Willy-Nilly

Willy-Nilly, January 2026

To say that I have an abundance of scraps is certainly an understatement. The best thing about all these remnants is always having the makings for a quilt. I have hundreds of photo ideas clipped and stored, many more sketched in notebooks, plus dozens designed in EQ8.

This colorful 6” block is made up of triangles and chisels, turned to make secondary designs. I started with leftover cuts, then sorted through the scrap basket for more. It's such a pleasure to find and use fabric I haven't seen in a while.

All the blocks were randomly pieced and joined on Annie, my Singer 221 Featherweight. I quilted on the Janome MC 9450, using dark beige thread in a straight stitch on each side of the main seams.

Willy-Nilly seemed the perfect name for this crazy quilt, finishing at 49” square. It was a lovely way to spend a few days in my cozy sewing room during a cold snap in January.

Dies used:

Blue Wren 6274 Chisels 2” x 6”

Accuquilt -
55039 Chisels 3” x 6”
55031 HST 4”
55009 HST 3”
55017 Strips 2"

Distraction

Distraction, January 2026

It's no secret that purple is my favorite color, even though there aren't too many hues that I don't like. I'm definitely a color lovin' woman. For this simple design, I wanted to use some large and medium florals that have been in my stash for a while.

I added pink, purple, and green scraps in coordinating colors along with a white-on-white print and black & white mini gingham. These half and quarter square triangles are easy to stitch, especially on Annie, my Singer 221 Featherweight.

A sweet paisley print in purple, green & cream was perfect for backing and binding this 50” square quilt called Distraction. I quilted on the Janome with pale gray thread, using a utility zig-zag stitch in diagonal rows, plus straight stitching along horizontal and vertical seams.

I'm off to do some more rain dancing, since we are so very dry. April showers are needed for May flowers, and we have only had 0.65” so far this whole month. Not your usual rainy April in Tennessee, despite several storms passing us by.

Accuquilt dies used:

55001 HST 6½”

55002 QST 6½”

55017 Strips 2½”

Good Fortune

Good Fortune, February 2026

I just can't let a good remnant go to waste! I love combining colorful scraps with neutral hues in some of my quilts. They're a little less busy, emphasizing the block design.

Today's quilt features the Road to Fortune block. I chose light gray linen print with black & white weaver, both fabrics from Marshall Dry Goods, to go with my bright colors.

I did layout in EQ8, then pieced the blocks on Laney, my lovely painted Singer 301. Simple straight stitch quilting with light gray thread in vertical lines 1½” apart was completed on my Janome MC9450. Good Fortune is 46” square.

Die used: Accuquilt 55586 Road To Fortune 9" BOB

Minnie Deakins quilts

Side note: Last Friday I attended the 36^th Annual Upper Cumberland Quilt Festival in Algood, Tennessee. Oh, the amazing quilts I saw! Displays of antique and new creations with intricate stitching, in both modern and traditional layouts. Such talented quilters! I'm freshly inspired with ideas and color combinations. My wish list is now miles long.

I think my favorite display was the quilts of Miss Minnie Deakins. Her tiny hand stitched miniature pieces were astounding. I don't think I'll ever attempt ½” blocks, but seeing them in person made my day. She lived to be 101, quilted all her life, and was featured in several magazine articles over the years.

Tried & True

Tried & True - January 2026

This is what happens when you have lots of tiny remnants and find a die on sale that uses small pieces. It was a perfect project for that snowy, icy week in January.

I upended my scrap baskets to dig out navy, blue, and aqua bits for this one, combining with natural muslin. Layout alternated the 6” Priscilla Stripes and simple half-square triangle blocks, with a border added.

Piecing was done on Annie, my Singer 221 Featherweight with her perfect little stitches. I switched to the Janome for quilting, using a ruler guide and walking foot to sew a 3” cross hatch pattern with cream thread.

Tried & True finished out at 49” square. I'll definitely be using this die again for a random scrappy quilt to use more leftover fabric. Could be time to schedule a marathon cutting session to manage those overflowing bins of bits!

Accuquilt dies used:

55607 Priscilla Stripe 6” finished
55009 HST 3½”
55017 Strips 2½” binding
55032 Strips 3½” border

Savannah Spring

Savannah Spring, December 2025

Colors of springtime include lilac and lavender, and they happen to be my favorites. I added in a dash of lime for contrast to make this quilt sing.

