Illusion Blocks

One of the last lessons I gave before stopping in person teaching was about illusion blocks and patterns. This included patterns such as Storm at Sea, Bargello, Tumbling Blocks and Log Cabin. All can give wonderful illusions of depth, movement and curves even though they are all straight line blocks.

I experimented with producing an illusion quilt from a basic four patch block.

My first attempt was a disaster. For some reason I decided to work from the outside of the block into the centre. I really don’t know what I was thinking of when I started. I quickly realised that this was not such a good idea so restarted the experiment working from the centre of the block.

Working from the centre made sure that the seams matched well and that I could spread the seam bulk on the back of the block.

I have made it into a pattern which includes these tips to get a great looking seam joins.

The Disappearing Four Patch Illusion Block is now available from my Etsy Shop.

Illusion blocks and quilts are very exciting topics and ones I will return to. In the meantime – Happy Quilting, Bev

Newlands Table Runner

The Newlands Valley lies between the villages of Braithwaite and Buttermere. The narrow pass is one of my favourite road trips especially in the between season, summer to autumn when the hills are turning from the purple bilberries to the orange of the autumn bracken. I remember many happy walks up the hillsides picking bilberries as a family, (and then bilberry charlotte for pudding).

The Newlands table runner pictured has the lovely orange highlights of the autumn bracken but looks just as beautiful in other colour schemes

The pattern has now been updated in colour for 2026 and I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did. It is available from my Etsy shop as an instant PDF download for you to print at home Newlands Table Runner PDF

Happy quilting – Bev

Ullswater Quilt

I have been busy continuing to update my patterns, lots of computer work and not enough studio time, but I hope to spend some time in the studio next week. ( We are forecast a week of rain so I will have no excuse).

I have updated the Ullswater Quilt pattern in colour and it is the second kaleidoscope pattern to be published this year. Again using foundation piecing to achieve the kaleidoscope effect. The pattern includes suggested patch sizes to help prepare the patches, instructions for foundation paper piecing and templates for the block, as well as instructions to make the quilt shown.

The rectangular shape of the Ullswater block makes it a versatile pattern for other patchwork projects such as table runners and placemats.

The quilt shown is a useful throw rug at approximately 51″ x 55½” (130cmscms x 141cms) It is one of my favourite patterns and I hope it becomes one of yours too. It is now available as a PDF download from my Etsy shop – RoeMayo Ullswater Quilt

Ullswater is the second largest lake in the Lake District, a ribbon lake formed during the ice age. The origin of the name is unclear but may be from Ulf’s Lake, possibly after a Nordic chief but also may be from the old nordic for wolf – Ulfr, or after Ullr, a Norse god. An earthwork on the north east shore line is thought to be the remains of a viking settlement leading to the nordic connections. Although the origins of its name is unclear, Ullswater is one of the prettiest lakes in the Lake District.

Happy quilting, Bev

Sally’s Quilt

Last week I received one of my favourite types of email. Sally got in touch with pictures of quilts she has made with my patterns or from my workshops. She took part in the Ambleside quilt online workshop a few years ago and had since been continuing to quilt through her local U3A quilting group. I’m sure you will agree that her finished quilt is stunning.

She has also made lovely baby quilt with two of the Ambleside blocks, Market Cross and Bridge House.

Another surprise was this gorgeous pair of cushions using the Twisting Bear block.

I can’t express how proud It makes me, seeing Sally’s work and how she has developed in confidence and skill. I look forward to seeing what she does next.

The Grange Quilt

I have now stopped in person teaching due to losing my hearing. This has given me time to look back at unpublished designs and update them, ready to be shared on my Etsy shop and here. I am excited to announce that my Grange quilt pattern is now available.

It is one of my versatile kaleidoscope blocks which has been updated in colour for 2026. It includes suggested patch sizes to help prepare the patches, instructions for foundation paper piecing and templates for the block, as well as instructions to make the quilt shown.

Four sections make the complete Grange block, producing a bold pattern which is like the centre of a flower.

Although I am no longer teaching I am including all sorts of tips and hints in my patterns. The Grange has tips on using borders to square the quilt and how to work out the amount of fabric required for a double fold binding. I hope you find them useful

Keep Quilting

Bev

Easter is Coming

And the Chickens are getting ready for an Easter Egg hunt.

