Monday, July 21, 2025

Stars of Peace block #6

 Welcome back for block 6, "Neighborhood".

I know this is a variation on a block,
but at this writing, I can't find my
notes on which block.
I do know that when I was 
done reworking it, it reminded
me of a neighborhood with homes
in the middle and the 
protective 'fence' line.

It reminded me of my childhood
when the neighborhood was all I needed! 
My first neighborhood memories are 
of when I was 4/5 years old in New York. 
We lived in military housing.
My friends were there 
along with the playground we 
spent hours at making up
all sorts of imaginary games.
There were woods surrounding the
housing that we were NOT supposed to 
go into....You know how that goes:)
We would sneak in there when the 
bushes were full of wild blueberries and
gorge ourselves thinking our parents
would never know. HA
Every child should experience
that at least once:)
Look at that repeat of 4....
I am excited that any
of the blocks in this
quilt make a great quilt
on their own once repeated.

Change the color
and rotate 2 blocks
for inner squares that
point out.

And, please show me pics of
what you do with some of the blocks!










Botanical Beauty block #6

Welcome to block #6 of the 
Sester Centennial quilt along.

This photo is of the original block
found on a circa 1860 quilt I own.
It is part of


I redrafted it smaller as part of 

In the WLL sampler I named it 
apple block.
In the BB sampler I named it
tomato.

In my original studies of this design,
I found that it could go either way but
felt it looked more tomato.
The history of the tomato plant is quite 
interesting and if you want to read more,
go HERE. Thankfully it isn't poisonous
as initially thought and ours are 
growing great right now.
Are you growing any yourself?

Barbara Brackman wrote THIS
about tomato designs although
I know that design as a love apple:)

HERE is the original post about
the block in my WLL sampler.

Enjoy reading a little quilt history
in between stitching this sweet block.


 

Thursday, June 5, 2025

Botanical Beauty block #5

Welcome to block #5, Tulip Star.
I designed this block about 10 years 
ago and planned to do it in red, white, and green.

Here is the center of the original.

It is soooo close to done:) and instead 
of finishing it, I have created a 
small wall hanging pattern and 
now included it in my Botanical Beauty Sampler. 
It has been enlarged and shrunk down 
depending on my feelings for that project.


I am loving the red, white, and blue!!
So, now imagine making multiples of 
this block and setting them together
as shown above.
What a gorgeous patriotic quilt you 
will have and they sort of look
like fireworks:)

IF you are new to our quilt along,
the FULL pattern is available as a 
PDF digital download HERE.
Etsy offers tips for printing digital patterns.
Please be sure to print ACTUAL SIZE.
All templates have a 1" square for accuracy.
This is a single-copy purchase for a single user!
Copies may not be forwarded or copied to 
be shared with others!
The pattern is required for the QAL.
My accompanying posts and videos
will not provide any measurements.
I will be providing technique
tips and history tidbits.

The QAL is taking place in 
my FB Group, 
 with blog posts
adding additional information.
Make sure all your notifications
are turned on so you don't miss anything.
If you aren't a member yet, please 
answer all 3 questions an agree to the 
rules in order to be accepted. Thank you.

SCHEDULE
Looks like a lot but time flies when we quilt:)
February 2025: Pattern Release
February '25-April '26: 1 block per month
May '26: Finishing Instructions
June '26: Time to get it quilted
July 2026: Show that baby off to all 
who will want to see to celebrate 
our country's 250th birthday. 

HAPPY QUILTING:)


Stars of Peace block #5

Welcome back:)
We are in full swing now and into month #5.
I do hope those sewing along are 
making progress that can be shown in

This month's block name is, 
Lady in the Whitehouse and attributed
to Nancy Cabot in 1937
(Barbara Brackman's Encyclopedia).

Stars of Peace quilt pattern

We have had many Amazing first
ladies in our White House!
The first lady in 1937 was 
Eleanor Roosevelt and she is a personal
favorite of mine!

Some of her accomplishments include:
Eleanor Roosevelt was more than just a First Lady—
she was a trailblazer, a humanitarian, and a champion 
for justice whose influence continues to resonate today. 
Known for her unwavering commitment to civil rights, 
women’s equality, and global human rights, she redefined 
what it meant to be a leader in public life.

Eleanor Roosevelt was a vocal proponent of 
racial equality during an era of segregation
and discrimination. Her decision to resign from the 
Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) in 
protest of their refusal to allow Marian Anderson, 
an African-American singer, to perform in 
Constitution Hall was a bold statement.
She went a step further by arranging for 
Anderson to sing at the Lincoln Memorial in a 
concert that became a powerful symbol of racial justice. 
Eleanor also regularly met with African-American 
leaders and supported anti-lynching legislation, 
despite opposition from Southern politicians.

