Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

Can you believe that I have posted these photos for a year?  My goodness.....it's kinda scary how time passes so darn quickly!  I have enjoyed sharing the blocks that are now a part of my Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt.  It is the most special quilt I have every made for so many reasons, and I treasure it more with each passing day.  

I hope these blocks have inspired you and perhaps even tempted you to join the fun with us.  

If you'd like more information about the Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt, click here.

In the meantime, I keep making blocks and the Circa 1880 Nine Patch Club is going strong.  

New Circa Essential prints

New Circa Shirting Prints

My New Circa Essentials & Shirting prints are perfect for these small blocks!  Click here for more information.

Hoping now that the holidays are over, we can all settle back into our normal routines, and find more time for stitching.  It does wonders for the heart and soul!

Be well.......

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

Here's this week's blocks.

Busy with holiday prep as I'm sure you are.  January is around the corner.  One of my favorite times of year.  No outdoor work.  No weeds to pull.  Lots more sewing time!  

Let's enjoy the holidays!

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

Here's this week's blocks.  

Help.....I'm buried under a pile of wrapping paper!   Teehee!

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

Here are this week's blocks!  

I'm either sewing or am out shopping.  How about you?  Busy, busy....see you Friday for the last week of my Old Fashioned sew-along!

Hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend.  I'm still stuffed!  We began decorating the house for Christmas on the inside.  Weather didn't cooperate to do much on the outside but we hope to have a few nice days later in the week.

Here are this week's Circa 1880 Nine Patch blocks.  As I look them over, I see so many of my favorite fabrics, and lots I never had before, given to me in my exchange with friends.  Those blocks are just so dear to me!  

My new Cheddar & Chocolate fabric sample yardage arrived!  So darn jazzed to begin working with it.  It's all starched and ready to cut.  Can't wait to dig in!  

Have a wonderful week decorating, shopping and planning your holiday.  Let's all take some time to stitch.  It's always so good for our souls!  

Be well......

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

Here are this week's blocks.  I can't believe we have only 5 more weeks to go and it will be a year that I have been posting these photos.  More to the point....almost a year since we all began making the Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt.  And....I'm almost out of block pictures.  

I had a pile of new fabrics to cut up and work with since the arrival of my New Circa Essentials & Shirtings collection.

The fabrics are in your local quilt shop right now!  

Ask for New Circa Essentials & Shirtings at the shop on your next visit.  I always encourage you to buy from your LQS first!!  If they don't have it, then please order from me here.

I'll post pictures of the new set of blocks when they're all done.  Have a wonderful week!  
Be well and Happy Stitches!

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

Here are this week's blocks.  A very fine batch, indeed!  

Are you getting ready for the start of my Quilt Archaeology on Friday?  I'm so jazzed to begin!

Circa 1880 Nine Patch & Quilt Archaeology News!

Here are this week's Circa 1880 Nine Patch blocks.  Another good batch of fussy cuts.  I have more strips all chosen and ready to piece.  Now....I need just a little time to sew!

Here's the news all about Quilt Archaeology.....

Be sure to come back to my blog on Thursday, November 14th.  I will reveal our special project, the yardage needs, and the start date of our sew-along.  

All of the sew-along instructions and photos will be posted here on my blog.  You don't need to sign-up, but........

The best way to receive each weeks sewing instructions is by email.  That way you can print them if you'd like.  If you don't receive my blog posts via email, you can do so here.  

Scroll down on the right-hand side bar until you see the icon "Follow By Email".  Then type in your email address and follow the instructions.  You will receive a confirmation request from Feedburner, the email subscription service, and you must accept the subscription to enrolled.  That's it!  From then on, you will receive my blog posts in your email inbox.  You'll be all set and ready to go on Thursday.  

Oooooohhhh!  I can't wait!  See you Thursday!

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks & Quilt Archaeology

There are some fun fussy cut fabrics in this batch of blocks.   I never tire of them....so cute!

I hope my last post piqued your curiosity about Quilt Archaeology.  I thought I'd give you a few hints.

I love Pinterest as I'm sure you do as well.  I have 'dug up' some old quilts on Pinterest that I would very much like to replicate.  They're on the simple side....quick and easy.  I thought perhaps you might like to replicate them, too!  

My first Quilt Archaeology sew-along will begin Tuesday, November 19th.  (I'll post yardage requirements ahead of time.)  I'll show you what we're making that day.  Nope, this is not a mystery sew-along!  Instructions will post once a week for four weeks.    I chose a very easy quilt to make seeing as how we're sewing during the holiday season, and we all have so much to do to prepare.  I'm hoping you will welcome a few minutes of sewing time from the hustle and bustle, and you'll have a sweet quilt to enjoy this Christmas!

What do you think?   

