Month: March 2020

Block 11 was tough for me. I haven’t been able to focus. I could not decide what to do with my fabrics. Then I read Robin’s inspiration for her block and I jumped right in.

You can get the pattern at Robin’s blog, click here. Be sure and also follow Robin on Instagram, here.

By bringing the shapes together and uniting them with HST blocks in the center, the block can play as a flower bloom with petals or a clover. Using the color play of accentuating a side in reds/pinks brings out the heart in this bloom for LOVE! -Robin Pickens

During this crazy time of self-quarantine due to the COVID-19, there is no better thing than to share the love via our craft. I decided to go with all greens like a 4 leaf clover and adding an extra dose of love with a pink heart. I added some of my collector pins to this picture. While I have been a big collector in the past, I have Marie Condo-ed and minimalized my collections but still, have lots of little stuff that fits in big mason jars and does not have to be dusted. I do miss all my junk! What do you collect?

Once I made the 8″ block I decided I needed a 4 leaf clover pincushion so I made a small version.

To add a stem, I cut one of the squares in half diagonally and added a 1″ strip of fabric. Press towards the stem and square up the block.

Since this is Robin Picken’s block design it was a no- brainer to use her textured solids called Thatched.

pincushion

I had fun quilting it to death with Aurifil green thread. Once this quartine is over we are going to have a heck of a St. Patricks day celebration along with any additional holidays we have missed.

Robin and I dressed alike while setting up a booth at the Road to California show.

Stay safe and keep sewing.
Visit each of the designers listed below for their take on the Blooming Love block:

Be sure to check out the Block Heads Facebook Group and look for Block Heads 3 on Instagram – #modablockheads and #modablockheads3.

If you need a quick project to work on until next week’s blockheads’ block, how about making some medical masks? These are needed at our senior centers, children’s hospitals and I even had a request today from a friend that is a PA at a cancer center. If you need a pattern, there are many online resources just search how to make a mask.

There are so many options out there and while the fabric masks are not going to replace the N95 versions, there are many places that are accepting masks. Stay safe!

Enjoy,

Modalissa

BlockHeads- Stacy Iest Hsu- Block 10

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March 18, 2020

Welcome to block 10

Windmills by Stacy Iest Hsu

The windmill block pattern is available on Stacy’s blog as a free download. Visit Stacy’s blog to learn all about the inspiration behind this block. My version of her block is shown here.

I couldn’t wait to talk about Stacy today. Stacy is the creator of CUT, SEW, CREATE. This is a program of prepackaged panels with big easy shapes and some basic sewing skills making it a perfect learn to sew program.

So many fun, easy options.

These just make me happy.

Right now we all need some sunshine in our lives.

Stacy’s newest fabric is Sunday Picnic. The line features a panel of all the parts and pieces are shown

above to make your own Sunday Picnic play pieces.

Stacy is also a prolific quilt designer. Shown here is one of her patterns, My-Garden. The quilt stock number is SIH 036 and the quilt measures 64×84. Follow Stacy on Instagram to see what all she is working on.

Each week I an a few more tchotchkes to my block picture. This week I grabbed some items from my sewing room that were blue or green. One is a random strand of blue star ribbon. I am patriotic at heart and pick up anything I see that has stars on it. The Olfa rotary cutter is a must-have, and a good, I mean great pair of scissors like the Karen Kay Buckley scissors.

Here is the info about the scissors right off of Karen’s website.

Karen Kay Buckley’s 4″ Perfect Scissors-green

I have been using nothing but serrated edge scissors to cut my fabric for the past 25 years. I love the way the serrated blade cuts into my fabric. This special blade pulls the fabric into the scissors rather than pushing it away like traditional scissors. Things you will like about these scissors…cushioned handle, easy for right or left-hander to use, blades sharp to the very tip, serrated blade keeps the fabric from fraying, lightweight and comfortable. The 4″ size is great for detail cutting on curves and points.

My favorite little treasure in this picture is what a friend of mine, Roseanne Kermes made.

Isn’t it the cutest thing ever?

Using an embroidery hoop and a few layers of pattern tissue paper to create your base, then add your message/word. Roseann used a Sizzix die-cut to cut out the words.

Here is a pic of the back of her hoop all nice and trimmed.
What word would you use on your hoop to describe your hobby?

Sew by Roseann Kermes

Okay back to the post at hand. How are you coming on your blocks?

Visit each of the designers listed below for their take on the WINDMILLS block:

Be sure to check out the Block Heads Facebook Group and look for Block Heads 3 on Instagram – #modablockheads and #modablockheads3.

Enjoy,

Modalissa

BlockHeads- Lella Boutique-Taos

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March 11, 2020

Block 9- Taos

I have had so much fun mixing fabrics during this blockhead journey. While some of my blocks are only 2 or 3 colors, some of my blocks have lots of different fabrics. Having colorful blocks will help me balance all the blocks throughout the quilt. Have you added any fabrics to your blocks other than what you first started with?

To download Vanessa’s block instructions, visit Lella Boutique.

When I was at Quiltcon in Austin a few weeks ago, I was working at the Moda Bakeshop booth. Around the corner comes a familiar face, she yells Lissa, I yell Sally. I had not seen Sally in at least 30 years and I will say we had not aged a bit. She had moved from New York to Austin and is a quilter! Sally’s mom was one of my girl scout leaders and I guess I have always loved earning my badges. Here are a few badges that have been added to my collection. I know I have certainly earned the credit card one. Once a girl scout, always a girl scout.

Vanessa has a couple of books that you should add to your bookshelf. Check out this youtube as Vanessa shares a peek inside her book, Charm School.

Jelly Filled by Vanessa Goertzen

Vanessa’s newest book is Jelly-Filled, featuring 18 quilts using Moda’s 2 1/2″ Jelly Roll Strips. To learn more about Vanessa’s book ask at your favorite book retailer or visit Vanessa here.

Visit each of the designers listed below for their take on the Tahos block

Be sure to check out the Block Heads Facebook Group and look for Block Heads 3 on Instagram – #modablockheads and #modablockheads3.

Enjoy,

Modalissa

BlockHeads- Laurie Simpson- Block 8

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March 4, 2020

Thank you for following along on my blog post last week. The majority of the blocks I have designed for Blockheads are all lovey-dovey inspired. Because I was doing hearts I also decided to add some pinks to my blocks. I get bored easily and that is probably why I lean to doing scrap quilts. More to come on that when it is my turn again.

I love color and love fabrics and since I opened the door for more color, I added a touch of color to this week’s block, 9 Patch Block designed by Laurie Simpson.

You can find the pattern for this block on Laurie’s blog.

I could make an entire quilt using this block pattern.

There are so many options on how you can color it.

I was also thinking this would make a fantastic alternate block

as the setting for my blockhead’s quilt since I am still undecided about the layout.

The little treasures that I added to my pic this week are some sports memorabilia

pins that I have had for a long time. Laurie is a big sports junkie,

so I had to use these pins this week.

There is nothing like putting on a baseball game while sewing.

Do you have a favorite team?

Blockheads- in progress

Keep in mind that I have no idea on my layout so I have been making different size blocks and playing with fabrics, but my biggest accomplishment is I am not behind!!

Visit each of the designers listed below for their take on the 9 PATCH BLOCK:

Be sure to check out the Block Heads Facebook Group and look for Block Heads 3 on Instagram – #modablockheads and #modablockheads3.

Enjoy,

Modalissa