Useful Remnants

Savannah Spring

2026-04-06T09:17:00.000-05:00

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

2026-03-30T10:23:00.000-05:00

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

2026-03-23T06:00:00.017-05:00

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

2026-03-16T07:00:00.006-05:00

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

2026-03-09T06:00:00.050-05:00

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

2026-03-02T09:27:00.002-06:00

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

2026-02-23T07:00:00.025-06:00

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

2026-02-16T10:01:29.272-06:00

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

2026-02-09T09:25:00.001-06:00

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

2026-01-31T14:23:00.001-06:00

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

2026-01-22T09:52:00.000-06:00

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

2026-01-15T14:13:00.001-06:00

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

2026-01-01T07:00:00.056-06:00

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.

Sewing Again!

2025-10-13T10:11:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone, I'm finally sewing again. Not quilting just yet, but stitching up things for our new home.

Buying and moving 75 miles away, then updating and selling our old house has taken up all my time. Especially when we've done nearly everything ourselves. Two 70+ year old coots can still get things done and even learn new skills!

My sewing room was the first room we finished at the new place...priorities, you know. I took the master bedroom with walk-in closet since it was larger. His basement hobby space/workshop/den was second on our list. We are slowly settling in, tired but happy.

This weekend I added my last new piece: a custom ironing table. The Harbor Freight cart was Jerold's idea--he had an extra one. We painted it, added a plywood top and stapled on a repurposed moving blanket for padding. I sewed the removable cover and it's ready to go. An added bonus: the two baskets underneath were formerly used for laundry, but they fit the cart perfectly to hold my unsorted scraps. Ta-da!

Hopefully soon I'll get back to quilting and posting. Till then, here's a few pics of my new space.

A Year For Change

2025-01-06T06:00:00.094-06:00

Hello everyone, welcome to 2025!

I have big news...the Useful Remnants blog will be on pause for a while, starting now. We have several major home projects lined up that will temporarily take me away from quilting. In fact, the sewing room will be all packed up (I'm sure I'll be having withdrawal symptoms).

It's really quite exciting with many busy days and positive changes ahead for us. Sometimes you need to prioritize and focus on what's most important. I'll check in periodically once things settle down or if I get a chance to stitch up a little project.

Meanwhile, y'all keep quilting and if you need ideas, browse through the blog. I've been writing since January 2011, that's 719 posts and 413 quilting projects.

Cheers to a happy year ahead!

Evergreen Palm

2024-12-23T10:16:00.008-06:00

Here's another pretty test block that was hiding in my sample box. It's perfect for a pillow cover, and looks great on my couch.

The palm die and some cream & green fat quarters made a lovely combination. I put a layer of cotton flannel on the back of the 16” block, then quilted using scallop stitch and creamy white thread.

White on natural print fabric was perfect for the pillow envelope back. Quick and done!

Die used:
Blue Wren 6359 The Palm 8” finished

Wishing everyone

a very happy Christmas
and a wonderful New Year.

I'm taking the rest of 2024 off

...see you in 2025!

Christmas Challenge

2024-12-16T06:00:00.015-06:00

Another UFO turned into a practical item! During my recent closet cleanout, I found an experimental block that I created several years ago using chisels and parallelograms. Stored in the ziplock bag with it I found scraps and more cut shapes. This, my friends, was like a challenge to me. I just had to make something out of it.

Back and front view of Christmas Challenge placemats

I decided to whip up a couple of holiday place mats for our kitchen bar. Adding 2" strip borders made the blocks the right size. A rose and holly print remnant was found in my stash for backing. I used champagne colored thread with an eyelash serpentine stitch for quilting across the blocks diagonally.

Christmas Challenge place mats finished out at 15” square. I enjoyed playing with fabric, used another piece of material, and eliminated one of my unfinished objects. What could be better on a December day?

Mixed Nuts

2024-12-09T06:00:00.001-06:00

I went on a cutting spree several weeks ago with my hexagon die set and a big pile of scraps. This colorful quilt is the final result.

