Botanical Beauty block #9

 Celebrate!

Did you know that the very first use 

of fireworks to celebrate the 4th of July

was on the first anniversary of our 

declared independence, July 4th, 1777!

In 1776, then-future President John Adams 

sent a letter to his wife, Abigail, 

outlining how the country's declared 

independence from England should be celebrated. 

He wrote that the day should be marked 

with "pomp & parade, with shews (shows), 

games, sports, bonfires, bells and illuminations 

from one end of this continent to the other 

from this time forward forever more (sic)."

The next year, a July 4th fireworks display 

in Philadelphia began and ended with 13 rockets, 

according to American University historian 

James R. Heintze.

"The evening was closed with the ringing of bells, 

and at night there was a grand exhibition 

of fireworks, which began and concluded 

with thirteen rockets on the commons, 

and the city was beautifully illuminated," he wrote. "Everything was conducted with the greatest order and decorum, and the face of joy and gladness was universal."

By about five years later, the fireworks 

shows included a wide variety of 

types of fireworks such as serpents, 

wheels, table rockets, cherry trees, 

fountains and sunflowers.

So there you have it: 

We celebrate our independence 

with fireworks and picnics because 

that's the way our founders 

intended it to be.

It is quite the spectacle now

with towns going bigger and

better all the time.

I still love a great show but am 

also aware now how these

can affect veterans.

As to the origin of my block above, 

maybe you remember it from 

another quilt of mine published

in AQ magazine a few years back,

Rockets Red Glare.

So, even if you aren't up for 

making Botanical Beauty, there

are other fun patriotic quilts to make:)

Keep Quilting:)

Botanical Beauty block #8

 Welcome to block #8, Homestead.

This is a modified block from my Village Square 

quilt a few years ago that was published in

American Quilter Magazine.

When I named this block, I was

thinking about how the colonists came here

then had to set up a new home.

Having done that my whole life via 

military transfers, I can't imagine how

much harder it was for them!!

My process was very involved and sometimes 

difficult and yet I didn't have

to clear my own land or build my own

home when I arrived.

My food was already grown and in a 

nice grocery store for me to pluck 

necessities off a shelf for my family.

The Homestead Act didn't come until 1862.

Before that the colonists had to endure rough 

terrain and build roads before they

could even get to a spot to clear for a home.

During the war, soldiers and troops could

just plunder what you had already 

grown for your family...No protections.

They were badass!

My trials pale in comparison and I am 

so grateful to those who stuck it out and 

prospered in the face of adversity.

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, 

Robin's Rocking Needles

 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.

HAPPY QUILTING:)

Botanical Beauty block #7

 Welcome back for block 7, Laurel Wreaths.

You will make 2 of these this month.

Laurel leaves were part of my WLL quilt along

back in 2020 and HERE is the blog post

about the original quilt.

Since then, I have been playing with

other layouts. This is one of the layouts

that I have put into repeat as a fabric

design too for that exciting someday...:)

The symbolic history of the laurel is one of 

triumph and achievement since the 

original Greek Olympics and you 

can read more about that HERE if you choose.

I find it a nice easy simple shape especially for 

beginner hand appliquers.

The best way I have found to make them even

is to fold my freezer paper in half, 

trace half the leaf to my freezer paper, 

refold then cut on the traced line. 

This gives me a symmetrical

leaf to trace to fabric.

I hope you find some other fun 

uses for this fun leaf shape!

~Keep Stitching~

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

my Well-Loved Ladies Sampler.

I redrafted it smaller as part of 

my Botanical Beauty sampler.

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.

 

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, 

Robin's Rocking Needles

 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:)

Sestercentennial Sampler Month 2

 Hello everyone!

I am excited that we are off to a great start.

Please share your progress over in 

the Robin's Rocking Needles

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, 

"All-Star Quilts of Valor: 

25 Patriotic Patterns from Star Designers 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.

Meet Deborah Sampson Gannett!

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.

Stars of Peace

Botanical Beauty

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:)

Stars of Peace Info

BB Introduction

BB Fabric & Supplies

OK, 

Ready ~ Set ~ GO!

See you over on FB

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,

Botanical Beauty: Sestercentennial Sampler

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, 

Robin's Rocking Needles

 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:)

Introduction

Fabric & Supplies

OK, 

Ready ~ Set ~ GO!

See you over on FB

In case you forgot to click over:)

AVAILABLE HERE

Botanical Beauty QAL: Fabric and Supplies

 

We are 1 day away from starting

the Botanical Beauty QAL and I

don't even have time for ironing-LOL!

If you are new to the conversation,

go read the introduction HERE...

we will wait:)

Fabrics:

As you can see in the photo above, there

are more than just 1 red, white, or blue.

I didn't quite go scrappy nor did I 

stick to my usual organized, cohesive look.

I decided to mix it up a bit this time.

