The wonky star block has a sort of organic twinkle. The irregular points flash with personality. It’s my favorite block for using up triangle scraps, as each block uses 8 triangles - one for each star point! This tutorial is flexible for making block of diverse sizes.
Read MoreToday I spent an hour or so sewing some deliciously simple blocks for the Comfort circle of do. Good Stitches. Eva-Marie @ZusJeb, our queen bee this month, has asked for simple cross blocks in clear, summery colors. Though such colors aren’t my forte, I did find some good candidates in my scrap drawers. You can always count on orange to make things feel fresh and summery.
Read MoreJacob’s Ladder has a few variations, but this one is made up of 4-patch blocks and HST blocks. Fortunately we were tipped to start the 4-patch blocks by sewing two long strips together. Then we subcut the already-sewn strips to quickly create pairs of squares. That’s strip-piecing - efficient, but easy to forget to do!
Read MoreBut after my second or third batch of blocks, I felt a nagging worry. Perhaps this spring palette was sprung too soon, given that it’s still winter here in The Netherlands and given the bumpy shape of my days? Maybe these fabrics don’t fit me after all.
Read MoreYou know what I love? When “start a new quilt” is at the top of my mental “to do” list. That is a good way to start the week! I had in mind to sew a more challenging quilt next, but wasn’t feeling it this morning. Instead, I gave myself the gift of freedom and have embarked on a feel-good, easy sew.
Read MoreYou know what I love? A sweet patchwork assignment to kick off a new year of charity sewing. Since 2010 I have been organizing an international quilting charity bee called do. Good Stitches. The idea is simple: use your creative patchwork energy to bless others.
Read MoreThese Crossroads blocks are brightening up my space! It’s such a smorgasbord of color and pattern, courtesy of the amazing Anna Maria Horner. I’m using mainly her new Our Fair Home collection, but also string scraps from collections past.
Read MoreWhen I began sketching Positivities the first element that alighted on paper was North Star. It all started with this one block, which set the direction and tone for the quilt. The quilt evolved into a mixture of star, curve and plus elements, floating on a consistent background fabric.
Read MoreIt’s not everyday that I get to sew. I know, isn’t that funny since this is my job? Ironically, my workday doesn’t always include patchwork, and I can honestly go weeks without sitting down behind my machine if I am busy with producing patterns and/or longarm quilting.
Read MoreYesterday I got to start a new quilt. Yay for fabric scraps! I guess it’s been since May that I worked with them? That’s a bit too long in my book. I am even following the siren song of rainbow order scraps. Here we go again!
Read MoreI am a member of the European/Dutch circle of do. Good Stitches. We collaborate on charity quilts throughout the year and donate them to various good causes. Now we’re starting a new quilt again after the summer break. The assignment? Improv Floating Squares blocks, as inspired by the first score of The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters.
Read MoreHere is my wall full of children! They do look happy together, don’t they? To me the bright, solid backgrounds are key to that effect. The solid backgrounds stamp the quilt with a sense of childhood joy, without being crazy-busy to the eye.
Read MoreThis quilt is made up of big blocks, each one of a different child figure. I arranged solids as colorful backgrounds and paired them with various print fabrics to ensure a nice spread of patterns, colors and value. It looks happy, no? Come see the first blocks!
Read MoreYour rainbow messages, bee block rainbows and a fresh take on my Rainbow Plus quilt. This is the third time that I started fresh with arranging the pieces. This time, I am really loving it! May you enjoy the beautiful colors of today.
Read MoreOur prompt this April comes from Eva-Maria @Zusjeb. We’re to make orange and blue blocks in any classic patchwork style. We should make one 12” finish block and a few smaller blocks in increments of 3”, 6” or 12”. Eva-Marie will puzzle the resulting blocks together to make a totally unique patchwork sampler.
Read MoreNext up: the Rectangular 18-Patch block. It’s a scrap-friendly quilt block that sews up fast via strip-piecing and sub-cutting. Here are my sewing tips and a batch of blocks for destined for charity as a do. Good Stitches collaborative quilt.
Read MoreNotice any of these challenges when you sew a log cabin quilt block: logs are too small/too big, block isn’t square, or block is too small? These tips will help you do a little better, when you sew your next log cabin block.
Read MoreThis curved piecing is not for the faint of heart, but it’s also forgiving. Once a Posh Snowball block is sewn you trim the block to the correct size, cutting off about 1/2” all around in the process. That hides a bunch of irregularities!
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