My Villa Rosa Rose Cards Are Popping Up in the Most Unexpected Places!

Well, hello again!  No, I haven't forgotten about you.  Honest.  Things have just been super busy around here.  I'm sure you can relate.  :)

I missed 2 weeks in a row this time, but I do actually have a very legitimate reason -- my family had a giant garage sale (no we weren't selling the actual garage, you silly goose!) over Memorial week end.  Whew!  I am so glad that it is over.  I had forgotten how much work went into preparing for a garage sale.  I think we spent 2 weeks (or was it 5 years???) getting everything cleaned, priced, arranged, etc.  It wasn't one of our best sales, but I guess it wasn't our worst either, either.

Anyway, while I was getting ready for the garage sale, my friend Cathey Laird skipped off to Spring Market in Kansas City, MO.  Lucky girl!  She sent me the following advertisement image in a message:

This is an ad for the Top 25 Patterns at Moda.  Check out the third pattern down on the left side -- YES!  It is my Salt Water Taffy Rose Card pattern for Villa Rosa!  YIPPEE!  Wow, was I surprised when she messaged it to me -- she really made my day.

Out of curiosity, I went to Moda's website and looked under their books and patterns section.  Again, I was surprised to find most, if not all, of our Villa Rosa Rose Cards, including ALL of my designs.  This is so mind-boggling and exciting.  (You can't see me right now, but I am doing my happy dance as I write this post.)

I never know where my designs and patterns are going to show up next.

Tricia's Favorite Block Tutorials -- Block 3 FLYING GEESE

Are we having fun yet?

Hopefully you have made Block 1 -- Shoo Fly and Block 2 -- Courthouse Steps.  If you missed them, please go back and get caught up:

Block 1 -- SHOO FLY

Block 2 -- COURTHOUSE STEPS

Now that we're all on the same page, let's try our hand at a FLYING GEESE variation.

This variation is called Dutchman's Puzzle.  According to the website Quilting in America, the Dutchman's Puzzle block design has been around since the late 1800's.  The site doesn't list much information about the block, but does note that it is reminiscent of Dutch windmills, so perhaps that's where the name came from.

Okay, let's get started!

There are a lot of different ways to make a single Flying Goose unit, including different rulers made especially for making that one unit, so you might want to explore some quilt books or other Internet tutorials for other options.

I am going to show you how to make Goose units using squares and rectangles -- NO TRIANGLES!

For a 12" finished block, you will need the following:

16 background squares 3 1/2" x 3 1/2"
4 dark rectangles 3 1/2" x 6 1/2"
4 medium rectangles 3 1/2" x 6 1/2"

1.  Layer a background square right sides together (RST) with a medium (or dark) rectangle.  Draw a diagonal line as shown from the bottom corner to the opposite top corner of the square.  Sew on the line. 

 

2. Trim 1/4" beyond the sewn line, flip the background triangle open and press.

3.  Repeat steps 1 and 2 on the other side of the rectangle with another background square.  Now you have a single Flying Goose unit.  (Hint:  Save all you cut off triangles and make a mug rug or a small pillow.)

4.  Make 4 Goose units with medium/background and 4 units with dark/background.





5.  Sew a dark Goose to a Medium Goose.  Make 4 sets.

6.  Sew the double Geese units together into a Four Patch configuration, turning the units as shown in a clockwise rotation.

And it's that simple!  Now you have a 12 1/2" (12" finished) Dutchman's Puzzle block.

Local Quilters in the Same Publication!

Dang!  I ruined my streak of writing a weekly blog post last week.  Oh well, I'm going to get myself back on track.

I just had to share this awesome story with you.

Recently, I received my author copy of the book, Farmhouse-Style Quilting, which is a compilation of the work of many quilt designers.  The book was created by Annie's Quilting.

 To buy your own copy of the book, go HERE.  It is available as a book or an ebook.


I was fortunate to have 2 projects accepted for the publication --

Red-Letter Day Place Mats p.9

and

Wash Day p. 29

My Wash Day Quilt made the front cover of the publication.  If you look closely at the wooden crate under the bench, you can see my quilt peeking out.  (Tehehe)

Wash Day was quilted by one of my favorite local long arm machine quilter's, the very talented Karen Shields of Karen's Quilting Studio.

The design for Wash Day came to me pretty quickly once I found the Moda collection Oxford by Sweetwater.  The fabrics reminded me of my Grandpa and his quilt, which I inherited after he passed away.  The quilt was made by his mother -- my great grandmother -- when he was a young man before he married my grandmother.  It is one of my most treasured items, even though it is faded and worn.  (I promise to add a photo of the quilt to this post when I get the chance.)

Here's the back of the book.  You can see both my projects there!

 

Anyway, another of the designs in the Farmhouse-Style Quilting book is by my friend and fellow designer, Cathey Laird.  You might know Cathey from her ruler, the Firefly Glow Y Block Ruler.  Cathey's design is called Country Stars Runner.

Okay, what's really neat is that another one of my friends and fellow quilters, Kristine Smith, also had a quilt featured in this book.  Her quilt is called Country Comfort and it was machine quilted by another friend, Debi Crocker.  Kristine's quilt is also on the back cover of the book.

As they say on info-mercials --

but wait -- there's more!

All five of us -- 

Karen, Cathey, Kristine, Debi, and me -- 

live right here in northwestern PA 

AND WE ALL BELONG TO 

THE SAME QUILT GUILD! 

Holy Guacamole, Batman!  Can you believe it???