quilting magazine | Missouri Star Blog

July 21, 2020July 24, 2020

Behind the scenes of BLOCK Magazine – August 2020

Dear Quilters,

This year has been so completely out of the ordinary, and challenging in so many ways, that I find myself simplifying again and experiencing great joy in the things that I have often taken for granted. Now, preparing for the holiday season is less about the hustle and bustle of finding just the right present, but taking the time to help create a warm, welcoming spirit in my home and in my community.

As I contemplate the spirit of generosity, I recognize that giving comes in many forms. Some give of their time and energy, some share love abundantly and easily, some can listen for hours, some give the biggest hugs, and some create handmade gifts to share. There are many ways to be generous and no matter how you like to give, your intentions absolutely matter. As we’ve experienced, the simplest gift from a child—a crumpled flower, a scribbled picture, or a sloppy kiss—can mean so much. Their intention comes through, as does ours. Never give in to the thought that your offering is insufficient. If you’ve given from the heart, that’s all that truly matters.

Considering the state of our nation, we could all use an extra boost of kindness. Let’s make this season a time to truly give from the heart and reach out to our loved ones. Let’s slow down, savor the simple moments with friends and family, and do the things that bring us joy. Please remember, you’re always welcome at Missouri Star and you are all family to me.

Love,

Jenny

WHAT IS BLOCK MAGAZINE?

BLOCK Magazine is a great way to become a part of the Missouri Star Family. The goal of this “idea book” is to empower others to learn, get inspired, and create! With more than 10 quilting projects in every issue, plus stories that warm your heart, BLOCK Magazine is sure to deliver something for everyone and become a trusted source of inspiration for your sewing room!

Produced and published right here at Missouri Star – each issue comes to you completely ad-free. We incorporate personal stories from our family and our dear readers, provide tips on favorite notions, and teach skill-building techniques.

“I don’t usually feel the need to contact the company of the magazine I purchased, however, this is a different circumstance. I just received my first issue of BLOCK Magazine. I wanted to let your company know how thoroughly impressed I am! The quality of the magazine is far more than I have come to expect from different companies. The quality of the images right down to the print stock… just fabulous! Thank you for putting so much thought and effort into your product. This is the type of publication that you hold on to. I am just so very pleased, I had to let you know.”
– Lora Andera, BLOCK Magazine subscriber

WHAT’S IN THE NEXT ISSUE OF BLOCK MAGAZINE?

Planning ahead for the holidays with Christmas decor patterns and a Halloween bonus!
Learn English paper piecing and how to make a pincushion with Sue Daley!
Get helpful tips and tricks for fun with fusible appliqué.

BLOCK Magazine Volume 7 Issue 4 August Issue

In Jenny’s Journal, join her in her home studio to see what she’s been working on for her friends, grandchildren, or just for herself and her home.
Several quilt patterns such as Pop Stars, Diamond Terrace, and Dresden Blooms.
Plus part three of our Ruby Sensation Sew-Along >>>

It’s not too late to join in the fun!

HERE’S A LOOK BEHIND THE SCENES OF OUR NEXT ISSUE!

When you flip through BLOCK’s fresh, glossy pages you’ll find gorgeous photography, fun patterns, brilliant ideas, and one-of-a-kind stories! Those are all brought to you by a team of almost 30 people who bring BLOCK Magazine to life! Take a peek into all the hard work, creativity and love that is poured into each issue:

Natalie and Jenny working together to plan for BLOCK Magazine

The BLOCK Magazine copy-writing team working hard

“When we were reviewing the quilts for this upcoming issue of BLOCK, there was concern expressed that the advent calendar project was not reading as a tree in the center with the first fabric choice made (as seen below)! We decided to see if the sewing team could redo the project using different background fabric. With deadlines coming quickly, that seemed very concerning. Luckily, our team is filled with creatives that are always thinking up innovative solutions”
– Christine Ricks, Creative Director of BLOCK Magazine

“I pondered this for about six hours. Then, while driving home from dinner with my husband the ah-ha moment struck. I kept thinking about the Triple Play that Natalie, Jenny, and Misty did using hexies. Misty turned her hexies around and used the back for the front, so it dawned on me that we could turn around those red hexies to the front. We did it, and the tree is much more defined (as you can see above)!”
– Courtenay Hughes, Missouri Star Academy instructor

Subscribe by Monday, July 27 to receive this next issue to your doorstep (with no shipping cost!) by mid-August! Pst! You’ll also receive April and June’s digital issues completely FREE so you can jump right in to our Ruby Sensation sew along without missing a beat!

