GAME ON! MONTH 7

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 add the fourth 3" border, the one at the bottom of the center. This is another one of those "good to know" borders, easy to make and interesting to use. Arranging colors makes the border flow.

The units are easy to paper piece. Simply start by figuring out your colors and keep the fabrics organized. 

Becky has a great tip to make it easier to get intersections to match well. After removing the paper, repress the seam allowances of EVERY OTHER BLOCK in the opposite direction they were pressed when paper piecing:

Now the seams at top and bottom will "nest" 

The intersections will be just where you want them with little bulk:

Be sure the 3" borders measure 36.5" long. I "measure as I go". Each pair needs to measure 6.5" wide. Two pairs sewn together will be 12.5" wide. There are six pairs--I check them all after joining them to each other. Finding the mistake as soon as I make it and fixing it then makes it much more likely the border will be 36.5" wide when complete. 

If the border is longer than 36.5",  measure each unit/pair to find the ones that are too wide and snug up that seam allowance. The FIRST PAIR will measure 6.25" when sewn to the next PAIR, allowing for the outside SEAM ALLOWANCE:

The pairs already sewn to other pairs need to be 6". It is very EASY for borders to GROW just a little with each seam. It is best for me to check each unit/pair as I create the border.

Next we make the four SMALL CORNER BLOCKS that will are used as you add the four 3" borders to the center. Becky shows two LOG CABIN options: a Log Cabin with a CORNER square and a Log Cabin with a CENTER square. 

You can use ANY 3" unit you like. I used Nine Patches for mine:

Here are some alternative ideas:

Once your borders are the right size follow the pattern instructions to add a Log Cabin or your choice of block to the LEFT and RIGHT sides of the TOP and BOTTOM borders to complete the center. 

Finally, carefully cut the narrow BROWN SASHING strips to the EXACT size of the center and add them. Good job! The MIDDLE is getting DONE!

The final 6" CORNER BLOCK also gets made this month. I had a little trouble with my first one. I sewed the wrong sections together:

I should have taken my own advice: WATCH THE VIDEOS, READ THE PATTERN! 

The second time was better. And I didn't trim the outside edges of the papers until the star was assembled. This allowed me to be sure my star was 6.5" and I had a 1/4" beyond each star point:

Another thing I tried to do was keep straight of grain on the outside edge of each section. This meant I usually placed the white fabric on the paper first, then added the blue star point:

Whenever I sew seams with ODD ANGLES or more than FOUR FABRICS coming together, I machine BASTE the seam first. It is much easier to remove basting threads and readjust if I need to:

Machine basting, long stitch set at 5.0

Check to see if you are happy with the intersections. If so, set the machine back to normal piecing length, 2.0 for me, and now sew the complete seam. Here I like this basting so I will complete the seam:

This is a good FIVE POINT STAR and a block I like. Paper piecing it works well for me. I use Freezer Paper so I can use the pattern multiple times. 

Next month we get started on the wider 6" Borders. This will be regular piecing--NO PAPERS TO PRINT!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

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" x 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. 

NOTE: You could cut the white background pieces as I did above to put straight of grain, or close to it, on the outside edges. Cut in pairs, 4.5" x 3" or 3.5" (for insurance), wrong sides together, cut across on the diagonal, about a half inch in from the corners:

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:

IMPORTANT NOTE:  if you are using the Kits, either SOLIDS or PRINTS, be aware any changes you make to the original pattern MAY impact how much fabric there is left for future positions. This doesn't bother me as I can simply add additional SOLIDS or PRINTS in the future when I get there. IF YOU WANT TO BE SURE YOU HAVE ENOUGH: follow the pattern as written by the designer.

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

GAME ON! Month 3

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 is the BIG month! We will assemble the Center Medallion, the heart of this quilt. 

My SOLIDS center

MY TIPS:

1. WATCH THE VIDEOS: there are 8 of them, less than 35 minutes total. I recommend you watch them ALL first, before you start, as this will show you the process and you will know which videos to return to when you get to that part of the  assembly process. 

2. CUTTING RECOMMENDATION: don't cut the Inner and Outer Sashing strips until the center is complete. If yours is short, you can widen those strips to insure your Center Medallion with seam allowances is 36.5" square. This is VERY IMPORTANT as we move on to the pieced borders next month.

3. I changed a few colors in my Solid Kit. The Corner Circle are not Yellow and White. And outer sashing is not brown. It's your quilt, YOU get to decide.

