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McElwain Quilts, PO Box 247, Randolph, OH (2026)

08/21/2026

Evening Shadow: BlockBuster #34
Week Three: The Reveal of the Final Block: The Center

Today is The Final Reveal for: Evening Shadow (BlockBuster #34)!

However….I have come to the end of my day, and I have finished the Stacked Square for the center of the Evening Shadow BlockBuster #34. I have also finalized the Hoffman Batik fabrics which I plan to use in Evening Shadow.

Even though it is The Reveal of the Final Block Day, I am posting the Center. The Birds of Paradise unit with the Shaded Four Patch will be ready this weekend. (After the V Block workshop which I am scheduled to teach on Saturday.)

Somehow… there must be a smaller “To Do List” in my life!

More to come!!

Happy Quilting
Enjoy
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Evening Shadow (BlockBuster #34) here:
https://bit.ly/BlockBuster34-EveningShadow

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts (Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc. (facebook)

Tracey Stinger: The Busy Bee Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Becky Malarski: Sew Wise Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Virginia Kelly Gibbons: Fabric, Thread, and Stitches (FB)

Marcia Ely: Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Anne Walizer: Walizers Quilt Studio (IG and FB

Donna Orford: Sewing at Burningtown Creek (Facebook)

Janet Nelligan: Sew Square (Facebook)

08/14/2026

Evening Shadow: BlockBuster #34
Week Two: Sneak Peak

It is Thursday and time for the Sneak Peak for the Evening Shadow (BlockBuster #34). This block contains units made with three Technique Sheets including the Shaded Four Patch, Birds of Paradise, and Stacked Squares. It also includes a 3.5 inch square in each of the corners. (I will be making the 12 finished block).

Surprise….the 3.5 inch background, corner square is my Sneak Peak!!!

I will be using a selection of Hoffman fabrics from a fat quarter bundle. The fabric line features Shoreline Sails which contain several blues, browns, and creams. The color combination for these batiks is extremely rich in color and reminds me of the ocean.

So…This weekend will be dedicated to putting Evening Sadow ( #34) together and constructing the units with each of the three Technique Sheets. I also have several other projects which I will complete this weekend. I will post the pictures.

There is more to come!!!
Talk to you next Thursday! (or before the weekend ends….)
Enjoy
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Evening Shadow (BlockBuster #34) here:
https://bit.ly/BlockBuster34-EveningShadow

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts(Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Kim Nixon: Sewing original stitches (Facebook)

Barb Wheeler Village Green Designs (Facebook)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc. (facebook)

Tracey Stinger: The Busy Bee Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Becky Malarski: Sew Wise Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Virginia Kelly Gibbons: Fabric, Thread, and Stitches (FB)

Marcia Ely: Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Anne Walizer: Walizers Quilt Studio (IG and FB

Donna Orford: Sewing at Burningtown Creek (Facebook)

Janet Nelligan: Sew Square (Facebook)

08/07/2026

Evening Shadow: BlockBuster #34
Week One: Fabric Pull

Today is the fabric pull for Evening Shadow (Block Buster #34). For this month, I am going to use a selection of fat quarters from Hoffman Batiks. The name of the collection is Shoreline Sails. I like the variety of fabrics and the different colors. I am looking forward to working with these fabrics as I work through each of the Technique Sheets to assemble this block.

More to come next week…..

Enjoy!
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Evening Shadow (BlockBuster #34) here:
https://bit.ly/BlockBuster34-EveningShadow

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts (Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Kim Nixon: Sewing original stitches (Facebook)

Barb Wheeler: Village Green Designs (Facebook)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc. (facebook)

Tracey Stinger: The Busy Bee Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Becky Malarski: Sew Wise Quilter(facebook and instagram)

Virginia Kelly Gibbons: Fabric, Thread, and Stitches (FB)

Marcia Ely: Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Anne Walizer: Walizers Quilt Studio (IG and FB

Donna Orford: Sewing at Burningtown Creek (Facebook)

Janet Nelligan: Sew Square (Facebook)

07/23/2026

Take A Gander: BlockBuster #33
Week Three: The Reveal of the Final Block

Today is The Final Reveal for: Take A Gander (BlockBuster #33)!

The weather today is absolutely beautiful! It is cool 70 degrees, the wildfire smoke is gone, and there is a light breeze. All the windows are open, and I am sewing all day! I really would not be upset if the weather for the remainder of the summer stays just like today. My cat is outside enjoying the sunshine on the deck.

I have finished Take a Gander with the Marcus Fabric line. I enjoyed working with the rich, purple colors. The Geese on the Edge units which are in the corners have given this block its unique design. I used a half square triangle in the corners which makes the two rows of logs look like three rows.

