Tag Archives: design

Show and Tell: Welcome to the North Pole

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A colorful quilt featuring a whimsical winter village scene with various houses, trees, and a sleigh in the night sky.

Barbara MacLeod sent photos of her North Pole quilt along with this lovely email. I am inspired!

Hi Becky — I’m excited to share with you that the New Braunfels Area Quilt Guild had our bi-annual show this past Friday and Saturday and my North Pole received a second place ribbon.  It was entered in the mixed technique category — machine pieced, needle turn applique, hand quilted, some embroidery, and embellishments.  (Hobby Lobby had wonderful Christmas charms starting in October).  The judge said “The North Pole is full of activity and has the viewer linger for a 2nd look” and my ” piece has a lot of whimsey & charm”.  I just want to thank you and Linda for designing such a wonderful pattern.  I will say it is the most challenging quilt I’ve ever made (I’m 87) but I loved every moment of it. Well almost every moment 🤣.  This quilt is a love letter to my family and even when I’m no longer here, I’ll be able to spend Christmas with them.

Thanks again to giving me so many hours of enjoyment.

But wait! There’s more! Barbara included a photo of her documentation patch…

A fabric piece featuring a handwritten holiday greeting with decorative charms, including a church, cross, and heart with an American flag. The message welcomes readers to the Christmas season and emphasizes love and family.

I absolutely love that. Thank you, Barbara, for sharing you quilt and beautifully worded documentation with us.

If you want to make your own North Pole quilt, click here to find the ebook :-).

Show & Tell… Blooming Joy!

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Jami Smith sent this photo of her version of Blooming Joy, the 2025 block of the month. She left the setting triangles free from applique which focuses your attention directly on the blocks. I like this quilt a lot!

Jami says:

“I love looking at this, it brings me so much joy.  I think all the colors ans fun flowers. I also really enjoyed making it, gave me a sense of peace and calm.

Again thank you for sharing your talent and inspiration. “

Thank you Jamie, for sharing your quilt with us! That feeling of peace and calm that comes with handwork is one of my favorite parts of sewing ❤️.

If any of your are interested in the Blooming Joy patterns, you can find them here.

Three Ways to Make Buttonwood Village

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One of the things I love most about Buttonwood Village is that it gives you options. There isn’t just one right way to make this quilt—you get to choose the version that fits your space, your time, and your stitching mood.

Option 1: The Original Village
The original Buttonwood Village features 9 house blocks surrounded by 20 border blocks, finishing at 60˝ x 60˝. This version feels complete and cozy, with the houses nestled right into their own little neighborhood.

Option 2: Houses Only
I know some of you prefer a smaller wall quilt. You can make just the 9 house blocks, add a 3˝ border, and end up with a sweet 46˝ x 46˝ quilt. Simple, charming, and absolutely perfect.

Option 3: Border Blocks on Their Own

The border blocks measure 10˝ x 10˝, and if you make all twenty of them, they can be set together into a more traditional quilt that finishes at 46˝ x 56˝. It’s a great option if you fall in love with the border designs and want to let them shine.

You don’t need to decide right now. Just tuck these possibilities into the back of your mind as the Block of the Month moves forward. One project, three paths—and plenty of room to make it your own. 😊

Find Buttonwood Village BOM at Piece O’ Cake: https://pieceocake.com/products/buttonwood-block-of-the-month-digital-pattern

Find Buttonwood Village plus the the Live monthly class on Creative Spark: https://ctpub.com/products/3324756?ref=BECKYGOLDSMITH

Show & Tell… My Whimsical Quilt Garden

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Kathy Sue sent me this photo of her finished quilt. It’s wonderful!

Kathy wrote:

I love your patterns, especially My Whimsical Quilt Garden!!!! It turned out adorable. It made me so happy, every stitch I took. I never made a quilt that was so much fun!!!!! Thank you Becky

Thank you, Kathy, for the kind words! I am so glad that making this quilt brought you joy 😊.

If any of you want some happy stitching too, you can find the pattern here.

This is why you buy big prints 😁

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Anna Maria’s Zinnia print first came out years ago and since then it has been reissued in different colors. I love them all! Not sure which one I bought first, but it could have been this one:

Each flower is 3 3/4″ wide by 3″ tall if you count the stem. The spacing is tight in all the right ways. but I do wonder if some people shy away from it because the flowers are larger than your typical “small” print. Personally? I don’t mind one bit. As I said… I LOVE this fabric and have it in every color.

I haven’t pieced with it yet, but I will. I even have a stack of Kaffe stripes that would be perfect with these zinnias—later. When I have time. Right now I’m deep into Buttonwood Village and have already found three perfect places for a flower to sneak in.

The flower becomes a tree
Is that a pineapple bush?
The flower is a palm tree!

One flower becomes a tree. Another becomes a pineapple bush? And the third one could be a palm tree!

That’s the thing about bigger prints: if you avoid them, you miss out on so much fun. I encourage you to give them a try—you might be surprised where a big, beautiful print can take you 🌸.

Find Buttonwood Village BOM at Piece O’ Cake: https://pieceocake.com/products/buttonwood-block-of-the-month-digital-pattern

Find Buttonwood Village plus the the Live monthly class on Creative Spark: https://ctpub.com/products/3324756?ref=BECKYGOLDSMITH

Where does inspiration come from?

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Houses have shown up in stitched work for hundreds of years, and that really isn’t a surprise. We live our lives inside houses. The people we love are part of our household. When we stitch houses, we’re often stitching feelings too—memories of homes we’ve lived in, homes we’ve loved, or maybe homes we’re still dreaming about.

Buttonwood Village is a happy place, built with a whimsical attitude and lots of color—and it truly feels like home to me :-). You might notice that the houses are small. Steve and I have never lived in big houses, so small just feels right in my bones.

And those giant flowers and trees? My yard doesn’t look exactly like that, but it is full of plants, flowers, and trees. This photo was taken last spring—by summer everything had grown taller, bushier, and a little bit wild. Just the way I like it :-).

Find Buttonwood Village BOM at Piece O’ Cake: https://pieceocake.com/products/buttonwood-block-of-the-month-digital-pattern

Find Buttonwood Village plus the the Live monthly class on Creative Spark: https://ctpub.com/products/3324756?ref=BECKYGOLDSMITH