Large 8” triangles made piecing easy on my Singer 221 Featherweight, Annie. Switching to the Janome, I used lilac thread and a walking foot to quilt straight lines along all seams to emphasize the triangle shapes.

Finished and gifted last December, Savannah Spring finished out at 48” x 50” size. I wanted to keep this one, but I can and mostly likely will make another in similar colors.

I've been resting some from our improvement projects, and sneezing my way through this unpredictable spring weather. There's a new set of allergens over this way, but I'm getting a handle on it.

Dies used:

Blue Wren 6568 Equilateral Triangle 8”
Accuquilt 55017 Strips 2”

Olivia's Choice

Hot pink, orange, and teal scraps come together for an exciting quilt. Made with simple squares and rectangles, the colors capture all the attention here.  

The back is no different, with large sections of orange dots and hot pink gingham. Color choice was selected by the teenager who received this lap size quilt as a gift last December.

Piecing perfect little seams on Annie, my Singer Featherweight 221, is always a dream. For quilting I switched to the Janome, using serpentine & straight stitches in orange thread. Olivia's Choice finished at 48” square.

*****

I didn't have much time for quilting last week because yard work was on the schedule. I learned a new skill (running a trencher) and practiced manual labor tasks such as shoveling/spreading dirt, fitting pipes, scattering grass seed/straw and general labor. Running two drain lines isn't bad exercise for two 70+ year olds, although we followed up with Aleve and heating pads.

Now on to some landscaping and maybe time for a quilt session this week.

Dies used:

Accuquilt 55021 Lg. Value die: 4" square, 2" square

Blue Wren 6047 Rectangle 2" x 6"

Breezy

Inspiration and ideas have been coming from everywhere for me lately. I had a great time going through remnants and scrap baskets to make this cheerful little quilt. I wanted bright clear colors to contrast with the black weaver print background.

Curved designs are some of my favorites, and this Blue Wren die makes them easy to stitch. I cut all the pieces right side up in order to arrange the four patch blocks in this way. Adding the setting triangles made the block sit on point.

I quilted with white thread using a serpentine stitch and walking foot along the seam lines. The quilt finished out at 45” square. Breezy seemed like a good name because of the fan-like effect. I finished it in January when it was cold, icy, and snowy.

Speaking of precipitation, Tennessee has had plenty of crazy weather this year, especially last week. Last Sunday was a balmy 75° with thunderstorms that brought hail, tornado warnings, and high winds. By early Monday morning it was 21° and snowed most of the day, enough that I made snow cream for lunch. Wednesday it was 72° and sunny. Yesterday's 86° was near a record high, with blue clear skies. 

Whew, Mother Nature is either throwing a hissy fit, or just showing off.  

Dies used:

Blue Wren 6633 Wave Peak 4” block

Accuquilt 55399 Quarter Square Triangles 8”

Emerald Braid

Are you ready for St. Patrick's Day? I pretty much have to celebrate this holiday, because of my name and my naturally curly red (well, previously red) hair.

Our new home has several rooms painted in different shades of green, so I've been stitching more green quilts for decorating. I made this table runner last November and it's still on the oak buffet in our foyer.

I used a couple of fat quarters and a white on natural print for this quick and easy project. Simple 5” squares with half-square triangles were laid out in a braid pattern. I pieced it on Annie, my sweet little Featherweight and quilted in a straight stitch with green thread. Emerald Braid is 52” x 13½” finished.

Wishing you a happy St. Patrick's Day tomorrow, and don't forget to wear green or the leprechauns will pinch you!

Accuquilt dies used:

55010 Square 5”
55397 Half-square triangle 4½”
55017 Strips 2½” binding 

Forest Path

Things are beginning to green up around here, as my mama used to say. Springtime brings nature's mix of colors and hues to inspire me. I used a variety of those dark and medium green shades in this modern style hexagon quilt.

It went together easily using half-hexagon and equilateral triangle dies. I laid the sections out on my design wall before sewing them together in rows.

Quilting was done with a straight stitch 1” away from each seam, using variegated green thread and a walking foot. The even stitching really emphasizes the hexagon and triangle shapes.  

Forest Path finished out at 52” x 56” throw size, and is folded nicely on my hallway quilt rack. This one is definitely a keeper!