4. FOLLOW the INSTRUCTIONS: in addition to the videos, the pattern Instructions take you step-by-step through the process with photos. Take time to read them as you work.

4. APPLIQUE: I used vellum to print the two Placement Overlay pages. I could see through it, no need to put marks on the quilt and I didn't have vinyl. Becky's applique technique always uses vinyl, she invented this method, I believe, so if you have it, you can use it. 

5. SETTING the MEDALLION TOGETHER: Step 7 shows how to draw pencil lines on the WRONG side of the corners, right at the edge of the paper pattern. It is important to do this BEFORE REMOVING the PAPER.  (NOTE: for those using Freezer Paper, I wrote on the FORUM last month the need to do this BEFORE removing the Freezer Paper.)

Since I remove the paper before I assemble the center, I drew these lines as soon as the corners were complete. Becky shows doing this AFTER the pointy parts are sewn to the corners.

Mine

In addition, I drew crosshairs 1/4" INSIDE that outer pencil line to show me exactly where the corners are. These lines replace the DOT on the pattern papers--since I removed the papers BEFORE assembling the Center Medallion:

6. TAKE YOUR TIME: the process of adding the 4 points to the 4 corners and then INSERTING the Center Circle takes time, patience, and forgiveness. You might try machine basting as you insert the center block. Go slow, watch the seam allowances you can't see under the needle, take it easy.  BE SURE the center "hole" where the center block is inserted is 6.5" on all 4 sides.

7. HOW TO FIX THE CONNECTIONS: if you are not happy with the "corners" surrounding the center square I have a solution: cover them with a circle.

When I got the Solid version together it wasn't that great. It had been a long day so I stopped. The next day I "fiddled" with all those places, re-doing as necessary, until I was satisfied enough with the result.

BUT laying in bed that night I thought "What am I going to do if I can't get this right?"  The "cover up my mistakes" method was born!

I use Karen K Buckley's Perfect Circle method. This is about the size of a dime. It is the same color as the top circle I used in the outer corners.  I have shown this to many friends and all agreed this is a good solution. It looks like it is part of the original design, in keeping with the other circles in the Center Medallion and no one but you knows what it looks like under there:

Now that I have made two of these Center Medallions, I can tell you it isn't easy to get those corners nice and pretty but it can be done. Becky says inserting the center block into the middle is the most difficult part of this whole quilt--I quite agree. You get to decide how perfect your quilt is. 

8. BE SURE the CENTER MEDALLION IS 32.5" square once assembled. Becky has excellent instructions and a video to help you. Once it is, cut and add the two sashings. If it is short, you can increase the width of one or both of the sashings to get the FINAL size correct--it MUST BE 36.5" SQUARE, including seam allowances when Month 3 is done. 

9. CELEBRATE the completion of MONTH 3! You earned it. Now we move on to the most fun and easy parts--adding borders.

10. PLEASE add your PHOTOS to the FORUM--we want to see all the progress. If the photo doesn't upload, it's too large, resize it smaller and try again. Google taught me how to do that.

My Prints version, through Month 7

Let's quilt.

Barbara

THIS AND THAT

Blissfully at home much of this winter, I am getting a lot done with little concern for cold weather.

Here is what has kept me busy this week:

1. Angela Walter's Arcs, Curves, Points with Rulers Free-Motion Challenge Quilting Along. I bought both the smaller and larger panels, so easy to work with for this class. This is the small one:

A variety of rulers for free motion quilting

My progress for weeks 1 and 2 

2. Natalia Bonner's free class, 99+ Strip Designs. This just started. These are the first 3 designs and one of the added Bonus designs, all to fit 2" finished strips. To start, I am just using scrap fabric with 2" lines drawn in. When I perfect a few of my favorites I will use them on a Quilt of Valor I am making for a specific Marine.  I really want to perfect my Ribbon Candy, so not there yet, but her tip to draw around a penny or dime to get started was a good one. Half way across I switched to no drawn lines as I was getting in the rhythm of the design. Lot more practice is needed:

3. The Sunday Sew and Sews came over, a small group due to illness, a broken hip, family obligations. But look what they brought for Show and Tell:

Susan is on a mission to complete  a lot of UFOs

Susan made this for her husband, a coffee lover

Another from Susan

Susan's Sizzle, the BOM from 2019, designed by Becky Goldsmith

Susan made this throw size from the leftovers of a king size Ocean Waves quilt

Pam finished her Laurel Ridge in William Morris fabrics. She says she has MORE William Morris fabric now than when she started. How does that happen?

