Luck of the Irish

Lucky Clover

St. Patrick's Day is tomorrow, and so on that note, I thought it was appropriate to showcase the Lucky Clover quilt block, since the Irish are known to be a very lucky lot.

Although this quilt block is simple to make, it can create some very striking quilts. Check out the sample quilts illustrated in the free pattern.

I'll be wearing green tomorrow. How about getting your own Irish on?

Irish sayings or proverbs

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


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


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

_{Lucky Clover image  © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com
Shamrock/hat Image courtesy of Iamnee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net} 

Abe Lincoln for Inspiration

Abe Lincoln's Platform

I was working on a quilt block today called Abe Lincoln's Platform and thought this would be the perfect time to show what an inspirational and thought-provoking man he was as well.

Some thoughts by Honest Abe:

• "In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years."
• "It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues."
  

and finally ... don't forget to smell those roses ...

• "We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses."

  

  Young Abraham Lincoln

  
  ~ Abraham Lincoln

_{Abraham Lincoln image - public domain
Abe Lincoln's Platform image © W. Russell, patchworksquare.com}

It's All About Diamonds

Who doesn't love diamonds whether we are talking about a quilt block or the gems themselves?
Some wise words:

Diamond Star

"Let us not be too particular; it is better to have old secondhand diamonds than none at all."
~ Mark Twain

and what else could one expect from this lady?

"I have never hated a man enough to give his diamonds back."
~ Zsa Zsa Gabor

Today's quilt block is called Diamond Star, and the nicest part is that you use no diamond shapes to create the quilt block. (For newcomers to quilting, this is huge, because it is so easy for diamond pieces to become distorted while you are in the sewing process.) So, sew this block with ease.


_{Image © W. Russell}

Two Oscars for Today

Today is the big night in Hollywood -- the night of the Academy Awards, or more commonly known as "The Oscars". So what about another famous Oscar -- I refer to Oscar Wilde. I would be hard pressed to think of a wittier man, so today seemed appropriate to offer a few of his words.

Quotes for today:
For those receiving an Oscar this evening:
"I have the simplest tastes. I am always satisfied with the best."
~ Oscar Wilde
and some more of Oscar's wit:

Garden Path

"I like men who have a future and women who have a past."
~ Oscar Wilde

For those who do not win an Oscar tonight, perhaps they were led down the Garden Path. Okay, that was lame, but the quilt block is pretty. .


_{Oscar Image courtesy of Danilo Rizzuti / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Garden Path © W. Russell}

Circling Geese Quilt Block ~ and ~ a Gaggle of Geese Quotes

Circling Geese Quilt

I'm really liking this new blog thing. I get to show you a new project to get interested in and then throw out a few quotes to get you thinking or laughing in your day.

Today we are looking at Circling Geese -- a quilt block that I have assigned as an intermediate level, but only because there are quite a few pieces in each block -- mainly the famous flying geese patch. Keeping an eye on your precision of stitches is the only difficulty in making this quilt block.

And, speaking of geese:

Quotes for today

Will Rogers

• "It is not that the French are not profound, but they all express themselves so well that we are led to take their geese for swans."
  ~ Van Wyck Brooks


• "If you feel the urge, don't be afraid to go on a wild goose chase. What do you think wild geese are for anyway?"
  ~ Will Rogers


• "What is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander."
  ~ William Shakespeare 

_{Circling Geese Quilt image © W. Russell
Will Rogers image - public domain}

Keep up to date with "Quilts and Quotes"

Since this is just a new ... and dare I say it ... "Up and coming blog" ... there I dared ....

how about keeping up to date by signing up for any new updates by email. Blog posts will arrive in your inbox each time there is a new post on the site.  Just look to the right column and add your email address. As a promise to you, your email address will never be given out to anyone. I will keep the list in a special place where I hoard stuff that is for my eyes only.  Also, I hate spam as much as you do.

I hope to keep you entertained with quotes and perhaps even keep you in stitches! (Sorry ... how could I resist that one?)  :-)

_{Image © freedigitalphotos.net}

Triple Star Quilt Block and Wisdom from Mae West

Triple Star quilt block

The Triple Star quilt block is a little different in the construction from the standard methods in putting a block together. But ... don't assume that different means difficult.

This quilt block is created using

Mae West

simple shapes -- just squares and triangles. The sewing is done in diagonal rows rather than the usual straight rows. That's it. Easy peasy.

And speaking of "stars" -- how about a little wisdom from a Hollywood femme fatale:

Quote for today:

"When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I've never tried before."
~ Mae West


_{Images: Triple Star quilt block © W. Russell, Mae West - Wikimedia Commons--public domain}

Candlestick Quilt Block

The Candlestick quilt block was a new one to me, but it is interesting what you can do with many blocks when you decide to create your quilt. Simple rotation of the blocks and careful placement can provide a whole variety of final projects.

Quote for today: 
"Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived and how he died that distinguish one man from another."
~ Ernest Hemingway

_{Images © W. Russell}