BEAUTY BLOCKS.....PART 2

 
BEAUTY IN QUILTING             

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

Searching the web for anything quilt related always takes me off in many different, interesting directions.  I found myself uncovering a fascinating story about Nancy Cabot, aka, Loretta Leitner Rising. Each day in the 1930's Nancy featured  a single quilt block in her Chicago Tribune newspaper column.  Learn more about Nancy and find her patterns here. 
 

Among Nancy's blocks were several "Beauties".

Rose Beauty

July 12, 1933   

Rose Beauty was described  as "one of the more modern floral quilt patterns, with the design placed in the center of each block." Nancy suggested the blocks be made of the same color or shades of that color.

Nancy's original sketch of Rose Beauty leaves the quilter to determine technique.

Alabama Beauty

June 6, 1933

The Alabama Beauty block is a combination of the techniques used in True Lover's Knot and Snowball.

Kaffe Fassett fans will love this quilt made with his fabric.

Dogwood Beauty

  November 19, 1933 

Dogwood Blooms and Cobweb Stitching Make Attractive Quilt was the title of Nancy Cabot's column in the Chicago Tribune on this date. The stunning design of the whole quilt instead of a single block is pictured.

Nancy gives suggestions for colors and quilt designs in her column.

Wouldn't you like to have had Nancy's job of sharing her love of quilting through a daily block pattern? Women, and maybe some men, throughout the 1930's were able to explore quilting on a daily basis for just the cost of a newspaper.

Beauty Blocks Parts 1 and 2 feature a limited number of "Beauty" blocks. If you know of more, please use Comments to tell our readers about them.

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

Is A Quilt Along For You?

Lots of quilters join Quilt Alongs featured on popular quilting sites. I've never been much on doing this until lately but when this link came to me on Facebook, I checked it out and joined.
 This quilt along is sponsored by Bernina and you have chances to win some really nice prizes just by participating.

Those of you who are beginner quilters will appreciate the You Tube tutorials preceding each month's pattern. Not only will you get guidance on cutting and sewing, you will gain knowledge on quilting tools.

Any level quilter will be challenged with the different techniques taught each month.

I encourage you to get together with a group to work on this once a month after each pattern is released. I think this will be lots of fun and will surely advance our skills.

My fabric choices!

It's exciting to see all the fabric combinations quilters from around the world have put together. Join  Sugaridoo Bernina QAL on Facebook and be inspired.





 I hope to see a post from you with a picture of your fabric choices.





Get information about fabric needed here.

Hurry, the first month's pattern will be released November 28, 2019.

Quilt it ~ With a harvest theme

Late summer into autumn -   after all the cultivating and planting is done, it's the time to thankfully  gather and harvest.  So, how appropriate that Bobbie Ashley has designed Maple Leaf Farm...a quilt that she says will cultivate your hand and machine applique techniques and your hand embroidery techniques so when finished,  all will gather round to enjoy the bounty of the season.   See it.  Like it.  Download it - FREE at All People Quilt. 

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.

Fabric Tape ~ Who Knew How Easy

Any season is a season for gifts and tape is usually needed to wrap it up - personalizing each gift for that someone special with a final touch of fabric tape.  Tape made by you!  Oh, how fun to use up a few fabric scraps.....a tutorial found at We Are Scout...Lisa Tilse.  I expect the original tutorial was first posted on The Red Thread Studio but I couldn't find the original. 

Go forth and gift wrap in the style of your fabric scraps.  And thank you We are Scout and The Red Thread Studio for the pleasure of your blogging company this morning and for filling my mind's eye with so many ideas.

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.

FREE: PRINTABLE PROJECT PLANNERS

Do you crave a simple way to 
organize your projects and UFOs?

While listening to a "Just Wanna Quilt" podcast with Stephanie Palmer, I was reminded of searching a long time ago for some quilt planner templates that would be quick and easy to use.  Since I have no idea where those copies are, I started researching again.  If this interests you, browse the links provided.  You will find many different templates to ignite your desire to organize your projects.

 

Stephanie Palmer talks about why and how she created her "Quilter's Planner".  This is a commercial planner.  This is great if you are not a DIY person.   If you like doing it your way, keep reading!



                                      

      A simple "Quick Project Planner" for 4 projects is
      provided   Hello Melly Designs. It provides a simple  
      checklist of your progress.





The Quilt Progress Tracker by Lovelea Designs  is also a simple checklist for 6 projects that is fast and concise to use.

                                                              At this Bluprint link learn how to use
                                    storage with visual clues and a project at a glance method to get more done
                                                            

Ideas such as those suggested on these sites can help you stay on top of your multitude of projects.

Have you found or created an efficient method?   Share them with others in the Comments!                   

Discovering Podcasts

Have you discovered podcasts?  If you enjoy having company while quilting but get distracted by TV, then exploring the world of podcasts can be like opening up a treasure chest.

A podcast is a recording/interview someone produced  for your listening enjoyment or for educational purposes. One of the most common ways to listen is on iTunes but there are many other sources.  After you sync to your favorite device, you are ready to enjoy hearing from well known media or just folks from home.  Anyone can make a podcast.

 

Let Ira and Mary from www.serial.com give you clear instructions.

HOW TO LISTEN TO A PODCAST with Ira and Mary  

 Here are three sites to get you started:

Director, Dr. Elizabeth Townsend-Gard, Copyright Research Lab @ Tulane Law School

Dr. Elizabeth Townsend-Gard interviews guests from 

her home.

has created a growing number of Quilting Army troops who follow and contribute to this research project that began as a study of copyright in the quilting world.  Follow this link to see what it has become and how you can become one of the troops.

Leah Day, left, interviews Stephanie Socha for Podcast 108

Leah Day produces these fun podcasts every Wednesday. Tune in for names you will recognize and topics that are relatable to your quilting world.

Stephanie Kendron chats from her studio with another artist for a new podcast.

Stephanie Kendron hosts the Modern Sewciety podcast where you can gain inspiration from interviews with creative sewing artists.









Podcasts are easy and fun to enjoy when your hands are busy sewing. 

                                                                                                          What's your favorite podcast?