I have made these fun chickens for Alice and Robyn as a quirky alternative to an Easter Basket. Now I need to work out how many eggs I need to hide.

Easter this year though may be a little difficult as we are in the middle of a conservatory renovation. So far the old one has been demolished and the garden looks awful. However to cheer me up the ducks came visiting this morning and the cyclamen look beautiful. I think most of my bulbs have been dug up and eaten by mice and what does appear is eaten by slugs. I am trying to ignore the mess and spend time in my studio, which is always a happy place.

The pattern for the Easter Chicken is available on my Etsy shop, Easter Chicken along with the beautiful daffodil placemats.

Happy quilting

Bev

Looking forward to Spring

Christmas is a distant memory, but unfortunately cough and sniffles linger on. So it is time to look forward to Spring. Shoots and buds are appearing in the garden and I am looking forward to see what has survived the winter or not been eaten by mice. They seem to have a liking for allium and tulip bulbs. I think next year will have to plant twice as much and hope that some survive.

I couldn’t let a horrid head cold get the better of me so have taken the time and updated my daffodil foundation piecing pattern.

The pattern is a single daffodil with right and left facing options and has a finished size of approx 7 x 10 inches. I couldn’t resist making it into placemats for Easter and have included this as a bonus pattern.

Daffodil Foundation Piecing Pattern

I want to thank my pattern tester Sue Watson, who has never tried foundation piecing before. She said that she enjoyed learning a new technique and made a lovely block using batik fabrics. Have you had a go at foundation piecing yet? I find an “Add a Quarter” ruler helps with the placement of the patches.

And now back to the sketchbook to update the tulip pattern.

Happy Quilting

Bev

Nearly There

Yesterday was the last session for the Folded Fantasy quilt at Tudor Rose Patchwork. It has been 6 months of hard work from my students and the results of their efforts can be seen in the beautiful quilts tops they have made.

I love seeing how different the pattern looks in different colour ways. All of them quite dramatic and unique, Quilt works of art.

They were just completing the inset borders to add the final finishing touch to the quilts as the lesson finished. I love this border and can see it appearing in more of my quilt designs.

Whilst writing this blog post my sister rang, She asked if I was going to make another mystery quilt next year as it is fun watching the designs develop as they are a mystery to me as well as everyone else until they are finished. Over the years she has watched blocks being moved and arranged, changed and discarded, on my design wall . All I can say is watch this space – it’s a mystery. There are quite a lot of ideas percolating in my head at the moment.

In the mean time I am going to develop the workshop notes into a pattern which will be available early in the new year on my etsy shop RoeMayo

Happy Quilting, Bev

Mini Quilts

Teaching patchwork and quilting over many years has left me with lots of samples and demonstration pieces. Some are more complete than others and some are step by step “Blue Peter” type part finished samples. There comes a time when all of these part finished samples need to be made into something.

A couple of years ago I made Robyn a bedding set for her dolls cot. I had designed a Sunbonnet Sue and Overall Sam for a class earlier in the year and thought that one of the samples would make a perfect dolls cot quilt. It was the right size, but for some reason she thought the quilt was too small as it didn’t cover her dolls head. I still can’t quite work out how a child’s mind works as I am too far removed from that age. I think it looked great. I am hoping that at some point her dolls will not need to have their heads covered if they are asleep!

I wonder if Alice will have the same reaction when she opens her Christmas present this year. I also hope she like purple.

Happy Quilting

Bev

How Time Flies

I can’t believe it has been so long between posts and I have to apologise to anyone waiting to hear more of my story. You will know that the last few years have been full of downs and ups and it has taken me quite a while to get my mojo back. I have been keeping busy with teaching and I love seeing what my students come up with to challenge me. I also love seeing how they take and adapt my patterns and projects.

We have been kept busy with the new addition to our family, another beautiful granddaughter, Alice and as you can see her big sister is besotted with her too.

This years mystery quilt has been a folded fantasy sampler quilt.

It has been challenging but fun and we are now at the end of the course.

I thought last years mystery quilt was challenging as it focussed on curves. I think I was called all sorts of names by my students, but all the quilts looked beautiful.

I am not sure what names I have been called this year but I can’t wait to see how their quilts turn out. In the meantime it is back into the studio for patchwork and more pattern writing.

Bev