Let's talk shop....newsletters from shops, that is ~

I'm a huge fan of shop newsletters and all their email updates.  They keep me in line and on time and up-to-date with the latest trends in fabric and patterns....quilt patterns and more.   A few of my favorites are probably yours too:  Connecting Threads, Hawthorne Supply Company, Pink Castle Fabrics, Missouri Star, Spoonflower, and Stitchin' Post, just to name a few.

But today, let's focus on Free Spirit Fabrics who just announced (in a newsletter received yesterday) that there's a new fabric line out - Kaffe Fassett Collective and it's in shops now and further, there are free patterns available on how we could use some of the newest fabric line.  I'm out of breath!

Also  jaw-dropping gorgeous is hand drawn designs of Keiko Goke.  The Moment by Moment quilt patterns, designed by Kerri Thomson,  shown in two colorways  are very simply, simple.  But, who needs extraordinaire in minuteness when using these lush designs.

Here's another option that would also fit into the simple construction, fabulous finish category. Journey quilt pattern featuring the Keiko Goke Step by Step collection.

Not having these fabric  (yet) and wanting to make an easy yet elegant quilt, I just kept pulling from my stash until satisfaction was obtained and stitched into this 62" x 72" quilt top.  Not the same, but very similar to the free Moment by Moment quilt pattern.

Enough of talking shop....let's get sewing.

Beauty in Quilting

"Let the beauty of what you love be what you do.”~Rumi

 

  BEAUTY BLOCKS.....PART 1

 

Quilters love what they do and want to be doing it all the time.  Take a few minutes to listen to author of  Goal Getting Podcast, Tony Woodall, who expands on this thought.
                                                   

This quote started me thinking about the New York Beauty block and wondering what other blocks might be associated with "beauty."  Here are examples of other blocks that share the name "Beauty."
You might want to do a sampler. Maybe you know of some others that you could share in "comments."

IDAHO BEAUTY BLOCK

Composed of 4 Ohio Stars....go figure!  Just to confuse you more, Idaho Beauty Block also goes by other such names as Des Moines, Cross Plains, Bright Stars, Devil's Claws and The Crow Foot.

AMERICAN BEAUTY

This is a basic version of an American Beauty Block. You can be very creative in how you alter it.   Do a search and have fun as there are a multitude of sites that refer to American Beauty Block or Quilt.

BLACKFORD'S BEAUTY

Fans of Civil War fabric will want to make this block. According to quilter, Gail Sexton, it was named for a ford or river crossing near Sharpsburg, Maryland.  The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia crossed the Potomac River at this point to get back to the safety of Confederate ground, not knowing that they outnumbered the Union Army there.  This was following the bloody battle at Antietam, on September 17, 1862.

Click on link for Blackford's Beauty and find directions for a simple block that looks complicated.

BUCKEYE BEAUTY BLOCK

Using only 2 half square triangles and 2 four patches you can shop in your stash for this block. Quilt blocks with this geometry combining half-square triangles and 4-patches go by many names depending on how colors are placed and blocks arranged.  Just when you think you know it's name,  here come eleven other names it claims.

Double Four Patch, Gay Scrap Quilt, Give This One a Name ,Going to Chicago.Hour Glass,

Jacob's Ladder, New Four Patch, Northern Lights, Railroad, Railroad Crossing, World's Fair

Four decades of scraps are used in this Buckeye Beauty Quilt.

MICHIGAN BEAUTY BLOCK

"Michigan" is in the name of several quilt blocks. Michigan Beauty Block is also identified as Arrowhead Star, Laurel Wreath and Many Pointed Star.

The linked site provides several layouts to consider.

Inspired by beauty?  Now,  go forth and make a "beautiful quilt"!

STAY TUNED FOR PART 2 OF

 "BEAUTY BLOCKS" IN A FUTURE BLOG.

Do You Webinar?

Do you webinar?  If so, you are taking advantage of an invaluable resource and are learning from some fantastic pros!  Such as The Sulky Thread Company....who produces some fantastic webinars that can be signed into for free.  I'm excited about the one upcoming - Visible Mending (repair it and wear it) with Jenny Wilding Cardon.

Or the one just published,  Wild Motion Quilting with MJ Kinman.

Quilt Show # 2403

A must see, fabulous to the max Quilt Show #2403 video  ~  Free for our viewing pleasure  by Spoonflower  until February 10.  When it's gone....it's gone unless, of course, you are a Quilt Show participate. 

