The forecast for today is sum-sum-summertime with a strong chance of quilting! SEW much to do today, so let’s get started.
Before we jump into this week’s Quilt Design adventure, though, I want to share a fun SNEAK PEEK with you from our friends over at QT Fabrics. You might recall that VRD has been working closely with QT to pair their new fabric collections with our patterns. Here is our latest collaboration:
These upcoming fabric collections are being shown to quilt shops right now and will ship in late 2025/early 2026. If you see something you like — ask for the collection (and VRD patterns, of course) at you local quilt shop.
Churn Dash Challenge Winner
As part of my Quilt Design series last week, I offered up a challenge to you – see what you could do with the Churn Dash block.
First, I want to thank those of you who shared your ideas, creations, blocks, and quilts.
And the winner is………………………..
Lisa from KY
Lisa won with her charming Churn Dash quilt, below, featuring multiple sizes of her Churn Dash blocks with the added fun of novelty farm panels and prints inside each block. Way to go, Lisa!
Log Cabin Inspiration
Folks were really inspired by last week’s Courthouse Steps block quilt design party and suggested we stay in the Log Cabin zone. Thank you for those suggestions, but I want to keep addressing different kinds of blocks to maximize your inspiration when it comes to designing quilts. There are entire books written about Log Cabin blocks and quilts and a few blog posts just can’t do the topic justice, I am afraid.
In lieu of more Log Cabin blocks, here is a short list of Log Cabin books for you to explore. I tried to choose a variety to show you here on the blog, but believe me – there are tons more out there just waiting to inspire your next Log Cabin quilt.
After enjoying your Log Cabin comments and quilt photos, it occurred to me that I have not done a Star block yet……..so today’s the day!
The Sawtooth Star Block
I chose an oldie, but a goodie for today – the Sawtooth Star.
Sawtooth Star is known by many names and has a lot of different variations. Apparently, it first appeared in print in the 1880’s or 1890’s in popular publications such as Farm and Fireside Magazine as well as in the Ladies Art Company catalog in 1895. The Sawtooth Star block was block # 5. Like most quilt blocks, however; Sawtooth Star blocks were probably being made long before they ever appeared in print.
Here is our classic 2 color Sawtooth Star block.
So, let’s make a quilt. Here are 20 blocks set side by side. This makes a lovely classic 2 color quilt, but of course we’re not going to stop there.
Here it is with sashing in between the blocks. Again, super classic. I do like how the sashing gives the stars room to breathe, plus this layout would be a lot easier due to not having to match up all those points. Win, win….
Let’s go back to our block and tweak it a little bit, shall we? Let’s change the solid center block into an Hourglass.
Here are the blocks set side to side. I find it interesting that I’m not seeing the stars so much now, but rather, all the triangles seem to jump out at me now. And I see “V” shapes, too. Huh.
Let’s tweak the block again by adding Half Square Triangles (HSTs) in the 4 corners.
Okay, now let’s set the blocks side by side in a quilt. Wow! There is so much more movement – almost to the point of being distracting. Really cool, though.
Let’s add a 3rd color to the blocks now.
Here is the same layout as above, but with the added 3rd color. It looks totally different and not as dizzying.
What if we add sashing again? Cool – we now have a Shoofly block where the sashing square meets the blue HSTs – this adds a lot of interest to the design. Liking this, but not quite there yet. Let’s keep tweaking.
I think the blocks look a bit heavy, so I’m going to lighten them up a bit by changing the inner blue triangles back to white. Yep, liking this one more.
It’s a bit too vertical for me, though, so let me make one more tweak by alternating the direction of the blocks. Yes, I think that does it. This one’s a wrap!
But wait – I’m not done yet. I’m having way too much fun to stop now. Let’s go back to our block and tweak it a bit more by adding blue triangles on the sides only.
Here’s our updated block set side to side in a quilt. You totally lose the star block, don’t you? I like the horizontal repetition of the triangles, too.
Let’s add fabric! Here it is using the QT fabrics from American Tapestry again. Love it, yet……
One more tweak……let’s rotate every other block. Yup, that’s the one. Finished. Great movement – I can’t even see the stars now, can you?
Do you remember where we started? A classic 2 color Sawtooth Star.
YAY! This has been another fun quilt design adventure! Sew glad you came along.
If you’ve missed any posts in our Quilt Design Series so far, you can catch up below:
Are you ready to play with another quilt block? Yippee! Me too. This really is SEW much fun for me to do and I think it’s also helping me to think more “outside the box.” I’ve definitely noticed more designs popping into my head lately. 🙂
If you’ve missed our Quilt Design Series so far, you can catch up:
I was a little disappointed that no one was brave enough to suggest a quilt block in the comments on last week’s blog post. Please consider letting me know what your favorite block is or another block suggestion to design with as I’m planning to do this mini series on designing for a few more weeks. Do you really want me to have all the fun of picking out all the blocks?
So I asked my quilty pal, Mary Lee (Hey Mary Lee!) for a block suggestion. She thought for a few seconds and then suggested either Churn Dash or Courthouse Steps. I thought both were good options. Churn Dash (image 1, below) is another Nine Patch variation while Courthouse Steps (image 2, below) is a variation of a traditional Log Cabin block. Because we’ve already done 2 Nine Patch blocks, I zoomed in on her Courthouse Steps suggestion and immediately began to wonder what we could do with it.
Image 1 – Churn Dash block, also known as Hole in the Barn Door and Monkey Wrench
Image 2 – Courthouse Steps block
Homework!
Since I’m going to focus on the Courthouse Steps block today, I’m assigning all of you readers “homework” — see what you can do with the Churn Dash block (image 1, above).
You can share your “homework” on our Facebook Page, in the comments (although I’m not sure if you can upload images), or you can email them to me at tricia@villarosadesigns.com.
I’d love to share your ideas on next week’s blog or upcoming posts if we have a big response. I hope you will take a little time and play – er, I mean design a quilt – along with me. Hand drawn, EQ, or Adobe images are great, please use a .jpg or .pdf format atat no more than 300 dpi.
Who knows????? There might even be a prize or 2…. US and International friends can play along, so go get started – right after you finish reading this post, that is.
The Courthouse Steps Block
Let’s learn a bit about the Courthouse Steps block. As I mentioned earlier, it’s a variation of a Log Cabin block. According to Barbara Brackman in the Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns, it was originally called White House Steps and appeared in print circa 1890 in the first Ladies’ Art Company catalog, which included 272 patterns. White House Steps was block #221. Of course, that doesn’t mean the block just suddenly appeared in the 1890’s. rather, that was the first known version in print. Quilters may have been making the block much sooner than the 1890’s.
White House Steps block
Courthouse Steps block
The Courthouse Steps block we are familiar with today uses color a bit differently than the White House Steps version, above. Interestingly enough, “Courthouse Steps” isn’t even mentioned in Barbara Brackman’s book. I wonder if it’s a regional term used for the block? Does anyone know this block by another name? Just curious. I did find the block in Electric Quilt 8 software (which is based on Barbara Brackman’s book), but it is considered a foundation pieced block and does not include any historical information.
