Pages

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

Just Two Charm Pack Quilts: Snapdragon Cove / Beauties Pageant 225

Hello! And welcome to my stop on the Just Two Charm Pack Quilts blog hop!

When I learned that Cheryl Brickey was working on a third pattern book, I was more than a little excited. I’ve made projects from her previous two books—Modern Plus Sign Quilts, cowritten with Paige Alexander, and Just One Charm Pack Quilts—and have come to regard Cheryl as a quilter whose designs are unique and elegant in their simplicity. Plus, she brings an engineer’s sensibility to the table: Her patterns are solidly written and a joy to follow.

When the latest release, Just Two Charm Pack Quilts, hit my desk, I quickly homed in on Snapdragon Cove as the first project to tackle. It’s deceptively simple ... All it requires is 80 charm squares and some supporting yardage to make this lovely collection of diamonds on point.

The Fabric

This project was the opportunity I was waiting for to justify buying a fat quarter bundle of Eden, by Gabrielle Neil for Riley Blake. You read that right: I cut up fat quarters to sew something from a Just Two Charm Pack Quilts! It’s not against the rules, promise! Cheryl’s book starts with an exploration of charm packs—how to augment a pack you already have on hand, how to track down a long out-of-print collection, and how to cut up other precuts for use with this book.

Because I’m trying to be kinder to my body (see my post about quilting ergonomics here), I sent those fat quarters through my Accuquilt Go! with a half-square triangle (HST) die to prepare for this project. The upside to this approach is that I didn’t have to trim a single HST and that I have plenty of Eden left over for future quilty endeavors.

The Quilting

To soften Snapdragon Cove’s lines, I asked my friend Ophelia Chang to quilt a swirly flower pantograph on the finished top. I love how the quilting is invisible on the Kona Bone chunks and pops on Cornflower, from Ruby and Bee.

The Binding

I bound the quilt with Bella Solid in Shocking Pink and the hot pink print from Eden. This was not a design decision; I didn’t have enough Shocking Pink. Still, the duo work together to bring a little oomph to the finished project, and I think all that pink kind of makes the quilt. Even the orange or goldenrod wouldn’t be enough to counteract all that blue.

More on the Book

I can’t say enough about the collection of 16 throw-size projects in Just Two Charm Pack Quilts. Usually, I’ll consider buying a quilt book that contains 3 or 4 quilts I’d like to make. I would easily consider making half of the projects in Cheryl’s book. Maybe that’s the highest compliment I have to give!

I highly recommend you check out the other blog hop participants to see what I mean. I am swooning over Tish’s Star Rays quilts, Selwyn’s Morning Flower Patch quilt, and Anja’s Process Flow quilt. For other stops on the blog hop, head to Cheryl’s blog, Meadow Mist Designs.

A Giveaway!

** Congratulations to Donna W, the winner of the digital version of Cheryl’s book! Donna, your prize will be coming directly from Cheryl—enjoy! **

To celebrate the release of Just Two Charm Pack Quilts, I am giving away a digital copy of the book!

You have two opportunities to enter to win the digital book: (1) Upload your link to the Beauties Pageant below (just one link, please) and/or (2) leave a comment on this post.

This giveaway is open to everyone everywhere through 11:59 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-4) on Sunday, August 13, 2023. 

IMPORTANT: If you’re a no-reply blogger or comment anonymously, please include your email address in your comment or send it to me at frombolttobeauty (at) gmail (dot) comotherwise, I have no way to send you the digital book. And if youre not sure whether youre a no-reply blogger, send me your email address just in case.

Good luck!

Taking a Break 

I need to step away from my blog for the next few weeks as I wrap up the summer with family fun. I’ll be back on Friday, August 25, September 1 with a new post and Beauties Pageant linky. Until then, happy sewing!

Linking up to My Favorite Finish at Meadow Mist Designs ...

Follow Me On ...


 
* * *


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