Stars are the theme this month! And this is the color story ~ beautiful!

The Quilt Block Mania block patterns are free each month.
They will remain free for a limited time after the first month.

Click here for the pattern!

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If you make any of the blocks be sure to share them and tag with #QuiltBlockMania!

Be sure to visit all of the Quilt Block Mania Designers!

Stargazing Sue
Starburst at Slice of Pi Quilts
Massachusetts Star with blockofthmo.com
Nova Star at Always Expect Moore
Nativity Star
Star Bright – Cotton Street Commons
Five Pointed Star at Duck Creek Mountain Quilting
New Year Star at Stash Bandit
Poinsettia Star
Wish Upon a Satar by Heidi Pridemore
Falling Star at Pretty Piney Quilts
Star Splash at QuiltFabrication
Seward Star at Blue Bear Quilts
Moon Star at Perkins Dry Goods
Starburst at Patti’s Patchwork
Cherokee Star
Christmas Tree Star
Christmas Star by Oh Kaye Quilting
Starfish by Appliques Quilts and More
Snowy Star by Seams To Be Sew
Combination Star by Devoted Quilter
Ablaze by True Blue Quilts

Are Crackers part of your tradition during the holidays? Years ago when my children were small, we had dinner on Christmas Eve with dear family friends. We always pulled Crackers – everyone got their own. It was fun to see what was inside.

From Wikipedia: Crackers are typically pulled at the Christmas dinner table or at parties. In one version of the cracker tradition, the person with the larger portion of the cracker empties the contents from the tube and keeps them. In another, each person has their own cracker and keeps its contents regardless of whose end they were in. Typically these contents are a colored paper hat, a small toy, a small plastic model or other trinkets, and a motto, a joke, a riddle, or a piece of trivia on a small strip of paper.

The Quilt Block Mania block patterns are free each month.
They will remain free for a limited time after the first month.

Click here for the pattern!

~Subscribe to our VIP list ~

~Don’t miss out on the next edition of Quilt Block Mania ~

If you make any of the blocks be sure to share them and tag with #QuiltBlockMania!

Be sure to visit all of the Quilt Block Mania Designers!

Christmas Wreath by Slice of Pi Quilts
Baby Sue’s First Christmas
Celebrate by Inquiring Quilter
Gifts at Always Expect Moore
Snowflakes by Blockofthemodotcom
Gifts of Friendship
Fireworks at duck creek mountain quilting
Wreath & Chain at Stash Bandit
Christmas Star by Michelle Renee Hiatt
Adirondack Mountain Quilt Block
A Present from Penny
Candlelighting at Pretty Piney Quilts
Poinsettia from QuiltFabrication
Harbor Holidays at Blue Bear Quilts
Christmas Cracker at Perkins Dry Goods
Sparkling Spruce at Patti’s Patchwork
Jingle All the Way at Orange Blossom Quilt
Snowflakes & Candy Cane Trees at Quilt Moments
Tower of Gifts by Oh Kaye Quilting
Winter Memories by Carolyn Burgess
Holiday Block by Seams to Be Sew
Ticker Tape Tree at Devoted Quilter
Evergreen by True Blue Quilts
Merry and Bright at Around the Bobbin
Ski Vacation

This month’s theme is family. I immediately thought of the Sister’s Choice block. I have always loved this block for its versatility. It’s built on a 25 patch grid so it doesn’t play nice with even numbers! I redrafted it to work as a 12″ block. 

I come from a family of five siblings, I am the eldest of four girls and a boy (who is the youngest).  The poor kid was made up and dressed like a girl. We thought he was our new baby doll when he was little. He’s a good sport though, the best brother one could ask for and has forgiven all four of us.

The Quilt Block Mania block patterns are free each month.

Click here for the pattern!

~Subscribe to our VIP list ~

~Don’t miss out on the next edition of Quilt Block Mania ~

If you make any of the blocks be sure to share them and tag with #QuiltBlockMania!

Be sure to visit all of the Quilt Block Mania Designers!

Warming by the Fire
Paper Chain Family at Slice of Pi Quilts
Family is Love
Family Quote Pineapple Block by Blockofthemodotcom
Family Pumpkin Pickin’ Day
Family Crest at Always Expect Moore
Old Rocking Chair at Duck Creek Mountain Quilting
Love@Home at Stash Bandit
Sisterhood by Michelle Renee Hiatt
Glimpse of Home at Scrapdash
We Are Family by Heidi Pridemore
Family Trees at Pretty Piney Quilts
Family is the Heart of Home by QuiltFabrication
Gathering by Blue Bear Quilts
Sister’s Choice at Perkins Dry Goods
Every Family Has One at Patti’s Patchwork
Orange Blossom Quilt
Wonky Nesting Hearts
Family Photo Block
Celtic Trinity Knot by Appliqués Quilts and More
Scarecrow
Family Ring at Devoted Quilter
Tartan Block at True Blue Quilts
FindSewingStuff.com
Flying Geese Family by Tacy Gray
Family Heart by Amarar Cracions

Happy September!

