The Circa 1880 Club Quilts

I'm over the moon happy to report that quilt shops all over are signing up for my Circa 1880 Club every day.  I believe a shop in Canada is signing up so our friends to the North will be included in the fun.

One of the benefits of being a club member is getting the pattern for the six exclusive small club quilts.

You will notice that in each of the club quilts, I used the same Uneven Nine Patch block  I used in the big quilt.  

Sometimes they're paired with other fun blocks.

Sometimes just that cute little block!

Each quilt also features the brand new Circa Basic Essentials fabrics and is given at just the right time of year.  The pattern/kit for the quilt above is given in December.

There are other benefits of the club, too!  But...I don't want to share all my surprises just yet!

I hope I have piqued your interest and that you'll look for a participating Circa 1880 Quilt shop in your area or that you can join by mail.

I have other news to share with you soon that I'm very jazzed about!

No news, however, on the whereabouts of my stolen quilts.  From what I'm told, they are likely in a Houston garbage dump.  Very sad.  If that's the worst thing that happens, I have much to be thankful for as they can be replaced.  

We have to keep our perspective as there is so much true tragedy with the California fires and people loosing everything.  A few quilts are meaningless in the grand scheme.  

Much To Be Grateful For!

I'm back home from fall market with a whole lot to share.  Some really great news and some not so great news.

First of all, my year long super-secret-scrappy-project, now known to the world as The Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt and club was a big hit!!  Dare I say the quilt was a show stopper.  Many people really did stop dead in their tracks while passing my booth to take a look at the quilt.  The quilt really is something special and I am so grateful that it was well received by so many people.  Lots and lots of shops signed up for this club so watch for your LQS to advertise The Circa 1880 Club coming soon! 

I still have to show you the small quilts that are a part of the club, too, and will do so in my next post.  

But, I am anxious to get the word out about about the three quilts pictured in the pattern cover above.  

All three of these quilts and the blue one below were stolen from my booth on Friday while we were all attending a Schoolhouse presentation.  

Storyteller ~ Mrs. Miller's Apprentice BOM bonus quilt 

My three Tokens of the Past: Yuletide Greetings quilts, the bonus quilt from Mrs. Miller's Apprentice BOM and four fat quarter bundles were gone when we returned from Schoolhouse.  The authorities were alerted.  The quilts have labels sewn into them, but I don't have high hopes of them being returned.  The head of security said it was likely a convention building worker and not another exhibitor.  

Market had its challenges this year.  My flight was delayed 5 hours going to Houston due to rain, my luggage and all my clothes were soaking wet, I fell off the ladder on Thursday and hurt my back, and my quilts were stolen on Friday.  I could dwell on the unfortunate events that took place, but instead I am grateful.

Grateful I arrived in Houston on Tuesday safe and sound, grateful my clothes dried and the hotel was able to laundered some others, grateful I didn't hit my head, break a bone or knock my teeth out when I fell.  I am grateful to my fellow Marcus designer friends and all my friends at Marcus Fabrics who helped me with everything I needed, and let me know how much they cared!  I am also grateful that my new designs were so well received by shop owners and that I safely returned home to my family.  

It feels much better to be grateful than to hold onto anger about anything that happened.  I do ask that should you see any of my quilts on eBay that you just let me know.  I am grateful for that as well.  I'll be posting about my stolen quilts on social media, and if you have time, please share the post so the word gets around.  

I am grateful for each and every one of you as well.  Thank you for your continued support which allows me to keep doing the things we all love.   

The Circa 1880 Nine Patch Quilt

The Circa 1880 Nine Patch Quilt by Pam Buda ~ Photo by Aaron Leimkuehler

I am anxious to share more details about my new Circa 1880 Club.   The Nine Patch quilt above is the main focus of the club.  It has over 500 blocks!  

Did you gasp?

Fear not!

Making the 500 + blocks needed for the quilt is very doable in one year's time.  (Nobody said you have to make it in a year.  I promise there are no Nine Patch police around!)  I have worked out all the kinks and have making these blocks down to a science - I promise!  All my hints and tips will be shared when you're at club meetings at your local participating quilt shop and through a private Facebook group.  

