A Christmassy Five-Star Experience Quilt / Beauties Pageant 337

Well, that was an unexpected (but much-needed and well-enjoyed) little blog break! Rest assured that over the past few weeks when I haven’t been in this space, I’ve been having all sorts of quilty fun ...

Most recently, I participated in my first virtual teaching experience with Creative Spark where I talked to new friends across the country about jelly roll projects. If you were there, thank you—and I’d love to hear what you thought. Drop me an email at frombolttobeauty [at] gmail [dot] com. : )

The weekend before, I was at Cannizzaro Creations, a lovely little quilt establishment on Boston’s South Shore, for a popup shop. It was a special day to appear there: The Pembroke Chamber of Commerce and local politicians officiated a ribbon cutting to celebrate the business that owners Mary and Jen have created.

I set up my books, patterns, and quilts in a corner of the shop. The event marked the debut of my latest pattern—Festive Flurries—as well as a Christmassy version of Five-Star Experience, the cover quilt from Not-Your-Typical Jelly Roll Quilts. (Festive Flurries will launch online in PDF and printed from next Friday, July 31.) 

Five-Star Experience started with a jelly roll of Cozy Wonderland by Fancy That Design House for Moda. For the background, I cut into stashed yardage of a Kent chambray in succulent, which, I think, really elevates the project. For this pattern, I am a fan of sorting my strips into different colorways. I love the effect it creates!

 I am still in Christmas-project mode, so expect some more holiday finishes before summer’s end!

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The pageant rules are simple:

• Post your finish in the linky tool. (No links to your own giveaway or linky, please!)
• Point your readers back here with a text link or use the button above.
• Visit and comment on other participants’ finishes.

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Butterfly Season Mini / Beauties Pageant 336

For a lady who loves making throw-size quilts, I am finding myself sewing more and more small projects lately. Remember last year’s zippered pouches and thread catchers? Well, I think I’ve entered my mini-quilt era.

It all started with a simple guild challenge: Bring in a bit of fabric, blindly swap it for someone else’s fabric, and then make something with that new-to-you print or solid. I ended up picking a fabric I had never seen before. Now that everything has been cut up and sewn back together again, it’s best viewed on the back ... 

I immediately saw butterfly forms in the design and thought of my own Butterfly Season quilt. Relying on a pattern I had already designed and sewn seemed like a sneaky way to respond to this challenge. But I was plotting this mini (ahem!) the night before the guild meeting where everyone was unveiling their creations. It was a matter of making a Butterfly Season mini-quilt or going empty handed! In the end, I was happy to make this little bit of loveliness and to share it with my guild mates.

Now the question is, What should I do with this beauty? I hang mini-quilts on the bulletin boards in my kitchen, but they’re all smaller than this one, which finishes at 12 inches by 15 inches. So I’ve decided to give it away to someone who needs a pick-me-up. Instead of holding a formal giveaway, I will be posting it in my main shop (that is, not Etsy) for $0 and free shipping. Want to learn more (because I expect this to be so much fun I’ll do it again in the future!)? All the details will be shared in this week’s newsletter, which will go out tomorrow. If you’re not a subscriber, you can sign up here.

Related links:

• More on the original Butterfly Season
• Not-Your-Typical Jelly Roll Quilts (which contains the Butterfly Season pattern)
• The FBTB newsletter 

 

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The pageant rules are simple:

• Post your finish in the linky tool. (No links to your own giveaway or linky, please!)
• Point your readers back here with a text link or use the button above.
• Visit and comment on other participants’ finishes.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Holiday Sewing Season / Beauties Pageant 335

Every summer, fabric manufacturers release their winter-themed fabric lines. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, it may be hard to reconcile our longer days and ample sunshine with, say, a snowman project, but I think it’s always more enjoyable to tackle holiday projects in advance. Doing so makes for a saner November and December, and the holidays always seem to come and go so quickly ... I might as well get into the spirit in the off-season and then enjoy the fruits of my quilty labors when winter is here.

It’s little wonder, then, that we’re expecting a high of 84 degrees today in New England, and I am plotting my new snowflake pattern. 

But can you blame me? I picked up a fat quarter bundle of Kim Kight’s Merry Happy, and I am totally smitten. I love a holiday collection with a surprise or two, and this one features gummy bears, pickle ornaments, and a pink colorway. Nontraditional colorways get me every time -- I love a good Christmas line with blue or black -- and this pink is so, so good!

I was spinning my wheels on this idea for a while. When I couldn’t decide upon a layout, I took to Instagram for some instantaneous feedback. The masses spoke, and I took their advice: The third layout, with tight off-set rows, is what I am running with now.

Layout 1: On Point

Layout 2: Offset and Loose

 

Layout 3: Offset and Tight

I am calling this beauty "Festive Flurries" and expect to have a sample and finalized pattern ready to share next month!

It anyone else out there plotting winter- or Christmas-themed projects? 

 

Upcoming Teaching Event

 Register here! (Use code PP26MichelleC to get $20 off)

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* * *

The pageant rules are simple:

• Post your finish in the linky tool. (No links to your own giveaway or linky, please!)
• Point your readers back here with a text link or use the button above.
• Visit and comment on other participants’ finishes.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter