My newest quilt pattern, Dash

Creativity is so weird...

It’s so funny to me how waves of creativity come and go. Some days it’s a dry well, other days, it smacks you in the face before you even realized you were looking for it. When I was planning out the kinds of things I would be launching, carrying, etc for Quiltcon, one minute I’d have a flurry of ideas but nothing concrete. The next minute I was completely convinced I should simplify. I think the reality is a bit of a merging of both.

My new quilt pattern, Dash, came as a small spark of an idea when I didn’t know I was looking for one. I was looking back over all my quilts and quilt patterns and I’ll admit, I got a little nostalgic. I’ve been making quilts for over 25 years (and I’ve been blogging for 25 years!!). Looking back over all those quilts I was suddenly reminded of what about quilting appealed to me in the first place.

I didn’t grow up with quilters in my family. So whenever I saw a quilt that someone’s grandmother or family member had made, the ones made with lots and lots of different fabrics were the ones that stood out to me. They seemed so full of life, like they had quite a story to tell.

Quilts that have many different fabrics are still the ones I’m drawn to. And, I’m also intent on sewing through my fabric stash! My stash is much much smaller than you would think, I stopped buying quilting fabric when we moved to Santa Fe (we were downsizing) and only indulged in the occasional Liberty of London order. When I was looking through my stash of fabric recently, I was again reminded of all the pretty fabric I actually have at my fingertips. With no real reason to save it.

I become inspired to find ways to use more of it.

Which leads me to my new quilt pattern, Dash!

Dash was born out of the scrappy quilts I have always loved so much (actually, most of my quilt patterns these days are). I love lots of prints in a quilt, but I also love creating shapes and forms within the design. By using light, medium, and dark color value (or sometimes just light and dark) to create forms and shapes within the quilt design.

Stop by my booth at Quiltcon!

Dash is currently available as a PDF downloadable pattern. If you will be at Quiltcon this year, and prefer a printed copy, be sure and stop by booth #323, that I will be sharing with Denyse Schmidt. (That’s her #prettythingsfabric that I used to make the sample with. The next version of this will all be from my stash!) Printed copies will be available online at the end of February.

I am looking forward to seeing what you do with this pattern, it’s a fun one!

I hope to see some new versions popping up over on the #wisecraftdash hashtag soon!

In person workshop in 2025! Join me in Santa Fe, New Mexico!

Blair Stocker in Taos, Sept 2023
Ever since I moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 2020 from Seattle, Washington, I have been asked if I plan to teach in person workshops here. That has always been in the back of my mind, but never a reality, until now…and there is a sale happening on it right now, scroll to bottom if you impatient like me!READ MORE

A free live online event in collaboration with Creativebug!

Even though my kids are all grown up and I don’t make holiday ornaments as I did with them every year when they were little (which I documented on the very early days of my blog), I still love a holiday DIY. Which is why I am so excited to be teaming up with my friends at Creativebug for a fun little holiday project! READ MORE

Chicken Scratch Embroidery Sampler PDF Pattern now available

I can’t believe how quickly the #chickenscratchsampler sew along went! We will offer it again in 2025 but no date has been finalized at this time. In the meantime, be sure to check out the stitched panels showing up in the #chickenscratchsampler hashtag.

However!READ MORE

World Embroidery Series III with Tatter

WorldEmbIIIChickenScratch
I am thrilled to be teaching at Tatter’s World Embroidery Series III. My workshop on Chicken Scratch embroidery will be on Thursday, October 10th from 12pm-2:30pm ET.

Tatter contacted me a little over a month ago to discuss their World Embroidery Series lineup. They have taught this series twice before and each time they offer it they choose amazing techniques and experienced instructors to offer a whole series of online classes you can take from the comfort of your own sewing space.

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Temperature Quilt Mid-year update

It could be because I’m marking time by recording daily temperatures for this temperature quilt, but whatever the reason, this year is absolutely flying by. I have done yearly projects a few times before, but never a quilt. There’s something about knowing that it will take every one of these blocks to make the quilt and tell the full story that motivates me to keep going.READ MORE

Chicken Scratch Embroidery 101: My preferred gingham fabric

Chicken Scratch embroidery has been around for many many years. If you aren’t sure what I’m talking about, it is a simple series of embroidery stitches that are stitched exclusively on gingham fabric, using the grid of the gingham pattern itself to stitch the design. The finished pattern, which is a lot like traditional cross stitch, enhances the gingham fabric in a pretty way, and is a technique often used to embellish gingham aprons, clothing, curtains, etc. You may have seen vintage gingham aprons with this sort of stitching on them. Each country seems to have their own version of this simple stitching technique, as well as their own name for it- Amish lace, snowflake embroidery, Broderie Suisse, Australian cross stitch, depression lace, etc.

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