Still thinking it's not possible?  If you're a regular reader of my blog, you know I keep myself pretty busy.  I was on a mission to make this quilt and I had to find time if I was going to get it done.  So, I made a commitment to spend one hour each morning, 5 days a week to making the blocks.  Sometimes I did less.  Sometimes I was able to spend an entire Sunday.  It all worked out.  At first, I wasted a lot of time and knew I had to work smarter, not harder, and over a few weeks, developed a system that enabled me to make a dozen blocks in about an hour.....and YOU can too!!  

This quilt is an heirloom for sure....I call it my Hour A Day Heirloom.  It's done...I really made it.  It's not a UFO!  All from one hour a day!  

To gain a larger variety of scrap happiness in my blocks, I asked six friends to trade blocks with me.  We all agreed to a set of trading rules and stuck to them.  We didn't make strict timelines to trade because we're all busy, so we traded whenever we had about 25 blocks made.  That helped to be able to work at your own pace.  A big reason my Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt is so wonderful is because of them.  So, it's time you know who they are!

My local (in Illinois) friends are Debbie McClarence, who is my co-worker and right hand.  

Karen Schultz of Elgin - a dear friend and founding Prairie Women's Sewing Circle member who I have known for many years and adore.

Becky Carpenter of Montgomery - another dear friend and founding Prairie Women's Sewing Circle member - friend to Karen as well...and super talented quilter and antique lover like me!

My out of town trading friends are:

Janet Olsen of Logan, UT ~ super talented quilt maker and maker of extraordinary pies!  Janet writes a wonderful blog called Rogue Quilter.  She inspired me with her beautiful work and makes a lot of small quilts I love.

Wendy Reed of Bath, ME - I met Wendy several years ago when I taught at the Maine Quilt Show.  I knew immediately we were kindred spirits.  Wendy knows so much about nineteenth century fabric and makes the most amazing repro quilts.  She also has a blog...The Constant Quilter which you should check out.  Wendy is hosting a monthly sew-along to sew all twelve projects in my Vintage Patchwork book!  How fun is that?  Click the link for her blog to read more.

And....last but certainly not least is Cyndi Black, owner of The Busy Thimble quilt shop in Litchfield, ME.  I met Cyndi at the same time I met Wendy.  I was very lucky to visit The Busy Thimble shop on that trip and immediately fell in love with the shop and Cyndi.  Like Wendy, Cyndi makes amazing repro quilts.  She also writes The Busy Thimble blog which I'm sure you'll enjoy.  

Fussy Cut blocks using Circa 1880 Fussy Cut template.  Photo by Aaron Leimkuehler

One of the best parts about making these blocks is fussy cutting motifs for different parts of the block.  In the photo above, you can find the word Union in the block center and the same block has a little flag in the corner square.  My quilt has lots of fussy cut surprises.  Many of them came from blocks I traded with my friends.  Each month I was amazed at how many fabrics I received that I never saw before.  Their stash has so many new-to-me fabrics and now I have a piece of them in my quilt.   So, so cool!!  

I L*O*V*E fussy cutting fabrics for lots of the quilts I make.  So much so, I have designed a new set of fussy cutting templates that make it so easy peasy to cut just about any size motif you like.  The new templates are also making their debut at market and I will be anxious to share them with you when I get back.  So...stay tuned for more fussy cutting news!

The quilt is set using Marcus Fabrics Aged Muslin which was absolutely perfect in recreating the look of the antique quilt.  It is a very special fabric - not your ordinary muslin in that each and every yard is hand dyed.  No two yards are the same which gives it the perfect aged patina.  It also shows the quilting stitches beautifully.  

Speaking of the beautiful quilting....my quilt was quilted by oh-so-talented Valerie Langue who owns The Quilt Merchant in Winfield, IL.  Val...you truly outdid yourself!!  

