Category: Quilting in South Carolina

Rachel LaBour of the “Stitched in Color” blog recently shared this idea for scrappy quilts. The block parts are 6 inches finished (cut at 6.5 inch squared), so this block will make a big 12-inch block. I think it may be perfect to use up several piles of bigger scraps I have (smaller than a fat quarter) and need to use. That’s a “yeah” for me! I don’t really want to cut these pieces into smaller squares as I already have BINS of squares.

This block idea can be made into either an “x” or a “circle” format. But these blocks don’t link up so need to be made in separate projects. I suppose you could use sashing to separate them, but the secondary patterns would be lost.

The block is easy and quick–from cutting to sewing. So I’ve been playing with the “x” one as a leader/ender project and with the goal of making a donation quilt.

I’ve been using a Simple Folded Ruler to cut the corners from 3.5-inch squares placed at diagonal corners–which means I do not have to draw a sewing line on these squares, sew, then trim. (As I said above, I have a whole bin of 3.5-inch squares including this one in neutrals.)

I turned my blocks to the back to figure out how best to press them so the 4 sides would go together with seams butted. The “x” and “circle” blocks would have different pressing. The “x” block works to press in a circle, but the “o” block works to press 2 blocks out and 2 blocks in. Here’s a picture to help you. I think one could move these blocks around when sewing blocks together to line up the seams so they butt–which might change any placement orientation you wanted to have in terms of fabric pattern.

And then there were TWO:

Blocks are not likely to stay in this position, of course. Thinking 5 across (60) by 6 down (72). But…

Month 4 of my Tara Faughnan online class, Blocks3, introduced the work of Jen Carlton Bailly’s “Make It Curvy” (bettycrockerass.com) block method, which involve her curvy templates in many sizes. These templates have a much narrower outside piece than, say, the Drunkard Path’s templates–which means one can make a bigger visual circle.

This block plays as well with COLOR–with what happens when you put a color with other colors. And this month’s palette choices allowed us to play with color and shape to our heart’s content. Jen’s method insures that no two blocks will be the same, given how one lays in color in the process she teaches.

Here’s my first effort–using a 4.5-inch template. I wanted warm colors to play together. When laying out one’s blocks, one might look for what colors might group to please the eye, and/or what kinds of shapes can be found. I quilted with a soft orchid thread in matchstick lines, and hand quilted an outside line with a more or less matching thread as I didn’t want it to stand out and pull the eye away from the center. Matchstick lines don’t take away from a very graphic piece. Then I installed the piece on stretched canvas.

Below is my last effort, using a 5.5-inch template. Here I wanted add in some cooler colors AND to make a big circle. Note here how the light blue looks like a lavender color.

Here’s my second piece, made with a 3.5-inch template and using more colors. Note how the blue looks blue in this piece. Note how I played with blocking together the light blues and, in places, the dark and light greens and the rose colors. Finding what is pleasing to one’s eye is a fun process. This piece is going into my almost-finished improv quilt.

I am now thinking that it would be fun to make large blocks using this method and then set them into wider sashing that allows each block to shine. Hmmm…might be a good way to use up pieces in my solid stash. I would pull a palette first, though, at least in color families.

So, now, on to Month 5, and the palette is in the mail.

The Charleston Modern Quilt Guild issued a challenge that will be due in our January 2026 meeting.

We each drew an envelope with 3 colors in it. We had to make a quilt using ALL those colors at least once in said quilt.

Here are my colors–and it turns out that everyone got the “Smoked Oyster” color.

I didn’t want to make a Christmas quilt with the red and green colors as I knew I would make this quilt a donation gift for this group’s foster children outreach project.

I found the “Smoked Oyster” color to be a real challenge with the clear red and spring green colors. Here’s my solution, which is scrappy, of course. To hide a color that is a problem child, just isolate it somehow. And, knock it back by surrounding it with lots of other colors. The block is a 5-inch kite block cut using a template for that block.