Doing a quick Internet search, I discovered a post on Suzy Quilts about Courthouse Steps blocks with a touch of history and wonderful examples of Gee’s Bend quilts. Check it out HERE.
Alright! Ready to get designing???
The Courthouse Steps Block
So, here’s our block again. Take a good look at it – what do you see? A central square with rectangles radiating from the center square both horizontally and vertically. That’s it! Simple, but very effective, very geometric, and very graphic.
Courthouse Steps block
Let’s put the blocks side by side with all of the blocks going the same direction. Okay, this is fun. And it would make an awesome scrappy quilt, wouldn’t it?
Let’s turn the blocks sideways and see if we get something different. Pretty much the same thing, just different direction.
Let’s alternate every other block next. Huh. Better. Definitely more movement in this one, wouldn’t you agree? I almost detect a bit of a curvy look happening, which is interesting with a square block.
Now I think I’d like to see what happens when I group the blocks in 4’s. That’s interesting.
Let’s add fabric to see what happens, shall we? I’m using Lori Holt’s warm and homey Riley Blake collection, Autumn. I can almost smell the apple pie…..
I want to tweak the blocks one more time. In this example, I turned alternating rows which then gave me an interesting boxed effect in rows 2 and 4.
Whoah! Stop the bus! Here was the basic idea behind my VRD Rose Card pattern, Boxed In (hence the name), although it’s not totally the same. I wasn’t even thinking about any of our VRD patterns when playing with Courthouse Steps, but – there it is. LOL!
Get your digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE
Okay, let’s go back to our Courthouse Steps block and tweak it a little bit by changing the width of some of the rectangles. I left the side rectangles the same, but I made the top and bottom rectangles narrower.
Let’s use the first setting from above to see how the blocks plays in a design. I really think this looks pretty cool and it reminds me of paper lanterns.
Let’s tweak the color a little bit. Again, I’m using a couple prints from Lori Holt’s Autumn collection. WOW! What a mod yet classic 2 color quilt! Love it!
Cool! Check out this block arrangement! It’s the same layout as our previous 2nd design, above.
Hmmm. I just don’t feel that’s it totally complete yet, so let’s add another fabric to see what happens. In this example, I’m using some lovely Hoffman 1895 Watercolors batiks. Love it!
Just….one….more….tweak. As you can see, designing a quilt can get kind of addicting. Yup. But, I think you’ll agree with me that this is the final design. I changed the block directions a bit, changed the black centers to grey, changed the black background to a light grey and added more fabrics from Hoffman.
I think it’s perfect now.
There’s not much else I can say………except I’m very satisfied with this final design. Seriously. Sometimes it takes just one more try to get where you want to. And I’m not just talking about quilt design, you know.
What would you do to tweak the Courthouse Steps block to create your own design?
Don’t forget to do your homework for next Thursday! I’ll see what I can find in the prize department while you play with the Churn Dash quilt block to see what you can come up with.
In a few days, it will be officially summer! This got me thinking about a music lyric: “Summertime and the living is easy” and I decided to find out a little bit about it. So here I go down the rabbit hole for a few minutes. LOL! I discovered the lyric is from the song Summertime from the opera Porgy and Bess by Gershwin which debuted in 1935. It was originally sung by Abbie Mitchel.
I can hear the song in my head, but I’m not sure who sang the version I am most familiar with because apparently, tons of artists have sung it over the years. Yikes! Here is a wonderful version by Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong. Enjoy!
Here’s to a little “Summertime and the living is easy” for all of us.
I was planning to do a fun summer tutorial for this week, but I have been using my sewing time to work on new July VRD patterns for you instead.
Let’s talk about Block of the Month (BOM) projects, instead.
Have you ever participated in a BOM? Have you finished them? The reason I ask is that over the years, I’ve not only participated, but I’ve organized BOMs and I must admit I haven’t finished all of them.
Each month, Lauren selects a block from each book. One block is easy and the second block is more advanced. We have the option to make one block each month or both of them.
My favorite part of the BOM is that at our meeting, when Lauren presents the 2 new block each month, someone reads the letter that accompanies each block aloud to the group. As a former children’s librarian, I really LOVE that concept – story time for adults! YAY! Last month, I was the guest reader, which was so lovely as I hadn’t read aloud for a long time. Sure, we all know kiddos enjoy being read too, but so do adults. Maybe you’ll incorporate this idea into one your guild programs.
Each month we bring our completed blocks to the guild meeting and put them up on the wall so everyone can see each other’s blocks. I am always very excited to see everyone’s blocks side by side. It’s really interesting to see how people interpret a block pattern in their own unique way using their own fabrics.
So I thought we’d do the same thing on the blog today. It can be quite inspiring as well as a learning experience to see different people’s versions of the same pattern. I’m going to share with you my blocks, Robin’s blocks, and Mary Lee’s blocks. BIG shout out to Robin and Mary Lee, my quilty pals, who were okay with sharing their blocks with you.
Block 1: Simple Blessings from The Civil War Diary Quilt (Easy)
Block 2: Sun Rays Quilt from The Farmer’s Wife Homestead Medallion(Advanced)
Block 3: Bitter Enemy from The Civil War Diary Quilt (Easy)
Block 4: Star in the Window from The Farmer’s Wife Homestead Medallion (Advanced)
Block 5: Yankee Papers from The Civil War Diary Quilt (Easy)
Block 6: Church from The Farmer’s Wife Homestead Medallion (Advanced)
Unfortunately as of posting, Mary Lee hadn’t made her 7 and 8 blocks yet.
And here’s where things start to get interesting – look what happens with Robin’s and my blocks. Up until now, we were all following the block instructions, but things change with block 7. Robin continues to create her blocks following the instructions, but I begin adapting the blocks so that they blend better with my other blocks.
Block 7: Puss in the Corner from The Farmer’s Wife Homestead Medallion (Easy)
Block 8: Southern Flags and Patriotism from The Civil War Diary Quilt (Advanced)
Let’s take a look at each person’s group of blocks so far. Now you’ll be able to not only see the color scheme, but also the theme.
Mary Lee is using her stash of Daiwabo fabrics for her blocks to create a classy understated elegance. (Daiwabo fabrics are Japanese taupes.) Although each block has its own group of fabrics, the fabrics are repeated in more than one block for a lovely cohesion.
Robin is using a great collection of Civil War fat quarters for her blocks to create a traditional 19th century look. I just love how she uses the lighter busy prints as backgrounds, don’t you?
Me, I’m using a big bag of blue and cream scraps with some additional fat quarters to add variety for my blocks. It definitely has a Modern Farmhouse feel going on, I think.
We have 2 more months of blocks in order to complete the set of 12 BOM blocks for the guild. Then it will be time to figure out how we want to lay them out and complete them because how we finish the blocks is completely up to each of us. I have a pretty good idea right now as to what I want to do, but that could change based on the upcoming blocks. I think completed quilt tops using our BOM blocks will be a post coming down the road so you can see how our projects turned out.