I also designed 26 new fabrics for the club and a new backing fabric designed especially for the Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt!  I'll tell you lots more about them soon.  

In the meantime, I'd better get back to packing for fall market.  I have a lot to share while I'm there.  In the meantime, give your sewing machine some love today!   It misses you!

My Super Secret Scrappy Project Is Done!

For more than a year now, I have been talking about my super secret scrappy project, and boy oh boy am I happy I can finally share what it is!

During the summer of 2017, I saw an antique quilt that just captured my heart and I knew immediately I HAD TO MAKE IT!  At first I set out to make it by myself, but very quickly I changed my mind and enlisted the help of six friends.

The little blocks in the photo above are the results of months of work.  I didn't make them all by myself and I will tell you lots more about that very soon.

Oh my gosh...they have been so darn fun to make!!!  Loved fussy cutting some prints for the block centers and the little corners.  Every color under the sun is in these cuties.

The quilt of my dreams.....aka my obsession is now a reality.  

Introducing my Hour~A~Day~Heirloom......

The Circa 1880 Club

Debuting at fall quilt market, it's a new national club by me....Heartspun Quilts and Marcus Fabrics!  Featuring The Circa 1880 Nine Patch quilt (above) along with fun club projects and activities!

The fun begins in January at your local quilt shop and will be available only through participating shops!  

More details in my next post.  I hope I piqued your curiosity!

Hollow's Eve FREEBIE!!

All the ghouls will be walking about as Halloween will soon be here!  I designed this sweet little treat, called Hollow's Eve, that may come to you FREE with a qualifying order!!

Here's how this will work:

**Place an on-line order for at least $15 to get the pattern FREE.

**Place an on-line order for at least $35 or more and receive the pattern AND the fabric kit FREE!!!

(Note: Qualifying total does not include shipping)

~ Qualifying orders placed Friday, October 5th through Sunday, October 7th are eligible.

~ Your freebie will be added to your order when we package it up.  The Hollow's Eve quilt is not found on my website, so don't worry about having to place it in the shopping cart.

~Similar fabrics may be substituted.

~One offer per person.

There's lots of stuff on my website to tempt and inspire you!  

Check out the notions section
I have lots of patterns 
Fabric in Color Bank bundles and Fat Quarter Bundles
My new Vintage Patchwork book is available! 
Primitive Threads kits and yardage along with lots of my fabric prints with Marcus Fabrics are available as well.  

If you're in the mood for autumn sewing, Autumn on Maple Lake will wrap you in fall leaves...

Or, perhaps the Tokens of the Past: Autumn Sampler trio is perfect for your home!  

I still have a few Autumn Sampler kits - all with original fabrics.  

Thank you for your continued support of my quilt designs, patterns and fabrics.  You make it possible to continue doing what I love and I appreciate it more than you know! 

Click here to shop Heartspun Quilts!

Happy Shopping!

Visit Martingale Stitch This! Blog

I invite you to visit Martingale's blog, Stitch This!, today as we talk about the release of my Vintage Patchwork book.  

And...you can enter for a chance to win a copy of Vintage Patchwork, the Prairie Basics & Shirtings precut, and a bunch of my favorite quilting goodies!!  

Enjoy.....

Quiltfolk Winner & More Vintage Patchwork Projects

Is it just me or did the month of September whiz by light greased lightening?  Frankly, the whole year has felt like that.  

October 1st is Monday (unbelievable) and that means that my Vintage Patchwork book will be released!   You still have time to pre-order your copy here and receive the special pieced treat kit I will include on all pre-orders.  

My thanks to everyone who commented to win a copy of Quiltfolk magazine!  I really loved seeing the place that you call home.  

Brenda Jeffers from Ottumwa, Iowa won the copy of magazine!  Congratulations, Brenda!  Please email your mailing address to me at Pam@HeartspunQuilts.com 

I hope you enjoy the quilts on the pages of this very fine book.  

Be sure to check visit my blog Friday, October 5th for a special announcement!!  

