Category Archives: OBW Workshops

I’m Having Great Summer

I’m having a great summer so far, and I hope you are too! My 13-year anniversary with WordPress is next month. I have logged over a million hits on If These Threads Could Talk!!!!

Spring began with a OBW Workshop at Amy’s Quilt Room in Uniontown PA. Then a OBW Workshop with the Long Island Quilt Society. Teri Butler and I had a blast at H&H in Chicago!

June had me in Idaho at The Quilt Crossing in Boise and Sew In Stitches in Pocatello.

I just got home from the Yankee Quilter in Seymour CT! I have met so many wonderful quilters this year! Thank you everyone!

Teri Butler of Mama Said Sew is now creating OBW Jackets among her other many talents.

Next week I’m off to Amy’s Quilt Room again for back to OBW workshops. Then Back to the Yankee Quilter! In September I’m at the Needle in a Haystack Retreat Center in Sherman NY. Then to Halfmoon Handwerks in Carlisle PA. I’ll end the year in November in Arkansas.

2025 has been pretty good, but 2026 is looking good too! I will be the keynote speaker and teaching at the New England Quilt Expo in Manchester, New Hampshire April 8 -11. I have been invited to teach at AQS Paducah April 22 – 25!

Keep checking back to see what I’m up to next!

Creepin It Real Again!

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I am teaching at The Quilt Crossing in Boise Idaho in June. The owner of the shop is a fan of my work. She commissioned a One Block Wonder from me last year. Laura really loves Halloween and made an offer on QT Fabric‘s “Creepin it Real”.

I accepted her offer. She had 7 more “Creepin It Real” panels. These panels would enable me to make it again.

It is fun to see the differences. With the first “Creepin It Real” I cut my strips 3.75″ for 6″ finished hexies. With “Creepin It Real 2″, I cut my strips 3.25″ for 5” finished hexies. That gave me 31 more hexies than I had with the first one. The first “Creepin It Real” measures 90″ x 70″. The second “Creepin it Real” measures 74″ x 74″. Even though I had extra hexies, I did not use them all.

My new favorite ruler for cutting out my hexies is Deb Tucker’s First Choice Rulers.

TIP: I tried something different this time. Once I attached the top section, I attached one row from the left section. It was much less bulky determining where the bottom section should be attached. Then I added one row from the right side. Once the remaining left & right sections were stitched together, it would be easy to attach them to the center section.

I’m just so happy that I still have a “Creepin it Real” in my collection. I’m Looking forward to meeting Laura in June.

@QTFabrics @TheQuiltCrossing @Studio180Design #FirstChoiceRulers #Star60Tool

Spirited – OBW #114

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The Spirited panel was designed by Elise Genest for Northcott Fabrics. The panel measures 24″ x 44″.

I cut my strips 2.75” which yields 4” finished hexies. There were 210 hexies. I let the design tell me what it needs to tell a good story. After cutting my strips I had about 2.25” strip left. This allowed me to cut diamonds and make 11 kaleidoscope Star 60 units. I added 4” finished Hollow Cube 60’s and a 12” hollow Cube with 4” cubes inside it to represent the stables.

Spirit was left in the corral far too long. It began to rain and she jumped over the fence and headed for the stables, where it was dinnertime. Spirited measures 71” x 68”.

Spirited was made for The Quilt Crossing quilt shop in Boise, ID. They have invited me there to teach a 4 day Sleep in your Own Bed One Block Wonder Workshop, June 18 – 21, 2025. Maybe I will get to meet you there.

@northcottfabric @studio180design #Star60 #HollowCube60 #DebTucker #Spirited

One Block Wonder Workshops: A Trip to Kentucky and Tennessee

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I have been traveling and teaching. I picked up my friend and fellow Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor Barb Wiseman, we left Pennsylvania and went west to Lexington, KY and met up with another fellow Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor Toni Raynolds. Barb and Toni assisted me while teaching One Block Wonder and a Hollow Cube 60 classes at Thomas Sewing Center. What a fabulous time we had! Thank you Toni for taking such good care of Barb & I.

Thank you to Thomas Sewing Center owner Alysson Rife and everyone who attended. I had a great time.

After Thomas Sewing Center Barb and I traveled south to Fairfield Glade, TN and met up with another fellow Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor Pauline Lang and the Fan-Tastic Quilt Guild for a One Block Wonder Trunk Show and workshop. I had a blast with you all. Thank you Pauline for all your help and wonderful hospitality!

I was on the road for 8 days, driving through 8 states by the time we got home. I am so grateful to be home safe!

Thank you sew very much for a great time! I hope you will all share photo’s of your completed OBW’s.

Trunk Shows & Workshops

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I get asked all the time where am I teaching. Below is my schedule so far:

9/17: North Country Trunk Show, NY
10/5: Zoom OBW Trunk Show, Arizona State Guild
11/9: Zoom OBW 1, Arizona State Guild
11/11-13: Thomas Sewing Center, Lexington KY, OBW Workshop
11/14: 11/17: Fantastic Quilters OBW Trunk Show & Workshop, Fairfield Glade TN
12/7: Zoom OBW 2 , Arizona State Guild
2025
1/10: Zoom OBW Trunk Show, Quilt Inc., Delmar, NY
1/18: 60 degree Log Cabin, Thread Bears Quilt Guild, Oneida NY
1/20: Sew Busy, Gloversville, NY, OBW Trunk show & Workshop
2/13: Zoom Workshop, Quilt Inc., Delmar NY
3/6 – 9: Strong House Inn, VT, Play Among the Stars
3/21: OBW Workshop, Amy’s Quilt Room, Union Town, PA
5/2 -5: Long Island Quilter