Alex shares one of her quilts and how she used the math to make blocks come together....then how she took the outside border and binding to a new artistic level.

Then (applause please)  (standing ovation)  Suzy Williams.

Oh my....the video started mid-stream.  To get the entire episode, just back it up to the beginning. You don't want to miss a minute of it. 

Do You BOM?

This quilt-a-long may be for you....Sew Kind of Wonderful's 2019 BOM - visit Sedona.  The Trails version pictured in black and white measures  63" x 68".   The sampler quilt design incorporates both straight pieced blocks and curved pieced blocks.    Mini Quick Curve Ruler required.

Should you decide to take Sedona quilt-a-long challenge, each month you will receive your block pattern along with the "Trails"   row quilt layout. 

or if you choose to work the wonderfully colored Sedona sky, your sampler row quilt will finish at  80" x 103". 

Both layouts are included in the pattern.  **Again, the Mini Quick Curve Ruler is required. 

Get 30% off the cost of the pattern while it's on sale by entering the code  SEDONATHIRTY at checkout.   

Happy Sky and Trails to you ~

Pillow Talk ~

So what's new about pillows?  How about this modern pillow top?  It's simple and elegant and oh, so  sophisticated. 

Followed by the most delightful (comes in many sizes)
modern fans quilt
design....
found at Suzy Quilts. 

 The fabric choice is yours and appears from Suzy's shop samplers,  any and all fabric selections would work beautifully in this modern design. 

Go there, to Suzy Quilts,  take a few minutes to scroll and enjoy all the fun and fresh  pillow variations, then jump into the modern fans quilt. 

Life and Sewing Machine Dust Covers.....neither have to be hard ~

Sewing machine dust cover(s)  made so easily ~ Just gather materials and sew along following these instructions from We All Sew.

and as for life.....for starters, just cut loose and have fun.

Ann Walsh Quilting

I found the most delightful and uplifting blog this morning and could not wait one more minute to share with you.  With every post, she offers supportive comments and urges herself and others to do what we love.   Ann Walsh Quilting go see and enjoy.

Ann started quilting only a short three years ago and wow....has she hit the road running.   The more I read of her journey, the more I wanted/needed to read....smiling all the way.    Beginning with her Podcast interview with Leah Day, how she started, her struggles, her self-doubt....her growth as a quilter....how she considers herself  an introvert who quilted herself to exhaustion. 

With the meander stitch as a beginning, Ann learned control, then moved herself into loops and swirls and feathers.  Along the way, she learned that she had to overcome perfection, discovering that she was robbing herself of joy.  She wholeheartedly believes that  practice should make progress - not perfection. 

Don't stop with the Podcast....go to Ann Walsh Quilting and feel my joy in discovering this heartwarming blog. 

Go Tell It ~

Torch sent me a link to Quilters' Alliance.Org and I'll soon get back around to sharing that information BUT, for today, I found these quilters who are telling their story about their quilt in 3 minutes or less.   As they say, there's always a story.    For example, here is Trisha Frankland who tells her story about one quilt in under 3 minutes.....quilts that bond quilters. 

and then a sad quilt story, but one that must be shared, less we forget.  Jeanne Hewell-Chambers at Houston Quilt Festival, 2017 talks about Aktion T4 and how the victims are being remembered in quilts being made....one at a time....around the world.

We all have quilt stories to share.   Go forth and help preserve the art of quilting.

Whacky Wednesday ~

A mid-week day is always a great day to get whacky! whacky with those fat quarters, that is.   Leah Day's fat quarter stack and whack four patch quilt is a great start to the rest of the week.  Leah makes the math easy when she answers the question.....how many blocks do you want?  Well that's how many fat quarters you need.  I like that. 

Aren't you glad it's Fall?

The autumnal equinox is followed by cool weather, falling leaves and Halloween.....

To help celebrate and to keep the season hot with new ideas for fun, Stitchin' Post is sharing.  Here's your free download....a Halloween Trick or Treat bag.

Do you remember from day school that the earth spins on a tilted axis and that the autumnal equinox is the point in time when the sun is directly in line with the equator?   I thought you might.....

Catch it while you can - for FREE ~

Yes, for free....this week through October 12.....get every Craftsy/Bluprint class for free.

