“Blessings” Progress

March 24, 2026March 24, 2026 / abydolinger / Leave a comment

“Blessings” is the free Block of the Month for 2026. You can access the instructions by clicking “Blessings 2026 BOM” in the blog menu. The picture header is my sample quilt made with “Star Spangled Beauty” (Kimberbell, Maywood Studio). Since I am teaching the blocks, month by month, at my local quilt shop, Sew There! Quilts and More in Angier, NC, I need step-outs to explain the construction methods. I am using “Sunlit Serenade” (Joy Hall, Wilmington Prints). The yellow, blue, and teal are so cheerful and perfect for springtime sewing!

Sue sent a picture of Blocks 3 and 4. I remember that she has planned this quilt for her guest bedroom. Note that she turned the Cat’s Cradle units in block 4 so that the squares are on the interior of the block. This is visually effective – the dark squares focus my eyes on the center of the block.

Eilene is using her stash to make a patriotic “Blessings” quilt. Most, if not all, of the blocks support a theme print in the central square. Eilene is finding awesome prints for these spots.

Joan is continuing with her ocean/beach theme. She added a touch of red to Block #4.

I hope you are sewing along with us as we count our blessings this year. We have meditated on the blessing of living in our country, the blessing of shelter and home, and the wonderful blessing of friendship.

Happy Quilting! — Aby

More “Optimism” (Quilts)

March 19, 2026 / abydolinger / 1 Comment

We could all use more optimism, am I right?

Dawn P. followed along via the blog in 2025 and has completed her quilt. She writes, “I very much enjoyed my first BOM. It uses mostly fabric scraps. I started the project restricting myself to six selected scrap fabrics in blues, yellows and white, but began running out of some fabrics as I snipped off bits for other projects throughout the year, ha. So I began adding in new colors (pink centers, green). I love the big patches and bright colors, perfect for Spring, Easter, Summer, and really all-year-round. I’m keeping this one! What fun learning how to make pentagons, chevrons, hourglass units, pieced 9-squares and cat’s cradles.”

Dawn constructed her quilt using a Quilt As You Go method, and she highly recommends video tutorials by Monica Poole. She even added the border QAYG and admits it was a bit tricky. Perseverance paid off; what a fabulous quilt!

Nancy was an “Optimism” BOM student at my local quilt shop, Sew There! Quilts and More in Angier, NC. She divided the blocks into two quilts, one lap size and the other twin size. I had the privilege of quilting them for her. First up is the Nine-block lap quilt.

She selected a pale teal green thread which blended nicely with the floral backing. I quilted freehand heart-shaped leaves and loops over all to complement the floral fabrics.

The twelve-block quilt is composed of fabrics of a favorite color palette: blue, yellow, and green. The narrow yellow floral border adds extra sparkle. What a beautiful quilt for springtime!

I quilted “Bell Blossom” in pale blue thread.

Thanks, Dawn and Nancy, for sharing pictures of your quilts with us!

Have you completed your “Optimism” quilt? I’d love to share a picture with blog readers. Email me a digital photo: aby.quilts@gmail.com.

If you are inspired and wish to make a quilt of your own, you will find free instructions for the 15″ blocks under the “Optimism 2025 BOM” tab in the blog menu.

Happy Quilting! — Aby

“Spring Fresh” Published!

March 17, 2026 / abydolinger / 2 Comments

Be on the lookout for the Spring 2026 issue of Fons & Porter’s Quick + Easy Quilts. This issue focuses on two color quilt projects, and I am thrilled that my throw quilt, “Spring Fresh,” is included! You will find it on page 19.

Fabrics are from “Springtime Bouquet,” a signature line for Jerry Khiev for Annette Ornelas of Southwind Designs and basics from Island Batiks. Annette, a quilting friend and designer of quilts and fabrics, asked if I would like to “play” with her new fabric line. “Absolutely!” So you’ll be seeing more “Springtime Bouquet” projects in the future.

This medallion quilt, perfect for spring in general and St. Patrick’s Day in particular, is constructed from the inside out. I began with a Saw Tooth Star and surrounded it with borders of half square triangles, squares in squares, flying geese, and hourglasses. I can imagine this quilt made with other colors, can’t you?

I was also happy to see a re-publishing of “Brick-a-Brack” (April/May 2014 McCall’s Quick Quilts). As a purple and white quilt, it joins the magazine’s line up of marigold/white, cherry/white, black/white, blue/gray/white, green/yellow/white, and aqua/chartreuse. This really is an awesome magazine issue packed with amazing quilt designs. I hope you’ll pick up a copy and make one of the quilts.