I played with turning some blocks like kites blowing and turning in the end, but I could not make it work. So I settled for putting the blocks on point and figuring out the outer border size. The formulas online for that process are excellent.

I chose a solid bright blue binding as it furter toned down the Smoked Oyster color:

I tried this orientation of this kite block at first, and I really like it. But not with the “Smoked Oyster” color for a whole quilt’s setting background. I turned that block into a hot pad for the counter, and it has two layers of batting and one of Insul-Brite–which makes it very chunky to make. The other hot pad is one I made 3 years ago, and I use it all the time for a hot dish on my kitchen counter.

Here’s the finished quilt:

The backing is “Glade Fans,” designed by Faye Guanipa for Dear Stella, DFG2998. I quilted with a blue the color of the binding (Signature, Soft Cyan) that melted into the backing and looked, actually, green (which was fascinating). (I always quilt with cotton thread.) The panto felt like swirling wind; Denise’s Spirals.

And that’s that!

It’s Monday again!

Here we go into another week.

I’ve been “playing” with two new projects and making a Quilt of Valor donation quilt using the 8-inch Cat’s Cradle ruler.

Years ago, I saw a pattern that intrigued me called “Flower Pop”designed by the talented women at Sew Kind of Wonderful. The pattern was in Simply Modern magazine, which is now defunct. The pattern uses a special ruler that cuts the curves used in the pattern, and back then, curves were just getting popular in the quilty world.

I ordered the ruler, but until a few weeks ago, it and the pattern waited for me as I moved from Maine to South Carolina and got reorganized here. Now I’ve been on a mission to use the rulers I have not yet trialed. The other day I pulled out this ruler and the pattern information as I still have that magazine. Here’s the ruler one uses to cut all the curves–and it does make that process easier, but there is a learning curve on how to use the ruler AND how to angle the cutter blade within the cutting strip.

My trial block was a steep learning curve for me as well, though I’m good at sewing curves. But I was still intrigued despite the problems I encountered while getting to know this block. Pressing is, of course, precise at various points.

I ordered the pattern itself from the Sew Kind of Wonderful web site as my magazine pattern was missing information that I needed. And I watched a really good video made by Sew Kind of Wonderful, available on YouTube. I am happy to say I’ve learned how to sew mild curves without using glue or pins.

Here’s my second effort, using print fabrics. And I’m much happier with it.

The current pattern now shows all neutral backgrounds, but I very much liked one version shown in the magazine that has some darker backgrounds. OK, a lot of darker backgrounds.

So, I’ve cut parts for the next block with a medium blue print for the background. I have no idea where this effort will go. I am using stash fabrics for this project–assuming it becomes a project.

Meanwhile, the templates I ordered (a splurge) for the 4th block for my ongoing Tara Faughnan Blocks3 class arrived, and yesterday I made a trial block using the 4.5-inch templates. (I love the templates with their thinner outside piece.) The block idea, designed by guest designer Jen Carlton Bailly (bettycrockerass.com), is named “Shattered.” I used less colors than the designer used in her demonstration videos (we have 12 colors in a month’s palette) as this 4.5 inch block would make a bigger piece. It still felt incoherent to me, so I used circles that would calm my eye movement.

I discovered that using ONE color (light orange) for half of the block that gets cut limits the block. I can sort of see making a big block like this one and using very wide neutral sashing to make a quilt.

Later today I’ll try the 3.5 inch templates and will use more colors. When combining blocks, one is meant to look for what kind of interesting shapes and color blocks emerge. It’s “improv,” of course.

I’ve wanted to make a donation Quilt of Valor for my Patchwork Gals group. So that is now happening.

Bold. Graphic. What’s not to like?

I had to buy a few light blue fabrics, but all other fabrics are from my stash.

Have a great week everyone!

‘Pistachio” is smiling at me on the design wall, and I got her a backing the other day. So, now she will go on the longarm.

