There is something for everyone in the “What’s New This Week” at QuiltersWarehouse. 

If you are partial to pieced quilts, you’ll be mad about Plaid About You.  This simple quilt of nine squares can be made from any fabric of course but the plaid fabrics really make the quilt stand out.  Simple, quick, and stunning.  Finishing at 64″ X 85″ it’s the perfect size to throw over your special someone to say “I’m mad about you!” 

If applique is what you’re wanting to try, Chugging Along is a wall hanging with easy to follow directions.  This quilt would make a perfect new baby gift. You can personalize the gift by adding the baby’s name and birthdate in the border.

If paper piecing is your preference Bella Strella is a two-for-one pattern.  Instructions are included for a table runner and for a wall quilt.  It looks complicated (everyone will be sooo impressed – you too!) but it’s not that hard.   

And who could resist an ice cream quilt?! (Mmm, ice cream, my favorite food group!)  This quilt has a bit of everything… stitchery, piecing, applique.                                     

And wasn’t there mention of Block of the Month quilts?  There are FOUR!!!! of them…Thimbleberries Traditional is a pieced queen size with two color options – Light and Traditional.   Snowman Collector is an appliqued quilt with adorable snowmen.  Playing in the snow has never been so much fun.  Mrs. Potter’s Garden is a 6 month project. You can enjoy the flowers and think spring and summer all winter long as you work on it and summer will be here when you are finished.  And Heart & Home is a quilt that will warm your heart with pretty applique blocks, a beautiful border and gorgeous fabrics of pinks and greens.

There are many more quilt patterns, so when you are taking a break from your quilting browse through them and find your next project.

Running a little behind here, as Month 3 is already out, but we’ll catch up! 

This is Block 1 from Month 2.  There are 8 half-square triangles, four hour-glass pieces and 13 squares.  Just a little bit more challenging than the first month.

And here is Block 2 from Month 2.  Another EASY block.  The instructions said to cut each piece but I strip-pieced the four square blocks and the rectangle blocks.  It worked just fine and saved some cutting and sewed up a little faster.

Block of the Month quilts really are fun. If you’ve never tried one now might be the time!  When you have several works in progress and feel like you aren’t getting anywhere you can do one of the blocks and you feel like you finished something because all you are supposed to do is one block!  It doesn’t get your other projects finished but it’ll give you a break and the incentive to get going again on a WIP.

One of the BOM’s that is available is Thyme to Water.  It ships on the 21st of each month and is a six month project.  Start now and it’ll be ready for next summer.  This quilt is mostly pieced with some applique and will finish at 69″ X 69″.

Feeling ambitious?  Garden Friends Block of the Month is another 6 month project.

Start it along with Thyme to Water and you’ll have two quilts finished come next summer.  You’ll have a head start on your decorating… these two quilts would look great hanging together… or artfully thrown over a chair or a couch.

There are lots more Block of the Month patterns from which to choose.  There is sure to be one (or more!) that will suit your fancy.

Ok, here’s the first installment of the On Point Block of the Month Showcase project.   The first month has two blocks.   Block 1 is called Hearth and Home.  There are 8 half square triangles and 17 squares.  As you can imagine, this block went together lickety-split . . . quick and easy.  What a nice beginning. 

A few tips . . .

- As you follow the instructions and cut the pieces it’s helpful to cut a  small piece of each fabric and make a chart so you can keep track of which fabric matches which number in the instructions. 

- I found my fabric stacked in order, which made it easier to figure which was which (nice job, Sandy!) but don’t assume that it will always be that way . . . it’s easy enough to get them mixed up in the packing – or in the unpacking! 

- It’s helpful also to look at the color image as you check the fabric, as the darks in the gray scale drawing are not neccessarily the darks in the actual block. 

Block 2 is called Broken Dishes. It has 8 small half square triangles and 4 larger half square triangles and 8 squares.  It went together nearly as quick and easy as the first block.

The instructions say to cut the fabric for the half square triangles (HST) into squares and then in half diagonally and then sew the resulting triangles together.  I found that there was enough fabric to cut the squares a bit larger and draw a line diagonally from corner to corner, sew just under 1/4″ away from this line on either side, and then cut down the line.  This made two HST from each pair of squares and there were no bias edges to deal with while sewing.  Just be sure to make your seams a bit less than 1/4″ ’cause there’s not much wiggle room! and then trim the HST to the correct finished size (3″ or 3 1/2″ depending on which ones they are).

Each of these blocks finished at 12 1/2″ as will the rest of the blocks with the exception of the center block. 

If you are interested in starting the On Point Block of the Month don’t worry that you are too late.  You’ll receive the same set of blocks each month that everyone else gets and then you’ll start over until you have all of the months.  You can refer back to the posts for the earlier months when you get them.  Don’t forget to sent pics of your finished blocks so we can all “oooh” and “aaaah” over them.  Send them to kbrown@quiltersshowcase.com .  Oh, and be sure to have fun, and soak up the joy of completing such pretty blocks that will be part of a beautiful large quilt.

There are several Block of the Month choices at Quilters Warehouse.  They are a fun way to complete a large quilt.  The expense is spread out and so is the work.  This is how it works…Each month you will receive a package that includes a pattern for a portion of the quilt, plus all the fabric you need to complete that portion.  This continues each month until your quilt is nearly finished.  The last package you receive will be to complete the quilt top.  This usually means the borders.  You will then have your top finished and will need to provide the batting and backing.  The fabric that is included in your kit will be selected to match the fabrics as noted or pictured in the pattern but it will sometimes be necessary to make substitutions with similiar fabrics.

On Point is the newest Block of the Month at QuiltersWarehouse. It’s available with a pieced center:

or with an applique center:

This totally scrappy quilt is a nine month project. The first seven months will be patterns and fabric (scrappy, of course) for the pieced blocks that surround the center. There are fourteen of them so, 2 blocks per month. The eight month will be fabric and the pattern for the center, your choice of applique or pieced. The final month will be all the rest… the fabric and pattern for the sashing, pieced border, border and binding.

If you’re ready to jump on the Block of the Month bandwagon do it now and we’ll keep up here on QuiltersShowcase. We’ll “showcase” construction of this quilt, step by step, with pictures of blocks each month as they are completed. Want to participate? Email photos of your completed blocks to kbrown@quiltersshowcase.com and see them posted here. It’ll be a fun way to keep on task with your project and see how others are doing.   Month one, begin!  Watch for a post In the next few days that is all about Month one.