Rose Cards · Tutorials · villa rosa designs

NEW VRD Quilt Tutorial – Nevermore

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Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

The sun is shining and the skies are blue! I can see this wonderful 70’s kind of late August day through the window as I sit here and write this post. If I keep my nose to the grindstone, maybe I can hang out with my dog Bailly on the back porch later. We did that yesterday in the afternoon and she loved it. So did I. She watched the cars go by and I listened to my current audiobook with the birds singing and chirping in the background. It was a lovely break.

A woman sitting on a porch with her dog, surrounded by a lush garden and colorful flowers. The woman is looking thoughtfully into the distance, with a cozy cup labeled 'grateful' and a stack of books on a table beside her.
Image by moi using AI tools

I hope you get a chance to stop and relax now and then, too. Relaxation is so underrated in our world. It’s perfectly fine to stare off into space for a few minutes to give your brain a little rest. I find that when I am relaxed, I can solve problems that I couldn’t when I was busy doing things. Taking a short break and enjoying nature (and maybe a good book) really seem to boost my creative energy. What do you do to recharge?

Happily, I completed the quilt tutorial I hadn’t quite finished last week.

Today we are doing a tutorial for the VRD Rose Card pattern, Nevermore.

I’m excited to make this project because the fabrics are pretty awesome!

VRD Quilt Tutorial Nevermore

Nevermore is a terrific 24″ panel pattern. PSST! Guess what? You can use different-sized panels with this pattern – you just need to adjust your borders to fit your panel. Keep in mind that t’s possible you might need additional fabric. Just something to consider when you are looking for a versatile pattern to showcase your favorite panels. (wink, wink)

Although the panel and companion fabric used in the quilt sample on the front of the pattern reads Autumn and even Halloween (the panel and fabric are from the Crow-Mazing collection by Henry Glass [there are still a few panels available at etsy.com]), ANY style panel and fabrics will work in this pattern. It’s a great project to use a panel along with other fabrics from the same collection. Or scrap it up and shop your stash. Either way, this pattern is sure to be one you will come back to time and again.

Cover design for the 'Nevermore' quilt pattern by Tricia Lynn Maloney featuring a quilt with a stack of books and crows against a colorful background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Of course the first thing (after the pattern) we need for making Nevermore is – you guessed it – FABRIC! Today I’m using a moody and mesmerizing collection from our friends over at Hoffman Fabrics called On the Path to Fall. This collection has both digital prints, including multiple panels, paired with Hoffman’s classic batiks.

Check out my panel, below! This one is called Nightshade. I just love it! The spooky Victorian house even reminds me of a nearby tall Queen Anne style house in the country up high on a hill overlooking town. Every time I see it, I imagine all sorts of interesting stories that might have happened there. Someday, maybe I’ll feature a house like that (and this panel) in a very fun and kind of spooky cozy mystery (FYI – writing a cozy mystery is so on my bucket list).

An artistic depiction of a grand, historical mansion surrounded by lush greenery and water, with two swans in the foreground, evoking a serene and picturesque atmosphere.

Here are all my fabrics for this project, the panel, the digital prints, and the batiks. They are warm and yummy and I can’t wait to put this quilt together with you!

A collection of various fabric pieces in warm colors, including orange, brown, and patterned prints, arranged neatly on a cutting mat, with a small card labeled 'Nevermore' positioned among them.

We are now ready to get started! Yay!

First up is trimming and squaring up the panel. Have you ever noticed that panels are often very crooked and out of square? My pal Mary Lee (Hey You!) taught me to tug on opposite corners to help bring the panel back into square. You can tug on both biases multiple times until you are satisfied with the results. Try it the next time you are growling at a funky panel.

Once I get the panel squared and trimmed to the right size, I’ll cut the narrow border strips and corner squares.

This is one of those projects that I am planning to cut each section as I go instead of cutting everything all at once. You can cut everything all at once if you prefer, but I wouldn’t cut the borders to length yet in case your panel is a little different in size from the pattern.

A rotary cutter and a transparent ruler positioned on a textured brown fabric, placed on a cutting mat with a grid pattern.

Now that my narrow borders are cut, I’m going to measure and cut the side borders to the right length. Then we’ll pin the strips to the sides of the panel.

Off to my sewing machine to sew the side borders on before visiting my pal, Mr. Iron, to gently press (NOT iron) them open. I am pressing the seam allowances towards the borders and will do that throughout the quilt top construction.

Once I have the side borders sewn onto the framed panel, I’ll repeat the same process for the top and bottom borders.

Maybe you are wondering what happens if you – whoops – do the top and bottom borders first? They quilt police will knock on your door! Kidding! Seriously, you’ll just have to stick with that method throughout the rest of the quilt – please note, though, that if you do add the top/bottom borders first, all of the border measurements will be different from those on the pattern, so you’ll have to measure your project carefully as you add each border.

Important words to quilt by – Be Consistent!

Close-up of a piece of fabric with a decorative autumn scene, pinned to a brown fabric at the top, with a colorful pom-pom pin holder nearby on a cutting mat.
Close-up of a sewing machine stitching colorful fabric with a floral pattern alongside a solid brown fabric.
An iron resting on a colorful ironing board cover featuring a scenic painting with a structure and a sunset background.
A decorative wall hanging featuring a picturesque castle surrounded by lush trees and a serene lake with two swans.

Okay, the first border is on the panel. Woohoo!

The next border will get a little tricky because we have to keep 2 fabrics organized. The fabric on the left side will also be at the top while the fabric on the right side will also be on the bottom. And we have corner squares to deal with too! Oh bother……..who came up with this pattern anyway????? (guilty…..)

First we’ll cut the 2 different border fabrics into strips. Next let’s trim both the side borders and the top/bottom borders to the correct measurements (even though most patterns include the border lengths to cut, I still prefer measuring my borders to the size of my quilt so I know my borders will fit perfectly).

Wait – you might wonder – why are we cutting the top and bottom borders now instead of after we add the side borders like we for the first narrow border???

Don’t panic – we are cutting the top and bottom borders at the same time as the side borders because we will be adding corner squares to all 4 corners.

A rotary cutter and a transparent ruler positioned over a piece of fabric, set on a cutting mat with a grid pattern.

This is my second favorite rotary cutter,the Olfa Quick Change Cutter, you can find it HERE.

Now that we’ve cut the strips for the second border to the right size, we can pin and sew the border strips to the sides of our framed panel (remember a different fabric goes on each side). A quick stop at Mr. Iron and all of a sudden, the side borders are on. Super duper!

A sewing workspace showing a piece of fabric with a marbled brown pattern, pinned with colorful pins, next to a cluster of felt balls in various shades of blue.
Close-up of a sewing machine needle positioned over a piece of fabric with a purple heart-shaped pin placed nearby.
A close-up of an iron on a multi-colored fabric with a pattern of fall leaves, resting on a pink and white abstract patterned cloth.
A detailed art piece featuring a large, grand mansion surrounded by lush trees and a serene body of water with swans. The picture is framed with a decorative border in warm autumn colors.

Before we add the top and bottom borders to our framed panel, we need to sew a corner square to each end of our top/bottom border strips. Then we can pin the top and bottom borders to the framed panel. Sew, sew, sew……..press, press, press.

Close-up of a sewing machine with two fabric pieces, one featuring a colorful leaf pattern and the other a solid dark color, being stitched together.
A close-up view of fabric pieces pinned together with colorful heart-shaped pins on a cutting mat, with scissors visible in the background.
Close-up of a sewing machine and a piece of fabric with heart-shaped pins attached, showcasing a vibrant brown pattern.
A close-up view of an iron resting on a colorful fabric, with a basket in the background.

Voila! Our second border is on and we even put the 2 borders in the right places, too. Yay us!

A decorative quilt featuring a printed image of a majestic mansion surrounded by lush trees and a serene pond with swans, framed by a textured brown border.

Wow! We are humming right along with Nevermore. Let’s keep moving.

Our third border is the same as our first narrow border (and the same fabric as our cornerstones, too). We are going to repeat the process from before – side borders first then top and bottom borders. Cut, measure, sew, press.

A decorative quilt featuring a printed image of a grand, historic mansion surrounded by lush gardens and trees, framed by fabric in warm colors.

Now we are going to add our 4th and final border. This one is like our 2nd border and it uses 2 fabrics – one for the left side and top and another for the right side and bottom.

Let’s cut and then measure both the sides and the top/bottom border strips, trimming them to the correct size. Then we’ll sew the left and right strips to the sides.

Before adding the top and bottom borders, we need to add the corner squares to the each end of the top/bottom strips. Then we can add these strips to the top and bottom of the quilt. Easy peasy. Just keep your 2 fabrics in the right spots and all will be well.

Here is the finished quilt top. Unfortunately, you can’t see the whole thing because my pressing/cutting station is in the way. Rats!

A quilt featuring a central image of a majestic mansion surrounded by trees and a serene landscape, bordered by colorful fabric in autumn hues.
A quilt featuring an image of a grand mansion surrounded by trees and water, with swans in the foreground, bordered by vibrant orange and brown fabric.

Hang on while I I take the quilt top outside. I’m going to hang it on the clothesline so we can see the whole thing. It’s a little breezy, so I’m crossing my fingers (and my toes which makes it hard to walk – LOL!) that I’ll be able to get a decent photo of the entire top.

AH! There it is! Wow! LOVE IT!

I think it turned out really well and I look forward to finishing it. My plan is to machine quilt and probably do the binding by machine, too. And I never forget my label. But finishing will have to wait a little while until I have time to get it layered with a cozy fleece fabric for the backing (I don’t usually put batting in the middle when I use fleece) and the layers pinned together before I can quilt and bind it. Sigh…….maybe it’ll be finished sometime in the next ten years.

A colorful quilt hanging on a clothesline in a grassy field. The quilt features a central image of a detailed house surrounded by a scenic landscape with trees and a lake, bordered by warm-toned fabric panels.

Now off to work on my next blog tutorial!

I am really having fun creating this group of fall quilt tutorials for you here on the blog. I hope you are getting lots of ideas and inspiration for your own autumn quilting adventures.

Stay tuned for next week when I hope to have another tutorial to share!

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

Curated Rose Card Pattern Lists · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

My Favorite Autumn VRD Rose Card Patterns

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Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

It’s Thursday again? Already??? Sheesh! Where does the time go? And it’s about a month until autumn. WHOAH!

After a busy summer, I always look forward to fall, when things tend to settle down a little bit for a while and I can get my head back into quilting. The cooler temperatures also make it more comfortable for working with fabric and batting as I am one of those sad sad souls who does not have air conditioning in Mount Cluttermore (AKA my studio). And besides, who wants to sit around when it’s summer outside with a big heavy quilt on your lap as you work on binding??? Definitely not me. Summer is a good time to work on smaller projects that finish quickly (like our recent Small Project Summer Challenge her on the blog). Who really even has time to dive into a big hot and heavy project when it’s in the 90’s anyway and the beach is calling?

I must apologize as I was planning another autumn quilt tutorial, but I didn’t quite get it finished before sitting down to write the blog. Bummer. But no worries, we’ll simply push that tutorial until next week.