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

March 25, 2020April 27, 2020

“Home is Where the Quilts Are” – Behind the scenes of BLOCK Magazine Volume 7 Issue 2

Writing to you from the comfort of home is a privilege in this fast-paced world. I often find myself between places, driving long distances or flying to far-off locations to visit quilters around the world. It can be hard to feel comfortable in such circumstances, but I’ve found out something incredible about the quilting world. No matter where I go, as long as I can find a quilt shop, I feel right at home. After all, home is where the quilts are!

Home is such a lovely place to be. I recently dug into my sewing studio for some spring cleaning and unearthed some truly vintage finds! It’s been a pleasure to sort through my treasured fabric stash and remember what I really love about quilting…

…the feel of the fabric, the joy of selecting a stack of prints and sewing them together without a pattern. Cutting, stitching, pressing, and repeating the process over and over. There’s something very comforting about it and I look forward to spending time with these simple creative pursuits whenever I get a spare moment.

This spring, let’s dig into quilting with renewed vitality! Do what is necessary to start fresh, whether it’s a bit of light cleaning and dusting or a major fabric stash overhaul, and you’ll be amazed to find yourself itching to get back behind a sewing machine again. Celebrate the art of quilting by treating your machine, your fabrics, and your space with gratitude and you’ll be rewarded every time.

Love,
Jenny

“Home is such a lovely place to be!” This message from Jenny is truly comforting as many of us prepare to stay indoors. As we watch the bustling world around us wind down, we notice the incredible way people have worked together to keep one another safe, educated, and inspired during these trying times.

Here at Missouri Star, community is something very close to our hearts and BLOCK Magazine is a big part of that. This “idea book” is a way for us to share with you how quilting has impacted our little part of the world. When you open an issue of BLOCK, you become apart of our community as we connect with you through authentic stories and photos and the sharing of ideas.

Missouri Star BLOCK Magazine Volume 7 Issue 2 Cover

We recently redesigned BLOCK Magazine into something we feel is a better visual representation of who we are and what we value: YOU and our ability to educate and inspire you to create. We still have all the same content you love, but we’ve added more for you to truly experience and feel the joy that creativity brings to us all!

Things like…

The Ruby Sensation Sew-Along which comes in FIVE parts! A new sew-along block will be featured in each issue that comes out this year. (If you’re not subscribed, you’ll want to do so now so you won’t miss a step!)
A mix and match of patterns and prints (Unique, modern patterns meet traditional prints, and vice versa)
Educational articles with helpful tips and tricks and even, fun articles like celebrating local history!
10 step by step quilt patterns, bonus mini projects, and gift ideas!
Jenny’s Journal (See what Jenny’s working on. You may see something you’d like to try!)
And as always, there are NO ads and your subscription ships free!

Take a look behind the scenes and get a sneak peek of
what’s inside our upcoming issue:

Missouri Star BLOCK Magazine Volume 7 Issue 2 Road Trip

In the next issue, you’ll discover how to turn your adventures into a quilt filled with your favorite appliquéd states with the Road Trip pattern. Choose your own or embellish them for a customized quilt (or pillow!)

BLOCK’S photo-stylist, Jennifer Dowling, and sister, Maggie proudly display their favorite appliquéd states next to the Christopher S. Bond Bridge in Kansas City, MO.

Missouri Star BLOCK Magazine Volume 7 Issue 2 Luminary

BLOCK Magazine’s creative director, Christine Ricks, stands atop the National WWI Museum and Memorial displaying patriotic colors in the Luminary quilt. This is a great spot to take a good look at Kansas City’s gorgeous architecture and Union Station!

Missouri Star BLOCK Magazine Volume 7 Issue 2 Wonder

Alongside the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts, Christine cozies up with the Wonder quilt, a design by Katie Larson.

This center, located in Kansas City, MO, only 60 miles from Missouri Star, is a place where people from all over come to discover culture and community through theater, art, music, and history.

Over $50 worth of information is packed into each bi-monthly issue of BLOCK Magazine for just $7.99! ($9.99 bi-monthly for Canadian subscriptions.)

SUBSCRIBE TO BLOCK MAGAZINE TODAY

What inspires you to create? Let us know in the comments!

May 16, 2019May 16, 2019

Behind the Scenes: BLOCK Magazine

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 voilà, 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!

“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.

Prop Making with Lauren — 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 designs and models — 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.”
-Christine Ricks, Creative Director

SUBSCRIBE TO BLOCK MAGAZINE!

