This is a repost from July featuring  Merry and Mod  fabrics by Windham. My finished quilt is hanging in my hallway and I can see it several times a day. This is such a fun and easy technique that I'm sure you'll want to try it with your own holiday fabrics (or go buy some of the Merry and Mod!) Merry and Mod by Windham Fabrics Here also is Diamond Dust, a set of blenders that I used with Merry and Mod. They are rich rainbow colors and even include some neutrals (black, browns, grays). Can you say "sparkle!" Diamond Dust  blenders I like to build my quilts from the center out. I knew I wanted to feature that lovely circular motif and so I grabbed one of my tried and true patterns and set to work. Remember, I only have fat quarters (and that means that's all I have for borders, too). You'll have to follow along to find out where I'm going! I figured out the size circle I needed to capture as much of the motif as I could. Yes, that also meant that I "bi...

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!

This is a repost from 2013 and was part of a blog hop. I thought it would be fun to entertain you again with my easy and quick pincushions made from scraps of batting and ribbon. First, two little pincushions that were gifts from friends. I use them all the time: This chicken does not mind being poked by my pins. He is just pretend. A fellow teacher, Kim, made this with a lot of bling. Filled with walnut shells. Now for my reveal. Let's start at the beginning: Start with cotton batting (this is Warm and Natural), approximate size: 2-1/2" x 52" Cut a strip of cotton batting; pink one edge (Your dimensions may change as you want a different height to your pin cushion.) Use a specialty cutting blade to pink one edge. Or, if you have a vintage pair of pinking shears, use them! You can use pinking shears or a specialty cutter (which is quicker)  Start rolling from one end Keep the straight edge even; roll tightly. Glue end closed.  I wrapped this with a black and white batik s...

So many ideas, so little time! But, if you buy this issue, you will never run out of gift or decorating ideas for years to come. The Quilting Arts 2021 Holiday Magazine hits newsstands November 23 and it is filled with SO many beautiful things! Holiday issue  I received my copy 2 weeks ago and have looked through it every, single day since! While there are, of course, Christmas and a few Hanukkah items in there, small gift ideas for any time of the year are there, too! I especially like the Passport holder (which hangs around your neck with a see-through case). My Hanukkah Dreidel gift bags are there as a re-run from 2015. I still have some of the paper pieced units and I plan on turning them into coasters. And I have one of the bags, too! Dreidel Gift Bags (in my Etsy shop) Remember, Hanukkah comes "early" this year: November 28/29! My local library has a display case that I plan on putting my Hanukkah and Christmas mini quilts in for the month of December, and you can bet...

I have made many of these units - mainly using paper piecing. If you want really, really sharp points then the best method (other than hand piecing) is foundation paper piecing. I've spent several years off and on making these strips with a variety of bright scraps and a fun dotted light background print. Dogtooth or Shark's Teeth units Doesn't matter what the name it, but you can be sure that either a dog or a shark have quite a sharp bite if their teeth are shaped like this! For some reason I made this with a finished height/width of 2-1/2". Here's what they look like as I was putting the pieced strips into long rows. Each vertical row finishes to 2-1/2" x 21". I eventually made 13 rows. 6 of my eventual 13 Dogtooth Rows Then I upsized the units and made them with Christmas prints last year. I gave these "Shark's Teeth" as the name. But I made them fit into a specific space with 3 "teeth" in each square. And notice that they are ...

 Block 6 is Order No. 11. I will share this next week! Until then, go work on your previous 5 blocks. Blue and Gray Sampler: 72" x 72" What's Order No. 11? The four corner blocks. Go do some research on what that block name refers to. 12" Order No. 11 Block

My oldest daughter Audrey and husband bought their first house in Baltimore. It's a row house with a lot of character (and two sets of 18 stairs!). At the top of the first flight is a space that begs for a skinny quilt - at least that's what Audrey thought. And, you know she thought of me. She loves all my Gee's Bend quilts and took 2 of them to live with her about 10 years ago. She liked the center of the Lazy Gal quilt and asked if I could make that fit to a 16" x 42". Are you kidding? I can do just about anything quilt-y! Do you remember Lazy Gal? It's one of my favorites. Here is the original one by Quinnie Pettway. Lazy Gal by Loretta Pettway, Gee's Bend, Alabama Here is how I patterned it for Windham Fabrics in 2009. Pretty close, huh? Lazy Gal interpreted by me. 52" x 62" And here is the quilt I made for Audrey using just the center of the Lazy Gal quilt. It's only 15-1/2" wide. I had to use the colors I had on hand, though a few ...