As I have fall on my mind, let me show you my favorite autumn VRD Rose Card patterns. Yay! Patterns!

Here’s my list:

Autumn Leaves………..a no-brainer for fall.

A quilt design featuring colorful autumn leaves in shades of red, orange, and yellow, set against a neutral background, with the title 'Autumn Leaves' at the top and 'Melissa Milligan for Villa Rosa Designs' at the bottom.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

In my little valley in Pennsylvania, fall brings lots of bees….and honey, too.

Two quilted snack mats featuring a bees design with hexagonal patterns in yellow and black, set on a wooden table.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

There was a Cidermill right up the road when I was a kid and there was nothing as good as a cup of fresh pressed cider with your favorite donut, especially after the local Halloween parade.

A quilt design titled 'Cidermill' by Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a patchwork of colorful squares in warm tones and intricate quilted patterns.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

You can’t have mulled cider without Cinnamon Stix.

Quilt design titled 'Cinnamon Stix' featuring a pattern of alternating strips of colorful fabrics in earthy tones, including greens, browns, and hints of blue, with a decorative border.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

The cooler weather makes me want to spend more quality time with my Machine.

A quilt titled 'Dainty Machines' featuring a colorful design with sewing machine blocks and butterfly patterns, displayed against a brick wall.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Autumn in Pennsylvania is glorious. If you have never seen it, you should.

A quilt titled 'Enchanted Forest' designed by Melissa Milligan for Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a pattern of colorful trees on a light background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Fall can be quite breezy here, which makes the windmills go round and round.

A colorful quilt featuring a windmill pattern, with autumn-themed fabrics in shades of orange, yellow, and blue, displayed against a brick wall.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Colorful leaves fall off the trees. Time to rake them up and jump into them.

A colorful quilt titled 'Falling' featuring leaf patterns in various fabrics, displayed outdoors against a green backdrop.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

When you explore the forests and meadows around my home, you will always find some friendly mushrooms.

Cover of the quilting pattern titled 'Family Fun-gi' featuring a colorful quilt design with geometric patterns, alongside the names of the designer and publisher.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

The geese begin flying south in late summer/early fall.

A colorful quilt titled 'Flock Together' featuring a zigzag pattern with pink, yellow, green, and orange triangles, displayed against a rustic background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

The summer birds Fly Away until they return next year.

A colorful quilt hanging on a wooden railing featuring a design with triangular shapes and floral patterns, titled 'Fly Away' by Tricia Lynn Maloney for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Time for sports – time for fun! Tailgate party, anyone?

A colorful quilt titled 'Game Play' featuring various sports-themed patterns, including soccer, basketball, and football, with vibrant colors and playful designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Gingersnaps are a fabulous fall snack with tea, coffee, or milk (or maybe breakfast? Shhhh…..).

Quilt pattern titled 'Gingersnap' featuring a design with alternating blocks of brown, orange, and light blue fabrics. The layout includes floral and figurative prints, bordered by a decorative floral design at the bottom. Designed by Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Pumpkins, gourds, melons, and more – time to Harvest the garden.

A decorative quilted table runner with autumn-themed fabrics in orange, brown, and cream, featuring pumpkin patterns, set against a backdrop of fallen leaves and rocks.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

There are many people locally who raise bees and sell honey. There really isn’t anything like local honey.

A colorful handmade quilt featuring a patchwork design with floral and checkered patterns, displayed on a chair against a purple background. The quilt has yellow, gray, and blue squares, with an accompanying title 'Honey' and the designer's name, Tricia Lynn Maloney.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Honey Buns on a Sunday morning before heading out on a fall adventure.

Quilt titled 'Honey Buns' featuring a pattern of circles in black, white, and yellow fabrics, designed by Heidi Cook for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

It gets darker earlier, so we need more light.

A colorful quilt titled 'Lantern' featuring a geometric pattern of lantern shapes in shades of pink, blue, green, and white, displayed outdoors with a rustic background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Walking at dusk, you will need a Lantern or flashlight.

A vibrant quilt design featuring multicolored layered cake patterns against a light background, displayed outdoors. The quilt is titled 'Lantern Hill' by Tricia Lynn Maloney for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Geese are incredible flyers who fly hundreds of miles between their summer and winter homes.

Colorful quilt featuring triangular patterns in various shades, displayed against a rustic backdrop with the text 'LAZY GOOSE' and branding for 'Running Doe Quilts'.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Leafs drift down, down, down to the ground, ground, ground.

A leaf-themed quilted table runner displayed on a tree trunk, showcasing colorful patchwork squares in autumn hues against a black background. The image features falling leaves and a natural outdoor setting.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

When it’s breezy, don’t be surprised to be caught in the middle of a Leaf Swirl.

A decorative pillow featuring a 'Leaf Twirl' quilt design with colorful leaf patterns, placed on a couch alongside a small, light-colored dog.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Stop at a little dairy aisle in the fall on one of your rambles – fried mushrooms sound mighty good.

A colorful design featuring two quilted snack mats, one with a dotted pattern and the other with floral motifs, set on a wooden surface. The image includes text about the mats being called 'Little 'Shroom Snack Mat' and credits to the designer.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

There are all kinds of autumn events and activities downtown on Main Street.

A colorful quilt design titled 'Main Street' by Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a pattern of hexagons in shades of pink, purple, and green against a light background, with decorative floral borders.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Where I live, the trees are mainly maple and maple trees are some of the most colorful fall trees.

A vibrant quilt runner featuring geometric patterns in orange, yellow, and white, displayed on a stone surface with a backdrop of sunflowers and green foliage.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Corn mazes? Need I say more?!?

A colorful quilt titled 'Mazed' featuring a patchwork design with various geometric patterns in shades of pink, yellow, black, and cream, displayed outdoors with a sandy background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Geese are migrating north.

A quilt titled 'Migration' featuring a pattern of colorful triangles on a navy background, displayed outdoors with trees in the background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

A little Edgar Allan Poe is a must-have read in autumn.

Quilt design titled 'Nevermore' featuring stacked books and crows against a colorful, patterned background, with details including swirls and floral elements.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Autumn skies are some of the most colorful throughout the year.

Quilt design titled 'October Sky' featuring a scenic forest with autumn foliage and a vibrant geometric border. The design is created by Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

I heard this quote in a movie once – “There are no perfect lives, but there are Perfect Moments.”

A colorful quilt titled 'Perfect Moment' featuring vibrant patterns in orange, pink, and floral designs, along with the logo of Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Fall in Pennsylvania is Picture Perfect with all of the colorful trees.

A quilt featuring scenic images of national parks including Redwood, Yosemite, Lassen Volcanic, and Sequoia, with a colorful patchwork design, and the title 'Picture Perfect' at the top.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Back to school we go!

A colorful quilt titled 'Pointless' featuring horizontal stripes in yellow, pink, and white against a blue background with a playful speckled pattern. The quilt is displayed against a pastel abstract background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Have you ever Pressed Leaves? I used to do tons of leaves and then I used them for art collages in my pre k classroom years ago. We would always read the book Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert and then we’d make our very own Leaf Man.

A pair of quilted snack mats featuring a pressed leaf design, with red and yellow colors, placed on a wooden surface. Background includes the title 'Pressed Leaf Snack Mat' and credits to Tricia Lynn Maloney and Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

One of the most classic autumn runners at VRD! 5 little pumpkins sitting on a fence…..

A quilted table runner featuring orange pumpkins on a white background, designed by Tricia Lynn Maloney. The design includes various pumpkin shapes with checkered patterns, set on a grassy surface.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Carving pumpkins and then putting them all in row outside was always a special time when I was a kid.

A quilt design featuring various orange pumpkins arranged in a pattern on a white background with small colorful dots, titled 'Pumpkin Parade' by Melissa Milligan for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Going to the Pumpkin Patch and picking out your very own pumpkin is probably a rite of childhood.

A colorful quilt design titled 'Pumpkin Patch' featuring various quilt blocks in black, orange, and white, with pumpkin and Halloween motifs. The quilt is bordered by decorative elements and includes the words 'Trick Treat'.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Speaking of pumpkins – there are so so many pumpkin foods everywhere in the fall – Pumpkin Pie, roasted pumpkin seeds, pumpkin spice lattes, etc., etc.

A quilt titled 'Pumpkin Pie' featuring a patchwork design with autumn themes, including pumpkins, trucks, and seasonal messages, framed in warm colors.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Hmmmm. A Pumpkin Spice latte sounds pretty good right now…….

Cover of 'Pumpkin Spice' quilt pattern by Tricia Lynn Maloney, featuring a quilted table runner with pumpkin and floral designs on a rustic wooden background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

In late summer and early fall, there’s a county fair or rodeo somewhere in my area every weekend.

A colorful quilt design titled 'Rodeo' by Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a patchwork of various floral and patterned fabrics in vibrant colors.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Trees in glorious color, leaves crunching underfoot, and the heady smell of earth …. that’s fall.

A colorful quilt with a star pattern, draped over a gray armchair, in a cozy indoor setting. The quilt features shades of red, orange, blue, and brown against a white background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

I love to take Snap Shots every autumn of the colors all around me. Fall palettes make wonderful quilts.

A patchwork quilt featuring images of wildlife such as moose and a bear, with a variety of earthy fabric colors and textures, designed by Molly Cook for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

I don’t know why, but in the late summer/early fall there are Spiders everywhere.

Quilt design titled 'Spider' by Kate Griffin for Villa Rosa Designs, featuring a grid of intricate pattern blocks in various colors and textures.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Time to wind bobbins and find my fall-colored Spools of thread and make some new fall quilts.

A brightly colored quilt featuring a 'Spools' pattern with various fabric designs, displayed against a backdrop of distressed gray panels.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

It’s time for fall sports – get Sport’n!

Quilt design titled 'Sport'n' by Tamara Cook for Villa Rosa Designs, featuring sports-themed fabric patterns with various athletic motifs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Here in PA, summer drifts into autumn, sometimes into October if we are lucky.

A colorful quilt titled 'Summer's End' featuring geometric patterns in yellow, green, and orange, draped over a wooden railing with yellow flowers in the foreground.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Time to put away the summer decor and drape the house in the colors of fall.

Cover design for 'Table for Four' featuring colorful quilted placemats in various patterns, with a brown background and decorative text.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Enjoy your front seat view of autumn Through the Window.

A patchwork quilt titled 'Through the Window', featuring colorful panels with cat illustrations surrounded by floral patterns, designed by Molly Cook for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

It’s always wonderful to take a drive in the fall to enjoy the peak color of the season, which is usually around the middle of October here.

A colorful quilt design titled 'Wanderlust' featuring various patterns in vibrant hues, displayed against an orange background. The design includes floral and geometric motifs with a patchwork layout.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Well, I hope you enjoyed this curated collection of autumn VRD Rose Card patterns. Perhaps you found a new-to-you pattern to make this fall. Or perhaps seeing my picks for fall will inspire you to choose a new project to begin – this list is a good place to start. And just a quick reminder — all VRD patterns ship for free.

