Have you seen this?? Are you sewing along too? I'm talking about the Splendid Sampler. It's a sew-a-long by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson. They enlisted several designers to come up with a unique 6 inch block and share two of them a week. For a year. 100 blocks in all. So far we are 9 blocks (1 month) into it and I am really enjoying it!
I know starting another sewing project is probably the last thing I need to do, but I decided to jump in anyways. I'm using my 30's repro stash that I've been hoarding for a while for some unknown project. I've always admired those Farmer's Wife samplers, but the project always seems so daunting. This is the same deal, just served in little bits on Thursdays and Sundays. Plus, if you join the Facebook group (there's over 18,000 so far!) there's plenty of quilters to help you out if you have any problems. And you get to see what others are doing with their blocks. It's been fun seeing how others interpret the blocks to make them their own. I've gotten lots of ideas from others sharing their blocks.
Here is block #7- Snug as a Bug. How cute is this?!? I added a little sister under mine for my two littles. I also added a little color with crayons. Embroidery is not my area of expertise but I've been learning the past year.
Natalia Bonner designed this one--Focal Point. This block would look really neat as a whole quilt.
The flower vase took me a while--I'm pretty new to applique. But I learned of a great way to make those little circles. You wrap your fabric around a coin and tie a little rubber band (ones you would use on a toddler's hair) around it. Then you spray it with starch. Once it dries, you cut the fabric off at the rubber band and there you go! a perfect little circle with the edges all turned under.
Melissa Corry designed this one #3-Lots of Love. So cute. I learned a new trick on this one too. Don't trim the bottom layer when you stitch and flip. This way if you are not exactly square, as long as you are close, you sew along the bottom layer that is square as your guide and you will come out fine. I don't know if that made much sense the way I explained it, but someone shared a tut in the fb group that really helped me out. I hate those stitch and flips-they always come out goofy. Not anymore!
#2- Wings was a challenge. Mine ended up 1/2 inch too big, so I ripped it apart and started over. This time using more starch, more squaring up, and more focus on that scant 1/4 inch. And I got it right!
And here is block #1-Hearts a Flutter. As you can see there are a variety of different techniques and methods for each block/designer. Each little block is a new challenge, and I've already learned a lot so far--and it's just getting started! Did I mention that this is all FREE?! So far I've been able to keep up pretty well--the applique and embroidery do slow me down a bit though. I haven't been this excited about a sewing project for quite a while--I cant wait to see what the next block is going to be! Have I convinced you to sew along with me and 18,000 others? I hope so because it's been soo fun so far. Here's another link to the website.
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