Quilt Block Mania Halloween Blocks Galore

My contribution for this month's Quilt Block Mania's frightening Halloween fabric festival was such a delight to create. It is a mini sampler quilt all on its own with a Candy Corn block, 2 pumpkins, and a Wicked Witch hat. Four 6" blocks in one pattern. It will look amazing paired with lots of its friends from the Quilt Block Mania Halloween block bonanza or by itself for a ghoulish pillow or mini quilt.

Fabric Requirements:  Halloween Scraps
I used 24 different Halloween fabrics, only repeating the green and purple backgrounds and 2 fabrics next to the pumpkin stems. You can use up your Halloween scraps to make your blocks. ***Note: for ease of cutting and piecing, the blocks strips are all cut 6.5" wide so charm packs won't work. Jelly rolls, layer cakes, fat quarters, or 1/8 or 1/4 cut, or your scrap pile will work.

CUTTING Instructions:
(Summary: each block has 5 strips: 4 cut 1.75" H x 6.5" W & 1 cut 1.5 H x 6.5" W)

Block strip sets:
Cut 16 strips 1.75" H x 6.5" W
Cut 4 strips 1.5" H x 6.5" W
Cut 2 pieces 1.5 H x 2" W (green stems)  

Green Background
Cut 4 pieces ****

Purple Background
Cut 8 squares 2.5 x 2.5"

PIECING Instructions:
 -Candy Corn
Sew 1.75" strips together in pairs,join for 4 strip unit, add 1.5" strip to top of strip set.
Measures 6.5" x 6.5" 
Cut two background strips 5" x 7" and sew diagonally (from center to bottom outside corner) to each side to create a triangle square, 
Measure and then trim away excess. Press to green.
Trim to 6.5 x 6.5

 -Witch Hat
Sew 3 1.75" strips together, for a 3 strip unit, add 1.5" strip to top of strip set. 
Reserve bottom 1.75" strip (add after green background)
Cut two background strips 5" x 7" and sew diagonally to each side to create a triangle square, 
Trim to edge of first unit. Trim away excess.
Add reserved 1.75" strip to bottom of unit to create hat brim.
Trim to 6.5 x 6.5

-Pumpkins
Sew 1.75" strips together in pairs, join for 4 strip unit.
Cut 1.5" strip in 1/2 in middle of strip. 
Sew to sides of green stem 1.5 x 2" piece.
Trim to 1.5 H x 6.5". Sew to top of strip set.
Measures 6.5" x 6.5"

Finish by sewing purple squares to each corner using diagonal seam method (see photo).
Trim away excess of square and block back 1/4" from seam on outer edge.
Press seam to corners. 

Final Piecing:
Join Candy Corn to top Pumpkin, press seam to Corn.
Join bottom Pumpkin to Witch Hat, press seam to Hat.
Join two rows to make block. 
Measures 12.5" unfinished. 12" when sewn in a quilt.

See my fellow bloggers/quilters for 28 more Halloween patterns. Aren't they great!!

 **** See our fearless leader Carolina Moore's block and links to all the fabulous Halloween patterns HERE ****

September Edition of 2020 Monthly Color Challenge

Looking for another fun block? You are in luck! Jen Shaffer of Patterns By Jen has created another cool one. Very fun to make and perfect for an Autumn quilt, wallhanging, or fall pillow. See bottom of post for the link to the pattern - free during September.

Here's my version made with a fall batik and a Autumn word print. I do love a good text fabric!

12" Fun Fall Flying Geese

This month's inspiration is the coolest bird! The Cinnamon Teal - photographed in Utah near the Great Salt Lake by Matthew Pendleton. Photo from the MacaulayLibrary.org

The block involves a great way to easily make multiple Flying Geese in an efficient way. You only need to cut 1 geese piece and 4 background squares to create 4 Flying Geese. I usually make scrappy blocks and make each Goose separately but this is definitely an amazing way to make a FLOCK of GEESE of the same fabrics and do it quickly!

You mark the sewing line (1/4" from both sides of small squares center) and stack the first 2 squares on the large geese piece. After sewing on both lines, you cut the unit in half along the middle line. Press the seams and you'll have 2 heart shaped units. You add another marked square to each and again sew on both sides.

Cut again on the middle line, press, trim, and voila! You have 4 Flying Geese! Pair them with 2 more squares of the background fabric and you've got this month's block. Easy peasy and lots of fun. 

Pro Trimming Tip: use the 45-degree angle mark on your ruler to keep the geese flying right. Before making a cut - ensure that there is at least a  1/4" seam allowance at the FG point so he doesn't get chopped off. Then move on to trimming the sides and base.