The pattern will have overall yardage (ex. Red- #yards)

 and if you choose to go a bit scrappier, just 

add up your pieces to total yardage listed.

I added cutting instructions to each block

so, while you are doing the QAL with us,

there is no reason you can't choose

as you go and shop your stash.

Supplies:

I do a lot of hand applique' so some of these 

are unique to that type of work.

I also like to design a lot

of swirly twirly designs:)

First up, bias vines.

This quilt has a lot of vine work on it.

I have tried various bias tape makers

and the original Clover 

is still my favorite!

I even tried their version that 

applies the fusible web tape as

it presses over the edges-nope-

not for me:) 

It works well enough for shorter

lengths but I personally found

that the web didn't stay on well

enough for longer lengths.

Since I don't use the web tape, 

I wouldn't want to make any

vines without Magic sizing.

I spray my bias vine so

that it is damp.

Your cut length should have

a 45 degree angle at one end.

This is the end that I start

through the maker using a

straight pin to help it along.

As you pull the fabric through

the iron will dry the sizing

and stiffen the vine just 

slightly and help the 

edges to stay closed.

Then because I do not have

fusible web tape on the back

of my vine, Roxanne Glue

Baste-It(R) is my best friend

for basting vines to traced lines.

Other helpful items:

a pencil & metal sharpener- So Good,

the white chalk Bohin 

mechanical pencil is 

fantastic on dark fabrics,

& Karen Kay Buckley

serrated scissors for cutting

my applique' (especially

cutting into V points/curves.

These items make my life 

so much easier.

Let's not forget my 

favorite hand applique'

thread: Aurifil!!

I use the 50 wt for all my hand applique'.

You will need fusible web for all the 

applique' if you aren't working by hand.

I like Pellon's 805 Wonder Under.

I find it easy to use and light weight.

If you right click on image below then save to your computer, 

you can print out to start assembling supplies.

There are a couple of 

"(highly recommended)"

supplies that are optional 

but awesome to have.

Obviously if you don't have a

light box then a great 

window works wonders.

I also have the teflon applique'

pressing sheet listed.

It is so helpful when you have layered

flowers that can be all layered

and fused, pulled off the sheet once

cooled, and then placed directly

where you want them on the background.

This way all the parts don't start

shifting around before you get them fused.

As a reminder, "Botanical Beauty" 

will be available for sale in my 

Etsy shop as a full PDF download 

on February 9th, 2025.

The full pattern will be released 

at an introductory

rate of $42 for the first week only

(it will go up to $48 after that).

You will need a pattern to participate.

Every month, I will present a block

via a post here, in my newsletter,

and in my FB group, 

Robin's Rocking Needles.

We will be doing all the discussion

and ooohing/aaahing of 

fabric choices in the FB group.

See you soon!

~~~

Please leave a comment if you

have questions or email me

at 

robin@nestlingsbyrobin.com

Thank you:)

Botanical Beauty QAL: Introduction

 

BOTANICAL BEAUTY:

This design is a culmination of many

of my designs over the years 

(some published, some not).

The 250th birthday felt like the 

right time to be 'GRAND'.

This is the biggest, most grand

design I have ever attempted and 

I am grateful that you are here

for the journey!

I hope that those of you new to applique'

will give it a try. There are many methods

out there and we will discuss

many of them over the next year.

As some of you may know, 
I come from a military family.
After joining the Coast Guard myself, 
I met and married my husband then
 followed him in his 30 years of service.
We were fortunate to be able to see 
a great deal of the country through 
our moves, learning the history and culture
of many regions.
It was an honor to be a part of the 
Coast Guard and its missions.

As a quilter, I am involved with the 
Quilts of Valor Foundation.
The foundation's mission is an 
important message to those that
serve our country, you are not forgotten,
you are appreciated.

Why a QAL?

As our country prepares to celebrate
250 years as America, I choose
to celebrate through my design work and 
stories about my travels.
I am excited to have you here, 
stitching along!

When and How?
"Botanical Beauty" will be available
for sale in my Etsy shop as a full
PDF download on February 9th, 2025.
The applique' templates
are full sized.
The full pattern will be released 
at an introductory
rate of $42 for the first week only
(it will go up to $48 after that).

You will need a pattern to participate.
Techniques will include some piecing
but mostly applique'.

Of course there will be some
video assists to help the process.
Every month, I will present a block
via a post here, in my newsletter,
and in my FB group, 
Robin's Rocking Needles.
We will be doing all the discussion
and ooohing/aaahing of 
fabric choices in the FB group.
I pride myself on quality (tested)
patterns with full-sized templates
and assembly diagrams.
This is going to be fun!

Lots of posts coming your way 
this week to get us up to speed
on fabrics and supplies so
you will be ready to go
as soon as you get
your pattern!
Please leave a comment if you
have questions or email me
at 
robin@nestlingsbyrobin.com
Thank you:)