I have a LOT of teaching samples. For 17 years I was teaching for the Sewing Expo (OSQE) and I needed to create 4-5 new workshops each year! Yes, you read that right. At one time, I had 40 of my workshop boxes in my garage and closet floor, stacked neatly with all sorts of samples. Some of my Chobani yogurt boxes of samples Circle of Stars was a variation of my larger Double Hexie Star . I used some small motifs from the awesome Paula Nadelstern Fabricadabra Collection. Circle of Stars (in center) Here's a single star of the six I made (no y-seams, of course). Fabricadabra Star I gave that center panel to my quilt guild and one of the members who works on the charity quilts made it larger with the inner borders and the dogtooth triangles. It's beautiful! Another large block that became a charity quilt is one of my samples from the Sassy Mariner's Compass workshop. I had many variations of this and it also appeared in my 3rd book. Here is my workshop sample: Sassy Mariner...

Thousand Pyramids uses what's called a dogtooth unit with equilateral triangles. But, what if you elongated those triangles? Again, they zig zag, but what sharp teeth you have! I made these units several years ago with one of my paper piecing patterns and put them aside. They are from my New York Beauty workshop. Zig Zag Shark's Teeth: 33" x 44"  Here are some of the units using some Kaffe Fassett fabrics. They are still waiting for a quilt to live in: New York Beauty Shark's Teeth Let's get back to the Dog Tooth units for our Thousand Pyramids, ok? Why do I go off on these rabbit trails?  Dogtooth units can surround a beautiful Baltimore Album block Triangles surround a printed panel These are NOT hand appliquéd - they are printed panels from at least 15 years ago. I used the same triangles as are in the Thousand Pyramids quilts. I had to be very careful of my math! Here are 4 blocks: Now for the last Thousand Pyramids quilt for this week. I made this in 2014...

Quilters still want to take classes - both via Zoom and in person. I have 3 classes in the next few weeks that are such fun to both teach and make quilts for. This class is for the McLean Quilters Unlimited here in Virginia and will happen next Tuesday! Twisted Hexagons class sample Twisted Hexagons is an all-time favorite and the first class I developed for the Zoom format back in 2020. I pulled my hair out trying to work with various cameras and lighting and all the bells and whistles. I finally settled on lots of videos of the steps and a few Power Point slide shows that give even more detail.  I've made the Twisted Hexagons blocks into several quilts - both fussy cutting the centers and also just letting the fabric do the talking. Here's a block using a special motif from my Kaffe Fassett stash. Twisted Hexagon block Then I'm traveling to Richmond, VA to teach my Modern Vortex class. This guild wants to concentrate on the multi-colored vortex (as opposed to my original...

Sometimes you just don't have enough of one fabric to use for the border. But, you may have two pieces that are very "friendly" with each other. Maybe they're from the same collection, so the greens or reds or browns MATCH! Such is the case with many of the quilts I've been sewing lately. Look at this one from 2020.  Sunshine in My Garden using a block from my Katie's Garden quilt The two greens in the borders are from the same fabric collection, but the prints are different. The top and bottom are kitties and the sides are chickens. I think they're getting along! Then there are the quilts that I make from sets of fat quarters. The longest piece for a border I can get will be 22" - hardly enough for most any quilt. BUT . . . you can piece a border, right? That's what I did with this Birdsong quilt, recently gifted to a friend whose husband suddenly died. Forget the flowers - a quilt lasts a long time and reminds my friend of my love and prayers fo...

This is an updated post I ran in 2014 when I was challenged to make something for Fall Quilt Market by Windham Fabrics. They had little scraps (actually 1/8 yard cuts) that were part of their upcoming Broken Stripes Collection. They're called "Strike offs" because the fabric mill wants them to approve the colors, etc, before they print thousands and thousands of yards! Aren't these beautiful?! Broken Stripes  Collection by  Windham Fabrics THEY SAID : Laura and I were just talking about you yesterday!  Do you remember all the mini quilts we had hanging in the booth at Spring Market (2014)?  We are hoping to do the same for this Fall and wondered if you would be interested in sewing a mini quilt for us with one of the new collections? Rules are 18 x 18 inches, and be as IMAGINATIVE as you want!  :) I SAID : Sure. Just send some companion fabrics (which I ended up not using). Solids from the  New Colonies  Collection See those samples in the first pictur...

We're back with some beautiful class offerings in an even more beautiful setting in Gettysburg, PA. July 15 - 17, 2022 are the dates for the  Mid-Appalachian Retreat . Let me show you my 3 classes. Friday, July 15 Class:  New York Beauty .  I made this using paper piecing, but knew I couldn't do it justice with my own quilting. I gave it to an expert, Jane Hauprich! New York Beauty quilted by Jane Hauprich We will be paper piecing the center Dogwood Blossom blocks (with the curves). Then the Dogtooth borders and the corner lone star blocks. I am making this again using some Kaffe Fassett prints. What do you think? Dogtooth borders with paper still on   And just one of the units: One part of the Dogtooth Border $15 kit fee  is for the 17 page pattern which includes all master patterns, foundations for most of the blocks, and well illustrated steps. Here is the  SUPPLY LIST  for New York Beauty. There is even a page for you to color a line drawing so you...