It was fun going through our 700+ VRD patterns to find just the right patterns to share with you. Happily, many of these patterns sparked memories of my childhood or even something I did last fall. Maybe they will remind you of your fall traditions, too.

See you right here next week for a new VRD quilt tutorial.

Until then, grab as much summer as you can as it’s fading fast in fall –

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · Tips and Tricks · Tutorials · villa rosa designs

NEW VRD Rose Card Patterns for August and a VRD Quilt Tutorial – Landino

rosecardsLeave a comment

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Sheesh! Another week of August gone. Another one bites the dust…….. And we all have A LOT of summer to do yet. Sigh……So little time and so much to do.

As for my August to-do list from last week – here’s what I’ve done since last Thursday:

I went thrifting with my Mom.

I worked on my latest art/design projects and made some forward strides.

I sat on the back porch with my dog, Bailly, and did nothing for a while…….twice.

Not a bad start to August. Not at all. I just need to get to the other things on my list, too.

How is your August to-do list coming along? I hope you had the satisfaction of getting a few things done on your list, too. If not, you’d better get started.

Small Project Summer Challenge, One Last Time

Time to wrap up our Small Project Summer Challenge.

Let’s congratulate our Week 6 winner –

Charlotte M. in FL

Woohoo! Way to Go! Yay You!

Congrats to all of our Challenge winners. Your prizes will go out shortly.

Speaking of Challenges, our 3rd 6 Quilts in 6 Weeks Finishing Challenge will be here before you know it. I hope everyone will join us in October for this next VRD Blog Challenge.

Now let’s take a peak at this month’s new patterns!

NEW VRD Rose Card Patterns for August

Yay! It’s the Thursday after the first Friday of the month and that means – NEW PATTERNS!!!!

Whoop! Whoop!

Here they are!

A collage showcasing five quilt pattern cards for August 2026 by Villa Rosa Designs. The designs include 'Alluring,' 'Mendota,' 'Salerno,' 'Cake Me Home,' and 'Solstice,' each featuring colorful and unique patterns. The text highlights 'All five new cards $8.95.'

You can get the set of 5 print patterns HERE

Alluring is Molly’s latest panel quilt pattern. It uses a 36″ wide panel, a selection of coordinating fabrics, and finishes at a nice 56″ x 63″. You can find a kit featuring the same fabrics as the pattern cover HERE or one with Rainbow Iris fabrics HERE.

Cake Me Home is Catherine of Running Doe’s newest pattern. Isn’t it really fun? It is Layer Cake friendly and finishes at 58″ x 57.5″. Sorry, kits are already sold out.

Mendota is Rachelle’s new pattern for this month. It is fat quarter (FQ) friendly and finishes at 41″ x 54″. You can find a kit for Mendota featuring Jewel Depths fabrics HERE.

Salerno is 1 of Pat’s 2 latest patterns for August. It uses FQs or half yards and finishes at 57″ x 70″. You can find a kit with the same fabrics as the pattern cover HERE.

Solstice is Pat’s 2nd quilt design for this month. It is FQ friendly and finishes at 50″ x 62″. No kit available.

But wait – there’s more! We can’t forget this month’s Accessory patterns!

This month’s seasonal pillow pattern is called Leaf Twirl. A perfect pillow for your fall decorating! Don’t you just love the pink leaf????

A decorative Leaf Twirl pillow featuring a quilted design with autumn leaves and colors, accompanied by a small dog sitting beside it.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Instead of a fall runner this month, how about a fun new set of FQ friendly place mats, Table for Four? The place mats go together really fast and you can make them in multiples of 4.

Cover of the 'Table for Four' quilt pattern featuring four colorful quilted placemats with various patterns, set against a textured background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Now let’s jump right into this week’s new quilt pattern tutorial.

VRD Quilt Tutorial – Landino

Have you ever made Landino? It’s a deceptively simple and very interesting FQ pattern. Landino finishes at 44″ x 55″, which is a nice small sized throw quilt. Want a bigger quilt? It’s easy to add more blocks (and more FQs) or borders to make the quilt the size you want it to be.

Colorful quilt design featuring a patchwork of dinosaur-themed fabrics, with a mix of green, blue, and orange squares. The title 'Landino' is prominently displayed at the top, along with the designer's name, Tamara Cook, and 'for Villa Rosa Designs' at the bottom.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Let’s make Landino!

Today I’m using a warm and cozy group of batiks from our friends over at Hoffman Fabrics. I’ve been raiding some of my fall-hued fabric groupings to make some “get ready for fall” projects. Don’t be surprised if you see some of these new fall tops again during our Autumn VRD finishing Challenge coming in October. LOL!

A collection of various patterned fabric squares arranged on a cutting mat, featuring earthy tones and intricate designs.

Of course, the first thing we’re going to do is cut out all the pieces we need from our FQs.

I found I really needed to pay close attention to the cutting for Landino because different fat quarters are for different parts of the quilt blocks. To help keep myself from getting lost, I put a sticky note label on each fabric so I knew which fabric was which.

Let’s start cutting.

Here are my block centers.

A transparent quilting ruler placed on patterned fabric with shades of pink, on a cutting mat with a grid layout.
Two patterned squares of paper on a cutting mat. The left square features a vibrant mix of red, brown, and green abstract designs, while the right square has a softer, lighter pattern in neutral tones.

These are my lighter frames.

A rotary cutter and a ruler on a patterned fabric laid out on a cutting mat.
Two fabric pieces with a botanical pattern, one larger and one smaller, placed on a black grid cutting mat.

I chose these for my darker frames.

A rotary cutter and ruler resting on a piece of patterned fabric on a cutting mat.
Two pieces of fabric displayed on a cutting mat; the top piece has a mottled pattern in shades of orange and brown, while the bottom piece features a black background with red dotted patterns.

And these 4 fabrics are for my rectangles.

A rotary cutter and a transparent quilting ruler placed on a textured brown fabric.
Two pieces of patterned fabric on a cutting mat, one solid brown and one with an intricate circular design.

A rotary cutter and a clear quilting ruler positioned on a textured fabric or quilting material, placed on a cutting mat with measurement markings.
Two pieces of patterned fabric laid out on a cutting mat, with one piece displaying a light and dark speckled design and the other a lighter, more muted speckled pattern. A clear ruler and a utility knife are placed nearby.

Finally, this fabric is for my corners.

A rotary cutter and a clear quilting ruler placed on a patterned fabric on a cutting mat.
Two pieces of patterned paper on a crafting mat, one larger and one smaller, both with a speckled design.

Okay, we’ve got everything cut out now. So next we’re going to sew our frames onto the center squares.

First we’re going to add the lighter frames.

A close-up view of a sewing machine stitching together pieces of fabric with intricate patterns, featuring a mix of earthy colors and textures.
Close-up of a sewing machine with fabric pieces being sewn together, featuring patterned and textured fabrics.
A close-up view of fabric pieces in shades of brown and cream, arranged on a pink patterned surface, with a sewing machine partially visible in the background.

Then we’re going to add the darker frames on the other side.

Hey – did you notice that the Landino blocks are really a Log Cabin variation? And who doesn’t love a Log Cabin block???

A close-up view of a sewing machine stitching together colorful fabric pieces, showcasing various patterns and textures.
A stack of fabric squares in various colors and patterns, including a white square with gray dots and pieces with floral designs, placed near an iron on a pink and white patterned surface.

Now that we’ve added frames to all the center squares, things are going to get interesting for our next step – we are going to divide up the framed centers into 4 piles. Then we’re going to sew the rectangles/corners onto each group, using a different rectangle fabric for each pile.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching two pieces of patterned fabric together, featuring a brown swirly design and a light-colored polka dot pattern.
A sewing machine stitching together various fabric pieces, including patterned and solid fabrics, on a quilting project.

Somehow, I guess I didn’t take any photos for the 4 different completed blocks. Oops, sorry about that. Here is a photo of about half the blocks up on the design wall to give you an idea about what the blocks look like completed.

Huh. Now I’m not sure what I think of my completed blocks. I wish I hadn’t used quite so many dark brown fabrics and had added a few more medium ones instead.

A patchwork quilt layout featuring various brown and cream square blocks arranged in a grid pattern against a gray backdrop.

Let’s slap ’em up on the design wall and see what happens.

Here are 3 different block arrangements. Hmmm. I’m definitely not wild about any of these options. What do you think?

Now I’m wishing I’d done 2 more blocks with the lighter rectangles instead of the dark rectangles. Yes, I could rip out a few blocks and replace the dark rectangles with the lighter rectangles, but………nope. Let’s keep going, I always love a challenge.

A patchwork quilt featuring a grid of squares in various shades of brown, green, and cream, with intricate patterns and textures.
A patchwork quilt layout featuring a mix of textured fabrics in shades of brown, cream, and muted colors, arranged in a grid pattern with alternating squares.
A patchwork quilt featuring a grid design composed of various fabric squares in earthy tones, including browns, greens, and creams.

This arrangement (below) is the obvious winner. I’m still not totally loving it, but this one looks better balanced to me than the 3 previous attempts, above. The funny thing to me is that this is the layout shown on the pattern diagram.

Wow! When all else fails, try following the pattern. Hah hah hah! (Me, rolling my eyes.)

A quilt top composed of various patterned squares arranged in a checkered design, featuring a mix of earthy tones including browns and greens, with a cutting mat displayed at the bottom of the image.

Let’s sew the blocks together into rows.

A sewing machine with fabric pieces in progress, showcasing various colors and patterns on a cutting mat.

Now the blocks are sewn into rows, I’m going to sew the rows together. Whew! This is the easy part.

A close-up view of a sewing machine stitching together pieces of fabric, showcasing various patterned fabrics in rich, earthy tones.

VOILA! Here is my completed Landino top.

Quilt display featuring a geometric pattern of alternating square blocks in browns, creams, and earthy tones.

I can’t get a complete photo of the top in my studio (if you remember I’ve renamed my studio, Mount Cluttermore for very obvious reasons) because my cutting/pressing table is in front of my flannel wall, so I took the top outside so I could take a better photo. Bummer, but it was just too breezy to hang it on the clothesline as I’d planned. So, I spread it out on the grass instead. (We’ve had a lot of rain recently and the grass is so green.)

A patchwork quilt laid out on green grass, featuring a mix of brown, white, and patterned squares.

All right – it actually turned out better than I thought it would. I think the alternating dark and light horizontal rows were definitely the right way to go with this one – all those darker brown fabrics needed the lighter fabrics to break them up.

Next time I make this one, though, I am for sure going to add more medium fabrics instead of just lights and darks.

This quilt top may not be the prettiest one I’ve ever put together, but I still like it. It’s warm and cozy-looking and it taught me (and you) several new things to think about when gathering up fabrics. I may have been quilting for 30 years now, but I still learn new things all the time.

What was the last project you made that taught you the most, even if the project didn’t turn out the way you’d envisioned? Leave a comment and tell me about it.

Well, that’s it for me this week. I’m off to maybe cross a few more things off on my August list before next Thursday. Wish me luck!

Take care and squeeze every last bit out of summer.

