What Are Quilters Blogging About Today?

 I started cutting more potato chip pieces (2" by 3 1/2" pieces) in April and told my Facebook Sew Along Group (Alamosa Quilt Company Sew Along Group) that I was going to do another sew along with these in May. Well, May is almost over. I got sidetracked with "business stuff" that required my immediate attention. Then I was trying to do too much at once with this project. I have several different variations planned that I want to share with you. I was trying to do that all at once, but I think one at a time will ...

Vanessa will be going LIVE to show you tell you all about the Essentials Wallet Sew Along that starts tomorrow, April 4, 2024. She will also be answering questions live about the wallet & course.

She will also share what she’s been making with her new laser cutting & engraving machine. Lots of fun crafts to chat about on today’s show! Join us!

Essentials Wallet Course on sale: https://craftygemini.com/shop/essentials-wallet/

Laser cutting machine I use to make wooden earrings (affiliate link): https://shrsl.com/4grfb

Easter earring cut file I used (affiliate link): https://www.creativefabrica.com ...

 Block 15 of the Sew-a-Long 1930s Style is the Martha Washington Star. I have done a previous post on this pattern but it's worth looking at again.

 I am preparing to run a Block of the Week sew-a-long and I would love you to join me!

What's involved?  

The sew-a-long is based on traditional blocks from the 1930s. Everyone is familiar with the Kansas City Star newspaper that printed a patchwork pattern every week. The KC Star was certainly the first and the longest running pattern publisher, but did you know that there were dozens of syndicated columns with hundreds of newspapers also publishing patterns?  That is the inspiration for this sew-a-long.

 Each 6-inch block will be accompanied by some historic information, a picture of the ...

 I just realized I left you hanging. I never shared my completed Improv Triangle Sewalong quilt.... although I did share some of my process here. Well it's finished! Introducing, Triangles everywhere, all at once...

The improv triangle units were made using the process Nicholas Ball spells out in his book, Inspiring Improv. I used fabric I had painted with my gel plate and acrylic paints for the triangles and assorted teal, aqua and orange solids from my stash.

When it came time to quilt, I went a little bananas! It is all walking foot quilted on my domestic machine ...

 My second finish for this week!

This was the project from my most recent Sew Along from earlier this month. Such a fun and easy block to make!

Cindy C. also participated and sent me a photo of her completed top.

Cindy used a variety of light colored solids for the light fabric in her blocks. I love it!

Both of our quilts finish at 40" by 48" which is a great baby quilt size and charity quilt size.

If you want to make one too, the instructions for this block can be found by following the link above the ...

 I've been working to finish things recently.

Some folks have told me that it looks like a jumbled mess. Yes, it's hard to see the actual block and it's really scrappy. There was no plan for this. I just started sewing pieces together and didn't worry too much about it. But I like scrappy quilts. And I like this one. If you don't, then fine - it's not your quilt.

Barb H. participated in the Sew Along too and recently sent me a photo of her finished quilt. She took color into account when making ...

 Last Saturday was World Wide Quilting Day and I celebrated by hosting a Sew Along through my Alamosa Quilt Company Sew Along Group page on Facebook. It's a private Facebook page so you have to join to see the posts. There are a couple of questions you need to answer to be allowed into the group. If you answer them all then Facebook will automatically allow you into the group. If you don't answer the questions then you aren't going to be allowed into the group - no exceptions. If you only answer some of the questions you ...

 I'm hosting another sew along through my Alamosa Quilt Company Sew Along Group on Facebook. 

The Sew Along information has been posted in our Alamosa Quilt Company Sew Along Group Facebook page. If you haven't joined the group you can click the link, answer the two simple questions, and you will be in the group. You MUST answer the simple questions. The questions are a simple line of defense against spammers and creeps. The questions will keep out the chatbots but not real humans so if you see anything funny being posted on the page please let me ...

 I had some unexpected sewing time at the end of last week so I decided to add the inner border and a pieced outer border to my Potato Chip Block quilt.

