GIVE it a TRY ! it’s easy, all you use is triangles and squares. Here is one of my four inch quilt blocks, don’t over think it. Sew as you would any quilt block.
Old Maids Puzzle. This quilt block has a finished size of four inches by four inches. Making the quilt as shown in the book you will have a finished quilt thirty inches by thirty inches, perfect as a lap quilt or a baby quilt.
I made this quilt block with very simple colors and background, but you can have lots of fun with it. Remember to press NOT IRON a quilt block and I always press as I go each seam. I have a small ironing board right by my sewing machine. I posted how I do quilt triangles
Welcome to my Tuesday Threads: Quilt How-To with The Quilt Ladies! Every Tuesday, I’m sharing simple, step-by-step quilting techniques straight from my sewing room to yours.
I have so many brand new to quilting or if you just want a quick refresher, these posts are here to help. Grab your fabric, pour a cup of something cozy, and let’s get stitching, one technique at a time!
I am starting with pressing because I see SO many new quilters pressing as they would IF you were sewing a dress, with quilt blocks you do NOT press the seam open, you press to the darker fabric and here is why. NO Steam, a hot, dry iron.
press your quilt block to the darker fabric, here the redseam opened and how the nest into each other
When you press both layers of fabric and the seam allowance all to one side, you’re giving that seam more fabric layers to support it. This extra layer of fabric over the stitching line helps protect your thread from wear and tear over time.
As your quilt gets used, loved, washed, and tugged on, the seams take a lot of stress. By pressing to one side, you’re wrapping that stitching line in a little fabric shield. The thread sits just under the fold, with fabric on top of it and underneath it. This extra cushion means the thread is less likely to snap or break down over the years.
Press to the Dark Side… Always (Well, Almost Always)
I HOPE you have heard this rule a hundred times: “Press your seams to the dark side.” But why?
It’s not just some old quilting superstition. There’s a real reason for it!
When you sew two fabrics together—especially a light fabric next to a dark one—the seam allowance can show through the lighter fabric if it’s pressed the wrong way. This is called “shadowing.” Nobody wants to finish a quilt top, hold it up to the light, and suddenly see dark seam lines peeking through those lovely light fabrics.
By pressing your seam allowance toward the darker fabric, you’re tucking that extra bulk safely under the dark side—where it stays hidden.
Press, Don’t Iron: Up and Down, Not Side to Side
Now let’s talk about the motion of pressing. When you’re at your ironing board, it’s tempting to treat your quilt block like a wrinkled shirt and slide the iron back and forth. But don’t!
In quilting, you want to “press,” not “iron.”
That means setting your iron down straight onto the fabric, holding for a few seconds, then lifting it up and moving it to the next spot.
Why?
Dragging your iron side to side can stretch the fabric, especially along diagonal seams (the bias). This leads to wonky blocks, wavy edges, and points that don’t quite match later.
This a little thing, but the pressing of the quilt block the right way can make your quilt pop just a little more, and last a bit longer.
Why I Created Our New Password Log Book: Love, Loss, and the Details We Leave Behind. NO ONE wants to think about any of this, but please do !
This book wasn’t something I planned to make. It grew out of one of those life moments that leaves you both grateful and a little rattled.
Simple and easy log book
When my husband stepped up as executor for a dear friend’s estate, we found ourselves knee deep in paperwork, locked accounts, unanswered security questions, and endless guessing about passwords.
The stress was real, but more than that, there was a quiet sadness that lingered over every, “how would our children want us to do this?” The experience taught us something simple but important: write things down.
Not just the big stuff, like insurance policies and banking info, but the everyday little details too. Websites, usernames, passwords, PIN numbers, phone unlock codes… all the things that seem small, until you need them and don’t have them.
So that’s why this Password Log Book exists. It’s for today—so you don’t waste time resetting passwords or searching for account numbers.
And it’s for tomorrow—offering peace of mind for the people who may someday need to step in for you.
Simple, Easy Password Log Book
It’s organization, yes—but more than that, it’s a quiet kind of love. Love remembers. And this is one small way to make sure everything important is written down, kept safe, and easy to find when it matters most.
Here is Florida I’m in shorts and flip-flops pretty much year around. If I need a sweater it’s not for long and I really like that. But we booked a trip before Husband’s health started and docs all say GO ! And I know I will be eating and trying everything so…
get my favorite go to…need a few pounds off recipe.
My Weight Watchers Tortilla Soup with Chicken
This is based on Weight Watchers 0 Point Tortilla Soup. But, I need meat in mine, I need the protein it keeps me moving a bit longer.
3 chicken breast, in a pot with about 6 cups of water.
add 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper. Cook until the chicken is done, remove skin/bones. I do it this way, I can control the fat.
Or use 4 cups of Can Chicken Bone Broth
if you can find it, just a better flavor
Pull chicken out and shred.
