There's something about taking a class and asking the teacher a million questions, seeing thousands of samples (kidding), and generally discovering more than a pattern could ever tell you. Then, there's a printed pattern. A world of difference. I had a question about my Baby Blocks pattern yesterday and figured a few photos might help. Baby Blocks is NOT for beginners, though it is fairly simple. It's those pesky triangle tips that keep getting misplaced, right? Remember, my technique is to split those white diamonds into 2-triangles for easy piecing. Baby Blocks : 36" x 36" Here is a recent finish with some of my workshop samples. I made this with some sparkly fabrics! It's a little smaller than the one above. I ran out of fabric (what? it's never happened to you?) Baby Blocks: 27" x 30" First, we cut the diamonds using our acrylic ruler with the 60 degree diagonal lines. Easy. They are measured from FLAT SIDE TO FLAT SIDE - NOT from point to po...

Looking back at my old art files from the late 1990s when I was an editor with Quilt Magazine, I see that when I discovered I could rotary cut diamonds and not use templates, I really took off with my quilt designs. Last week I shared several quilts using 45 degree diamonds; today I'll share some using 60 degree. Some you've seen before. Here's some art from 1997. This is the traditional way this pattern was created.  And a beautiful, vintage quilt done in velvets and silks. I try to avoid y-seams as much as possible. I love diamonds, but some of those diamonds can be split into two triangles and then it's all straight seam sewing! This is a traditional unit for Baby Blocks. There is a y-seam in the center.  Baby Blocks unit Don't believe me? Well, here it is from the back. Baby Blocks unit from back I was running out of fabric and had to seam some of the prints. Wanna see? Didn't keep me from using them in my little quilt! I combined them with a few others - an...

Sometimes I cut way more patches than I can use in one quilt! What? You've never gotten carried away? When I was teaching my 7 Sisters Variation quilt last weekend I realized I had dozens of extra diamonds that were left over. But, I think they were for a completely different quilt! More Diamonds from the Windham Mimosa fabric collection Diamonds from the Regency Dandy collection Yes, these are rotary cut using the 60 degree diamond lines on my standard acrylic ruler. The traditional Baby Blocks quilt uses ONLY diamonds to create (just like the 7 Sisters quilts I shared the other day). Here is a simple one I made using the dreaded y-seam. I donated this to my local quilt guild and their charity endeavors. I wish I still had it for a class sample! 6 Block Baby Blocks using y-seams But, I decided to split up some of the diamonds into triangles and then I eliminated the y-seams! I first did this in 1996 with an article I published for Quilt Magazine. Here is a small one made using tho...

I love taking my workshop and blog samples and getting them quilted (for free) by my quilt guild friend. I bind them and off they go to local charity groups. We donate hundreds of quilts each year and my 2 dozen or so is a drop in the bucket! Here is the lineup for May/June. The first is a very pink, girlie quilt. The center block was part of my Beginner's Mariner's Compass workshop (which I've retired). I pulled pink and more of that heart fabric and finished it off (after Jeannie C. quilted it) Valentine's Mariner's Compass: 38" x 38" The next is a quilt top I stitched about 10 years ago from the Coverlets Collection by Windham Fabrics. I decided I had waited long enough. It is a bit more sophisticated and will probably become a lap quilt for a wheelchair bound person. This is my version of Stack 'n Whack, letting the rotary cutter and ruler decide where they should land. I used a 60 degree triangle ruler for this. Coverlets wheelchair lap quilt: 41...

She's finished. Karen R. of my local quilt guild (Reston QU in Virginia) beautifully quilted this. I put the binding on. It is part of our charity quilt endeavors (probably will become a wheelchair lap quilt.) 7 Block Baby Blocks quilt: 38" x 40" I made these Baby Blocks the old fashioned way - with y-seams! You've seen these little blocks before. These are 4-1/2" rotary cut 60 degree diamonds. Single Baby Blocks Here is the y-seam from the back. You can see how the 3 seams come together in the center. Then the 1/4" where there is NO seam is spun. Lies flat that way. Baby blocks from wrong side. I squeezed the life out of that swirly fabric. I had to seam two diamonds - gasp! But, it works! This block measures 8" finished from flat side to flat side. I used 4-1/2" 60 degree triangles to set them together. Look closely and you'll see the seams in the multi-colored diamonds I used a mottled batik in a light print for those setting triangles. When...

I made these Baby Blocks the old fashioned way - with y-seams! Yes, that's right! I know I always brag about no y-seams, but that's not because I'm afraid of them - I just like to do some workarounds. You've seen these little blocks before. These are 4-1/2" rotary cut 60 degree diamonds. Single Baby Blocks  Here is the y-seam from the back. You can see how the 3 seams come together in the center. Then the 1/4" where there is NO seam is spun. Lies flat that way. Baby blocks from wrong side. I squeezed the life out of that swirly fabric. I had to seam two diamonds - gasp! But, it works! This block measures 8" finished from flat side to flat side. I used 4-1/2" 60 degree triangles to set them together. Look closely and you'll see the seams in the multi-colored diamonds I used a mottled batik in a light print for those setting triangles. When you have 7 blocks, you have to get a little creative with their assembly. I cut four more diamonds and put th...