What's On My Sewing Table - March 2026

It's time for my monthly accountability post where I share the latest projects on my sewing table. This month I'm focusing on catching up on my Riley Blake and Fat Quarter Shop quilt-alongs, making progress on a few personal projects, and working through a whole lot of quilt binding. I continue to feel really motivated to finish up some old WIPS (Works In Progress), make some steady progress on some new projects, and continue to clean out my sewing room. Progress feels slow, but it's happening. 🙌🏻

2026 Riley Blake Quilt Block Challenge

Here are the latest of my 2026 RBD Quilt Block Challenge blocks. As you can tell, I'm simplifying some of the designs (because you can totally do whatever you want with your blocks!)

I'm using my Mary Catherine fabric collection and since the fabric is more traditional, I'm going with more traditional looking blocks as well. The blocks finish at 10" x 10".

You can find all of the details and free quilt block patterns from this year's Riley Blake Challenge here.

Sewcialites Quilt Along from the Fat Quarter Shop

Here's another free Sew Along that I'm sewing-along-with. The Sewcialites Challenge has a free quilt block pattern released every Friday. I've already made the first three blocks! I'm having so much fun with the weekly rhythm - one block at a time feels totally doable, and it's such a good way to sneak in a little sewing even on busy weeks.

I'm using Riley Blake Designs Confetti Cotton solids for my blocks combined with Hush Hush 5 low volume prints for the backgrounds.

Block #4 came out yesterday so I have a little catch up to do. I'll keep sharing my progress (and tips as I go), but for now… I'm loving how these first blocks are coming together!

You can find all of the details on the Sewcialites sewalong hosted by the Fat Quarter Shop here.

Trentham Progress

This is another slow WIP (work in progress) but I'm choosing to be slow on this one, just piecing a few blocks here or there. These Trentham blocks are designed by Jen Kingwell and in her latest Gathered book.

I'm using the foundation paper-piecing papers and a box of indigo and cream woven fabric scraps. And it's such an enjoyable project.

Quilt Project Inspired by Harriet Powers

Last month I wrote about amazing legacy of 19th century quilter, Harriet Powers. I went down the rabbit hole learning more about her life and the two surviving quilts that make her such an important part of quilting history (the Bible Quilt at the Smithsonian and the Pictorial Quilt at the MFA Boston). If you missed that post, you can read the inspiring Harriet Powers story here.

After reading all of that inspiration, I pulled out some very old quilt blocks that I started 24 years ago. These blocks for a Bible quilt designed by Jan Patek, are inspired by Harriet Powers applique and folk-art style.

I'm so enchanted by Harriet's sun/star blocks that I was super excited to make one myself for my In the Beginning Block. I pieced my sun using Foundation Paper Piecing to get those perfect points. I can only imagine how Harriet herself did it.

I am now basting my applique shapes to the background and then I can carry around my square and hand applique them while watching a show. I'm having so much fun reviving this project. It's been a while since I've done any hand applique and I'm kind of excited about it.

Binding, Binding, Binding

This week I have been Binding like crazy! I've got two projects I've been hand-binding - perfect timing for March Madness and watching Basketball.

One of them is this Hour Glass quilt that was started last summer. 😅

Because I've got a goal this year to choose fabric from my stash first, I've been trying to find something that would work.

In the end, I finally caved and bought a ⅝ yard piece of Bev McCullough's Dainty Daisy in Stargazer so I could finish the quilt and get it out of my WIP pile. But good news, that was the only fabric purchased in the past month!

The other quilt that I've been working on for a bit using my Mary Catherine collection. I'm pretty sure you can never go wrong with a gingham bias binding, in my humble opinion.

This quilt is a gift for a friend's new baby whose name is Catherine! So I added a little selvage strip from the collection as a label. 🥰 How perfect was that timing?

I'm also adding a machine binding to this simple blanket made with Riley Blake's Double Lush fabric - a super soft, two-sided variation on minki. This one is also a Mary Catherine cheater print and it's double sided!. 🥰

I'll be sharing more details about each of these quilts next week.

More Behind the Scenes: Mary Catherine Quilt Kits

Finally, I'm continuing to work on my Sewing Room Purge and Clean Out. And while I've been doing so, I've also been putting together kits from my Mary Catherine fabric collection. This collection is so perfect for spring - I'm loving sewing with it myself right now.

If you're looking for a perfect spring quilt, check out the kits offered in my Diary of a Quilter Shop! Quantities are limited. Pattern is included with the kit. Below right is Briarcreek Bloom.

These three quilts (left to right) are Fraulein, Prep School Picnic, and A Stitch in Time. All three are throw size quilts. Each quilt comes together quick with precuts and/or strip-piecing techniques. Details in the shop listings. (I am in the process of listing the quilts in the shop. If one you are interested is not listed yet, just email me [email protected])

So there's the update from my neck of the woods!

Hoping March is cooperating for you wherever you find yourself right now!