Here we are at the end of May following Memorial Day and the “unofficial” beginning of summer and I’m still waiting for spring to stick around for more than a couple of days in row here in NW PA. We actually did have 2 nice dry days in the 60s/70s but now we’re back to cold and rain again. It’s been a real challenge to get the lawn mowed and keep it that way, not too mention getting my small gardens shipshape all while dodging rainstorms and cold temps. Most likely, at the rate we’re going, summer will just land suddenly with hot weather out of nowhere. Sometime in December. 2035. I personally prefer a gradual build up to summers and winters, however; Mother Nature sure has her own agenda these days.
I thought it would be fun to talk about magical 2.5″ squares today. If you read last week’s post about my shop hop around Chicago with Pat following the H&H Show, you may have noticed I bought quite a few 2.5″ Mini Charm Packs (see my photo below). And you might have wondered what the heck I was going to do with all of that eye candy besides tucking them away or dropping them into a canning jar on a shelf to look sew adorable.
Here’s a recap from last week’s post showing my goodies from our Chicago shop hop. Note the pile of Mini Charm packs.
A Little Background
I suspect you know all about 5″ Charm packs and how much fun they are (whether you actually use them or you just collect them), so let’s start there and backtrack our way back to 2.5″ Mini Charm Packs.
Moda Fabrics is responsible for gifting us with the 5″ Charm Pack, which contains on average 40-42 5″ squares of fabric from a single collection. Thank you Moda! Of course, many fabric companies also offer 5″ square packs and each company calls their 5″ pack by a different name because “charm packs” are synonymous with Moda, even though as quilters, we use the term “charm packs” to describe pretty much any 5″ pack manufactured by any fabric company. Yep, it’s all a little’s a bit confusing.
Hey! Here’s a fun little tidbit perfect for Jeopardy – Moda coined the phrase “Charm Pack” as a nod to Charm Quilts of the past. A true Charm Quilt was said to contain no duplicate fabrics and quilters often exchanged squares of fabric with other quilters to have enough unique pieces to make their quilts. You can find an interesting historical article by Barbara Brackman HERE about Charm Quilts.
Are you wondering why I started out with 5″ square packs? It’s quite simple really, and includes a bit of math! Yay! MATH!
What is a 2.5″ square, but exactly 1/4 of a 5″ square. That means if you cut a 5″ square through the middle both vertically and horizontally, you get 4 – 2.5″ squares. There, I said it – math! (If you know much about me, you probably already know how much I love quilt math.)
It’s not completely clear who actually came up with the 2.5″ square pack idea, as several companies have been producing them for a long time, but Moda certainly comes to mind. I think all of the 2.5″ Mini Charm Packs I bought recently were from Moda. If Moda didn’t invent the whole 2.5″ idea, they are certainly the most well-known manufacturer of the 2.5″ Mini Charm Pack. Moda really was on the forefront of the development of precuts way back when with their Charm Packs, Jelly Rolls, Layer Cakes, Turnovers, Dessert Rolls, and more exploded onto the quilt scene.
Now that you know a little bit of background, let’s sashay our way back to those delightful 2.5″ squares.
2.5″ Mini Charm Pack Fun
So, you might be wondering what I do with with my 2.5″ Mini Charm Packs besides hoard them.
Here are some of my favorites:
EPP Hexies – of course! 2.5″ squares are perfect for using the English Paper Piecing technique to make hexies which I then use to make a variety of small projects (I make small projects because I just don’t think I have enough patience to make a classic
Pin cushions
Doll quilts
Table runners
Snack mats
Bags
As you can see, I do lots of different things with them. Maybe you do, too. If you love 2.5″ squares, please share what you like to use yours for in the comments. 🙂
If you haven’t tried EPP and you are interested in learning more, please check out the class offerings at your local quilt shop or look up some tutorials online.
But Wait – there’s MORE!
VRD even has some Rose Card patterns featuring 2.5″ squares! Did you ever doubt that for a second??? LOL!
I hope you enjoyed this list of fun 2.5″ square Rose Card patterns. Remember, VRD doesn’t charge shipping for patterns, so anytime is a good time to add a few more patterns to your collection. And don’t forget to join our Facebook Group and show off your VRD quilts and be inspired by the projects of others. Hope to see you there!
There was more I wanted to share with you last week about the H&H Americas Show, but I ran out of time. LOL! So I thought I’d continue with “the rest of the story,” as Paul Harvey used to say.
Right across from our VRD booth was the Oliso booth. I’m sure you know what Oliso is, right? They create really amazing irons for quilting that actually lift up so you won’t scorch your fabrics. Well, when I wasn’t busy talking to all the wonderful folks who stopped by our booth, I must admit that I was eyeing their gorgeous irons. They come in super yummy colors – pink, blue, yellow, and lavender.
At the end of the show, I just had to go over to their booth to chat and before I knew it – a brand new blue Oliso iron was going back home to Pennsylvania with me. Huh…. How’d that happen??? (Eye roll here.)
I haven’t taken her out of the box yet (yes, she is a “her”), but will be doing that very soon, I promise you. Just as soon as I find my pressing station – I seem to have lost it somewhere. Has anyone seen it?
I think a wild band of pixies tossed my sewing studio when I was in Chicago at the H&H Show. At least, that’s what I’m telling people.
Another fun thing I brought home was a bottle of Made By Hand gel lotion, made byMary Ellen Products, who is also the maker of Best Press. I’m looking forward to giving it a try – just as soon as I find it again. It’s supposed to help sore fingers and arthritis, too.
Breakfast
After the show was over on Friday, it didn’t take us long to pack up and head out.
The funny thing is, when I’d made my travel plans, I thought the H&H Show lasted longer than it actually did (found this out later), which accidentally gave Pat and I an extra day before we both headed back home in opposite directions on Sunday. So Pat suggested we go out to breakfast and on a shop hop on Saturday! Yay!
She totally had me at breakfast! And quilt shops – joy oh joy!
Let’s start with breakfast!
image from the website
We went to Gail’s Carriage Inn, which wasn’t far from where we were staying. Gail’s is known for their iconic “spuds” which is an omelet with your choice of fillings totally encased in hash browns. Is your mouth watering yet?
But wait! There’s more!
How about a duo of the lightest fluffiest buttermilk pancakes on the side?
Yup, that is exactly what I had for breakfast……….and leftovers for dinner. What can I say????? It was totally amazing! Pat had a lovely scramble and somehow managed to clean up her plate.
After dropping my leftovers back at the house, we were off on our Shop Hop adventure.
Sew on Central was right in the middle of everything in Evanston. Located in an active busy downtown, the shop had a bright and fun vibe. In fact, when we stopped in, there was a kids’ sewing class going on in the back of the shop. It wasn’t a huge shop, but it was a hive of activity and it totally made me smile. I even heard a Mom ask her kiddos if they wanted to sign up for sewing camp in the summer. How awesome is that??? What a way to bring new quilters into the world of quilting and sewing!
Quilter’s Heaven was a traditional quilt shop located in a shopping center in Northbrook. In addition to fabric and supplies, it featured sewing machines, long arm quilting services, and classes.
Linda Z’s was a really unique shop as it had been in business for over 50 years. The shop was 2 stories and even had an elevator with quilts hanging in it to enjoy (of course!) as you zipped up to the second floor or came down again – cool! This shop featured sewing machines as well as a large classroom for teaching – including classes in sit down long arm quilting. Wow! And did I mention the FABRIC???