The brighter the better, I say. I used a cream and beige swirl print for the hexagons and equilateral triangles making up the background. No real planning for color placement, other than trying not to get the same prints too close together as I slapped them up on the wall.

Quilting was done with medium beige thread in a straight stitch, criss-crossing the quilt along the design lines using a ruler to keep everything neat. Mixed Nuts finished out at 49” x 53” in size, good for snuggling.

Sewing is my stress relieving relaxation activity. We're still doing home improvements and I miss not being at the sewing machine every day. Although I've found that other power tools can be just as satisfying to use when all goes right. Drills, staple guns, hammers, mini chain saws, jig saws, and sanders have been in action here.

My man and I make a great team. No matter what project we're working on, there's a nice sense of accomplishment when we get things done.

Blue Wren dies used:

6808 Hexagon Set 3” sides

6566 Equilateral Triangles 6” sides

Vintage Breeze

2024-12-02T08:37:00.000-06:00

Three old fashioned prints give this quilt an antique look. I chose a lovely medium floral, a simple swirling vine, and a geometric design for the fabrics. The rose print contrasts nicely with chocolate brown and dusty coral.

Larger pieces in these 16” blocks make quick work. Nine blocks later and I was done. Getting perfect points is easy with Blue Wren's dies and a precise quarter inch seam. The back is pieced using a large rose print in the same shades with a cream and coral mini print.

For quilting I kept it simple with rows of scallops lined up 2” apart. Vintage Breeze finished at 48” square.

Back to the sewing room to cut out more quilts...I got a shipment of new dies from Australia on Friday!

Dies used:

Blue Wren 6954 Dynamic Blocks

Accuquilt 55017 Strips 2½” for binding

Giving Thanks

2024-11-25T06:00:00.003-06:00

I'm thankful for many things, first and foremost that I'm still moving forward on this lovely life journey with my one and only husband.
There are loads of reasons to be thankful in 2024; both gains and losses count. We've both shed quite a few pounds, which gave us a healthier life. The frig and pantry are no longer stuffed with sugary snacks, so our grocery budget is lower as well. Closets are cleaned out, too large clothing donated, and new skinny sizes added. YAY!
Home improvements are in process around here. Planning and working together on projects has always been fun and we're still learning new skills. These changes provide us the opportunity to get rid of lots of unnecessary stuff. Paring down is a challenge, given our vast collections of hobby gear, but we are working on it. Prioritizing what we want and what we need is key.
I'm thankful that the two of us don't really have to consider what others think, say, or do. We're certainly old enough to decide for ourselves how we spend our time and what's right for us. Letting go of the expectations of others gives us peace of mind.
A simple, comfortable, happy home has always been our goal. Putting things in perspective has allowed us to experience less stress, less worry, and less drama. Old habits can be hard to break but this year's fresh starts have been invigorating. Less is more, and I'm thankful for it!
We're moving forward...

Imperfectly Teal

2024-11-18T06:00:00.029-06:00

Scrap quilts are the reason that I save small bits of fabric from every quilt I make. Seems crazy, I know. But there's such a high level of satisfaction in using leftover pieces to create an entire quilt. Plus, you get several extra bonus quilts without spending any more money. I do love a bargain!

My inspiration for this project was a group of quilts designed by Jo Anne Merrill-Duckworth. Her beautiful creations are scrappy, colorful, and amazing! Her method makes it easy since you don't have to worry about perfect cuts or uniform pieces. The wonkier the better--just choose a focus color and use what you have that fits.

I took a shoe box full of aqua and teal fabric strips to the campground in October to begin these crazy log cabin style blocks. I used leftover black gingham to begin each one, adding random width strips until it was roughly 7” square. Once I got home and finished all the blocks, I trimmed them with a 6½” die before stitching them together.

Imperfectly Teal finished at 48” square after I added 3” borders. I quilted with white thread, using a rolling wave ruler in diagonal rows about 3” apart.

