Every month we offer a Block Lotto "game."  We provide a free block pattern, and members can mail in a block to be entered in a drawing. Only 1 chance per member and Winner takes all!  The drawing for these blocks will be held at our Zoom meeting on Monday, January 13th at 2:00 pacific time.
This block also makes a very cute quilt if you like making more blocks.

This will be our 4th annual Mystery Quilt!  The pattern is free, and we will have new monthly clues from January to June 2025.  Our pace is leasurely to allow everyone time for other projects.  If you aren't familiar with this program, you will be making a quilt without knowing what it looks like!  Each month clues are released to help you pick fabrics, cut the fabric, and sew the quilt.  PS - Lots of instructions and help to make sure you succeed.

Members can gain access to the clues through the "Member Login" page on this website.  Once you are on that page, click the "Mystery Quilt 2025" button at the top of the page.

If you aren't a member, go to the "Join" page for the free sign up.

If you have questions, contact Ann at [email protected]

I love this little ruler, and use it often.  Check it out on this video:
​--Ann

These cute squares or blocks come up in patterns, and this video is a nice way to see how to make them the easiest way.  

Remember the "Telephone Game" when we were kids? Sit in a circle and send a whispered message once around around.  The last person shares what they heard & the change from the beginning can be quite funny. 

This is the same concept but we start with a photo. Each Team has 4 quilters. Each quilter picks something from the photo that inspires them and creates a mini-quilt.  A photo of that quilt is sent to the next Team member, and so forth.  None of the Team members see each others mini-quilts until the reveal today!
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PS- Click on any photo to see a larger image.

And the winner this month is Pam S (Sonoma, CA).
Our members have the option of playing Block Lotto each month. We provide a free block pattern, which our members can use to make a quilt, table runner, etc.  There is also an option to mail 1 block to Ann for a drawing at the end of the month.  The winner of the drawing gets all the blocks submitted.
Watch the slide show below to see the entries.

I happen to be a big fan of Jennifer Sampou's ombre fabric line.  I love this color lesson she has on using her ombre fabric to choose colors/fabrics for a quilt. I have done this with some of my ombre stash and it is really fun with wonderful results.  You might want to give it a try.
​--Ann
PS - you can also pick a colorful print and choose fabrics for a project in a similar way.

Dealing with fabric bias is an important consideration is suceeding in assembling your quilt.  This video gives some good suggestions and things to be aware of.  

​Below are some of the brands that were recommended in the video:

Congrats to Renee (Eastern Oregon) for winning all the blocks!
Our members were challenged with a free block pattern for October.  To make it fun, they could mail a single block of this pattern to me and then the drawing winner today will get all the blocks mailed to them.  Once again, I am impressed with the beautiful blocks made.  The lucky winner will certainly be able to make something nice with these blocks!
​--Ann

I use masking tape almost everytime I work on a quilt.  It is an amazing tool for me, and costs very little.  Many quilters use the blue painters tape, but I really like Frog Tape for a little stronger hold.  The Frog Tape still doesn't leave any residue and comes in different widths.  Yes, both are easy to find at your local hardware store, and online on Amazon.com.
​---Ann

If you love to watch a new beginner try this technique, this video is for you.  Actually the information is good, and her struggles along the way are entertaining (anyway to me!)
This can keep you off the floor and able to use a smaller surface or table.  This can be really helpful for many of us!
​---Ann

The winners of the Houston 2024 International Quilt Show have been announced.  This year it was shared online by The Quilt Show by Ricky Tims and Alex Anderson.  The video has lots of information about the quilts and the judging process, especially since Ricky Tims was one of the 3 judges.
The video is on You Tube, but is not sharable on our blog.  It is about an hour long, but very interesting if you like seeing this type of information.  Here is a link to the video:

Congrats to Tomi (Santa Rosa, CA) for winning all the blocks.
Our members have the option to submit a block to play "Block Lotto."  This month's free block pattern is a butterfly block. Members are limited to one entry, but can add extra blocks not eligible for the drawing.  This month we have a slideshow to see all the blocks.  Enjoy watching!
PS- This is a "members only" activity, but joining us is free. Past patterns remain available, including this free pattern from Riley Blake Fabrics.

What a fun pattern, and flexible to whatever jelly roll you might want to use. This is a free pattern released by Moda Fabrics last year for National Jelly Roll Day.  Great pattern for a Jelly Roll.  By the way, some of our members cut their own Jelly Rolls (2.5 inch strips x width of fabric) from their fabric stash.
​Use the link below to save, view, or print the free pattern.

"National Sew a Jelly Roll Day" is an annual celebration, started by Moda Fabrics.  It is held on the 3rd Saturday of September and many stretch it out to the entire month of September.  If you don't know it, in quilting a Jelly Roll is a collection of precut 2.5" fabric strips, usually 40 to 42 strips cut and ready to sew.  Often they are curated to include all the fabric in a designer collection.  They are so tempting because the fabrics look so pretty together, and we love having the fabric to work with.

Moda trademarked the name "jelly roll" in 2009 so you will see other companies calling them strippies, Roly Poly, Strip Roll, Spirals, and Pinwheels, etc. Are you confused yet? Right here on our website, we have quite a few free patterns to try out, and many designers and pattern makers sell them as well.

SCROLL DOWN PAST THE VIDEO FOR THE 4 FREE PATTERNS FROM MODA (3 quilts & a Tote)

HERE ARE THE 4 FREE JELLY ROLL PATTERNS FROM MODA.  CLICK TO OPEN & SAVE:

Another easy and quick quilt pattern using a Jelly Roll (2.5 inch strips).  Make an easy block and lay them out to the size that you want.  Great for beginner quilters, to make donation quilts, or for a gift quilt in a hurry.  Thank you to Missouri Star Quilt Company for the tutorial.

Also see the written instructions below the video.

Materials
1  roll of 2 1/2″ strips
1 3/4 yards of background fabric
5 1/4 yards of backing
.........................
Instructions

Step 1:
Get the 1 3/4 yards of background fabric and cut it into 5″ strips, then sub-cut into 5″ squares.
Step 2:
Match your 2 1/2″ strips into two. Lay them right sides together and sew a quarter of an inch seam allowance on the side. Do this for the whole pack. You’re going to have 21 sets of them. Iron them open.
Step 3:
Get one of the units, cut the selvage off, and cut a 5″ square. Take one of the 5″ background squares and place it on the 5″ square unit. Place them right sides together and sew on one side. Press it open. It should be 9 inches. This will be block A.
Step 4:
Get another of the units, cut the selvage, and cut a 9-inch rectangle. This will be block B.
Step 5:
Take the block B and lay it on the side of block A. Sew them together with a quarter of an inch seam allowance. Once done, press it open, and square it up if needed. It should end up with a 9-inch block. Now, you have your finished block.
...
You need seven blocks across and eight blocks down. When you assemble this, each block should be alternating. Sew them in rows first, then press them flat. Once done, sew the rows together with a quarter of an inch seam allowance. Put a 2 1/2″ inner border, then a 6″ outside border and you are done.