“Optimism” Finishes and “Blessings” Beginnings

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Hello Quilting Friends,

As you know, “Optimism” was the free Block of the Month offered in 2025 on this blog. The instructions remain on the “Optimism 2026 BOM” page of the blog. Just click the title in the blog menu. Several participants have emailed me pictures of their completed quilts, and I finished my second “Optimism” quilt as well.

First up is Michelle’s lovely 12-block quilt. We all admired the small stars incorporated in the sashing as well as the blocks themselves.

Marianne sent a picture of her colorful, scrappy quilt. she used the cut-off triangles to make Flying Geese in the border. She plans to give in to her neighbor who is moving into an assisted living facility.

Here’s my second “Optimism” quilt. It is made from the step-outs I demonstrated each month at Sew There! Quilts and More during the BOM classes. I bought the blue and red floral fabrics years ago; most were fat quarters. I found golds and greens in my stash to coordinate. My favorite color is blue, so I thought to use the yard of blue print as an outer border. But there is not much difference in value between the dark green I purchased for sashing and navy floral, so I opted to use four fat quarters of the red print for the outer border. I am so pleased with the results.

“Blessings” is the free Block of the Month for 2026. The task for January is completing the 24″ block for the center of the quilt. I am encouraging BOM participants to think about the blessings of living in their home country, be it the USA or another location. There are so many blessings the Lord has given us!

Eilene was the first person to send me a picture of her block. I love the sparkling star square in the center!

Gerri is working with a fat quarter stack of bold and colorful Kaffe Fassett prints. There are absolutely no low volume prints in the FQ stack, so Gerri recolored some of the patches to create a different design. So nice!

Norma is also working with a red, white, and blue color scheme. The large scale floral print adds so much interest!

Renee is using older Christmas fabrics from her stash. She plans to incorporate blue Christmas prints in the surrounding 12″ patchwork blocks. The stripe fabric keeps my eyes zipping around the block.

If you have finished your “Optimism” quilt or your center block for “Blessings,” please email me a picture (aby.quilts@gmail.com). I would love to share your accomplishments with blog readers.

“Be My Valentine” Published!

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It’s time to think about making an appliqued heart quilt for someone you love! I enjoy the needle-turn technique for a take-along project, but this quilt would be equally pretty if the hearts were machine appliqued. I fell in love with a charm pack of florals designed by Sherri and Chelsi and used it for the hearts. A medium print floral serves nicely for sashing, and a heart print (“Sincerely Yours” by Sherri and Chelsi) frames the quilt. The size of the project is perfect for a wall hanging or for a toddler to cuddle under.

Instructions for the valentine quilt are published in the January/February issue of The Quilt Pattern Magazine, an online publication. Click here to access the website; you can purchase a single issue or subscribe for the year. The cover of the January/February 2006 issue is pictured below. Inside, you’ll find the following: five stunning quilts to spark creativity, Part 2 of the “Broken Arrows Mystery Sampler, two brand new blocks to add to your block library, seasonal projects to express your love, and a designer spotlight.

Looking for fresh quilting inspiration to start the year off strong? The January/February issue of The Quilt Pattern Magazine just dropped, and it’s packed with beautiful projects, new blocks for your library, and part 2 of the Broken Arrows Mystery Sampler. Subscribe now and get a FREE bonus Scrap Busters issue when you join the yearly plan!

“Star Crystals” Published

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Guess what showed up recently in my mailbox . . . my copy of Quick + Easy Quilts, winter 2026. And guess what is on page 40 . . . my table runner design, “Star Crystals.” A memory from my childhood served as inspiration for this project. One snowy day, my mother caught some snowflakes on a piece of black velvet. She called me to join her in the chilly back porch and showed me the six-pointed crystals, so easily seen on the black background. To me, the snowflakes seemed like the distant stars floating in a midnight sky. This design captures that awe-inspiring memory of comparison for me.

After making the table runner, I had enough fabric to make a hot pad/trivet for a 9″ x 13″ baking dish. In lieu of batting, I used Insulbrite. When entertaining, I love having a hot pad on the buffet that matches the runner on the table.

You are going to enjoy seeing all the quilts in this Quick + Easy magazine! The theme, “Star Gazing!: Simple Quilts that Sparkle, is wonderfully illustrated by most of the quilts in this winter issue. I am fascinated by Claudia Porter’s “Gradient Stars” throw quilt.

And I am tempted to make Nancy Mahoney’s “Circle of Stars” with batik fabrics given to me by my friend, Stephanie.