Check out their rainbow batik wall below – the batiks even had their own room on the first level!
Amazing, right? The second floor had A LOT more fabric, including a selection of garment fabrics, too. I mention this because of the cosplay stuff at the H&H Show.
Warman Cozy (don’t you love the play on words???) is a wonderful quilt shop tucked into a quiet corner of the Ice House Mall in Barrington.
Right across the walkway was a really cool antique shop and we just had to stop in and admire the antiques for a few minutes before stepping into Warman Cozy. Warman Cozy was a bright and modern shop with a thoughtfully curated selection of modern fabrics along with lots of sample projects to inspire you. I certainly had too much fun in this shop. LOL!
I really enjoyed our Shop Hop, because not only did I get to drool over fabric, but I also got to spend time with Pat. And I added lots of fun stuff to my already-overflowing stash back in gool ol’ Pennsylvania. But, isn’t that the whole point of a shop hop – to buy fabric? Tehehe………..
Check out my shop hop goodies below. I found some great yardage along with fat quarters and a bunch of 2.5″ mini charm packs. Mini charms are hard to come buy in my area, so when I see them, I snap them up. I like to use them to make EPP hexies with. Of course, I have no idea what those hexies will turn into, though.
Now I need to get busy and and turn that beautiful fabric into finished projects. I wonder how long that will take?
I hope you get a little time to work on a new project this week, as well as an old one. I’d love to hear what you’re working on in the comments. 🙂
We have lots to cover this week, so let’s jump right in with both feet! Elf shoes are optional.
First up I’m going to share with you awesome, fast, and fun VRD Rose Card patterns you can whip up as last minute Holiday gifts. And after that I’ll share our NEW VRD Rose Card quilt patterns with you.
Fast and Fun Holiday Gifts to Make in a Hurry
Snack Mats
Snack Mats make great gifts all through the year! They are about 8″ x 14″ and are in between a place mat and a mug rug. We have 10 different designs right now, so you have lots of choices! You can make Snack Mats up in a wink x 2 because each pattern makes 2 mats at a time.
You can find all of our Snack Mat Patterns (digital and print) HERE.
Scarves
Did you know we have Rose Card patterns for super fun and fast quilty scarves??? Your pals will be truly amazed at both your creativity and your savvy gifting skills.
Here is Savannah Jane. It uses a collection of your favorite 5″ squares, so every scarf you make can be totally different, depending on the charm squares you choose. Hey! You can even raid your stash and make scrappy scarves — very economical. Or try some cozy flannel…..
Get your Savannah Jane Rose Card print pattern HERE.
LOVE this pattern! I’ve made several Savannah Jane scarves and they go together in a jiffy. Last year I even gifted the scarves, below, to my 2 nieces, Meg and Morgan.
BUT WAIT! THERE’S MORE!!
We have another scarf pattern just for you! Check out Inessa Jane, a fun and super fast Infinity scarf. You only need 1 yard of your favorite fabric! Easy peasy and done in a flash! While you’re making them as last-minute gifts, make one for yourself, too.
Place mats are a great way to make a statement on your table or on someone else’s. They go together quickly and you can get them wrapped and gifted in the nick of time for the Holidays.
Dinner Party is our newest place mat pattern — it’s part of our new 12 Quilts of Christmas pattern collection. 4 fat quarters make 4 coordinated place mats. Done before you can sing your favorite Christmas carol.
Get your Dinner Party digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE.
Let’s Eat! uses panel squares and coordinates, but you can use whatever fabrics your li’l ol’ heart desires! Wouldn’t these be adorable with Christmas fabric? Or Hanukkah fabric? Or Kwanza fabric? Maybe a set for winter with blue and white and lots of snowflakes? Anything goes with Let’s Eat!
Get your Let’s Eat digital pattern HERE or your print pattern HERE.
Petula Jane is a great place mat for friends and family who eat at their desks at work. This great easy-to-make portable place mat rolls up and secures with a tab and even has pockets for a napkin and silverware. This place mat will elevate your desk lunch and make you smile.
Surprised??? Yep, we’ve got Tote Bag patterns, too. Here at VRD, we’ve really got something for everyone when it comes to our Rose Card patterns. Totes make great gifts for just about anyone and it is fun to tailor the fabric choices to the person who will receive the bag. Did I mention they go together in a flash?
Here’s Tabitha Jane. All you need is 6 fat quarters! I bet you’ve got some of those yummy 6 fat quarter bundles tucked away in your stash — I know I do!
Below you can see my Olivia Jane tote. I had some happy blue and yellow charm squares and added a few coordinates. Didn’t it turn out cute?
Accessory Patterns
In addition to the scarves and tote bags, above, we have many other great small project VRD patterns. These patterns are great to have around when you need a quick little gift for someone.
You can find all of our VRD Accessory Rose Card print patterns HERE.
Table Runners
Table Runners are always a great gift to give and we have runner patterns that go together faster than you can whip up a batch of microwave fudge (okay, maybe not quite that fast, but still really quick). Okay, now that I’ve piqued your interest in fudge, here’s one of my favorite Easy Fudge recipes – 2 Ingredient Fudge.
You can find ALL of our table runner patterns HERE, but I’m going to showcase a few runners that you can make up in no time flat.
Get your Perfect Trio digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE
Get your Ripple Runner digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE.
Get your Season’s Greetings digital pattern HERE or print pattern HERE.
12 Quilts of Christmas
I wanted to include our new 12 Quilts of Christmas collection because the set of 12 patterns is a gift in itself — one that will provide the receiver with hours and hours of quilty pleasure. Or maybe you want to select some of these great projects to make and give as gifts. They are fast and fun, of course!
If you can’t get a project made in time for a quilty friend, why not gift her with the whole 12 Quilts of Christmas collection? You could even add the fabric ingredients for one of the projects as an extra something something. Just remember to get a set for yourself, too.
Get your 12 Quilts of Christmas print pattern collection HERE.
Now let’s take a look at our exciting NEW December patterns because new VRD patterns every month is like getting presents each and every month of the year from VRD!
NEW December Villa Rosa Designs Rose Card Patterns
Woohoo! Check out this month’s NEW Rose Card Patterns!
Exhibit and Sugar Cookies can handle printed panel squares or large prints with ease. Grab your fat eighths and fat quarters for Sorrento and Neenah. And Whiskers gives you a great pieced frame for those large 36″ panels.
One of my favorite things to do when I go anywhere is to be on the lookout for antique and vintage quilt blocks, fabrics, and other textile goodies. I haven’t talked much about my super secret life as a textile collector on the blog, so I thought today would be a great opportunity to share that side of me with you.
I started out as a collector and an appreciator of antique and vintage textiles long before I became a quilter, so those early roots in textiles are still with me and are actually pretty strong. Instead of a collector, though, maybe I should call myself a curator of my own textile museum. Yep, I really do have that many textiles in my possession. And I do really enjoy adding more to my antique and vintage stash whenever I can.
Sit back and enjoy my new playthings!