Scrappy imperfect quilts aren't for everyone. Lots of people just can't stand so many prints, or crooked blocks that don't align perfectly. My brain had to reset a bit before I could resist the urge to straighten out those seams. I had fun, though, and gave myself permission to play. And I'll happily do it again.

So thanks, Jo Anne, for sharing your ideas, inspiring us to abandon perfection, and to save and use our scraps!

Accuquilt dies used:
55000 Square 6½”
55032 Strips 3½”
55017 Strips 2½”

Lakeside Picnic - Better Late Than Never

2024-11-11T06:00:00.034-06:00

You never know what you'll find when you start cleaning out a closet, especially in a sewing room. Maybe treasures, maybe trash, usually both. My normal responses vary from “Oh wow!” and “I remember that fabric” to “Why did I even keep that?” or “What the hell was I thinking?”

This little quilt is one of two pretty unfinished quilt tops I found stashed in an unlabeled box. Looking back at my quilt diary, I worked on it in the summer of 2013. I'm not sure why I laid it aside, but the pieced backing and the border fabric was stored with it. I probably had several projects going at once and it got lost in the shuffle. But here it is now, all finished.

A simple rail fence block is arranged using blue prints alternating with a green & white check. Borders are a lovely solid green and a blue floral. I think it has a 1930's vibe going. The back is pieced with wide and narrow stacked strips. I quilted the center section using a straight stitch in green thread, following the rails. On the borders, I changed to a multi zig-zag utility stitch.

Lakeside Picnic is 45” square and ready to use now that it rested for 11 years. The other top with backing has been added to the To Be Quilted shelf in my decluttered and organized closet. You'll see it soon, I hope.

Better late than never!

Windy Day

2024-11-04T06:00:00.013-06:00

Let's start November with an easy snuggle quilt. I pulled out a coral red peacock feather print from my stash, adding blue fabrics from the print to coordinate.

This simple windmill block is so quick to cut and sew, especially after laying it out in EQ8, then on my design wall. This quilt is alive with motion and color, don't you think?

For backing, I used the peacock feather print with leftover strips of the blues and a center section made up of one Curve in a Square block. Now it's not just a backing, but a reversible quilt.

For quilting, red variegated thread was used with serpentine stitch to make 4” grid along horizontal and vertical seam lines. Windy Day finished out at 49” square.

I'm thankful this one didn't take long, because we're still finishing up brush cutting and clearing around the home place.

Dies used:

Blue Wren

6554 Windmill 8” block

6602 Curve in a Square 12” finished block

Manual Labor

2024-10-28T06:00:00.023-05:00

The weather last week was warm and sunny, so we gathered up our gear, the tractor and mower, then headed outside for some much needed yard work.

Picture me, dressed in overalls, ball cap, and boots, armed with a hand-held mini chain saw, hedge clippers, and a rake. Although there's no photo evidence, I'm definitely a redneck Southern woman when I need to be. Not quite the sweet little old quilt lady you're used to, huh?

We attacked prickly wild rose and blackberry vines, overgrown weeds, crabgrass, unruly shrubbery, nasty poison ivy, stubborn privet, dead bushes, and a couple of fallen trees. We stripped out all the shrubs around the house to create a clean slate for new landscaping later.

Even though there was sweat, sore muscles, bruises and a bit of blood, overall we had a good week. We were out in the sunshine every day. We got lots of exercise chopping, loading and dragging brush and logs. I lost two more pounds. We took our time, laughed, enjoyed the breezes and admired the fall colors. The yard looks better and Jerold bushhogged the back field.

I'm not sure how it got so out of hand (well, maybe because we played instead of working) but it's almost whipped into shape, at least near the house. Out in the country, there's always something that needs to be done. Could be time to think about a place with a smaller yard so I can sew instead of doing manual labor.

Wave The Flag

2024-10-21T08:11:00.000-05:00

Wave The Flag
I started this quilt in April during our spring camping trip, then set it aside. Fast forward to September, when we headed to Dale Hollow again. I took along more scrappy red, white, and blue half-square triangles and finished the blocks.