Until next time –

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

Rose Cards · Tutorials · villa rosa designs

NEW VRD Quilt Tutorial – Fondue

rosecards2 Comments

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Whoah!?! Hard to believe it’s August! YIKES! Right now I feel like I’ve lost the whole summer, so I guess I have A LOT of summer to cram into August, don’t I?

Here are some things I want to do this month:

  • Go to the Baldwin Reynolds Museum and see the 250th Anniversary Quilt Display
  • Visit some Quilt Shops with my quilty pals (FART)
  • Play Mini golf with my Dad
  • Go bowling!
  • Thrifting with my Mom
  • Do some decluttering (yeah – this always needs done)
  • Make a fun project just because
  • Keep working on my latest art and design projects (and actually finish a few of the ones I have in progress right now)
  • Finish my 2nd Feedsack book (this one has been waiting a really long long time)
  • Read a good book
  • Just sit on the back porch with my dog and do absolutely nothing

Let’s see if by writing them down, I will get more of them accomplished this month. What’s on your August to-do list?

Small Project Summer Challenge Update

Well, the final numbers are in! All together we participants created 108 completed projects during our 6 week Challenge. WOOHOO! I hope each of you who participated pats yourself on the back for a job well done. Did you find a new favorite small project pattern? How many of you made something for Christmas? Any other thoughts about the Challenge? Please let me know in the comments.

I am still waiting to hear back from our Week 6 winner, so I will have that info for you next week.

I also want to congratulate

Dana S. from TX

as a co-winner for Week 5.

Awesome Applesauce, Dana! Yay you!

Now let’s check out the latest VRD tutorial, Fondue!

VRD Quilt Tutorial – Fondue

I was sifting through my stack of “quilt kits” and came across one for Fondue and I thought this would be a great one for the blog because I know people are already starting to think about autumn.

Fondue is a terrific pattern for 24″ panels along with coordinating fabrics. It finishes at a nice 49″ x 63″ and goes together quickly and easily. Fondue is beginner friendly and it’s flexible – you can add an outer border (or borders) to make your quilt larger if desired.

Cover design for a quilt pattern titled 'Fondue' featuring scenic nature imagery with eagles, mountains, and water elements. Designed by Heidi Cook for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Of course, the first thing we need to do is gather up our fabrics. Today I’m working with a Hoffman Fabrics collection called Stag & Stone. Deer fabrics aren’t my norm, but I was really drawn to the colors in this collection and I find the deer to be quite elegant. And hey – it never hurts to have a great guy quilt handy for when you might need one. I think panels are a fabulous option for guy quilts because you can find wonderful panels with coordinating fabrics and a lot of guys aren’t necessarily into a quilt with a bunch of fussy pieces.

Here are my fabrics:

A collection of fabric pieces featuring nature-themed designs, including animals such as deer and wolves, and textured patterns in various colors.

Next up, time to cut all my pieces out. I go back and forth between cutting everything out first or cutting as I go. I guess it depends on each project as well as what I’m in the mood for. Which do you prefer?

A rotary cutter is positioned on a green cutting mat that features a grid pattern and fabric pieces overlaid on top.
A rotary cutter resting on a cutting mat with a patchwork fabric and a transparent ruler marked with grid lines for precise measurements.
A collection of fabric swatches featuring various patterns, including nature scenes with deer and birds, and abstract textures in earthy tones.

Depending on the dimensions of your panel, you might need to trim it to the right size for the pattern or even add some spacer strips to make it a little bit bigger if needed.

I needed to trim my panel to the right size. When you do this, you really need to be careful lest you trim off too much. So do your math carefully. You know the old saying – measure twice and cut once? Words to live by!

Have you ever cut too much off your panel? I have and do know what I do? I sew that piece right back on and re-cut the panel correctly. It’s not perfect, but it works.

A quilting ruler with green grid markings placed over fabric, showcasing a workspace with cutting mat and fabric textures.

My fabrics are cut and the panel is the right size, so now I’m going to sew the inner border to the sides of the panel and press the seams towards the border. Then I’m going to sew the borders to the top and bottom. Again, I’ll press the seams towards the border. So far so good.

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching two pieces of fabric together, one with a leaf design and the other in a dark, textured fabric, with green fabric clips holding them in place.
A framed textile print depicting a male and female deer standing among trees in a misty forest setting.

Now let’s work on the side pieced borders. The borders are quick to sew together because the pieces are so big. Once I get the pieces sewn together, then I’ll press them. I am going to press my seams towards the sashing strips.

One thing I really LOVE about the Fondue pattern is that you can use directional fabric because of the way the pieces for the side borders are cut. This is a great thing because it’s not unusual to have directional companion fabrics for panels.

Close-up of a sewing machine with two fabric pieces being sewn together, one featuring a nature-inspired pattern and the other a solid dark color.
An iron placed on a piece of fabric featuring a winter forest design, with additional dark fabric nearby, set on a flat, textured surface.
Two quilted fabric panels featuring nature-themed prints, including wildlife such as bears, moose, and various birds, set against a backdrop of forests and mountains.

Let’s sew the side borders onto the framed panel! I like to match the center of the border to the center of the panel and pin. Then I match up the outside edges and pin, including an extra pin at the bottom edge of the border to help keep everything square. This was a little tip given to me by an experienced quilter named Pat when I was a newbie. It really does make a difference in keeping your border strips square instead of ripply.

Finally, I add a few pins in between the middle pin and the outside pins to keep everything lined up. I must admit that I will probably go to quilt jail someday because I tend to sew over my pins instead of removing them……..

A piece of fabric being prepared for sewing, featuring two light-colored sections on either side of a darker middle section, with green sewing pins holding them in place.
A close-up of a sewing machine with a large piece of fabric underneath, featuring a green sewing pin on the fabric.
A wall hanging quilt featuring a serene forest scene with a stag and a doe, surrounded by trees, along with smaller panels depicting various wildlife.

Now let’s add the left side border onto the panel. SHEESH! I sewed my border upside down to the left side of the panel. How did I miss that????

Gee whiz!

Well, directional fabric is awesome as long as you sew everything right side up. LOL!

A decorative quilt featuring a serene forest scene with a stag and a doe among birch trees, surrounded by patterned fabric on the edges.

You know what’s next, don’t you?!? Rip, rip, rip!

A close-up of a sewing project featuring dark patterned fabric and a light blue sewing tool resembling a foot, positioned on a patchwork quilt.

You can find my Clover Grip Fit seam ripper HERE

Now to re-sew the left side border on, right side up this time. Silly me. I bet that’s never happened to you before, right?!? LOL!

A close-up view of a sewing machine in action, stitching fabric with a bright green sewing clip on the beige fabric.
A decorative quilt featuring a central image of two deer in a forest setting, surrounded by various wildlife patterns on the borders, including bears and other deer.

Now that the trees and animals are no longer standing on their heads, I’m going to press the side borders towards my dark fabric, which is the inner border/sashing fabric.

A close-up of an iron on a piece of fabric, with various patterned materials and a textured background.

On to the top and bottom borders….finally. Again, these are quick to stitch together because the pieces are large. After I get them sewn into strips, I’m going to press the seams towards the dark sashing pieces. Easy peasy.

A sewing machine working on layered fabrics with various patterns and colors, including textures of black and muted earth tones.
An iron next to several pieces of fabric in various colors and patterns, laid out on a work surface.

Next I’m going to pin the top border to the top of the panel. Again, I will match my centers and outside corners, adding that extra pin to keep things square. That extra pin is like magic!

Then on to the sewing machine to stitch the top border to panel. After that, I need to press my top border seam towards the dark inner border/sashing fabric.

A piece of fabric pinned with bright green clips on a gray felt surface, with another patterned fabric corner visible.
A partially assembled quilt featuring a central image of a forest scene, surrounded by various fabric panels in earthy tones and textures.

All right! The bottom border is next!

A decorative quilt featuring a central image of a deer and an elk, surrounded by various wildlife patterns including wolves, bears, and birds in natural settings.

WHEW! Here is the completed Fondue top.

A large quilt hanging on a wall, featuring a central image of two deer in a serene forest setting, surrounded by various nature-themed fabric panels depicting wildlife.

I took a chance and ran outside to see if I could get a decent photo, but it was a bit breezy, it was lightly raining, and there was still a rumble of thunder in the air. So, I kind of high-tailed it back inside instead of waiting for the perfect shot. Oh well. What can you do – Pennsylvania weather can sometimes be a little unpredictable.

A hanging quilt featuring a central image of two deer in a forest setting, bordered by various fabric patterns in earthy tones.

I really like how this quilt turned out! The colors are really very soft and meditative. And it went together easily, except for me flipping the left border upside down. LOL! I totally recommend you try the Fondue pattern to showcase your favorite 24″ panels!

Well, that’s it for me today. Have a wonderful week and I hope you get the chance to cross a few things off your August list.

Until next time –

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

Small Project Summer Challenge Week 6

rosecards1 Comment

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Hard to believe it’s Week 6 of our Small Project Summer Challenge already. Wow – it went fast! But what a fun and busy 6 weeks of super little projects – small quilts, tote bags, pillows, scarves, table runners, and snack mats.

Promotional graphic for a Small Project Summer Challenge, featuring colorful quilt patterns, sewing tools, and text inviting participation in the Six Quilts in Six Weeks Challenge.

Let’s take a look at the numbers – We had a total of 43 people sign up and 24 of them participated, which is more than 50% participation. For a sewing challenge in the middle of everyone’s busy summer, I think that is pretty incredible! Although the Week 6 deadline hasn’t happened yet as of this blog post, so far we have already made over 100 projects together in 6 weeks!

Yay us!

I’ll have the exact total for you next week once we complete Week 6.

I want to thank everyone for participating. These Challenges have really added a whole ‘nother layer to the VRD blog. I love how instead of me just writing something and you reading it, we can interact and connect with each other even though we are spread all over the USA and beyond.

I never really understood how that connection could happen on an online blog, but with the Challenges we’ve been doing here, now I do. I have been getting to know many of you simply based on the fabrics and projects you choose, your comments on the blog and on the FB page. I especially love that you comment on each other’s projects t00. We are a community of quilters and sewists!

I think it’s time to celebrate our Week 5 Winner!

Week 5 Winner

Raise your glass in toast to ……….

Donna P. in Florida

Congrats! Yay you! Awesome Applesauce!

Here is Donna’s Belle Amie table runner for Week 5 –

A patchwork table runner featuring alternating patterns of brown, blue, and orange fabric pieces arranged in a geometric design.
A decorative table runner featuring various illustrated animal designs, including sloths and bears, arranged on a light background.

Donna’s runner turned out really cute and I just couldn’t help but giggle when I saw the backing of her runner! Ape fabric is definitely something I’ve never seen before – how fun!

A colorful patchwork table runner titled 'Belle Amie' featuring various fabric patterns in bright colors, displayed on a wooden surface.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Week 6 Project

Wanna see my Week 6 project???

I didn’t want another week of the Challenge to pass without me participating, so I made the Dear Heart Snack Mat duo. They were fun and I think they turned out really cute!

Two patchwork quilted table mats featuring heart designs in red, blue, and white fabrics, sitting on a distressed wooden surface.