Circa 1880 Nine Patch blocks

Here's a new batch of Circa 1880 Nine Patch blocks.  The club is going strong.  There are quilters who have made all the needed blocks and are now assembling.  There are quilters who have made way more blocks than I and are making their quilt bigger!  There are LOTS more who are just getting started.

We'd love for you to join us!  Click here for a list of participating quilt shops where you can join.  Don't forget to join our private Facebook group as well.  So many fun things are happening in this group!

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

Here's the next batch of Circa blocks.  My New Circa Essentials fabric will be delivered to your local quilt shop in just a few weeks!  You know what that means?  Twelve brand new shirtings and eighteen more little dark prints.   Yippee!!!!  

Circa 1880 Nine Patch & Rogue Blocks!!

This batch of Circa blocks feature some very cute fussy cut fabrics.  You know how I love those little surprises inside of blocks!  Well.....hold onto your rotary cutter for the next batch of blocks I want to show you!  

These two inch tiny beauties were made and given to me by my dear friend Janet Olsen (RogueQuilter)  She lives in the beautiful mountains of Utah and is a prolific quilter.  Janet writes and posts photos of the amazing quilts she makes in her blog RogueQuilter.Blogspot.com.   Seriously... a must read if you love mini quilts and blocks!  For as long as I've known Janet, she has made small quilts and very often changes things up from the original plan...going way smaller...hence the "rogue" quilter title of her blog.  And, boy....are we glad she does!

Janet is one of seven friends I traded blocks with while secretly working on my Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt.  She is very active in the Circa club Facebook group and at Village Dry Goods Quilt Shop in Brigham City, UT where club meetings are held.  Janet began making what is now commonly known as 'rogue' blocks, and inserting them here and there into her Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt.  The results are stunning.  Check out her blog posts to see photos of her amazing Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt.

A little while ago, Janet surprised me when a package arrived in the mail, gifting me with a collection of rogue blocks.  I just had to share them with you.  The photos above show how Janet cleverly used the Endearment phrases from my Endearment fabric.  She also used a piece of the selvage to sew my name into one of the blocks.  Love, love, love them all!!  

If you'd like to make an Endearment block, which would be so cool in a label....Remember Me...you can ask for the fabric at your LQS or buy it here.

Here are a few more of Janet's rogue blocks.  Teeny Tiny pieces of patchwork wonderful!

That center square is just an inch finished!

And...if that doesn't have your jaw dropping.....

 
Surely this batch will!  Look at that Log Cabin and Pineapple block!!  And...the orange print in the center of the Uneven Nine Patch is fussy cut with the block inside the Circa 1880 Nine Patch!!  

Here's a close up of the Pineapple block so you can see the center fabric was fussy cut as well. 

Janet...you're simply amazing!  Your creativity inspires so many people and I just love what you make.  Not to mention, you're a wonderful and kind person I am blessed to call my friend.
Thank you for gifting me with these rogue blocks.  I will make a special quilt just for them!

If you're inspired to join the fun we're having with the Circa 1880 Club, it is not too late at all!  The club is on-going and will continue into next year.  You must join through a participating quilt shop.  Click here to see all the Club Shops.  You can also participate by mail. 

Be well......

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks & New Bundles

I can't believe that this is our 40th Circa club week!  Time flies by way too quickly, especially when we're having fun!  Autumn is in the air here in Chicagoland....my favorite time of year.  I love the cooler temperatures, the color in the changing leaves, and the mums and pumpkins popping up everywhere.  I love all four seasons for the different things they bring.

We just cut a new bunch of shirting prints in a fat quarter bundle.  More color bank bundles will be coming soon.   I love picking up color bank bundles of fabric colors I'm in need of.  I'm always on the look-out for purples and plums and dusty pinks.  Oh...and warm golds too.  And, let's not forget good blacks!  Ok, ok....I'll stop now.  Click here to shop for bundles.

Enjoy the day and let's all take some time to feed our soul with those stitches we sew.

Circa 1880 Blocks ~ Oops, I did it again!

 Yup....I did it again!  I forgot to post last week's Circa 1880 Blocks.  (groan)

Last weekend, I traveled to the Grand Rapids area to visit with the West Michigan Quilters Guild.  I was packing and trying to do a few hundred things (you know how it is!) and plum forgot to write my post.  I remembered when we arrived in Michigan....a lot of good that will do me.

I had just the best time with the West Michigan quilters.  I gave a lecture and enjoyed spending the day with them during two workshops.  I always receive a warm welcome and have a good time with quilters.  We share tips back and forth and just generally have a great time.  I'm always in sewing envy, though, wishing I could be sewing along with them.  

The trip this past weekend marks the end of my travel this year except for one trip to NYC with my daughter in November.  If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know I really enjoy traveling, and I also really, really enjoy teaching, but this teacher is kinda cooked from all the travel and fun.  

