PRODUCTION MODE

 So far this month I have completed 4 quilt tops and the month is not half over. Deadlines have a way of forcing production.

LUCKY STARS got off to a good start. I wrote about this project before: NEW HANDWORK PROJECT and LUCKY STARS PROGRESS. But I just wasn't feeling this quilt.  I LOVE swapping fabrics with my Sunday Sew and Sew friends. That continues. So, after making 4  blocks I called it  "DONE".

Here is the completed wallhanging top:

LUCKY STARS, 35" square

As soon as the 2027 Block of the Month quilt top FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLEBEE was completed, I took it to longarm quilter extraordinaire Patty Wilson. She is working on it right now and I will have it back soon. Here it is again, 84" square:

Then it was time to complete two new WORKSHOP SAMPLES for a wonderful Caribbean Cruise March 17-26, 2028. Yes, a year and a half from now. We have to work well in advance. The cruise is through the American Quilters Society (AQS) Registration won't open for at least a few months. Their website in that link lists other cruises so you can get an idea how it works. Holland America is the cruise line and I am excited to try them. The ship has less than 2000 passengers, a nice change from the 7000 passenger cruises I have done lately. Save the date and start saving your pennies, we will have a fantastic time!

Here are my two WORKSHOP SAMPLES. There will be optional KITS for those who want to order them or you can bring your own fabric. Each of these is a Two-Day class, while we are at sea:

LONE STAR AT SEA, 25" square

TROPICAL ROSE STAR, 28" x 32" 

Now I have to do all the paperwork. And I will make two additional samples before this year is out so I can have two quilted/finished samples and two that are just tops. You can learn a lot from seeing the back of a quilt top.

Then it's time to start packing for the FALL RETREAT in Livermore, CA--I head west September 27 for a week of fun AND teaching two great classes. 

Let's quilt.

Barbara

What a Week!

The 2027 Block of the Month quilt for The Quilt Show was announced in May 2026 and there has been much "BUZZ" about it: Flight of the Bumblebee. Designed by Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson, it will be taught by the three of us beginning in January 2027. Here are the mockups people where shown:

The hand-dyed fabrics from Bali, Indonesia are being made right now. Pre-orders of the Fabric Kits were only available until May 31, 2026 so a final count could be made for production. There was a LOT of interest.

My job is to test the pattern by making Alex's quilt top in the Mountain Meadows colorway, and then provide additional instruction and support throughout next year to all those around the world who will be making this quilt. I will be making another one of these, for myself this time, in the Ocean Waves colorway. Mine will be a little different--I have a few ideas to make it my own. Stay tuned.

I spent much of April and May making all the pieced sections. I estimate about 60 plus hours went into them. And I learned things!

August 28 I received all the applique sections from Alex Anderson. It was time to add them to all the pieced sections I made and get the top complete. 

The decision was made to have Patty Wilson, a local longarm quilter extraordinaire, quilt it before I fly it to California September 27. That's a big deal and Patty was gracious enough to fit this big job into her schedule.

From Friday until Tuesday I spent 30 hours completing the top. There was some additional applique and embroidery to complete after the sections were joined--they go over the seams in the Flower Garden backgrounds. 

I got it done, in less time than expected but I was TIRED when it was done. Patty has it now and will work her magic to make it spectacular!

Just a few photos to inspire you. After the quilting there will be many more photos: 

Ta-da! The top is done!  84" square

Once done, I thought, "Wow, I have an extra two weeks now to get ready for the week long teaching trip in California."

That same night I got the email I have been hoping for: I will be teaching for AQS, the American Quilters Society, on one of their fabulous SEAM quilt cruises. March 17-26, 2028. Sailing the Southern Caribbean, to four ports I haven't been to yet. Holland America is a new-to-me cruise line, so that is exciting too.

Lots more information to come--this is just a HEADS UP--SAVE YOUR MONEY---you are going to WANT to JOIN US! Registration won't open for a while yet--so just get ready.

What that means for me is that these next two weeks will be spent making brand new samples, writing Supply Lists and pattern instructions--all the things it takes to teach for amazing quilters like you.

Let's quilt!

Barbara

GAME ON! MONTH 9

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 almost 20 years of shows and tremendous additional content. Join HERE

This month we make the TOP LARGER BORDER:

There are NO PAPERS TO PRINT.  So if you're not a fan of paper piecing this month is for you.

As always, watch the VIDEOS and read the PATTERN. Becky has great photos of how to make the blocks and how to press so the seams nest. 

