Hey, everyone — happy Friday! Is it just me, or did this week take a special kind of effort to forge through? My vacation is over (mostly), my bags are unpacked (sort of), and I’ve been trying as hard as I can (ish) to get my nose back to the daily grind for what feels like the longest week ever… and it’s not even officially over yet!

I’d be a liar if I said that I wasn’t super happy for the end of the week to be here. Call me crazy, but the idea of another relaxing few days at home, enjoying summer on the lake in the sunshine doesn’t sound all that horrible. I mean, fine — if I must.

Don’t get me wrong. My crew and I worked our hind ends off all week, making up for lost time after daring to take a few days off over the holiday weekend — and that’s ok. A good challenge is one of the things we live for at PG! Jess always says… “You’ve gotta be able to fly by the seat of your pants around here,” and fly we did! As always, we have a bazillion things going on between the shop and The Gathering, and after our productive return, I’m feeling pretty good about where we’re at with most of it.

That being said, only a few boxes remain on the list to be checked before I can kill the lights in the studio for the weekend, with Moda Blockheads 6 teetering at the very top. Since we last talked about it, not one, but two blocks have released, which brings us to week number seven already if you can believe that.

First in line for getting us caught up to speed is Block 6 – Moonbeam by Robin Pickens. At an eye catching 18″, this pattern features a structured layout with intricate piecing that’s full of clever angles and playful design. Structurally, it combines half-square triangles, a center 9-patch, and snowball units to create a unique and radiant block.

While Moonbeam shines with bold shapes and interesting symmetry, Block 7 brings a softer, more intricate rhythm to the mix. Bellissimo Star by Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree & Co. is another 18″ beauty, built from a blend of stars, flying geese, half-square triangles and quarter-square triangles, all framed with strategically placed sashing. This simple yet stunning layout reads a bit like four mini blocks working together. It’s structured, it’s layered, and it’s super fun to make. Not to mention, having a few caramels on hand always makes the process that much sweeter!

Blocks six and seven are proof this quilt isn’t just getting started — it’s at the point where it’s actually starting to show some real personality. With each new block bringing its own style, vibe, and challenges, you’ll have plenty of opportunities along the way to make this quilt truly yours!

How are you making the MBH6 quilt unique to YOU? As you know, I’m using reds, whites, and blues for my MBH6 in honor of my latest fabric line, American Gatherings III’s debut, coming this December! I will be using two different gray Bella Solids for my background fabrics. They include three yards of Bella Solids Steel 9900 184 (instead of the white in Moda’s original design), and four yards of Bella Solids Graphite 9900 202 (instead of the Navy in Moda’s design), which you can find on our website by clicking the buttons below. In addition, for those of you who are going with this colorway but just so happen to be short on lights, I’ve got you covered with curated Fat Quarter bundles that include 18 light fat quarters for only $72.00. As for the darks, I don’t have specific bundles made up at the moment, so you’ll need to pull those from your own stash and mix and match from another source.

Alright, gang! I need to head back over to The Gathering where Bernina Barb is busy teaching another one of her vintage coat classes to a bunch of super lucky people (plus, the dinner bell will be ringing soon!). We have a wonderful group of stitchers here from all over the U.S., who are learning Barb’s magic and turning worn-out quilts into one-of-a-kind fashion masterpieces — I can’t wait to see everyone’s progress by the end of the class! As for everyone else, have a wonderful weekend and I will see you all back here next week for more of all things Primitive Gatherings. Take care! ~Lisa