Hand-Crafted Santa
Here’s my adorable Santa made out of a couple circa 1870’s/1880’s quilt blocks. I don’t know if any of you have ever been to Una’s booth at Quilt Festival in Houston? She creates the most amazing Santas using antique quilts, tops, and blocks. This cutie is my second Santa. Last year, I brought home my first Santa, which was created from lovely indigo and white quilt blocks circa 1900/1910. I haven’t started my holiday decorating yet, though, so he isn’t out of storage yet. Now they will be good company for each other. And they are a fun addition to my textile collection, don’t you think?
Feed Sack Doll
Isn’t she a little darling??? She is from the 1930’s or 1940’s and was handmade by some sweet mama or grammy for a lucky child. The pink floral body is actually made out of a feed sack and the face/hair is hand-painted. I think she is in marvelous condition, considering she’s almost 100 years old now. I just love her chubby legs!
I found this little sweetie at Quilt Festival in my friend, Tenny’s booth, Tenny Roche’ Vintage. You can find Tenny on Facebook HERE or visit her Etsy shop HERE where you’ll find all sorts of intriguing vintage items.
I have a deep interest in feed sacks, having started seriously to collect them during the pandemic. I now have crates and crates of them — I just love these wonderful colorful patterns and colors! So what’s a girl to do with all those feed sacks?
Write a pattern showcasing them, maybe?
Yup, did that! I used lots of feed sack bits and pieces out of my vintage stash for the blocks in this runner. It was a really fun project! You can find the digital Nana’s Aprons HERE or the print Nana’s Aprons HERE.
WHat’s really exciting is that right now I’m getting ready to launch my second feed sack book, Volume 2, hopefully later this week. The first volume has over 1000 feed sack prints and designs while my new book will have another 1400+ prints and designs. Wow! And I’m just getting started on this very dear-to-my-heart project because I have lots more feed sacks to document.
Antique Quilt Blocks
At Quilt Market and Festival, one of the first things I like to do when I get the chance away from the VRD booth is to visit all of the antique quilt and textile vendors. They pretty much now all know me by name. LOL! I also scour flea markets, second hand shops, antique shops, etc. whenever I go anywhere in the hopes of finding more textile goodies. Here, I’ll show you what I found at Quilt Market and Festival as well as some from my Mom’s birthday trip to Ohio Amish country.
I’ve loved antique and vintage quilt blocks for a long time now — I started collecting them long before I ever actually knew how to quilt. I was totally hooked on learning to quilt once I saw how antique fabrics in garments made it into the quilts of the time. After that, I paired up my love of antique and vintage textiles with my love of quilting.
In fact, my very first quilt book was called Orphan Block Quilts, and I showed how I could feature both antique quilt blocks and modern quilt blocks in the same quilt design. If you’ve noticed my byline on my VRD patterns — Orphan Quilt Designs — my first book is what started the whole orphan quilt thing for me. That being said, I LOVE adding antique and vintage orphan blocks to my textile menagerie.
1920’s/1930’s Double Four Patch blocks1890’s-1910’s Nine Patches1930’s/1940’s Nine Patch blocks. The block in the center even has feed sack squares.
Humble quilt blocks like Nine Patches and Four Patches are some of my favorite blocks because they are often the first blocks a quiltmaker makes and boy, have I come across some delightful wonky blocks over the years that I suspect were early projects or rejects from quilters of the past. I love them all!
I wanted to show the Nine Patch block below all by itself because it has such wonderful fabrics in it. Can you guess how old it is (answer below the photo)?
I cannot pinpoint an exact date, but I would say second half of the 1800’s. The turkey red fabric really fascinates me — the colors are so bright. The center blue and brown stripe is also a very interesting fabric.
Indigo and white is probably the most classic color combination for quilts and I’m always on the lookout for them. I also really like indigo and double pink, so I am always happy to find those, too. Maybe someday I’ll put together a book filled with examples of antique and vintage indigo.
Scrappy quilt blocks are a lot of fun. Sometimes I shake my head at the fabric combinations quilters put together, but they also make me smile. Besides, the scrappier the blocks are, the more interesting they seem to be, particularly with their wonderful treasure troves of fabrics.
In opposition of the scrappy blocks above, below are some nice examples of organized blocks with thoughtful fabric choices.
Check out these cute Bow Tie blocks from 1890’s-1910’s. Red and black fabric combinations, like the block on the right, were very popular in the 1890’s and were sometimes called Garibaldi prints, which were named after Giuseppe Garibaldi, an important Italian leader who often wore a red shirt with a black kerchief, as did his men and followers.
I found a couple of very antique blocks that were truly orphan blocks because they were the only ones of their kind that I found. I know you will agree that they are pretty special.
The first Leaf block could actually date from 1840-1870. WOW! Do you see the little dots on the red fabric? Whatever metallic mordant used to dye the fabric actually ate through the colored dots, so where you see dots, they are actually tiny holes. Isn’t it quite fascinating that this little block has so much to say?
The second Monkey Wrench block is a traditional poison green (called poison green because it was originally dyed with arsenic — just a little bit of quilt history trivia for you) and double pink combination which was popular in the 1870’s. You can’t tell by the photos, but these blocks are only around 6 or 7 inches.
Another great find was a lovely set of signature blocks from 1935. Signature blocks have always been an interesting challenge to me because I like to actually research the names on the blocks.
I remember one time I had a stack of signature blocks and did the research only to find a living relative. The blocks were so much more meaningful to her than to me just as a collector and history buff, so I gave them to her. I imagine she probably finished then into a quilt to honor her mother, grandmother, mother in law, and other relatives and friends found amongst the embroidered names on blocks in the collection.
Another fun find was this great set of blocks from the 1940’s/1950’s, which I found at thePlaid Sheep Company shop in Berlin, Ohio. The fabrics are just so bright and colorful and busy, I can’t help but love them. And the blocks are really big, too, so I could actually turn the 18 blocks into a nice-sized quilt. Hmmm. Maybe.
I even found some stray redwork blocks at Quilt Market.
In Millersburg, Ohio on my Mom’s birthday trip, my sister found a a delightful children’s quilt with embroidered blocks in pink and blue. She messaged me a photo in case I was interested and the rest is history. Sun Bonnet Sue, Overall Sam, Cupie dolls, flowers, bears, dogs, and other motifs adorn this sweet quilt, below.
The last quilty treasure I have to share with you today is a tiny little doll quilt. I found this one in an antique mall in Berlin, Ohio. The maker dated the quilt on the back, but sadly there is no name, only an initial.
I hope you enjoyed taking a peek at some of my recent textile goodies.
That’s it for me! Take care and remember to label your quilts so someone someday can research you.
As I write this post, I am still in Colton’s Point, Maryland with 2 of my (I want to say oldest here, but I don’t mean ages, I mean the number of years we’ve known each other) quilty pals, Leslie and Cathey.
I must confess that I am having a wonderful time here! Colton’s Point is a very special hidden treasure right on the Potomac River, it’s about 1.5 hours from Washington D.C. and a couple hours from Baltimore. Of course, we’re not here during any festivals or events, so it’s been quiet and peaceful — 2 things I’ve been craving for quite a while now. Too bad Leslie and I are only visiting Cathey and her husband, Bryon for 4 days — 4 days is barely enough time to unzip my suitcase, let alone unwind completely. Then again, not sure I could ever truly unwind completely, even if I tried — I don’t think it’s in my nature. LOL!
