It is the 5th month in the 2026 Monthly Color Challenge and I'm loving the blocks that have been shared so far this year. Thank you so much for stitching along with me. May's block has flying Geese units again, but take note, the trimming measurement is not the usual 1/2" mark. As usual you can find a link to the how to video at the end of the instructions.
2026 Monthly Color Challenge: A Free Block of the Month Program
This year we are inspired by the color of frogs. We have some beautiful colors to work with this year, though no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't find a true purple frog. Very sad.
This month our color is dark blue inspired by the Blue Poison Dart Frog. These frogs are so bright and beautiful, it's hard to believe they are so bad for you. These frog weren't discovered until 1969 and can only be found in "northern Brazil and in only a few isolate areas of rainforest in Suriname." - The Living Rainforest
The fabrics I am using this year are Whisper Weave and Whisper Weave Too. They are basics from Benartex and have a wonderful texture to give these blocks some movement. This month's colors are Denim and Navy.
Each set of instructions includes a full how to video for that month. My goal with the Monthly Color Challenge is to not only have you using fabrics from your stash, but to help new quilters grow their confidence and experienced quilters have an easy going, no stress quilt to make in their own time. From how to make that first cut, to marking the ruler for trimming accurately to the last press. We make this quilt together.
This month's Flying Geese units are getting turned on point, which is one of my favorite ways to give a traditional block a new look.
Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns by Jen Facebook group and share your blocks, cheer each other on, and ask questions along the way. If you post on Instagram, be sure to tag me and use #monthlycolorchallenge so I can see your fabric pulls and finished blocks!
Here’s a look at the full May block. You can download the pattern HERE and jump right in. I can’t wait to see what you create!
If you’d like each Monthly Color Challenge block delivered straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe using the sign-up link below.
The May block is free through the end of the month and available in my Payhip shop. If you’re finding this later, don’t worry, it will still be there for just $1.
While the January – May emails have already gone out, you can still sign up to receive the June – December blocks (plus the final layout!) delivered directly to your inbox. Join us HERE.
I’m so grateful to be continuing the Monthly Color Challenge this year, and even more grateful you’re sewing along with me.
Do it yourself cloth napkins with a touch of whimsy.
Cloth napkins are such a great way to add a special touch to your table. Whether it's a holiday or every day, cloth napkins make a pretty addition. When you stitch a fun design around the edge, you've just upped your table setting. 🤣
Today's Snippets tutorial shows how to cut your squares and get a good press so you can finish these napkins really nicely.
Watch the full tutorial.
Supplies needed:
For one napkin
Two 16" squares
*******
For four napkins
Eight 16" squares
Finishing Tips:
Sew a 1/2" seam allowance, then clip the corners. Once you have turned it right side out give it a really good press before top stitching. Take this opportunity to use some of the fancy stitches on your machine if you have them. Use a contrasting thread to help them stand out. The larger seam allowance gives you a wider base for your stitching so have fun with it!
More projects you can personalize or use the extra stitches on your machine for:
Personalized Pillowcase - This is such a sweet project. It's very beginner friendly as well, and adding that personalization makes it feel really special.
Bowl Cozy - This makes a great gift! Teacher Appreciation Week is coming up in May. This was a much appreciated gift. Use accent thread to "write" a special message inside the cozy.
Hello April! Month four of the Monthly Color Challenge is here and ready for you to enjoy! Here in the upper midwest of the US we are seeing the Canadian geese making their way back north. I love the sound of their honking. While our color inspiration is coming from frogs, our block this month has us flying north, too.
2026 Monthly Color Challenge: A Free Block of the Month Program
We are pulling our colors this year from frogs all over the world. You may have noticed that our colors are slowly going from cool to warm as the year goes along, with a little neutral thrown in the middle. You can see what is coming up in the Announcement post if you missed it.
This month our color is a light, or baby, blue and is inspired by the Mexican Dump frog. I don't know which is cuter, the name or the frog. 🤣 The Mexican Dump frog can grow up to 4", lives most of it's life up in a tree (jealous) and live off insects (not jealous). They lay their eggs on top of foliage over water and the tadpoles just roll into the water when they hatch. I think I would like to see that.
The fabrics I am using this year are Whisper Weave and Whisper Weave Too. They are basics from Benartex and have a wonderful texture to give these blocks some movement. This month's colors are Ice and Bluebells.
Each set of instructions includes a full how to video for that month. From first cut to last press, we make the block together. If you are a new quilter, this is the perfect Block of the Month program for you. If you are looking for more accuracy in your piecing, this Block of the Month program is for you. If you are looking for an easy going, no pressure Block of the Month, this is for you.
This month we are making Flying Geese units using the no waste method. I show how to mark your regular ruler to trim these Geese for accuracy and ease. These are some of my favorite units to make and I love how versatile they are. Just turn them and you get a new look.
If questions pop up at any point during the year, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can email me at jen@patternsbyjen.com I truly love hearing from you.
Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns by Jen Facebook group and share your blocks, cheer each other on, and ask questions along the way. If you post on Instagram, be sure to tag me and use #monthlycolorchallenge so I can see your fabric pulls and finished blocks!
Here’s a look at the full April block. You can download the pattern HERE and jump right in. I can’t wait to see what you create!
If you’d like each Monthly Color Challenge block delivered straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe using the sign-up link below.
The March block is free through the end of the month and available in my Payhip shop. If you’re finding this later, don’t worry, it will still be there for just $1.
While the January – April emails have already gone out, you can still sign up to receive the May – December blocks (plus the final layout!) delivered directly to your inbox. Join us HERE.
I’m so grateful to be continuing the Monthly Color Challenge this year, and even more grateful you’re sewing along with me.
Step by Step Tutorial for adding a little personal touch to a bowl koozie for a fun gift idea.
I love to give a bowl koozie as a gift. Especially to those graduating seniors who are off to college and microwaved meals. 😂 They make great teacher gifts as well. These are really easy gifts to add that special personal touch to, with fabrics that are the persons favorite color, animal, sport, hobby, etc.
In today's tutorial we're going to stitch a little personalization onto it as well.
Watch the full tutorial here:
What you will need to make the Bowl Koozie:
*Everything you use MUST be 100% cotton*
1 - 10" square of main fabric
1 - 10" square of lining fabric (can be the same as the main)
1 - 10" square of 100% cotton batting
100% cotton thread
Tips for finishing
If you have a walking foot for your machine, it makes the final top stitching easier because of all of the layers. If you don't have one, just take it slow as you come to each seam and guide the fabric through gently.
Use an accent thread for personalizing the Bowl Koozie so it can be seen easily and appreciated. We don't want that special touch to disappear into the fabric. 😉
Is this really beginner friendly?
Yes, you can do this. To make it even easier, grab a Layer Cake so you don't have to worry about cutting the squares or finding fabric that coordinates. I walk you through how to personalize this, but also how to mark, cut and sew the darts all the way through to top stitching.
More than a name
Have fun with this and add something sweet, silly or meaningful to your little koozie.
1) Happy Birthday
2) Go Tigers
3) Don't forget to study
4) Teachers Change the World
5) I love you
Bonus: More Beginner Friendly Projects
If you are looking for more easy gift ideas with a touch of whimsy this one also has a YouTube tutorial
Personalized Pillowcase: Another great project that you can personalize is a pillowcase. It's beginner friendly, easy to personalize with fabrics and that special touch. You can watch the tutorial here.
Step-by-step tutorial for sewing a simple pillowcase and adding custom words using the lettering built into your sewing machine.
Pillowcases are one of those easy to sew (and quick!) gifts that are fun to give. I especially love to use a sweet flannel on the body of the pillowcase so I know the one I'm gifting it to will be laying their head on softness. Pillowcases aren't just great gifts, they are a great way to build your sewing skills, something I want to help you do, and they are a great way to try out the features on your sewing machine you may not have tried yet.
In today's Snippets with Patterns By Jen tutorial I'm not only walking you through how to sew a simple pillowcase, but how to add custom text using the lettering built into your machine. Side note: I do not go over specific settings, you will need your sewing machine's manual for that.
Scroll down to get the 5 ideas for personalizing your pillowcase.
Watch the full tutorial here:
Save this tutorial for later.
What you'll need to make the pillowcase
• 3/4" scrap of SF101 to stabilize your fabric for adding the text
Find it here: 👉 https://tidd.ly/4l8pdqg
(This is an affiliate link, you can read my full disclosure here.)
• 2" x WOF Accent fabric
• 11" x WOF Cuff fabric
• 27" x WOF Body fabric
Note: In the How To Video the width I used was 41" for each piece because that was the width of the flannel I used.
Fabric Tips for a Beautiful Finish
As I mentioned I love to use flannel for the body of the pillowcase, but regular quilting cotton works just fine. The cuff is a great place to use fun fabrics, like glow in the dark ghosties for a halloween pillow. My children loved that, way back when they were little.
If you are going to add text to the accent piece then I recommend using a solid color fabric and choosing thread that will stand out on it. If your fabric is light pink for instance, pull out a dark, dusty mauve. If it's navy, use a pretty baby blue. This little touch we're adding is going to make this pillowcase just a little more special.
Why this project is perfect for beginners
A pillowcase is a simple project that not only gives you a quick finish for that "Look what I made" feeling that keeps the crafting going, but it let's you practice basic sewing skills in a forgiving project. Straight seams, matching and pinning seams, pressing correctly and diving into using those fancy text stitches on your machine. So often we let those sit, and we should use them. Finishing a pillowcase will give you the confidence you need to keep growing in your sewing skills.
5 Ideas for Personalizing Your Pillowcase
One of the fun parts of this project is deciding what to stitch on the pillowcase. The lettering built into your sewing machine makes it easy to add a name, a phrase, or something playful that matches the fabric you’re using.
