I attended a very interesting seminar last week where representatives from the United States Patent and Trademark Office   spoke about Intellectual Property. There is real property (ie, your home, your car, your jewels) and then that which originates from your intellect. This covers Trademark, Patents and Copyright. Copyright is what matters to me because I own the rights to thousands of quilting patterns and files. Boomer in the Garden The above quilt was made 30 years ago and published in one of our Quilt Magazine issues. I did not invent that block called "Boomer." It is a vintage block in the public domain called Oklahoma Boomer. That is where 90% of my inspiration comes from. No one knows who thought this up in the first place. No one knows the original size or proportions to the pieces. My block is enhanced by ruched roses, yo-yos, ribbons and lace! If you want to make your own Boomer Block, go for it. But you CAN'T photocopy my pattern and distribute to all your f...

I am constantly amazed at the continued strong appeal of this sweet Sunbonnet Sue (and her just as sweet companion Overall Sam). I have made several quilts using a variety of vintage patterns as my inspiration. When I worked for Quilt Magazine, we featured these characters often. Here's one I made using feedsacks (border) and machine embroidered Sues. I created those on my Pfaff sewing machine. A lot of stitches and thread! Embroidered Sunbonnets from 1998!!  I've made just the single block. This was published 20 years ago. I still have it. Such a sweetie pie! Sunbonnet Sue mini (14" x 17") And a very, very tiny one that I made into a pillow for my granddaughter. The block is at least 25 years old. How about a bed quilt? This is 104" x 114". I didn't make the blocks. My editor gave them to me to put them into a simple setting. Sunbonnet Sue Bed Quilt (10" x 14" blocks) Then Windham Fabrics asked me to work with one of their reproduction 1930s ...

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...

Day Four: Royal Star has been shown here before. I was sent a bundle of Fossil Ferns from Benartex in early 2000 and I redrafted a vintage block (called Royal Star!) for paper piecing. I combined the Fossil Ferns with solid black and came up with this wildly popular quilt. I never would have dreamed it, but it is still a favorite. This is Big Block Quilts 2001. Big Block Quilts 2001 featuring Royal Star You can find the pattern for this in my Etsy shop for only $4.99! I converted the vintage pattern from templates to easy rotary cut center 9 patches and paper pieced star points. Here is a real vintage remnant from a Royal Star quilt. A little variation on those points, but the center 9 Patch is there. Can you imagine ALL those templates! It also became the cover quilt on my first book: Bold, Black and Beautiful Quilts. I still own the quilt and probably won't ever give it away. The Fossil Ferns just glow on this black background! Here is another quilt that wanted to share the cove...

More days, more animals. Let's go from the air to the sea. Yes, I'll get to those that roam the earth, but I've got some fish and even crabs! I used some EPP to make those hearts and a crab I designed about 15 years ago for a project for Blank Textiles. Crab Happy Quilt And some recent fish that I made using a VERY old pattern. Here's the old pattern made up into placemats 25 years ago! Fishy placemats published in Quilt Magazine Here are the two fish made up using some Kaffe Fassett fabrics. I sell these easy patterns in my Etsy store. Algernon the Angel Fish in 12" size (pattern also includes the 6" size) And one in blue: Algernon the Angel Fish  in 12" size (pattern also includes the 6" size) Heres my pattern as seen in my Quilter's Block a Day Calendar . This is a wonderful panel from P and B Textiles (2017). Collection is called "Wild Things" and I'll be sharing more from that later. But the pattern is FREE and you can get it ...

Today I want to show you my Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam Quilt (you've seen it before) made with Log Cabin blocks and 9 appliqués. First, a small Sunbonnet Sue quilt I made in 2004. Very vintage. Blue dresses for both ladies! And this little pillow I made from a tiny appliquéd block (3-1/2"). Added a ruffle and it now resides with my little granddaughter A few years ago I was asked by Windham Fabrics to create a design using one of their 1930s reproduction collections, which would then be a pattern in Keepsake Catalog. What's more in tune with 30s fabrics than Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam ? 16" Blocks (4 log cabins). 48" x 48" quilt (no borders) Oh, you want to see some of the blocks up close? Certainly! Each of the 9 blocks uses solids for the appliqué and a variety of prints with white. This is how I got ready to make the blocks. I like to say, "Some days I like to cut; some days I like to sew." Strips ready f...

I have made a LOT of log cabin quilts. And I've made a fair share of Sunbonnet Sue quilts. This is one of my favorites and appeared in the Keepsake Catalog in 2016-17 and was a best seller! Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam : 48" x 48" Here are a few of the blocks up close. The log cabin blocks are 8" (four of them together are 16" x 16"). All nine of the appliqué blocks have full size templates. Detailed, well illustrated 16 page pattern has a "How to Appliqué" 2 page lesson and quick cutting directions for all those log cabins. Four 8" Log Cabin blocks Here is "Have a Heart Sue." Have a Heart Sue And Windy Day Sue: Windy Day Sue How about a few Overall Sam blocks? Have a Heart Sam And one more Overall Sam, just hanging out: Overall Sam Another favorite is a bed sized quilt I made and had published in Quilt Magazine over 20 years ago. I'll eventually get this up in my shop. Sunbonnet Sue bed qui...