It was about a 7 hour drive to get to Colton’s Point from northwestern PA. Of course, Leslie and I do not live in the same area anymore, so we met about halfway in between. My sister, Tracy, kindly drove me to meet Leslie and then we were on our way! I rode shotgun and Leslie drove. I totally could not believe her car was getting 48.3 miles per gallon on average! Wowzer!
Here is Cathey and Bryon’s adorable cottage (it’s bigger than it looks as it is quite deep). It has a wonderful beachy vibe and is very welcoming.
One of the coolest things about their home is that mere steps away from their cottage is Cathey’s lovely quilt studio. This is, of course, where we definitely will be spending A LOT of our time together on our little “quilt retreat.”
Don’t you just love her barn quilt out front??? Cathey brought it all the way from PA when they moved here.
It didn’t take the 3 of us long to settle back into sewing together, although it’s been simply ages since our last quilt retreat experience. We certainly had a lot of catching up to do!
I know I packed too many projects to bring with me, but I wanted to be prepared. And I really wanted to do some free motion quilting — I have way too many unfinished tops, or flimsies, right now — so I brought along 3 table runners and my Whirly Bird top from last week’s summer tutorial to machine quilt. If you missed the Whirly Bird tutorial, you can find it HERE. I also brought a challenge project for the 3 of us — I think I’ll talk more about this project in next week’s post, though — I also brought several quilt kits in case I had time to do any cutting and piecing.
Luckily, Cathey has the same model of machine as I do — a Janome 8900 — so quilting on her machine felt a lot like quilting on my machine, although no 2 machines ever feel quite the same. In fact, Cathey is the person who got me into Janome machines, when she bought her first Janome 6260, it was such a nice machine, I had to get one too. Later she upgraded to a 8900, and so did I.
Here I am sitting on Cathey’s studio front porch, just chilling for a few minutes.
Here is Cathey, working on cutting out some projects.
Here is Leslie working on a second version of a quilt she designed several years ago.
Here is the view from where I am sitting in front of Cathey’s 8900 while I machine quilting Whirly Bird.
I think I’ve mentioned before that Cathey is a quilter/designer and is the owner of Cathey Marie Designs.
And after a long hiatus from quilting when life happened, Leslie is getting back into quilting once again.
And you all know little ol’ me. LOL!
Cathey, Leslie, and I have all designed quilts for magazines, too.
We’ve been trying to figure out when we first met and Leslie thinks it was 2007. Both Leslie and Cathey were relatively new quilters when we met on a bus trip to Chautauqua Institution in New York for Quilting Around Chautauqua. Cathey and I had met in the summer when I was seated behind her on the bus for our local Shop Hop. It was both our first Shop Hop. Those meetings led to many Shop Hops and quilting road trips, along with some quilting retreats (and staying in a cottage at Chautauqua for Quilting Around Chautauqua with our quilty pal, Mary Lee — HEY MARY LEE!) sprinkled in for good measure. But as things happen, life got in the ways and over time we didn’t spend as much time together. How wonderful to spend 4 days together quilting, sewing, catching up, and eating (yep, who can forget eating??).
The Potomac River….and Quilts!
We walked down to the river just to take it in, but we didn’t have a lot of time to soak it all in, as thunder started to rumble in the distance and before we arrived back at the cottage, it had started to rain.
What really amazed me was how wide the Potomac is right here at Colton’s Point! I could barely see the land on the other side of the river (which just so happened to be Virginia). I tried to find out how wide the Potomac was at Colton’s Point but could only find that the widest section was around 11 miles across and that was farther down towards Chesapeake Bay.
Do you see the little island there on the right beyond the pier? That is St. Clements Island, which is where the first settlers to Maryland landed in the 1600’s. Of course, back then the island was something like 10 times larger!
You can find the St. Clement’s Island Museum Campus down near the river. And on the museum grounds is a lovely Little Red Schoolhouse, built in 1820. We were able to go right into the schoolhouse, which is used for school field trips and events. It was like stepping back in time to Little House on the Prairie……
As a former children’s librarian, I was thrilled to see a Little Free Library right outside the Little Red Schoolhouse!
The next day, Bryon kindly shepherded Leslie and I back to the river, this time out on a pier, to witness the sunset. I was a little apprehensive walking out on the boardwalk to the pier, but I really wanted to have a front row seat for the sunset. Mother Nature did not disappoint! Not at all! My, what a sight! We also went to see the sunset again Wednesday night.
Tuesday night’s sunset.
Wednesday night’s sunset.
And on Wednesday afternoon, I wandered back down to the pier for more photos, taking the 2 runners I quilted, Whirly Bird, and the Discovery top I had just completed (stay tuned for a Discovery tutorial next week).
Here is my Whirly Bird quilt from last week’s tutorial! I haven’t added the binding yet, but it still looks beautiful. Being down at the river was really peaceful — I felt like I was the only person in the world for a little while, which really was priceless. I felt like I could really breathe here.
Get your own print Whirly Bird HERE or digital Whirly Bird HERE.
Here are 2 of the 3 table runners I brought with me to machine quilt. The one on the right is Molly’s Amen runner and the runner on the left is a variation of Amen.
You can get your own print Amen HERE or digital Amen HERE.
And here is my Discovery quilt top. I did a couple photos down at the river, but I think the autumn colors looked better on the picket fence in front of Cathey’s cottage.
Get your print discovery HERE or your digital Discovery HERE.
Sadly, Leslie and I are heading home in the morning, but we will be back. Soon.
Just one more photo…………
Well, that’s it for me this week! Stop back next week for a final Summer Tutorial.
I knew I wasn’t going to have time to do a tutorial for this week because I’ve been working on a couple other projects for VRD, so I started brainstorming about a topic for today’s blog post. Then it occurred to me that I haven’t ever talked about how to incorporate quilts into your life. So it’s about time I explore how to do more than just stack ’em in a corner or toss ’em on a bed. Make yourself a cup of ice cold sweet tea and enjoy a little air conditioning while we delve into Living With our Quilts. Let’s get started!
11 Awesome Ways to Incorporate Quilts into Your Life
1. Embrace Cozy Comfort
Image by Moi
Yep, you CAN put quilts on every bed in your home. Did you ever have any doubts? LOL! Why not transform your sleeping spaces into havens of warmth and style? Quilts are versatile pieces of functional art — they provide comfort and add character to your bedroom!
Go ahead and experiment with different patterns and textures to create your very own unique inviting atmosphere that shows your personal taste. Consider layering quilts of varying weights so you can adapt to changing seasons, ensuring year-round coziness. Lightweight cotton quilts such as hand-stitched Indian Kantha quilts without batting offer breathability for warmer months while options with batting, fleece, and flannel can provide extra warmth during those chilly nights. Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors and designs to refresh your space — make it totally you.
2. Wall Art with a Personal Touch
Image by Moi
Why not embrace your inner quilter and transform your living spaces into vibrant galleries of memories and craftsmanship by showcasing your quilts as wall art? Quilts deserve to be admired daily, not just when adorning a bed so by displaying quilts on your walls, you can create a unique and personal display that tells your story and celebrates the art of quilting.