Here are a few ideas to get you started.
1) Names: Easy, simple, no thinking involved 😂 great for gift giving.
2) Sweet Dreams/Blessings: A little touch to let the person know they are loved
3) Holidays: Holiday fabric is so fun to use in these pillowcases and now you can add another touch
4) Birthdays/Anniversaries: A birthday pillowcase with their current favorite animal/food/sport. Did you know 2nd anniversary is cotton? Hello cotton pillowcase.
5) National Days: Maybe you know someone who just needs a pick me up. Do a quick online search for what the days national day is, I'm pretty sure there is one for every day at this point, and make a quick gift with a fun little saying on the accent piece to pick up their spirits.
For instance March 5th (the day of this post) is National Cheese Doodle Day. A quick saying like "Sweet cheesy dreams" or "Dreaming of snacks" or maybe something funnier than I can come up with. Ha!
Bonus: More Beginner Friendly Projects
If you’re looking for a couple more small projects to help build your foundational sewing skills, here are a few tutorials you might enjoy next. Both have YouTube videos to walk you through the steps.
Minky Blanket with Doll Blanket: This cozy blanket tutorial has been a favorite. It walks through sewing with minky fabric and includes instructions for making a matching doll blanket, which makes it a sweet gift set.
Hot Pad: Another quick project that’s great for practicing straight seams is this simple hot pad. It’s beginner friendly, useful around the kitchen, and makes a thoughtful handmade gift.
We are heading into the third month in the Monthly Color Challenge, and whether you are just joining us, or you've been a MCC quilter for years, I'm excited to have you with me on this quilting journey.
2026 Monthly Color Challenge: A Free Block of the Month Program
For 2026, we’re taking our color cues from frogs. When the idea first hopped into my head (sorry, I had to 😂), I wasn’t completely sure it would stretch far enough to inspire an entire year. But once I started looking closer, I realized just how brilliantly designed they are. From soft, earthy blends to vibrant, eye-catching bursts of color, frogs bring more variety than you might expect. We are in for a year filled with beautiful, nature-inspired palettes.
Our color this month is Aqua and is inspired by the Teal Pacman Frog. Confession, I get teal and aqua mixed up all of the time. Throw in turquoise and I throw in my hat and call it a day. 😂 So if your fabrics are a bluey greeny color, they are good to me. Onto the Teal Pacman Frog. According to JamJam Exotic the Teal Pacman Frog, known really as the Blue Pacman Frog, is the result of selective breeding. and is very rare. They grow between 4 - 7 inches, with the female usually larger than the male. They are carnivorous frogs and can live up to 15 years.
The fabrics I am using this year are Whisper Weave and Whisper Weave Too. They are basics from Benartex and have a wonderful texture to give these blocks some movement. March's colors are Aqua and Blue Grass.
Each month, I share a How To video that walks you through the whole block from start to finish: cutting, stitching, and trimming included. My goal is for you to feel confident at every step, no matter where you are in your quilting journey. The link to the video is always waiting for you at the bottom of your PDF instructions.
This month we are making a variation of the Churn Dash block, another one of my favorites to change up a bit. Whether you change up the center, or the side units, or both like we do this month, this is a great block to play with and may yours.
If questions pop up at any point during the year, please don’t hesitate to reach out. You can email me at jen@patternsbyjen.com I truly love hearing from you.
You’re also invited to join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns by Jen Facebook group, where you can share your blocks, cheer each other on, and ask questions along the way. And when you post on Instagram, be sure to tag me and use #monthlycolorchallenge so I can see your fabric pulls and finished blocks!
Here’s a look at the full March block. You can download the pattern HERE and jump right in. I can’t wait to see what you create!
If you’d like each Monthly Color Challenge block delivered straight to your inbox, be sure to subscribe using the sign-up link below.
The March block is free through the end of the month and available in my Payhip shop. If you’re finding this later, don’t worry, it will still be there for just $1.
While the January – March emails have already gone out, you can still sign up to receive the April – December blocks (plus the final layout!) delivered directly to your inbox. Join us HERE.
I’m so grateful to be continuing the Monthly Color Challenge this year, and even more grateful you’re sewing along with me.
2 Minute Tips with PBJ is a short video series sharing quick, beginner-friendly quilting tips to help build confidence in essential quilting skills.
This week's video is a quick how to on ripping seams cleanly when they are nested together. There is nothing sadder than ripping a seam out than ripping the fabric as well. There is also the chance of stretching the fabric out of whack, making it even harder to get the seams to line up correctly. So let's skip that all together and rip these nested seams out intentionally.
Watch the full YouTube Video: https://youtu.be/8dLr3BDR8gE
Here is the affiliate link to my favorite seam ripper mentioned in the video:
👉https://tidd.ly/4rJQQI3
(This is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting Patterns By Jen 💜 Read the full disclosure HERE.)
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