Almost time for the "wearing of the green"

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, I thought it would be appropriate to feature the Irish Puzzle quilt block. Naturally, I have designed the block using green -- and an assortment of greens at that. However, by no means should you limit yourself to using only green for this block.

This quilt block is a four patch, repeating the same unit in all four quadrants of the block. I have deemed it as an intermediate level of difficulty, simply because you need to be precise in your piecing due to the number of pieces in the block.

Download the Irish Puzzle free quilt block pattern

More Irish Fun - Lucky Clover free quilt block pattern

Irish Puzzle

Irish Quotes

• "Beautiful young people are acts of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art."
  ~ Author Unknown


• "A dog owns nothing, yet is seldom dissatisfied."
  ~ Irish Proverb


• "A kind word never broke anyone's mouth."
  ~ Irish Proverb


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

P.S. to my Irish Dad:
I hope you will be on the heavenly greens next Tuesday, playing a round of golf, and smiling down at us as we toast you on St. Patrick's day. You are missed.

_{'Irish Puzzle' image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
'Shamrock" image courtesy of debspoons at FreeDigitalPhotos.net}

Three more new quilt blocks in February

By this time you will be noting that half square triangles are a very common component in many quilt blocks. Here is more evidence.

• My Fancy - My version uses some flying geese patches to replace a few of the half square triangles so there are less seams and therefore less bulk in the block.


• Birds in the Air could be considered a study in the use of half square triangles, since that is the only type of patch used in the block.


• Lady of the Lake is a great example of the use of colour value, as there are definite dark and light components to the block.

_{Quilt block images © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com}

New Quilt Blocks in February

images © W. Russell

I have been a little more diligent in creating new quilt block patterns this past month and am listing six of them today. I will update with more new blocks, hopefully tomorrow.

Judging by the images shown, I seem to be going through a "green and blue" phase, as you can see for yourself. But, since blue is the most common favourite colour for quilters, I guess this might be a good thing.

• Prickly Pear has only squares and half square triangles, but is considered at the Intermediate level of difficulty due to the number of pieces in the block


• Opposites Attract can be as interesting (colour-wise) as you choose or simply a study in dark and light. The pattern illustrates both options.


• Proof Positive introduces you to the three quarter square triangle.


• Indiana Star is a nine patch featuring half square triangles.


• Ts in a Ring might be considered as an Intermediate level block, but only due to the number of pieces.


• Dancing Bear features half square and quarter square triangles.

_{Images © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com}
 

Four Corners

Four Corners

The Four Corners quilt block resembles the Ohio Star, but has additional interest in both the centre of the block and the four corners -- hence the name. This is a good choice for teachers to use when introducing the quarter square triangle patch to new quilters.

Download the free quilt block pattern.

Another common phrase that comes to mind when someone says four corners is the "Four Corners of the World". So with that in mind I thought it would be appropriate to give you some quotes about our world.

World Quotes

• "The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it."
  ~ Albert Einstein








• "The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page."
  ~ St. Augustine


• "You must be the change you wish to see in the world."
  ~ Mahatma Gandhi


• "It's amazing that the amount of news that happens in the world every day always just exactly fits the newspaper."
  ~ Jerry Seinfeld

_{'Four Corners' quilt block image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
'Four Corners of the World' image courtesy of nuttakit at FreeDigitalPhotos.net}

It's winter, but I still like autumn the best

The Autumn Leaves quilt block is a little more challenging than some I have introduced you to in the last while. However, it is only challenging due to the number of pieces in each block -- 53 to be exact. The block is a seven patch, meaning simply that it is created on a 7 grid square.

Autumn Leaves

The block is comprised of squares, rectangles and half square triangles, all the most basic of quilt patches. The only difficulty you may face is in sewing an accurate quarter inch seam allowance so that all parts will fit together precisely to create this block.