Cyndi is making these delicate Log Cabin blocks from a kit, I think that ships monthly. It's pricey because they are Liberty of London lawn fabrics and she added on the "fussy cut centers" package. The blocks feel so good!

Cyndi is very talented with EQ8--she often redesigns Block of the Month patterns to suit herself. This is her version of Game On! She calls it Parchisi. 

These women are very talented, giving and fun to be around. I look forward to their visits.

This week I got a package--the PRINTS KIT for the 2026 Block of the Month for TheQuiltShow.com, Game On! designed by Becky Goldsmith:

It is a beautiful collection of contemporary fabrics, the kinds I don't have a lot of. It is 17.625 yards, mostly fat quarters, and would be an excellent way to freshen up your stash--or call it your "collection".

The BEST phrase I ever heard about your "stash" vs "collection" is this:

"I am the Curator of an extensive personal TEXTILE COLLECTION". Now doesn't that sound impressive?

Available for purchase by anyone, you don't have to be a Star Member to shop in the "Store". See it HERE for a full list of each fabric in this package.  

I cut out Month 1 and 2 so I can make and use them for demos on my LIVE:

Month 2 ready to sew

Month 1 ready to sew

It's been cold and wet here but we have power and no where we have to go most days. I remember the 35 years I worked for H&R Block and HAD to go to work when the weather was awful--I was the office manager and those would be busy days--if people couldn't go to work because of snow they would come to us to get their taxes done. I am so glad those days are behind me! 

Now I can bake bread when the weather is cold. Find the recipe for this and my other favorites up top here in the tab RECIPES:

Cranberry Pecan Artisan Bread

There are a few more things to keep me busy, like working on my own taxes, but there's nothing to show for that.

I hope you are dry and warm and enjoying some good times.

Let's quilt.

Barbara

GAME ON! Month 1

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

Prints or Solids, the choice is yours. Buy a KIT or use your own fabric: 

In Month 1 we make the center star points. Becky uses vellum for the foundation paper piecing, sewing through the paper. I will show how I use Freezer paper, not sewing through the paper, so the freezer paper foundations can be used many times.

If you are new to Paper Piecing, I suggest you follow the pattern instructions as written. 

I provide TIPS that may help. They are supplemental to Becky's instructions, use them if you wish.

TIP 1: Watch all the VIDEOS for each month before you begin. Month 1 has 4 of them, each about 7 minutes long. Becky shows you in detail exactly how to prepare the foundation papers, how to place the fabrics for successful piecing and all the steps she uses for making this quilt. Watch them FIRST before you begin.

TIP 2: READ the 18 page GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS in Month 1. There is a lot of detailed sewing instruction in there for Month 1. 

TIP 3: If you are new to paper piecing, know that fabric pieces are cut slightly larger than necessary to allow for proper placement. lt would not hurt to cut this month's pieces 1/2" LONGER than the pattern says. For example, piece 1 is cut 7" long. Cutting it 7.5" long gives just a little bit of insurance. Piece 2 is cut 5.5" long, 6" is a little more forgiving. 

I suggest you cut ONE set of fabrics the size called for before cutting them all. Sew the first Star Point to see if you are happy with the sizes of each piece. If so, cut them all that size. If you would like a little bit extra, cut the next set a half inch longer, to see if you like that better. 

PLEASE NOTE: the CUT SIZES IN THE PATTERN WORK FINE--some people just like a little  bit more fabric for insurance.

TIP 4: if using Freezer Paper, be sure to use small dabs of glue to adhere the wrong side of the fabric to the wrong side of the paper. If the fabric comes off the paper before you have finished sewing the entire unit it is a challenge to put it back on exactly where it goes. This is not a problem when sewing through the paper as with vellum but there are places where dabs of glue help with the vellum too.

TIP 5: if sewing through the paper as the pattern instructs, it is essential you decrease the stitch length--1.75 is the largest I would do. When tearing off the paper at the end you  don't want to have the stitches get distorted or come open. Smaller stitch length is essential. This makes it harder to un-sew should you make a mistake. And you will, at least once. Have a good stitch ripper on hand.

The ADVANTAGE to using Freezer Paper is the patterns can be re-used multiple times. There is no difficulty removing the paper as it separates off completely when the unit is made. There is no need to lower the stitch length, the standard 2.0 length for piecing works well for me. 