What a surprise to discover my “Giant Star” on the final page of the issue! It is a free pattern for Quick + Easy readers. First published several years ago, it remains a fat-quarter friendly favorite.

If you are not yet a subscriber and your purveyor of fine quilting magazines doesn’t stock Quick + Easy Quilts, you can purchase a print or a digital copy at quiltingdaily.com

Happy New Year 2026!

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January 1st means the instructions for our “Blessings” Block of the Month are available for download. Click on “Blessings 2026 BOM” in the blog menu to navigate to the page of download-able docuents regarding the quilt along.

In January we are making the center medallion which measures 24″ square, finished. Add a narrow (red) border to bring its size to 26,” finished.

My fabrics are from the “Star-Spangled Beauty” line by Kimberbell for Maywood Studio. I chose this line because I wanted to make a red, white, and blue quilt to celebrate our country’s 250th birthday. The blessing I am focusing on this month is the blessing of living in America where we enjoy so many freedoms, peace, and prosperity. (If you are participating in the BOM yet live in another country, I hope you will focus on the blessings you enjoy while living where you do.)

Will you be sewing along in 2026? If so, describe the fabrics you have chosen for the project.

Year-End Challenge

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For the past few days, I have been working on finishing some projects that have lingered long enough on my to-do list. Two tops needed borders and quilting, and the layer cake squares on the design wall needed to be cut and sewn into blocks prior to finishing.

Here is Scrappity-Do-Dah, begun in January of 2025. Click here to read about the scrappy challenge I issued to blog readers on January 3rd. I am jumping-up-and-down-happy that this quilt is finished!

I also finished a jelly roll quilt; the design was hatched when my daughter visited in October. In 2021 we inherited twin jelly rolls from my mother-in-law and ordered the gold background fabric at that time, intending to exchange “Garlic Knots” blocks for twin quilts. Since we both got busy with other projects and the idea never got off the ground, we repurposed our jelly rolls for other quilt designs. Trinity is making “Ribbon Star and Chain,” and I made a simplified quatrefoil design. (I can only show a teaser because I have submitted the design for publication in Quick + Easy Quilts. Fingers crossed it is accepted.)

My third year-end challenge project is “Arcadian Garden,” a layer cake quilt I designed in 2006. I began this remake of the quilt in November, using the units as step-outs for classes at Sew There! Quilts and More in Angier, NC. The quilt came together in an afternoon, and now the dilemma is piecing a backing from my plenteous stash. Alas, I don’t have four yards of any single print.

It will be so nice to enter the New Year having completed these UFOs! However, I am sure that if I delved deep enough, I would find a couple more projects vying for completion. What can I say, we quilters are never at a loss for something to occupy our time!

Have you challenged yourself to finish one or more projects before January 1st? If so, describe it in a comment below.

Christmas 2025 — Greetings

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The bits of wrapping paper and ribbon are in the trash bin, and the turkey and mashed potato leftovers are in the fridge, so I finally have a minute to sit down and write a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year message to you, my quilting friends.

All throughout December, I found myself whistling “I Saw Three Ships Come Sailing in on Christmas Day in the Morning.” Why? Maybe because it is a cheerful, perky tune, matching my happiness for the advent season. Click here for Blackmore’s Knight’s version of the carol on YouTube.

I have also pondered the words of “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night.” Click here to hear this beautiful carol written by Nathan Tate in 1700 (“Christmas” music by Handel in 1728).

Wishing you the fullness of peace and joy our Savior came to give us.

More “Optimism” Finishes

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About a week ago, the block of the month classes of Sew There! Quilts and More in Angier, NC enjoyed a Christmas party complete with delicious food and show and tell of completed projects. I’d like to show you some of the beautiful quilts displayed.

First up is Paula’s cheerful “Optimism” quilt. She entered it and was awarded a ribbon at the NC State Fair. Kudos, Paula!

Norma loves bright fabrics designed by Kaffe Fassett.

Jan says this is her favorite quilt to date.

Vicki ambitiously made two “Optimism” quilts. This one is lovely, and the other, not yet complete, is made with Kim Diehl reproduction fabrics.

Judy opted for a 12-block quilt and made a gift for her dauther-in-law.

Bonnie brought another BOM sampler quilt that I designed a couple of years ago.

Joan and I both finished our “Sunlit Serenade” BOMs designed by Wilmington Prints.

We oohed and aahed over Valerie’s Americana quilt designed by Lori Holt. It garnered second place in the “mixed technique” category at the state fair. Grats, Valerie.

All the quilters who participated in the “Optimism” BOM are so pleased with their quilts and the patchwork skills they honed while making them.

