New Patterns coming soon

I am excited about the new Morning Glory Designs patterns that will be in shops this summer, featuring a new Christmas collection from Northcott called Old Time Christmas.

The patterns are done and on their way to the printers.  They will ship in April and go to shops in May, if all goes as scheduled.  Yea right!  Hahaha  If you want a jump on them, I will be putting them up on my website as digital download patterns next week.

There are two patterns.  The first is called Celebrations Table Topper and is super simple.  It measures 50 x 50, a perfect size for a dining table.  It uses a tree skirt panel appliqued to a big square of background fabric!  Add a border and you are done.

MGD 233  Celebrations Table Topper

The second pattern is actually THREE patterns in one!  Celebrations Table Trio. Yup, this one is a great value.   It is a set of 2 placemats with a matching table runner (20 x 48).  

MGD 234  Celebrations Table Trio

The pattern is paper pieced to make it easy and accurate featuring blocks on point.  On-point blocks often have fractional measurements which are difficult to cut, so piecing with foundations makes them perfectly accurate every time.  The ribbon print borders are a stripe printed on the diagonal so cutting rectangles is easy- no bias edges!

I even added a bonus 6" mug rug pattern to go with the set.  Isn't it cute?  This set will make a great Christmas or Holiday gift for friends or family.  Watch for the Northcott Old Time Christmas collection in shops this summer.

The mug rug would make a great class project for shops.  It could be completed in one class session, incorporating foundation piecing and directional cutting.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Beach Dreams Block of the Month

I just finished printing Block #3 for Beach Dreams!  WOW this is a BIG pattern. 21 pages!  But they are printed, bagged and ready to go out to subscribers.  

The pattern is big because the blocks are big!  The palm trees in Block 3 are 14" x 25".  They are almost big enough to plant outside!

It is not too late to purchase Beach Dreams Block of the Month or Beach Dreams Fabric Kits (which include full color patterns and postage).

CLICK HERE to Subscribe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One More New Pattern

I just heard from Northcott who approved another new pattern.  The fabric is a Southwest fabric collection called Stonehenge Sun Valley.  Their Stonehenge SW collections have been popular in the past and always sell out.  So I am excited to see a new collection coming.

I will be writing this pattern, but it needs a name.  I would love some suggestions.  Normally my pattern naming mojo works well but I could use your help on this one.  This is a lap quilt 56 x 56 with a bonus wall hanging version in the same pattern.  It would also make a great table topper if you have SW decor.

 Leave a suggestions in the comments.  

If I choose your suggestion you will get the pattern for free when it is ready to release!

Thanks for taking a look!

Beach Dream Kits are Here

2021 Block of the Month:  Beach Dreams

Don't you just love a kit to make the fabric shopping decisions easy?  Yup, me too.  I love kits.  And the fabrics beautifully selected for Beach Dreams will tempt you for sure.

Take a look:

Patterns for Blocks 1 - 5

Block 1 Pattern

Block 1 Fabric Kit

WOW.  Patterns and kits are available now.  This is a great value that includes all the fabric needed to make the quilt, all 12 patterns and 12 fabric kits!  Where can you get them?

Morning Glory Designs

Beach Dreams Block 1 Available NOW

Beach Dreams is the 2021 Block of the Month. 

And what a dreamy quilt it is!  It is fun to make, and will banish the blues as you dream of a sunny warm day at the beach.

 On January 15 we released block 1: Dolphins leaping

It was so easy to make using machine appliqué,  and the beautiful batik fabrics are perfect for this quilt.  Here is a beautiful version made by Tina B.

Or this one made by Kim R

There is still plenty of time to order your copy before the next installment is released on February 15.

CLICK HERE to order the pattern.

Do you want a kit with all the fabrics for the complete quilt preselected and beautifully packaged?  Kits are still available at a great price which includes the full pattern in color and shipping.

CLICK HERE to order the fabric kit.

On February 15 Block 2 will be released.  It is the pieced background for the whole center row of the quilt.  

Once you have Block 2 completed the following months will include the applique for the palm trees, pelican, and flamingos.  It would make a great table runner all on its own, but looks best as part of the whole quilt.

Join us for this fun in the sun seaside adventure.  It will make you smile!

Beach Dreams Block 1: Leaping Dolphins

Excitement is building as we get closer to the release of the first block in the NEW BEACH DREAMS block of the month for 2021.

Block 1 will be released on January 15, 2021.

These adorable leaping dolphin are cut out using fusible web and machine appliqued to the simple 2 part background.  And their tails leave an extra fun splash behind them as they leap. 

I saw these two leaping on a bird sight-seeing trip off the Texas shore last winter.  I was so excited to see them out in front of our boat, showing off and playing in the surf.  It is a special memory I will always remember about my time at the beach at Rockport, TX.

Two-piece sea and sky background for the dolphins.

I hope you will take the time between now and the 15th to comb through your stash and pick out just the right fabrics for your quilt. 

If you plan to go out and purchase fabric, you can take along the Fabric Requirements Guide I prepared. 

CLICK HERE to download the Fabric Requirements.

CLICK HERE to sign up for a monthly Pattern subscription or the Pre-Pay Option.

With the Pre-pay Option you get 2 months free!

