Newsletter – September 2025

We are excited to show off our newest pattern, BQ 8. In the style of all the BQ’s it features a special something in the off center focus square.

You can use the same center fabric throughout or change it up with multiple fabrics.

BQ 8 has a checkerboard splash which gives you another place to show an accent color.

MIQ562 - BQ8

The pattern has two block sizes, 18" and 13 ½".

The centers are cut 12 ½" or 9 ½".

Six quilt sizes from wall to queen with many ways to layout the blocks.

Our pattern testers did some wonderful versions of BQ 8:

Susie used a special saved piece of fabric for the centers.

Heide used a lower contrast with her fabrics and created this charming soft version of BQ8. The border is her adaptation, not in the pattern.

I wanted to showcase the Kaffe Fassett polka dots and chose to do low contrast between the background light and the dark frame. It looks very different.

Here is the background fabric and the darker frame fabric.

And a close up of the quilt.

We used busy prints for the background and the center and ended with another different look. This is a picture taken during construction of a 108” x 108” quilt. That size is not in the pattern but is just 1 more row to the 30 block size. 36 blocks.

Julie created this fun BQ5. Notice that she used 2 different background lights, adding another design element to keep your eyes moving.

MIQ825 - BQ5

Connie shared this BQ5 with us. In her words:

The Sun printing is something I have been doing for a couple of years and it is so much fun to create fabric art. The border fabric I used was so pretty and went together with the Sun printed Mandalas. I did mitered corners and fussy cut some of the printed mandalas to complete the patterns, so the elements flowed around the corners, if that makes sense.

It is really beautiful and such a showpiece!

She shared these close ups of 2 of the sun prints.

MIQ825 - BQ5

For many people September means back to school for the kids and more time for quilting. It also means that retreats are starting and quilt shows. We hope you have the time for some quilting fun in the upcoming weeks.

Please support your local quilt shop when you can, they are always a great source of inspiration.

Thank you for supporting our business here at Maple Island Quilts and please share this newsletter with any friends you think might be interested.

Enjoy the upcoming fall,

Debbie