Now...back to sewing my super-secret-scrappy-project.  It's being assembled now and the big reveal won't be too much longer!  

Happy Stitching ~ Happy Life! 

Quiltfolk Magazine Give Away

Lately, I've been enjoying sitting a spell and reading Quiltfolk magazine.  The magazine doesn't have quilt patterns, but tells stories about quilt folk like you and me, and has loads of quilt photos that are quite inspiring.

It occurred to me that I haven't hosted a give-away on my blog in too long.....so, I picked up an extra copy to give away to one of you!!  

Leave a comment on my blog telling me where you live.  That's all....just city, state and if out of the US, the country you call home.  

I'll choose a winner Saturday morning.   

Stitch daily - Be well.....

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice - All Quilted!

I'm back home from a wonderful trip to Nashville.  I just loved Nashville!!!  What a fun town.  The weather was very hot and humid, much the same as it was at home in Chicago....so you go with the flow.  The food was yummy, the town was fun and the people are so friendly.  That's southern hospitality for you!  I will definitely go back again someday.  

My thanks for the ladies of Music City Quilters and Lakeshore Quilters for a lovely time.  I so enjoyed meeting everyone!

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice.  2019 Block of the Month by Pam Buda and Marcus Fabrics

My Mrs. Miller's Apprentice quilt returned home from her trip to Las Vegas where she was quilted by Val Krueger.  Val does not disappoint and did Mrs. Miller proud.  Before I send her off to be photographed, I thought I'd take some photos of Val's beautiful work. 

I took these photos in natural daylight inside the house to show off the quilting.  This, of course, does not show the true colors of the fabrics.  

I love crosshatching and Val put a lot of it in the quilt.  I'm so happy!

This photo shows the fabric colors a but better.  I very humbly say that I adore each fabric in this collection!  So jazzed with how the quilt turned out and the quilting just put it over the top!

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice is my new Block of the Month for 2019.  Quilt shops are signing up now to offer the program which begins in January.  So....ask for Mrs. Miller's Apprentice at your local quilt shop!  Fabrics will ship in December. It is so very important to support our LQS!!!  Too many of them are closing.  It's terrible.  

Besides binding Mrs. M., I have been putting the finishing touches on the Mrs. M patterns, and writing the diary stories that will accompany the monthly instructions.  It's been fun!  

I've also begun constructing the quilt that is my super-secret-scrappy-project for the last year!  I will finally....(finally!) be able to reveal all sometime next month.  There's a whole lot of preparation going on here and at Marcus for the big announcement.  I can barely contain myself!  

I can't believe the summer has whizzed by, although I do welcome the cooler days of autumn.  I'm also getting ready for my new Vintage Patchwork book to be delivered next month!  Yikes...there's so much fun stuff going on.  

I hope you have some time to enjoy these last days of summer.  Be well.....

Scarlet & Walden

 Meet Scarlet.  She's another little tiny quilt in my new Vintage Patchwork book!   There's so much you can do with these bookshelf sized quilts, and as time goes by, I welcome the opportunity to show you.   Beautiful fabrics and colorful choices make a teeny quilt sing just as they do in a lap size quilt.  And...tucking them here and there add the coziness only fabric gives to a room!  

And....this is Walden.  I chose to make this block because it intrigued me so much.  It definitely has an unusual setting but is not difficult to make at all.  And, Walden is in one of my all time favorite color combos ever!  We can never have too many pinkeeps!!  

As you read this, I am in Nashville.  A city I haven't visited before this, but I was anxious to see.  I've heard all about the great music and good food....SOLD!  Add quilters to that mix, and I'm packing the car, and headed south!  

Nashville marks the end of my lecture and workshop year.  What a year it's been, too!  I visited Boston and Cape Cod, Galveston, Houston, NY, the Caribbean (on a cruise), Atlanta, Gulf Shores, AL, Wilmette, IL, Lee's Summit (KC), MO, Nashville, and will be in Houston for fall market!  Whew!  How in the world did I do all that travel??  