Becky encourages everyone to make the quilt your own. Feel free to use other PRINT Kit fabrics if you like. For the SOLID Kit I followed the pattern:

I carefully trim my blocks, always measuring from the center out. Half of 6.5" is 3.25" so that is where I start. The 3.25" mark is placed at the intersections of the center square:

As I join these 6" blocks into pairs, I check that each pair measures 12.5", Then those are joined I check again. If my seam allowance is off a little I want to find it as soon as it happens, not after the long border is not the size it needs to be. The little time this takes saves me lots of time if my border is too long. And I KNOW, if I don't check, it WILL be too long. 

You will also be adding the CORNER BLOCKS made in months 4-7 to this long border. Feel free to put whichever 2 Corner Blocks you want on this top border. The other 2 will be added to the bottom border we make in Month 11. There are sashing strips to add to each corner block before adding those blocks to the border. Follow the directions!

                                                

Next month we make the RIGHT LARGER BORDER and we will use printed papers for that.

We love to see your progress so please post photos on the FORUM!

Let's quilt. 

Barbara

DISAPPEARING NINE PATCH

 What to do with LEFTOVERS? Once I completed Game On! from the PRINTS KIT, a lot of fabric remained. 

Rather than put it in the closet with all its' friends, I cut a bunch of 5" squares and made a DISAPPEARING NINE PATCH QUILT. This is a very easy way to make a baby quilt or a charity quilt, fast, easy, interesting, a great use of 5" squares.

This is 39" square and will be used as a baby quilt the next time I need to give one of those to someone. Here it is, basted and ready to quilt:

There are many online videos/tutorials for this simple block. Here are the steps I used:

1. Cut a lot of 5" squares in various colors, light, medium and dark. Since I wanted 9 blocks, I cut 81 squares, 5" each.

2. Arrange 9 of them into a 9 Patch, being sure there is contrast among the fabrics. The four corners will remain whole, use your favorites in that position. The center will become 4 small squares, use something that cuts up well there. OR use the SAME FABRIC in the center of ALL your blocks--this provides continuity. The fabrics at North, East, South and West will become Rectangles.

3. Sew into a big 9 Patch. I pressed the top and bottom row to the left, the middle row to the right, so the seams nest with each other. That is my personal preference. Do as you please.

4. Cut into 4 quarters, placing the 2.25" line on the ruler on the seam that joins the first row to the middle row. Turn the two halves and repeat, to create 4 squares:

5. Play with a variety of block layouts to find your favorite. Sew into a FOUR PATCH:

Option 1

Option 2

6. Lay out all the blocks, I made 9 of them, to create a fun quilt top. Warning: you WILL rearrange them a lot before deciding which layout you prefer. It really doesn't matter:

On the table as I arranged and rearranged them

Final arrangement--can you FIND the block I used above for this demo?

Once you decide on the FINAL Layout: TAKE A PICTURE! You think you'll remember, you think you won't get something turned upside down but you will...

Because mine is 39" square, I won't add a border so the back can be made from one fabric, 1.25 yards. No piecing of the back is necessary.

One of my most popular WORKSHOPS in recent years is DISAPPEARING PATCHWORK. It's a little more complicated because we first make pinwheel blocks. I challenged myself to make a quilt in all NEUTRALS, it wasn't easy, but I am very satisfied with this. And it has been a really popular workshop:

Workshop Sample: DISAPPEARING PATCHWORK

At this point, I want to USE MY FABRIC, not store it, so this was a good way to use some of the leftovers from Game On! and have a baby quilt ready to go. It also makes a great quilt to practice MACHINE QUILTING on. 

I will show that when it's done.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

BLOCK OF THE MONTH OUTSTANDING QUILTS Part 2

Every year since 2008 THE QUILT SHOW has presented a beautiful BLOCK OF THE MONTH quilt project FREE for Star Members. These quilts have been created exclusively for The Quilt Show by the various designers, available only for that year from this worldwide quilting community, an Internet based show. 

These quilts always provide excellent instruction for exceptional designs. Everyone who completes one of these quilts has learned a lot and can be proud of their accomplishment.

Here are just a few of the many BOM quilts that have won awards at quilt shows around the world. Enjoy and be inspired:

 2021 COLOR MY WORLD designed by Wendy Williams. When I first saw this design, two years before it was our BOM, I loved it and knew it would be a success. The taping for the January 2021 show had to be done in August 2020. Do you remember the PANDEMIC? It was clear in April that Wendy would not be able to travel from Australia to the US to tape the show. I was sent the kit and had 8 weeks to make it, quilt it, and travel to Dallas for the taping. Here is mine:

                                                        

This quilt has won MANY awards at shows worldwide. It often wins VIEWERS CHOICE. This next quilt deserves special recognition. Carole Berry made this as her FIRST QUILT EVER. And she used WOOL! 

As she was making it, she shared progress photos on the FORUM of The Quilt Show. When it was complete, I told her she simply had to enter it in major competitions. So she did. 