“Pick and Color, Any Color”

March 12, 2026 / abydolinger / 4 Comments

Have you ever packed more projects than humanly possible to complete in your quilting retreat project bag? Such was my case . . . I had such high aspirations . . . but I brought home several quilts that needed more work. (Notice that three more blocks are needed.)

I was inspired by Ramona Sorensen’s blue and white “Atomic Blossom” quilt published in the May/June 2020 issue of McCall’s Quilting magazine. I modified the instructions by decreasing the block size from 14″ to 11,” and I added stars for cornerstones and a Saw Tooth border. Home again, I made the three missing blocks and the HSTs for the border. Next came sashing and borders.

It was then that I found the three AWOL blocks which were hiding among my other retreat projects. I decided to make a fourth block and fashion them all as a matching table or bureau runner.

“Wasabi” designed by Patricia E. Ritter is the pantograph which I quilted with light blue thread. I had just enough of the royal blue tone-on-tone to bind both projects. I am scheduled to teach this project in April at Sew There! Quilts and More in Angier, NC. If you live locally, please register online and join me for this easy, yet striking, design. A computer diagram shows the way the quilt would look when using red fabrics.

If you picked a color, any color, for this two color quilt, what color would you choose?

“Optimism” Revisited

March 3, 2026March 1, 2026 / abydolinger / 4 Comments

“Optimism” was the Block of the Month that I designed for 2025. Participants could choose to make twelve of the 15″ blocks for a twin size quilt or all twenty of the blocks for a queen size quilt. The Colonial Heritage Loose Threads bee group, located near Williamsburg, VA, rose to the challenge and many completed their projects in time to display them at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Hampton this past weekend.

I was so excited to see these quilts and to read the commentary written by each maker. The special exhibit was prefaced by a quotation by Helen Keller: “Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.”

First up is a queen size quilt made by my friend, Linda. These fabrics are not her cup of tea, but she finished the quilt anyway and will likely give it to her granddaughter who loves it.

One of the ladies re-sized the blocks and set them into an octagon. The feather-y quilting adds so much texture.

Aren’t these colors so cheerful?! If I remember correctly, the quilter made two quilts and plans to give them to children especially needing love and affirmation.

I love this setting with the Nine Patch corner stones. The background was an unusual taupe/clay color which perfectly complemented the purple and green fabrics.

Who knew purple could be so pretty? The various shades used make each block sing.

From the florals in the quilt pictured above to the tone-on-tones in the quilt below, “Optimism” is so versatile.

This quilter decided to hand quilt her project!

Here’s a close-up picture of the “big stitch” quilting with variegated thread. Truly amazing!

If I am not mistaken, this quilter had help selecting her fabrics; her husband got in on the action. The pale yellow adds the perfect sparkle.

I love the daring red sashing in this scrappy version of “Optimism.” The butterfly prints cause me to look more closely at each block.

Last, but not least, is the table runner make from three blocks. What a great idea!

The Colonial Heritage Loose Threads exhibit coordinator wrote, “Throughout the project they had their ups and downs, but they stayed positive and worked through each challenge.”

Great job ladies! Thanks for sharing your quilts with us!

“Blessings” Blocks 3 and 4

March 1, 2026February 28, 2026 / abydolinger / 1 Comment

We are “marching on” with our “Blessings” Block of the Month! I hope you are sewing along on this project which features Cat’s Cradle units. These units are so easy to make with the Creative Grids Cat’s Cradle ruler. However, if you don’t have the ruler, I’ve given instructions for an alternate method of construction. Come on, sew along with us! (Click on “Blessings 2026 BOM” in the blog menu.)

When designing Block 3, I began with a traditional Churn Dash design and substituted Cat’s Cradle units for the Half Square Triangle units in the block’s corners.

I added interest to the blue rectangles by changing them to Flying Geese with yellow small triangles to make star points. Finally, I changed the white center square to a Square in a Square unit.

Block 4 is based on the time-honored Ohio Star design. Again, I added Cat’s Cradle units to the block’s corners.

The Hourglass units were changed by substituting a medium shade of blue for one of the white triangles, and a central square of multi-colored theme print ties all the block’s colors together.