1 cup Chopped Onions Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves
3 Green Onions Chopped
3-4 stalks of Celery Chopped
1/2 a Green Pepper
1/3 Cup Fresh Cilantro
Spray pan with spray oil.
Cook in soup pan, make everything tender 10-15 minutes
Pour Chicken broth through a strainer and back into pot.(if homemade)
Add Shredded Chicken
Add the rest of the ingredients to the broth
2 – 12oz cans of Diced Tomatoes
1/2 cup Salsa, we like hot, use what you like
1 can Whole Corn – Or fresh off the cob, the best
1/2 teaspoon Cumin
1/2 teaspoon Chili Powder
1/2 teaspoon basil
Simmer and let cook down.
Serve with Sour Cream (I use Greek yogurt)
And taco chips
Suggestions
When you have leftovers after the holidays or party, make this soup, you can add anything to it and it’s wonderful.
Try adding fresh spinach, cut up add in about 5 minutes before serving.
You can use any meat, shred turkey, shred roast beef or pork, if you use another meat or don’t want to do your own chicken stock, use 4 cups of Chicken Broth
This is a make it your own soup.
We eat this year round, mostly I think because it’s a great solo-lunch for me.
It’s very good without meat, it will be a 0 Point meal with no meat.
Life handed us a storm you never saw coming, our storm came with my husband’s health battles. Hospital visits, long nights, and endless waiting rooms can leave you feeling like you’re spinning in place with no footing.
So, I escaped. Not in a big way—no plane tickets, no beach vacations. Time with a laptop in a hospital room and moments I make my way into the softest place I know as my little library. The quiet shelves, family photos, scattered notebooks of ideas, the comfort of pens in a little coffee mug, my refuge.
I created what I needed in MY day-to-day life, a sense of order, a landing spot, and daily joys to hold onto.
The truly funny thing is, my journals are covered with my ideas and needs, I can’t show them. Hoping for time to do pretend ones!?! Hope you like my books.
These are my books 100%. I am Beth Ann and I am the voice behind The Quilt Ladies and this blog. I hope my journals bring you comfort and a reminder to slow down and appreciate all the big and little things in life.
Let’s Make a Quilt !
Have a FANTASTIC Weekend with my free quilt pattern
Here is a Complete quilt pattern for you. I think it’s a fun quilt because of the colors and the black making it pop. This quilt LOOKS hard BUT it’s just triangles.
I cut 3 7/8″ blocks to make my triangles, you can cut any size you would like. I made and quilted this quilt YEARS ago and I have used it as a table topper, a front door quilt and as a lay over the back of the couch quilt for color. My quilt has a finished size of 30 inches by 30 inches.
Cut 1 Blue – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″ Cut 1 Orange – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″ Make Triangles How I make my Triangles
Cut 2 Blue – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″ Cut 2 Orange – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″ Cut 4 Black – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″ Make Triangles
Cut 4 Black – 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″
Sew units as shown, sew to the sides. Sew top and bottom as shown and sew
Finished center of the quilt block.
Cut 6 Orange – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″
Cut 6 Blue – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″
Make Triangles
Cut 1 Orange – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″ Cut 1 Blue – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″ Cut 2 Black – 3 7/8″ x 3 7/8″ Make Triangles
Sew as shown add sides first, then top and bottom
Free Star Quilt Pattern
Cut 4 Blue 3 1/2″ x 24 1/2″
Cut 4 Orange – 3 1/2″ x 3 1/2″
Sew one orange square on to each end of two blue strips
A New Quilt Book – Full of Patterns, Color, and Inspiration
There’s something special about opening a new quilt book. The feel of the pages, the burst of color, and the endless ideas that start flowing. I’m excited to share that my newest quilt pattern book is ready and available! This book has been in the works for quite a while—sketched at my kitchen table, pieced in my sewing room, and finished with all the love and care that I put into every quilt I make.
Book in Print
Inside, you’ll find 12 complete quilt patterns—one for each month of the year. Whether you’re in the mood for something small and quick or ready to take on a larger project, there’s a pattern here for you. Each design has simple step-by-step instructions, full-color diagrams, getting started section and how to bind a quilt.
Monthly Patterns Include:
January – Baby Star Quilt, 44″ x 44″
February – Baskets Around a Quilt, 42″ x 42″
March – Four Patch Quilt, 36″ x 36″
April – Make it Special, 30″ x 30″
May – Scrappy Quilt, 60″ x 54″
June – Breaking Down a Quilt Block, 6 assorted block patterns
July – 4 Barn Quilt Blocks, each 12″ x 12″
August – Edison Tree Quilt, 38″ x 38″
September – Put on Some Red Lipstick Quilt, 60″ x 70″
October – Grand Four You Quilt, 60″ x 52″
November – 13 Simple Quilt Blocks in 3″, 6″, and 12″ sizes
December – Golden Eye Quilt, 34″ x 34″
This book isn’t just about making quilts—it’s about taking time for yourself, playing with fabric, and bringing your creativity to life. Whether you’re quilting for your home, a friend, or just for the pure joy of making, I hope these patterns inspire you to pull out your favorite fabrics and start sewing.