Next year brings trips to Arlington Heights, IL, Tampa area, Galveston...on another Caribbean cruise, Archbold, OH, Kansas City quilt market, Atlanta area, Lee's Summit, MO,  Maryland area, Muscatine, IA, and Grand Rapids, MI.  Details will be posted as my visits get closer.  

All that travel has taken me to wondrous places I likely would not have visited otherwise.  I have met warm and friendly quilters all over our great nation, and it's been such fun, and I have many great memories.  Beginning in 2020, I have decided to reduce the amount of travel I will be doing in order to make more time for get-togethers with friends, attend quilting retreats, and just do things around our home.  I hope to have more time for my blog posts...to host sew alongs and other fun stuff I've thought of but just don't have the time for.  I have traveled and taught for 12 years, and it's been great fun.....but it's time for a change.  

I am three states away from reaching my goal to step foot in all 50 states and I will get to two more next year.  That last state....it won't take me long to get there!  I'm determined!

I can't believe the summer is just about over.  It hasn't been a summer I've enjoyed as I recovered from surgery, but....I do adore fall, and sure welcome the cooler weather.  

Go stitch....it makes you happy!  

More Vintage Patchwork Projects

I truly cannot believe that it's been 3 weeks since I wrote a blog post!  It's a crime how quickly time passes.  I will sound like a broken record when I say I am busier than I'd like to be....but with good things happening.

I had a great time....really great time teaching and hanging out with all the quilters at Stitching With The Stars a few weeks ago.  Honestly, that event is one of my favorites all year....and Rita of Quilter's Station Quilt Shop is doing it again next year...and so am I!!  It will be in August, but maybe one week earlier?  Not sure about that.  

I am delighted to report that I am all healed from my knee replacement, have graduated from PT, and have 95% of my energy back.  Please, dear Lord, no more surgeries.  My DH is having his hip replaced in a few weeks.  Feeling like we're paying for our Ortho surgeon's villa in Italy all by ourselves....geesh!  But...oh, so grateful that we have access to great health care and talented docs.  

Since returning from Kansas City, I've been submerged in writing Mrs. Miller's BOM patterns, getting the graphics, designing and making the bonus quilt, big quilt is being quilting now, and submitting a new fabric line that had to be in by Sept. 1!  This week, we're also packing me for another trip...this time to Nashville!  

But....I really wanted to share a few more of the projects from my new and very first book, Vintage Patchwork.

This is a pinkeep called Wives & Daughters.  I really, really LOVE drum pinkeeps because they have so much versatility.  You can put just about anything in the band and they are not hard to make at all.  There's great assembly instructions in the book to guide you through the process.  The buttons are very old and imperfect...which for me...makes them perfect!  Love the aged patina of those old buttons. 

This is Huckleberry.  What a fun block to piece.  The butternut and blue prints are a classic combo.  I love a block with motion in it and this one certainly has that....yet it isn't hard at all.  Isn't it divine with that sweet old blue toy sewing machine??  Oh, I wish it were mine as it sure looks great with Huckleberry.  Hhmmm.....oh... eBay!  

Hope you enjoyed seeing two more of the Vintage Patchwork projects.  There's still more to share with you!    

You can Pre-Order the book here and I'll autograph your copy, and include a little surprise!  

Vintage Patchwork will be released October 1st!

If you live in the Nashville area,  please come to see me at the Music City Quilt Guild!  
I'll be lecturing Tues, Sept 4th at 9:30 am at St. John's Lutheran Church.  Come join the fun....I've love to meet YOU!  

Be well.....

Mrs. Miller's Apprentice Progress

Blocks, blocks and more blocks!  Yay!  My Mrs. Miller's Apprentice quilt top is pieced and on the way to Val for quilting.  I'm elated over how it turned out.  Before sewing the top together, I took a few photos of the sampler blocks.  I think this is the best way to see fabrics, don't you?

Yup....Fabrics are luscious on the bolt,  but seeing them pieced in blocks gives a whole different perspective...to see how they play together.   Do you love playing with fabric and putting fun combinations together?  That's one of my favorite parts of piecing. 

