We took a few days away. Something fun we planned and purchased Nov 2025, nothing rushed, just a little time to breathe, rest, and step away. When life, health and PT became too much since February the saying was, “WE are going in May!” and we did it ! And honestly? It was good. Sometimes you don’t realize how tired you are until you sit still long enough to notice it.And…YES, OZ was as fantastic has I had hoped it would be, my apple was caught by the gentlemen in front of me, he turned and handed it to me, “For you” he will never know how wonderful this apple is to me.
Coming home is its own kind of adjustment too. The laundry waits. The calendar starts back up. Orchids/lanai needed attention. The sewing room looks exactly how you left it… but somehow feels a little different after being away. I am lowly find our way back into a rhythm that feels comfortable again. And maybe that’s the real lesson: “normal” doesn’t always come back exactly the same.
I have been sewing on a new quilt this past weekend, one seam, one row, one block at a time. Making short moments into my joy.
So this week, I’m easing back into my days. A little quilting. A little writing. A little reorganizing. Nothing dramatic. Just finding my footing again and being thankful for the quiet goodness of ordinary days.
It’s February, and it’s cold. Yes, even here in Florida. Opened tubs that were moved over ten years ago, and the jeans fit ! !
This is the the kind of cold that makes piling on quilts a necessary, you know when you get in and you can’t roll over ! ! I love that feeling!
I finished up my Laundry Hall Originals, 16″ x 20 and they are something I have wanted to do for a bit.
My FINISHED Laundry Hall !
And this picture is just something I have wanted to do. Yes, 2026 is kind of all about me. I have to start feeling better.
I had thought it would be on the back wall of the laundry, but…I have a very hard time reaching the cabinets so I added a shelf…I added the vases to the dining room. Where there is a wall, there is art !
With all the noise in the world, my anxiety and me, have had a few moments. I turned to finished up this quilt, added borders and now ready for long arm quilting.
This weeks quilt block pattern has a finished size of 16 x 16 inches. Download here no signing in, just save or print. HERE
Thank you all for YOUR purchases of my Books, here are the three top sellers for January and again, thank you ! These are all in Print or as eBooks, PDF at Etsy 50 States Quilt Block Patterns see HERE
A Thought
Stitches hold quilts together and kindness holds people. Let patience and care guide us with your fabric and with each other. Small, steady kindness still counts. Thank you for stopping, Beth Ann
Thank you for supporting my Etsy shop and my Quilt Ladies Books and Quilt Pattern Books
Hello, Welcome Friends, Here we are… the very end of December, standing at the edge of the New Year…2026?!?
I like to think of it like opening up my fabric stash and seeing all the potential, the promise that I had when I purchased those cotton prints. And, I always find that one fabric…
What was I thinking when
I paid money for 2 yards of THIS?!?!
To all, Health, Happiness, time to quilt, read and that one more cup of coffee. Happy 2026
A Quilt Block for You to Make
Finished quilt block
Measures 18” x 18”
Cutting for 4 Centers
Cut 4 Purple – 1 ½” x 1 ½”
Cut 4 Yellow – 1 ½” x 1 ½”
Cut 4 Purple – 2 ½” x 1 ½”
Cut 4 White – 2 ½” x 1 ½” Side
Cut 4 White – 3 ½” x 1 ½” Top
Cut 4 Red – 3 ½” x 1 ½” Bottom
Cut 12 Red – 4 ½” x 1 ½” Left Side, Right Side
Cut 4 Green – 1 ½” x 1 ½” Right Side Bottom
Sashing to Put Block together
Cut 4 White – 5 ½” x 2 ½”
Cut 4 Red – 2 ½” x 1 ½”
Cut 1 Yellow – 2 ½” x 2 ½”
Outside Border of Block
Cut 6 Red – 2 7/8” x 2 7/8”
Cut 6 White – 2 7/8” x 2 7/8”
Make Triangles
Cut 4 Green – 3 ½” x 1 ½”
Cut 4 White – 3 ½” x 1 ½”
Sew together
Cut 4 Green – 5 ½” x 1 ½”
Cut 4 White – 5 ½” x 1 ½”
Sew together
I’ve decided 2026 is going to be my year of “new time” not more time (still waiting on that invention), but better time. Time for ideas, quilts, small adventures, and moments that don’t involve running around like I’m in a fit of overwhelmedness…(pretty sure that’s a word)
And speaking of time… I’m officially drifting away from social media. Not dramatically, not with a farewell tour, quietly stepping back like someone sneaking out of a party before the karaoke starts.