Accuquilt dies used:

55437 Half-hexagon 4¼” finished
55429 Equilateral Triangle 4¼” finished
55017 Strips 2½” binding

Doc's Folly

Doc's Folly

I love vintage quilt block designs, and Propeller is one of my favorites. Published as Air Ship Propeller in the Kansas City Star around 1938, you could buy the pattern by mail order. I ordered this die from Blue Wren a few years ago.

My latest version features black, cream, light red, and melon remnant prints. It has a kind of steam punk look with this coloring. I designed it in EQ8 and cut most of the pieces last November. I pieced the block in January on Annie, my Singer Featherweight 221, also using it to applique the center circles.

As I was arranging the blocks on my design board, my husband walked in and wondered if I could shift the rows, and I love the effect. He also helped choose the center circle fabric, and named the quilt Doc's Folly. He's a wonderful supporter of my quilting obsession and definitely a keeper!

I used a tan vine print sheet for backing, and free motion quilted in a large meandering stitch with tan thread on the Janelle, my Janome MC9450. Finished size is 50” square, and it's folded over the love seat in our living room right now.

See you next week!

Dies used:

Blue Wren 6924 Propeller 10” block
Accuquilt 55017 Strips 2½” binding

New Beginnings

This was the first quilt designed and completed in my new sewing space during October 2025. It was wonderful to get back to sewing, especially in my freshly organized room.

A variety of navy, blue, rust and orange prints were pulled from current inventory and scrap boxes to make triangles in a square. Medium blue blender fabric was used for sashing; a vintage blue checked sheet provided plenty of yardage for borders and the backing.

Quilting was done in serpentine stitch rectangles with blue thread. Appropriately named New Beginnings, this one's 55” square, stitched completely on my Janome Horizon MC 9450.

Dies used:
Accuquilt
55820 and 55821 Triangle in Square 5” finished
55017 Strips 2½” sashing
55032 Strips 3½” borders

Lightly Toasted

I took a break from bright colors for this soft neutral baby quilt. A trio of rectangles in tan and cream small prints are turned on point and alternated with beige gingham squares.

Lightly Toasted is 40” square, and quilted diagonally with tan thread using a utility zig-zag stitch. It's easy on the eyes and perfect for a little cowboy's room.

I finished this one last spring, right before packing up my sewing gear. I can't believe I went more than six months without quilting, but I somehow survived. Wouldn't want to do that again, ever! Now I'm blissfully back in my happy place, quilting nearly every day.

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6047 Rectangles 2” x 6” 

Accuquilt
55000 Square 6”
55001 Half Square Triangle 6”
55002 Quarter Square Triangle 6”
55017 Strips 2”

Girly Hearts

Here's a sweet lap quilt for Valentine's Day that's fun and easy to sew.

Pink scrappy hearts float on a lavender floral background, with a border of parallelograms around the perimeter. Girly Hearts is 48” square, and quilted with white thread in a free motion meandering stitch. I stitched and quilted on Janelle, my Janome MC9450 machine.

The Half Hearted die from Blue Wren is definitely one I'll use again. I actually sewed this quilt in December 2024, before packing up everything for our move. 

I have so many ideas bouncing around in my head that I don't know what to do next. Good thing I have a pending projects list, although it is getting longer and longer.

My current focus is cutting into my mountain of remnants. I can't stand to throw away even the smallest bits of fabric! Thankfully some of my dies can cut tiny pieces so I don't have to do it with scissors like our grannies did. Watch for lots of wild colorful quilts later this year.

Dies used:
Blue Wren
  6911 Half Hearted 9” block
  6015 Strips 1½”

Accuquilt
  55004 Parallelograms 3”
 55008 HST 3”

Knockout

Knockout

All these colors and circles make me so happy! It was a pleasure to design and sew this bright 50” square lap quilt. It started with a slightly different layout, but sometimes I let the fabric tell me what it wants to be.

The large Amy Butler print gave me color guidance and I pulled scraps and pieces from my stash to coordinate the prints. Yellow, blue, pink, green, melon, aqua, and lime make a glorious splash, don't they?

Simple 12” blocks made with Blue Wren's Curve in a Square 6” die made quick work of this one. I quilted in randomly spaced rows with yellow thread and a rolling wave ruler on my Janome. The backing is a solid yellow sheet; binding is wider than normal to showcase the large print.

It is, I believe, a Knockout! I'll make it again with different colors.