To see more versions of this Cinnamon Teal Geese block visit 

September Bloggers

Wendy - Pieceful Thoughts

Sarah - Sew Joy Creations

Alla - Rainbows Bunnies Cupcakes

Tammy - Tamarinis

Joanne - Everyone Deserves A Quilt

Visit Jen's blog in September for the free pattern and to see her 3 versions of the block  And after you make one, post your finished block on the linky at Jen's page for a chance to win great prizes from the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Sponsors. Winners for the 3rd quarter will be announced on October 1st, 2020. 

Sponsors July thru September

Quilters Chic - PDF Pattern

For The Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

Carole Lyle Shaw - Pattern and Grunge bundle

Quilters Dream Batting - Dream 80/20 - 60" x 60"

The Fat Quarter Shop - Fabric Bundle

Warm Company - Warm 80/20 - 55" x 60"

Warm Company - 1 yard Insul-Bright

Make Modern Magazine - 6 month subscription

Patterns By Jen - Superior Thread S-Fine 50

Patterns By Jen - Magic Wand

Quilt Mania Back to School - School House Block

My block for this month's jam-packed Quilt Mania theme of Back to School is a School House block. 

**Don't forget to scroll down to see all the other wonderful patterns**

Here's my 12" school house block

My recreation of an antique quilt block from 100 years ago. The antique house was paired with the alphabet so I think it is a school house block rather than simply a house block.

Cutting and piecing diagram on 1/4" graph paper (below). pieces are finished size (each square is 1/4") Marked sizes are what you'll need to cut.  Click on the photo to enlarge. All pieces are shown at finished size on the diagram except the final 4 side strips. See separate photos for paper piecing for the roof corners.

Cutting Instructions:

BLUE DOT:  Cut

(2) 1.5" squares (sky/background)
(4) 1.5 x 3.5" strips (house- door/windows)
(1) 1.5 x 4.5 strip (sky/background)
(3) 1.5 x 8.5 strips (sides of house, L side of block)
** (2) roof triangles (approx. 1 7/8") -see paper piecing photos  

DARKER BLUE 

 (1) 2.5 x 12.5" strip (top of block)

RED DOT

*Note if using directions fabric like the floral I used, you'll need to make horizontal/vertical cuts

Red dot - VERTICAL Cuts

(2) 1.5" squares (chimney)
(5) 1.5 x 3.5" strips (house)
(1) 1.5 x 8.5" strip (R side of block)
** (2) roof triangles (approx. 1 7/8") -see paper piecing photos

Red Dot - HORIZONTAL Cuts

(3) 1.5 x 5.5" strips (house/porch)
(1) 1.5 x 4.5" strip (roof -right)
(1) 1.5 x 3.5 strip (roof - L)
(1) 2.5 x 3.5" strip (above door)
(1) 2.5 h x 12.5 w strip (bottom of block)

Paper Piecing Patterns for Roof Corners
Simply draw these on paper and then sew on lines 

*Note that the red/blue corners are reversed from the cutting diagram for paper piecing.

Click on photos to enlarge

Piecing Order/ Pressing Directions, etc.

Join red/blue 1.5 x 3.5 sections (door/windows)

3 strip door section - measures 3.5 square (press to blue)

5 strip window section - measures 3.5 x 5.5 w (press to blue)

Add strip to bottom of door, press to blue. Unit 3.5 x 4.5

Join 2 bottom red porch strips. Press to top strip.

Add them to bottom of window section. Press down to red.

Add 1 red strip to top of windows. Press up to red. Unit 5.5 x 6.5

Sew red 2.5 x 3.5 piece to door section. Press up to red. Unit 3.5 x 6.5

Join door & window sections together. Unit 6.5 h x 8.5 w

Follow paper piecing patterns to make roof corner sections. 

Add to center strip. Press to center strip. Row =1.5 h  x 8.5 w.

Sew chimney pieces to make top row. Press to blue. Row = 1.5 x 8.5"

Sew 2 rows to make top unit. 2.5 h x 8.5 w

Sew to house unit. This unit = 8.5 x 8.5

Add final strips - press seams towards strips and away from house center

 Add 1.5 x 8.5 blue strips to left & right sides of house. . 8.5 h x 10.5 w

Add 1.5 x 8.5 red strip to Right side of house

Add 1.5 x 8.5 blue strip to Left side of house. 

Add 2.5 x 12.5 darker blue strip to top of house

Add 2.5 x 12.5 red strip to bottom of house. 

Unit  now is 12.5 x 12.5"

Visit the other sites for a whole host of amazing school theme blocks and all are free. You'll be able to make an adorable school-themed quilt with crayons, pencils, lockers, etc.