I used leftover fabric from my Cabin Fever quilt from Week 1 of our Challenge (you can see the tutorial for Cabin Fever HERE). I just love being able to find a project to use fabrics leftover from another project, don’t you??? And someday, when we use up all our leftovers, then we can buy more fabric……..

Wait! Nope! Whoever said we had to use up what we had before going to the quilt shop, hmmm??? LOL!

I just have to share this funny little story about making my Dear Heart Snack Mats. I knew I wanted to hand-stitch the binding on these l’il cuties, so I took them along to an eye doctor appointment. While waiting to be called back, I almost finished one of then. Then I finished the first one while waiting for the doc (I’m sure you all know how much waiting we do at appointments) and I began the second one. I needed my eyes dilated for this appointment, but I didn’t let that slow me down – well, not completely anyway. I kept right on stitching as my vision got blurrier and blurrier. Yes, I can thread a needle with dilated pupils – quite a talent I think. And I can stitch binding down too, although it goes a lot slower than when I can actually see what I am doing. LOL! I was bound and determined to get my snack mats completed before the blog post launched. WIN WIN – both snack mats almost got finished during the appointment (I finished the rest later in the day once my eyes weren’t wonky) and the appointment went well.

Image of two pink quilted snack mats with heart patterns, titled 'Dear Heart Snack Mat', designed by Tricia Lynn Maloney for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

What’s Next?

Even though our Small Project Summer Challenge is coming to an end, we aren’t finished challenging ourselves yet!

This fall, we’ll be jumping back into our Six Quilts in Six Weeks Challenge. Yes, you read that right: six quilts in six weeks!

Before anyone starts hyperventilating into a stack of fat quarters, let me remind you that our Fall Six Quilts in 6 Weeks will be all about finishing 6 UFOs or WIPs. Hey – if you’re one of those people who doesn’t have any unfinished projects I think this is totally a myth, though), then you can make a new project each week for the Challenge.

The Challenge is all about setting aside a little time to sew, finishing some projects, cheering each other on, and having fun along the way. After seeing more than 100 small projects come together this summer, I cannot wait to see what we finish this fall!

I’ll share all the details soon, so start thinking about which quilts might be waiting patiently in your sewing room to become your next finished projects.

I hope you’ll join me!

August

In the meantime, what should we do for August after the Small Project Summer Challenge ends?

I’m thinking some new tutorials would be nice, but that would depend on how things go for me in the next month. Please feel free to share your ideas in the comments or you can email them to me directly at tricia@villarosadesigns.com.

Well, that’s it for me this week.

Take care and enjoy summer because like most fleeting things, it ends far too soon.

Sew. Laugh. Make. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

Summer Small Project Sewing Challenge Week 5 and a Not-So-Funny Story

rosecards6 Comments

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Now that August is closing in on us, I bet your summer is even more jam-packed than it was in June. Family vacations, reunions, trips, work, appointments, family, friends, kids, grandkids, etc. and so on. For me, this week has been crazily insane. Too much to do and not enough me.

A colorful summer-themed illustration featuring a bright sun, flowers, and a vintage car with a suitcase on top, surrounded by watermelon slices, ice cream cones, and a beach ball. The text highlights summer activities, a calendar for June filled with fun events, and a to-do list for family adventures.

I have 2 family reunions this weekend – Saturday and Sunday. At least they’re not on the same day. The Saturday reunion is for my Mom’s Mom’s side of the family and we help organize and make everything run smoothly the day of the reunion, so that’s added stuff this week with the prepping and then the reunion itself.

My role is pretty simple, though, I am in charge of the Family Pick a Prize table. I sell the tickets. Family members then drop the tickets into the numbered bags and hope that their ticket will be pulled out to win the item. This is how we raise money for next year’s reunion. It works great and everyone loves it. Plus I get to talk to nearly everyone who comes to the reunion, which is kind of nice, too. Maybe I’ll see you there.

Of course, I also have to plan and bring some kind of dish for the food table. This year I’m going all out – cookies from the store bakery. I just don’t have the time to make something at home this year, especially not with 2 reunions back to back. Yep, I’m taking cookies to both of the reunions. Cheating? Maybe. But low stress? For sure!

My Sunday family reunion is my Dad’s Dad’s family reunion. Luckily, all I have to do is take food – more cookies – and just go and relax. Thank goodness.

Of course, the house must be cleaned in case any relatives from out of town want to stop by for a visit, which usually happens on Saturday evening. Plus all the usual things. Yikes! I’m getting tired just writing about this week. Calgon…..take me away! LOL!

I thinkI’m ready for a winner next?????

Week 4 Challenge Winner

Let’s all stand up and cheer for our Week 4 Winner –

Brenda G. in TX

Woohoo! Yippee! Congrats!

Here’s Brenda’s Week 4 Savannah Jane scarf. What fun fabrics and the colors are sew yummy! Yay you!

A collection of brightly colored fabric strips with floral patterns hanging on a wall.

Here’s the Savannah pattern links if you haven’t added it to your pattern collection yet. It’s fast and fun…….it’s Villa Rosa!

An advertisement for the Savannah Jane Charm Square Patchwork Scarf by Villa Rosa Designs, featuring images of the scarf displayed on mannequin models and a floral border design.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Next let’s talk about Week 5 of our Challenge!

VRD Small Summer Project Challenge Week 5 and My Not-So-Funny Story

This week’s Challenge is a completed table runner and I personally know for sure that you have A LOT of patterns to choose from. You can check out our VRD Rose Card table runner patterns HERE. Your finished table runner is due by midnight Friday July 24th EST.

I’ve been checking out the Challenge runners posted on Facebook so far and I must say, they are all really terrific. It never fails to amaze me how different fabrics can totally change the look of a pattern. The arrangement of lights and darks can also change the overall look of a quilt project, too. And don’t forget the quilting – hand or machine – it adds to the uniqueness of each and every project.

I must apologize again – I did not complete my table runner this week. If I had, I was going to make the Be Square runner and use fall fabrics for a quick autumn runner. Sigh…..it would have been really cute, too. I’m still planning to make it, but just not this week.

Quilted table runner with colorful patchwork squares, featuring red and floral patterns, titled 'Be Square' by Tricia Lynn Maloney for Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

Sure, I’ve been totally swamped with family and summer events like all of you, including double family reunions this weekend. But the biggest and best excuse I’ve had for just about everything over the last few months (LOL!) is my health.

I didn’t mention it a couple of weeks ago when I wasn’t able to complete my project, but I have been fighting Lyme disease. I probably contracted it sometime in May, although who really knows for sure? I’m not a hiker and I don’t spend much time in the woods, so the likeliest place was probably my own yard, possibly while walking Bailly, gardening, or simply spending time outside.

My area of Pennsylvania is known for Lyme disease because it is rural, with lots of woods, trees, deer, and other wildlife. It’s probably surprising that I haven’t gotten it sooner, really. So now I’ve joined the ranks of the Lyme afflicted.

The hardest part is that I finished my antibiotics three weeks ago, and I am still experiencing symptoms. What are Lyme symptoms, you might ask? Well, they can be pretty nonspecific and often feel a lot like the flu.

Infographic outlining the signs of Lyme disease, including symptoms like bullseye rash, fever, headache, fatigue, muscle aches, neck stiffness, and swollen lymph nodes, with a reminder to contact healthcare providers if suspected.

With Lyme disease, you hear all about the classic bullseye rash. Well, guess what? Not everyone gets one. I didn’t. If I had, I probably would have been diagnosed sooner.

Instead, I had a puffy round, very itchy red spot that I honestly thought was a spider bite. I had it for weeks, perhaps even a month, before it began to fade. Then another itchy red spot appeared nearby.

Another spider bite? I wondered.

Some people do not notice a rash at all.

My other symptoms were spread out over several weeks rather than appearing all at once, so I never connected them. Then my friend Mary Lee mentioned that her great-nephew had contracted Lyme disease while camping. Thank goodness she told me about the poor kiddo, because something finally clicked.

I looked up the symptoms online (see the poster above), and I realized that I had experienced many of them, just not all at the same time. By the last week of June, before my diagnosis and treatment, I was feeling really awful.

Unfortunately, the symptoms didn’t disappear after I finished my antibiotics. Three weeks later, I am still dealing with them.

So what’s next?

I have tests and lab work that need to be completed, and then I’m off to the Infectious Disease office. I don’t know what will happen at that point. For now, the doctors are trying to rule out other possibilities before adding a new diagnosis or treatment.

In the meantime, I’m moving about as fast as a turtle who needs frequent rest breaks. The exhaustion can be overwhelming, and the lack of energy has made it difficult to accomplish everything I need to do. But I’m hanging in there, even if the Challenge host is currently moving at a slightly less-than-challenging speed.

I decided to share my diagnosis for a couple of reasons.

The first is to explain why I wasn’t able to finish another project for the Challenge I’m hosting. I’m certainly not happy about missing it, but right now I simply cannot add anything else to my plate.

The second is that sharing my Lyme journey might help someone else recognize the symptoms and seek medical care sooner.

Lyme is a squirrely disease, and it can look like many other things. Please talk to your healthcare provider if you experience symptoms like those listed above, even if they appear gradually rather than all at once, as mine did.

If it isn’t Lyme, that’s wonderful. But if it is, early diagnosis and appropriate treatment can help prevent more serious problems.

You can find more information about Lyme Disease at the following websites:

CDC (Center for Disease Control)

American Lyme Disease Foundation

Mayo Clinic

Okay, I’m jumping off my podium now. Somebody turn off the microphone and the stage lights. LOL!

Week 6 of the Challenge

Wow! Week 6? Already? Our Summer Small Project Challenge has gone by so fast – just like summertime.

Week 6’s project is a completed set of 2 snack mats (including quilting and binding). There are 12 different seasonal snack mat patterns, so it shouldn’t be too hard to find one you like. Your Week 6 project is due by midnight Friday, July 31st EST.

You can find snack mat Rose Card patterns HERE, but did you know you can get the whole set of 12 patterns?

Cover image featuring 12 seasonal snack mats displayed in vibrant colors with names for each design.

Get your print pattern set HERE

I’m really going to try to make a set for next week because they are really fun to make, but I will have to see how things go between now and then.

Go get your sewing on and have a great week!

Sew. Laugh. Make. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge

Small Project Summer Challenge and a New VRD Scarf Tutorial, Inessa Jane

rosecards6 Comments

Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

I hope all of you are having an amazing summer filled with family, fun, sun, and maybe a little bit of quilting and sewing, too! For me, the quilting and sewing has come in little fits and spurts, but never fear – I am still getting my creative groove on very regularly. Which is a good thing because I tend to get cranky when I haven’t spent time doing creative things for a while. Are you like this too?

Colorful illustration featuring a sun, sewing tools, and summer-themed elements like watermelon and lemonade, with the text 'Family Fun & Sun' and 'Stitching in the Sunshine'.