After Franklin D. Roosevelt’s death, Eleanor continued 
her political work by serving as a U.S. delegate to the United Nations. 
President Harry Truman appointed her to the role, 
where she became a key figure in drafting the 
Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
As the first chairperson of the 
United Nations Human Rights Commission, 
Eleanor Roosevelt worked to establish its 
framework and mission. Her leadership was 
instrumental in bringing together representatives 
from diverse nations to create the
 Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

She emphasized the importance of universal dignity, 
equality, and freedom, navigating complex political 
tensions during the drafting process. 
Her work laid the foundation for international 
human rights advocacy and continues to inspire 
efforts to protect human rights worldwide.

Eleanor Roosevelt’s lifelong commitment to humanitarian 
work extended far beyond her years in the White House. 
She championed causes such as affordable housing, 
education, and healthcare, often working with grassroots 
organizations to drive change.

After leaving the White House, she chaired 
John F. Kennedy’s Presidential Commission 
on the Status of Women, which advanced the 
discussion on gender equality. 
Her dedication to social justice and her hands-on 
approach to activism inspired generations to
continue the fight for a more equitable society.

If you would like to read more about her,
here are 2 links:

I hope you enjoy stitching this block.
See you over on FB:)

IF you are new to our quilt along,
the FULL pattern is available as a 
PDF digital download HERE.
Etsy offers tips for printing digital patterns.
Please be sure to print ACTUAL SIZE.
All templates have a 1" square for accuracy.
This is a single-copy purchase for a single user!
Copies may not be forwarded or copied to 
be shared with others!
The pattern is required for the QAL.
My accompanying posts and videos
will not provide any measurements.
I will be providing technique
tips and history tidbits.
The QAL will take place in 
my FB Group, 
 with blog posts
adding additional information.
Make sure all your notifications
are turned on so you don't miss anything.
If you aren't a member yet, please 
answer all 3 questions an agree to the 
rules in order to be accepted. Thank you.

SCHEDULE
Looks like a lot but time flies when we quilt:)
February 2025: Pattern Release
February '25-April '26: 1 block per month
May '26: Finishing Instructions
June '26: Time to get it quilted
July 2026: Show that baby off to all 
who will want to see to celebrate 
our country's 250th birthday. 



Sunday, June 1, 2025

Tour de Fabric 2025 Quilt Along

I am so excited to run my 
first Christmas in July event
in conjunction with 

Everyone is welcome here whether 
you registered through their site or not.  
I encourage you to visit the 
site (link above) for all the other fun 
offers they have this summer.

Hope in QW

My quilt along will be this fun & 
easy to accomplish wall hanging.
The link to the pattern is HERE 
(pattern is required).
We will work on it in 4 easy
skill building steps so if you know
someone new to quilting,
this is the perfect beginner project.
The quilt along runs July 1st-Aug 3rd.

Please go to my WEBSITE and 
sign up for my newsletter where 
you will be added to a list just
for this project.
You will receive your steps 
via a newsletter each week.
I look forward to adding a 
finishing ZOOM so we can meet
and show off our finishes!

In addition to the quilt along, all 
Christmas/Winter Holiday 
patterns in my ETSY shop will 
be on sale the whole month of July! 
Be sure to check them out.

Join Tour de Fabric:)
Join the HOPE quilt along:)
Join the fun:)
See you soon!



Wednesday, March 5, 2025

Sestercentennial Sampler Month 2

 Hello everyone!
I am excited that we are off to a great start.
Please share your progress over in 
FB group.
I bet many of you made 
Betsy Ross proud as you stitched
all those stars:)💖

It is March 5th and snowing
as I write this....
As I said in the introductions,
in honor of those who sacrifice(d),
we should highlight some
not-so-well-known heroes of 
the Revolutionary War each month
with the block for that month.
Keep reading for this month's
first one.

MONTH 2:
IF you are working on 
"Stars of Peace", your block 2
is called Ribbon Stars and you 
are making 2 of them.
IF you are working on 
"Botanical Beauty", your block 2
is called Star Sashes and you
are making 2 of them.
I am hoping to have some
bias tape video assists up
later next week.