If you're considering making Mrs. Miller's Apprentice, you should know that the blocks are constructed with simple, common piecing units.  

I so enjoy sampler blocks.  It's an adventure with each new block.  

Now that the top is done and off to be quilted, all the technical writing is taking place.  I like piecing blocks a whole lot more than writing, but it's part of the job. 

I'm writing the instructions and figuring out what graphics will be needed.  Then I'll have some fun doing something new....writing the fictional diary that will tell the story each month of Mrs. Miller and her apprentice.  

Once all of that is done, the patterns will go to a proofreading editor.  The quilt will be bound and professionally photographed.  And, finally....printing and distribution.  It takes one year to produce a block of the month and I really do love it!  

Yesterday marked 6 weeks post op from my knee replacement surgery.  Joy!!  It's healing very well and I'm doing great with PT.  So, so happy it's over.  

I'm still sewing and working on my super secret scrappy project.  I will begin assembly very soon.  Oh...I am so jazzed about this quilt. 

Next week, I'll be traveling to the Kansas City area.  I'll be teaching at Stitching With The Stars in Lee's Summit, MO.   This awesome venue is hosted by Quilter's Station which is also one of THE BEST quilt shops in the US!!  Can't wait...good times are coming and truth be told....I will be happy to get out of the house for awhile.  Oh...and I can't forget about the awesome BBQ!!!

Hope you're enjoying your summer.  As soon as the humidity calms down, I'll go sit on the deck and stitch a bit.  Be well...

Vintage Patchwork

It's August and about two months until my very first book with Martingale is ready!  Twelve scrappy projects await you!  

I am so, so jazzed to be able to show you more of the projects in the book.  This little quilt is called North & South.  So sweet, so fun, and so easy!

This cutie is called Tess.  I love Half Square Triangles!  They sure can create striking effects in little quilts!

Flying Geese and Pinwheels make this quilt a breeze to piece together.  Quilt is called Little Women.

Even the tiniest pieces can make a darling little quilt.  And, they're perfect for hand quilting. 

That's just a sneak peek at four of the twelve projects.  They are all named after nineteenth century best selling books.   

Did I mention that I made all twelve projects from just one 10 x 10 precut???  Yup...I really did and you can, too!  I used one 10 x 10 precut of my Pam's Prairie Basics & Shirtings collection.

Talk about an easy kit!  And...what a value, right?  

I'm taking pre-orders here for the Vintage Patchwork book alone.

Click here to order a combination of the Vintage Patchwork book and the 10 x 10 precut together.  

Order before Sept 15th and I'll include a special little Thank You gift.  And...you will get a personalized, signed copy just for you! 

Please place your book or book/fabric combo order separately from other items.  Your order will ship in October as soon as the books arrive!

Thank you so much for the support you give to my little business.  It enables me to keep working on fun stuff to inspire you.  

Be well....and happy stitching!

Stitching Summer Fun!!

I don't know about you, but I am stunned that it's almost August!  Where has the summer gone???

I, for one, am really looking forward to getting out of the house for a few quilty get-togethers!  

Perhaps you're ready to have some stitching fun too?

I'd be oh so delighted if you would join the fun as we 
meet in Lee's Summit, MO for the Stitching With The Stars event!  Look at the line-up of wonderful teachers.

Great projects in a wonderful hotel facility.  Not to mention the outstanding food the area has to offer.
I can hardly wait to get there.  

Honestly, you'll have a wonderful time.  Click here to check out all the details.


If you're in Illinois, consider coming to the Illinois Quilters Guild this Thursday, August 2nd.  I'll be giving a lecture  to the guild at the Beth Hillel Congregation facility in Wilmette, IL.  Meeting is a 7pm.   I will be giving workshops on Friday and Saturday, too.  

It sure will be good to be back in the swing of things....sorta, kinda.  I'm getting cabin fever after having spent so much time in the house recovering.  Hope to see you there!