I am home for the next 5 months and have only booked two events next year to give myself a much needed rest.  I came home with a renewed vigor of plans to begin doing some things I haven't had time for in a long time.  Change can be just the thing we need sometimes.  

My workshop update is..... Debbie and I finished my Rachel's Tribute BOM quilt and it's now in the hands of quilter extraordinaire Vegas Val (aka Valerie Krueger.)  I am so jazzed to see what she comes up with!  

My New Circa Essentials & New Circa Shirtings fabric sample yardage arrived and is being starched.  I'll begin cutting for the new quilt tomorrow.  More photos and info to come.  The manuscript for my next book with Martingale is also on my desk for proofreading.  Another fabric line in all browns and cheddars called Cheddar & Chocolate is also in production and nearly complete....very exciting.  New quilt designs are being worked on as well, so needless to say, I'm never bored.  But...I don't know a quilter who is!  

So that's the latest from me.  Watch for my next blog later this week when you'll be able to meet Rachel for the first time.  I can't wait to introduce you!

Circa 1880 Nine Patch & Sneak Peek At Rachel's Tribute!!!!

Rachel's Tribute Sneak Peek!!

Here's a look at all of the fabrics coming very soon, all found in my 2020 BOM called Rachel's Tribute!  Oh...I can barely wait to show you the quilt, but for now, this will have to do.  

I adore all of these prints.  They are small, sweet prints perfect for the BOM and the many other quilt projects you have going.  Hoping the big reveal will be this week!

In the meantime, here are this week's Circa 1880 Nine Patch blocks.  There are a couple of fun fussy cut blocks in this batch, too.  

Enjoy your week...summer is hanging on here and I'm going to soak up all I can!

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

Here are this week's blocks.  Some cute fussy cuts in this batch.  The green flower in the center of the block at the right is easy to spot.  Do you spot the fabric with the bicycles?

That is the F*U*N of putting Fussy Cuts in your blocks!!  Little surprises.  

Need help Fussy Cutting?  I've made it super easy....click here to read more.

Be well....Happy Stitches always.

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

This will be short and sweet.  It's Labor Day and I'm taking some time off....well, sort of.

Went for a 3 mile walk this morning, sat outside...the weather is perfect....and have a few chores to do.  I plan to sew this afternoon...which is the 'chore', but not!

Hope you're doing something fun to recharge and enjoy!  

For our friends dealing with hurricane Dorian, I wish you the very best possible outcome.  Above all, be safe.  Keeping you in my prayers.

Circa 1880 Nine Patch

I don't know about you, but I just love these little blocks.  Seems like no matter what fabrics they're made from, they all look great!

I made some new strips sets over the weekend.  I'm still trading blocks with my friends and happy to continue.  

I hope to have another couple hundred blocks by the end of the year.  Why, since my Circa 1880 quilt is finished?  Because I've been inspired by the Circa 1880 Club at Village Dry Goods.   Many of the club members are adding what they call 'rogue' blocks, named by my friend Janet of Rogue Quilter ,who is a club member there.  Rogue blocks are any block made the same size as the Circa 1880 blocks, and added here and there as little surprises to the quilt.  It looks so awesome that I want to make a quilt with rogue blocks, too!!  It will undoubtedly have a different setting than the original Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt.  Oh...my imagination gets carried away with all the little rogue blocks I can make!

You'd be inspired too!  You could see all the innovations and inspirations if you were part of the Circa 1880 Club.  Join us!  We'd love to have you. 

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks

Hi!  Here are this week's Circa 1880 Nine Patch blocks for you to enjoy.

While teaching at The Little Red Hen Quilt Shop this past weekend, quilter Robin McGuire shared her version of my little Scarlet quilt.  Pattern is from my Vintage Patchwork book (Martingale.)

Here is my original version of Scarlet.  So cute in any many coloring!

You can buy my Vintage Patchwork book here (autographed just for you!), along with the Pam's Prairie Basics fabric precut I used for all my projects here.

Have a wonderful week!

Circa 1880 Nine Patch Blocks & Summer

Here are this week's Circa 1880 Nine Patch blocks.  Love those fussy cuts!  I hope your blocks are piling up!  Have you begun sewing rows together?

Having a busy summer weekend, so not much else to report today.  Lots of design work going on in the studio while I wait for fabric for my 2020 BOM to arrive.  I'm currently working on the quilt design and fabric for my 2021 BOM believe it or not.  (We work on a BOM about a year before you would receive your first block.) 

In between, I'm making it a point to enjoy the summer while it's here.  I love going out in the morning with an iced tea to sit for awhile, prune some flowers, scroll through Pinterest....you know....just listen to the birds singing.  This has been the best summer for me in about 5 years.

Enjoy your day...and when it begins to get into the heat of the day....go inside and sew!