What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

Our Sew Happy Free Block of the Month is underway! Have you signed up yet? Just click here to get the free patterns! So far we have released Block 2- so if you are just jumping in now, you still have plenty of time to catch up!!

We also have optional fabric kits available with adorable fabrics- sewing machines, scissors, spools, pins. So cute!! Take a look at the kits here. 

We even have coordinating quilt labels here– they are the perfect finishing touch for any of your handmade items.

I know you are excited about the giveaway! A HUGE ...

I went with quilty friends to an open sew, and, began putting pieces together for my Block of the month UFO Saturday soire. 

I realized here that I had turned a row. It didn't matter if the center blocks were wrong, but, I had the ending pieces wrong.  Which, also meant, the sashing was on the wrong side. The easiest way to fix it was remove the sashing row, switch the ends and keep the blocks wrong. But, it was nearly time to go home after ...

Today we celebrate the arrival of Block 4 of The Celebrate Quilt. This month you will make an 18″ square chunk of the quilt. 

Here is a quick tutorial to walk you through the block construction. You should have received the pattern in your inbox. If you didn’t, it is available in the Free Resource Library. This quilt has a lot of piecing and it might look overwhelming. You can see that nothing is difficult and each block just has a few simple units. It is a great way to use up small scraps. Just don’t stress too ...

Build your quilting skills with the Vintage Rose BOM quilt this summer! Roses are red, but sewing fun has many more colors!

Vintage Rose Block of the Month

Let me introduce you to the Vintage Rose Block of the Month program that I designed for the Vintage Rose collection by Timeless Treasures! It measures 87” x 87”, and every block finishes at 12″.

Are you a beginner quilter? I’ve got your back! These blocks use regular piecing techniques – only one block requires the simplest paper piecing on the corners. You already have at home all you need to make ...

I have had Saturday soire BOM on my 5 quilts list for most of the year. The blocks were done, previously, and ALL I had to do was finish the top and assemble it to finish it. It has been a bigger project than I anticipated. I found 3 setting kits as part of the block of the month. My one monthly goal for June is to finish it, quilted and bound.

I have  kit 1 finished, and I have the 2nd kit in progress. I think I can start the assembly, 

row 1

June is garden season, not ...

I finished scrap box chevron in the nick of time for my one monthly goal for May. I put the last stitches in the binding yesterday. I had a few customer quilts that took priority this month, and, I wasn't sure I could make it. I started it in 2013 and it was ready to quilt in 2014. Yes, it has waited that long to be quilted. Many of my quilts that stall at the quilting stage are there because I am not a fancy quilter. I think I save them to do the new modern fancy stuff, but ...

There are 3 new blocks this month:

I have the pattern for Spell Binders

Carol at Just Let Me Quilt has the pattern for

Creepy Carol's Cottage.

Joan at Moosestash Quilting has the pattern for

Wicked Witch or Wacky Witch.

These are my versions of the blocks.

Click on the links for the free patterns (Free for ...

Our Sew Happy Free Block of the Month is underway! Have you signed up yet? Just click here to get the free patterns! So far we have released Block 1- so if you are just jumping in now, you’ve got plenty of time to catch up!!

We also have optional fabric kits available with adorable fabrics- sewing machines, scissors, spools, pins. So cute!! Take a look at the kits here. 

We even have coordinating quilt labels here– they are the perfect finishing touch for any of your handmade items.

I know you are excited about the giveaway! A HUGE ...

I have been working on one of my 5 quilt projects, lately. 

5. Saturday soire block of the month. This an older UFO from 2013. I opened the box, and, all of the blocks are pieced. I have the 3 setting kits to start. I am cutting for kit 1. I remember being in love with this quilt. I don't have a picture in the box, so, now, it will be a mystery. I bought the red kit as a block of the month. There was a blue option, and when the lqs closed, I bought the blue version ...

Do you need a little motivation to jump-start your sewing week? I have just the project–The Celebrate Quilt Block 3.

Feel free to customize your block any way you wish; switch up the units, change the colors, or make it less or more scrappy. This is your quilt, so do it the way that suits you best! The point is to have fun and use up some scraps or stash.

