The Doan Family celebrating last years big game in February 2020.
Does your family have football traditions? Here in Hamilton, Missouri we love to celebrate our favorite Kansas City football team and we are so excited to see them bringing more attention to the great state of Missouri once again. Whether your family goes to the backyard to throw around the pig skin or serves up an incredible halftime meal, we hope that you have a chance to enjoy your festivities of choice safely!
For those of us looking to make changes this year and celebrate smaller, there are still plenty of fantastic options to do so! What football fan wouldn’t want to celebrate the final victory of the year under a warm and cozy Blipper? Get crafting with a quick turnaround in mind with our Last Minute Gameday Projects featured HERE!
Missouri Star Quilt Co. employees gathered last year to show their support by wearing red.
Football is a big deal in the Doan household, as Misty stated in a recent issue of BLOCK Magazine, “Every Sunday is a party at our house when it’s football season – and more importantly, when the Chiefs are playing! We all wear red, of course, and everyone brings food to share, from delicious barbeque to tasty Mexican dishes and cute little appetizers. We also have a floating Chiefs football helmet that has become part of the gameday superstition. My husband Jake likes to say, ‘if it’s spinning, we’re winning!’ I LOVE FOOTBALL!”
While we can’t gather in the big groups we once did, you can still make the big game extra special. If you’re crunched for time, surprise your household with a simple treat straight from Misty Doan’s kitchen!
Misty’s Chicken Hot Wing Dip recipe from BLOCK Magazine Volume 7 Issue 5.
However you’re celebrating this weekend, we wish you all the best! If you’re planning to spend your time quilting rather than cheering (or a combination of both for the multi-taskers out there) we hope you share your football creations with us by using #msqcshowandtell on all of our social media pages!
BLOCK Magazine is an “idea book” designed, produced, and published by Missouri Star Quilt Co. As you flip through each glossy page you’ll find gorgeous photography, fun patterns, brilliant ideas, and one-of-a-kind stories! For seven years – hard work, creativity and pure love has been poured into each issue!
Q: How many people does it take to make an issue of BLOCK Magazine? A: It takes a team of about forty people!
Here’s how they do it:
Each issue of BLOCK starts with thoughtful planning months in advance. First, the design of a quilt is put together by Jenny Doan and her daughter, Natalie Earnheart. They choose patterns and themes and then request the fabric they want to use. Once the fabric arrives, they team up with our sewists to complete the quilt tops.
Next, the pattern writers break the design down into steps, figuring out precut fabric and yardage requirements, and noting when any tools or templates are needed. Then, they outline the sewing process, piece by piece, so you have a visual of how the block comes together.
Then the quilts are sent over to our Machine Quilting department to have batting and backing added and are quilted up on big longarm quilting machines. Afterwards, our sewists carefully stitch on the binding and voilĂ – a completed quilt ready to star in BLOCK!
This magazine isn’t just quilt patterns though. There’s so much more to discover like, inspirational stories, educational articles, and amazing photography.
The copywriters for BLOCK collect the memoirs of Missouri Star family members and employees as well as inspiring stories from quilters from all around the world. They then use those to create story prompts and begin crafting beautifully written stories that will make you laugh, cry, feel inspired, or overjoyed. Our copywriters truly have a way with words and you’ll get all the feels with the stories they whip up!
“When I write stories, I often get to reach out to people, Jenny included, and ask them about their own stories. It’s so much fun to hear their stories and bring them to life in BLOCK. I love writing, so it’s all fun to me.” – Nichole Spravzoff
The team also follows up with the latest trends and performs a ton of their own research in order to share with you the most top notch techniques in quilting and sewing!
Once all the quilts are quilted and the stories are written, our photographers help piece it all together by providing a scene that will bring the quilt to life.
The photo team is very resourceful when it comes to finding or crafting props and they have the most intuitive eyes for seeking out the right location for each quilt. When food is involved, they even prepare meals such as a Thanksgiving turkey for a fall scene or baking cookies for celebratory backgrounds.
Once the photography is done, everything is then tied together to build out proofs to be sent over to the printer. Each issue is then shipped out and ready for you to enjoy!
Together – several different departments work together here at Missouri Star to bring to you a quality magazine at a great price.
Fun Facts
The first issue of BLOCK was printed in 2014
It takes 4-6 months to create each complete issue of BLOCK
BLOCK is published locally in Missouri
All the quilt designs, stories, and photography are original works of art
BLOCK doesn’t require ad revenue, it relies on subscriptions from readers like you
Over 60 original quilts and other fun projects are made each year for BLOCK
BLOCK Magazine is an “idea book” designed, produced, and published by Missouri Star Quilt Co. When you flip through these fresh, glossy pages you’ll find gorgeous photography, fun patterns, brilliant ideas, and one-of-a-kind stories! You’ll be left to wonder, “Who are these people surrounded by beautiful quilts and pretty props?” or “Who wrote that inspiring story?” and “Who in the world pieces together all these quilts!?”
We want to introduce you to the team of around 40 people who bring BLOCK Magazine to life! Take a peek into all the hard work, creativity and just pure love that is poured into each issue!
Executive & Managing Editors
The design of a quilt is decided by Jenny Doan and her daughter, Natalie Earnheart. They choose patterns and themes and then request the fabric they want to use. Once the fabric arrives, they team up with sewists, Carol and Janice, to complete the quilt tops.
Executive Editors include Mike Mifsud, Alan Doan, Sarah Galbraith, David Mifsud, and Jenny Doan. Natalie Earnheart is Managing Editor.