I love Barn quilts, but let’s face it, barns aren’t exactly a common feature in suburban homes or my condo area.
That’s why I designed four quilt patterns inspired by those rustic blocks of goodness!
Four Complete Quilt Block Patterns
Each 12″ x 12″ quilt block comes with cutting and piecing instructions, plus you’ll learn how to create squares, triangles, and flying geese quilt blocks.
All of 2025 Quilt Patterns are NOW in my NEW Book:
All in ONE Year Quilt Patterns 2025
Tips for purchasing old or antique quilts from The Quilt Ladies
Heading off to Publix’s this past week to pick up sister’s birthday cake I saw an estate sale sign and of course the truck turned itself down that street?!?
A little condo, nice, but nothing I needed UNTIL…the table in the main bedroom. Quilts! This was the only handmade one.
I love the untold stories in every stitch, stories of long nights by lamplight, scraps saved from worn-out dresses, and hands that stitched with love, patience, and often necessity.
I don’t purchase many things anymore, but I do purchase quilts. I love browsing a flea market, a local antique shop, buying an old quilt isn’t just shopping—it’s adopting a piece of someone’s history.
A Few of My to Do’s when purchasing an old Quilt
UNFOLD the quilt onto a flat surface, IF on floor ASK. At this estate sale the estate clerks, didn’t like this…I have NO idea, probably not a quilt people?!? But I asked and opened the quilt (on to the bed) and I did a bit of a lesson for them, fabric quality, stitches, binding, and batting.
Turn it over and do the same thing to the back. Again, estate sale estate clerks, didn’t like this. I did it anyway. And after a bit…ladies please read the person, read the room. NO one else was in the condo, them, and me?!?
All quilts at estate sales will be fading, discoloration and normal wear, they were used.
Look for stains, dry rot or brittle fabric means that is cracks when handled. Give the quilt a sniff too, a storage musty smell can be hard to remove and a smoke smell I always walk away from, it doesn’t come out. “If you’re determined to rescue a quilt with a mild odor, know that careful airing, baking soda treatments, or professional textile cleaning may help—but don’t expect miracles with heavy smoke or mildew.”
Workmanship and materials, old 100% cotton, feed sacks, wool, or silk all have a place in quilting. Is the quilt hand stitched, machine stitched, how quilted, I always seem to go for hand stitched. Hand stitched, small stitches, holding all layers together.
Pattern and design matter too, especially if you’re collecting. Some patterns—like the Double Wedding Ring, Grandmother’s Flower Garden, or Log Cabin—are more sought after by collectors.
Buy what you love! If a quirky, one-of-a-kind scrap quilt makes your heart happy, that’s more important than following what’s “valuable” on paper.
Color choices can also hint at the quilt’s age. Browns, indigos, and turkey reds often point to the late 1800s, while pastels came into fashion in the 1930s.
How will you use this quilt, or will you? “Will it live on your bed, hang on a wall, be folded on a bench, or tucked away in a collection?”
Look for Repairs and Damage Beyond Wear Check for old repairs, new patches, or even color-mismatched fabrics. Some repairs are charming and part of the quilt’s story, but others may have been poorly done or with materials that won’t age well. Look along seams and in high-wear areas like edges and corners.
Confirm it’s a Quilt (Not a Comforter or Blanket!) It sounds silly, but at some estate sales, things get labeled “quilt” when they’re actually mass-produced bedspreads or blankets. Look for the traditional quilt layers: a pieced or appliquéd top, a middle layer of batting, and a backing—all held together with quilting stitches.
Trust yourself, if the price feels too high for the condition, or if you’re getting a bad vibe from the sale, it’s okay to walk away. There will always be another quilt. And sometimes the hunt is half the fun.
Bring cash if you’re at a smaller estate sale, and don’t be afraid to negotiate a little—especially if you’re buying multiple quilts or if the sale is winding down for the day.
If you’re shopping online, don’t be shy about asking for close-up photos of both the front and back. A seller who knows their quilts should expect questions.
This quilt a few problems, 3 tiny fabric holes in the back fabric, all in the same area. Batting has shifted under some of the butterflies into large balls of batting. No binding, binding had been removed and top/bottom straight stitched around the edge.
I ONLY purchase quilt now that can be machine washed and dried in the dryer. This butterfly quilt was washed 2 times, mending in one place on the back and washed/dried again. This will be a use it quilt.
YES, I buried the lead…The Price, $10.00, sometimes you must purchase a quilt.
