I admire the graphic nature of many of the designs by Eudaimonia Studio and have made several quilts from her patterns. This latest one is from a pattern named Sincerely.

The background fabric is a metallic silver I bought some time ago. Maybe you can see it better in this next photo. Look at the cool quilting as well–it’s a panto from Urban Elementz called Retro Lines One.

Quilt Stats

Name: Sincerely

Pattern: Sincerely by Eudaimonia Studio

Finished size: 59″ x 59″

Pieced by: me

Quilted by: Linda Nichols

If you like unusual patterns, check out Eudaimonia Studio. She has a number of free patterns in addition to those for sale in her shop.

For those of you not familiar with it, the phrase “half a bubble off plumb” is used to describe someone or some action that isn’t quite right (in the opinion of the speaker, of course). The “bubble” referred to is that on a traditional level (tool used in building), which will be half a bubble off if the board you’ve laid it on isn’t level. And so…

Since this quilt is a little crazy, I named it Half A Bubble Off Plumb. 

This quilt is made from “studies” done in Tara Faughnan’s block studies course for 2024-25, which of course you’ve read about here. I added a few strips and other pieces and re-arranged the pieces for days before deciding on the layout.

After deliberation, I decided on this black fabric with tiny dots of various colors for the binding.

Quilt Stats

Name: Half A Bubble Off Plumb

Finished size: 57″ x 59″

Designed by: me, using blocks from Tara Faughnan’s block studies course

Quilted by: Linda Nichols

I guess this counts as another orphan quilt, with more to come because I have lots of blocks left from Tara’s class.

As mentioned previously, I have well over 100 “orphan blocks”. Many are just leftovers from quilts where I made extra blocks. A friend recently asked WHAT I could do with them!

I know some of you like to put those on the back of the quilt, and I agree it looks good, BUT: I hate piecing backs, and long-arm quilters hate pieced backs. That’s two reasons, and the second one is the more important; I DO NOT want to aggravate anybody who is willing to quilt for me.

I do piece backs sometimes anyway. For example, this quilt had so very many extra blocks that I just made it reversable:

This and other patterns by Sassafras Lane are surprisingly easy and are good for using fabric collections

But what else can be done with them?

If you have 9 that are similar enough in color/value/style/whatever, a Circle of Nine quilt works well. There are multiple Circle of Nine quilt books by Janet Houts and Jean Ann Wright; just look on the used book websites.

A couple of Circle of Nine Quilt,s to use up orphan blocks

I’ve also taken a bunch of leftover blocks, cut them up, and put them on the design wall with variable sashing to make an improv quilt.

I made this quilt from orphan blocks

Orphan blocks can be used in place of focus fabric in quilts designed for big prints, like the BQ patterns.

Orphan blocks can be used as the “focus fabric” in patterns designed for big prints

And some of us are so stuck on the same color families that blocks from many different quilts can be combined into one. This next quilt is made entirely from orphan blocks. Some had to have sashing added, some had to be cut up, but they all worked.

Blue Sky and Sunshine, 60″ x 72″

Of course a limited number of similar blocks can be combined into a table runner, even if it’s necessary to add sashing to make the sizes equal..

This little block was hand quilted and given a facing to finish the edges for a wall hanging.

I had forgotten about this little leaf-pounding piece that I quilted by hand.

And individual blocks can be made into placemats, mug rugs, potholders, etc.

What do you do with orphan blocks?

No, I didn’t repair a quilt. Repair is the name of this pattern by Eudaimonia Studio.

I made this one a while back and loved it…

Patterns by Eudaimonia Studio often use large pieces and are fairly easy to piece

So I made a second one, arranging the blocks differently and adding a border:

Quilt Stats

Name: Repair 2 (yeah, I know, not very original)

Finished size: 65″ x 71″

Pattern by: Eudaimonia Studio

Pieced by: me

Quilted by: Linda Nichols

I like this one even better than the first!

And just for fun, here’s a picture of the trunk of my friend’s car headed for Ronald McDonald House with our group’s quilts!

On a recent trip we stopped at the Virginia Quilt Museum in Dayton, VA. It was small but lovely, with well-hung exhibits in a nice interior space. Here are a few samples.

As you can see, the interior space is beautiful and simple to make a good backdrop for the quilts

There was an exhibit of quilts by Virginia quilter Emma Allen:

Quilt by Emma Allen

Quilt by Emma Allen

“Gossamer Wings” by Emma Allen

There was a fun exhibit of vintage sew machines.

There were a number of machines in their original cabinets, including this one that looks just like what my grandmother used well into the 1950s.

There were these beautiful quilts by Barbara Hollinger:

The museum is located off the beaten path, but the drive was lovely and a welcome break from the interstate. And if you have time there’s a large quilt shop in Dayton!