Sew Along-Sew Good!

Hello, my Friends,

With exhilaration, I've embarked on at least six different sew-along (SAL) and eleven projects lined up for 2024. Already, I've stitched a few blocks from three SALs. It's an enjoyable process, allowing precision in piecing the blocks together. Working on different projects has challenged my efficiency in following the schedule. Also, it was a joy to see those finished blocks turning lovely after using the fabric from my stash.

 

Also, I've learned that heavily starching your fabric BEFORE cutting them into pieces is very effective. I sprayed on the wrong side, let the fabric hang on a laundry rack till they were dry, and then pressed them. Because we lived in the country, the water solution for my DIY starch is one tablespoon/ one cup of water. Letting it dissolve at a low temperature in a pot is essential. Then, I shake the bottle before spraying.

Fabric starched and drying on a rack.

 Most of all, SALs will be using the fabric from my stash. For two projects: Kona Cotton Solid quilt and  used new fabric. Never doubt your ability to select fabrics from different designers to create a beautiful quilt. Buying a kit or a bundle with a pattern may give assurance for a great-looking quilt, but it will not push your creativity out of its comfort zone. Be courageous in 2024. Use your stash!

A few blocks are precut and ready to be sewn.

Barn stars Sampler- Block 1 (24" x 24")

Thrift store

When shopping at the thrift store, it was beneficial to check for good quality cotton for backing. It's one place I've allowed myself to be on the cheap.  

                                               Here is a reserve of backings for future quilts. 

Let our joy and fun continue with coming month with additional star blocks!

Let's Go Quilt!

 

 

Add it Up- Quilt #10

 The Add it Up quilt was the first top finished in 2024. It was quilted on the Cutie Frame with a  large stipple design. This design resembles a giant puzzle piece, and for a beginner just starting on the Cutie Frame like myself, this stipple design certainly gave me confidence. 

With a bit of practice, I've gained reasonable pedal control. For mysterious reasons, the thread would break and sometimes doesn't. Yes, I  have changed the needle, top, bobbin threads, and thread type. I've tried everything, but I figured out that it has to do with the speed of my sewing machine. Anyway, it is in the process of learning.

 This pattern is great for beginner. Large squares and rectangle combination give the effect of cross-crossing the plus signs. If you have large scale floral, this pattern could be perfect for this. 

We sewed, my new quilter friend and I in February 2019, this top together. It's only now that it was quilted. Almost five years later! That how long a finished top can be stored in our sewing room. Unloved, forgotten, and wasted to the dark corner of my sewing room. 

Okay, let's move on to another one. Shall we?

Pattern

Download pattern here:https://www.quiltingdaily.com/product/add-it-up-quilt-pattern-download/

Enjoy the Add it Up digital pattern from Quilty. Go big and come home.
Quilt By: Elizabeth Elliot
Quilt Size: 72″ x 90″
Project Rating: Beginner Level 3

Let's Go Quilt!

Quilt Planner for 2024

Inspiration from the Best

Kimberly from the Fat Quarter Shop shared all her along for 2024 on YouTube, and this is what brainstorm all my inspiration for selecting which pattern I'll be sewing this year. Most of the patterns from Fat Quarter Shop, Riley Blake, and Moda Fabrics are free to download, and they have the fabric requirement, dates it starts, and instructions. For the first time, I'll follow sew along, using my stash's older fat quarters and precut squares( 6"-2") to make beautiful scrappy quilts. The central expanse was for the fabric background and Kona Cotton.

Karen Brow of Just Get it Done Quilts repeatedly said to keep what can fit in the CAPACITY of our sewing room. So the idea of using those precut squares stored in bins and no longer love will be all turned into quilts.

Quilt Planner 2024

Inspired by Kimberly from Fat Quarter Shop, I divided the binder into 12 months and added tabs at the top for the # of the quilt. I selected about ten free patterns and a few from a book. Because I will be quilting those tops on the Cutie Frame or a regular machine, I'll leave room to complete at least ten quilts.

                   The Planner was crafted with washy tapes, stickers, quotes, and coloring markers.

On the left page of the binder is all the information about the quilt and the right side is the pattern and its instructions.

Storing in Clear Bins

Each project is stored on a bin with a label of the name of the quilt. Inside the clear bin, there's a photo of the pattern.

 

Each project are classified by a number (blue sticker on left) of priority, 

starting from January-December 2024

The fabrics are starched before cutting the pieces, which I've started doing in recent years.

New Ironing Boards

Both iron boards have been replace by new fabric.

The small iron bard is set next to my sewing machine.

My husband used a leftover piece of plywood and cut it to the length of the ironing board. Both boards are covered with one layer of batting and fabric, and stapled at the back. 

Selecting  Fabrics

Play with your stash. Don't be afraid of being creative! It's always a challenge but the reward is greater then if you had purchased a Fat Quarter bundle already done for you.

It took hours to select fabrics from my stash for each pattern. Surprisingly, I was blown away by how much available fabric was nice enough for making each quilt. What lacked the most was tone-on-ton white for the background.

After I selected the fabrics, I laid the pieces on the table from darker to lighter and took a picture, then set an image on a grey tone to see the value. Choosing the fabrics ahead was an excellent exercise, and returning to it the next day. Interestingly, the next day, I removed a few selected fabrics I didn't care for.

Sew Along

They are five sew along:

1.Barn Stars Sampler (2023)- Shelley Cavana

2. Kona cottong blocks- Robert Haufman

3.BlockHead 5 (group 1 & 2)- Moda Fabrics

4.Shine Together- Riley Blake Designs

5.Vintage Sunburst- Fat Quarter Shop

 

 

These next five are not sew along, but I want to make them:

1.Black Tie Affair-Riley Blake Designs

2.Garden Petals - Riley Blake Designs

3.Hey Y' All- Riley Blake Designs

4.The Quilted Snowman- Lori Holt

5.Garden Path- Riley Blake Designs

 

 What's Next?

Is this a waste of time preparing ahead for those ten projects? Not at all. It triggered a desire to quilt a few tops last December so I could handle the number of finished tops by the end of 2024. Also, I knew how much fabric was required for each quilt so I could purchase what was necessary, even if it were a lot of yardage. Now, I don't have to worry about anything and enjoy the cutting and sewing process.

Let's the fun began, and let's go quilt!

Resource

Moda Fabrics: https://my.modafabrics.com/categories/quilt-along

Fat Quarter Shop: https://blog.fatquartershop.com/quilts-im-making-in-2024/

Riley Blake:https://www.rileyblakedesigns.com/sew-alongs

Karen Brown: https://www.justgetitdonequilts.com/

Lori Holt:https://www.fatquartershop.com/the-quilted-snowman-downloadable-pdf-quilt-pattern-lori-holt-of-bee-in-my-bonnet