Today is June 5 and the calendar block is Duck and Ducklings. Why it got that name, I don't know! Here is the block I made last year using the Windham Moonlit and Solstice Collections: June 5: Duck and Ducklings, 15" I also had this block in my first perpetual calendar by Martingale (2007) and it appeared on January 9. This was made by Patricia Bryant from Australia. Duck and Ducklings by Patricia Bryant Susan B. is one of my Calendar Girls and she made one also: Duck and Ducklings by Susan B. This is a vintage block and look at how it was published long ago! This appeared in the Kansas City Star with Ruby McKim's signature. Lovely blocks made with lovely fabric!

Today is May 25 and Memorial Day in the USA. It is a day for remembrance of those whom we've lost in defense of our freedom. It's not a day to celebrate but to remember. Yes, there are a lot of barbeques and family get togethers and lots of red, white and blue. My sister Janet has been working with my calendar and stitching a block a month. She made 12 blocks and turned 9 of them into this fabulous quilt for a sick friend. These are 18" blocks! Hey, Hey USA by Janet Gawbill You can do a search here on the blog for "Calendar Girls" or even "Janet" to see her awesome blocks. Here's one I really love and have made it several times myself: Old Glory Star: 18" Thank you, Janet, for being such a trouper to make all these blocks. But, just think: you have a gorgeous quilt for your friend. Let's not forget how "a quilt is not a quilt unless it's quilted." Have a wonderful day wherever you live. (We're getting swamped with rain, bu...

Yes, I did say EASY and these truly are. And when they are put together into a quilt, they create a lot of movement. I will be featuring each block individually, but here they are together: Five of the Easy Logs Blocks using Benartex Equinox fabrics Here is Linda D.'s block #1. Easy Logs Block #1 by Linda D. My friend Jan Jolly made a quilt using this block over 20 years ago. Here it is: Easy Logs Quilt by Jan Jolly: 64" x 76" You can see the calendar block for today on the left in the top photo. I went on to design 4 more and they'll be shared in the next 4 days. Stay tuned! And I'll show you how I've combined them with some fun novelty prints for a great kid's quilt.

The calendar block for today is Country Lanes Variation. Barb R, one of my Calendar Girls, made one using the Windham Watermark Collection. Notice the different sized squares. Country Lane Variations: 12" Here is a photo of some fabrics from the Windham site: This is a VARIATION of Country Lanes. Do you remember the block I shared in a post on July 11 by Susan B? The squares in this block are equal size. Country Lanes by Susan B - 12" This appeared in my 2012 Quilter's Block a Day Calendar, which is very hard to find used. Do you still have yours? 2012 Quilting Block a Day Calendar (and lots of quilts!) I just found mine in a cupboard out in the garage. What a trip down Memory Lane! I actually created 15 of these calendars - hard to believe! Here is the quilt that combines the Country Lanes block with the Contrary Wife block: Black, Red and White Quilt: 76" x 76" (12" blocks) Of course, you will need your own copy of the  calendar  to know how to cut and st...

Such a funny name for a block, huh? But maybe not so funny to the man married to such a lady! Two Three  Four! of my Calendar Girlfriends chose to make this block for today. The 4th one came in yesterday and I am delighted to add it. And I actually have a digital quilt that uses it along with the block for tomorrow (Country Lanes), which I'll share tomorrow. Here is the block made by Kathy G using the Windham fabrics called Under the Canopy: Contrary Wife by Kathy G. - 12" And here's the block done by Julia R. with her fabulous Duchess Collection: Contrary Wife by Julia R. Kathy M. made her block using the Benartex Collection called Find Your Way: Contrary Wife by Kathy M. Diane L. made her Contrary Wife block using Windham's Grounded Collection: Contrary Wife by Diane L. Thank you, dear friends, for staying with me in this calendar journey. Most of my 12 Calendar Girls have stitched 12 blocks and so I eagerly wait to see how they want to put them together. I'll b...

Today is May 18 and our calendar block for today is Grandmother's Basket. It is 10" finished and you really have to pay attention to your 1/4" seam allowance. Here is a lovely block stitched by my Calendar Girl Karen B. She even stayed with the same colors in the printed calendar! Grandmother's Basket: 10"  She has been working with the Insectarium and Watermark Collections by Windham Fabrics: Thank you, Karen, for a lovely block. This is added to her other blocks: Can't wait to see how she puts these together into a quilt! There's still time to get that 15% coupon off the price of the calendar. It goes until the end of May. Of course, you will need your own copy of the  calendar  to know how to cut and stitch each of the 12 blocks. Remember, if you don't have yours yet, the 15% off coupon is still available until the end of this month (May).

Today is April 30 and the calendar block for today is Country Fences. It is a 5 x 5 grid and works out to a 15" block. Here it is in a 12" size by Diane L. She said that she wanted it to fit with her other 12" calendar blocks that she's made from my calendar and so she engaged in some serious quilter's math! Country Fences by Diane L. I think she did an awesome job! The fat quarter collection she's been working with this past year is Grounded by Windham Fabrics . They were designed by Maria Carluccio. Grounded by Maria Carluccio I used this Country Fences block in a digital quilt designed for my 2010 Block a Day Calendar. This is my Trumpet Flower quilt. Trumpet Flower Quilt: 57" x 72" (blocks are 15") Isn't this a lovely alternate block to those appliquéd trumpet flowers? Check your local quilt shop for my  calendar . It's also back in stock with C&T and other retailers! on  Amazon at  C&T Publishing  (with a 15% off coupon whe...