**** LOOK AT HOW CUTE THESE BLOCKS ARE ****    

SEE LINKS TO ALL PATTERNS BELOW PICTURE

More School Themed Quilt Blocks

Check out all these other fabulous designers who are also offering school-themed quilt blocks:

Crayons by Slice of Pi Quilts
Lockers by Powered by Quilting
Math Problem by Pretty Piney
Chalk Board by Inquiring Quilter
Stack of Books by Carolina Moore
Pointy Pencil Block by Sew Brainy
Geometry by Duck Creek Mountain Quilting
Pencils by Quilting Room with Mel
School Bus by Orange Blossom Quilt
Book with Animal by Seams to be Sew
Stack of Textbooks by Quilted Diary
Shades of the Sun by Charisma Horton

Basketball by Devoted Quilter
Apples by Perkins Dry Goods
Box of Crayons by ScrapDash
Apple with leaf by Blockofthemodotcom
Crayons by Off the Wall Quilt
School Time Schoolhouse by Quilt Moments
School House by Utah Quilt Appraiser
Pencil by True Blue Quilts
Owl by The Whimsical Workshop
Calculator by Quilt Fabrication
Crayons by Linda B Creative
Applique Computer by DooHikey Designs
Modern Apple by Cotton Street Commons
Glue by Quilting Mod
School Girl’s Puzzle by Sew on the Go
Snack by Quiltfox Design
Backpack by Oh Kaye Quilting
Math Signs by Patti’s Patchwork
Bookworm by Appliques Quilts and More
Backpack by Tacy Gray
Schoolhouse by From my Carolina Home
Girl’s Favorite by Blue Bear Quilts
Origami Paper Plane by Amarar Creacions
Show up and Shine! by SewJoy Creations
School House with Children by Aunte Ms Quilts 

July 2020 Monthly Color Challenge

I'm joining Jen Shaffer once again for her fun monthly block/color challenge. Last year's challenge was based on flowers while this year is for the birds.  July's bird is the American Robin

© Dakota Lynch/Wikimedia Commons (CC 3.0)

The colors shown for the robin were a rusty orange and so I decided to work with the same orangy palette that I used last year. Isn't it a cool block!!! And I added the yellow of his beak too.

Don't forget to stop by Jen's blog in July to pick up the FREE pattern. **Each month's pattern is free for the month on Jen's blog.** And if you post your completed block on her link-u[ you will be eligible for great prizes!!

Sponsors and Prizes: July thru September

Quilters Chic - PDF Pattern

For The Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

Carole Lyle Shaw - Pattern and Grunge bundle

Quilters Dream Batting - Dream 80/20 - 60" x 60"

The Fat Quarter Shop - Fabric Bundle

I used two different tools to mark my sewing lines. The blue Fons & Porter tool also lets you mark the middle cutting line. I wasn't using my regular machine so it was nice to just stitch along the marked lines.

Chain stitching the half square triangle blocks, sewing one side and then the other for efficiency.

Getting ready to trim up the blocks with a ruler marked with painter's tape to make it easier to see the important measurement.

Just little slivers to trim off. Nice not to have waste and to get great results.

Trimmed and pressed - you can see the nice instructions that Jen provides!

The little half squares become cute 4 patches.

And then are paired with the larger half squares to make rows to finish up the block.

Here's this month's block with the card trick from last year's color challenge.

See more versions of this super fun block by visiting the other

July Bloggers

Wendy - Peaceful Thoughts

Claudia - Create with Claudia

Kathleen - Kathleen McMusing

Stephanie - Steph Jacobson Designs

Sandra - Textile Time Travels

Fawn - Quilty Creations By Fawn

Stephanie - Quilt'n Party

Rocky Road

Things are so crazy that the Rocky Road to Kansas block seems an appropriate block to share.

This block is one of the featured designs in my Patterns Through Time lecture/trunk show. Can't wait until I can get out and share these again with quilt guilds.

Circa 1930, Rocky Road to Kansas quilt made in Utah by my great grandmother Isabelle Day Rogers. The backing is made of sacking (flour sacks) that she dyed at home - a bright bold yellow!

 1890 Rocky Road To Kansas made in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Smaller scale and more planned out.

The two together as I would show them in my lecture.

Thanks for stopping by. Please comment and let me know other blocks you'd like to see or favorite eras, or styles.

Quilt Candy Facebook Live Trunk Show Update Link Next Show April 7

Missing your quilt guild, trunk shows, show and tell, and classes?
Join some of your favorite designers and meet some new ones as well for 10 days of Free trunk shows viewed online on facebook live. Each show will be on the individual designer's facebook page. Mine is textiletimetravels. 

