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Block 25, Sparks, designed by Jessica Dayon, brings a wonderful personality to the Sewcialites 3 sampler. This block is a beautiful example of how thoughtful piecing and a small unexpected detail can transform a more traditional design into something memorable.  The construction of Sparks draws attention to the relationship between symmetry and balance. While the overall composition has a calm and harmonious feel, one intentionally rotated corner unit creates a subtle shift that adds interest and keeps the eye engaged. This small design choice introduces a sense of playfulness, showing how a slight departure from expectation can bring a fresh perspective to a classic quilt block.  For my version, I selected Masala Spice, Caramel, Buttermilk, Sugar Rose, and Pink Grapefruit all from Thatched Basics. This palette creates a soft, inviting composition with warm neutrals and gentle rosy tones. The overall feeling is calm and balanced, while the variation between the colors provides enough contrast to define and highlight the individual elements within the block. In a design like Sparks, fabric placement plays an important role in emphasizing the structure of the block. Each color contributes to the way the shapes interact, allowing the details of the construction to remain visible while maintaining a cohesive overall look. The combination of subtle contrast and thoughtful placement gives the block depth without overpowering its delicate design.  With all 25 blocks now complete, it has been exciting to see how each individual design contributes to the personality of the finished sampler. Each block brought its own unique approach to construction, color, and composition. Next week, I’ll be sharing the completed quilt and how these distinct designs come together as one cohesive piece.
Happy Sewing! -Robin
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Block 24 brings us a beautifully intricate design by Lisa Bongean of Primitive Gatherings. Star Light is a block filled with detail, where the relationship between color, value, and placement plays an essential role in the overall composition. With so many elements working together, thoughtful fabric choices help define the structure of the block, allowing each shape to emerge while creating balance and movement throughout the design.  The complexity of this block makes the interaction between fabrics especially important. The contrast and harmony between the colors determine how the eye travels across the block, how the individual pieces are distinguished, and how the smaller elements come together as a unified whole.  For my version, I selected Buttermilk, Caramel, Pink Grapefruit, Smoked Paprika, Burgundy, and Primrose from Thatched Basics. This palette brings together soft neutrals, warm mid-tones, and deeper accents to create contrast while maintaining balance. Each fabric has a specific role, helping to define the individual components and allowing the intricate piecing to remain clear and cohesive.  Star Light is a wonderful example of how thoughtful construction and intentional fabric choices can work together to create a design full of detail and character. Each seam, shape, and color choice contributes to the final composition, making the process of building the block just as rewarding as the finished result.
Happy Sewing! -Robin This week, Sewcialites 3 brings us Block 22, Down To Earth, designed by Wendy Sheppard of Ivory Spring. At its heart, Down To Earth is a square-in-a-square-in-a-square block, but Wendy's innovative piecing method creates the illusion of two additional outer squares. This fresh interpretation of a classic design introduces a clean, balanced composition. Each successive frame naturally guides the eye toward the center, making the block an elegant study in geometry, value, and proportion.  Its versatility is a qualities I appreciate. The design readily adapts to a wide range of fabric choices—bold contrasts emphasize the nested shapes, tonal palettes create a quiet sense of depth, and scrappy combinations bring an entirely different energy. The block responds beautifully to each approach, revealing a new personality with every color palette.  For my version, I selected Early Dawn, Sugar Rose, Fuchsia, and Cranberry. Rather than relying on dramatic contrast alone, I focused on the relationship between color and value to distinguish each nested square. The interplay of these fabrics gives every layer its own identity while establishing a gentle visual rhythm that draws the eye inward and highlights the elegance of the block's geometric structure.  One of the joys of a block like Down To Earth is discovering how much influence fabric selection has on the final result. A subtle shift in color or value can completely transform its character, making it a wonderful reminder that quilting is as much about composition as it is about piecing.
