Hey gang! It’s Moda Blockheads time again. This week we’re tackling block #9, “Cross My Mind“ by Brigitte Heitland of Zen Chic. Originally from Germany, Brigitte learned to sew from her grandmother when she was only six years old! Once she got older, the love of designing and sewing her own clothing lead her to choose Interior Design as her course of study in college. She found herself increasingly intrigued by the students down the hall who were using needle, thread, and of course fabrics within their curriculum, and eventually ended up changing her direction toward textile design. From there, an accidental encounter with a quilting book sparked a newfound infatuation with patchwork, which ultimately resulted in her online shop and fabric line designs.

Brigitte describes her quilt designs as a reduced, pure, and clear style. “Cross My Mind“ follows suit with its simple yet aesthetically pleasing layout. When describing “Cross My Mind” Brigitte says that she really likes to use the plus symbol in her work, which is why she loves this block so much. It’s easy to sew, and versatile enough to create a variety of different designs. I know you’re anxious to see what you come up with for your own version of this fun little design. You can find everything you need to get started on “Cross My Mind” including the pattern, project instructions, sewing techniques, tips, and advice from Brigitte by visiting her blog.

I’m loving this block in the colors I chose, and the prints are adorable! I used a bright orange Bella Solid paired up with a light gray print on white, a black floral print on a dark gray background, and a dark gray tiny print on a light gray background for the contrasting pieces – all from my Urban Farmhouse Gatherings II line.

If you’re still contemplating fabric choices for this quilt-along and decide you’d like to do yours like mine, you can find everything you need on our website! To purchase Urban Farmhouse Gatherings II pre-cuts and yardage, click the button below. For Orange Bella Solid “Ochre” (#9900-79) CLICK HERE!

Are you just joining MBH4? All of the previously released MBH4 blocks can be accessed by visiting the Moda Blockheads 4 Archive. You can find the archive in the list of main links at the top of my blog page. In addition, bonus blocks can be found on Moda’s Inspiration+Resources Center page by clicking HERE! If you’re having trouble keeping all the details straight you can also sign-up to receive Moda’s weekly Blockheads blog posts via e-mail at the Inspiration+Resources Center as well.

We’re having a really busy day here at The Gathering. Wool Club is up and running along side our Tulip Festival multi-day retreat. What a day! The retreat house is buzzing, everyone is having a blast ,and of course, we’re getting a little work done too!

If you’re looking for a club to join and love wool appliqué, you’re going to want to get in on Wool Club. Jess describes this club as a sit & sew that focuses strictly on wool appliqué projects. If you’re participating in our subscription wool box, this is the perfect opportunity to put a dent in those projects! Whether you’re new to working with wool appliqué or a seasoned pro, everyone is welcome at Wool Club!

Our monthly Wednesday Wool Club runs all day from 9AM until 9PM and includes both lunch and dinner prepared by Chef Erica. The cost is $40.00 per person, per full-day session. If you are only able to attend a half-day session, that’s ok too! The morning session will be from 9AM until 4PM and includes lunch, and the evening session will run from 4PM until 9PM and includes dinner. The cost of half-day sessions is $25.00 per person, per session. Space is limited and available on a first come, first serve basis so sign up today by calling 920.778.8031 to guarantee your seat! You can also email thegathering@primitivegatherings.us to register.

Retreat guests are also keeping busy between their quilt project, ““Waddles and two spring-themed wool projects. The first wool project they’re making is my Spring Tulip Pillow. This springy pillow is done on a grunge background with fun and colorful cut-out lettering. It’s obviously adorable as a pillow, but it could make a great banner or hanging piece as well! Finished this pillow measures 16″ x 24″.

It’s not quite available for purchase yet, since my Tulip Festival Retreat is still happening, but I still have some good news. Kits and patterns are available to pre-order now on our website, and will ship once the retreat is finished.

The other wool project retreaters are working on is a gorgeous spring table mat, adorned with colorful tulips. It’s simply called,“Tulip Festival Mat.”  I used a gray speckled wool for the background, which really helps the color of the tulips to pop! Measuring at 26″ x 26″ this beautiful mat will brighten up any room! Again, since this item is one of our Tulip Festival retreat projects, it is only available on our website as a pre-order, and will ship once the retreat is completed.

Of course it wouldn’t be a quilting retreat if we didn’t have a quilt project, so let me introduce you all to “Waddles!” You may remember the, “Nibbles“ quilt from around Easter time. This little guy is up next in the, “Just One” series, which is a new collection we’re working on that will feature – you guessed it – a bunch of a similar motif paired up with “Just One” of something in the mix.

I can’t get over how cute “Waddles“ is! And I absolutely love all those giant tulips – they’re one of my favorite flowers! Don’t you think this quilt would make an adorable gift for a baby or young child?  I could see this as hanging décor in a nursery or play room – or even draped over a porch swing! Finished “Waddles” measures 46 1/2″ x 61 1/2″ – not too big, and not too small. The perfect size for cuddling! Remember, “Waddles” is available as a pre-order only at this time, and will ship out after the Tulip Festival retreat is finished.

Do you feel like it’s been a long day? I do – but I still have a ways to go yet! I better get back to the grindstone before I get any wild ideas about hanging it up for the evening. I have stitching to do! …and I’m willing to bet, so do you! If Blockheads 4, O’ Say Can You Sew, Heartfelt, and the many other projects we have going on aren’t enough to keep you busy, remember I still need Flag blocks for my Hogs for Heroes mystery mission fundraiser! You can get the details and the pattern for my mystery mission by clicking the link below.

Speaking of Hogs for Heroes, tune in to watch my LIVE show, “Stitch with Lisa Bongean“ this Thursday at 1PM CST. I’ll be presenting Hogs for Heroes with a check for the amount we raised during our Hogs for Heroes online auction fundraising event – that’s over $9,000!!! I am so proud of each and every one of you who has contributed to this great cause. It is all of you that make the donations Primitive Gatherings generates possible. THANK YOU – THANK YOU – THANK YOU!!! Alright everyone, I must get back to the retreat house. There’s a Tulip Festival going on over there after all – I hope they are behaving! See you all tomorrow during “Stitch with Lisa Bongean.” Bye for now! ~Lisa