I was going to donate this quilt, but it has turned out so, so cute that I’m saving if for a great grand baby or some other baby I personally know.

Bonnie Hunter is presently working with this X-block as well, and I was able to figure it out from her posts. She designed it for her Quiltmaker magazine column some years back, but I couldn’t find it in their archive.

I made these blocks as leader/enders for some months. It’s 50-inches square.

“Star Brite” is finished.

This block was one among many Tara Faughnan gave us for the third month in Blocks3. It is an exercise in how to sew “Y” seams. I liked this block version the best with its medium trim. I added a bright red to Tara’s palette, and the binding is a color I had in my solid stash.

I quilted it on the longarm with “matchstick” lines, which I won’t do again as it is too time-consuming to walk from the front to the back of the machine for each row in order to engage the channel blockers that hold the line straight. (I don’t have a computer system.) AND, it was hard to line up the lines at a consistent width. A domestic machine is a better choice, especially for a small quilt. This one is 30 by 30 inches.

I had leftover Tilda fabric, Jubilee Birds in Trees in cream, for the backing. I do love the Tilda fabrics.

Oh my! I spent some time yesterday going over my 2025 archive of quilts and was surprised to find that I made 25 quilts, 2 quilt tops, 18 placemats, and LOTS of projects installed on stretch canvases.

Note that you can find detailed information on each of these projects on the blog posts for the year.

Here’s my first quilt of 2025: Pot Pour 5: Crosses:

Here’s my last quilt: a donation quilt made for a Charleston Modern Quilt Guild “color” challenge that is due in January 2026. I will post more on this quilt soon as it has a story.

I had such fun making this year’s quilts, and it is hard to pick out a favorite, but if pressed, I’d say it is “Under the Maple Tree,” designed by Rachel LaBour (Stitched in Color blog) and made during a fall sewalong she organized.

Here’s an example of the 18 placemats–made using 2-inch cut blocks from that bin with the “leader-ender” process.

Here’s my largest stretched canvas piece, which is hung in my home. This piece emerged from Tara Faughnan’s Blocks2 yearly online class with a block idea she called “Gridwork.” I am deep into this year’s Blocks3 class.

I worked on two quilt series: one with 4 quilts and one with 3 quilts.

Here’s a quilt from the 4-quilt half-rectangle block series, made with playing with Latifah Saafir’s “Hurty” ruler: “Dancing Hourglass Diamonds.”

Here’s my favorite quilt from the 3-quilt series made with the Cat’s Cradle ruler, but they are all 4 very handsome quilts.

I made a quilt top for beloved neighbor who fell in love with a local quilt kit featuring iconic Charleston “Rainbow Row” houses, and after it was quilted by a longarm quilter here who also installed the binding, I hand-sewed the binding.

AND, I have a small quilt top that I’ll put on the longarm later today–made from the Blocks3 class block: “Star Brite.”

I made and gifted 4 new-baby quilts to my neighbors here, made and donated 5 quilts to the outreach work my two quilt organizations do, and gifted 4 quilts to friends and family. That is 13 quilts, or close to half I made.

“Scrap Cabin” was such a gift–made to one of my oldest friends who visited in May. This quilt is another Rachel LaBour (Stitched in Color blog) pattern and online sewalong.

I stored 7 quilts for my grands to get someday, and I have here 3 quilts made this year to give away when someone claims them.

Two small table topper quilted projects will stay here with me–LOL–for the moment anyway. Like “Garnish,” made in my Blocks3 class this fall and hand quilted.

I am so grateful for this work that I do. And that I have the time and the health at my age (81 in March 2026) to do this work. I fully see these life gifts for what they are–a chance to create beauty and many quilty hugs.

Now, Happy New Year everyone! And on to 2026!

And it is one of my most favorite quilts I’ve ever made.

It was a pleasue to make, from start to finish.

