Summer Solstice Quilt-A-Long - Schedule, Fabric Requirements,and Prizes!!!

Yippee, today is the day!!!!  The Summer Solstice Quilt-A-Long officially starts today!!!  Today's post is going over everything you need to know to Quilt-A-Long.   There will be a post every other Thursday from June 9th until September 1st with bi-weekly assignments and then there will be a Parade and Grand Prizes on September 15th.  So lets go over how it's going to work!!

THE HOW TO

The Summer Solstice Quilt-A-Long is my own quilt design and I hope you enjoy putting it together and maybe even learn some new techniques along the way.    The quilt-a-long will include 5 different sizes for the Summer Solstice block giving you multiple layout options.  You can also choose how many blocks you want in your quilt.  You can do a  1 x 1 block layout, 2 x 2 block layout, 3 x 3 block layout, and/or a 4 x 4 block layout.  This quilt will not be made by making one block at a time but rather a more assembly line process.  Once the units are done, then the blocks will be created.   I broke down the construction of the quilt into bi-weekly assignments so hopefully the slower summer pace will allow everyone time to keep up even with vacations and crazy summer schedules ;)     The schedule will be as follows

June 9th- Intro, Fabric Requirements, and Prizes Announcement (that's today :)

June 23rd - Cutting

 July 7th - Flying Geese

July 21st - Half Square Triangles

August 4th - Drunkards Path

August 18th - Building Blocks

September 1st - Piecing Top and Grand Prize Linky

September 15th- Summer Solstice Parade and Grand Prize Winners

So count on checking back every other Thursday to see what the next assignment will be.  You will want to try to keep up as there will be prizes along the way!!   Be sure to take a picture of your finished  assignments so that you can link it up for the bi-weekly prizes :)  Oh, and if you are new to quilting, no worries, this will be super beginner friendly! I will go through each step in great detail in the Thursday posts.

CHOOSING A PROJECT SIZE

So to start, you need to make some choices.  What size project do you want to make and with what size blocks. Check out this chart below to help you decide what size project you want to make and with how many blocks in it.  A 1 x 1 layout is 1 block, a 2 x 2 layout is 4 blocks, a 3 x 3 layout is 9 blocks (Kits provided for this layout) , and a 4 x 4 layout is 16 blocks.

This will give you an idea of what each layout will look like ;)  

And as you have probably noticed - there are some curves in this quilt and you will need to make a template for that.  So while you are choosing a size and looking at rounding up your fabric, also remember to round up something to make your templates from.  I will be using   Extra Thick Plastic Template Sheets  but you can use thick posterboard, or cardboard or whatever you like to use best for templates ;)  

Alright, back to it.  Have you chosen a size block and layout??  Do you know what project you want to make??  Excellent, well then let's see what fabrics you are going to need.

THE FABRIC REQUIREMENTS

Regardless of what quilt you want to make you will need to choose "Print Fabrics" and a "Background Fabric".  Print Fabrics (which can also be solids)  refer to the fabrics making up your blocks (ie, the red, orange, and yellow above).  And the Background Fabric (which can also be a print) refers to the fabric making up the background of the quilt (ie. the white above).     You will also need binding fabric and backing fabric so you are all ready to finish up your quilt.  (Because we area all about finishes, no wip's here :)

Print Fabric Requirements

Use the chart below to determine the amount of print fabrics you will need.  In all layouts except the 1x1 layout the total number of fabrics you will need is also the number of blocks in your quilt.  The size of each fabric cut depends on the size of your project.  In the 1x1 layout, you will need to select 3 different fabrics.  The "Center" fabric is the fabric that makes up the Star/Sun Center (yellow above).  The "Surround" fabric is the fabric surrounding the Star/Sun Center (red above) .  And that means the "Corners" fabric is the fabric in the 4 corner points (orange above).

Background Fabric Requirement
  See the chart below for the amount of background fabric you will need for your particular size project.  ( I will be showing everything with a white background fabric, but you don't have to use white, feel free to choose any color you like for the background or even a print :)

Binding and Backing Requirement
Refer to the two charts below for the requirements you will need for binding and backing for your particular project.