What about Kits?  

Of Course we are offering fabulous batik kits for each block, at the same price as lasts year's BOM!  It is a fabulous value.  You receive all the fabric to make the entire quilt top, including the background, all the applique, and the paper pieced blocks.  You also get the complete pattern printed in full color with complete instructions, illustrations, along with tips and tricks to help you be successful.    

CLICK HERE to order Kits.

In addition we will be posting monthly videos showing you how to do each block, and a dedicated Facebook Group just for this quilt.

So come along and quilt with us and make your Beach Dreams come true.

2021 Beach BOM has a name:  Beach Dreams

Balmy breezes …. Sunshine …. The soothing swish of waves brushing the shore …. The music of sea birds in the air accompanied by the slap of flip-flops against one’s heels … The chime of sail and flag riggings gently hitting their masts …. The tangy scent of salt and seaweed in the air …

Connect The Blocks and Morning Glory Designs are excited to partner again in 2021 to bring you this sea-worthy Block of the Month!  After a tumultuous 2020, aren’t we all ready for some calm? Our beachy BOM represents the easy-going life at the beach.

This will be a 12-part series that will include piecing, applique, and some paper-piecing.  It’s appropriate for confident beginners and seasoned quilters alike and when it’s complete you’ll have a beautiful large lap throw or wall hanging (approximately 68” square) to give someone special or keep for yourself.

Click on the 2021 BOM tab at the top of the page for more details.

Sign ups are open now, and the first block (Dolphins) will go out January 15, 2021.  You may choose to get monthly digital downloads, or have a paper copy mailed to your home (or beach) address.

You may subscribe by the month or, pre-pay for the whole project, and get 2 months free!

Click Here To Signup

Block 1: Dolphins

And of course, gorgeous batik fabric kits will be available from ConnectTheBlocks.com

                                              Click Here to Order Kits

Your kit subscription to this Block of the Month (BOM) includes all the fabrics you need to make the top, the printed patterns and templates for each block, and the postage to send it to you monthly.  The first kits will be sent out in January, usually about a week after you sign up.  If you choose to start later in the year, that’s no problem!  We’ll work with you to complete this on your time schedule.

I hope you will join us this year for another great block of the month adventure.  I will be offering monthly videos to help you each step of the way.   Thanks for hanging out with us and playing along on this beautiful Beach Dreams quilt.

Name that Quilt Contest for the NEW 2021 Block of the Month

It is almost ready, and I can't wait to share with you the new Block of the Month for 2021.  But before I can release the patterns it needs a name!  It is fun, beachy, and full of all the things I love best about being on the Beach.  Now is your chance to Name that Quilt.

2021 Beach Themed Block of the Month

Leave a comment with your idea for a name.  The winner of Name that Quilt Contest will win a fabulous bundle of Beach fabric.  Details about sign ups and the release of the first installment will be coming in the next few days.

Life's a Beach

I am having great fun making beach blocks for a swap I am in. These pictorial blocks are so fun and since I do fusible machine applique, they are also pretty fast. The first set of blocks is a light house. I found this pattern online as an embroidery (noun not a verb) pattern and fell in love with it. I adapted it a bit for applique and here is the resulting block.

The second set of blocks are jelly fish. This was from a coloring page I found on the web. It was just so cute. I often find coloring pages great sources for applique or embroidery. I love to do the machine button hole stitch on the edges and use different color threads to realy enhance the pictures and add details.

I found this background fabric in several colors on my recent camping vacation and thought the jellyfish would love swimming around in this swirly water. You can't really see in the picture, but I stitched the pieces down with variagated gold metalic thread! I wasn not sure if it would work but I increased the tension on the bottom thread and decreased the tension on the top (metalic) thread. Then I used a Metalic needle (it has a bigger hole so the thread doesn't shred) and so far, not a single broken thread. It works great!

The last block is one of my favorites. I call it Flamingo in a hurricane. Now I really didn't intend it to be a hurricane, but when I positioned the palm tree and leaves on the block, it looked like it was in a big wind.

Then i realized that the flamingo was too big to stand in the water -- I didn't want him standing on the beach sand -- so I added a puddle for him to stand in and added some ripples around his legs with blue thread. I think I will add some more so it looks more realistic. I pieced and appliqued the background (sky, water, sand) then machine appliqued all the elements on top. The flamingo legs are satin stitch in orange thread with a little extra wide thread play at the knobby knees.

My big tip for machine applique. . . increase bobbin tension and use a stabilizer. My stabilizer of choice. . . . wax paper! Its cheap, easy to get just the right size, and it slides around easily on the machine bed or table making it easy to get around corners or curves. Also, a knee lifter on my machine is the key to success, as i can keep my hands on the work and my knee lifts the presser foot when I need to pivot. If you need a thicker stabilizer. . . use 2 sheets of wax paper. It pulls off when you are done really easily! What fun this was to do!!

Now that my blocks are nearly done I am going to load a charity quilt top on my new long arm, it will be the first REAL quilt I will do on my new machine. I have been practicing on scrap fabric and muslin, now its time for the real deal. I think I will do loopy stars or swirls. I have been practicing both of those. Wish me luck!! I'll post pics of the finished quilt when I get it done.