Easter is almost here

Easter Basket quilt block

The Easter Basket quilt block is a relatively easy five patch block with half square triangles and a couple of rectangles thrown in for good measure.

The fun part of using some of the basket style blocks is that the motif is usually pointing at a 45 degree angle and therefore this leads to opportunites in your quilt. What is that you say?

By rotating the blocks by 90 degrees, they then work together creating a secondary pattern. This is usually a surprise because at first glance, that would not be evident.

So, download the free quilt block pattern and see what I am talking about.

An Easter thought for you

• Easter is meant to be a symbol of hope, renewal, and new life.
  ~ Janine di Giovanni

It's All About the Green Today

I'm a little late in getting started on this blog post today, because I was already out and about today joining in the festivities of celebrating St. Patrick's Day. Judging by this picture, all ages enjoy a good time.

Well what could be more Irish (in terms of quilting) than blocks called Irish Puzzle and Danny Boy? So, I thought I would present you with both, and of course, I went with making them in the obvious varieties of green.

Danny Boy is a simple nine patch block using mostly half square triangles, but the centre patch is the square in a square -- adding to the interest.

Irish Puzzle is a four patch block that is more of an intermediate level, due only to the number of pieces in the quilt block.

Time now to get out your green and start searching for some gold (at the end of that rainbow) and celebrate your own version of these blocks.

A salute to St. Paddy's Day

Irish Sayings

( ... how interesting that all of the authors are unknown)

• "It's no use carrying an umbrella if your shoes are leaking."
  ~ Author Unknown


• "There are only two kinds of people in the world. The Irish and those who wish they were."
  ~ Author Unknown


• "Irish diplomacy is the ability to tell a man to go to hell so that he looks forward to making the trip."
  ~ Author Unknown


• "May those who love us, love us; and those who don't love us, may God turn their hearts; and if He doesn't turn their hearts, may He turn their ankles so we'll know them by their limping."
  ~ Author Unknown


• "If you're lucky enough to be Irish, you're lucky enough!"
  ~ Author Unknown

<sub>All images © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com

This website uses cookies. By using the services and products of this website, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more ...</sub>

X marks the spot!

X and Square quilt block

Thanks to my great friend Monika for giving me the (obvious) title to this blog post. (For some reason, I did not think of it!)

X and Square is the block. From this image shown, you can see where it gets its name. However, while playing around with the block, I made a version with four colours as well, and it looks quite different. You will have to check out the free pattern to see that variation.

I was having fun playing with this block (which at first glance looks rather boring). It always surprises me when those boring blocks make interesting quilts.

So, fun often leads to funny.

Mark Twain

Quotes to make you laugh today

• "Be yourself. Everyone else is already taken."
  ~ Oscar Wilde


• "Never go to a doctor whose office plants have died."
  ~ Erma Bombeck


• "Be good and you will be lonely."
  ~ Mark Twain


• "Ah Mozart! He was happily married - but his wife wasn't."
  ~ Victor Borge

<sub>'X and Square' quilt block image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
'Mark Twain' image courtesy of public domain

This website uses cookies. By using the services and products of this website, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more ...</sub>

It's a Black Hole Out There

Black Hole quilt block

Today's featured block looks like it should have a fun name. It's a pinwheel and is an easy block to construct, made with only squares and flying geese patches.

So, why would this quilt block have the name Black Hole? That sounds ominous, but there you have it. Still, a black hole is a pretty thing out there is space.

So let's talk about space ...

Black hole in space

• "Space is to place as eternity is to time."
  ~ Joseph Joubert


• "Nothing exists except atoms and empty space; everything else is opinion."
  ~ Democritus


• "Of all things visible, the highest is the heaven of the fixed stars."
  ~ Nicolaus Copernicus


• "I don't think the human race will survive the next thousand years, unless we spread into space."
  ~ Stephen Hawking

and finally, I found these ...

10 Amazing Facts About Black Holes


_{'Black Hole' quilt block image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
'Black Hole in Space' image courtesy all-free-download.com}


This website uses cookies. By using the services and products of this website, you agree to our use of cookies. Learn more ...