THE SUMMER SOLSTICE QUILT-A-LONG KITS

I have asked my wonderful friend and sponsor Julie from the Intrepid Thread, to put together some custom kit bundles for the Summer Solstice Quilt-A-Long.  And as always, she came up with some stunning options for you.   The Kits are made for the 3 x 3 layout in the Lap,  Picnic, or Queen quilt sizes.   I went ahead and put each bundle into the quilt layout so you could get an idea of how they will look in the quilt. 

 And as before, the Quilt-A-Long Kits are at a special Quilt-A-Long discount price!!  Thanks so much Julie!!!  Please note, these kits do not include the background fabric, so be sure to see the above requirements under Background Fabric Requirements for that ;)  And, if you want to purchase your background fabric (and/or your binding and backing fabric) at the same time you buy your kits, you can use the code SLSB10 at The Intrepid Thread for 10% off your background fabric :)  

And here are the kits in all their yummy fabric goodness!!!!

Chantilly Lace Quilt Kit

        

        

Midnight Blue Quilt Kit  

        

        

  

Octopus's Garden Quilt Kit

        

       

Scarborough Fair Quilt Kit        

         

        

Little Surfer Girl Quilt Kit

        

        

Aren't these bundles just fabulous!!!!  And isn't it so fun that Julie named them all after old songs ;)   Thank you so much Julie for making up these gorgeous Quilt-A-Long kits!!! Good Luck choosing a favorite!! I was lucky and didn't have to decide a favorite this time around ;)  I am making my quilt for my brother and his wife and so they had to choose and they picked the Scarborough Fair quilt Kit and I will be making it up in the queen size.  I am so excited!!!  

Oh, and I showed all of the kits with a white background,  but don't be afraid to do something other than white, Look how adding a background color changes up these kits ;)  Stunning!!!!

Octopus's Garden with Grey

Little Surfer Girl with Navy

If you are thinking about a color background that I haven't shown and would like to know what it will look like with your kit just email me at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com and I can send you a sketch no problem ;)

THE PRIZES

I am so very excited about the Prizes for this Quilt-A-Long!!  I don't know about you, but I know that I am highly more motivated to keep up and finish when there are prizes at stake ;)  So how about this for a little motivation.

All those that finish their quilt top will be eligible for the 4 Grand Prizes.  The Grand Prize's are sponsored by The Intrepid Thread and Fat Quarter Shop and huge Thank You goes out to Julie and Kimberly for their generosity in these prizes.  Wan't to know what they are???

The first 2 winners will each receive a $100.00 Gift Certificates to Fat Quarter Shop and the next 2 winners will each receive a  Custom Cotton + Steel Fat Quarter Bundle from The Intrepid Thread !!!     Talk about some amazing fabric Goodness!!!!!!  Yippee for fabric motivation!!

           

        

 

But . . . Sometimes it is hard to keep motivated when the end is so far away.  So for that . . . We have a little bi-weekly motivation.  Every other week you will be able to link up (You don't have to have a blog to link up, you can link to any social media image :) your completed assignment for a chance to win the bi-weekly assignment prize.    These bi-weekly Prizes will be sponsored by several of my Sponsors and will be so fun!!!

         

                

            

So es, there is going to be a lot of wonderful fabric to be won!!!  So keep up and sew on!!!

THE BUTTON, FLICKR, AND HASHTAG

 Now down to the last of the nitty gritty.   If you are Quilting-A-Long and have a blog, It would be wonderful if you added the button to your blog :)   It really helps to spread the word and the more that Quilt-A-Long the better!!!  If you have already added the button, thank you!!!

 

  <a border="0" href="http://www.happyquiltingmelissa.com/p/quilt-longs.html" target="_blank"><img src=" https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvbGRz29YTOUXxN_l83zof7QQu8VBeE3keSB6lMpEs7QBrJuOEq5c0wmj5H-QmYll0Mjy5zMbFscllLZ2K2WgjQZoWY0lBPOS04KDDRdhJDwnqaeGpxoiLfwU81udTBWE4Vxaia8w_Uyw/s1600/Summer+Solstice+Quilt+Along.jpg"/></a>

If you use Flickr,  I would love it if you joined the Happy Quilting Quilt-A-Long Flickr group.  You can post your fabric here, your progress, ask questions, ect.   And it is a super fun place to get to chat along with everyone participating :)

And if you use Facebook or Instagram and are posting your progress on your social media, be sure and use the Hashtag #summersolsticequiltalong   Then we can all easily find and see each others work on facebook and instagram as well ;)

LET'S GET GOING!!