Let her tell you how this quilt has done in competition. Don't think she is bragging, she is humble and gracious and deserves all the awards this quilt has brought her way:

Carole Berry "HOME"  Quilted by Cindy Paulson

FROM CAROLE: Attached is photo from the 2024 AQS Daytona Beach Show where I got first place in my category of Wall Quilts-Moveable Machine Quilted and Viewers Choice.

Other accolades "Home" received:

 

2023

AQS Grand Rapids 2nd Place

Maine Quilts 1st Place, Exceptional Handwork, Viewers Choice

Cocheco Quilters Guild 1st Place, Exceptional Merit, Viewers Choice

 

2024

Road to California 2nd Place

AQS Daytona Beach 1st Place, Viewers Choice

AQS Branson 3rd Place

AQS Paducah 3rd Place

AQS Lancaster 3rd Place

 

2027

AQS Engagement Calendar 

Thank you for encouraging me to show this quilt! I never imagined all the places it would bring me and the wonderful people I would meet. I’m currently working on a temperature quilt to commemorate our travels in 2024 following Home around the country. 

Here are photos I was sent from The Quilt Show members: 

Barbara Colvin York Quilters Guild

Karon Rufenacht  Natrona County WY fair - People's choice, 1st place and sweepstakes ribbon.  WY state fair - blue ribbon

Cec Larsen

Jacquelyn Jacobi 1^st place ribbon at the Victoria (BC Canada) biennial judged quilt show. In the bottom left I have substituted the Parliament Building in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, and in the bottom right I have substituted the Skylon Tower in Niagara Falls Ontario, my home town. 

Jan Aji Ribbon Winner at her local show. 

Sandra Bonomo kept hers round when she had printing trouble and decided this was large enough. It is hanging at the Vermont Statehouse in Montpelier. She made a facing and adding tubing to create the perfectly round shape for display.

Several people made this design their own by changing the Skyscrapers in the four diagonal corners to represent buildings important to them.. Here is one of my favorites, made by Sunday Sew and Sew Donna Daniel. She added her church, the bell tower at the University of Alabama, the Saturn V Rocket at the Space Center here in Huntsville and the Washington Monument:  

                                            

2022 GARDEN PARTY DOWN UNDER designed by Irene Blanck. The taping for this BOM was August 2021 and guess what? The world was still on lockdown and Irene could not travel from Australia to Dallas for taping. So, once again, I had 8 weeks to make this quilt, quilt it and travel to the taping.

This was only possible with the help of my Sunday Sew and Sews. And since the kit would not be available for months yet I used my own fabric. Over two long days Joan Cook helped me cut kits for 9 of us to use--each person made one pieced block and one appliqued block. They had exactly one month to complete their task--all met the deadline. In the second month I made the borders, assembled, basted and quilted it. This is one of my most favorite quilts because of the friendships that made it happen. Here it is on the set of The Quilt Show in Dallas:

                                                

Others I was sent:

Barbara Colvin Best Use of Color, York Quilters Guild

Janet Miller, Best of Show, 1st place Large Appliqué Quilts, and Best Domestic Quilting, The Arapahoe County Quilters, Festival of Quilts, 2023. Located in Colorado.

Liz Anderson Viewer's Choice and Best of Show, Cadiz, Ky show

2023 HOMEWARD BOUND designed by Sarah Fielke: 

Susan Wolak Quiltfest Rochester NY 2024

Joyce Cambron On Display at Sisters Outdoor Quilt Show 2025

2024 PICK A PETAL designed by Jen Kingwell:

Pick a Petal by Jen Kingwell 

2025 LAUREL RIDGE designed by Lynne Wilder:

Barbara Colvin York Quilters Guild, First Place and Best Traditional Quilt  

Evelyn Spaudling, Teal Time, Fanfare 2026 Huntsville AL 

2026 GAME ON! designed by Becky Goldsmith--this is the current year's BOM so no one has entered it in any shows yet. I expect to see ribbons on this design in the future too:

I recently completed both the SOLID and PRINT tops: 

2027 FLIGHT OF THE BUMBLEBEE, designed by Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson. This is a spectacular design that will teach you a LOT! I am learning things. Patterns will be released monthly starting in January 2027, FREE for Star Members Only:

OCEAN WAVES Colorway

MOUNTAIN MEADOWS Colorway

I will be helping to teach this project with lots of tips and suggestions. I sure hope you will join us on this Joyful Journey!

NOTE: A few of the photos were taken from the GALLERY on The Quilt Show. There are many quilts there to inspire and educate you. 

To see the Block of the Month quilts from 2008-2020 see PART 1

Let's quilt.

Barbara