Dies used:
Blue Wren 6602 Curve in a Square 6” quarter square
Accuquilt 55032 Strips 3” finished (for binding)

Update on the week's weather: We did not get 24” of snow last Saturday, it was more like 2” with the unfortunate 1/4” ice topping that made everything slick and dangerous. No power outage for us, however our home town had to deal with slightly more snow and twice the ice, causing nearly a week without electricity and limited travel due to falling trees, power lines, and unsafe roads. Winter in Tennessee can be a challenge.

 

SNOW? ICE? and Striped Christmas Stars

Striped Christmas Stars

Hey y'all, I'm waiting for this weekend's upcoming weather system: snow-ice-sleet-rain (Snowmageddon or Icepocalypse). Our forecasters can't decide between 24” of snow or 1/2” of ice but they do know it will be very cold for several days.

I figured a Christmas themed quilt for today's blog might bring on some simple snow. I am still catching up on projects that I cut out in 2024 before our move. This one I finished in early December 2025 and displayed on our bed during the holidays.

Red dots, teal print, and a coordinating plaid look nice with natural muslin. This pretty die from Blue Wren is called Eight Point Star of Stripes. Even though it looks complicated, it is very easy to sew. It was fun to design in EQ8. I added plaid sashing and a perky border of half-square triangles.

Quilting was done with cream thread using a utility zig-zag stitch in vertical lines every 2 inches. A bright teal blender for the backing and binding finish it off beautifully. Striped Christmas Stars is 48” square.

Whether we get record breaking snow or dangerous ice remains to be seen. Nashville's record snow was 17.2” in 1892, more recently 8” in 2016. The most I've ever seen is 10-12” in 1964. Cookeville's record is 15” (1966) and the county had 17” (1993).

The Tennessee weather forecasters and the internet have people in a panic, emptying grocery shelves of bread, milk, eggs, cheese, and lunch meat three days before the event. We have food and water and will be fine. At least I have hundreds of quilts to keep us warm if the power goes out. Plus, a Singer with a hand crank so I can sew by lamplight if necessary.

Dies used:

Blue Wren
    6466 Eight Point Star of Stripes 12” finished

Accuquilt
    55021 Value die 2” HST, square
    55017 Strips 2”

Change In The Air

Finally, a quilt! This one is aptly named, since change was definitely in the air. I cut the pieces way back in November of 2024, just before packing up the sewing room for our move. It's one of several that I prepared in advance so I'd be ready to sew once we arrived.

Now forward to December 2025...Change In The Air is at long last finished! The fresh blue fabric, bright melon dots and coral print look gorgeous together. 

I wanted something large, so used six inch sections to make 18” finished blocks. Chisels, half-square triangles, rectangles, and squares made a fun design using EQ8 software to fine tune the layout.  Finished size is 56" square.

I set them on point, filling in with half blocks and hand cut corners. I added 2” blue sashing plus cornerstones and binding in a navy & light red strawberry print. All work was done on Janelle, my Janome 9450 machine. I quilted free motion in a large meandering stitch using blue thread.

It felt awesome to complete a quilt in my new space! I whipped out a few more in December, they're lined up to share with you soon. I haven't set a blog schedule just yet (too busy sewing!), so watch here or on Useful Remnants/KatieScarlett Designs Facebook page for updates.  

See you later!

Dies used:

Blue Wren

  6274 Chisels 2” x 6”
  6047 Rectangles 2” x 6”

Accuquilt

  55000 Square 6”
  55059 Squares 2”
  55021 Value die 2” HST
  55017 Strips 2”
  55399 QST 8”

Back Where We Belong

We've come full circle. I'm happy to be starting a new year in a newer home located where we began as newlyweds over 50 years ago.

2025 was a crazy, hectic, and busy year. Buying our home last January was the easy part. Packing, moving, and getting the old one shined up and sold took time, much effort, and considerable stress. 

We had long days full of hard work. We sold, gave away, or tossed out of a lot of excess stuff. We learned new skills together, took our time, and did most of the work ourselves. Not bad for 70+ year old seniors, and it's been very satisfying to accomplish.

We met some delightful people along the way. Unfortunately, dealing with delays, stupid rules, and incompetent idiots taught us a few lessons. Our patience was tested a couple of times, failed once or twice. And our stress relieving hobbies were packed up for over nine months...no quilting, no electronics...never thought we could survive that!

Still, we enjoyed most of the process of planning, moving, and settling in at our new location. Goodbye Sumner County -- Hello Cookeville!

We're here now, right back where we belong, already relaxing and enjoying life. And that's all that matters.