Hello June! ☀️ We’ve made it to the sunniest season of the year here in Missouri, with longer days and warm nights filled with all of the simple magical moments that summer brings.
While we may be spending more of our days outside, we have lots of time set aside for quilting, including Jenny’s go-to wedding present, a picnic quilt! We’re such fans of the Charm Quilt on Point, and all it takes are two charms packs and a little bit of yardage!
Want in on a little secret just between us? Jenny is working on a super fun, super simple Log Cabin quilt tutorial this summer! Be sure to sign up for our weekly email newsletter and download the Quilting Tutorials app so you don’t miss it! Until then, watch all of our Log Cabin quilt tutorials here!
Stay inspired and organized all month long with our free June Quilt Planner download! Click HERE to download! And don’t forget to share all of your quilty creations with us on our Missouri Star Facebook, Instagram and Twitter using #msqcshowandtell.
My hope is by the time I’ve written this letter to you and BLOCK arrives at your home, that life will have returned to normal. My hope is the sun will be shining outside your window… you’ll be free to gather with friends and family… you’ll feel comfortable greeting neighbors and walking the dog again, and a trip to the beach might be just around the corner. It’s hard to imagine after weeks of being separated from loved ones and anxiously watching the television, but I have great hope that we’ll make it through…many of us have been spending extended periods of time at home. I am trying my best to view this as an opportunity instead of an inconvenience.
I recently read a quote by one of my favorite people, Fred Rogers, that made me pause. He said, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’” It has shifted my mindset and caused me to be proactive. Each day I ask myself, What small thing can I do to help?…
Quilters never cease to amaze me. You make a difference with every stitch and it’s never been more apparent to me than at this very moment. You’re sewing masks by the thousands, you’re making surgical caps for hospital workers, you’re helping friends and neighbors, and you’re a positive influence in your community. Thank you sincerely for everything you do. I feel privileged to be a part of this remarkable global community of quilters. We really can change the world one stitch at a time.
Love, Jenny
Like Jenny (and Mr. Rogers), I believe many of us makers feel grateful to be part of a community that creates – not only quilts, but comfort, inspiration, and kindness. (After all, we are the piece-makers ✌️)
Fun fact: Back in 1889, the women of Caldwell County (now home of Missouri Star) came together to create a “census” quilt. For an entire year, wives, mothers, and children throughout the county helped one another to hand-stitch the names of over 1,000 residents to create a gorgeous hand-sewn quilt that celebrated their entire community.
130 years later, the antique quilt remains a representation of the connections made among a community of quilter’s helping one another to create a beautiful, inclusive piece of art. It hangs inside our Caldwell Country Historical Society, seven miles from Missouri Star Quilt Co.
Much like those whose names were stitched onto that quilt from long ago, when you subscribe to BLOCK Magazine, you subscribe to become a part of a community of makers whose stories become stitched into our hearts! BLOCK Magazine’s upcoming summer issue contains our own stories and the stories of our readers, together building a community of creatives inspired by one another.
This five part sew-along walks you through every step until together – we’ve created a ravishing masterpiece! (Subscribe now so you won’t miss out!)
BONUS Table Runner Patterns
Enjoy three BONUS table runner projects, great for a quick refresh to your dining table!
Travel Pocket Project
This handy, little organizer is great for traveling with kids and other simple storage solutions.
Jenny’s Journal
Get an exclusive look into Jenny’s studio as she shares with you her latest projects. There’s always something unique and inspiring!
… and seriously, SEW MUCH MORE:
• Stories from Jenny, Missouri Star, and our readers! (Subscribers are invited to submit their own story and some are even published in BLOCK! Jenny loves to hear from our readers!)
• 10+ quilt patterns (including two hexi patterns by Daisy & Grace!)
• When you subscribe, you’ll get instant access to April’s digital issue so you can start enjoying BLOCK right away! (That means you’ll get seven issues for the price of six!)
• NO ads and your subscription ships free!
Take a look behind the scenes!
Photographer and photo stylist, Lauren Dorton, smiles for the camera as she prepares this gorgeous River Path Quilt for it’s debut in the next issue.
Lead photographer, Mike Brunner, snaps a few shots of Jenny as she poses during a photo shoot for BLOCK Magazine.
“The most satisfying part of my job is finding a location and props for a scene – one that brings life to the stories we tell in BLOCK. For this shot, we had decided on a crawfish boil, indicative of a southern and celebratory meal. I wasn’t aware what a task this would be until I contacted local grocery stores and made several other calls to no avail.
I had succeeded to photographing a boiling pot of water at best until, luckily, I saw exactly what I needed on social media! A local family posted a photo of their crawfish boil! I immediately contacted them and they gladly accommodated my request, but I had NO IDEA I would be purchasing LIVE crawfish, fresh from the Louisiana bayou! I went to pick them up (thinking they were already cooked) and the ride home had me poking the crawfish back into the pot! I had never prepared them before and was apprehensive but they were absolutely delicious and made for a fabulous photo!
I’m always open to new adventures and experiences which is why I love working on the BLOCK Magazine team. This was definitely one to remember.”
– Jennifer Dowling, photo stylist
“We hope our magazine will inspire you to create beautiful quilts.” – Jenny
Test your quilting knowledge with this fun crossword puzzle! Click the image below to print out your very own free Missouri Star Quilt Co crossword puzzle and be sure to share your results on Facebook and Twitter. If you need a little help with your puzzle, download the full answer key in the link below!
Need a little help? Download the full answer key here!
“The world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.”
-Edwin Way Teale
Green is waving from the trees, yellow dandelions are popping, and our gardens are blooming. The year is beginning to look brighter, and not just because of spring colors. Though we may have missed weddings and graduations, we makers still know how to celebrate!
As you plan out your May projects for Mother’s Day, baby showers, and other life changing events – remember May represents new beginnings and anything is possible!
Coloring never gets old, from our first crayon masterpieces, to scribbling in the margins of notes, there is something soothing and satisfying about coloring between–and sometimes outside of–the lines.
Quilt patterns lend themselves quite nicely to coloring, and we have three free quilt coloring sheets to help spark your creativity!
Dashing Stars Quilt
Rhombus Cube Quilt
Jack and Jill Quilt
Click HERE to download the free Quilt Coloring Sheets!
Dashing Stars Quilt (also known as the Big Star Quilt)
Watch the tutorial HERE, and find it in our 2016 Holiday issue of BLOCK Magazine HERE , pick up a pattern HERE.
Rhombus Cube Quilt
Watch the tutorial HERE, and find it in our second issue of modBLOCK Magazine HERE and in BLOCK Volume 3, Issue 3 HERE. You can pick up the pattern HERE.
Jack and Jill Quilt
Watch the tutorial HERE, and find it in our 2015 Holiday issue of BLOCK Magazine HERE. You can find the quilt pattern HERE.
Happy quilting and coloring from all of us at Missouri Star!