Reserve your place now for March 6 – 9, 2025 at The Strong House Inn, Vergennes, VT. Play Among the Stars workshop will focus on designing OBW’s. Adding stars/cubes of different sizes. We will cover as many Star 60 techniques as time allows. You can bring OBW projects you want help with designing. This workshop is about creative design. Workshop Description:

Play Among the Stars Workshop Download

Contact me ,if you want to schedule me for a workshop or retreat: sewjackie@live.com

Join OBW Quiltapalooza 2025 at Amy’s Quilt Room, Uniontown PA

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A BIG Thank You to Amy of Amy’s Quilt Room in Uniontown, PA. I’m just now home from teaching a One Block Wonder (OBW) workshop or as Amy would call “Quiltpalooza”! It was fabulous! I had so much fun. The Hilton Garden Inn at Uniontown PA was the perfect venue. We had a great space and were very well cared by the staff.

This group of ladies did such a great job. They learned all about OBW’s and how to make Hollow Cube 60’s & Star 60 units. We delve into how to design and enhance our OBW’s.

Thank you Amy’s Quilt Room and the Hilton Garden Inn, Uniontown PA.

Amy has scheduled another OBW Quiltapalooza March 2- -23, 2025

Reserve your space now as they fill up fast!

@amysquiltroom @studio180design #quiltapalooza

OBW Workshop Retreats

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I wanted to share two OBW workshops/retreats coming up. The first one is in Reliance TN at Quilters Getaway, 898 Childers Creek Road Reliance, TN 37369 – November 11 – 13, 2024. Hosted by Toni Raynolds of Pieced Perfection. Join me for a creative journey in the world of 60 degree kaleidoscopes.

Identifying and cutting your repeats.
Aligning repeats including difficult fabrics.
Choosing a ruler and understanding the difference between pointed & blunt tip rulers.
Deciding what strip widths to cut
And of course, cutting all your equilateral triangles.
Designing with the hexagons,
Integrating stars & cubes
Designing around a panel

Make your reservation now by clicking on the link below:

Annual Retreat- One Block Wonder with Jackie O’Brien Tickets, Sun, Nov 10, 2024 at 4:00 PM | Eventbrite

OBW Supply List Download

Play Among the Stars – March 6 – 9, 2025

Join me at Strong House Inn, Vergennes, VT to Play Among the Stars.

Workshop focuses on designing OBW’s & the Star 60 Tool, along with Framed 60, Checkerboard 60, Striped 60, Capped 60, Hollow Cube 60, Quad 60, 60° Log Cabin and Power Strip Technique Sheets. Also, combining Star 60 units to create one of a kind stars to enhance your One Block Wonders. Bring your imagination and let’s create one of kind stars. Play Among the Stars Supply List:

Play Among the Stars Workshop Download

I hope to see you at one of these workshops.

@studio180design @piecedperfection @stronghouseinn @quiltersgetaway

OBW Workshop Retreat April 25 – 28, 2024

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There is still time to join me for a One Block Wonder Retreat at the fabulous Strong House Inn, Vergennes, Vermont! Not only will you be papmered by the great food and staff at the Strong House Inn, but you will learn:

Identifying and cutting your repeats.
Aligning repeats including difficult fabrics.
Choosing a ruler and understanding the difference between pointed & blunt tip rulers.
Deciding what strip widths to cut.
And of course, cutting all your equilateral triangles.
Designing with the hexagons.
Integrating stars & cubes. What you can make with thr Star 60 Tool.
Designing around a panel.

Make your reservations now at the Strong House Inn.

I have been quilting for 20 years. I have been a Studio 180 Design Certified Instructor for 10 years. Maxine Rosenthal released her book “One Block Wonders” in 2006 – that’s when I made my first OBW. I have been teaching this process for 18 years. So far, I have made 108 OBW’s (my friends tell me there is medication for that). Below is the OBW Supply list for you to download.

obw-supply-list Download

One Block Wonder Retreat at the Strong House Inn

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Get a head start planning your quilt retreats for 2024. I will be at the Strong House inn in Vergennes, Vermont April 25 – 28, 2024.

During this 3 day retreat you will learn to:

Identify and cut your repeats.
Align repeats including difficult fabrics.
Choose a ruler and understand the difference between pointed & blunt tip rulers.
Decide what strip widths to cut
Cut all your equilateral triangles.
Designing with the hexagons,
Integrating stars & cubes
Designing around a panel

Not to mention be spoiled the staff at the Strong House Inn.

Learn about adding Star 60 units to your OBW’s!

2023 OBW Retreat

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I’m planning for Spring 2023 when Summer 2022 is not even over yet! Join me for a creative journey learning to making a One Block Wonder (OBW) – Wednesday March 29, 2023 through Sunday April 2, 2023 at the Strong House Inn, Vergennes, Vermont

Class Description:

Identifying and cutting your repeats.
Aligning repeats including difficult fabrics.
Choosing a ruler and understanding the difference between pointed & blunt tip rulers.
Deciding what size to cut your strips.
Cutting your equilateral triangles.
Designing with the hexagons.
Integrating stars & cubes.
Designing around a panel.

Click here to register for One Block Wonder with Jackie O’Brien

Download the OBW Class Supply List here:

obw-supply-list Download

Strong House Inn, 94 West Main Street, Vergennes, VT 05491 – Phone (802) 877-3337