Quilt News 2026, Hand Quilting My HST Medallion Quilt with Borders in Red, and Snowball Blocks with Sawtooth Borders Small Quilt, Scrap Piecing with Batiks, Winter Color

I'm piecing saturated batik scraps for hot pads for the kitchen.

HST Medallion hand quilted in Baptist Fan pattern.

My Snowball Blocks with Sawtooth Borders inspired by Farm & Folk Quilting.

The two unfinished hot pads, to the left and top, will soon have their binding sewn on.

My red Amaryllis with this year's blooms 2026.

 

 

Happy New Year!! 

Here in the valley we have freezing temperatures and sunny skies!

I've been hand quilting 2 projects, it keeps my hands 'in shape.' My HST Medallion Quilt with Borders in Red is hand quilted in Baptist Fan pattern, the center medallion. The borders are next up.

Also I'm handquilting my red and white Snowball Block Quilt with Sawtooth Borders in cross hatch. The design is inspired by Sara Larson Buscaglia's book Farm & Folk Quilt Alchemy page 127, Hand-Quilting Tool Roll. Sara made her Snowball Blocks into a tool roll. I used different colors for my version, red and white, and added a Sawtooth Border for a small art quilt for table or wall. Sara has an excellent Snowball Block tutorial on her blog.

Going through my scraps and leftovers I found some saturated batik fabric scraps and decided they would brighten up a kitchen and decided to use them for hot pads/mats. I put a layer of Insul-Bright in the middle plus two layers of batting for heat protection. Finishing piecing I started machine quilting them and will finish up with binding and then into the kitchen, they make good gifts too. My scraps are getting used up!!

And a photo of my Red Amaryllis 2026 blooms. It was not a sunny day for the photo but the blooms are still magnificent. 

That's the quilt news, I hope you're enjoying your winter and are managing to stay warm!

I'll be by to visit. 

Quilt News!! Inspiring Improv by Nicholas Ball Book Review, 4 Improv Log Cabin Blocks Quilt Choosing the Backing, Snowball Blocks with Improv Sawtooth Borders Hand Quilting Progress.

Nicholas Ball shares his take on improv quilt design.

See the same sunflowers next to each other on the 2 logcabin strips?? Sunflowers too close for my liking.

Here is the new version I repieced. I took out the 'log' with the repeat sunflower and replaced it with a dark print.

This section in Nick's book, Part Two Practice, is my favorite, I love the color combinations.

Here are some backing fabrics I'm considering. The 4 Improv Log Cabin Blocks small quilt will be approx 18" x 18". Just right for sitting on a table.

My hand quilting progress on my Snowball Blocks with Sawtooth Borders Quilt.

 

 Hello Quilt Friends!! 

Sun and clouds here with warmer temperatures, a relief after rain for several days.

We welcomed a new grand daughter into our family, children are a miracle and a precious gift. 

This week I checked out Nicholas Balls book Inspiring Improv from my local library and it was a good read and yes, inspiring! My favorite part in the book is Part Two Practice where he gets into what he calls The Techniques. His very practical guide to improv piecing is easy to understand and implement. Excellent book for improv quilt design and piecing.

The last couple of weeks have been slow in project progress but I did get a piecing repair/replacement done on my new 4 Improv Log Cabin Blocks quilt done. I had pieced 2 "logs" next to each other that had the same sunflower on both pieces, too close for me. So I unpicked and restitched the "logs" back together replacing the repeat sunflower with a dark print and now the design flows.

And I'm currently hand quilting 2 quilts. I've finished hand quilting the center medallion in my HST Medallion in Red with Borders quilt. Now to start the borders! 

And I'm slowly hand quilting my Snowball Blocks with Improv Sawtooth Borders. I'm in no hurry, my hands need a few days break between hand quilting days. 

That's the quilt news from the valley, where we are enjoying the winter and the new year. 

I'll be by to visit. 

Quilt News for the Happy New Year!! New Improv Quilt Block Piecing Experiments and Modern Improv Quilting be the Boss of Your Design by Laura Veenema Review

Piecing process, Four Improv Log Cabin blocks...

Another scrappy improv block.

Four Improv Scrappy Log Cabin blocks pieced...

One of my scrappy piecing block experiments, and I like it.

This is a great book full of inspiration and step by step explanation of her process.

 

 

Hello Quilt Friends!! 

 I hope you're enjoying the Holidays and looking forward to the New Year like I am!! 

Modern Improv Quilting Be the Boss of Your Design by Laura Veenema is an exciting book for all of us improv quilting aficionados. This copy is checked out from my local library and there was a long waiting line to get it!! Laura explains her concept of 'Improv Quilting for the Win.' She purposely does not spell out improv quilting as a pattern to follow but rather an idea, a concept and then she clearly explains 'The three improvisational quilting techniques designed to get you started.' And several projects are included 'using those improv techniques.' Super book, good communication and colorful photos.

 I've been pulling out my scraps and doing a little organization, tidying and piecing  It's easier for me to work with my scraps when they're organized (in stacks) by color. I stack the darker colors then the mediums and so forth. And Improv Log Cabin blocks and geometric shapes are my favorite way to start building blocks. So when I don't have a clear idea on what the next project will be I start getting ready for the idea to 'materialize' :) and just piecing in that way relaxes the creative juices and they start to flow. The Holidays after all are a time to rest and reflect on the coming new year and stress is so over rated.

That's the news from the valley where we have sun and cool temperatures.