Sewists, Quilters, and Binders
“I’m a sewist so I help piece the quilt tops… I love that I get to be a small part of inspiring people who read BLOCK magazine. I have visions of people sharing their love of others through the gift of quilting… I have been a model a few times for the magazine and that has been really fun. Something I never thought I would get to do.”– Carol Henderson
Jenny Doan, Natalie Earnheart, Carol Henderson, and Janice Richardson make up the sewist team for BLOCK.
After the sewists piece together the quilt tops, they are sent over to our Machine Quilting department of over 20 skilled longarmers. Here, the quilt tops receive batting and backing and are then carefully quilted. After, the sewists stitch on the binding and then voilĂ , a finished quilt ready to become the star of the latest BLOCK issue!
Pattern Team
Before the quilt tops are quilted, they are sent to our pattern team to examine. The pattern writers will then write step-by-step instructions on how to create the quilt. They figure out yardage requirements, tools needed, and outline every little action needed to be taken in order to complete a quilt and send them off to the editors. Once approved by the editors, the pattern is sent back to Carol and Janice for testing. When the sewists give the okay, it is ready the talented designer, Tyler, to whip up some illustrations for our readers to have a visual representation for each step in the pattern. After one last review by all, the pattern is ready to featured in the next BLOCK Magazine!
Here the Pattern Team: Jessica Toye, Denise Lane, Tyler MacBeth, Edie McGinnis go over final drafts with Creative Director: Christine Ricks, Managing Editor: Natalie Earnheart, and Executive Editor: Jenny Doan.
“My favorite part of my job is working with such a talented group of people. And how we all work together to put together something that we can all be proud of.” – Denise Lane
“I love seeing BLOCK come together. It is so much fun to see a quilt in its earliest form and work on the transition to what our readers see in the magazine.” – Jessica Toye
Copywriters
Nichole, our lead copywriter, collects the memoirs of Missouri Star family members as well as inspiring stories from quilters from all around the world to plan story prompts for BLOCK. Then, Nichole, Camille, Julie, and David will craft beautifully written stories that go along with each quilt. Our copywriters truly have a way with words. You’ll fall in love with the stories they create!
Nichole Spravzoff (top left) and Camille Maddox (top right) both work remotely and are still able to wonderfully capture the voice of Missouri Star! Julie Barber and David Litherland (bottom) work together in the creative studio on copy ideas for the next issue!
“When I write stories, I often get to reach out to people, Jenny included, and ask them about their own stories. It’s so much fun to hear their stories and bring them to life in BLOCK. I love writing, so it’s all fun to me.” – Nichole Spravzoff
“My favorite part about writing for BLOCK is when I get to use personal memories and experiences as inspiration for the story prompts. It’s a lot of fun for me to figure out how to build a story off of a special moment!” – Julie Barber
Photography Team
Mike Brunner is our talented lead photographer. In charge of completing a successful photoshoot for the team, Mike enjoys working with and appreciates the ideas and collaboration of everyone involved. From unwelcoming weather to making the models feel comfortable to making sure the colors and settings are accurate, Mike has an intuitive eye for creating beautiful photography for BLOCK Magazine.
Lauren Dorton is not only a talented photographer and photo-stylist, but she is an brilliant maker. Above, we see her strolling old country roads to gather pretty plant life in which she pieces together to create a winter bouquet for a scene in BLOCK Magazine. The entire team is very resourceful when it comes to finding props and Lauren is amazing at crafting everyday items into amazing props.
Jennifer Dowling is responsible for locating places that are indicative to our hometown, casting the right models, and gathering props. When food is involved, Jennifer turns into a caterer and prepares food such as a Thanksgiving turkey for a fall scene or baking cookies for celebratory backgrounds. Jennifer styles the scene in a way that brings the story to life for each quilt.
Once the photos are all shot, they are sent off to Dustin Weant, our amazing photo retoucher. Dustin really helps to bring the quilts into focus and allows for the models and scenery to really shine in the background!
Creative Director/Printing Coordinator
Creative Director, Christine Ricks is behind the scenes the entire 4-6 months it takes to create and finish an issue. Christine designs mood boards and creates style guides with the help of Tyler from the pattern team in which the rest of the team can refer to during the making. They use the changing seasons and coming holidays for inspiration. Flying in from her home in Utah every few months, Christine works closely with all of the teams involved to ensure the entire creation of BLOCK is done smoothly and timely.
Lastly, all the last minute details and printing services are organized and set into motion by BLOCK’s printing coordinator, Rob Stoebener. Then they are ready to be sent out by our speedy shipping department from the warehouse and into your mailbox!
Each issue is only $7.99 for a total of $47.94 a year for six issues when you subscribe. [Canada rates are $9.99 per issue, for a total of $59.94 a year for six issues.]
The best part about this magazine is there are absolutely NO ads! It is a 100% pure, original, authentic Missouri Star creation!
“Your subscriptions matter. You help us keep it ad-free! It’s Missouri Star’s choice to keep it a high quality magazine and get value out of it. From the quality of paper to the photography, and the writing, it’s all from the heart.”
We have a new Quilt Snips Mini Tutorial for you today! It’s our Garden Party Quilt Block and you won’t believe how easy it is to make! All you need is some charm squares and some 1.5″ squares of white fabric to snowball the corners!
You can watch the Garden Party Quilt Snips video as well as the full Garden Party Quilt Tutorial HERE!
If you try out this Garden Party pattern, make sure to share a photo of your project on social media (Facebook, Instagram or Twitter) using #gardenpartyquilt and #msqcshowandtell!
For many Olympians, it’s all about speed, and the difference between last place and gold can be a matter of mere hundredths of a second! If speed-quilting were an Olympic event, surely the gold medal would go to Jenny and her Super Easy Hourglass quilt. This block can be constructed at lightning speed, and it’s so darn cute!
Click on the button to watch the YouTube video tutorial and get everything you need to make your very Hourglass Quilt, the Super Easy Way!