We are now finishing Week 4 of our Small Project Summer Challenge and I’m thrilled to say that participation has been right around 50%. That is really terrific. I wasn’t sure what people would think of our smaller projects, but folks seem to be having fun and enjoying them. I’ve had many lovely comments about how fun the projects are and if it hadn’t been for the challenge, participants might not ever have tried making a particular small project. I’m hoping that next summer, we can do this again and my fingers are crossed that we’ll have even more small project options for you. My question for everyone is:

What kind of small projects would you like to see as VRD Rose Card patterns?

Please keep in mind that our space is limited for instructions, so each project has to fit on the back of a 4″ x 6″ postcard. This is not always an easy task and sometimes we have to get creative with our allotted space, which may even include several revisions. But somehow, we always figure it out in the end. It’s definitely a special skill to write a complete project pattern on the back of a postcard along with appropriate diagrams. Big high-five to all of our VRD designers for their creativity and problem-solving skills! Yay you!

Before we get started on our Week 4 Challenge, we can’t forget our Week 3 drawing winner!

Week 3 Winner

Big giant ovation for our Week 3 Winner!

Toss some confetti!

Where are those cheerleaders at?

Oh well…..

Congrats to…..

Pat C. of NY

Yay Pat! Well done! Kudos!

Here’s Pat’s version of Louisa Jane:

A teddy bear wearing a purple hat and dress made of light blue fabric featuring colorful Mickey and Minnie Mouse patterns.
A piece of fabric featuring a repeating pattern of cartoon characters, including Mickey Mouse and Minnie Mouse, on a light blue background. The fabric is laid flat on a cutting mat with measurement markings.
A pillowcase featuring a repeating pattern of Mickey and Minnie Mouse characters on a light blue background.

She made it for her granddaughter and the pillowcase doubles as a bag to carry toys and stuffed animals to Grandma’s house! What a wonderful idea, Pat!

Graphic illustration featuring Louisa Jane pillowcase and laundry bag designs by Villa Rosa Designs, showcasing colorful patterned fabrics on a decorative background.

You can find the digital pattern HERE or the print pattern HERE

What a cool pillowcase with a secret double life as a laundry or toy bag.

Let’s dive into our Week 4 Challenge next!

Week 4 of the VRD Small Project Summer Challenge

Wow! Hard to believe we’re in Week 4 already. This week’s project is a scarf, but not just any scarf – a VRD scarf. VRD has 2 fun and fast scarves:

Graphic displaying three styles of infinity scarves on mannequin busts. The top text reads 'Inessa Jane Infinity Scarf,' with fabric requirements detailed below. The design features floral embellishments and a colorful background.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

and

Image showcasing the Savannah Jane Charm Square Patchwork Scarf by Villa Rosa Designs, displayed on mannequins. The scarf features a variety of colorful patchwork patterns and is styled with different outfits.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Should you choose to accept the Week 4 scarf challenge, your scarf is due by midnight Friday, July 17th EST.

This blog post will self destruct in 5 seconds……no, not really. I just wanted to write that. LOL!

Do you wanna see my scarf for this week???

Here it is…….I made the Inessa Jane infinity scarf. And here I am modeling it.

I’ve never really worn a lot of scarves except for in the winter here in chilly NW PA, but…..I might reconsider. This scarf turned out great and I think the colors of these Hoffman batiks are so pretty. And funny enough, my blue frames look great with the scarf. LOL!

A smiling woman with short brown hair wearing glasses and a blue patterned scarf, against a textured background.

I thought a tutorial for Inessa Jane would also be nice…….

VRD Inessa Jane Tutorial

Of course, choosing fabrics is pretty much always our first step (and maybe a favorite, too). I picked two coordinating but different batiks for the scarf so it could be worn with the blue side out, the lavender side out, or folded so you could see both sides. Lots of fun options. You could use a single fabric too.

Now I’ll have to learn how to wrap and fold my Inessa Jane Infinity Scarf. You can check out a fun video HERE for 10 different ways to wear your infinity scarf!

Two pieces of fabric on a cutting mat: one with a purple and lavender floral pattern, and the other in varying shades of blue with a leaf design.

Next I cut my batik strips for the scarf. You can make your scarf longer by adding additional strips, just remember to increase the number of strips for both fabrics.

A rotary cutter placed on a cutting mat with a grid pattern, surrounded by layered fabric in various colors and patterns.
A rotary cutter on a cutting mat with a blue patterned fabric and a transparent ruler.
Two pieces of fabric laid out on a cutting mat; one has a floral pattern in purple and blue shades, and the other features a blue background with light leaf designs.

Off I went to my sewing machine to sew each fabric’s long strips together end to end.

Throughout the project, I back-stitched at the beginning and end of my seams so they didn’t have a chance to unravel while I handled and manipulated the scarf during the sewing process..

Two fabric pieces showcasing floral and leaf patterns, one in pastel colors with purple and teal hues and the other in various shades of blue.

Next I layered the long strips of my 2 batiks together with right sides together (batiks are the same on both sides, so I had to watch to make sure that the seam sides were my “wrong sides”) and I stitched down both long sides of my scarf. I matched my seams and nestled them together.

A close-up view of two pieces of fabric being sewn together on a sewing machine, featuring a blue patterned fabric and a purple floral fabric.

The fun part is next – turning the scarf right sides out. Such a weird feeling thing to do, but pretty cool, too.

A collection of colorful fabrics in shades of blue and purple, arranged in a crumpled manner on a sewing table.
A close-up view of two pieces of fabric, one featuring a purple and blue floral pattern and the other in a blue tone with a subtle leaf design, placed next to a sewing machine.

Now it’s time for the tricky part. I matched up the rights sides of the short scarf ends with the help of a few pins and carefully stitched around the scarf width as far as I could go. I also made sure to line up my seams and nestle them together again.

Close-up of a sewing machine with colorful fabric pieces being stitched together, showcasing a blue and purple floral pattern.
Close-up of a sewing machine stitching together two pieces of patterned fabric, featuring a pink and blue floral design.

Once I sewed as far as I could, I back-stitched and stopped. There were maybe 4 inches or so left unsewn.

Close-up of fabric with a blue and white leaf pattern, with a pink floral print visible underneath.

So, my final step was to slip-stitch the opening closed by hand. Boy, I learned something very important during this step – I’m not that great at slip-stitching especially really late at night. LOL! But I finished it. It wasn’t completely horrible but it did pucker a little bit. Oh well…..

A sewing needle threaded with white thread lies on a blue fabric with a leaf pattern, alongside a spool of beige thread.
Close-up of a blue fabric with a leaf pattern, partially folded with a purple patterned edge visible.

Ta da! Here is my finished scarf….again! Pretty cool. I think I’ll make some more of these and play with different ways to wear them.

A smiling woman with short brown hair and glasses, wearing a blue and purple patterned scarf over a white top, posing in front of a softly blurred background.

Next week is Week 5 of our VRD Small Project Summer Challenge and our project is a finished table runner due by midnight Friday July 24th EST.

See you then! Don’t forget to take a moment and smell the roses. summer is going fast.

Sew. Laugh. Make. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · villa rosa designs

Small Project Summer Challenge Week 3 and NEW VRD Quilt Patterns for July

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Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

I hope everyone enjoyed the past holiday week end. Did you do anything special? I did get to see some great fireworks – both on TV and in person. Yay! There really was a lot of very interesting content on TV for the 250th Celebration – I even learned the history of American blue jeans. LOL! I hope that the 250 celebrations aren’t over, though, and we get to enjoy more throughout the year.

This is our 3rd week of the VRD Small Project Summer Challenge and the Challenge is a VRD pillow (pillow cover). Pillows are due by midnight, Friday July 10th EST.

There are many more pattern options for the pillows than for the tote bags last week, for sure. And I’ve been having fun checking out everyone’s projects, so keep ’em coming. I just love love love seeing how everyone adapts patterns and changes things up to work for you and your needs.

If you aren’t checking out the VRD Facebook page, you are missing A LOT of wonderful inspiration and ideas. It’s also a great place to connect with other VRD quilters and sewists. You can share projects, support each other, and even ask questions. It’s such a good place to visit!

Colorful crafting display featuring fabrics, a quilt, sewing tools, and a cheerful sun graphic with the text 'Halfway There! VRD Small Project Summer Challenge. We're 3 weeks in and 3 weeks to go!'

I really hope everyone is having fun with the projects. One of the many ideas behind this Challenge was that I wanted to share some of our other projects because VRD isn’t just quilts. And I can’t believe the Challenge is half over now. Golly! Time really flies!

Now, I must be honest with everyone … this week’s challenge pillow for me is still a work in progress. I’ve been under the weather recently, so my sewing machine has been getting more rest than exercise. Me, too.

The good news is – I know many of you are stitching right along through the weekly Challenges and creating some wonderful projects for yourself or for someone else. Some of you are also working on the Challenge projects with others – how awesome is that??? Sigh…..sometimes creativity means giving ourselves a little grace, particularly when we don’t feel well. Here’s to next week’s project.

And now it’s time to celebrate – yeah!

Week 2 Winner

Let’s give our Week 2 winner a big high five!

Congrats to…….

Kim C. in Washington

Woohoo! Way to go!

Here is Kim’s finished Tote Bag, Olivia Jane. Kim added another row, lined her bag/handle, and boxed the corners. And her tote turned out adorable with her fresh fabrics. It makes me want to make another tote right now!

Yay Kim!

Colorful patchwork tote bag featuring various shades of green and yellow fabrics arranged in a grid pattern.

Olivia Jane is a charm square friendly pattern or use your stash! And it’s simple to add pockets or batting/interfacing, quilt the layers together, box the corners, make it larger, etc. It’s a go-to pattern for sure!

You can stop over HERE to see a tutorial about some of the things you can adapt/add to the pattern.

Promotional image for the 'Olivia Jane Charm Square Patchwork Tote' featuring three tote bag designs labeled 'View A', 'View B', and 'View C', along with colorful patchwork fabric swatches. The design includes vibrant backgrounds and floral decorations.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Now let’s take a look at new patterns – who doesn’t love that???

NEW VRD Quilt Patterns for July

Yay! It’s the Thursday after the first Friday of July and that means NEW PATTERNS!

Let’s check ’em, out!

A collage showcasing five quilt patterns for July 2026, including 'Avoca,' 'Dahlia,' 'Bedelia,' 'Dump Cake,' and 'Horizontal Planes,' each with distinct designs and colors, advertised as new cards for $8.95.

Get the set of 5 HERE

Avoca is Rachelle’s newest pattern. It’s FQ friendly and you can find a kit featuring Pat’s Kalinda fabric HERE.

Bedelia is Catherine’s (Running Doe Quilts) latest star design. It’s also FQ friendly and you can find a kit featuring Tilda fabric HERE.

Dahlia is Melissa’s July pattern. This pattern is super for showcasing you large print fabrics – you know, the ones you don’t want to chop up. You can find a kit featuring the Night Garden collection HERE.

Dump Cake is Heidi’s latest pattern and it features a 36″ x 44″ panel. You can find a kit for Dump Cake HERE with the same fabrics as you see on the front of the pattern.

Horizontal Planes is Molly’s newest design and it also features a panel – a 44″ x 24″ horizontal panel this time. You can find a kit with the same fabrics as you see on the front of the pattern HERE or one with Chickadee Christmas HERE.

