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

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

FEATHERED STARS WITH THE SUNDAY SEW AND SEWS

Recently the Sunday Sew and Sews met to show what they have all been working on. Most are doing Feathered Stars--I have written about that before: Sunday Sew and Sews 2024

Here is a look at their progress:

Susan C with her Washington Medallion

Mazie showing her bright aqua stars

Cheryl has a beautiful star

Donna has a plan and is sticking to it

More from Donna

Pam is making Fussy Cut centers to applique on her star--each is unique and amazing

Victoria has a space theme going on, very original and exciting

Victoria finished her Two For One--a great class I will be teaching locally in September and in Texas and California in March 2025. Such a fun quilt to make!

Jan is working to finish a long ongoing applique project with Feathered Stars in the corners

Peggy is working to finish SIZZLE, the 2019 Block of the Month for The Quilt Show, designed by Becky Goldsmith, great color palette!

And what have I been working on? Feathered Stars got put aside in favor of Oh, My Stars! since I need another class offering for 2026. I am very pleased with how this is coming along:

The handout I will provide to supplement the pattern instructions will include an alternative small star--one with points that "float". It is so much easier and faster to piece and requires far less precision than the large Lone Star blocks do. The look is the same, but easier and faster is good.

Both are 4" finished, the top one "floats" so the points don't touch the outside edge. The bottom one is the "precise" one, from the pattern instructions but made with 4 flying geese units for the star points:

The other thing I am working on "in the background" is plans for my next Joyful Journey Retreat March 5-9, 2025. In late August those who attended this year get the first opportunity to sign up for 2025. After early September those on the waitlist are invited to sign up. We expect a full house with 19 happy women who will gather for friendship, relaxation and lots of sewing. 

I plan to offer 6 of them the chance to make Oh, My Stars! as a class. They will work on this as their primary project during the day for three and a half days. This gives me a chance to see how much students can accomplish over several days, the way it will be at Empty Spools Seminar where I hope to teach this in the future. It also gives me feedback on my Handout and how it can be improved. 

My walk each day is my happy time, when I work out details of things I am working on. Or just sing along to my favorite playlists of music. Two hours most days, 8+ miles a day, I really love being outdoors. It has to be EARLY now with the heat and humidity or after dinner. Sometimes I do half in the morning, half after dinner.  

The other day I was excited to come close to this beautiful creature:

Great Blue Heron

I also see foxes often, young and adult, and lots of squirrels, chipmunks, rabbits, and hawks. Canadian geese and mallard ducks are always at the two big retention ponds where I saw this Heron. I sure appreciate the air conditioning when I get done!

Let's quilt.

Barbara

PICK A PETAL ADDED BONUS -- PAPER PIECED FAN BLADES

The 2024 Block of the Month Quilt for The Quilt Show was designed by Jen Kingwell exclusively for Star Members of The Quilt Show. Join today to get access to the patterns, once a month throughout 2024, along with almost 500 shows featuring the best and brightest movers and shakers in the Quilt World. Membership is $49 for the entire year, the best money you will spend on your quilting journey.

This is an extra added bonus--instructions on how to paper piece those little fan blades. There are 256 fan blades, that make 64 Fan Blocks, or 32 Double Fan Blocks in the outer border so working ahead is a good idea, rather than waiting until Month 11 to start. 

NOTE: If you prefer to follow the pattern instructions just ignore this post.

The sample quilt uses a very scrappy plan--the backgrounds and fan handles are all different. This shows 2 Fan Blocks made, then joined together: 

You have some options. The top one shown below has one fabric in the background and handle, the middle one has four different fabrics, the bottom one has two handles and one double background. Do whichever you like or some of each as I am doing:

The Fan Blocks are the same size as the fans from Month 1. They include a background that will make each Double Fan Block finish at 4" x 8", or 4.5" x 8.5" with seam allowances. The template for the background will be provided in Month 11. Just make the fan blades with handles so you will be able to add the background when the template is provided.  If you have the acrylic template set, you have the background piece.

To me, one of the most time-consuming parts of the fan block is cutting the many blades with the small templates. A friend/student reminded me about paper piecing the fans as we did when we made Garden Party Down Under. Brilliant! It takes little time to cut rectangles for the blades and paper piece them. 

Paper piecing uses more fabric but saves time. You can print the pattern that is provided on newsprint, vellum, or freezer paper. The advantage to freezer paper is you need very few printed patterns, you DO NOT sew through the  paper. Stitch length remains as normal for piecing, 2.0 for me. Each pattern can be used many times, so far I have made 40 fan blocks with only TWO printed patterns.

