Timeless Classics

Fellow Quilters,

Button Drop wall/topper quilt

I had the opportunity to attend QuiltCon in Phoenix AZ a week or so ago – what fun!  I and several colleagues staffed the FIGO and neighboring Anna Maria Textiles booths for 4 busy days, chatting with modern quilters from around the globe.  I ran the giveaway “Button Drop” game, where participants tried their luck at winning a selection of FIGO fat ¼’s or coordinated scrap packets.  Our Button Drop board featured a backdrop of the new Stash tonal collection, and I designed a free pattern to replicate this board – all Modern Quilt Guild members receive a digital goodie bag containing the link to the pattern.  If you’re an MQG member, it’s in the email sent out last week.

Pop Sugar BonBons using Heather Bailey’s new blender

Some attendees purchased an MQG swag tote bag that contained, along other things, a chip (charm) pack of designer Heather Bailey’s new blender program for FIGO – Pop Sugar is a fun fresh cheery blender with 30 tasty shades.  I designed a fun wall/topper quilt to use this 30-pack of 5” squares – Pop Sugar BonBons is a 43” square project that positively pops with color!  You can download the free pattern from FIGO’s website here.  I love playing with Heather’s luscious collections – I haven’t met one that I didn’t swoon over.  Her newest one, Full Bloom, is shipping in May and I can’t wait!

I had the pleasure of (finally) meeting the iconic Anna Maria Parry, the mastermind behind Anna Maria Textiles, Northcott’s newest division.  Anna Maria’s fabrics are so outside of my comfort zone.  Despite that, I have pushed myself to design with them and have been thrilled with the results.  Watch for some new patterns featuring AMT coming out in the next few months.  I attended her engaging and informative lecture at the show and am now inspired to take a fresh look at the next batch of collections.

Anna Maria Parry of AMT in her booth at QuiltCon

I made a couple of AMT outfits for QuiltCon, including a jewel-toned buffalo-check wrap skirt and also a top that I wore for my photo with Anna Maria.

It was lovely to get to know my colleagues, some of whom I hadn’t met before, over drinks each night after the show.  The beverage of choice was cocktails and the variety was impressive – everything from fruity concoctions to inventive ways with whiskey.  And each evening, once the drinks were in hand, we clinked glasses in an age-old cheer.

I was reminded of these times when the call for this month’s Quilt Block Mania came out.  The theme is fancy drinks, and since I was late to the party (haha) so to speak, I missed the chance to do martini.  Instead I chose to depict an overhead view of Old Fashioned glasses in a cheer.  An Old Fashioned glass, or rock glass, is a short wide tumbler with a heavy base.  It is typically used for Old Fashions, Manhattans, Negronis and Sazeracs, or any cocktail being served “on the rocks”.  The trend these days is to use one oversized ice cube to keep the cocktail chilled instead of several smaller ones.

My On the Rocks block features 4 classic cocktails with large ice cubes – red for Boulevardier, gold for Old Fashioned, amber for Manhattan and light brown for Sazerac.  The cubes and beverages are appliqued on, as is the gray bias glass rim, made from narrow bias.

My On the Rocks block for QBM – cocktail glasses with large ice cubes

A close-up

I thought this could be a fun table runner for your favorite mixologist, changing up the colors of the drinks to suit the taste of the recipient.

A 3-block On the Rocks table runner for your favorite mixologist

The light gray circles are either clear liquor or empty glasses 😊.  Each ice cube is a lighter shade of the beverage surrounding it, which reminded me of one of the theme exhibits at QuiltCon – American Patchwork sponsored a transparency category.  Choosing the correct color for the ice cube is critical to achieving this transparency.

What is your social beverage of choice?  Which colors would you use for your beverages?  My cruise roomie Cathy likes Earl Grey, code for Pinot Grigio wine.  I prefer a Rob Roy, although lately Hubby has been making me tasty Crab-apple martinis made with crab-apple syrup from our tree – yum😊 (he is a closet mixologist).  Perhaps one of the other 16 blocks in this month’s QBM blog tour is more to your taste.  You can get links to them here:

Tropical Drink by Carolina Moore of Always Expect Moore
Pink Lemonade by Crafty Staci
Mardi Gras Hurricanes
Milkshake by Patchwork Breeze
On the Rocks by Patti’s Patchwork
Coco Loco by QuiltFabrication
Hot Coffee To Go
Christmas Cocktail by Inquiring Quilter
Sip Happens by Robin Kinley Designs Etc.
Unicorn Lemonade by Memory Barn Studio
Friendly Mule by Patchwork River Quilting
Margarita by Emerald Falls Quilts
Bartending Nutcracker by Tourmaline & Thyme Quilts
Raspberry Lemonade
Mod Martini by A Piece of Quiet Quilts
Pina Colada by Appliques Quilts and More
Lemon Drop by Studio B

Last month I forgot to mention that my Frame It throw-size quilt is featured in the Winter 2025 issue of Quiltmaker magazine, on newsstands now (or get it online here).

My Frame It quilt featured in Winter 2025 Quiltmaker magazine, available now

I used my Outdoor Adventures fabric collection for Banyan Batiks for this easy project.  It is terrific for any large-scale coordinated collection to show them off.

I also want to mention some new patterns in the Patti’s Patchwork shop:

The gorgeous Boho Blooms fabric collection inspired my PC320 Boho Starburst – pattern includes wall, throw and king sizes.

PC320 Boho Starburst

The to-die-for stripe in the collection also inspired PC319 Crescendo, an easy bargello pattern that needs only 2 fabrics plus binding – sizes include throw, queen and king.

PC319 Crescendo is an easier-than-most bargello

I used Northcott’s Eagle Pass, with its breath-taking panel, in PC318 Soar! – pattern includes throw, twin/double and queen. 

PC318 Soar! works beautifully with so many panel collections

This is a great pattern for any panel-based collection.

Calling all sports fans!  Make a cozy quilt for game-watching using PC328 Team Spirit.  The pattern includes a full alphabet along with appliques for various sports.

PC328 Team Spirit includes many options

Make a lap quilt or upsize it to twin with the addition of a border.

I also dropped the new Stonehenge Celtic Roots collection into my popular PC233 Solstice Star design and love this color option.

PC233 Solstice Star done up in the new Stonehenge Celtic Roots collection

I’m madly finishing up the next batch so stay tuned for more quilty goodness.

Speaking of quilty goodness, I’m doing a virtual trunk show for the Glendale Quilt Guild (Glendale CA) on March 13^th.  I’m teaching free-motion quilting and binding on March 14/15 at Watergirl Quilt Co in Prescott ON, then doing a panels trunk show.  On March 24, I’m talking about Alternate Gridwork at the Gwillimbury Quilt Guild, then doing a trunk show and circles workshop March 26/27 at the Niagara Heritage Quilt Guild.  Please come and say hi if you’ll be at these events.

That’s all for now, see you soon 😊

Patti