GAME ON! MONTH 4

Game On! is the 2026 Block of the Month quilt designed by Becky Goldsmith exclusively for THE QUILT SHOW: find Game On! information here. Join as a Star Member to get all the patterns and all the videos FREE. Membership is just $49/year and provides access to over 18 years of shows and tremendous additional content. Join HERE

This month we move on to the narrow borders. Becky has used a classic triangle block in a unusual way:

The only cutting change I made was to the white background triangles. Instead of cutting rectangles 2" x 4.5", I cut them 4" x 4.5", in pairs, wrong sides together. Cut them into half triangles starting about 1/2" from the upper left to lower right. This puts close to straight of grain on the outside edge rather than bias:

If using a fabric with a motif you want to center it takes a bit of effort to figure out how to cut it. My  Zebra was carefully fussy cut so it was centered but I forgot about the triangle shape. Here you can see this won't fit without chopping off important parts: 

                                                            

I cut a second Zebra and he fits better though he has lost his hind end: 

The rotation of the blocks just wasn't my favorite so I tried an alternate layout. My original plan to have all the points facing out would have put a lot of bulk at each seam so I tried this instead. It's still fun and different, just not as different as Becky's. This will go on the PRINTS KIT version when I get that made:

For my SOLIDS KIT version I designed a completely different paper pieced border. Let's call it BB's Border. Here it is on the left:

You are welcome to use it if you like. It is simple to draw--I won't be providing it already drawn. This works well using freezer paper so you only need 2 patterns for speedy sewing. Or you can use vellum or newsprint.

Start by drawing a 3" square, add seam allowances all around to have a 3.5" pattern. Draw a line from the top left corner to the lower center. Draw a line from the bottom right corner to the top center. Connect the top center to the left line, connect the bottom center to the right line. That's it, you have your pattern.

Because these are sewn as reverse mirror images, half have blue on the left and half have green on the left. I simply wrote those two colors on the paper--make 6 of each:

Cutting sizes are:

A1-- center diamond 2.25" x 3.75" (3.5" would work but I like insurance) Cut 12

A2 -- white triangles Strip 2.5" x WOF folded in half will make the 24 equilateral triangles needed, the photo below shows just a small strip of fabric to show the process. Start with a 60 degree cut on the end and alternate those cuts all along the strip. Cut 24

A3, 4 --outer colors, 3.5" 4.5" cut in pairs, wrong sides together, 3 pair of each color, blue and green in my sample. Cut these exactly as shown in the diagram above for the original pattern:

This border has to be 36.5" including seam allowances when complete so it fits the center medallion. The best way to be sure it will be correct is to check as you go. After sewing 6 pairs, check that each is now 6.5" long. You want to find the mistake as soon as it happens, not when the border is done and is too long or too short:

BB’s Border

My variation of Becky’s Border

Then join the pairs into fours--check them--they should be 12.5" long. Join the three sections and check one more time. If the border is 36.5" long you are good to go! Add it to the left side of your center.

The other project for this month is one of the 4 larger corner blocks. I followed the SOLIDS KIT fabrics exactly with no other changes. Set this aside until later when needed:

If you are a symmetrical kind of person, as I tend to be, you can make each of the narrow borders the SAME. It's YOUR quilt, YOU get to decide. For my PRINTS  version that is what I am doing. This is the border we do in MONTH 5, and is one of my Favorites:

Next month we make the top narrow border and another of the larger corner blocks.

I look forward to seeing your progress on the FORUM

Let's quilt.

Barbara

STUDENT WORK

I am always delighted to see Student Work. Sometimes I get photos by email, sometimes finished projects are brought to class and sometimes I see them hanging in quilt shows.

These quilts were all on display at the recent Heritage Quilters of Huntsville Show: 

FULL CIRCLE is a Wendy Williams pattern that requires many class hours to teach. Three years ago I taught it locally as a 5 day Seminar Workshop--Ben and Lisa were both in that class. I love their work. 

Here are two more Full Circle quilts from the class I taught in 2024 at Empty Spools Seminar in California:

Mollie's

Anne's 

I am happy to announce I will be teaching this one more time at Empty Spools Seminars February 28-March 5, 2027. Registration opens in June 2026 and if last time is any measure, it will fill quickly. It is the perfect 5 day class, filled with so much to learn. Here is my version:

More quilts made by students:

SOUTHERN SUPER STAR, my go-to giveaway quilt, made by Donna D

CHARMING SAMPLER, top by Suzie W, quilted by Lois K

TWO-FOR-ONE, king size, by Caren Q.

