Category Archives: One Block Wonder

Have you ever been to Vermont?

I have an unusual question for you. I have been approached by “Quilting in Vermont” about teaching a One Block Wonder weekend retreat at the Strong House Inn in Vermont in April 2017. I need to know if any of my One Block Wonder devotees would be interested in attending.

The dates are April 21, 22 & 23, 2017. The cost per person for double occupancy is $395. Single occupancy is $470. This price is all-inclusive including food & the teachers fee. Please think about it and visit the links above to see how beautiful the Strong House Inn is. I’m posting this to see if there would be any interest. This is just a fact-finding expedition, no commitment yet. I need to let them know in the next two weeks. Thanks for your input.

My 12 Inch OBW

Wild Flowers in the Dead of Winter!

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I just finished my quilt donation to Quilter’s Dream Batting, Hopes & Dreams Challenge for ALS research. It is my hope that every quilter reading this will donate a quilt to help raise awareness and research money for ALS, Lou Gerhigs disease. 100% of money raised goes to ALS research.

All quilts donated are entered to receive fantastic prizes donated by wonderful sponsors.

Categories for prizes are:

Sew Lovely – 3 Quilters will win prizes valued at $500.

Sew Generous Individual – An Individual donating the most quilts will win $1,250 in great prizes.

Sew Generous Quilt Guild – The quilt guild donating the most quilts will win $1,250 in great prizes.

Sew Generous Professional – The professional quilter, longarmer or teacher who donates the most quilts will win $1,250 in prizes.

Sew Popular, 3 Winners – Top quilts are posted on the internet and voted on, 1st Place $1,250 in great prizes, 2nd Place $750 in great prizes and 3rd Place $50- in great prizes.

Sew Creative , 3 Winners – Fabric Postcards, wall hangings, handbags, accessories, miniature quilts, mug rugs, paintings, table runners, etc. which will be sold to raise funds for ALS Research. All entries will be entered into a drawing to win prizes valued at $500.

Sew Generous Quilt Shop – The quilt shop that donates the most quilts will win $1,250 in great prizes.

Donate one or more quilts by July 31st. Quilts postmarked after July 31st will be entered in next year’s Hopes & Dreams Challenge. For complete information go to Quilters Dream Batting and click on Hopes & Dreams Challenge for ALS.

Wild Flowers of Alder Creek

It is winter in Central NY, but there are flowers in my yard today!

I hope you take time to donate to ALS Research!

#59 – Fiesta OBW Table Quilt

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So, this is the Dining Room! Did I happen to mention “I love quilts”? Well I do, and I love them in the dining room. I make quilts for my dining room table. I have one Christmas and one for Summer but I needed one more. Last year I bought some Alexander Henry Fiesta fabric in 3 color ways. In case you didn’t know, Fiesta is dinnerware made by Homer Laughlin beginning in the 1930’s and is very collectible. I have some of the older pieces but my collection is mostly from 1995 to present.

I made some Fiesta fabric valances for the kitchen and Dining room.

Cream Background Fiesta Fabric

From the deep charcoal background I made a One Block Wonder (OBW) quilt for the table.

Fiesta Deep Charcoal Background

I used a repeat of the original fabric in the center of the quilt and surrounded it with OBW Hexagons. I’m not sure how I did it, but it came out pretty nice.

A Very Whimsical Dinning Room

Quilts & Fiesta

I made this quilt in 2006

This wall hanging was a gift from a friend.

My sister makes beautiful, but unusual counted cross stitch.

More of my sister’s work.

For The Birds, # 58

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Somebody stop me! I need to be working on Studio 180 Design class samples. But I just had to make one more One Block Wonder. This great fabric is Brazilia by Alexander Henry. I wanted to try a different design approach.

I like the unevenness. Once I sewed the blocks together I bound the uneven edge with a burgundy fabric. I then laid the blocks over the original fabric and adjusted it until it was in a position I liked. I sewed the two together and then squared up the top.

It is a very subtle edge, but I like the way the original fabric flows into the blocks.

Here is a close up of where the original fabric meets the blocks.

I chose another tropical bird fabric for the backing.

You know, no quilt it complete without a label.

Yellow Brick Road With a Twist, #57

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I’m making a fund raiser quilt for The Landmarks Society of Greater Utica whose mission is to promote the preservation and restoration of historically and architecturally significant buildings and sites. Through projects, community education, advocacy, marketing and planned activities, the Society engages its’ members, partners and the community in preserving the past and protecting the future.

I decided on a One Block Wonder because they are so much fun and visually interesting. As I’ve said before I’m a self proclaimed Wizard of Oz freak, plus L. Frank Baum was born in Chittenango, NY in 1856 not far from Utica. So I went to my Oz stash and chose my fabric. It all starts with 6 repeats of fabric. I decided to put one repeat on the back of the quilt because it was too large to use in the borders.