But wait…….of course, there’s more. This is VRD!

July’s table runner is called Liberty Cove and it’s perfect for your late summer events and excursions. The lake…….the beach……..your own backyard.

A quilted table runner featuring a geometric pattern in red, white, and blue colors, placed on a wooden surface, with text indicating the design name 'Liberty Cove' and designer details.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

And we can’t forget our July Pillow pattern!

Here’s Sail Away, perfect for your summer celebrations or even a quiet evening curled up in your favorite chair with a good book.

A small dog sitting on a blue sofa beside a decorative pillow featuring a sailboat and quilt patterns.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Yes, Queen Bailly finally got her summer haircut. I wish she’d let me put her hair up in a topknot with a pretty bow, but she’s just not that kind of gal. Instead, the hair on her head is usually standing on end! LOL!

You’ll notice how much lighter she is with her hair cut short than in June’s Parade Day pillow when her hair was longer. She really is a magical little Shih Tzu with mysterious hair color changing skills. When she was a baby, her hair was really really dark, then it kept lightening as she got older and now with it cut short, she almost looks blond – we practically have the same color hair now.

I wonder which pattern you are going to make first! Me, I was going to make a second Sail Away pillow so I have a set for the sofa………at least that was the plan for Week 3 of the Challenge. Oh well……life happens.

Week 4 of the VRD Small Project Summer Challenge

Looking ahead to next week, Week 4, our project is a VRD scarf which is due by midnight Friday July 17th EST. VRD has 2 different scarf patterns to choose from:

Graphic promoting Inessa Jane's Infinity Scarf pattern, featuring three scarf designs displayed on mannequin necks, with instructions for fabric requirements from Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE

OR

Colorful patchwork scarf displayed on mannequins, showcasing multiple styles and patterns. Title 'Savannah Jane Charm Square Patchwork Scarf' and brand 'Villa Rosa Designs' featured above and below the images.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

You can find a super fast and fun tutorial for Savannah Jane HERE.

I also have a third option for you if you are feeling adventurous……………………………………how about turning a VRD table runner into a scarf??? Some of the runners are pretty narrow or would be if you remove the border. Just an idea for you to explore…….

Stay cool and enjoy your summer!

Until next week!

Sew. Laugh. Make. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · Tutorials · Welcome Blog Post

Small Project Summer Challenge Week 2 and a NEW VRD Rose Card Tutorial – Tabitha Jane

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Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Happy 250th birthday to America!

A patriotic illustration celebrating America's 250th birthday with fireworks, a vintage red truck, and an American flag. The design features bunting, colorful stars, and the text 'Happy 250th Birthday America!' along with the years '1776' and '2026'.

I hope you are all set to enjoy the celebration this weekend for the 250th Birthday of the United States of America. I’m looking forward to the fireworks and all the different events going on.

Of course right now the weather is looking rainy, but I have hopes it will clear up and be a gorgeous weekend for everyone. We’re having a heatwave right now with temperatures in the mid 90’s. I am not a hot weather girl at all, so I will stay in the air conditioning and ride out the heat. Just hand me a bowl of ice cream – something with chocolate – and I’ll be happy as a clam. And cool. LOL!

We are wrapping up Week 2 of our Small Project Summer Challenge this week – our project is a VRD Tote bag. Here’s the info and schedule in case you need it.

Colorful graphic promoting the VRD Small Project Summer Challenge, featuring six weeks of project themes with images of a sewing machine, fabric items, and decorative elements. Each week lists a different project due date.
Promotional graphic for the VRD Small Project Summer Challenge, outlining how the challenge works and how to join.

Now let’s revisit Week 1 with a winner!

Week 1 Winner

Yay! It’s time to announce our first Small Project Summer Challenge winner!

Toss the confetti!

Cue the band!

And our Week 1 winner is………….

Susan L. from WV

Congrats, Susan!

Susan made a fun dog lover’s version of Fairhaven. This one really makes me smile because of all the canine fabrics. A fun fast make!

A colorful quilt hanging on a wall, featuring a patchwork design with red, navy blue, and floral patterns.

Guess what? Susan already donated her Fairhaven quilt to Project Linus!

Project Linus has been giving handmade blankets and quilts to kids since 1995. And in 31 years, they’ve given over 10 million blankets to children. WHOAH! You can find additional information or how to get involved on the Project Linus website HERE.

A colorful quilt titled 'Fairhaven' featuring various fabric patterns with pink and green tones, displayed against a pink background, along with a floral accent in the upper right corner.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

VRD Small Project Summer Challenge Week 2

Our Week 2 Challenge this week is for a VRD tote bag. Your tote bag project is due Friday, July 3rd by midnight EST.

We have 2 different VRD tote bag patterns or you could adapt a different VRD pattern into a tote bag. What a fun idea! I hadn’t thought of that until one of the participants asked me about it. Thanks for the great idea!

So……..my tote bag this week is Tabitha Jane. Have you made this one yet? It’s totally reversible, which means you get 4 looks with one tote bag. That’s uber cool, right?

So here’s my red, white, and blue version of Tabitha Jane!

A handmade tote bag with a red top section featuring small polka dots, and a navy bottom section with white star patterns. The bag has patterned straps.
A fabric tote bag featuring a pattern of red and blue flags on top and a solid navy bottom with white polka dots.
A tote bag with a star and stripe pattern, featuring a solid red striped bottom and handles.
A plaid and polka dot fabric tote bag hanging against a light-colored backdrop.

Like I said: 1 tote bag – 4 different looks! I can’t decide which side I like the best. Which one do you like?

It was really quick, perhaps 2 or 3 hours (including photography on my end) to make this super useful and fun tote. Tabitha Jane would be a great tote for yourself or for someone else! I can’t wait to make a few more, maybe one for each season? Did I mention it’s made out of fat quarters???

Graphic showcasing a reversible tote bag design by Tabitha Jane, featuring four different looks with vibrant patterns. The text highlights fabric requirements and the finished size of the tote, along with design credits for Nancy Lorene and Villa Rosa Designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

I also created a tutorial for you for Tabitha Jane. Now you’ve totally got to make one of these!

VRD Tutorial Tabitha Jane

Probably the hardest thing about this pattern is choosing your 6 FQs! Of course, you can absolutely make more than one of these totes so you can can choose 6, 12, 18….or more FQs. LOL!

I settled on these 6 patriotic FQs from Deb Strain’s America 250 Years collection by Moda Fabrics. What a surprise – I’m making red, white, and blue projects for the Summer Challenge. Ha ha!

A collection of six fabric pieces featuring patriotic patterns, including plaid, stars, and American flags, arranged on a green cutting mat.

Next up is cutting. I layered my FQs together so I only had to cut once. Do likewise if you feel comfortable, but cutting 1 layer at a time is perfectly okay too.

A piece of red fabric with a star pattern, layered with patterned fabric featuring American flags and stars, alongside a blue plaid fabric, on a green cutting mat with grid lines.
Four pieces of red fabric with a star pattern, arranged on a green cutting mat with grid lines.

Now to cut the other 2 FQs. And with that, the cutting is finished. Wow! That was quick!

A green cutting mat with a rotary cutter, a patterned fabric piece in red and white stripes with stars, and a clear quilting ruler placed on the fabric.

We’re going to make our straps first. Here are my 4 fabrics for my straps.

Four pieces of fabric in red, white, and blue patterns laid out on a cutting mat, featuring stars, stripes, and plaid designs.

To make the straps, the first thing to do is stitch the smaller strips together to make 4 long strips. I chose to sew matching strips together, but you can totally scrap this up if you want to. You do you.

After I stitch my strips together, I’m going to press the seams open.

Close-up of a sewing machine with fabric pieces laid out, featuring red fabric with black stars and light reddish fabric with a subtle pattern.
A collection of fabric strips featuring patriotic patterns, including American flags, stars, and plaid designs in red, white, and blue colors, arranged horizontally on a grey surface.

Next I am going to layer 2 strap strips right sides together (RST) and sew down both long edges to make my 2 straps.

A sewing machine on a table with three different pieces of fabric, including a red patterned piece and a plaid piece, along with a pair of orange scissors.
Close-up of a sewing machine with a piece of fabric being stitched, featuring a plaid pattern.
Three strips of fabric laid out on a gray felt surface, featuring patriotic designs in red, white, and blue, including stars and stripes.

Oh goody (not really)….Time to turn both straps right side out (RSO). This is one of my least favorite things to do when sewing bags. Usually I fold my strips in half and then in half again to avoid having to turn things RSO. But these straps are pretty wide, so here goes……

I am using a large safety pin (Yup, one of my quilt basting pins) to turn my strips RSO. The pin gives me something to hold onto as I turn the strap.

An assortment of fabric strips with patriotic patterns, including American flags and stars, pinned together with a safety pin, placed on a textured surface.
Close-up of two pieces of fabric: one patterned with red and blue stars on a cream background, the other in a solid red with small speckles, partially sewn together.
A close-up image of patterned fabric featuring American flags and stars, with additional fabric pieces in the background including plaid and star-patterned fabric.
A fabric-covered sword or sword-like object lying on a gray surface, surrounded by additional fabric pieces featuring patriotic patterns.

Now I need to press my straps flat.

A close-up view of fabric strips featuring red, white, and blue patterns, including American flags and a plaid design, laid out on a gray felt surface.
Three fabric strips featuring patriotic patterns, including American flags, stars, and plaid designs, laid on a textured background.

I’m going to sew close to both sides of each strap. This is for 2 reasons – 1st because it will keep the straps flat and 2nd because the stitching will help stabilize the straps as we did not add any interfacing or batting.

I’m also going to add more stitching down the middle of each strap for even more stabilization. And I’m going to use one of the zillion special stitches on my sewing machine to make it fun. I chose this cute star and decided to use variegated thread.

After I finished the straps, though, I wish I had used a solid navy blue thread instead of the variegated because the stars would have shown up better. Oh well…….

Close-up of a sewing machine stitching a fabric strip decorated with red stars and blue patterns.
Two strips of decorative fabric with red, white, and blue patterns, one featuring stars and the other with plaid and stars, laid on a gray surface.

Time to work on the body of the tote now. I’m going to sew the smaller rectangles to the top and bottom of the large rectangles to make 2 bags. The finished bag doesn’t have any interfacing or batting, so if you want to add any to make your bag sturdier, now would be the time to add it. But I’m going to continue without adding any stabilizer for this one.

When I make a project for the first time, I like to follow the directions pretty close so I understand how it all goes together. Then if/when I make another one, I might choose to make changes or adapt the pattern.

Close-up of fabric pieces featuring red, white, and blue patriotic patterns as well as quilting stars, alongside a sewing machine.
Two fabric panels displayed side by side, featuring various patterns including plaid, stripes, polka dots, and stars in red, white, and blue colors.

I’m going to fold each bag body section in half with RST so the top and bottom edges match. Then I’m going to sew down both sides of the tote for both pieces. When you turn them RSO, don’t forget to push out the corners and give the bags a press.