Consider rotating your quilt displays seasonally to refresh your home’s decor. You can even expand your creativity by exploring different hanging techniques such as decorative quilt hangers, shelves with attached quilt rails, or even tree branches (I personally love birch). What about suspending quilts from rustic wooden beams or even folding them over the rungs of a folksy wooden ladder for a charming farmhouse feel?
3. Snuggle Up in Style
Image by Moi
Isn’t it time to transform your living space into a haven of warmth and comfort by adding quilts? Quilts can add a touch of style to your decor but can also invite you to curl up and relax — isn’t that what we want in our living spaces? Drape a colorful quilt over your favorite armchair to create an instant reading nook, perfect for losing yourself in a good book on lazy afternoons.
Experiment with different textures and patterns to breathe new life into your space — a patchwork quilt (or 2…) can become a focal point or even the start of a new decor style. Why not try layering quilts, especially in the colder months of the year? Every chair or sofa in my living room has at least one quilt folded over the back — just sayin’…….
4. Outdoor Quilting Adventures
Image by Moi
Imagine the joy of spreading your quilt beneath a canopy of stars, or laying it out on a sun-dappled meadow for a perfect picnic. Outdoor adventures can offer unique and special ways to blend your passion for quilting with the beauty of nature.
Consider making weatherproof quilts, designed with durable fabrics and water-resistant backings and you’ll have trusty quilt companions for every outdoor escapade. Imagine the memories you’ll create when you add special quilts into the mix — the laughter of family and friends sharing stories over a picnic feast, or the quiet wonder of pointing out constellations to loved ones on a clear night. Quilts are so much more than simply a “blanket” — quilts can be a canvas for life’s precious moments.
5. Wrap Yourself in Memories
Image by Moi
Memory quilts are tangible pieces of history that can tell our stories. These one of a kind special creations allow us to preserve cherished moments, honor loved ones, and pass down our family legacies. Whether you’re a seasoned quilter or just beginning, creating a memory quilt can be a deeply fulfilling experience.
Have you ever considered making a photo quilt? You can transfer favorite snapshots onto fabric and incorporate your photos into your quilt design. Photo quilts bring your memories to life, allowing you to relive those special moments every time you wrap yourself in the quilt or look at that wall hanging. You can preserve your family’s story as a quilt and pass it down to the next generation.
You could also use clothing from significant events or people in your life to tell your story. Once you decide on a quilt design, you can add these cherished fabrics into a patchwork of nostalgia. For those looking to create a family heirloom, consider incorporating items like handwritten recipes, old letters, or even small trinkets into your quilt design. These personal touches add depth and meaning to your creation, making it a true treasure for generations to come.
Another idea for creating a quilt to remember a special event like a wedding or a birth is to make quilt blocks and have loved ones sign (and date) the blocks. Signers could even write sentiments, good wishes, or advice on the quilt blocks. The center quilt block can detail the information about the special event.
You could even incorporate multiple techniques to create your very own one of a kind unique memory quilt.
6. Quilted Fashion Statements
Image by Moi
Have you embraced the exciting world of quilted fashion yet? Quilted wearables are where tradition meets contemporary style! Quilt jackets are no longer just cozy comforts — they’ve become bold fashion statements. Quilted bags are must-have accessories, combining functionality with artistic flair.
Patchwork fashion even extends beyond jackets and bags. Quilted accessories like scarves, hats, and even shoes are pushing the boundaries of conventional style. These pieces not only keep you warm but also wrap you in wearable art that expresses your individuality. Don’t forget that by donning quilted fashion, you’re not just following a trend, you’re carrying forward a rich heritage of textile artistry into the modern world.
7. Cozy Up Your Workspace
Image by Moi
Transform your home office into a haven of creativity and comfort with the warmth of quilts! Quilts are pieces of art and can add a personal touch to your workspace as well as boost productivity by creating a welcoming atmosphere. Drape a colorful quilt over your office chair or even create a patchwork chair cover for an instant ergonomic upgrade and a pop of personality. Incorporate quilted desk accessories like mouse pads or keyboard wrist rests for both functionality and style.
Did you know that the textures and patterns of quilts can inspire innovative thinking and problem-solving? Go ahead and select designs that resonate with your work ethos – maybe geometric patterns for analytical tasks or floral motifs for creative endeavors. What about hanging a special family quilt on the wall as a reminder of your roots and motivation? Quilts can provide a soothing visual break during intense work sessions.
8. Kid-Friendly Quilt Spaces
Image by Moi
Often when people think of quilts, they think of a quilt for a new baby. Making a quilt for a new baby in the family is a good start, but there is so much more you can do to incorporate quilts into children’s spaces. Decorating with kid-friendly quilts in nurseries, bedrooms, and play spaces can create a warm, inviting atmosphere that sparks imagination and fosters learning.
Vibrant, colorful quilts featuring playful patterns and educational designs can be functional decor as well as interactive tools for young minds. Consider incorporating alphabet quilts that teach letter recognition or number-themed designs to introduce basic counting skills. For playrooms, opt for durable quilt materials that can withstand active play while adding a cozy touch to reading nooks or play areas. Quilts with scenes from favorite storybooks or featuring beloved characters can encourage storytelling and imaginative play. In nurseries, soft, tactile quilts with gentle textures and soothing colors can provide comfort and stimulate sensory development.
Don’t just stop at quilts, though! Show your quilting prowess with quilted toys, blocks, fabric matching games, stuffed toys and dolls and whatever else your can dream up.
9. Holidays and Seasonal Celebrations
Image by Moi
Enjoy every season and holiday with colorful quilts that turn your home into a festive haven. From cozy winter throws sprinkled with snowflakes to spring wall quilts bursting with flowers, quilts can capture the essence of each holiday and special occasion.
Imagine draping your Thanksgiving table with a richly-hued autumn runner, or surprising loved ones with personalized quilted stockings at Christmas. Or a red, white, and blue quilt to cuddle on and watch Independence Day fireworks? These thoughtful creations not only add warmth to your living spaces but also become cherished family heirlooms to be passed down through generations.
Celebrate life’s milestones with quilts — a baby’s first quilt, a graduation memory blanket, or an anniversary piece showcasing a couple’s journey — each stitch tells a unique story. These quilts aren’t just decorations; they’re expressions of love, care, and the artistry of human hands.
10. Quilted Sanctuaries
Image by Moi
Quilts have the power to change ordinary spaces into cozy havens of tranquility. By incorporating quilts into your home, you can create serene retreats that nurture both body and soul.
There are so many ways to use quilts to soften and soothe your world. Imagine a meditation corner with a soft earth-toned quilt, its intricate patterns serving as a focal point for mindfulness practice. Or picture a reading nook enveloped in a vibrant patchwork quilt, inviting you to lose yourself in the pages of your favorite book. Quilted room dividers offer a unique way to define spaces while adding warmth and texture to your environment.
11. Love Your Pets
Image by Moi
Don’t forget about those special furry, feathered, and scaly creatures sharing your space! You can share your quilty love with them, too!