TWO-FOR-ONE, king size

TWO-FOR-ONE, unusual color combination

TWO-FOR-ONE, love these sherbet colors

King Size completed top from LOVE YOUR LAYOUT class

ANTIQUE ROSE STAR

WESTERN SUN, Cyndi R.

FEATHERED STARS

FEATHERED STARS

FIVE EASY PIECES, by Susie F.

My most recent class was CHARMING SAMPLER at Southern Charm Quilting here in Huntsville. Six hours of sewing little 3" blocks provides the opportunity to learn a lot of techniques in just one day. All 19 Students did great and most were tired at the end of the day. A few of them were true beginners:

Lori Q did a super job with her bright fabrics--she learned to like little blocks!

I will end with these: MY FAVORIITE THINGS, my original pattern design using some of my favorite blocks. This was a 6 month, LECTURE/DEMO class: we met for two hours once a month, I demonstrated the sewing for that month's work, students brought the previous month's work, and each person made their own version. Students gave each other ideas for fabric/color choices, I showed how to improve all their piecing, it is a great class--I loved teaching it. All their sewing was done in the comfort of their own home.  

Learn how to combine blocks, with sashing/spacers, create different borders, and you can make any pattern your own. I may offer this again locally in 2027. It can't be taught in one 6 hour class as most guilds hire me to do, there is too much to learn. Meeting as a group over several months has the added bonus of creating new friendships too. 

MY FAVORITE THINGS, by Cyndi R.  

MY FAVORITE THINGS, by Holly R.

MY FAVORITE THINGS, by Kathy T.

MY FAVORITE THINGS, by Phyllis L.

MY FAVORITE THINGS, by Sally R.

MY FAVORITE THINGS, by Suzanne 

All my current classes are listed above in the WORKSHOPS tab. My TEACHING CALENDAR tab above lets you know what I am teaching and where. 

2026 is about full and I am being careful not to overbook 2027. That will allow more time to teach locally. So, if you want me to come to your guild, now is the time to reach out and let's get it on the schedule.

NOTE: if I have featured your quilt here and not identified you, PLEASE let me know so I can remedy that!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

OLIVER'S BIG BOY BED BLANKET

We recently had the pleasure of a visit with almost two year old grandson Oliver who lives in Nashville. He is cute, smart, kind, a great eater and sleeper and just FUN to be around. The  two older grandkids, 10 year old Stella and 7 year old Sam got to come for dinner and a visit, we are always happy to see them--they are busy kids and even though they live 30 minutes from us, we don't get to see them very often.  Facetime is a blessing for grandparents and grandkids. Having them all together was a good time for all:

Because I will be traveling when his 2nd birthday party happens, I decided to get his gift ready early. This is Oliver's Big Boy Bed Blanket:

 

I saw an ad either on Facebook or Instagram and wondered if it was really as good as it looks. You never know. But after seeing it for a couple weeks I bit the bullet and ordered it. 

It's about 58" x 68", minky fabric both top and bottom, and really cute. It is called the ABC HIDDEN PICTURES QUILT PANEL from Block Party Quilt Company. I ordered their minky for the back as well. It came fairly quickly. 

Find the information here: Block Party Quilt Co.

I simply cut the top and back the same size, placed them right sides together, stitched a half inch wide seam all around the "sandwich", leaving a 10" opening for turning. There is no batting inside, just two layers of minky, so soft and cuddly. 

After turning the "blanket" right sides out, I hand stitched the opening closed. Then I quilted inside the outer edge about 1/2" to make it look like a binding. I quilted around the border separating the pictures from the words. Then I simply quilted a line between each long vertical row of pictures. This was enough. Minky is slippery and there are a few puckers on the back. I decided against going across each horizontal row too as that would only create more puckers.

It washed and dried great, no problems with that. All in all, I was satisfied with it. And the whole thing was done in less than two hours.

Oliver loved it. Did I say he's smart? He quickly picked out the tractors, dump trucks, cats, boots, etc. I hope he enjoys using it on his big boy bed. 

Giving gifts like this is what quilting grandparents do. It was fun to make and I can recommend this product so far. I don't think the colors will fade very much over time. It's not an heirloom meant to last forever, just a gift of love I hope Oliver will enjoy for a few years.

Let's quilt.

Barbara