Ocean Wave is a vintage design that was published in several women's magazines around the 1930's. I've seen this classic quilt many times and always wanted to sew one. It's a bonus that I pieced it on Annie, my Singer Featherweight.

Once home, I added the light blue corners and completed the quilt. Wave The Flag is 48” square, quilted with light blue thread in a simple 2” grid pattern. I finished it off in a red and white striped binding.

Useful Remnants

Savannah Spring

Olivia's Choice

Breezy

Emerald Braid

Forest Path

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.

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!

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:Accuquilt55820 and 55821 Triangle in Square 5” finished55017 Strips 2½” sashing55032 Strips 3½” borders

Lightly Toasted

Girly Hearts

Knockout

SNOW? ICE? and Striped Christmas Stars

Change In The Air

Back Where We Belong

Sewing Again!

A Year For Change

Hello everyone, welcome to 2025!

Evergreen Palm

Christmas Challenge

Mixed Nuts

Vintage Breeze

Giving Thanks

Imperfectly Teal

Scrap quilts are the reason that I save small bits of fabric from every quilt I make. Seems crazy, I know. But there's such a high level of satisfaction in using leftover pieces to create an entire quilt. Plus, you get several extra bonus quilts without spending any more money. I do love a bargain!

Imperfectly Teal finished at 48” square after I added 3” borders. I quilted with white thread, using a rolling wave ruler in diagonal rows about 3” apart.

So thanks, Jo Anne, for sharing your ideas, inspiring us to abandon perfection, and to save and use our scraps!

Lakeside Picnic - Better Late Than Never

You never know what you'll find when you start cleaning out a closet, especially in a sewing room. Maybe treasures, maybe trash, usually both. My normal responses vary from “Oh wow!” and “I remember that fabric” to “Why did I even keep that?” or “What the hell was I thinking?”

Lakeside Picnic is 45” square and ready to use now that it rested for 11 years. The other top with backing has been added to the To Be Quilted shelf in my decluttered and organized closet. You'll see it soon, I hope.

Windy Day

Let's start November with an easy snuggle quilt. I pulled out a coral red peacock feather print from my stash, adding blue fabrics from the print to coordinate.

Manual Labor

The weather last week was warm and sunny, so we gathered up our gear, the tractor and mower, then headed outside for some much needed yard work.

Picture me, dressed in overalls, ball cap, and boots, armed with a hand-held mini chain saw, hedge clippers, and a rake. Although there's no photo evidence, I'm definitely a redneck Southern woman when I need to be. Not quite the sweet little old quilt lady you're used to, huh?

We attacked prickly wild rose and blackberry vines, overgrown weeds, crabgrass, unruly shrubbery, nasty poison ivy, stubborn privet, dead bushes, and a couple of fallen trees. We stripped out all the shrubs around the house to create a clean slate for new landscaping later.

Wave The Flag

Wave The FlagI started this quilt in April during our spring camping trip, then set it aside. Fast forward to September, when we headed to Dale Hollow again. I took along more scrappy red, white, and blue half-square triangles and finished the blocks.

Ocean Wave is a vintage design that was published in several women's magazines around the 1930's. I've seen this classic quilt many times and always wanted to sew one. It's a bonus that I pieced it on Annie, my Singer Featherweight.

Once home, I added the light blue corners and completed the quilt. Wave The Flag is 48” square, quilted with light blue thread in a simple 2” grid pattern. I finished it off in a red and white striped binding.

Accuquilt dies used:55039 Half Square Triangles 2½” multiple55031 Half Square Triangles 4½”55017 Strips 2½”

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

Wave The Flag
I started this quilt in April during our spring camping trip, then set it aside. Fast forward to September, when we headed to Dale Hollow again. I took along more scrappy red, white, and blue half-square triangles and finished the blocks.

Accuquilt dies used:
55039 Half Square Triangles 2½” multiple
55031 Half Square Triangles 4½”
55017 Strips 2½”