Here's the link....sign in or sign up and catch it while you can.  Enjoy having a  happy-go-lucky crafting week.

Let's see - do I want to learn all about circles with Cheryl Arkison or Ann Petersen.  Perhaps a little bit of improv piecing with Jacquie Gering.  What the heck....it's free so I'll probably go for both.

What about taking a break....with Peter....yes, let's dance it out to boost our energy or get balanced with Caley as she gives us some low impact yoga strength and stretch.

Go now and catch it while you can ending Friday, October 12.

If 'Beauteous' is a word, then it is ~

Yes, in fact, beauteous is a word synonym to beautiful! 

"Beauteous" - grab this free pattern featuring the fabric of Pat Bravo in her Indie Folk collection.
It is boho style quilting at its 'Beauteous'.   Thank you Art Gallery Fabrics for the pleasure of your swoon-worthy- free-pattern company today.  Your generosity in sharing helps us fill our lives with even more beauty.






Focus on Fabric ~

Let's focus on Robert Kaufman - the fabric, that is!  Especially the Essex Yarn Dyed Homespun, just out.  

Here's "Maritime Quilt" ~ a free pattern from Robert Kaufman's to help us jump start using that fabric collection.  The pattern, designed by modern quilt designer, Heather Black, who blogs as Quilt-achusetts, also includes hints for matching stripes. 

And the completed Maritime Quilt made by Heather beautifully showcases the Essex Homespun. 



Maritime Quilt
Designed by Heather Black for
Robert Kaufman Essex Yarn Dyed Homespun Fabric Collection

 

Save My Bleeding Quilt~

Great explanation by Vicki Welsh on how to stop the fabric bleed.....Save My Bleeding Quilt .    You can always find Vicki at Colorways by Vicki..... her website where we can catch up with her on her daily blog, where she sells hand dyed fabrics, where she has gallery upon gallery of her quilts and those of her customers.  

Here's Suzy's view on how to save that quilt, blogged about HERE. 

Both Vicki and Suzy agree that working with what may become problem fabric before cutting is the best solution, there is hope in saving a quilt with fabric bleed after construction.   They also both agree that soaking time is our best friend, that Syntrapol (while a good product) isn't required and that Dawn Ultra Pure dish detergent is their go to soap to get that bleeding job done! 

Fearless Quilting The QS 1807

My favorite Quilt Show episode 1807....is free for non-members to watch through December, 2018.  Of course, if you are a QS member, then it's there for you any time.  Oh, the advantages of the privilege to subscribe! 

But back to https://thequiltshow.com/watch/free-shows/video/latest/show-1807....both totally fearless and whose wisdom about pushing the limit and letting go continue to inspire me and help push the fear aside, if even temporarily.  Go see for yourself and watch to the end for Katie and Ricky's dialog on inspiration. 

Fabric Trays! You Don't Say ~

Fun is in the house  - fun to make and fun to share - and can be made for that special person regardless of age.....from a coin catcher for Dad to a pencil holder for the 6 year old or a quilt magazine holding tray for moi.    Fabric trays can be made in many sizes....you choose.  And how fun to sew up a couple with the children.   

Thanks Anna Graham (aka Noodlehead)  for this fabric tray tutorial. 

Fabric Trays by Noodlehead

A pool noodle does what!

How thoughtful that Quilting Digest shared so many inventive ways we quilt makers can use a pool noodle.

Yes, this post is all about Pool Noodles ~   So many resources found here....click on every link to learn more about the bounty the pool noodle provides  and you don't even have to get your feet wet.
.

Photo Credit...Fairholme Quilters

Want an easy wedge?

Youhooooo!  Wedge quilts are continuing to trend and shown here, an easy wedgey circle design by Tamara Kate at kayajoydesigns especially for Michael Miller to showcase the hash-dot fabric collection. 

Go here for your free download of Tamara's Four Eyes Quilt ~

Big Quilts.....Big Time ~

Are we having fun yet?  Yeah, Baby.....Big Time!  Quilting with Big Quilt Blocks! 

Found on Kitchen Table Quilting on the Freebies page; but,  don't stop there.  There's more than enough big time fun to enjoy at  Erica's Kitchen Table Quilting. 

Just a tease....here's Erica's January and February big block quilts.  You'll be missing out BIG TIME if you don't go there and download for big fun. 




Kitchen Table Quilting
photo credit



Kitchen Table Quilting
photo credit