Nothing I post is ever going viral, those 6 likes and not shares, I can do without, with 6K follows. So, instead of chasing algorithms, I’m keeping things simple: if you want me, I’ll be right here on Tuesdays, coffee in hand, sharing life, quilts, and whatever else pops up. Kind of back to the basics!
My plan is simple: less rushing, more joy. Less “should,” more “why not?” Less worrying about the perfect plan, and more celebrating the small wins, like finding the scissors before the third try. If I can do that, I think 2026 and I will get along just fine.
Lined Journal with My WatercolorsHow to Survive Retirement
Available NOWFun and Happy getting that Quilt DoneMaking Myself BetterThe Book I hope NO one ever needs, but I know some will50 States Quilt Block Patterns, thank you all for purchasing and loving this book as much as I do !
Thought of the Week
So here’s to stepping into 2026 with a smile, a fresh list of ideas, and the hope that our bobbins never run out at the worst possible moment.
Bring on the new time, the new ideas, and the fun that comes with starting again. Let’s make something wonderful.
Keep Stopping IN and I will Keep doing, ME… www.BethAnnDoing.com
It’s fun for me to draw quilt blocks out on graph paper. They make me happy and I love the ideas they sparks as I do them. This is one of my quilt blocks.
This quilt block is from my quilt book which started my quilt pattern company “The Ladies” quilt pattern book.
“The Ladies” are The Quilt Ladies. They quilt every Tuesday together and after years of doing that, they’ve decided to do a quilt pattern book. So “The Ladies” was born, a quilt block sampler pattern book with 68 – Eight by Eight Inch quilt pattern blocks. If you make the quilt as in the book the finished quilt measures 76″ x 84″ All straight pieced, all cutting and piecing instructions included. And NOW in Print and eBook
Quilt Block has a finished size of eight inches by eight inches.
Today’s free quilt block features a large star design. The center is a patchwork of various rectangular fabric pieces, with loads of patterns and colors. I used white to set the colors of the quilt block off. This quilt block has a finished size of 12″ x 12″ A mix of a star and log cabin quilt block.
This weeks quilt block is a bit like last weeks, but I have added more scrap fabric pieces. Break the quilt pattern down as shown and you will have no problem sewing it together.
Finished quilt block is twelve inches by twelve inches.
Center Block
Cut 18 Assorted Colors – 1 ½ x 2 ½”
Piece as shown for the center
Cut 14 Tan – 1 ½” x 2 ½”
Sew as shown
3 to left and right
4 to top and bottom
Cut 20 Assorted Colors 1 ½” x 2 ½”
Cut 10 White – 2 ½” x 2 ½”
Sew on top and bottom
Sew into rows and shown.
Sew on left and right side
Let’s go simple this quilt with a
a VERY BASIC quilt block, basic piecing techniques, making it an easier quilt block to piece together. This quilt block a classic, with a finished size of eight inches by eight inches.
Cut 1 Color 6 7/8” x 6 7/8” triangles Cut 1 White 6 7/8” x 6 7/8” triangles Reserve extra triangle of another block
Cut 1 White 2 7/8” x 2 7/8” triangles Cut 1 Color 2 7/8” x 2 7/8” triangles Cut 1 White 2 1/2” x 2 1/2” Cut 2 White 4 1/2 x 2 1/2”
I have had The Quilt Ladies for many years, lots of quilt blocks, quilt patterns drawn, loads of quilt blocks made, quilt patterns on Etsy and even my quilt books in Print, Kindle and on Prime. These are the quilt patterns here from this site that are always asked about and for ! The Four most popular quilt block patterns
Here, I think it’s the color and the movement this quilt block has that all like. It’s finished size is eighteen inches by eighteen inches, using cut 2 1/2″ squares. This quilt block is one of 53 in my book.
This quilt block star quilt pattern has a life of it’s own. It’s all over Pinterest, all over other’s sites as a link to get you to their quilt sites (not paid for OR asked for) and it’s been viewed here over 26000 times. Have to say, it’s liked !
And…YES, OZ was as fantastic has I had hoped it would be, my apple was caught by the gentlemen in front of me, he turned and handed it to me, “For you” he will never know how wonderful this apple is to me.
And this picture is just something I have wanted to do. Yes, 2026 is kind of all about me. I have to start feeling better.