Assorted pieces of fabric featuring patriotic patterns, including American flags, a checkered design, and a star print.
Close-up of a sewing machine with fabric under the needle, featuring a light gray patterned material. The machine is positioned on a work surface, with measuring lines visible in the foreground.
A selection of four fabric swatches featuring various patterns: a light blue plaid, a red and white striped fabric with stars, a solid red fabric, and a navy blue fabric with white floral designs.

All that is left is to assemble the bag parts and the straps.

If desired, you can fold under the tops of the bags as the next step before placing one bag inside the other with wrong sides together, but I prefer doing the top seam allowance after 1 bag is already inside the other bag because I find I can get the top seams lined up better.

I’m going to turn one of the bags inside out again and place it inside the other bag (which is RSO) so that the wrong sides are facing towards each other. Smooth the bags out and line up the side seams.

I like to work with one bag at a time as I fold and press the seam allowance to the wrong side of the bag. Next I’ll match the top edges as I fold the 2nd bag seam allowance towards the wrong side and press. I pin generously to keep the bag tops lined up.

Two pieces of fabric with star patterns, one in red, white, and blue, and another in gray and red stars on a white background, laid on a gray surface.
Close-up of a sewing project featuring red fabric with black star patterns, pinned to a blue fabric with red and white stripes, on a gray felt surface.
A piece of red fabric with a star pattern, pinned with colorful fabric clips for sewing, partially layered with a contrasting fabric featuring stripes and stars.
A piece of red fabric with a pattern of stars and small flowers, pinned to a striped fabric and a blue patterned fabric underneath.

Before I sew the top of the bag, though, I need to insert my straps and pin them. I used my ruler when I pinned the straps between the 2 bags so that everything would be neat and square.

A close-up of a cutting mat with a ruler on top, featuring a patriotic fabric printed with American flags. A sewing needle and pins are also visible.
A close-up view of a quilting workspace featuring red, white, and blue fabric with American flag designs, a cutting mat with measurement grids, and pins holding the fabric in place.
A close-up view of a partially assembled tote bag featuring a red fabric with stars, decorated straps with star patterns, and colorful pins securing the fabric pieces on a gray surface.

The last thing to do is to sew around the top of the bag close to the edge. I then zigzagged around the top of the bag to give the straps a little more support. Apparently, I forgot to take a few photos of this step. LOL! Sorry about that.

Anyway, here is my finished bag (again). All 4 sides.

A handmade tote bag featuring a red and navy polka dot design with star-patterned straps.
A tote bag featuring a patriotic design with red, white, and blue colors, including American flags and polka dots.
A patterned fabric tote bag featuring a star design on the top section and horizontal stripes on the bottom.
A fabric tote bag featuring a plaid design on the top half and a striped pattern with small dots on the bottom half, hanging against a textured background.

What a super fun tote bag! Hmmmmm……..I’m thinking these would make great “gift bags” for Christmas. A gift within a gift.

Small Project Summer Challenge Week 3 Next Week

Next week for Week 3 of our Small Project Summer Challenge, we’ll be making pillows/pillow covers. We have some really fun VRD options for you! You can find both digital and print pillow patterns HERE.

Garden Wishes

Parade Day

Spring Blooms

Good Luck

Dot to Dot

Happy Hearts

Belinda Jane

Louisa Jane

Your pillow project is due by midnight July 10th EST.

Enjoy your 250th celebration this weekend!

Until next week!

Sew. Laugh. Celebrate. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD

2026 Small Project Summer Challenge · Rose Cards · Tutorials · villa rosa designs

Small Project Summer Challenge Week 1 and a NEW VRD Rose Card Quilt Tutorial – Cabin Fever

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Hello Quilty Friends!

Happy Thursday to you!

Are you ready for our Small Project Summer Challenge? I know I am! I can’t wait to see what everyone is making for Week 1 – a quilt under 50″ square. I’ll be checking Facebook out eagerly to see everyone’s projects, so make sure you get a photo of your completed Week 1 project onto the VRD Facebook page before Friday, June 26th midnight EST. Or you can email me your photo at tricia@villarosadesigns.com.

Colorful promotional graphic for the VRD Small Project Summer Challenge featuring sewing themes. It lists six weeks of projects with due dates: Week 1 - Quilt smaller than 50" x 50", Week 2 - Tote Bag, Week 3 - Pillow, Week 4 - Scarf, Week 5 - Table Runner, Week 6 - Snack Mat Duo.
A colorful promotional graphic for the VRD Small Project Summer Challenge, featuring sewing-themed illustrations and details on how to join, including weekly photo submissions and prize eligibility.

So far I have 34 folks signed up for our Summer Challenge. I am thrilled and welcome each and every one of you with a great big hug! A BIG high-five to those of you who already participated in one of the 6 Quilts in 6 Weeks Challenges…and a super special welcome to those of you signing up for a VRD Challenge for the first time. Be prepared to laugh a lot and be inspired by everyone’s projects for the next 6 weeks. Not only are you creating some fun small projects that make great gifts for yourself or someone else on your gift giving list, each week that you complete the weekly challenge, your name goes into a random weekly drawing. Prizes will be shipped after the Challenge is over.

Wanna see my Week 1 Project???

Tricia’s Summer Challenge Week 1 Make

I’ve always wanted to make Cabin Fever by Running Doe Quilts for VRD. Log Cabin quilts are some of my many favs so when I hatched the Summer Challenge, I just knew I had to make Cabin Fever……finally.

A woman holds a colorful quilt titled 'Cabin Fever' in front of a rustic wooden backdrop, showcasing its vibrant patterns and designs.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

And since it’s summertime as well as the 250th birthday of the USA, I simply had to use patriotic fabrics, of course. LOL!

Sooooooo, here’s my Patriotic Cabin Fever!

A colorful patchwork quilt featuring red, blue, and white fabrics with floral and star patterns, displayed outdoors against a grassy field with trees in the background.

I think it turned out really cute and I plan to hang it in the living room over the sofa just as soon as I get a chance to do it.

And here’s a fun photo I just had to take on my cute little red Jeep Compass. It was a perfect day with the gorgeous summer sky and fluffy clouds, about 75 degrees. And all the green in the background. Welcome to NW PA!

A colorful quilt displayed on the hood of a red car under a blue sky with fluffy clouds and green trees in the background.

I used a 100% cotton variegated red, white, and blue Aurifil thread to quilt it in my usual loopy design. The binding is a navy blue solid and I machine stitched it on. I think I’ve finally gotten the hang of that now – it saves me so much time these days, although I still like the look of hand-stitched binding better.

You might notice that my blue strips at the top and bottom are actually 2 similar blue prints sewn together in the center of the strip. I was using a collection of fat quarters and a couple pieces of coordinating yardage to make my Cabin Fever quilt. I didn’t plan out the fabric very well and then I ended up not having enough of 1 blue fabric to use for the top and bottom, so I improvised. I ended up piecing 2 very similar fabrics to make the strips long enough for the top and bottom of the quilt. But, you know what? I think it turned out pretty well and it looks intentional, not random.

How about a tutorial for Cabin Fever?

VRD Cabin Fever Quilt Tutorial

I started with a leftover collection of Moda Star Spangled FQs plus a few coordinates as you can see here. But my blue FQs weren’t complete as I’d used some of them in another porject.

A collection of folded fabric pieces featuring various patterns, including polka dots and stars, in red, white, and blue colors, arranged on a cutting mat.

I started with the center square. I cut my pieces as I sewed, do likewise of you want. Or you can cut everything out at once before you begin sewing. You could even cut multiple quilts out at once.

I chose this really pretty light floral print for the center because I didn’t want it to be a quilt that necessarily screamed patriotic, but I wanted my quilt to be patriotic. Does this make any sense at all?

A square piece of fabric with a floral pattern featuring red, blue, and white flowers on a light background, placed on a cutting mat.
A rotary cutter positioned on a red polka dot fabric square, with a transparent ruler placed over it, resting on a cutting mat with grid lines.

Then I sewed the red strips to the top and bottom of my floral square.

A patchwork fabric piece featuring a floral pattern with red and blue flowers on a cream background, bordered at the top and bottom with solid red fabric with white polka dots.

Time to cut and add the side strips next.

An arrangement of red, white, and blue fabric pieces, featuring floral patterns and star designs, placed on a cutting mat.
A quilt square featuring a floral print center surrounded by red and blue patterned borders with polka dots and stars.

Next up are top and bottom strips. You’ll notice that the strips get wider for each top/bottom or sides round. I think that’s part of the magic in this pattern. Going bigger means less strips and less piecing to get to the desired size which translates into a faster project. Yay!

A patchwork of colorful fabrics, including red, blue, and white patterns, showcasing floral designs and polka dots arranged on a cutting mat.
A patchwork quilt design featuring red, white, and blue fabrics with floral patterns and stars, arranged in a rectangular layout.

Side strips again. This quilt is coming together really fast!

A close-up of colorful fabric squares, featuring a mix of red and blue patterns including checks, floral designs, and stars, laid out on a cutting mat.
A colorful quilt block featuring a mix of red, white, and blue fabrics with various patterns including polka dots and floral designs.

Last, but not least are the final top/bottom strips. This is where I ran into trouble. LOL! I wanted dark blue at the top and bottom, but I didn’t have enough of a single fabric. So, I improvised by piecing 2 similar fabrics together for the top/bottom strips. I took a few extra minutes to line up the center seams so they matched and looked intentional. And I flipped the bottom strip so the same fabric wasn’t on the same side. I think it turned out pretty well in the end.

A close-up view of three fabric pieces, featuring a blue fabric with white stars, a solid blue patch, and a floral print in red and white, arranged on a cutting mat.
A colorful quilt top featuring a central floral pattern, surrounded by varying patterns of red, blue, and pink fabric.
A handmade quilt displayed on a wall, featuring a patchwork design with red, white, and blue fabrics, surrounded by a blue border.

Voila! The finished quilt top!

A colorful quilt featuring red, white, and blue fabrics with various patterns, displayed on a white wooden wall. A vase of fresh flowers and a decorative star are placed on a wooden table in front.

I hope you’ll give this fast and fun small quilt a try sometime. It really is a great summer make. It is a super wall quilt (I’ll show you when I actually get it up on the wall) or a wonderful table quilt – perhaps for a summer picnic – or as a lovely quick baby quilt. Use your stash or use it as an excuse to go shopping at your local quilt shop.

Next week for Week 2 of our Summer Challenge is a TOTE BAG. We have 2 different VRD tote bag patterns to chose from: Olivia Jane or Tabitha Jane. Olivia Jane uses 5″ Charm squares while Tabitha Jane uses FQs.

Here’s a fun tutorial for Olivia Jane where I show you some of the adaptations you can add to your Olivia Jane tote.

Image showcasing three views of the Olivia Jane Charm Square Patchwork Tote, featuring colorful patchwork designs and information about tote construction using 18 five-inch squares.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Promotional poster for a reversible tote bag by Tabitha Jane, featuring four colorful bags with different patterns, fabric requirements, and construction details.

Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE

Well, that’s it for me this week!

Enjoy your Small Project Summer Challenge sewing and I’ll see you next week right here!

Sew. Laugh. Repeat.

Always,

Tricia @ VRD