Hi ,

Just in time for spring we have a new flower block for the Machine Quilting Block Party. This month we're going to learn how to piece and machine quilt this beautiful Patchwork Tulip block.

I love the piecing in this block and the unique flower shape that's created from easy Half Square Triangles. There are a lot of little pieces with this block so be careful as you cut your fabrics and keep everything organized with sticky notes so you don't get confused.

The video guiding you through piecing this block will be published next Monday, March 6th so you'll get a helping hand piecing this block.

We're also exploring many beautiful free motion quilting designs this month. I quilted big bold feathers in the tulip flower, then Swirling Water in the background and Pebbling in the vase.

I've also experimented again with ruler foot quilting with straight lines in the vase above the Pebbling. I love the texture this added to the block and I can't wait to see your versions of this Patchwork Tulip block as March unfolds!

Remember it's never too late to join in the fun of the Machine Quilting Block Party. 

Click Here to find all the block patterns published so far and learn more about this fun block of the month project!

What an amazing trip to Quilt Con East this past weekend! We had a great time seeing the beautiful quilts at Quilt Con, visiting with friends at the show.

I’ve never been to Quilt Con before, but now I see why it’s such a fun, fantastic show. There are so many quilters traveling over to the show, plus fun vendors and fabrics you don’t see anywhere else, and the quilts – the quilts were simply fantastic.

See what I mean with the Best of Show winner – Bling by Katherine Jones, pictured below:

This quilt was incredible and what I loved most is Katherine's balance between the intense piecing and simplistic quilting. So many times I’ve seen intensely paper pieced quilts get quilted to death and back again. This is a perfect balance and I’m so happy this quilt won Best of Show.

I’ve been attending quilt shows for several years and noticed a few years ago that I wasn’t snapping photos much. There just wasn’t a lot of new stuff to see and not much was catching my eye. It’s not that it takes so much to impress me, it’s more that I’ve seen so many quilts pull out all the stops in an effort to impress, it just got to be too much.

Well, Quilt Con certainly gives you something new, and different, and…awesome. The minimalist style really called to me at this show and I found many quilts overwhelmingly peaceful, like Dipped Dimension by Kathleen Probst pictured below:

Less is more, but that doesn’t mean it’s boring or simple. Many quilts featured massive shapes that are quite challenging to piece or applique and were executed perfectly, again with minimal quilting that enhanced the piecing.

Here is one of my favorite quilts from the show called Los Angeles that was created as a donation quilt for the event. It was designed by Lisa Congdon and pieced and quilted by Gina Pina.