I hope you’ll consider joining the 2026 BOM, “Blessings.” You will find preliminary information under the “Blessings 2026 BOM” tab in the blog menu.

Blog Readers Share

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Our nine- and thirteen-year-old grandsons are visiting this week, so my focus has been on planning activities for them rather than on quilting 24/7. However, I did make a pocket with Velcro closure for David’s tiny toys. I cut two 5″ x 15″ rectangles and pressed lightweight fusible interfacing to the wrong side of one rectangle. With right sides together, I sewed all around the rectangles, leaving and opening for turning. After turning right side out, I top-stitched both 5″ ends and sewed on strips of Velcro. After folding the pocket as shown in the photo, I top-stitched the sides, back-stitching as indicated by the red circles in the second photo.

Several blog-reading friends emailed me pictures of their projects:

In response to my query in a previous post regarding sewing for charities during this season, Stephanie sent a picture of a roomy tote bag. She made 55 tote bags for the CASA Christmas party. “The party is for children in foster care, not currently in a foster home. A Guardian-ad-Litem selects gifts for the child and places them in the tote bag. The piece of white fabric in the band is to write the name of the recipient. The bags are lined and have a boxed bottom.” So pretty and so practical, Stephanie!

Donna-Lynn sent a picture of her completed 12-block “Optimism” quilt. I love the way the green border makes all the other colors pop against the black background.

Amy sent a picture of her “Prest-O Change-O” quilt and wrote, “I finally got a chance this past week use 2 charm packs on your pattern. The instructions were great, and it made a fast and fun project for me. I’ve never made a quilt with blocks on point. Thank you for a great pattern! I’m taking this to my sister-in-law who is recovering from a stroke. I’m hoping this will cheer her.”

Thank you, ladies, for sharing your recent finishes! You have inspired us!

Doll Quilts and Totes for Tots

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November 17-24 was Operation Christmas Child shoebox collection week at our church. Families and individuals could sign-up for time slots, promising to be on hand to process shoeboxes received from churches in the community. There are often times of inactivity when time hangs heavy on the hands of youngsters eager to help. This year I planned some craft projects to keep the youngsters engaged. We assembled simple craft kits to include in shoeboxes, folded washcloths into teddy bears, and packed pencil pouches with school supplies. I interested several girls in designing doll quilts from my bin of 3″ scrap squares. Pictured above are the quilts I finished–designed by Tabby, Autumn, and Tayleigh.

I will store their quilts for including in shoeboxes next year. I am also making doll quilts and hope to find sweet dolls to pack with them. Some of my quilts are scraps from recently completed Block of the Month quilts. It is easy to choose fabrics for a dolly quilt when I have kept all the fat quarter’s coordinating prints in a reclosable bag.

Making totes for tots is likewise bringing me much joy. Simple and quick, they efficiently use fat quarters or yardage that is languishing in my bin of juvenile fabrics. The instructions for these cute-as-a-button totes are on the Patterns page of this blog. Here’s the link to the Patterns page: https://abyquilts.wordpress.com/patterns/ Scroll through the patterns until you see “Library Book Tote for Tots.” Click the title to download the pattern. The original bag pictured with my grandson, who’s now 13, was for his library books, but the size will be perfect for all the treasures a shoebox contains for a child aged 2 to 4. I am planning to include the cowboy tote in a farm-themed shoebox. I will also pack a tractor and wagon, coloring book, bandana, and plastic farm animals. Sew much fun!

What items are you making for charitable causes during this season of giving?

Announcing “Blessings,” the 2026 BOM

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I hope you enjoyed a restful and joy-filled Thanksgiving weekend! And as we roll into December and its holidays, it’s time to start planning for next year’s Block of the Month, offered free on this blog. I hope you will check it out with a view to participating.

The medallion-style quilt features a 24″ center block surrounded by sashed 12″ blocks. I selected a fat quarter stack of “Star Spangled Beauty” by Maywood Studio. This will be a keepsake for me as we celebrate America’s 250th birthday in 2026. All the blocks contain “Cat’s Cradle” units. If you use the CGRDH1 Creative Grids ruler to construct the 4″ units, you’ll conserve fabric. But I’ll also give directions for constructing the blocks without the ruler.

You will find preliminary information about the Block of the Month quilt-along by clicking “Blessings 2026 BOM” in the blog menu. Fabric amounts and a schedule are listed, and you can print a line drawing of the quilt suitable for coloring according to your fabric choice.

Comment below if you plan to use scraps and stash for the 2026 BOM or if you have your eye on a collection of beautiful fat quarters.