Sometimes life gets in the way of the very best plans (and that's ok - who really has control of their lives, anyway?) Nothing bad, just an interruption. Here is the last block in my Blue and Gray Sampler. I didn't have the energy to remake it, but I do offer the templates for you to give it a try. Order No. 11 Block . 12" finished  I used raw edge appliqué and the full quilt has four of these, one in each corner. Blue and Gray Sampler. 72" x 72" I would love to see your blocks. Please feel free to send me photos (kratovil@his.com) and I'll share them in the coming weeks. Many thanks for joining me in this very traditional quilt adventure. My friend Connie G. (who quilted this beautifully) is enjoying this quilt in her home. And I know the quilt is very, very happy!

Here in America we are getting ready to celebrate our Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday. Most of us are not traveling and will just have to stay at home with our quilts. This is one I put together over several years and even took apart and re-arranged the blocks! I quilted this a few months ago and I pulled it out to grace my dining room. Dancing Leaves: 35" x 42"  I shared these Princess Feather leaves in 2015. Maybe you remember? 6 Princess Feather leaves with fusible webbing on back I cut a few more and began to plan. I was thinking of a runner, but then decided to use all the blocks. Here are a few shots of how I envisioned the blocks. Light block with strips on sides Dark block - didn't like that! I didn't fuse the leaves to the background rectangles (VERY good idea) as I was considering the assembly. I put them on my design wall and then I realized that if I didn't like one block, I would like several. Playing with assembly and background fabrics So, now you ...

Time to wrap things up for this Double Wedding Ring Week. I want to show you some small projects that use the simplified shapes in a different way. I also have an updated vintage pattern, Pumpkin Seeds . This also goes by the name of Orange Peel. I used the small melon cutaway from my template set to make this. Pumpkin Seeds Quilt : 34" x 42" This is very Charm Square friendly. The red melon shapes were cut from a stack of red charms (5" squares). I used several black and white prints for the backgrounds. This is NOT pieced (as was traditionally) but those red melons are appliquéd to the background squares! Here is a pattern page from August 1, 1956. Yes, those are templates and you are expected to stitch those curves perfectly! Here is one of the first quilts I made using my technique. I made it in 2002 and it was published in 2004 in Quilt magazine. Orange Peel quilt, 2002 Another way to use that simple melon shape is in a small table topper. I made it twice: once, usi...