My turn on the Elephants on Parade Blog Hop

 Hi and welcome!

Today is my turn on the Elephants on Parade blog hop hosted by Tiffany of TiaLynnDesigns.

Fabric Makes the Block

I enjoy designing traditional blocks with bright fabrics and my block for this hop is no exception! Fabrics make the block so be sure to think about how you want to use yours. If you are making a whole quilt of these elephants, you could use the same fabrics throughout the different blankets to make them look like one big happy family! Of course, using favourite scraps in each one would also personalize the quilt. Your block, your choice!

I used some scraps from my favourite fabric designer, Alison Glass. Remember these blocks are 6 1/2" square so you don't need a lot of any one fabric to make your block.

New Pattern

I also used Alison Glass fabric to make my latest quilt pattern that I released last week.

The pattern is called Hope BlooMS.

Churn Dash Blanket Block

My favourite traditional quilt block is the churn dash. You could take a quick look at my patterns and see that I design with that block regularly! It was the first block I made when I started quilting and it was love at first churn dash for me. I use the fabrics to make the block look like the blanket is hanging over the elephant - at least that was my intention :)

Here is my Tillie the Elephant block with my Churn Dash Blanket Block:

I put together a short video showing how I picked fabrics from my scraps for this block:

You can watch it on Youtube by clicking here: Fabric Picking Video

Blog Hop Blocks

To get the elephant part of the block you will need to download that separately from Tiffany's site.

Go to TiaLynnDesigns page to get the elephant Tillie.

You will also be able to select the previous blanket blocks from other designers there.

Blocks released so far include:

Tille the Elephant designed by Tia Lynn Designs - this link includes the elephant block

Cindy at Hula Hoop Designs

Five Pointed Star from Scarlett Rose  -paper pieced pattern to download right from TiaLynnDesigns page

My Block

Click to go to my Payhip shop. The pattern is free but you will need to go through the store to receive the download. You will also be added to my newsletter list! :) 

Elephants on Parade Churn Dash Blanket block by Sew Joy Creations

I hope you enjoy making your Churn Dash Blanket block.

Thanks for visiting!

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Elephants on Parade Blog Hop

 

I'm getting back into my quilting groove by participating in some events. The first one of the year is the Elephants on Parade hosted by Tialynn Design. She designed the elephant and different designers will be contributing 6" blocks to make different blankets for it.

I couldn't resist when I saw the elephant! The colour palette also got my attention. I was working on a quilt for my daughter with a green that matches the background colour and was tickled to see it.  

Here's a picture of the quilt: it's a queen size version of my Starlight pattern.

I also thought it might be fun to use Alison Glass fabrics for the blanket. My crush on Alison's fabric has grown my collection of her prints in the last two years significantly! And I really want to start using them to make. Here's a peek at some of them all folded in rainbow order :)

Here's some of the fabrics I'm considering for my elephant blankets:

The first elephant blanket design went live on March 1. 

I share about my current projects and collaborations in my newsletter.  If you don't receive it yet, please consider joining my list. You can sign up by clicking here to join - Sew Joy Creations newsletter signup.

My turn to share a blanket block isn't until April, but I am intending to make 2 blocks and use them as pillows on my new couch -  which also happens to be in the same shade of green! 

Elephants on Parade home base: go to Tia Lynn Designs to get the elephant block

Designers So Far:

Tille the Elephant designed by Tia Lynn Designs - this link includes the elephant block

Cindy at Hula Hoop Designs

I will post about this hop a few times, sharing my blocks and pillow progress with you.

Even if you just make 1 elephant, it will be a large enough block to use as a wall hanging or a center block for a baby quilt.

Looking forward to more collaborations and fun projects this year!

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Adding Capacity to my Quilting Room in 2026

 Happy New Year!

I used my winter break from teaching to start decluttering my quilt room. I have only been in it for a few months but still found that I wasn't spending time in it. 

One thing I did this year was let go of fabric - a lot of it! I'm donating a bag of fabric to my quilt guild to make comfort quilts. Other stuff I threw out. I tossed some UFOs that I was just hanging onto and realize now that I won't finish. I got rid of some quilt tops that I just don't want to invest any more time or money on. And that's okay! I've been quilting for almost 30 years so I shouldn't be surprised that some of what I started in the past should be left there :)

I know there are a lot of quilters watching Karen Brown's of Just Get it Done Quilts Declutter Challenge videos. I have done it in the past and decided to use my break time to just start clearing. One thing she mentions often is to decide on the capacity for different items - how much space you want to give them in your room.

I have been struggling with space for paperwork not related to quilting - whether it's taxes and bills, or school related stuff. I've also been wanting space to display things that make me happy in my quilt room. I lucked out and found some cabinets on Market place - old kitchen upper shelf cabinets!

Space above my computer desk before

Cabinets above my computer area

What I have been searching for - and found WITH the upper cabinets - was a storage solution for finished quilts. 

Part of my thinking with quilting right now is where am I going to put my finished quilts? So finding a display cabinet has been on my mind for quite some time. The one downfall with this beauty is that it was stored with mothballs in it. We have done a lot of vinegar and water spraying to get the smell out. Too bad it's winter here because it could really use an airing out! It's been a week and it's better, but I won't be putting my quilts in it yet. If you have any tips on removing the smell, leave them in the comments.

Building capacity. Clearing space, finding space, making space. Mental and physical. I feel like I'm coming back to what I love about quilting - creating something new and finding myself.

If you still have some capacity for a new project this year, 

consider joining me for my first mystery quilt along!

Click the image below for more details.

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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New quilt Room

This summer we moved my quilting room into a different bedroom. I always thought it was smaller than the room I picked out when we moved into this house, but the layout makes it great. My original room is where the sliding doors are located to go to the backyard deck so it's a high traffic zone when I'm on summer holidays. My new room no one else has to go in!

Right away I started to free motion quilt and get a quilt finished. My desk fit exactly on this wall beside the door.

 

I slowly worked at taking down my daughter's decor and am even more slowly putting up new stuff. I am enjoying the blank space above my machine while also thinking about cupboards or shelving.

There was also an irresistible sale on PFAFF machines in July so I decided to buy myself a passport 3.0 machine to take to my guild sew days. I bought this machine for our daughter for Christmas this year.

One more photo of our outdoor plants. Here are the plants I wondered why my husband planted in pots and put on the stairs. Now they are some of my favourites this summer!

My new space feels so good! I will take more photos but for now I've been spending my time quilting!  

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Remaking of Joy

 Ready to share again. 

This summer has been very relaxing and focussed on getting back to quilting for joy. In this post I'm sharing what my design wall currently looks like: two quilts in progress.

My cat Bert found that the stool I sit at my computer on works for him.

Being outside this summer has been very relaxing. We are fortunate to have a pool and a large deck to sit on. My husband took on taking care of flowers this summer and they have been wonderful to watch bloom and grow. The geraniums were purchased in one hanging pot! The one on the ground in this photo was transplanted a second time into this large pot. Both with huge flower heads. 

Joy is returning here. My husband's diagnosis of Multiple Sclerosis has taken a few years to sink in. We are still acclimating to the new normal but are in it together. I am piecing my quilting life together with more focus and intention. With the new school year arriving in a couple of weeks I decided it was time to start showing up here again. 

Glad to be back!

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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