Summer is moving along quickly with school supplies already in the stores and our local county fair only a couple of weeks away. Our meteorologist is predicting fall-like temperatures for the next couple of weeks! I hope you get an opportunity to be outside and enjoy the beautiful weather.

Happy Quilting
Enjoy
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Take A Gander (BlockBuster #33) here:
https://bit.ly/BlockBuster33-TakeAGander

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts (Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Tina Dillard: Quilting Affection Designs (Facebook and Instagram)

Marcia Ely: Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc. (facebook)

Tracey Stinger: The Busy Bee Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Becky Malarski: Sew Wise Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Anne Walizer: Walizers Quilt Studio (IG and FB

Virginia Kelly Gibbons: Fabric, Thread, and Stitches (FB)

Pam Belk: PB&J Quilts (Facebook)

07/17/2026

Take A Gander: BlockBuster #33
Week Two: Sneak Peak

Time for the Sneak Peak for Take a Gander (BlockBuster #33). This block has so many creative possibilities. Even though it looks complex, it is the color placement of the fabrics that gives the block a sense of difficulty. This is a block where the choice of colors is extremely important to the overall appearance of the quilt.

I am posting my quarter square triangles which will serve as the accent for the Marcus Fabrics which I have chosen to make Take a Gander. The Geese on the Edge corner units will use a variety of purple fabrics.

I will be inside for the next couple of days and I have cancelled several events with friends and family. We are under Heat Advisories and Air Quality alerts. The wildfire smoke has made everything hazy and the air hazardous to breathe. As a result, swimming, catching up on the yard work, and mowing the yard are going to wait till the weekend. What a drastic change from our week in the North Carolina mountains during our Certified Instructor’s Reunion!

I am looking forward to the reveal of Take a Gander next Thursday. This will be a block that I will use in both my classes and my truck show!

Talk to you next Thursday!
Enjoy
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Take A Gander (BlockBuster #33) here:
https://bit.ly/BlockBuster33-TakeAGander

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts (Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Tina Dillard: Quilting Affection Designs (Facebook and Instagram)

Marcia Ely: Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc. (facebook)

Tracey Stinger: The Busy Bee Quilter(facebook and instagram)

Becky Malarski: Sew Wise Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Anne Walizer: Walizers Quilt Studio (IG and FB

Virginia Kelly Gibbons: Fabric, Thread, and Stitches (FB)

Pam Belk: PB&J Quilts (Facebook)

07/16/2026

Take A Gander: BlockBuster #33
Week One: Fabric Pull

I am posting my fabric pull for Week One a week late!! I have spent the past week at Lake Junaluska in North Carolina. I have been enjoying the Certified Instructors Reunion with my fellow CIs and friends. It was a wonderful time sewing in the Blue Ridge Mountains and reconnecting with everyone who makes Studio 180 Design a fabulous company. We all were certified on the new Nine Patch Square Up Tool, new technique sheets, and worked on yet to be released patterns. I had many of my business questions answered and I have set new goals for McElwain Quilts. I will let you know about each goal as it is ready to launch in the upcoming months.

The fabric that I have chosen for Take a Gander (Blockbuster #33) is a collection from Marcus Fabrics. I purchased these fabrics during one of the trips to a new quilt shop in Amish County. I have saved these fabrics for something special, and I think Take a Gander will be the best block to showcase the prints.

Tomorrow (7/16), I will be posting a sample of the block as a sneak peek. I think I am going to enjoy the colors and the prints as they come together in the Take a Gander Block…..More to come.

Enjoy!
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Take A Gander (BlockBuster #33) here:
https://bit.ly/BlockBuster33-TakeAGander

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts (Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Tina Dillard: Quilting Affection Designs (Facebook and Instagram)

Marcia Ely: Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc. (facebook)

Tracey Stinger: The Busy Bee Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Becky Malarski: Sew Wise Quilter (facebook and instagram)

Anne Walizer: Walizers Quilt Studio (IG and FB

Virginia Kelly Gibbons: Fabric, Thread, and Stitches (FB)

Pam Belk: PB&J Quilts (Facebook)

06/19/2026

Vanishing Point: BlockBuster #32
Week Three: The Reveal of the Final Block

Here it is….Vanishing Point (BlockBuster #32)!

It is late tonight and I have finished the final block for Vanishing Point ( #32). I have used my scraps from my stash, and I am focusing on purple as the main color.

I am not finished with this block. There are so many possibilities to be creative and focus on secondary designs. I took the picture with another purple print which I found in one of my fabric boxes. I am going to make a few more blocks and see what I can do with the two different fabrics. The background fabric is Blizzard Thatched and it is designed by Robin Pickens.

I will include Vanishing Point in my Trunk Show as an example of using the Split Rects tool. This block may be a nice, one day class to teach at a Quilt Guild meeting where it could be used as a pattern design for a charity quilt. I will have more to come with this BlockBuster!

