Countryside block from February 2007. Lovely appliqué with the extra dimensional stitching. This block appears on Sunday the 8th. French Countryside Block: 10"  Then there's Golden Teardrops from November 2007. Here's the quilt first: Teardrops Quilt And the block that appears for August 30th. This is Golden Teardrops which finishes to 5"! Golden Teardrops Block: 5" And one more, a Dancing Autumn Leaves block. Dancing Autumn Leaves: 10" These are all digital bloc...

Yes, I decided to offer this fun little quilt pattern as a Block of the Moment (I borrowed that phrase from the quilting Rock Star Judy Martin). Today I introduce the Supply List (basic; you must be familiar with general terms) and the first block: The Cabana (which uses foundation paper piecing). Ocean Breezes fabrics to make the 32 x 32 quilt I decided to stay with "blenders" as you can see. They read solid but have lovely texture. These are from the Bedrock Collection by Windham (with that renegade green Fairy Frost - Michael Miller). When I wrote these calendars, I had to keep the instructions to a bare minimum. The calendar assumed the user was familiar with the various techniques used in the 4-5 DOZEN quilts contained EACH YEAR! Yes, 4-5 dozen projects with a few hundred blocks! I may not be famous, but I am prolific! Ocean Breezes has 9 blocks: five appliqué, two rotary cut and stitched (Square in Square) and two foundation pieced (the Cabana). Here is the link to the ...

It's almost July and where I live it's hot and we have a lot of sunshine and we yearn for some ocean breezes. I haven't been to the beach in several years (but I'm not a fan of bathing suits and sand, btw). I published my Ocean Breezes pattern in my 2018 Quilter's Block a Day Calendar (by Andrews McMeel). Here's a digital version: Ocean Breezes: 32" x 32". 8" blocks I am considering this as a Block of the Moment (not monthly; probably weekly). Is there any interest? I've pulled my fabrics. These are Bedrock by Windham Fabrics (and a renegade green Fairy Frost). Ocean Breeze fabrics from the Bedrock Collection by Windham I've made a few of the blocks. What do you think of the Cabana? It is paper pieced and the quilt uses two of these. Ocean Breezes Cabana Block: 8" I've traced my templates for the Whale (two blocks), Palm Tree (two blocks) and am almost done with the boat, which sits in the center. I have the supply list ready, too...