Here is a little tutorial on the block construction. First, you will need to download the instructions from the Free Resource Library.

Follow the cutting instructions and cut all ...

 I started this UFO as a workshop in 2013, before, I started blogging. I remember buying the pattern at a quilt show in Bloomington Indiana. It has been ready to finish since 2014. What a patient quilt. I can imagine it waiting in the 'to be closet' cheering every quilt that was chosen and moved on, hoping that it would have it's turn. May is the month. It is my one monthly goal to assess what it needs, and, get it done.

scrapbox chevron

IT is also time to report on my PHD progress.

It's the beginning of May
 and time
 for new Cackling Stitches 
Blocks of the Month,
for our
"Which Way to Witchville"
quilt.

There are 2 new blocks this month:

And Joan at Mooosestash Quilting has the pattern for

The Village Cobbler.

These are my versions of the blocks.

Click on the links to their blogs for the free patterns (Free the month of May).

OR

The details and pattern links can also be found on our

Cackling Stitches Facebook Page.

If you have missed any of ...

Yes, my Licorice Allsorts top is finished.  I'm really pleased with it.  I took my time and really tried to make all the blocks perfect. As a result of that, the rows went together quite easily.  

I want to hand quilt this quilt myself, and I usually choose ...

Easter felt like my own personal quilt retreat just for me.  I got so much sewing done!

I thought it might take me until the end of April to piece all the blocks for the Licorice Allsorts quilt, but I sewed every day over Easter and they're all finished now.  

I revisited Month 3 and remade one of the blocks, but it's not a lot better than the first time around.  I've made a note on the pattern to cut the pieces bigger if I ever make that block again.  

Now I'm sewing the blocks together ...

It's Easter 2023 and we're staying at home for once.  Last year we were in Queenstown, and the year before that in Auckland.  Easter 2020 we were at home, but that was during lockdown so we had no choice. 

I've decided to pull out my Licorice Allsorts block of the month and make some progress over the long weekend.  

The block of the month was issued in 10 monthly installments.  I've made the blocks for months 1-5, although I'm not 100% happy with the blocks for month 3, and I will remake them if there ...

  It's the beginning of April and time for new 

Cackling Stitches Blocks of the Month, for our "Which Way to Witchville" quilt.

I have the pattern for The Magic Wand Salon

Witchville's very own salon is here.  Even a witch needs pampering once in a while.

Click Here to download the pattern - free until the end of April.

Carol at Just Let Me Quilt has the pattern for

Winona Grimm.

Joan at Moosestash Quilting has the pattern for

Cauldron Cafe.

These are my versions of the blocks.

Click on the links for the free patterns (Free for the ...

Since releasing the pattern for Block 1 of The Celebrate Quilt block of the month last week, I decided it might be helpful to create a tutorial of the block construction. First, grab a copy of the pattern from the Free Resource Library. Make sure you have the updated version (I made a couple of minor corrections). If you don’t have the password to the resource library, sign up on the home page and it will be sent to you right away. 

Okay, here are step-by-step instructions with photos of the block I made.

1. Following the pattern instructions, cut ...

 I signed up for a couple of BOMs this year, actually in 2022. I also may have started a couple of other new projects...

This is how I circumvented my self-imposed rule of not starting any new projects in 2023. Clever right?

The first one is "The Secret Garden" by Sarah Fielke.

The colors and fabrics I chose are completely out of my comfort zone, but I love it!

I also actually purchased some fabric for this project, which I haven't done in YEARS!

Next up is The Quilt Show's 2023 BOM, called Homeward Bound. This was also ...

The Celebrate chunk of the month quilt

If you are on my email list you got the first look at The Celebrate Quilt in Saturday’s newsletter. This is a free 12-month program, but instead of making a block every month, we will make a “chunk” of the quilt. Each month, there will be a 12-inch block and some small filler blocks. When all the chunks are complete, they will fit together like a puzzle to make a 54″ x 66″ quilt. If you want a larger quilt, you can add borders or make extra blocks some months. I will ...