I chose to make this quilt block with a dark background fabric for a change, but you may prefer to use a light fabric instead. As in everything with regard to quilt making, the only real "rule" (aside from accurate sewing) is to have contrast in your fabric choices -- preferably including a light, medium and a dark fabric -- so that all the shapes are apparent. This will be what sets your block off rather than having all the fabrics blend together -- although, at times, that may be the desired effect. So, all in all, you get to choose all the "players" in the fabric game and that is what makes quiltmaking so interesting. No two people will make the same choices.

Download this free quilt block pattern.

Quotes about Seasons

• "The coming and going of the seasons give us more than the springtimes, summers, autumns, and winters of our lives. It reflects the coming and going of the circumstances of our lives like the glassy surface of a pond that shows our faces radiant with joy or contorted with pain."
  ~ Gary Zukav


• "And you would accept the seasons of your heart just as you have always accepted that seasons pass over your fields and you would watch with serenity through the winters of your grief."
  ~ Kahlil Gibran


• "In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy."
  ~ William Blake


• "Spring is nature's way of saying, "Let's party!"
  ~ Robin Williams

_{'Autumn Leaves' image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com}

Latest Quilt Block Patterns

Latest quilt block patterns

The past month has been a busy one for me ... and I am sure it was for you too. Now that the holidays are over, I hope to be more productive in creating new quilt block patterns for you. Within the last month I have designed four new block patterns and they are shown in the image.

• Fan Waves features half square triangles, quarter square triangles and flying geese units.


• My version of Blackford's Beauty is simplified for your ease in construction.


• Sunshine is a little more challenging, but only because it contains more pieces.


• Rainy Day was chosen just by chance. I did not even remember that I had also created Sunshine. How coincidental!

_{image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com}

Hovering Hawks

The Hovering Hawks quilt block is a an excellent choice for those who are new to quilting. This four patch block is created using two different sizes of half square triangles. It looks wonderful if you choose to raid your fabric stash and use up some of your scraps, but looks equally great if you use just two different fabrics. The key is to have good contrast between the two parts of the half square triangles.

Hovering Hawks

When I created one of the sample quilt layouts, I was surprised to see that the quilt (shown on the left in the pattern) looks very much like another quilt, called Ocean Waves.( You will have to bear with me until I create that pattern so you can really compare.) You can use the blocks as individual units, or use four blocks together with rotations of the four parts, (as I did in the illustrations) to create your own personal, fabulous heirloom.

Download the free quilt block pattern.

Quotes about Birds

• "Did you ever see an unhappy horse? Did you ever see a bird that had the blues? One reason why birds and horses are not unhappy is because they are not trying to impress other birds and horses."
  ~ Dale Carnegie


• "A bird does not sing because it has an answer. It sings because it has a song."
  ~ Chinese Proverb


• "I don't know if it's animalistic or what, but men become like peacocks with their feathers up when women are around."
  ~ Bradley Cooper

_{'Hovering Hawks' image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
Hawki mage courtesy of Tina Phillips at FreeDigitalPhotos.net}

Happy New Year!

Homespun

First things first ... I would like to wish you all a very happy and healthy 2015. Now ... let the quilting begin!

Today's featured quilt block is called Homespun, but you may look at it twice and think it reminds you of blocks with other names. Well, you would be right.

The Homespun quilt block looks similar to both the Cups and Saucers block and the Hands of Friendship block. Close inspection will show you the slight differences. What is nice about these similar blocks, is that you can check out each of them for other ideas for quilt layouts for your future heirloom.

Now, speaking of Health and Happiness ...

• "I think it is very healthy to spend time alone. You need to know how to be alone and not be defined by another person."
  ~ Oscar Wilde


• "Be careful about reading health books. You may die of a misprint."
  ~ Mark Twain


• "Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on yourself."
  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


• "If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody."
  ~ Chinese Proverb

Happy New Year, Everyone!

_{Homespun quilt block image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
New Year image courtesy of franky242 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net}