December 29, 2017February 26, 2018

Courtship Quilt

This year in BLOCK Magazine, we have followed the courtship of Ingrid and Gustav. Flip to the back of any 2017 issue to enjoy another piece of their love story – and the quilt block that goes along with it. Now that the year has come to a close and Gustav and Ingrid have found their “happily ever after,” we’re ready to put those blocks together to make one beautiful Courtship Quilt. The best part? Every single block in this quilt is made up of half-square triangles. What could be easier? Click HERE to watch the tutorial!

(If you’ve missed out on the tale of Ingrid and Gustav, click HERE to order your own copies of BLOCK Magazine. Choose digital download to start reading right away!)

February 6, 2014

We’re publishing our own magazine! Why?

So we have some big news over here at Missouri Star Quilt Company! We are self publishing a magazine called “Block” and we’re really excited to take this journey with you all! But more on this in a minute, first, let’s talk about how we got here and why we’re going down this road.

As many of you know, last year we got approached by Fons and Porter and the folks at New Track Media about doing a magazine for them. Mom was tickled to death at the thought of being in a magazine, so as is the case with most things we do in life, we went to work to make mama happy 🙂

After a year of doing the magazine, we parted ways, Quilting Quickly is no longer a Missouri Star Quilt Company production. We were bummed out, but life has to go on.

So, like we are prone to do, we sat on our hands content to do nothing (I’m rolling my eyes here :). Then we kept getting great feedback from you all. You loved patterns to go along with the videos, you wanted a subscription option, you wished you could order them from the beginning and not have them run out and go away forever. That was a big one for us! We have new customers finding us all the time, they want to read about who we are and get the patterns for the tutorials and follow along with our story, but we can’t get them and neither can anyone else. So we started thinking…

What if we did our own magazine, we would showcase the quilts that we know best, the ones Mom is already a pro at teaching on from the tutorials. The quilt projects would be the most recent quilt tutorials plus a few legacy ones to help us get caught up with quilts from the archive. But we didn’t want to start a magazine department that needed advertisers and fancy titled people and things like that, it’s too expensive for a little operation like ours. So what if instead of advertising, we just featured new fabric lines in the quilts and hoped that the increased exposure for the fabric would be enough? We liked never having to call anyone to ask for advertising, that was a cool idea.

We had another thought, we should cut the cost down, from $10 to $6 to keep it interesting for you all. The page count will stay the same, with no advertisements, leaving room for lots more quilting ideas and inspiration. Did you hear that, zero pages of ads!! This means we get to do the magazine the way we wanted to. We get to let the quilts breathe a little bit. No more trying to smush it all in there, we can show you some pictures, and work through the process. Do the patterns with a bit more detail, all the things we’ve been wanting to do, we’ll just do them!

So we called everyone we knew who had done anything like that and started asking questions. Learning how to do this stuff, there was a lot to learn! We found a great art director, Christine, hired on Stephen and Cassie to help us create and make, then our sister Natalie got to work doing the genius stuff she always does. She came up with our first issue’s worth of new quilts in an afternoon with Mom, had them made and out the door to be quilted in no time, and is already onto the second issue!

And finally … it’s here! We’re pulling the cover off our big project we call “Block” – I guess we already told you that, but we are so proud of how it turned out. Christine did a great job, Natalie did a great job, Stephen and Cassie did a great job, and Mom of course always does a great job! 🙂

So here’s the deal. If we can tell people about this, if we can get enough people to buy into it, we can keep doing it! It’s a great price, it’s a beautifully done magazine, and we’re doing 6 issues a year instead of 4. It’ll be chock full of great patterns, 10 of them, and they’ll each have a coordinating youtube tutorial. So go tell it on the mountain! Buy one for a friend, get them hooked! We can’t do this the old school way. We don’t have advertisers. We don’t have rack space at your local big box stores, we have them here and then will be wholesaling them to local independent quilt shops as well, but we need you to help us make this stick! So give it a read, if you would like to see anything in there, if you have ideas or feedback for us, if you have a designer we should interview or anything like that, let’s do it! We really hope this journey goes for a while!! We are really excited to keep making great things for you all! Thank you for supporting our passions!!

The magazine will be in our shop and online in the coming weeks, so you can’t buy it until then, but we did build a subscriber option, so you can subscribe right now, and it’ll be to your door the same time we get it here! If you subscribe, it’ll ship for free too, so that’s a sweet deal right! Go do it! Subscribe Subscribe Subscribe!!