This is one of my favorite months of the year. Fall has always felt like a time to start something new and there are so many traditions. School and that fresh box of crayons – love those! That crispness in the air that starts in September evenings, the Minnesota State Fair and Labor Day. I checked the Farmer’s Almanac to see what it had to say about September and found some interesting things…

• Heavy September rains bring drought.
• Married in September’s golden glow, Smooth and serene your life will go.
• If the storms of September clear off warm, the storms of the following winter will be warm.
• Fair on September 1st, fair for the month.

Block Tips

This month’s block is quick to piece but be aware of your seam allowance and pressing. The little pumpkins on the right were giving me fits – wanting to be too long or too short.

• Before you cut the block out, starch your fabric. I use regular spray starch or Best Press.
• An easy way to fix a unit that ends up too long without ripping is to sew a few of the seams just a thread deeper at the top, middle and bottom.
• Be careful when you press to avoid stretching, but be sure those units are pressed flat without tucks. I like to set the seam first to heat up the fabric and embed the thread into the fabric, then fold back, finger press, and then put the iron on the seam. If you use steam, be extra careful and don’t overwork the unit.

The Quilt Block Mania block patterns are free each month.

Click here for the pattern!

~Subscribe to our VIP list ~
~Don’t miss out on the next edition of Quilt Block Mania ~

If you make any of the blocks be sure to share them and tag with #QuiltBlockMania!

Be sure to visit all of the Quilt Block Mania Designers!

“Which Hat?” at Pretty Piney
Black Cat at Inquiring Quilter
Ring of Pumpkins at Always Expect Moore
Haunted House at Powered by Quilting
Three Treats at Sew Brainy
Bat at Slice of Pi Quilts
Day of the Dead Skull at Duck Creek Mountain Quilting
Gypsy Wagon Fortune Teller at Orange Blossom Quilt
Monster at Seams to be Sew
Patchwork Pumpkin at Quilted Diary
Stacked Pumpkins at Perkins Dry Goods
Spooky Star at Block of the Mo .com
Leaf Ghost at Off the Wall Quilt
Leaf and Vine at Quilt Moments
Frankenstein at Around the Bobbin
Bat by Heidi Pridemore
Candy Corn by Quilt Fabrication
Dark night by Cotton Street Commons
Pumpkin by Sew on the Go
Pumpkin and Bat by ScrapDash
Pumpkin Chain by Stash Bandit
Happy Jack-o-lantern by Patti’s Patchwork
Foundation Pieced Creepy Eyes by Amarar Creacions
Spooky Trees by Aunt Em’s Quilts
Upside Down Witch by Appliques Quilts and More
Scaredy Kitty by Tacy Gray
Sun-Boo-Net Sue by Blue Bear Quilts
Spider by Oh Kay Quilting
Candy, Pumpkins, and Witch Hat by Utah Quilt Appraiser

Back to School!

Starting back in the 1700s giving a teacher an apple (or a basket of apples) was a gesture of appreciation.  Over time, bringing an apple to your teacher became a symbol of trying to gain favor! Did you ever take an apple to your teacher?

The Quilt Block Mania block patterns are free each month.

Click here for the pattern.

~Don’t miss out on the next edition of Quilt Block Mania ~

Subscribe to our newsletter!

If you make any of the blocks be sure to share them and tag with #QuiltBlockMania!

Click here for the pattern.

What is Quilt Block Mania?

A group of pattern designer friends got together and thought it would be fun to create a collection of blocks, with a theme and offer them FREE to our readers on a regular basis. Thanks to Carolina Moore who got the group organized and came up with the theme and color story. 

July’s theme is Summer Time. I thought of sunshine, the beach, sunglasses… and here you go! And the best part is that it’s Free – link below the image.

Be sure to check out the links below to all of the other blocks! Enjoy!

Just Beachy by Celine Perkins

Click here for the pattern.

~Don’t miss out on the next edition of Quilt Block Mania ~

Subscribe to our newsletter!

If you make any of the blocks be sure to share them and tag with #QuiltBlockMania!