Economy Blocks Tutorial + More HST Inspo + Last Minute Easter Ideas

Hello friends! I hope this email finds you well. I have SO MUCH good quilting fun and inspiration to share this week!

Free Printable Quilt Block Pattern

One of the quilts I love puling out this time of year is this Spring Mini Quilt I made a few years ago using a traditional Economy Quilt Block.

The Economy block (sometimes called a Square in a Square block) is one of my favorite quilt blocks to make - it's perfect for playing with color combinations within a fabric collection, or fussy-cutting favorite prints for the center square. It's also great for scrap-busting!

And they're really fun and easy to make. Click below for a tutorial with free printable instructions to make 8" x 8" finished Economy blocks. (The post also includes links to 6" x 6" and 12" x 12" block variations as well!)

And pictures of more scrappy Economy Block quilts for your inspiration.

New On the Blog This Week

If you loved last week’s half-square triangle post, this week’s article is a fun follow-up. I’m taking a closer look at an antique Ocean Waves quilt and sharing why this traditional pattern has remained such a favorite for generations.

I've also got photos of modern samples as well as patterns (including a free one!) if you're feeling inspired to make your own! It's a great way for using favorite scraps - which is probably what was used in the antique version I'm sharing.

Fabric Basket and Eggs

Looking for a fun Easter/Spring sewing project? This fabric Basket Tutorial is quick and easy to sew.

Perfect for using up some favorite fabric. Pro tip shortcut: I used is a cheater print on this one, giving the basket a "pieced" look.

Also fun to make: fabric eggs. They're a little more time consuming, but they're another fun way to use and preserve pretty fabric. And bonus points because the eggs are ready to go every Easter!

Click below to get the free printable Basket pattern + links to fabric Egg patterns

Fun Finds on the Web - Last Minute Easter Ideas

Want to make a new dress for spring or Easter? Check out this dress I made a few years ago from a Vintage Sheet. It comes together so quick. It's especially perfect for pulling out on that first day of April!

Lauren at Molly and Mama has a free pattern and tutorial for darling felt rabbits - these stitch up fast and would look so festive in an Easter Basket.

I love the beautiful felt rabbits and bird patterns in Nuvolina Handmade's shop as well!

These hand stitched felt eggs from ETM Designs would also be so pretty and relatively fast and inexpensive gifts.

If you're short on time to sew, Fox + Hazel has a round up of 25 free Easter Printables here.

Last Minute Deals from National Quilting Month

Here are a few quick deals as National Quilting Month Comes to a close as well as some of my favorite products on Amazon's Spring Sale that ends 3/31.

ICYMI last week: Here is the free Half Square Triangle printable with 12 different crib quilt designs that I shared last week.

​Maker Valley is having a giant Warehouse sale with 30% off fabric, gifts, notions, and select apparel (some t-shirts as low as $10.50!) . Discount taken automatically at checkout. Goes through Sunday 3/29.

​Connecting Threads is having blowout sales with up to 30% off. Use code 3STASHUP26 at checkout. A great time to stock up on batting or notions.

My favorite Nimbot Label Maker is 43% off. This is the handiest tool - I use it all of the time to stay organized. And it's so easy to store and to use.

My new favorite clear storage drawers are 23% off. I have already bought three sets of these. They're fabulous in my sewing room because they clean up the clutter, but still make it easy to find tools and notions that I'm looking for.

The Fat Quarter Shop has all Sewline Notions 25% off (fabric pencils, erasers, glue pens + refils)

Not a ton of time for sewing around my place this week. More mundane tasks were demanding my attention like winter yard clean up including weeding (boo - feels way too early for weeding!) and book balancing for my tax submissions. (Boring, but part of the creative business gig. 🤓)

I did get in some good walks to enjoy the blossoms - and I'm glad I did as many of them are starting to fade.

Also, I got to visit a favorite friend today. You may have heard me share previously about my amazing friend and Hmong neighbor Xiong Li. We have been friends for over 13 years and became kindred spirits because we both love to sew. 🧵 Her Hmong handwork and reverse applique is mind blowing! 🤯 You can see more detailed photos of her incredible applique here.

She turned 99 (!!!) this month. As she has grown older her eyesight and hands won’t let her do what she used to do. When she could no longer do the traditional Hmong intricate hand sewing and applique, she used her sewing skills and her very basic Singer sewing machine to make flannel receiving blankets. I was able to provide as well as gather fabric donations (thank you Riley Blake) and she did all of the sewing. Over10 years she made probably close to a 1000 blankets!

These receiving blankets have been donated to local hospitals and causes in our community, the Navajo reservation in Utah/AZ, and to refugees around the world. That one feels extra poignant to me as Xiong arrived in this country as a refugee herself with her husband and children about 40 years ago after a horrific escape from the communist regime in Laos that had vowed to torture her family and exterminate the Hmong people. (Her husband had risked his life to rescue downed American pilots during the war in Vietnam.)
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Her daughters and their families live in my neighborhood and take care of their beloved Grandma. They are some of the best people I know. Our neighborhood and community and I are better because of them. 🙏🏻💗 And so are 1000+ babies. 🥰

I feel so grateful for this this friendship and for the love of sewing that brought us together. I have learned so much from Xiong over the years!

I know that many of you and people that you love are sewing for great causes too. You are doing so much good.

Bless you all in your own good works. 💗

xo,

Amy

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