Happy Sewing! -Robin This week's Sewcialites 3 block is Gazebo, designed by Doug Leko of Antler Quilt Design. I'm not sure Doug envisioned this block dressed entirely in shades of pink, but I have to say—it is absolutely delicious! This palette gives the design a fresh, unexpected look while allowing the striking geometry of the block to take center stage.  The Gazebo block is perfect for playing with color. With just a few different shades of pink, it takes on an entirely different personality—from bold and dramatic to soft and understated. Whether you choose a soft palette, high contrast, or a rainbow of prints, the design offers endless possibilities for creative expression.  The Thatched fabrics used this week are Early Dawn, Sugar Rose, Fuchsia, and Primrose. By working within a single color family, the focus shifts from color to value, allowing the varying shades to define the design. From the soft, delicate Early Dawn presented as the background fabric to the bold Fuchsia at the center of the block, each fabric plays an important role. Sugar Rose provides a medium value that gently frames the center, while Primrose creates a soft outer border, bringing the entire composition together. This block is a wonderful example of how subtle shifts in value can create depth, and visual interest without relying on contrasting colors.  One of the fun parts of making a sampler quilt is watching the larger composition unfold. Each completed block contributes its own character, while the collection gradually comes together as a unified design. There are still a few weeks ahead, and I'm looking forward to seeing the final composition take shape.
Happy Sewing! -Robin Week 19 of Sewcialites 3 is here, and this week we're sewing Pinwheel Dash, designed by Bev McCullough of Flamingo Toes. As the name suggests, Pinwheel Dash is a delightful combination of two classic quilt blocks—a pinwheel and a churn dash. It's always fun to see familiar elements reimagined into something fresh, and Bev's design does just that.  For my version, I used Thatched in Fuchsia, Burgundy, Masala Spice, and Caramel. The construction is a bit more involved than it first appears, requiring careful piecing and accurate seam allowances. Bev's design is a wonderful example of how color placement can completely change the character of a quilt block.  The pops of Fuchsia naturally draw your eye to the pinwheel, making it the focal point of the block. I chose to use more Burgundy than the pattern suggests, rather than introducing additional colors, and it completely changed the overall look. The larger areas of Burgundy give the block a more unified appearance while allowing the pinwheel to shine without overwhelming the design. By simply moving color around you can transform a quilt block without changing a single seam. A different color choice or value placement can give the very same block an entirely different personality.  It's fun when a block surprises me, and Pinwheel Dash did just that. It's a wonderful example of how experimenting with color placement can create an unexpected and beautiful result.
Happy sewing! - Robin It's Friday, which means it's time for another Sewcialites 3 block reveal! This week we're making Block 17, Flutter, designed by Sandy Gervais of Pieces From My Heart. At first glance, Flutter might look like a nine-patch block, but take a closer look and you'll discover a clever twist. Not that we don't love a good nine-patch, it's a classic for a reason, but this block has a little fairy dust sprinkled on it. The construction is all straight piecing, making it approachable and enjoyable to sew, yet the design feels anything but ordinary. Oversized corner squares and pieced outer middle units create movement and interest, transforming a familiar layout into something fresh and playful.  What I especially appreciate about Flutter is how Sandy Gervais took a traditional block structure and gave it a different personality. It's a great reminder that sometimes the most creative designs come from reimagining the basics.  The Thatched fabrics I used this week are Early Dawn, Primrose, Sugar Rose, Pink Grapefruit, Smoked Paprika, Masala Spice, Caramel, and Buttermilk. I chose the darker Smoked Paprika for the center square and combined the remaining colors throughout the block to create a balanced, lighter overall look. The contrast helps draw your eye to the center while allowing the surrounding colors to flutter around it.  Flutter is a wonderful example of how thoughtful construction doesn't have to be complicated to be effective. A few clever design choices are all it takes to turn an everyday block into something memorable. See you again next week, friends.
Happy Sewing! - Robin This week’s Sewcialites 3, block 13 is Back Porch Block, designed by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree & Co.. It’s a beautifully detailed block with a lot of small pieces, making it a rewarding sew that sits comfortably in the intermediate skill range.  There’s a lot of structure in this design, and the piecing really comes together in a way that feels both traditional and fresh at the same time. Because of the number of smaller pieces, it’s one of those blocks that benefits from a little extra attention and patience. Spray starch is especially helpful if you're working on the 3" blocks, along with taking the time to press carefully and square up each step — but the finished result is absolutely worth it.  The color palette for this week is Burgundy, Cranberry, Fuchsia, Sugar Rose, Primrose, and Early Dawn. Each of these tones brings a soft progression of value and warmth, creating a cohesive, gently shifting gradient across the block layout from the center outward. My color selections are guided by the overall layout of the quilt. Since this block sits in the burgundy section of the design, I’ve used Burgundy as the background fabric. This helps anchor the block within its designated section while allowing the remaining colors to shine in the piecing.  It’s always interesting to see how each block contributes to the larger quilt design, especially when color placement plays such a key role in the overall structure. The Back Porch Block is a great example of how thoughtful color placement can completely change the look and feel of a complex block.