Here is another April block from my  Quilter's New Perpetual Block a Day Calendar . It is called Rising Sun Variation.  Rising Sun Variation by Susan B: 18" Here is a quilt I designed for my 2014 Block a Day calendar that uses this same block: Here Comes the Sun quilt: 78" x 78" Compare it with the block I posted last week called  Rising Sun . Rising Sun  by me Susan is working with the Moonlit Collection by Windham Fabrics: Moonlit fat quarters Remember - there is a 15% off coupon for my calendar and expires at the end of May. Buy one for yourself and one for a friend! Check your local quilt shop for my  calendar . It's also back in stock with C&T and other retailers! on  Amazon at  C&T Publishing  (with a 15% off coupon when you click "add to cart") and in  Barnes & Noble  stores

Tweet, tweet! I overlooked these two lovely blocks created by two of my Calendar Girls. They are the April 19 block (which was Sunday). But it's better late than never, right? Bird Tracks is a 12" block. Isn't this sweet with the little birdies ready to tweet on that porcelain flower bed? This was made by Julia R. She chose to use a stripe in those larger squares and oriented the stripes in two directions. Bird Tracks by Julia R. - 12" She has been using the Duchess Collection by Windham Fabrics: Kathy G. also made the Bird Tracks block. She has been working with Under the Canopy fabrics, also by Windham. Here is Kathy's Bird Tracks block, using that awesome animal print in the center square! Bird Tracks by Kathy G. Thank you, Julia and Kathy, for such lovely blocks. I know they're close to having a dozen blocks made with their collections. It will be awesome to see them all together! Check your local quilt shop for my calendar. It's also back in stock wit...

Yes, another free quilt pattern! What can I say? I've been designing for fabric companies for 20+ years and many of the companies have removed those free patterns from their web sites (except for Windham). I designed and made a quilt for Blank Quilting and called it Color Blox Stars . That link will take you to my own website ( QuilterbyDesign ) where you will find the pdf. But, first, let's see the Sister's Choice block! Yes, it's a nice, 15" size. Here's a photo of my sister Janet's block: Sister's Choice by Janet G. And a block I made almost 15 years ago: Sister's Choice Here's a photo of the real quilt I stitched using this Tribecca Collection. Yes, the center of the blocks are a single piece of fabric and not the 9-Patch. But, if you've got the calendar you have the option of using either one. These are 15" blocks with sashing and borders. Color Blox Stars : 65" x 65" And I used 2 other colorways of the collection. First,...

Today is April 18 and the block today is Double Squares. I have two contributions by my Calendar Girls AND a FREE quilt pattern that I designed for Windham Fabrics several years ago. First block is by Barb R. Double Squares: 12"   Second block is by Kathy M. Double Squares: 12" I made the block using a 2016 Benartex collection called "What's in My Pantry?" I wanted to feature the chili peppers in the center. Check out this blog post to see all the steps! Here are the parts: Double Squares block parts And stitched: Lots of chili peppers! And what about a center block with a black background? Yes, the stripes in these two blocks go in different directions! You can see the tutorial on how to cut your striped fabric so they all go in the same direction. One more block with chili peppers! And here's the link to a quilt made using the Double Squares block and a Windham Fabrics collection called "South of the Border." That cactus block in the center is...

Yesterday you saw my Kimono quilts and pattern . Today I'm featuring my Japanese Lantern. It is 9" in the calendar, so it's a different size than the 12" x 14" Kimono. Here is one made by my Calendar Girlfriend, Diann C. Japanese Lantern She has been sewing with the Tempest Collection by Windham Fabrics: Tempest Collection I stitched a Lantern block several months ago. Here's mine: 9" Japanese Lantern Here is some digital artwork from 25 years ago when I patterned this for Quilt Magazine. My Kimono pattern is different than my calendar block. Very simple arrangement of 4 blocks. I hope you are enjoying seeing all these fun blocks in so many different fabrics. Check your local quilt shop for my  calendar . It's also back in stock with C&T and other retailers! on  Amazon at  C&T Publishing and in  Barnes & Noble  stores

April 10 in my  Quilter's New Perpetual Block a Day Calendar  shows a simple block called the Nine Patch Variation. Karen B (one of my Calendar Girls) stitched it up using Insectarium and Watermark fabrics (both by Windham). Insectarium and Watermark fat quarters She stayed with the blenders and kept the butterflies in the drawer! Nine Patch Variation by Karen B. (12") Isn't that a nice surprise to get that lime green in the center? Thank you, Karen, for making the block with such lovely fabrics! Check your local quilt shop for my calendar. It's also back in stock with C&T and other retailers! on  Amazon at  C&T Publishing and in  Barnes & Noble  stores