In Barbara Brackman's
Encyclopedia of Pieced designs,
Ribbon Stars is joined by
other stars named: 
Lone Star, Texas Star, Crystal Star,
Joining Star, and Star of Virginia.
All these designs have estimated 
publish dates between the late
1920s to the 1930s.
I say publish dates because the designs
have been around longer but we 
didn't have "published" quilt designs then.

The Star Sashes from "Botanical Beauty"
are from another published pattern of mine
that can be found in the QOVF book, 
I used it as the borders for the quilt
in that book but they were larger to fit the quilt.

Now to honor an unsung hero...
There are so many to choose from 
once you start researching.

If you click on her name, you can
read her whole story-FASCINATING!

Deborah Sampson Gannett, also known as 
Deborah Samson or Deborah Sampson, 
was a Massachusetts woman who 
disguised herself as a man and served in 
the Continental Army during the 
American Revolutionary War. 

Born in Plympton, Massachusetts, 
she served under the name Robert Shirtliff. 
She was in uniform for 17 months 
before her sex was revealed in 1783 
when she required medical treatment 
after contracting a fever in Philadelphia. 

After her real identity was made 
known to her commander, 
she was honorably discharged at West Point. 
After her discharge, Sampson met and 
married Benjamin Gannett in 1785. 

In 1802, she became one of the first 
women to go on a lecture tour to speak 
about her wartime experiences. 
She died in Sharon, Massachusetts, in 1827. 
She was proclaimed the 
Official Heroine of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts 
on May 23, 1983, and in 1985 the 
United States Capitol Historical Society 
posthumously honored "Deborah Samson" 
with the Commemorative Medal.
HERE is another great write up 
about her.

This is a story that honors not just Deborah, 
but the people around her that recognized
her value and contribution by bestowing on her
an honorable discharge and a medal so that 
she wouldn't be a lost story in our history!

The pattern is required for the QAL.
Etsy offers tips for printing digital patterns.
Please be sure to print ACTUAL SIZE.
All templates have a 1" square for accuracy.
This is a single-copy purchase for a single user!
Copies may not be forwarded or copied to 
be shared with others!

Just hearing about all of this?
Follow these links to catch up:)
OK, 
Ready ~ Set ~ GO!
See you over on FB

Sunday, February 9, 2025

Botanical Beauty QAL: IT'S HERE:)

 I am giddy with excitement!!


As I said before, this is one
of the grandest things I have ever done!
After many hours of work
 I am THRILLED to bring my,
quilt pattern to you!

Lots of information in this post
so please read to the end.

I am very proud of my 
family's military service
and of all the military members
and their families
that sacrifice much 
more than most will ever know.
In honor of those who sacrifice,
I will be highlighting some
not-so-well-known heroes of 
the Revolutionary War each month
with the block for that month.
There will also be a bit of history
about the block shown (designer, etc).

MONTH 1:
Eagle and Stars set on a background.
There will be a video assist for 
aligning those stars so neatly:)

After I drew my eagle, I thought I 
remembered a myth about what the 
direction of the head meant.
I asked my fellow historians in the 
American Quilt Study Group and 
this is what I was told:
"When the eagle on the presidential
seal faces left and the talons hold
arrows, we are at war. 
When it faces right and holds 
olive branches, we are at peace.
The presidential seal doesn't switch out
like that but the information is interesting.
I am glad I drew it facing right but I 
left out the olive branches for ease of applique'.

Now to the QAL:
Thank YOU for being here.
 I look forward to 
lively participation!
The FULL pattern is available as a 
PDF digital download HERE at an
introductory price of $42 until 
February 15th, 2025
(Reg price $48)
Etsy offers tips for printing digital patterns.
Please be sure to print ACTUAL SIZE.
All templates have a 1" square for accuracy.
This is a single-copy purchase for a single user!
Copies may not be forwarded or copied to 
be shared with others!

The pattern is required for the QAL.

My accompanying posts and videos
will not provide any measurements.
I will be providing technique
tips and history tidbits.
The QAL will take place in 
my FB Group, 
 with blog posts
adding additional information.
Make sure all your notifications
are turned on so you don't miss anything.
If you aren't a member yet, please 
answer all 3 questions an agree to the 
rules in order to be accepted. Thank you.

SCHEDULE
Looks like a lot, but time flies when we quilt:)
February 2025: Pattern Release
February '25-April '26: 1 block per month
May '26: Finishing Instructions
June '26: Time to get it quilted
July 2026: Show that baby off to all 
who will want to see to celebrate 
our country's 250th birthday. 

Just hearing about all of this?
Follow these links to catch up:)
OK, 
Ready ~ Set ~ GO!
See you over on FB
In case you forgot to click over:)