Am I Blue?

An easy quilt is just what I needed to finish out this crazy year.

Medium blue fabrics with white and black accents and a touch of aqua make this one shine. To keep the rail fence blocks from being boring, I featured two smaller rectangles in each center section. I used EQ8 for layout and color placement.

Am I Blue? is 48” square. I quilted diagonally with dark blue thread in a serpentine stitch. The blue and white dot backing and striped binding finish it off perfectly.

Am I Blue?

So, my final count for 2020 is 52 quilt projects. It's been a great year for sewing! This week I'll straighten up my space, then sort and inventory fabric.  I got new dies and fabric for Christmas, so I'll organize my storage shelves too. A reworked design wall is currently under construction.

I love starting the new year with a clean slate and a fresh list of ideas.

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6047 Rectangles 2” x 6” and 2” x 3”
Accuquilt 55017 2½” Strip

Peppermint Snowballs

Merry Christmas y'all...here's a sweet and easy small project that should make Santa happy.

Medium red fabric with tiny white dots, plus a red/white diagonal stripe and a black and white weave pattern contrast sharply with crisp solid white broadcloth. I alternated nine-patch and snowball blocks. Designed in EQ8 and cut with Accuquilt, Peppermint Snowballs is 30” square.

For quilting I used a wide decorative stitch with white thread diagonally across the nine-patch blocks. Then I changed to a straight stitch, sewing twice across each snowball. Binding with the striped fabric frames it perfectly.

Peppermint Snowballs

I've sewed this simple block combination before, and each quilt looks different due to color changes and placement. That's one of the things I enjoy about quilting!


Accuquilt Dies used:
55017 2½” Strip
55330 Snowball 6” finished
55059 2½” Square multiples

Here's wishing everyone

a peaceful and relaxing holiday!

Joyous

I bet you wouldn't guess that I use quilts for holiday decorations. I sewed this quick project last week.

I designed it in EQ8 to get the layout just right. Four Periwinkle blocks and five square in a square blocks go together nicely. I didn't have the right size dies to make the five squares, so I rotary cut those, added larger triangles and trimmed to fit.

Joyous is 30” square, in dark red, teal, black, gray, and white fabrics. I quilted straight stitch rows 3/4” apart with medium gray thread.

This year I haven't gone all out with Christmas decorations. I pulled out only my favorites, adding a few pieces to each room along with my quilts. It's low key but still festive.

I have made snacks, especially Chex mix, my mama's favorite! I miss her; yesterday was her birthday so I wore a leopard print shirt in her honor.

Dies used:

Blue Wren 6077 Periwinkle 10” block
Accuquilt 55017 2½” strip

Midnight Glow

Midnight Glow

Navy and gold batik fabrics are always a beautiful combination, and especially so in this week's quilt.

The block is very curvy, made with Blue Wren's Friendship Circles 8” die. It's their version of a vintage design of the same name. I had to piece and press carefully to keep from stretching the edges. It was worth the extra time to create this beauty!

I chose a red-violet color blender from the navy batik for the center pieces, a narrow border and binding. It creates a nice contrast, along with the creamy yellow corners. Midnight Glow is 48” square. I arranged the layout and drew the block in Electric Quilt 8.

Light gold thread was used to quilt around each ring with a walking foot. I added diagonal stitching across the blocks, then three parallel lines on the navy borders.

When I first got the die, I sewed a few test blocks to practice. I made these into a 16” pillow cover. You can see that color choice and placement create different looks. I started quilting in the center and sewed a continuous spiral with gray thread. I named the pillow design Soft & Sweet.

I may take a break from curves for a bit, but I'll definitely sew this one again. I have already designed another for scraps.

Blue Wren dies used:
6301 Friendship Circles 8”
6015 1½” strip

Accuquilt dies used:
55017 2½” strip
55032 3½” strip

To find peace, 

sometimes you have to be willing 

to lose communication 

with people, places, and things 

that create the noise in your life.