Holly Jolly Quilt Blocks

Welcome September! School is back in session and wow, what a difference a month makes. Everyone in our house goes back to school with two teachers, a 5th grader and a 12th grader. All different, but the same - kind of like what quilt blocks can look like when we participate in block of the months!

This is the one block project that I have kept up with this year. Maybe it's the incentive to finish a block to receive the next pattern free, or maybe it's because I actually schedule a due date in my "real" calendar and not just my quilting calendar.

I have the next block almost all cut out and will do more tonight as I know my calendar is busy and I want to be done on time!

I am doing other quilting and I will share again soon. This was short and sweet to let you know I'm still quilting, and to touch base with those who are looking to the quilting blogs for some comfort and distraction amidst all the storms and upheaval. 

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Winner and What's on my design wall

May is flying by here! I'm happy to announce a winner from last week's blog tour for Quiltmaker's 100 blocks, volume 15.

Congratulations to C. Knapp! She won a copy of the magazine and three of my downloadable patterns.

The most fun part of the tour for me was reading about all of the festivals mentioned in the comments worthy of road trips!  My winner lives close to the OK Mozart International  festival - sounds like a great one :)

The magazine is on sale now so you should be able to find a copy of your own if you didn't win one here or on another block stop.

Saturday was my second time going to my guild's sew day - remember I just joined in February. This time I took a lot of different projects that I was hoping to catch up on.

The first thing I worked on was the bow block for the Holly Jolly quilt along. This Friday is the next pattern pick up day so I wanted to be sure to get it done. The woman behind me at the sew day is making 2 quilts with this pattern and was working on her bows too! Plus she was making her second set of the stocking block;)

I was a little concerned because last time I didn't take things that required thinking - like reading a pattern and cutting out pieces! I only had to redo one piece in this block which encouraged me to keep going!

The next thing I worked on was cutting out a second Celebration Leaves block. This will be a free pattern available to my newsletter subscribers.

 (sign up here if you're not one yet - hint! hint!) 

 I was testing my written notes and also checking if I had enough of my chosen fabrics to make 3 blocks - and I do! A fat quarter of each colour, plus a half yard of the white will make 3 of these 16 inch blocks. The third block is in the works as I am trying to keep the momentum going this week and sewing a bit every night.

Working full time has left me behind on my 150 Canadian women blocks, but more money to buy fabric so. . . :) I printed out several of my blocks and took them to the sew day but didn't touch them. I decided to try to catch up by doing one block a night. Sunday night I prepped block 64 and then sewed it together last night. I have block 65 prepped and will finish sewing it after posting this and hopefully get 66 cut out too.

I'm sewing my blocks together to turn them into 12 inch units. If you follow me on Instagram you'll be able to see my blocks as I finish them this week - and encourage me to keep going! This week I posted an alternate colour arrangement for the last block using all pink. In the end the block was too bright like that and I added the red to help in blend in. Only in this quilt would red tone down a block!

Tonight I'm downloading the next 3 blocks in the 150 designed by Kat Tucker, finishing block 65, and chain piecing Celebration Leaves in between. Hopefully I will cut out the next block too but feeling a bit tired tonight. A little concerned a coughing cold has found it's way into our house!

Stay sewing, keep joyful.

Prayers to all dealing with flooding concerns across the country. xo

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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Progress on my blocks of the months

These projects are not necessarily on the back burner, but definitely the side burners! My last post focussed on my 3 focus projects for this quarter of the year. The following three - or four - are also taking their turns under the sewing machine needle.

My Friends on Chelsea Lane blocks by Pat Sloan: I'm trying to at least fuse down one of these blocks a month. I am now behind on doing the blanket stitch on several and the words. I think I will spend time in the summer months stitching the words out on the porch :)

This is an older pattern of  Pat's that I was fortunate enough to be gifted as a kit. She has a beautiful quilt in the latest issue of Primitive Quilting that is available in a kit and features her new fabric line. You can see Spring Breeze here.

I've just recently started to fall behind on this one. This is my 150 Canadian Women blocks laid out on my queen size bed - there's around 64 - 6 1/2" blocks in this photo, plus the one 12" block that I added in. I'm hoping to catch back up shortly now that my secret sewing is finished!

These blocks are designed by Kat Tucker of  Next Step Quilt Designs. There are more blocks to come and a CD you can buy in November that includes all of the 150 blocks.

My local quilt shop recently started the Holly Jolly quilt along by Sew Fresh Quilts . Of course I couldn't resist the easy pieced blocks and fun colours. Plus Christmas! I have been meaning to share this one for awhile as it seems I've made several copies of this photo for the blog ;)

This is one of those block of the months where you pay a fee at the beginning, bring in your block completed by the next release date and receive the next pattern free. It works for me! I did mistakenly personalize my mitten block, but I like it. The next block is a big bow due in a few weeks:)

And one more - my quild's mystery quilt! I joined the guild late in the year and have some catching up to do. Apparently I don't have to have it finished until the next quilt show in a couple of years :)  The last clue has been given out and I'm thrilled with the design - it's one I've been putting off doing. I'm also glad I used some stashed favourites in this one. Now I just have to get it done - and convince my husband I don't have too many quilts and can keep it!

There will be another post up here this week: I'm happy to announce that I am one of the stops on the Quiltmaker's 100 blog tour next week!

AND my block is on the cover!

Can you guess which one? Come back on Wednesday, May 3 to find out!

I have made a lap top quilt top for the tour and can't wait to share it with you. Now I just need to take it outside for some photos before it starts raining!

With Joy,

Sarah V.

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