Top 5 patterns from Sew Joy Creations in 2022

 It's that time of year when quilters make lists and check in on their UFOs. I decided to start by checking in on which of my paid patterns were the most popular this year. 

# 5  Liberated Churn Dash placemats

This one surprised me, although it was my best seller through Etsy this year. This pattern is a different construction method than my other liberated pattern. I like how you can use fabric scraps to make these an how easy it is to make the placemats in any theme or colour you'd like.

Here is a link to my original blog post when this pattern debuted in 2015 - New Pattern Liberated Churn Dash Placemats.

Buy Now

#4 is a TIE - Liberated Churn Dash Quilt and Delightful Stars

The Liberated Churn Dash quilt has been a consistent seller for me. I still love this quilt and am slowly workng at making another version as an Inventory Quilt.

You can see my progress on my new version - which again is a goal to get finished! - here.

This quilt started as my block in a quilt bee with the original tutorial still available.

Buy Liberated Churn Dash quilt pattern

Delightful Stars is one of my newer patterns and features large squares to showcase fabric prints. The theme of your print can suggest the other colours to use to make the stars that fill in the background of the quilt. This would be fun to do for any seasonal holiday including Valentines, Christmas or even the 4th of  July. I still have this fabric waiting for me  - will it get done in 2023?

Buy Delightful Stars pattern

#3 Dropping In

Dropping In has become one of my personal go-to patterns. I love how quickly it comes together and the chance to play with so many fabrics in one quilt. The cutting and piecing are straightforward and the possibilities are plentiful for making personalized themed quilts. I have fabric ready to make this quilt 'upside down' and look likde rainbow arcs!

You can find links on my blog to make this quilt as a quilt along - start here!

As of today, there are still kits available ON SALE of this pattern using The Fae fabric at Hancocks ;)

Buy Dropping In pattern

#2 Starlight

I designed this pattern and then worked at getting it published over the last couple of years. In the end I submitted it to be featured with these beautiful Dear Stella fabrics called City of Stars.  With two large repeating blocks it is another pattern that lets the fabric do the work while still creating a beautiful allover design. 

Kits available at Hancock's of Paducah - Starlight quilt kit

I decided to play with this one and used a variety of Christmas prints to make my very own quilt top! 

Buy Starlight pattern

#1 Dazzle

My most popular pattern this year is Dazzle. This pattern was created with no particular fabric in mind but as a design challenge. I love how the secondary pattern is created when the blocks are joined together - it's easier than it looks!

I made this quilt and hosted a quilt along on my blog here: Dazzle Quilt Along

I've also most recently made Dazzle in Little Forest

Buy Dazzle quilt pattern

It looks like 2022 was a fun year to make a quilt! Here's to making quilts in 2023 too :)

Did any of these quilts strike your fancy?

You can visit my shop to see more patterns too - maybe your favourite is waiting there!

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Tantalizing Table Toppers Sampler Progress

 I'll catch you up fast as I have not been posting as I complete blocks for this project. Pat Sloan tempted me with this wonderful idea to make a sampler using a block from each project in her book, Tantalizing Table Toppers. Here is the first block:

She also featured this gorgeous fabric called Frankie by Basic Grey in one of her previous projects. I bought this fabric and then, when the sampler project came up, I knew it would be perfect! 

Week two's block:

This week the block was several units which together make a border around the center. Pat is incorporating solids with her prints and as luck would have it, the fat quarter bundle for Frankie also included these gorgeous grunge solids. I'm trying to use my solids when Pat does to have a similar effect.

Week 3 is a bonus block:

I love this hexagon print and am trying to use it in fun spots throughout the sampler. This colourway is more white.

It is a busy print but up close it works.

Now skip ahead to the joining the left column of blocks to the center:

I finally have some curtain clips on my double rod and clipped up the progress on the sampler. At this point the left column - so three more weeks - of blocks is added and I sewed the sashing pieces on too. For some of this black I used a crochet print by Alison Glass because I needed more than a fat quarter of black. I'm loving the bright colours with the black. I chose to use the floral print with black background for the center of the first block and bought more of it for the final borders.

Here is the completed center outside on a nice summer day:

Next is to make blocks for a row above and below this piece. Then borders and we're done! I'm behind now with only the next block complete:

I'm having fun anyway! This block incorporates the hexagon print in the blue colourway. 

How do you stay motivated once you've fallen behind in a sew along?

Leave me your tips!

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Quiltblockmania September 2022 - Occupations

Welcome to Quiltblockmania release day for September 2022!

 

September 2022 #quiltblockmania theme is Occupations. My block is for teachers, which is my occupation when I'm not designing quilt patterns :)

Even in this technological age, there's a moment everyday where a pencil is required. And honestly, I always have a cup of coffee nearby too - most teachers will tell you they only get to drink it when it's lukewarm. I hope this block reminds you of a favorite teacher or inspires you to get back to basics and enjoy learning something new!

There are many designers offering blocks this month. Visit their websites to find more blocks to create a Wedding Sampler quilt or maybe even find a new pattern to buy. Blocks are free this month, but designers may request you sign up for their newsletters (like me) and others may make the blocks a paid item after the month is over. Please read and respect each designer's choice as we really do enjoy designing blocks for you.

THIS MONTH'S DESIGNERS

Here is the list of designers participating this month:

Cars Quilt Block by Carolina Moore
Stethoscope by QuiltFabrication
Scales of Justice Quilt Block by Purple Dasies
The Tooth Fairy by Scrapdash
Farmer's Market by Sugar Sand Quilt Co.
Firefighter Block by BoBerry Design Co.
My Hero by Inquiring Quilter
Teacher at Sew Joy Creations
Chef by Appliques Quilts and More
Eighth Notes by The Quilting Room with Mel
Podcaster Mic at Patchwork Breeze
Makeup Artist by Inflorescence
Mathematician by duck Creek Mountain Quilting
Cook's Tools by Blue Bear Quilts

MY FREE BLOCK

CLICK on the image above or on the link below to subscribe to my newsletter and have access

to this free block.
You will also receive access to my collection of patterns available only to my subscribers.

CLICK TO SUBSCRIBE TO NEWSLETTER TO GET FREE BLOCK

Spread the love and tell your quilting friends about the new designers you find!

Is your occupation reflected in these blocks?

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Sew Much Fun Tour wall hanging

The year long Sew Much Fun Tour is complete and so is my little wall hanging!

In the end I didn't end up making very many of the blocks for various reasons, but I did want to put the ones I did make together into a project. The wall hanging is the perfect size to hang in my quilting room as a mini quilt.

The wall hanging doesn't have any sashing between the blocks. Instead I added triangles to the corners where the blocks touch to create another design element using fabrics from the blocks to connect them.

I added some narrow borders to again bring the blocks together as a group. I though it was funny that I decided to add the triangles so that the wall hanging wouldn't get bigger and then I still added borders! But they are pretty narrow :) 

Then I found the fun scrap of Alison Glass fabric that goes perfectly with the collection of blocks and added it on for a final border. I had just enough!

I enjoyed stitching the applique blocks and then finally quilting the top. I first went around each shape in the blocks then filled in the background with free motion quilting. 

I've added links for the different blocks I included in my wall hanging. Some may no longer be free but I wanted to include the links to the designers anyway.

seam ripper by Katie Mae quilts 

tomato pincushion by  Appliques Quilts and More - they have a good list of the blocks too!

sewing machine by  Orange Blossom Quilts

Sew Much Fun logo block  by Kathryn Dragonfly's Quilting Design Studio

thread spool   by Faith and Fabric Design

iron - by Duck Creek Mountain Quilting

thimble by  Slice of Pi quilts 

 

My two blocks are the alternative churn dash - here's the link to the tutorial post; and the Scrappy S block which is free to my newsletter subscribers. Subscribe here!

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Secret Lives of Colour quilt a long

 This is my first blog post about this quilt along! I guess I have only shared photos over on Instagram, which doesn't really help me track projects and progress. I'm still behind, but this is where I'm at today :)

This is where I started - with the Canadian version of the book by Kassia St. Clair and some of the fat quarters of Anna Maria Horner fabrics that I bought last year. These are my background fabrics!

The quilt along is another fun quilting adventure thought up and delightfully executed by Pat Sloan. I have really enjoyed the process so far. Pat chose three different very light colours for her background fabrics - and I didn't! In fact, I have decided to use a variety of Anna Maria Horner fabrics. I started with some from the Love Always collection and have since purchased more fat quarters from different lines after deciding this extra challenge of using large print fabrics for the background is really fun. 

Skip ahead a bit and here are the first two rows complete. All the blocks are shoo fly blocks and vary in three different sizes. I have started in each row to reverse one block so that the colour is the background. 

This is the beginning of the third row. Pat has made a brilliant layout, which combined with using the shoo fly block, basically made me have to join this quilt along!

It is free - the book is not and it's the guide for the choosing colours for the blocks - but the instructions are free from Pat. You can find the details here: Secret Lives of Color sew along Pat also includes the sew along in her daily videos so it is possible to go through her videos for the colours - but the book makes it handy to match fabrics to the coloured edges of the book.

At this point I am looking ahead to blue fabrics as that's the colour after purple. I need this purple fabric for a block though, but have to use it to make binding for this quilt first! 

What quilt along are you enjoying right now?

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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