Happy New Year to you and your family and I'll be by to visit! 

Quilt News!! Hand Quilting Start on Snowball Blocks with Borders Quilt, Christmas Color.. Carolyn Forster's Book Hand Quilting Techniques is an Excellent Reference Book

My Amarylis in coral and cream #1 bloom!

O Holy Night.....

My hand quilting tools at the ready...Hera markers are so useful!!

 

Hello Quilt Friends!!! 

December is here and this year we've had rain and warmer temperatures. Right now the sun is peeking out, wonderful.

I've started the hand quilting process on my Snowball Blocks with Sawtooth Borders small quilt. I was inspired to start this little quilt by reading through Farm & Folk Quilt Alchemy by Sara Larson Buscaglia. I added the Sawtooth borders and used my own colors in Kona Cotton solids, whites and various reds, yes an orange too. And for hand quilting inspiration I've been reading through Carolyn Forster's book Hand Quilting for Farmhouse Style. As I said in the post title this is an excellent reference book, good to have on hand to help you through the process.

I hope you're enjoying the season. Shake off the 'bah humbug' and live in the moment! Chocolate is really pretty good, so are Christmas cookies. When I was growing up we had a neighbor that would bring us a plate of various Christmas cookies during the holidays, they were delicious. God bless her for being so generous.

Be merry, I'll be by to visit!! 

Quilt News! Hand Quilting Progress on my HST Medallion Quilt with Borders, Sashiko Hand Stitching Arrow Pattern Variation, Improv Piecing Borders for Red and White Snowball Block Quilt, Fall Color Still Life

Hand quilting on my HST Medallion quilt with Borders in Baptist Fan/Wave pattern.

Arrow pattern variation stitched on cotton/linen vintage fabric with #8 Perle cotton.

Fall Color still life from my kitchen window.

Borders for my Snowball Block small quilt, piecing in improv Sawtooth formation.

 

Hello Quilt Friends! 

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and we do have so much to be thankful for!!

I remember my mom and dad saying that around Thanksgiving time and it still lightens up the day to stop and give some thought to being thankful.

This last week I've been hand quilting Baptist Fan/Wave pattern to finish up my HST Medallion Quilt with Borders. I use Coats and Clark Quilting & Piecing Thread 35wt. 

And I'm piecing improv Sawtooth borders for my small Snowball Block quilt inspired by Farm & Folk Quilt Alchemy by Sara Larson Buscaglia, project on pg. 127. I'm adding borders and finishing as I wish. There are a lot of good projects and ideas in that book.

I'm almost finished with my Sashiko Arrow Stitch pattern stitched on linen/cotton vintage white fabric. It's beautiful and I'll use it in my kitchen. Japanese Country Quilting by Karen Kim Matsunaga is the book I use for Sashiko inspiration and tutorials.

I like to keep colorful bits and pieces of the natural world and unique findings from exploring 2nd hand stores and thriftshops in my kitchen window to keep color inspiration within sight.

And that is the quilt news from the valley where I'm remembering to be thankful!!! Happy Thanksgiving to all of you. 

I'll be by to visit.

 

 

Quilt News! My Snowball Block Quilt Top Finish Inspired by Farm & Folk Quilt Alchemy by Sara Larson Buscaglia, Local Farmer's Market Color!!!

Mushrooms growing on a stump among leaves in the back yard.

Pumpkins at local Farmer's Market in town....

Finished piecing small Snowball block quilt top for project in Farm and Folk Quilt Alchemy book.

Piecing Snowball blocks together...

Piecing progress on Snowball blocks...

Colorful Chrysanthemums and ornamental Kales on display at Farmer's Market...

 

Hello Quilt Friends!! 

Fall is here with colorful leaves and  Farmer's Markets full of squash and pumpkins. 

 

I'm reading through Sara Larson Buscaglia's book Farm & Folk Alchemy and I'm going through chapter 3 Quilt Alchemy choosing some projects from the book to make for myself. 

I've started with the small Snowball Block Hand-Quilting Tool Roll on Page 127. I chose to use red and white solids because the Holidays are upon us and the colors are festive to me. So the top is all pieced and ready for the next steps. The book has good instructions and photos.

 

And last week at the Local Farmer's Markets we bought butternut squash and sweet Italian Peppers, both good in soups and stews. Also took some colorful photos of produce to share here.

 

How are you enjoying your fall time? Have you any plans for using fresh produce from your local markets in favorite recipes? 

 

 Have a good stitching week and I'll be by to visit!

 

Quilt News!!! It's a Finish! My Sunflower Panel Quilt with Borders! Machine Quilted with Improv Fine CrossHatch.

Finished this week, my Sunflower Panel Quilt with Borders, approx 35" x 56".

 

Hello Quilt Friends! It's a sunny fall day, gorgeous with blue sky and colorful fall leaves.

I finished my Sunflower Panel Quilt with Borders and I had to get the photo published, too beautiful not to share. 

I machine quilted it with improv fine crosshatch using my hera marker and ruler. I added in some gentle curves for fun here and there. I used turquoise thread because it added pizzaz. I bought the Sunflower panel at a local quilt shop The Quilt Barn . The border has foursquare, halfsquare triangle and quarter square triangle blocks, all made of scraps and left over pieces from other projects. 

Hand quilting on my Halfsquare Medallion Quilt is still in progress. I'm reading and staying inspired by good books on quilting and hand embroidery and I hope you are too. What are you reading this week?

I'll be by to visit.