Enjoy the beautiful summer weather
Happy Quilting.

Enjoy!
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Vanishing Point (BlockBuster #32) here:
https://bit.ly/BlockBuster32_VanishingPoint

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts (Facebook)

Pam Belk: PB&J Quilts (Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc. (facebook)

Marcia Ely: Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Anne Walizer: Walizers Quilt Studio (IG and FB

Virginia Kelly Gibbons: Fabric, Thread, and Stitches (FB)

06/16/2026

Vanishing Point: BlockBuster #32
Week Two: Sneak Peak

I am posting the Split Rects samples which make up the Vanishing Point (BlockBuster #32) block. Yes, they are a couple of days late and I do apologize.

I have spent the weekend doing many other projects, taking care of family, and working in the yard. In addition, I am getting my Trunk Show ready to be presented this week to a local quilt guild meeting. It should be a lot of fun. I am hoping to take Vanishing Point with me as a sample of the Split Rects, Studio 180 Design tool.

I think that when the weather is beautiful like it was today, time seems to move faster! Just a thought…

In Vanishing Point, I am using fabrics from my stash in shades of purple. I am hoping to find a few more color variations so to emphasize the “vanishing point” in the block. I am also using Robin Pickens’ Blizzard Thatched as the background. Because of the geometric designs, the two fabrics in the picture are working well together.

I am looking forward to the final block on Thursday. I think it will be a nice addition to the samples and add to the demonstrations at my Trunk Show!!

Talk to you next Thursday!

Enjoy!
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Vanishing Point (BlockBuster #32) here:

https://bit.ly/BlockBuster32_VanishingPoint

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts (Facebook)

Pam Belk: PB&J Quilts (Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc. (facebook)

Marcia Ely: Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Anne Walizer: Walizers Quilt Studio (IG and FB

Virginia Kelly Gibbons: Fabric, Thread, and Stitches (FB)

06/05/2026

Vanishing Point: BlockBuster #32
Week One: Fabric Pull

I am choosing fabrics from my stash and the “clearance bin”. I have decided to go with different shades of purple with a white background. I may look a little deeper into my stash and see if I can come up with a couple more purple prints that would add interest to a small quilt. It is hard to tell how many prints I might be able to find in the deepest part of my stash.

More to come next week when I post the sample units. I am looking forward to how this block will come together with the two sizes of half square triangles and the Split Rects units.

Enjoy!
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Vanishing Point (BlockBuster #32) here:

https://bit.ly/BlockBuster32_VanishingPoint

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts(Facebook)

Pam Belk: PB&J Quilts(Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Barb Wheeler: Village Green Designs(Facebook)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc.(facebook)

Marcia Ely: Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Anne Walizer: Walizers Quilt Studio(IG and FB

Virginia Kelly-Gibbons: Fabric, Thread, and Stitches(FB)

05/22/2026

Delft Mill: BlockBuster #31
Week Three: The Reveal of the Final Block

Here it is….Delft Mill (BlockBuster #31)!

I used a fat quarter bundle featuring Wild Orchid by Blackbird Design for Moda Fabrics. These colors are not from my usual color palette. However, I have enjoyed putting the colors together to get the secondary design.

The Birds of Paradise unit can be “tricky” if it is not cut accurately with the Wing Clipper and the Large Square Squared. I really like how the Birds of Paradise worked into the block and added a great deal of creativity.

I want to wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day weekend. I hope that the weather cooperates in your part of the country and you can enjoy some outside time.

Happy Quilting!
Enjoy!
Diane

McElwain Quilts will not send you a request to buy gift cards, sign up for something crazy, or ask you to send your credit card numbers to an unknown person. Always be careful….There are crazy people out there!!

The BlockBuster series is a Deb Tucker's Studio 180 Design monthly block pattern which is posted the last Friday of each month on their page. You can download your free copy of the Delft Mill (BlockBuster #31) here:
https://bit.ly/BlockBuster31-DelftMill

There are several of my fellow Certified Instructors who are also taking part in the monthly BlockBuster challenge. Check out their Facebook posts below:

Diana Mann: Murgaboo Quilts (Facebook)

Pam Belk: PB&J Quilts (Facebook)

Amy Blimling-DeFazio: Amy's Quilted Treasures (Facebook)

Barb Wheeler: Village Green Designs (Facebook)
village_green_designs (Instagram)

Chris Combs: The Quilter's Nook, Inc. (facebook)

Toni Raynolds:- Hidden Falls Farm Retreat (Facebook)

Marcia Ely: - Quilt With ME (Facebook)

Anne Walizer: - Walizers Quilt Studio (IG and FB

Virginia Kelly-Gibbons: - Fabric, Thread, and Stitches (FB)

McElwain Quilts

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