So that just about wraps it up!!! You have 2 weeks to round up  your fabric.  That should give you a great cushion for it to arrive in the mail if you decide to order fabric online.  Watch for that cutting assignment on June 23rd.

Now I know that was a lot for one post, so if you have any questions at all regarding the Quilt-A-Long please do not hesitate to email me at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or comment below.  I don't want anyone to not participate because they are confused by my rambling :)  And one last thing, please feel free to make your quilt your own.  If you want a different layout, great!  Want to add a border, perfect!!  What ever you envision, you make it yours, all finished quilt tops will be eligible for prizes :)

Now . . .  Let's get Quilting-A-Long!!!

Cute as a Button Pincushion!!

 Sherri McConnell and the Fat Quarter Shop have teamed up to bring us all a fun new project!!!  And I tell you what, there is no way you can just make 1 :)  Which is great, because who wouldn't want to fill their sewing space with  these Cute as a Button Pincushion's!!!  Aren't they just so fun :)

I started with making this purple version for me.  You knew it was going to be purple, right ;)  I mean, I can't believe I didn't already have a  purple pincushion to go with my purple sewing space.  I used some of my One Canoe Two and Zen Chic scraps and a little Moda Twill Tape.  Don't they make the cutest combination.

And while I was working on mine, my mom, who just happens to be visiting, decided she could really use a pincushion as well ;)  Seriously, I think we both spent more time choosing fabrics than it actually takes to make these, tee hee hee.   In the end, Mom picked some prints from Elizabeth Hartman's new Paintbox Basics mini charm I got at market and then added some Zen Chic and Vanessa Christenson to it.   I just love the combination and her pincushion turned out so cute!!!

I know, you totally want to make some now, right ;)   Well, Sherri and Kimberly have made this wonderful YouTube video to teach you how to make up these little Cute as a Button Pincushions and you are just going to have so much fun  ;)   As I said, they really are a super fast and super easy to make up and Sherri shares lots of great little tidbits that help along the way.   You can make your pincushion right along with the video and you will be done in no time!!  But, might I suggest cutting fabric for more than 1 and chain stitching, because trust me, as soon as you are done, you are going to want to make another one ;)  

My mom is taking hers home tomorrow and you know mine will need a friend very soon ;)  I am thinking maybe a monochromatic theme.  How fun would it be to have a rainbow of pincushions!!!

And of course, Fat Quarter Shop has teamed up with lots of wonderful bloggers to give you a lot of Cute as a Button Pincushion eye candy ;)  Be sure to pop in and check them all out!!

Kitty from Night Quilter

Amanda from Jedi Craft Girl

Nicole from Modern Handcraft

Jessica from Quilty Habit

Jessee from Art School Dropout

Tina from Emily Ann's Kloset

Michele from Island Life Quilts

Angie from Gnome Angel

Sinta from Pink Pin Cushion

Melissa from Happy Quilting (that's me ;)

And that's all for today.  I am off to pick some more rainbow squares ;)

Happy Quilting!!!  

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!

It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day . . . let's have some fun :)

First, we need to announce the winner from last weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!   The winner of the  Charming Circles Ruler  from  June Tailor, Inc.  is . . .   Number #154 . . . Congrats mangozz!!!   I have emailed you :)    

   

    

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop.   Fat Quarter Shop is amazing and they never cease to amaze me with everything they have going on at their shop!!!     And did you know they have a 24 Hour Flash Sale every day with 2 Flash Sales on Tuesdays!!  You will find some amazing deals there ;)

And for today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Fat Quarter Shop is giving a totally amazing Tula Pink Throwback Fat Quarter Bundle to one lucky winner!!!  That's 20 Tula Pink prints from several of her lines!!  I got to see this bundle at market, and I can tell you, it is perfect for all of those Tula troops out there ;)  

You have two entry chances, the second being optional, and please leave a separate comment for each.  All Entries are welcome, including International Entries.  Please just be sure to leave an email address if you are a no-reply blogger ;)  

ENTRY 1 - Simply leave a comment that tells me if you could throwback time, what time-period would you want to visit?

