Started the current March Madness quilt in 2022.
That year I made the blocks from charms.
In 2023 I assembled the blocks into a quilt top.
In 2024 I quilted it with straight lines on the longarm.
During the long winter of 2025, I bound it – even before March rolled around.
The pattern is shown here OR if you want a copy of my paper pattern, it’s free with a SASE. Just send it to Mary ETHERINGTON, 2345 Palm Ave, Garner, IA 50438
I have two other blocks that I like very much and I’m working on them.
Here is the pattern – I did write to the designers who evidently don’t care because I never heard from them.
Only one reader photo to post.
This is Wrigley, Hank’s houseguest today – Hank is in demand!
Tune in on Facebook to Zion Evangelical and Reformed Church in Garner, tomorrow morning at 10:20. I’ll see you there!
Mary,
Thank you for the March Madness quilt pattern and simple easy to follow directions! I think I’m going start one too! Squirrel! 😵💫😂🥰
Today I picked up six pickup loads of branches for the burn pile. Some broke off from the extreme wind. Some my husband trimmed off. More high wind and fire alerts expected Tuesday.
Really like your March madness quilt. I’m always looking for a pattern that I can make into a preemie quilt 36” x 36” and that would work really well. I’m at my son’s babysitting all his animals while they are on their honeymoon. They got married last July but my son works for an airline and even with 10 years seniority isn’t able to hold holidays in the summer so they had to wait till now. They are going to Bali. I’m staying at his house because it is only a 1/2hr drive to the barn where his horse is and I will clean the stall and set up food daily. I also have the rest of his animals to look after as well. They live in a three level townhouse and have 2 dogs, 4 cockatiels, 2 rabbits and a pig. I will take pictures and send them to you. It’s a menagerie of animals I’d say.
I brought my sewing machine and a quilt to work on. Today I completed the blocks for a sew along I am participating in. Tomorrow I will start on the quilt.
Teresa – oh, you’re such a good mom! I am sure they appreciate you more than you’ll ever know. I love his menagerie!
Oh, what fun. Gramma is here. Of course you hug the horse, pet the dogs, talk to the cockatiels and love up the rabbits and the pig. God’s gifts.
Betty in Rapid City
Wow, I just love the March Madness quilt! So scrappy! I wish I had that many charm squares, I guess I have to start collecting them! I think your yard looks great, and yes it looks like some grass coming up! My daffodils on the side of the house are opening. One crocus so far. Spring is almost here! Jan in MA
Love this scrappy pattern! Thank you!! You are THE best!!
I just corrected the flag on a new little cross stitch pattern, thanks to your posts. It’s now the correct way! As Oprah says, “When you know better, you do better!”
Tanya – oh, I’m so glad I posted this before you were finished with your cross stitch! If anyone questions you, just have them look up US flag etiquette.
Growing up with a ball diamond in your front yard is the way to go!!!!! We were in “town.” Kaddy -wise across the street was a vacant lot with a house on 1 side, a corn field on one side and streets on the other 2 sides. We didn’t have enough boys, so they had to use us girls for a game. I couldn’t throw, catch, hit – nothing, but I could run into the cornfield and get the ball. Such is life. We all had fun.
Mary, your very simple, perfect hand drawn instructions are what I really like about your patterns. You don’t confuse with written instructions, etc. Just the basics and that is all somebody needs. Thank you.
My niece in St. Louis got hit by the hail storm yesterday afternoon. Siding, roof and outdoors damage. The storm went over the other niece’s relatives. It really bothers me that people are getting so upset on the weather predictions of bad storms. Weather isn’t an exact science and nobody can predict what God is going to do? Yes, we’ve had the same events and the jet stream shifted. We just have to pay attention and be ready for anything. Don’t know about grass, but there may be green weeds showing up? Now Tuesday may be a snow storm for us, but who knows? Time will tell and we could really use the moisture. We’ve had some big and many small fires, but they don’t make the news like California. Everybody is ready to drop everything and go put out the fires before they get big. So far, the biggest is at least 37,000 acres!!
Be careful out there. Betty in Rapid City
Betty – just now watching the weather and see that Rapid City looks to be in the path of the storm coming this way.
I have given a lot of thought to your comment about how I write patterns. Even I can’t follow a new current pattern – there’s so much text I can’t understand it all – and each piece has to coordinate to one of the designer’s fabrics. I have purchased a number of new patterns and have never made any of them. If I would take the time to redraft and rewrite those patterns with fabrics designated as dark, light, accent, etc. I could figure it out. And once again – a picture is worth a thousand words, isn’t it? Even if it’s only a hand drawn diagram.
LOVE the March Madness quilt. Thank-you for the instructions. I’m thinking about starting one w/ the idea of sewing the blocks as ‘leaders & enders’ (or whatever you call them) using scraps, while working on some of my UFOs. I’ve been in the habit of buying jelly rolls for a long while. What is the size of fabrics cut for a charm pack? … my guess is 4.5″ – ?! Or would that be 6.5″ – ?! Hmm.
We spent time ‘battening down the hatches’ yesterday in anticipation of the big storm front that came through early this morning. It was merciful (as far as I’ve heard) in the Charlotte area – no complaints here as we’ve put outdoor items back in place today. Prayers for so many who have been affected.
A charm square is cut 5 inches. Finishes at 4.5 inches. Hope that helps.
I wondered how many charm packs would one need to purchase to make a quilt the size ofvMary’s quilt! Thank you for the size info if one wanted to cut their own charm squares at 4.5”.
Janet – what a great idea to make these blocks as leaders and enders!! Charms are 5×5
Mary, it is a Sunny day out here in Western Minnesota today. Still chilly tho..29* right now. I am wondering on the March Madness quilt you composed, how many charm packs do you suggest? My dear husband is really into the college playoffs. I am working on a binding for a quilt. Also reading a book. Hard to do both at the same time tho.
I certainly love the very scrappy March Madness quilt. Scrappy tends to be my favorite type of quilt. After our short foray into spring weather this past week we are expecting a wintry mix today. Winter never seems to want to give up its grip. LOL
Love your March Madness quilt! I try to do that color palette, but have trouble breaking away from the prints I always seem to use. So, I’ll just keep trying, I’ll get there someday!
The reader’s quilt is Grandpa George’s Cabin Quilt by Geoff’s Mom Pattern Co. Another quilt I’ve always wanted to do but haven’t, yet!
Your quilt is beautiful. I really love how colorful it is. I have some of that backing, but not enough for a quilt, I think. I will definitely try that pattern. I have soooo many charm packs. Without question, I am deeply in love with Wrigley! That face! I could look at it forever. I have my cataract surgery tomorrow. I am really hoping it helps with my eye problems.
Brenda – oh, you’ll love your sight after cataract surgery!!!
That is some March Madness quilt!! Beautiful! What a work of love.
Green grass will be here soon. All this rain.
Devastating weekend for so many across this country. Hard to come back from this for many. We were spared. Prayers.
Thank you for correcting the flag. I see it wrong so often that I have to check myself when it is correct. I have that pattern and shake my head at the placement.
My goodness that is a huge 4 inch hourglass quilt. No wonder it took so many March Madness tournaments to complete. I just love a truly scrap quilt-the way our ancestors did it. What is the tournament quilt for this year?
So much rain in the last couple days . Warmer temperatures are allowing trees to bud and flower bulbs to appear.🪻🌷. Just love this time of year.
Mary,
Wrigley is adorable! Those curls are fun.
Love your March Madness quilt. The backing fabric is perfect! I made a similar one and I’ll send a photo once home. I am visiting my daughter and son-in-law in Indianapolis for a few days. We drove downtown Indy last night for dinner and there were lots of people out wearing green for St. Pats Day but also lots of college shirts so probably people for the Big 10 tournament also. Fun to see. I’m bummed that MSU lost yesterday but glad Michigan is in the championship game today.
Your lawn, or none-lawn, is great. Reminds me of our big front lawn as kids when we had a baseball diamond shape worn in the grass because we played SO many games. Way before computer games, we were always active and outside.
Love your quilt, Li. Have a nice day, everyone. 🌻
I love your March Madness quilt and the flag quilt. Thank you for the pattern.
It’s been so windy here this week. We got lots of rain and snow in the Sierras. Hope my fence is still standing behind the shed.
Love the March Madness quilt-scrap quilts are my favorite. Going to have to put the instructions in my notebook.
We had a lot of wind yesterday with tree branches down but just a spit of rain so my car and house windows are filthy from all of the blowing dirt.
I love your March Madness quilt. Thank you for making the pattern available to us. I loved all the quilts today.
When my grandson was a toddler, he loved football; they would wear their football jerseys all day on Sunday. They would watch a game for a while and then run outdoors and play football. It was so fun to see them having such a good time; their grass was a pathetic. My son always said they were growing a boy, not grass.
Thanks, Mary 🥰
OMG Wrigley is adorable! All that curly hair. Is he some kind of doodle?
Jamie – yup, some kind of doodle – they’re hardly dogs! They look like toys!
Such a.pretry quilt.Thanks for the.pattern…I have to start buying more charm squares.
It looks like it is so fun to sew.
I love that your yard looks like little ones run on it…
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