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

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

BLOCK OF THE MONTH OUTSTANDING QUILTS Part 1

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:

2008 BOUQUET FOR A NEW DAY, designed by Sue Garman. I had to hunt to find a photo. This was made by Ann Shibut: 

2009 STARS FOR A NEW DAY, designed by Sue Garman. This is my version. It was included in the book 500 TRADITIONAL TREASURES, published in 2014. Can you find my mistake?

2010 Sue Garman designed two for this year, STAR CRAZY and HUGS AND KISSES:

Hugs and Kisses by Sue Garman

Star Crazy by Jill Buttel 

2011 RUFFLED ROSES designed by Sue Garman. This is my version, completed in 2019, won Best of Show, Fanfare 2019, Heritage Quilters of Huntsville. Quilted by Lois Kindley:

2012 SEDONA STAR designed by Sarah Vedeler. Here is a spectacular example:

My, My, My, My Sedona! made by Alice Alinson

2013 TWO OF US designed by Sue Nickels and Pat Holly: 

made by Karen Boe Quilted by Barb Simons

2014 A TO Z FOR EWE AND ME designed by Janet Stone: 

Made by Barbara Colvin, First Place York Quilters Guild

2015 MY COUNTRY HOUSE designed by Lynette Anderson:

My Country House by Lynette Anderson

2016 RAJAH QUILT REVISITED designed by Lessa Siegele. This is a remake of an historic quilt with ties to England and Australia. This is my version:

Rajah Revisited by Barbara Black 

2017 HALO MEDALLION designed by Sue Garman. This started a lot of good things for me. The Sunday Sew and Sews group was formed, meeting in my home once a month for guidance on this project. Sue was quite ill and passed away January 8, 2017 so I was asked to help with the FORUM since I was making the quilt. I'm still here. Here are three especially great versions:

Janet Noever made this as a Sunday Sew and Sew. She made it her own by adding her beloved Seminole Piecing to a couple borders.

Brenda Miller got the Sunday Sew and Sews started when she asked me if I thought she and her sister, Joanne, were "capable" of making Halo Medallion. I offered to help guide them and the rest is history. Notice Brenda's lovely First Place Ribbon

Joanne Miller, sister to Brenda, and co-instigator in getting the Sunday Sew and Sews going also earned a ribbon on her quilt. All of these were featured at Fanfare 2019 Heritage Quilters of Huntsville

2018 THE PATCHWORK BARN designed by Edyta Sitar.

The Patchwork Barn by Sandra Thomas

2019 SIZZLE designed by Becky Goldsmith:

SIZZLE Made by Terri Taylor, quilted by Patty Wilson

2020 AFTERNOON DELIGHT designed by Sue Garman. A tribute to Sue after her passing, this pattern of hers is the only time a published pattern was used for the BOM.  

This beautiful example won BEST OF SHOW at the SW Florida Quilters Guild earlier this year:

AFTERNOON DELIGHT made by Terri Saarinen

This takes us through the first 13 years of Block of the Month Quilts from The Quilt Show. Have YOU made any of these?

Next week will feature the remaining past 5 years. I asked members of www.thequiltshow.com to send me photos of their winning Block the Month quilts and I received MANY from the most recent 5 years. See you next week!

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. 

Let's quilt.

Barbara

GAME ON! Month 2

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

In Month 2 we make the four corners for the Center Medallion. As always, I strongly advise that you WATCH THE VIDEOS FIRST! This month there is one video, it's 11 minutes long, and very important to watch before you begin.

For me, it was best to use vellum for the corner sections as seeing through the pattern is very helpful. 

Fabrics 1 and 2 in place 

TIPS: 

1. Double check the printed pattern is the correct size, verify the 1" scale box is exactly 1"

2. Take time to carefully tape the 6 pattern pages together, be sure all lines align perfectly

3. Be sure to use the correct fabric at the correct position. LIGHT and DARK go in specific places

4. Place the wrong side of the fabric to the wrong side of the pattern

5. Backstitch where you should, Becky explains this in the video. I ALSO BACKSTITCHED at the outside edge--this really helped when removing the paper later

6. Work in numerical order: fabrics 1 + 2 is the first seam, than add 3, then add 4, etc. 

7. Remember the steps of paper piecing: SEW, FLIP, PRESS, TRIM

8. If using a KIT, any changes you make in fabric selection may effect choices down the road. If you don't want to add additional fabrics later simply follow the pattern as written. I made a few changes to the SOLID version and if I have to add more later, I am fine with that. All fabrics GO!

CUTTING SUGGESTION: 

While the measurements are correct, if you are new to paper piecing you may find it helpful to cut the pieces 1/2" longer than the pattern says. For example, fabric 3 is cut 4.75" x 12"--making that 12.5" long gives just a bit of "insurance".   I suggest you cut ONE SET OF FABRICS to make the first corner before you cut them all, in case you want to add that extra 1/2" 

In the LIVE BROADCAST for Month 2. January 30, 2026, I will show how to fold back the paper to double check fabric placement before you sew. This really helps. The alternative is to PIN on the sewing line BEFORE SEWING, to double check the fabric being added will fully cover the paper pattern for that piece.

The Corner pattern from vellum: 

The Corner pattern from freezer paper. Becky suggests using painter's tape to hold the 6 pieces in place as you use transparent tape to join all 6 pieces accurately:

I have written a lot about using Vellum vs. Freezer paper for the patterns. The main advantages to using Freezer paper is the pattern can be used many times. You do not sew through the paper so there is no need to lower the stitch length as you really must when sewing through the paper. 

I tried the Freezer paper pattern because it would save a LOT of paper--as I am making two of these quilts, 6 pattern pages means 19 sheets of vellum for EACH quilt (38 sheets total) OR only 6 sheets of Freezer paper total. 

FREEZER PAPER WAS A POOR CHOICE:

I wasn't able to see through it well enough to get the initial points just right. 

The pattern is large so it's awkward to get it and the fabric under the needle.

It is crucial to keep the fabrics connected to the paper until the last piece is sewn in place. It took a LOT of glue to keep the fabric adhered to the freezer paper.

It was much more difficult to get the accuracy I wanted with the freezer paper.

SO, one corner of my SOLIDS quilt was made with Freezer paper, the remaining corners were made with vellum. Smaller borders to come I will use freezer paper when it works well. This is the time for vellum.

See my TUTORIAL on FREEZER PAPER FOUNDATION here for more information on that process.

Becky stresses careful trimming of the patterns, always placing the 1/4" line on the ruler on the solid/sewing line, so you are sure you are trimming 1/4" beyond the sewing line:

Trimming the pattern

Once the corner is made, trim ONLY the two angled, INSIDE edges. Be very sure to trim 1/4" beyond the sewing line. LEAVE THE TWO OUTSIDE EDGES as is. They will be marked then trimmed next month--this is VERY IMPORTANT: 

It is not a case of HOW FAST you can complete this month's work, but HOW ACCURATELY. Take your time, watch the videos several times, refer to the GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS as needed.

DO NOT REMOVE THE PAPER until we get to MONTH 3 INSTRUCTIONS.

Once all four corners are made, admire what you have accomplished this month:

My PRINTS version

My SOLIDS version after month 3--notice I changed the colors of the corner CIRCLES 

Next month we will join the corners to the points, create the square with applique, make and applique the corner circles. That's a lot, the real "heart" of this quilt so I will see you then.

Let's quilt.

Barbara