Quilted patchwork coats, collars, and leashes are a must for your trendy companions. What about a soft and cozy bed for your pup or a cage cover for your feathered friend? Just like their people, every pet deserves their own quilt too. Patchwork diaper covers are perfect for indoor tortoise buddies (In case you didn’t know, there is a delightful tortoise in my family named Carl. He is my niece Morgan’s special companion. You might think it’s odd, but Carl is a house tortoise and wears diapers because you can’t exactly potty train a tortoise, hence the idea for quilted diaper covers.).
PSST! Here is Carl celebrating his 9th birthday earlier this year. You can find him on Facebook.
Quilts possess a unique ability to weave their magic into every facet of our lives. From adorning our homes with warmth and beauty to preserving cherished memories, quilts offer far more than mere comfort. They serve as a testament to human creativity, patience, and skill, connecting us to our past while inspiring future generations.
Whether you’re a seasoned quilter, just beginning on your quilting journey, or simply an admirer of these textile treasures, embracing the world of quilts can bring a sense of joy, accomplishment, and connection to your daily life. So, let the vibrant patterns, rich textures, and heartfelt stories of quilts envelop you and your living spaces, enriching your experiences in ways you never imagined possible.
I hope you enjoyed exploring ways to live with your quilts. Go ahead and spread some quilt joy through your world. You know you wanna……….
Summer is here! Let the good times roll! Get out there and soak up some sunshine! That’s an order!
Sorry….I know I said I was going to do a table runner tutorial this week, but I just had to show off the new Rose Card patterns for June and share my recent quilt show experience with you. We’ll save the table runner for next week, I promise.
What a special day — today is the Thursday after the first Friday of the month. And you know what that means!
Woohoo!
NEW PATTERNS!
New June VRD Rose Card Patterns
Yay! Here they are. Aren’t they fun? I don’t think you’ll go wrong with whichever pattern you chose to make first. They are all equally great.
Want a F-U-N way to get started on a summer quilt? Order a kit from VRD, of course! You can see all of our kit offerings HERE. In fact, some of the new patterns, above, still have kits available. They’re going fast, though, so get yours before they’re gone.
But wait! There’s more! (Sorry, it looks like I’m in an exclamation kind of mood today. I’m not really yelling at you, though, just excited.)
No table runner this month due to technical difficulties, but check out these cute little Buzzy Bee Snack mats! And no stingers, so you can enjoy them safely, even if you’re allergic.
Get your Buzzy Bee Snack Mat physical pattern HERE
Now that you’ve seen the new patterns for June, let me tell you about the quilt show I went to last week.
2024 HAAEQG Quilt Show
The HAAEQG stands for Hands All Around Erie Quilt Guild. It’s actually been a couple years since I’ve been to an actual quilt show, so when I saw the poster on Facebook, I was so ready for a huge inspiration shot in the arm. And I wasn’t disappointed. We filled up the car with my 3 crazy quilting cousins (I call them the Cuz Crew) — Kim, Robin, and Lisa — and me (Hi there Cuz Crew!). We headed to Erie, PA (about 30 minutes away) for a FART (Fabric Acquisition Road Trip). We found the church where the show was being help, but we decided to find somewhere to eat because I wasn’t quite sure whether there would be food at the show, but of course there was).
The church was a couple streets over from the medical center where I’ve been taking my Mom for her appointments, and we’d recently had a very good lunch at the neighboring hospital cafeteria. So when we ended up by the medical center and hospital, I suggested we eat at the cafeteria. Maybe you think that’s a little weird, but — hey — the food is good and you have a lot of options in the food court. Everyone was game, so off to the hospital cafeteria we went.
Yum! The food was great! 3 of us had hot turkey sandwiches with either real mash potatoes and gravy or a broccoli rice casserole and/or a lovely veggie mix. Wish I’d thought to take a photo of all that food for you, but I imagine drooling on your device wouldn’t be such a great idea, would it?
Yup, now we were all powered up for the Quilt Show and back to the church we went.
Would you believe one of the first quilts I saw was my VRD Rose Card pattern Sisterhood made up in a lovely calming neutral palette.
Here I am with that gorgeous Sisterhood quilt, made by MaryBeth Cook, a member of the HAAEQG.
Here’s the Sisterhood Rose Card pattern in case you can’t really get an idea of the actual design or if you haven’t added this top seller Rose Card to your collection. I love how the neutral shades really change the whole look of the quilt, don’t you?
I was so excited and couldn’t wait to share the news with my Cuz Crew, who had already started to wander. A guild member was nearby and heard me. She got really excited, too, and told me not to move so she could get her sister, who had made the quilt.
This is how I met MaryBeth Cook (Hey there, MaryBeth!). What a lovely way to meet a new quilting friend and VRD fan!
Here we are together, posing in front of MaryBeth’s gorgeous quilt, which she made for her daughter. Lucky daughter, indeed! I didn’t get to ask you, MaryBeth, but what drew you to the Sisterhood pattern?
Now, let me tell you about the quilt show. There were somewhere between 350-400 or so quilts on display in every style, technique, and color combination you could think of! They were amazing! I must admit that I was a real slowpoke looking at and photographing quilts. By the time I did a spot of shopping, the Cuz Crew were sitting and waiting for me. Sorry. Not sorry. Meeting MaryBeth, seeing her Sisterhood quilt, and oohhing and aahhing over all the quilts really made my day. My cuz, Robin, told me later that she hadn’t seen me smile so much for a long time.
There were 2 very cool things going on at the quilt show, in addition to the quilts, that made the show experience even more fun:
When you entered the show, you were given a sheet of paper with numbered lines on it for a Scavenger Hunt. Hidden amongst the quilts in the show were quilt blocks from an Underground Railroad quilt. The quilt was on display at the front table for reference. We had to write the correct quilt block name next to each number and then return the completed list to the table to register for prizes. What fun!
Throughout the show quilt blocks were lined up alphabetically depicting a quilter’s alphabet. It was a show within a show!
While I enjoyed each and every quilt, I took photos of some of my favs to make you a slide show. Please note that each quilt’s maker information/story is the slide following the quilt in my slide show.
Why do I include the maker information??? It’s important to share the maker’s name and story not only to celebrate the maker’s accomplishment, but also to acknowledge that they are the creator of that quilt.
So, grab a frosty glass of sweet tea and watch my little slide show full of quilts from the HAAEQG Quilt Show!
I hope you enjoyed seeing some of the wonderful quilts on display at the quilt show. I have been enjoying looking at them a few more times myself! There would have been more photos, but on many of them I jerked or moved which resulted in a smear of colors — pretty, but not identifiable as a quilt. Oops! Next time, I’ll take my time and take better photos. Uh Oh, Cuz Crew, I’ll be even slower next time. Just sayin’……..
Huh. Would you believe that I walked out without turning in my Underground Railroad Scavenger Hunt paper before we left? Oh well.
Sending out a big round of applause to the HAAEQG for the wonderful Quilt Show they put on! Look forward to the next one! You can check out HAAEQG on Facebook HERE.
I am now bubbling over with lots of great ideas for new quilts and patterns. Now I just have give myself the time to get to use all that inspiration for good, not evil (Waahaahaa!).