****Link for video of first show  ***  Second antique quilt trunk will be April 7th at 6 p.m. EST, 5 p.m. CST, 4 p.m. MST, 3 p.m. PST.  Again it will be on my facebook page.

The trunk shows will be approximately 15 minutes each and scheduled throughout the day. To see more details and the schedule.

I'll be doing my  2nd antique quilt trunk show on April 7th at 6 p.m. Eastern, 4 p.m. Utah time. Comment below on what you'd like to see.  Do you want to see antiques and repros? Antique fabrics? Antique signature quilts? Any favorite quilt of mine you'd like to see?

I'll be doing my trunk show on April 1st at 7 p.m. Eastern, 5 p.m. Utah time. Comment below on what you'd like to see. I may be doing a second show on the 7th.  Do you want to see antiques and repros? Antique fabrics? Antique signature quilts? Any favorite quilt of mine you'd like to see?

Hope you'll hop on over to facebook and join me!

New Year Old Mysteries - Antique Quilt Research

I found this amazing quilt online at an auction. Did you know that you can buy quilts from live auctions over the web? Well, you can. There are several online auction platforms and bidding is similar to the end of timed listing on eBay. Live auctions end when the auctioneer bangs her hammer and proclaims the item as sold (or sometimes passed). Quite often there is an actual live auction being conducted simultaneously at the auction house and you are bidding against the attendees, other online bidders, and people who have left bids online before the auction. I purchased the mystery quilt below online from a live auction.

Double Irish Chain antique signature top dated 1842. It may be from Maryland? But where and for whom it was made is a mystery.

In addition to the lovely 4 hearts in the chain intersections, there are absolutely amazing inked drawings and sentiments on the quilt top like the ship below with Biblical quote signed "your son, Emaniel Dumar". There is another block with the Lord's Prayer, Our Father, dedicated to Shelby Pruitt from Shelby Pruitt (son?). Seems like for 2 different people??

Not sure what is depicted in this inking with another Bible passage, Psalm 110:1 and signed "your affectionate _____ Benjamin Pruitt."

Love this cornucopia of wildflowers or maybe they send a message using the symbols attached to flowers at that time. Signed Mrs. Rebecca Dumar but another block is a message to Mrs. Dumar? Very confusing.

***I found Emanuel and Ruth Anna Dumar (she's on another block) in Philadephia Episcopal church baptism records for their son George Washington Dumar, born in Feb. 1844. The next child baptized was also named George Washington (he was really popular). Hopefully, I'll find more of the signers/names now. Stay tuned.

Day 31 - Bethlehem Star- Month of Antique Hand Quilting

Ending the year and month full of antique quilts with hand quilting with this firework Bethlehem Star!

Bethlehem Star, circa 1850 from Pennsylvania.  One can't help but smile when looking at this quilt!  Part of my antique quilt trunk show, Quilt Masterpieces.

From the eBay listing: "An amazing rising sun quilt with satellite stars and deep blue print background. I love the way this quilt was designed with the blue background. The center star floats against a blue background sky."

Note:  the quilt top is from around 1850 BUT it was finished much more recently probably in the 1940's or 50's.  That is when it acquired that wild yellow backing

Day 30- Antique Whig Rose -31 Days of Antique Quilts - Hand Quilting

Tonight's antique quilt from the Starley Quilt Collection is another "best quilt" Whig Rose from Ohio, circa 1850s. Like my Quilted Joy, this one is a 9 block applique with NO negative space and is chockful of applique and intense hand quilting. And that border!! Isn't it delightful?

Check out the hand quilting! Close triple-rod quilting (three lines close together separated by similar sized space and repeated across the quilt). ***Note that the diagonal quilting goes right across the appliques.

Here's the same flower used in my repro quilt, Pennsylvania Posies for Paducah.

Day 29- Old and New Oak Leaf, Reel A Month of Antique Hand Quilting

Tonight's quilt is antique Oak Leaf (Reel) quilt with hand applique and lots of straight-line hand quilting. And the single block/quiltlet is my repro version made for a potholder project for Pam Weeks. Potholder quilts are constructed of blocks that are individually quilted and bound.

Here's a close-up of my little quilt. Click on photo to enlarge. Hand applique and hand quilted.

The Oak Leaf with more of its red and green friends ...

The full quilt. So effectively composed with the sashing and red cornerstones and the 5 strip borders.

Antique Hand Quilting Antique Hearts Signature Quilt Day 28

Today's antique hand quilted quilt from the Starley Quilt Collection is full of LOVE!

It was made for a beloved Sunday School teacher - Esther McAllister whose husband was the reverend of the Willet Street Church (Methodist Episcopalian) in New York City. But is was made for her because of her works not because she was the pastor's wife. This is shown by the poignant poem below: