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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Savannah Island Batik Fabric Blog Hop featuring 2 Sew Joy Creations' patterns

 Welcome to my turn on the Savannah Island Batik Fabric blog hop.

I love the chance to play with new fabrics and this time - the playing was all digital!

Tammy of Tamarinis asked several designers if we would be willing to showcase her new fabric line Savannah. 

Because of the way of the world and shipping, most of us opted to go virtual. 

You can see all of the fabrics in this line here, but it's more fun as a quilter to see how to use them in quilts.

 Here's 2 of my quilt patterns showcasing these fabrics.

Dazzle

Right away I was attracted to the purple batiks and the saturated hues. The first quilt pattern I tried out with the Savannah line is my Dazzle quilt.

I love how these saturated batiks make this quilt feel tropical!

Those blues! I couldn't decide which I liked better - the dark or the light print. 

Which do you like better?

 That's the fun thing with the Dazzle pattern as adding color to the background can change the feel of the design.

Starlight in Savannah Fabrics

The next quilt pattern I put the Savannah fabrics into is my newest called Starlight. I tried out some of the darker prints in this first version.

Quite different from my usual brights but I like the sophistication the darker batiks bring to the design.

 Of course I couldn't resist changing it up one more time and used as many of the brighter prints as I could fit into the Starlight pattern!

This quilt makes me smile. It feels festive and warm like a summer street party.  

It was a treat to get to digitally play with Tammy's new fabrics - I never would have made 4 quilts for one hop!

Pattern Promotion

These two patterns are available in my online shop and have a special promotion: when you purchase either one at full price you will be offered a 20% discount on the other. Pretty sweet! You can click on the pattern cover images below to get to my shop and purchase them.

Blog Hop Designers

Here is the list of designers participating in the blog hop. Be sure to visit to see their patterns made up in the beautiful Savannah fabrics.

06/27/22 Tamarinis

06/27/22 Swan Amity

06/27/22 Faith and Fabric

06/28/22 True Blue Quilts

06/28/22 Sew Joy Creations - you are here :)

06/28/22 Said with Love

06/29/22 Studio R Quilts

06/29/22 Dragonfly's Quilting Design Studio

06/29/22 Quilty Zest

06/30/22 Kate Colleran Designs

06/30/22 Quilt Blox

06/30/22 Sunflower Quilting

07/01/22 Slife of Pi

07/01/22 Master Piece Quilting

07/01/22 Quilters Treasure Chest

There's and IG Loop soon too!

If you're on Instagram there will be a 'loop' happening July 6-7. 

Follow me @sewjoycreates, Tammy or any of the designers to - be in the loop about the loop :)

Thanks for visiting! 

With Joy,

Sarah V

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