I cut my 6 repeats, aligned the fabric, cut my strips, cut my equilateral triangles and decided to start with a Yellow Brick Road.

I began by using the yellow blocks to start the path.

I was pleased with the design except for one block.

As I said earlier, the original fabric design was too large to use in the borders so I needed to pull from my Oz stash for the outer borders. I had already sewn the rows together when I noticed one block in the lower left of the quilt that kept catching my eye. I decided to embroider something in the block to tone it down.

Monkey in the Moonlight, I love it!

Borders on, now to quilt it.

Locked and loaded. I’m using Quilters Dream Orient Batting made from an exotic blend of bamboo, luscious silk and very soft cotton! After washing, when I took it out the dryer it just draped in my arms.

The shadows were in the way a little, but at least the sun is out on this beautiful April day in Central NY.

This is the 57th One Block Wonder that I have made.

I Don’t Think We are in Kansas Anymore Toto

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I am a self proclaimed over the top Wizard of Oz fan and One Block Wonder quilts. I made my first hexagon quilt in 2006.

In 2008 I made “Inside the Twister I” from Wizard of Oz fabric by Quilting Treasures.

In 2010 I made “Inside the Twister II” as a raffle fund raiser for the New York Mills, NY Historical Society.

In 2012 I made “Inside the Twister III” as a raffle quilt for the Virginia Quilt Museum.

I made the “Yellow Brick Road with a Twist” for my Granddaughter Pepper.

I have decided to make another one, I have cut the repeats into strips as you can see below. I wonder if it will come out the same or be completely different?

The blocks are looking very interesting.

Below are some of my Wizard of Oz collection:

#56 Kaleidocally Hexed or OBW

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Before you reach for your dictionary, I made that word (kaleidocally) up! These Kaleidoscope/hexagon quilts are fun and addictive as you can tell by the fact I have now made 56 of them! This year Grand Central Station in New York City and Union Station in Utica New York celebrated their 100th birthday. I had wanted to make a quilt to celebrate this fact but was overcome by events. The year 2014 has been challenging for me to say the least. Needless to say I found my self facing the last week in 2014 and my goal was to get this quilt top done, and I did – in 4 days. It is News Years Eve, and I feel a great sense of accomplishment.

I wanted to show you some interior pictures of Union Station in Utica NY. I love this train station. When I was 12 I left from Union Station and went all the way to Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a thrill for me and I have loved trains ever since.

Isn’t the marble gorgeous?

I absolutely love the oak seats. This is a very active train station.

Below is a fabric from Timeless treasures I chose for this kaleidocally hexed quilt. It is a city scape of landmarks in New York City. I will have to make another quilt that represents the rest of New York (which is stunningly beautiful)!

Below is the top I finished in 4 days aptly named “New York – Kaleidocally Hexed”. I recorded my self making this top and shared the video’s on this blog.

I so look forward to 2015 and pushing on with other quilt projects like Studio 180 Design’s “Northern Neighbors”! Happy New year everyone and God Bless!

One Block Wonder Fabric Selections

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What fabric makes a good Hexagon Quilt? Some say a 24″ repeat is key, but I do not necessarily agree. I made a hexagon quilt from a fabric that had a 24″ repeat, but the print was not that large. Although it was still a pretty quilt, I thought the colors were a little muddy (Natures Chorus). So I say get as big a print as you can find with colors that you like. Keep in mind that once the repeats are layered you will be cutting them into 3 3/4″ strips. If your print is flowers that are only 3″ across, you will not be taking them apart very much and your blocks will end up looking a lot like the original fabric. Whereas if the print is 6″ you will have a better chance of your blocks looking nothing like the original fabric.

I ignore the print itself and go for something large with colors I like, then I know I will have fun. When I made “Inside the Twister” from the Wizard of Oz fabric in sepia tones, it was only a 12″ repeat. I could have cut 6 repeats of a fabric 12″ each, but because the print was big enough, I chose a design element that was easily identifiable and when it came up again at 12″ – I skipped it and went to the next one. Now I had a 24″ repeat. When you do this you may have blocks that repeat themselves, but remember you have 3 design choices with each block.

To make a good lap-size, twin, or full size quilt, 4 1/4 yards for your blocks. 6 repeats of fabric at 24” each, is exactly 4 yards (24 x 6 = 144; 144/36 = 4). I ALWAYS BUY at least 6 Yards so I have the option of a 9 OR 10 inch outer border with the original fabric.) It is fun to see a slice of the original fabric along with the quilt. DO NOT PRE-WASH THE FABRIC!!!!

Below are some of my hexagon quilts waiting to be born. I still have another 20 or so 6 yard pieces I didn’t show you.

Just Lion Around by Alexander Henry