August 30, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #34 – Crossed Canoes Star Block
Crossed Canoes Star Block
A few days ago our daughter spent time with a few of her old high schools friends. They went canoeing on the Potomac, so I chose the crossed canoe block to remember the summer.
Today we took that same daughter to the airport and she boarded a plane to go spend a semester abroad. It seems they grow up right in front of our eyes. We only get to have them for a fleeting time, and then like the weeks of summer, they are gone.
The Crossed Canoes Star Block should be a fun and simple block to make. For complete directions Click here or click on Free Block Patterns 2010 Block of the Week – Freedom Star Blocks Part 2.
Happy Quilting!
Betty Dietz
August 19, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #32 – August Star Block
August Star Block
The month of August was named for the roman emperor Augustus Caesar. There is a really good article which explains how we got July and August and also the number of days per month from the Romans. Check it out at Infoplease.com.
The block for this week, is an older block originally named ” Augusta” and published by Vickery and Hill Company in Augusta, Maine from 1885 to the 1930s in the Hearth and Home Periodical. (Barbara Brackman – Block Base for EQ). So, was Augusta, Maine also named after Augustus Caesar? Hmmm? I wonder.
Have fun with this block, make it up in your favorite colors!
For complete directions Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.
Happy Quilting!
Betty Dietz
August 2, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #30 – Philadelphia Star Block
Philadelphia Star Block - Freedom Star Colors
We walked all around the beautiful city of Philadelphia this weekend, taking in the sites from the Reading Market to Independence Hall, Penn’s Landing, Rittenhouse Square and South street. We stopped along the way to enjoyed our Philly Cheese Steaks and soft pretzels. MMM!
To honor this city where the Liberty Bell first rang for Freedom, I have created a variation of an old block call Philadelphia Pavement. This block was first published by Ruth Finley in “Old Patchwork Quilts and the Women Who made Them” 1929. for full details see Barbara Brackman’s Block Base for EQ.
For complete directions Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.
Happy Quilting! Betty Dietz
July 26, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #29 – Double Star Block
Double Star Block - Freedom Star Colors
Double STar Block - Tropical Colors
This week my husband and I will celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary, and I chose the traditional block, Double Star, to honor this event. When colored with greens and salmons for the stars it makes a cute tropical fish block!
For complete directions Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.
Happy Quilting!
Betty Dietz
July 5, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #26 – Fourth of July Star Block
Fourth Of July Star Block
Happy Fourth of July!
I hope everyone is renewed after the long holiday weekend and ready to start on the next 25 Freedom Star Blocks. For this week’s block, I chose an older block that was named July Fourth, originally published in a syndicated column under the name Nancy Page. The column was written by Florence LaGanke Harris between 1920 -1940 (Barbara Brackman – Block Base for EQ)
I have re-designed this block making is easier to piece and sew with rotary cutting techniques. And I have re-colored and re-named the block “The Fourth of July Star Block”.
For complete directions Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week – Freedom Star Blocks – Part 2.
Happy Quilting!
Betty Dietz
June 21, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #25 – Dad’s Favorite Star Block
Dad's Favorite Star Block
Happy Father’s Day!
We celebrated this Father’s Day this weekend at our vacation home, “Pieceful Cottage” in Wenona MD. My husband and his dad enjoyed a relaxing weekend at the bay. We caught a few crabs, put together a new jigsaw puzzle, watched some TV and ate too much good food.
This week’s block is a variation on a traditional block named Young Man’s Fancy. In honor of all the dads and granddads, this block is named Dad’s Favorite Star.
For complete directions Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week – Freedom Stars.
Happy Quilting!
Betty Dietz
June 7, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #23 – Gold Star for Virginia Block
Gold Star for Virginia
A gold star is awarded to everyone who participated in the Quilter’s Unlimited Quilt Show this weekend. Much hard work was done by the show committee and all the volunteers. Many thanks to all the quilters who placed a quilt for display in the show and to all the teachers for sharing their talents with us. A special thanks to all the quilt collectors and vendors who hauled quilts and merchandise into the Expo center in the 85 degree heat on Thursday. And of course, thanks to all quilters who came from near and far to enjoy the beautiful quilts and shop at the vendors mall. We hope you enjoyed Quilt Show 2010.
This week’s Freedom Star Block is a variation of a block named Star of Virginia First published by Wallace’s Farmer, a magazine published from 1874 through the 1950’s in Des Moines (Barbara Brackman’s Block Base for EQ6).
For complete directions Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week – Freedom Stars.
Happy Quilting!
Betty Dietz
May 31, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #22 – Firecracker Star Block
Firecracker Star Block
Happy Memorial Day! Thanks to all of our servicemen and women and to all of our veterans. My husband and I are vacationing in Spokane Washington, visiting my sister and her husband. Our daughter is along with us and she was my creative assistant with today’s block.
This week’s Freedom Star Block is a variation of a block named Liberty Star. We rearranged the stripes into chevrons to make a new block that we named Firecracker Star.
It is an easy block to make with paper-piecing techniques.
For complete directions Click here or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week – Freedom Stars.
Happy Quilting!
Betty Dietz
May 17, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #20 – Dolley Madison’s Star Block
May 20th is the birthday of Dolley Payne Madison, the fourth First Lady of the United States. She is most remembered for protecting many White House valuables, including a portrait of George Washington, as the British Army was approaching Washington DC during the War of 1812. For more information on her life visit the Dolley Madison Project .
This week’s block is a traditional block the Dolley Madison Star published by the Chicago Tribune in 1975 and attributed to the Nancy Cabot column from the 1930’s written by Loretta Leitner Rising.
Click here for complete directions or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week “Freedom Stars.
Happy Quilting!
Betty Dietz
Dolley Madison's Star Block
May 10, 2010 – Freedom Star Block #19 – Mother’s Fancy Star Block
Mother's Fancy Star Block - Freedom Star Colors
I hope everyone had a great day yesterday, honoring their mother and their Grandmother!!
Today’s block is an older block, possibly published as early as 1895. This block was first published under the name of Mother’s Fancy Star in 1935, by Carrie A. Hall and Rose G. Ketsinger in “The Romance of the Patchwork Quilt in America” Please see Barbara Brackman’s Block Base for EQ6 for more information.
This block is easily made up from a center star unit using Easy Flying Geese and 9-patch checkerboard units in the corners. Click here for complete directions or click on Free Block Patterns – 2010 Block of the Week “Freedom Stars.
Happy Quilting!
Betty Dietz
Mother's Fancy Star Block