I used up all but about a dozen of the pieces I cut for this project! The inner border was cut 2" wide, just like all the pieces. It took me a little bit of trial and error to get the outer border pieces sewn so that the pattern continues around the corners AND no fabric was sewn to itself. That last part got harder as I had fewer ...

 Well, I didn't mean to start another quilt but here we are. I can't resist Nicholas Ball's (@quiltsfromtheattic) improv triangle sew alongs, I've participated twice before (here and here) and when he announced a third opportunity to sew along with him I jumped right in.

As I told you in my last post, I've been enjoying gelli printing lately. I had a stack of fabrics I had painted and quickly decided those should be triangles...

After lots of cutting I had almost 90 triangles ready to sew! I pulled out my teal/aqua solids and ...

We’re ready to kick off the Jolly Bar 4 Quilt Along. To celebrate the release of Jolly Bar Book Vol. 4, we are sewing a few blocks weekly from January through March of 2023. If you’re in the mood for an easy-to-sew quilt to start off your year, this is the perfect pattern to get you into the swing of things. Find all the details and the sew along schedule, below.

About the Jolly Bar 4 Quilt

The Jolly Bar 4 Quilt Along sampler quilt measures 66.5″ x 84.5″ finished. Join us as we make the ...

We’re so excited the time has come to kick off the Sew Scrappy Spools Quilt Along. This scrap-friendly quilt along highlighting 14 different blocks starts today. We hope you’re ready to join us and start sewing! Keep reading to find the sew along schedule and all the details.

About the Sew Scrappy Spools Quilt

Join us as we make our favorite scrappy fabrics into splendid little spools for the Sew Scrappy Spools Quilt Along. The Sew Scrappy Spools Quilt is a Full-size quilt, finishing at 72.5″ x 90.5″, and by sewing a few blocks each month ...

 I hosted my very first Sew Along through my shop the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving (November 25 & 26, 2022). We made Potato Chip blocks. I thought I would share the clues here with you in case you want to make some too. It won't be a mystery like it was for my participants, but it's still fun.

To get started you need to cut a bunch of 2" by 3.5" pieces from scraps. Don't worry about color or value. If you can get at least one 2" by 3.5" piece from the scrap use ...

We’re so excited it’s time to kick off the Simply Stars Quilt Along. This half yard-friendly quilt along to celebrate Simply Half Yards will be five weeks and starts today. More details, including the schedule, can be found below. We hope you’re excited to start sewing along with us!

About the Simply Stars Quilt

The Simply Stars Quilt finishes at 64.5″ Square and is made up of quilt blocks from the Simply Half Yards book. Sew along with us as we make our favorite half yard fabrics the stars of the show with the Simply ...

 I am doing a Sew Along at my shop and on Facebook the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving, November 25 & 26, 2022. Anyone, anywhere can participate. You just need to join the Facebook group, "Alamosa Quilt Company Sew Along Group". All you need to do is search for the group on Facebook and ask to join. If you want to come sew at the shop you do need to reserve your spot ahead of time. There is no charge to come sew at the shop for this, but I don't have unlimited seating so reserve your spot as soon ...

This charming new quilt book from Moda Bake Shop is full of creative designs to use up your favorite 5″ squares! We’re so excited to talk about Charmed by Moda Bake Shop and all its beautiful projects. Keep reading to learn more about this new book of Charm Pack patterns, and sew along with us in a new quilt along starting Friday, November 4.

Charmed by Moda Bake Shop

You can get the Charmed by Moda Bake Shop Quilt Book today. This delightful new book of patterns gathered by Lissa Alexander has twelve designs in it, all using Charm ...

The Sew Along continues today with the addition of borders to our little project. This will use up more of our scraps, and give you an idea for a larger project as well.

I have no end to Autumn inspired fabric scraps, LOL!! It is just a matter of choosing a bunch, then cutting 2-1/2-inch squares.

You’ll need 40 squares, 2-1/2-inches square. Sew them in line sets as follows –
Two sets of 3 squares
Four sets of 5 squares
Two sets of 7 squares

Then arrange the square sets around your embroidered center, with the sets of ...