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Fat Quarter Shop love.   You can follow them on   Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, You Tube or at their Blog.  You can Sign up for their Newsletter which will ensure you catch all of their amazing sales, or you can visit The Shop and then share a favorite item ;)   Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Fat Quarter Shop Love!!!

And that's it ;)  The giveaway will be open until next Tuesday, June 14th , when I will announce a winner at the beginning of next weeks Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Post :)

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

A Spoonful of Sugar for Summer Sewing

I was so excited when the lovely folks at Fons and Porter sent me this super cute book, A Spoonful of Sugar!!  It is going to be just oh so perfect for Summer Sewing for me and with the kids!!!  Lisa Cox of A Spoonful of Sugar Designs has created 20 wonderful projects for you to make for your home and they are all just so fun!!  And I especially love that each project can be made in essentially a day, giving you that wonderful finished feeling in no time at all!!

I started going through the book and instantly stopped right at the beginning marking this Bonjour Paris Door Stop as an absolutely must make!! I have thought for some time that I needed to make a doorstop for my sewing room as I currently just stuff batting under it.  But how perfect and fantastic is this doorstop!!!  I am really hoping to squeeze this in this week between some of the deadline sewing ;)

And of course, my daughter always looks over my shoulder when I am looking at a new quilting book.  She freaked out over this Pretty Panda Snap Purse and instantly decided it is the first thing she wants to make for Summer Sewing ;)  So adorable!!!

And I am leaving to teach this weekend and wishing I already had this Sewing Portfolio made up.  How perfect is this for traveling!!  Add it to the list!!

A Spoonful of Sugar is just full of wonderful fast, and fun projects for the home, bedroom, kitchen, craft room, and for the kids.   I am super excited to use this book for Summer Sewing.  It really is going to be so much fun for the kids and I alike ;)

So hold me to it now!!!  If you don't see that doorstop pop up here soon, you remind me to bump it up the list again ;)  

What fun summer sewing do you have planned??

All Star Quilt Times Two!!

Note - Just in case you missed yesterday's post, I announced the new (free) Summer Solstice Quilt-A-Long that will be starting next week!!!  Be sure to check it out, we are going to have so much fun!!

So you might recall me sharing some simple patchwork a few weeks back, well . . . They are now finished quilts ;)    One has already been gifted to my sweet new nephew, and the other is just waiting for its little angel to arrive to be gifted :)  And I tell you what, I just loved this simple patchwork fun!!!  And it just looks so classic and fantastic!!

I made these little duo of quilts using my All Star quilt tutorial, and just opted to add an additional patchwork row instead of the applique row.  Then I added a quick border to frame up all of that wonderful patchwork ;)   The Patchwork fabric is Varsity by Sweetwater for Moda and the border is a print from Modern Neutrals by Amy Ellis for Moda ;)  They make a perfect pairing and both were busting stash, yippee!!

This All Star quilt I gifted to my sweet little nephew.  It is just the perfect size to snuggle him up in, and trust me, this little guy is a total snuggler.  So cute!!!

I quilted this All Star quilt with my all over firework design.  It is such a fun one to do and goes super fast.  I used a nice neutral light brown thread (cant remember the color name)  that blended well with all of the colors.  

And this All Star quilt is all tied up just waiting at the moment.  I had a layer cake of Varsity and cut it up into charms.  So I figured it just made sense to use more and make 2 quilts at the same time.  It really is just as fast and you get a bonus quilt when you are done ;)

I wanted to quilt this All Star quilt different but still wanted it to be "all boy" so I went back to one of the first free motion designed I learned.  All over loopies with stars.   You remember drawing these stars in 1st grade right ;)  It is a fun design to do and also goes really quick and I think really adds to the All Star design!

I had so much fun with these two little All Star Quilts and am so excited for the sweet little boys they are welcoming into the world ;)   And now that they are both claimed, I totally want to make more.  There really is just nothing quite like some simple patchwork!!!  So fun!!!!

Thanks for popping in today and I hope you have a very Happy Quilting weekend!!

Linking these finishes up to Amanda's and Sarah's :)