Rachel LaBour of the blog “Stitched in Color” designed the pattern and did a sewalong to make it this fall.

The leaf blocks are all from my stash. As I made them, I realized they were getting very bright, but you know, the fall leaves in Maine ARE very bright.

I loved Rachel’s choices for her first Maple Tree quilt, so used those as well. The setting background is Tilda’s Soft Teal solid. The gold blocks are Spark Gold from Free Spirit. And the luscious backing (my choice not Rachel’s) is Tilda’s “Sanctuary in Warm,” designed by Tone Finnanger. The warm reddish binding is Andover 2022428, “Cottage Clash” by Renee Nannenon of Need’l Love.

Here’s a better picture to show the size of this lap quilt and to show the colors and texture in a better light.

I loved it when I realized that the points of the bigger gold blocks in the middle of this quilt use a small Cat’s Cradle block to make the points.

This quilt is earmarked for a beloved granddaughter who was born on Thanksgiving day 15 years ago, so she is of the “falling leaves” time of the year.

The improv quilt on the right is…growing. I’m going to use a medium grey solid (Kona’s Titanium) to set the blocks–but I’m not finished making fun blocks yet.

On the left, a “leader/ender” project is now getting its sashing as all the blocks are now made. More on that later. The block is from Bonnie Hunter, who created it for Quiltmaker magazine some years back. I can’t find the link to the pattern but it isn’t hard to figure out. Bonnie is no longer doing that column, and there have been big changes at that magazine with regard to their archive, so there’s that. Bonnie has been making some of these blocks this past year, which is where I saw it, but she’s, at present, moved on to other projects.

And in the middle, where it doesn’t have any space, is a small “Star Brite” piece that will be a table topper. “Star Brite” is Tara’s block for December in her Blocks3 online class. I have organized a backing and will try matchstick quilting on the longarm. This little project just needs something plain for quilting.

Tara, as usual, gave us all sorts of ways to make a star block made from 45 degree angles and “Y” seams. I liked this version, with it’s medium outer trim. Above, on the right in the improv quilt you can see one of these blocks made with the wider trim. It was my trial block.

I’ve wanted to make a scrappy version of this star block for some time, so after making the stars in the improv quilt and the table topper, I felt I was ready to try the scrappy version. And what a handsome block it is, if I do say so myself.

Yeah! It’s going into the improv quilt.

I made a smaller one too and put it on a 10-inch stretched canvas. I promptly fell in love with it and hung it in my quilt room.

I got the January fabric palette for this Blocks3 class, and it is…luscious…and is already washed and ready for January’s prompt.

Have a great week everyone, as we head into New Year 2026. And all my very best wishes to all of you.

“Garnish” is the second month block in Tara Faughnan’s six-month Blocks3 online class.

Here’s what happened as I played with the block and with the palette Tara chose for this month. I am very partial to greens and oranges, so I was happy with this palette that was very much in one of my color comfort zones. (I love color.)

I hand quilted “Garnish” with the collection of 12-weight cotton threads I have amassed over the years of hand quilting. The center join of the “flower” made hand quilting tough in that area, but the rest was a joy.

The backing is “Spotted” by Brigitte Heitland (#1660 Moda), whose selvage came with the sweet message “Life is Art, Live Yours in Color.”

This block is a pickle quilt block form, and as usual Tara Faughnan gave us many options, like block sizes for instance, with which to play. My trial block is on the upper right of my developing improv quilt and was a 6-inch version, as I recall.

The form of this block that drew me strongly was the circle that formed as a secondary pattern. So I went on to make a stretched canvas version, which I hand quilted and hung in my quilt room. (Above a “Crosswalk” block, the first month block in Blocks3.

Like Tara Faughnan, I think a glue stick makes sewing curves so much easier. So this “Garnish” piece will need to be washed to remove the glue, which will make the piece wrinkly, of course. I don’t mind that look.

Month 3 in Blocks3 is a Star form, and I’m having fun with it now.