Making my Mystery Block of the Month: October 2025

You’ll have seen that I plan to complete Sherri’s mystery block a month quilt and in my last post I shared the test blocks which I made into my twelfth charity quilt, today I’m sharing the centre block I made for my own quilt.

As I said yesterday I’m a fan of this block, and making it for my own quilt didn’t change my mind on that.

As it’s a ‘star block month’ that meant I’d be using the navy blue fabrics from the range I’ve chosen for this quilt, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to use a selection of the three available, or just one. I knew from my blocks yesterday, and from the examples from Sherri that the triangle next to the inner square looked best if it was a lighter colour, and so I branched out a bit and opted for a non-navy fabric.

With that decision made I decided to go for a single navy fabric for the block - my gut instinct was to use this green and pink patterned fabric as I felt I hadn’t used that much. And once I’d finished the block I knew that was the right call as laid alongside the blocks that will be closest to it, that fabric didn’t appear. Phew.

Not only did the block come together quickly, despite the numerous triangles, it was one that seemed to match and keep its points without too much work on my part - maybe that’s why I liked it?!

But it’s done, and pressed and is now hanging alongside the previous month’s blocks. There’s just two more blocks to go, and then the real work of assembling and finishing the quilt starts. I’ve read today that Sherri will be sharing more about finishing the quilt next week, as well as the final block, so it’ll be good to see what’s in store - and I must remember to factor in actually finishing this quilt into my quilt plans for next year!

Join me next month to see how I get on with the next mystery block, and check out my previous posts for my mystery block quilt or the charity quilts made from the test blocks.

My pie carrier prototype

Sometimes things unplanned happen, and just have to be acted upon. I mean, I never knew I needed let alone wanted a patchwork pie carrier, but when things collide at just the right time you just have to go with it.

Let me explain.

Scrolling Instagram a post from @suzyquilts for a quilted pie carrier caught my eye, I looked a little closer before thinking that I’d quite like one, and then how hard can it be. Which as we know is dangerous.

So I dived into my stash and emerged with a gloriousness of pink, butterflies and fruit.

And at around the same time my love for flying geese was reawakened with the Cloud Nine block by Debbie Maddie in the Moda Blockhead emails which I’m subscribed to and rarely act upon. I was smitten, and realised I could combine my new yearning for a pie carrier with this Moda block, and then I really would be on cloud nine.

Assembling the block

Well this was the easy part as I had instructions (yes, I still hadn’t bought the pie carrier pattern), and after a morning sewing group session I was well on the way to finishing the Cloud Nine block.

It’s busy, but I thought that will hide any spills when it gets used - practical and honest! And mostly I’m happy with it - if I were to use these fabrics again I think I’d make some changes to the flying geese (outer row) block on the top left - there’s not quite enough contrast between the two fabrics I’ve used. But I decided to live it with and carry on - it’s only a pie carrier after all.

I also knew I’d need to add some borders to my square to give it a chance of being big enough, and it’s at this point that the patterns all went a bit crazy, but I was ok with that, as I said it’s a pie carrier and honestly it will get some use, but only occasionally.

I followed loosely Madam Sew’s pie carrier tutorial , adapting things such as the corner handle length, and decided to pin it together to see how it might work.

Phew. It was looking as if it might work…

I also decided to ‘bag’ my square rather than sew the wadding to either the top or bottom fabric, and I’d remembered to add in and secure the corner loops before I connected the top, wadding and backing layers.

I even remembered there were pins in evidence when I turned it through, which was something.

And it still looked like it might work (the longer ‘handle’ strap is still pinned on in this photo).

Adding some detail

With my newfound Bernina BSR skills and keen to practice them at home relatively soon after my training day I decided to add some machine stitched detail to the central butterfly. Tracing the outline of the wings, body and markings freehand.

It’s easier to see where I went on the backing side - and I’m pleased with that, especially given it was the first time I tried it on my machine for real.

That only left the longer handle to attach, and with plenty of securing stitches that’s just what I did.

And it works, just. I’d forgotten to allow enough for a seam allowance so any pie in an 8 inch tin will get a bit of an airing. But carry pies it does - or rather it has already successfully carried a flourless chocolate cake. I think though this one will be better size for my small quiche dish, but that really doesn’t get taken out much!

So this one is really to test the process, and to have a bit of fun - but I’m planning to make another, larger and more practical one just as soon as I can decide what fabrics to use, or rather where to place the fabrics I’ve chosen.

Watch this space, and if you’re lucky I might even bring a pie (or something alternatively sweet) with my non-prototype pie carrier!

Making my Mystery Block of the Month: September 2025

You’ll have seen that I plan to complete Sherri’s mystery block a month quilt and in my last post I shared the test blocks which I made into my eleventh charity quilt, today I’m sharing the centre block I made for my own quilt.

Despite being relatively ahead of my relaxed schedule for this month’s quilt and central blocks, as always seems to be the case I found that somehow, all of a sudden, the block for my actual quilt still needed to be done almost at the last minute. Isn’t that always the way, the trick of having too much time on your hands, suddenly becomes no time at all.

Anyway, my block is done, but somehow with no photographs until it was assembled.

I’d chosen the materials I’d use way back in time too, if you look back they’re included in September’s Quilty Update, and I’m pleased with how the colours turned out. It’s the first time using both of these colour ways, and while the basket’s contents is blue so perhaps not too realistic, the basket definitely has a touch of realism about it with those colours.

It’s also the first block for a long time that I had to do some unpicking - I mixed up my green order. I contemplated living with it, but as it was only one piece, I decided to head for the seam ripper and add the green fabrics in the same order as before.

I couldn’t help but have a peek at how the completed row would look, although I’m sure there will be extra sashing to add to assemble the quilt - but you can get an idea of what it will look like when finished.

So September’s block done, and the basket that I wasn’t sure I liked when I started turned out to be way easier than I ever imagined. Who knew.

Join me next month to see how I get on with the next mystery block, and check out my previous posts for my mystery block quilt or the charity quilts made from the test blocks.