Happy Sewing. Robin Week 11 of Sewcialites 3 brings us the Snuggle Patch Block, designed by Edita Sitar of Laundry Basket Quilts. This block leans into a more traditional quilt block, making it a wonderful nod to classic patchwork. It’s labeled as a beginner skill level, but don’t let that simplicity fool you--Snuggle Patch offers a lot of versatility. From playful color combinations to more refined, tonal palettes, it can easily shift its personality depending on your fabric choices.  Beyond color, the block also shines in how it can be arranged within a full quilt layout. Whether repeated in a structured grid or mixed with other blocks in the Sewcialites series, it creates opportunities for a variety of finished looks. A timeless block with flexible possibilities, the Snuggle Patch block can offer endless creative potential.  This week’s Thatched color picks are especially rich and inviting: Pink Grapefruit and Burgundy—two of my personal favorites—paired with Masala Spice and Caramel. Together, these shades create a warm, layered palette that adds depth and a slightly sophisticated feel to this classic style block. It’s a beautiful example of how thoughtful color choices can elevate a classic design and give it a completely fresh look.  Seeing all of the blocks we’ve made so far come together is so satisfying. We’re almost halfway—what a fun sew-along this is! I’m already looking forward to next week.
Happy Sewing! Robin This week’s Sewcialites 3 block is almost too cute to resist. Block 10, the Little Berry Block, designed by Pat Sloan, adds a sweet and playful touch to the overall quilt with its charming patchwork berry motif. I’m working with the 3" finished size, which makes everything feel delightfully tiny—and definitely calls for a bit more care and precision. The smaller scale really highlights the patchwork details for this block, especially in the berry itself, where the two colors come together to create that classic berry look.  I couldn’t resist leaning fully into the theme, pulling from my Thatched fabrics of the rich Fuchsia and warm Sugar Rose for the berry itself, Caramel for the leaf unit, and Early Dawn as the background. The subtle texture of Thatched really enhances the block, giving the berry a soft, almost fuzzy texture that fits the theme perfectly.  This block is a fun make, and it delivers big on personality. It’s definitely one of those designs that would be adorable repeated across an entire quilt or even turned into smaller projects. Straight piecing combined with stitch-and-flip corners and half-square triangles, makes up this fun berry block.  A few notes from this week: Keeping a consistent seam allowance is especially important when working with pieces this small, as even slight variations can affect the final block. Pressing carefully made a big difference in reducing bulk, I pressed the seams open for this one.
Until next week, happy sewing! Robin Week 9 of Sewcialites 3 brings us the lovely Daylight block, designed by Corey Yoder of Coriander Quilts. This block feels like a breath of fresh air, with clean lines and balanced shapes, and a brightness peeking through the center that truly lives up to its name. The design has a gentle sense of flow, with light radiating outward, making it both eye-catching and versatile. It really shines when you play with contrast, allowing the structure of the block to take center stage.  For my version, I chose colors with its placement in my overall quilt layout in mind. Since it sits in the darker burgundy section, I wanted it to transition gently while still holding onto that “daylight” feel. I kept the center light and bright, then framed it with rich burgundy stitch-and-flip corners to anchor it into that deeper color story.  The colors I chose for this week’s block are Burgundy, Pink Grapefruit, Caramel, and Buttermilk—creating a warm, balanced palette. The lighter tones keep the center soft and luminous, while the burgundy adds depth and gently frames the design. I love how this approach allows the block to glow from within while still connecting to the surrounding fabrics, creating a thoughtful balance between light and depth.  As the weeks go on, the stack of blocks continues to grow, serving as a reminder of how far we’ve come and how each design builds on the last to create something truly special.
Happy Sewing, Robin |
About ROBINDesigner of colorful florals and Thatched basics for Moda Fabrics . Modern to transitional quilt designer, cross stitch designer, sewist, crafter. I am proud to be a designer for Moda Fabrics!
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