Here is my technique with Freezer Paper. If you want more information about this process see my TUTORIAL here:  Freezer Paper Foundation Piecing 

Use dabs of glue to secure fabric to paper. 

Put the wrong side of fabric 1  to the wrong side of the Freezer paper (FP). Fold the FP back on the SOLID line. This is the SEWING LINE. Put fabric 2 right sides together to fabric 1, being sure to center it. Stitch right along the fold, slowly, not sewing on the paper nor away from the paper: RIGHT ALONG THE FOLD OF THE PAPER:

Fabric 2 placed RST on Fabric 1

Fold FP back so stitches can be sewn right against the fold

Sewing right along the folded edge of the FP

TIP 6: The NUMBER ONE MISTAKE students make as they learn foundation paper piecing--they FORGET TO TRIM.  The process is:

SEW--join fabrics 1 and 2

FLIP--flip fabric 2 UP, the only way it can be flipped

PRESS--use a DRY IRON  to completely press fabric 2 flat on the seam against the paper foundation

TRIM--fabric 2 is oversized and MUST BE TRIMMED, before adding fabric 3

Here I am using vellum so you can see the issue. Fabric 2 has been sewn, flipped, pressed, but NOT YET TRIMMED. There is excess fabric 2 beyond the seam allowance that joins fabric 2 to fabric 3:

Use the Add-A-Quarter ruler and a postcard to TRIM FABRIC 2 exactly 1/4" beyond the sewing line:

Place fabric 3 centered on fabric 2, sew, flip, press, trim. 

Fabric 3 has been sewn to fabric 2 with a perfect 1/4" seam allowance. Fabric 3 is slightly oversized, so it is now ready to be TRIMMED: 

After trimming fabric 3, repeat for piece 4. Be sure to check the placement of each fabric to be added to be certain it will cover the area on the paper it needs to cover.

After adding fabric 4, TRIM the long side where fabric 5 joins fabrics 1-4:

Fabrics 1-4 sewn, ready to TRIM for fabric 5

When adding fabric 5, it is very important to place it so it will completely cover the area fabric 5 needs to cover. Fold the FP back to be sure it fits. Fabric 5 is placed face up on the mat, the FP with 1-4 in place is placed on top of fabric 5--by folding the FP piece 5 back I can clearly see fabric 5 will cover the area it needs to cover for fabric 5 on the pattern:

Once Part one is complete, follow Becky's instructions to use a quality ruler to trim 1/4" beyond the solid lines on all sides. With FP, you simple peel the fabric off the paper and use the FP again for the next unit. With Vellum, Becky leaves the paper on until AFTER the Center Block is almost completely sewn.

For Part two, Becky has an excellent video showing how to place fabrics 6 and 7 to achieve the very acute angle:

Piece 6 is wrong side up on the mat, the FP pattern is placed so it is completely covered by the fabric:  

Use the Add-a-Quarter to trim piece 6, ready to join piece 7:

Fold the FP pattern back, place fabric 7 under fabric 6, RIGHT SIDES TOGETHER, you can clearly see the white fabric 7 piece will cover the area it needs to cover: 

Sew the seam joining fabrics 6 and 7. Press toward fabric 7, use a ruler to trim 1/4" away from the SOLID LINES, and Part Two is ready to sew to Part One. 

TIP 7: Because I am using Freezer Paper, the paper is gone from both Parts One and Two before I join them. I work with positioning pins to be sure I have the two units where they need to be once joined.

IMPORTANT: Because I removed the paper I NEED to see where the long point goes so I can join it properly to the larger unit. Very Simple: I use a good ruler and mechanical pencil to draw short lines (about one inch long on both sides) at the very tip of the white fabric 1/4" in from the raw edge--this shows me exactly where to put the POSITIONING PIN:

I machine BASTE about 1" on either side of this important spot, turning my stitch length very long, 5.0 or longer. It only takes a few seconds to sew that inch or two, check it, and, if it's not as perfect as you want, pull out the basting stitches, realign the seam, and try again. This is a FIDDLE PLACE: fiddle with it until it looks as good as you want it to. I was happy with this so I turned the stitch length back to 2.0 and sewed the entire seam: 

TIP 8: While Becky shows where it is essential to back stitch on the pattern, I found it also helpful to backstitch at the outer edges of each seam. It is particularly helpful in Month 2, when we make the four CORNER BLOCKS.

Ask Questions on the Forum. Show your Progress on the Forum. We are eager to see how you play with Game On!

Let's quilt.

Barbara