Have fun planning and sewing Blocks 3 and 4 this month. And while you do, contemplate the Blessing of Friendship. I have spent the past week at a quilting retreat with dear friends I have known for over 20 years. Most of us met in Germany, compliments of the U.S. Army. We try to get together each year to chat and sew. I count these women as dear as sisters! They encourage me and pray for me. When I am struggling, they reach out with help. Comment about a special friendship you appreciate.

“Blessings” Blocks 1 and 2 Wrap-up

February 28, 2026 / abydolinger / 5 Comments

I hope you have carved out a little time to sew along on the “Blessings” BOM this year, and I hope you have completed Blocks 1 and 2 and are ready for instructions for Blocks 3 and 4 on March 1st.

Eilene sent a picture of her patriotic blocks. Love them! the fussy-cut star adds so much interest in the second block. A patriotic theme is popular this year as we celebrate the United States’ 250th birthday.

Carol Ann emailed a picture of her Churn Dash variation. The fat quarter stack she chose contained a print of houses; she plans to include the houses as centers for many of her sampler blocks. I applaud Carol Ann’s attention to value in this block which demonstrates an excellent use of the rather busy low volume floral print.

Valerie experimented with the value suggested in the instructions, substituting dark for light. In doing so, the traditional Churn Dash design is more prominent.

Remember – you can find free instructions for the blocks by clicking “Blessings 2026 BOM” in the blog menu. Comment “Done” below if you are up to date, having completed the 24″ center block as well as Blocks 1 and 2. I am so proud of you!

The Scrappiest Quilt Ever

February 20, 2026 / abydolinger / 4 Comments

Long time friend and quilting customer, Gigi, sent me several quilt tops to work on. At her request, I returned all but one. As she is downsizing, she asked me to donate this quilt to a charitable cause. I will donate it to a local nursing home.

Isn’t this totally fun??!! So many colors and prints, some I recognize from my own past stash acquisitions. Usually, scrap quilt makers incorporate “a place for the eye to rest.” Did Gigi do that?

How about those solid black squares marching diagonally from the bottom left to the top right?

I probably would have added a solid color border between the center “Postage Stamps” and the “Rail Fence” border. But . . . isn’t the riot of colors and patches glorious?

Have you ever made a really, really scrappy quilt? What patchwork design did you use?

“Patchwork Stars” – a New Project

February 17, 2026 / abydolinger / 4 Comments

I participate in a recently formed bee group that meets monthly at Sew There! quilt shop in Angier, NC. Last year, we committed to working on sampler quilts inspired by Ricky Tims’ “Granny’s 1930’s Sampler.” This year each of us has chosen to make a quilt patterned in Lori Holt’s “Scrappiness is Happiness” book. Interestingly, we all chose different quilts!

I selected “Patchwork Stars,” but modified both the design and the construction technique. Click here to view a YouTube tutorial for “Patchwork Stars” by Lori Holt. By comparing pictures of her stars and my stars, you can see that I did not sew Four Patches for the centers of the blocks. Instead, I used a sew-and-flip-triangles technique for four of the star points in each block.

The yellow/gold in each block is the print our bee group chose as a “constant;” each person will use this print in her quilt. The other prints are from my stash of Civil War reproduction fabrics. I have three yards of the background print; this will determine the number of blocks I can make and, therefore, the size of the quilt. In order to complete my quilt in 2026, I need to make about eight blocks per month. I’m off to a great start, and I plan to make another batch of blocks during an upcoming quilting retreat!

Have you begun a new quilting project recently?

Baby Doll Shoebox Gifts

February 11, 2026 / abydolinger / 2 Comments

I have joined the ranks of those who pack shoebox gifts for Operation Christmas Child year round. I appreciate this ministry arm of Samaritan’s Purse so much. The children who receive the gift boxes also hear a presentation of the good news of Jesus Christ our Savior.

Throughout this past winter, I have made dolly quilts and tote bags for the little ones. Can you see the quilt wrapped around the dolly in the shoebox? the little owl-themed tote bag can serve as Dolly’s diaper bag.

The boxes also contain other goodies—-school supplies, hygiene items, a coloring book and crayons, and small toys. It has been an enjoyable blessing to make something personal to accompany the commercially produced gift items.

The boxes will be shipped to the processing center in Charlotte, NC in November. Each is sent with prayers for the child’s growth, health, safety and receptiveness to Bible teaching.

If you are interested in packing shoebox gifts but wonder what items to include, take a look at the many YouTube videos on the subject. One of my favorite presenters is Denise @D Rogers.

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