I have a Tutorial on Freezer Paper Foundation Piecing from an earlier Block of the Month, Color My World. Check it out, I won't repeat all that information here.

First, I cut a wide variety of fan blades about 2.5" x 3.5". You might find you can get away with slightly smaller so try a few first before cutting 256 rectangles:

On the LIVE which will air Friday February 2, 2024, noon central time, I will show all the steps described here. I recommend you watch it for more information. Find all my LIVE broadcasts HERE

Paper Piecing can seem "upside down and backwards". Place the butt side of the fabric to the butt side of the paper. Align two fabrics right sides together so there is the normal 1/4" seam allowance. If not sure you have the fabrics in the right place use a PIN to check  BEFORE sewing.

Use the EDGE of  the Freezer Paper FOLDED BACK as the GUIDE for where to sew. Right next to the FOLD:

The best notion I own for paper piecing is the Add-A-Quarter ruler. Use it with a flat edge, like a postcard, to trim excess fabric after sewing the first pair of rectangles in place, giving the 1/4" seam for adding the next rectangle. The postcard is placed on the next sewing line, fold the paper back over the postcard, and put the ruler 1/4" away from the line, Adding A Quarter inch:

Angles can be tricky, that orange floral just barely covers the paper. I should have moved it a bit more:

The process is SEW, FLIP, TRIM, SEW. Because you are pressing the fabric to the waxy side of the freezer paper, the fabric stays put. After making several the wax is gone, so I use a very light dab of glue stick, my favorite for this is Elmer's Disappearing Purple Washable School Glue. Here are my favorite notions for freezer paper piecing. I will demo how use them in the LIVE:

Once the four blades are sewn on, trim the excess fabric away, being sure you get a full 1/4" seam allowance beyond the finished line. I use scissors for the curves, rotary cutter for the straight edges:

 

Now you get to decide, do you want to make two complete 4" fan blocks and join them. OR do you want to sew two sets of 4 fan blades then add a half circle handle and a Double background. I did both, finally settling on the double sets of fan blades as my favorite:

To make the double handle I tried two methods. I created a template of the double size from template plastic. After trying to machine piece it and doing a poor job, I decided to hand applique it on. That worked better. But it was fiddly to keep the handle where it needed to be as I was sewing.

Then I decided to prepare the outer edge of the handle over freezer paper, as I often do for applique. I simply used a 3" circle from Bigger Perfect Circles, adding a seam allowance at the bottom. Here is what my page looks like.  I printed it on freezer paper and it worked great. I won't send this out, you can simply draw your own:

12 Doubles, 4 Singles

Seam allowance glued to back of freezer paper 

If you want the double handle to be made from two fabrics, simply sew two squares cut 2.5" together and make a double handle that uses two fabrics. It adds another seam but is more scrappy.

After gluing the curved edge over the freezer paper, I knew it would be so easy to machine applique these  handles now that they are prepared. So I did that and loved it. I will do all the rest of them this way. I used the acrylic template to add the dots at the bottom edges and center. Then I used a very light touch of fabric glue to hold it in place, no pins.

 Once it is sewn in place, by hand or machine, spritz with plain water, count to 10, and the freezer paper will pull right out. If it doesn't, spritz again and next time use less glue:

Some of the best videos on machine applique are from Becky Goldsmith, prepared for SIZZLE, the 2019 Block of the Month quilt. Find them HERE

Then I decided to make the background as a Double background. The Kit has at least 28 fat eighths, making it easy to cut these as 5" x 9". It takes 32 Doubles to equal 64 Singles, the amount needed for the outer border of this quilt. 

Fold the rectangle in half, WRONG SIDES OUT. Use the acrylic template to draw/cut the background. Cutting the rectangle 5" allows for a bit extra along both outer edges. Trim that AFTER THE BLOCK IS COMPLETE. 

BE SURE TO PLACE THE FOLD ON THE INNER DOT--with the FOLD you don't need the seam allowance at the middle. Here the FOLD is at the top and the RED ARROW points to the dots at the seam allowance placed exactly on the FOLD:

I found the outside background easy to machine piece, using pins that align the dots to the fan blades. When both the handle and outside background are sewn on, carefully trim the rectangle to 4.5" x 8.5". I work from the middle outward, putting the 4.25" line on the center. You should have 1/2" of background beyond the outer fan blades, which is 1/4" background, 1/4" seam allowance:

There are so many ways to do all these various steps. Try a variety to learn your favorite. My motto is "I want the fastest method that gives me the result I want.". Sometimes that's by hand, sometimes by machine. The more skills you have, the more likely you will find the right technique for any given project.

Let's quilt.

Barbara