Charming Baby Sew Along - Week 1!!!

**  NOTE  - This post is part of a series of posts for the Charming Baby Sew Along.  If you would like to join (and have a chance to win some fun prizes ) you can find a list of the post links here :)  Here is the schedule

Intro, Fabric Requirements, and Prizes Announcement

April 8 - A Star is Born and Color in the Lines - Today!!!

April 15th - Dream Big and Hugs and Kisses

April 22nd - Just Blooming and On the Move

April 29th - Ring Around the Rosie and Shine Bright

May 6th - To the Moon and Twinkle Twinkle

May 13th - Quilt Fishing - Pieced Back - Grand Prize Linky

May 27th - Charming Baby Parade and Grand Prize Winner

WEEK 1 - A STAR IS BORN AND COLOR IN THE LINES

It's the first week of making blocks for the Charming Baby Sew Along and I am so excited!!!  This weeks assignment will go super quick and super easy.   You will need your copy of Charming Baby Quilts  for the piecing instructions as well as the Week 1 Charming Baby Sew Along Pattern for cutting instructions ;)  This week we will be making blocks from the A Star is Born quilt and the Color in the Lines quilt!!!

First up, A Star is Born!!   This quilt is the main cover quilt of the book and really has become quite the star of the book :)   It uses 2 Charm Packs and I used Bloomington Charm Packs by Lella Boutique for Moda and a Black on Grey Cross Weave Background.  Fat Quarter Shop has A Star is Born Kit that will be released soon.   This quilt is super fun to make with lots of happy half square triangles and a beautiful star layout.   A Star is Born finishes at 52"x 52" so it is a great size for baby to play on, and then will become a favorite to drag around as they grow into toddler years ;)

And for our Sew Along, we will be making a block that is the center of the star ;)  Isn't that just so fun!!!  Use the A Star is Born piecing directions from the book and the Week 1 Pattern  for cutting directions to make your block.  This block will be the center of your Charming Baby Sampler Quilt ;)

And next up, the Color in the Lines quilt!!!  This quilt is probably the most beginner friendly in the book as it goes together with simple straight lines :)   It uses 1 Charm Pack and I used a Pemberly 5" Stacker and a Confetti Cottons Cloud Background.   This quilt really goes together fast and is perfect for a last minute baby gift.  Color in the Lines finishes at 36" x 45" so it makes a wonderful crib size quilt.  

And for our Sew Along, we will be making 4 sets of blocks that are just simple pieced strips ;)  Isn't that just so fun!!!  Use the Color in the Lines piecing directions from the book and the Week 1 Pattern  for cutting directions to make your blocks.  These blocks will be in the top and bottom row of your sampler and give a fun sashing look to other blocks :)  

WEEK 1 BLOCKS FROM FRIENDS

And just like that, you are done with Week 1 and looking forward to Week 2 of The Charming Baby Sew Along!!  Be sure to pop over to all my Sewing Along Friends and see their Week 1 blocks for lots of inspiration!!

      Amanda Castor - Material Girl Quilts
      Andy Knowlton - A Bright Corner
      Beverly McCullough - Flamingo Toes
      Melanie Call - A Bit of Scrap Stuff
      Pat Sloan - Pat Sloan's Blog
      Fat Quarter Shop Friends - The Jolly Jabber

THE PRIZES

 And keep up with the sew along as everyone that finishes their quilt top will be entered into a drawing for this amazing grand prize giveaway from Moda Fabrics !!

   

And Andy Knowlton from A Bright Corner is hosting the Week 1 Charming Baby Sew Along giveaway!!!  You can win 2 Charm Packs of Gypsy Soul and a spool of Aurifil thread!!!  This is the fabric Andy is using for her Charming Baby Sampler and it is so happy and full of spring time goodness!!!  Pop over to Andy's Instagram to enter the giveaway ;)           
                              

SHARING

 It's always fun when we share what we are working on!!!   If you use Facebook or Instagram post your Week 1 blocks with the Hashtag #charmingbabyquilts If you don't use social media you can email me a picture of your progress at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com ;)

I can't wait to see all of your Week 1 Charming Baby Blocks!!!!

Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!!!

It's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Day!! Let's have some fun :)

First, we need to announce the winner from last Terrific Tuesday Giveaway!!  

The winner of the At Home Jolly Bar from Fat Quarter Shop is . . .   Number #102 . . . Congrats scottylover!!!  I have messaged you :)    

  

And on to today's

Today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway is being sponsored by Electric Quilt .   I am super excited to team up with my friends at EQ to give you all an amazing Tuesday!!!  I have been using Electric Quilt software for as long as I can remember and can't imagine designing quilts without it!!  You can read all about my switch from EQ7 to EQ8 right here.    And special bonus!!!   Want to start designing in EQ . . . Today's the day because all of my readers can get 20% off all EQ products with code EQ8MELISSA !!!!

And for today's Terrific Tuesday Giveaway Electric Quilt is giving away one copy of Electric Quilt 8!!!   Yup that's right, one lucky reader will be designing on EQ8 this next week!!!     How cool is that!!!  Someone is going to win this amazing software and get started on designing all of their own quilts.   So great.    And if the idea of designing scares you, no worries . . . there are hundreds of premade blocks already designed in the software and you can just play with their layouts and color them to your hearts content.   So no matter what your purpose, you are sure to enjoy this software!!!

I just have to say . . . I am so super excited about this giveaway!!!   I am such a big fan of this program and know that anyone who tries it will just love it.  It gives you so much freedom in designing.  And I love that it is great for beginners and experts alike.   Each time I design a quilt I am learning something new that the program can do and I just love that!!!  But if I am in a hurry, I can simply just use the basics and get something sketched up quick.  I just love it, and I know that one lucky winner is going to love it just as much as I do.   And if you don't win, it's all good . . .  you can use the discount above to get started on your EQ adventure!!! 

You have two entry chances here on the blog, 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 have ever tried designing a quilt before, whether on a napkin, graph paper, or on the computer.   

 ENTRY 2 - Show your Electric Quilt love.   You can follow them on   Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, You Tube or at their Blog.    Just be sure to leave a comment of how you showed your Electric Quilt Love!!!

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

You can also pop over to my Instagram and/or Facebook to enter there as well :)  

Good Luck and Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!

March Sew Sampler!!!

Wow, March was just crazy!!!   But oh my goodness, what a bright spot my  My March Sew Sampler Box was!!!  I just loved opening it to find a rainbow of quilting goodness that made my heart so happy!!  March's box theme is Made with Love and it is filled with Tula Pink Goodness ;)  Squeal!!!

And first out of the box was this beautiful stack of 5 Fat Quarters from Tula Pink's new Homemade fabric collection!!!   I just love her amazing artwork on her fabrics, and the colors . . . you know I love that purple!!!  And the Rise and Shine quilt pattern is just so fun.  I just keep adding to the To Make list ;)  

And this month's notions are so awesome!!!   More Tula Goodness and rainbows, I couldn't ask for more ;)    The Unicorn Head Straight Pins are going right into my Tuffet  where I keep my "make me smile" pins that are fun to use on special projects!!!   And the Tula Pink Ruler is so great!!   I love this size for marking lines, and the etching in the background just make this ruler so fun.    Finally, we all need more Wonder Clips and well do I have to say how excited I was about Rainbow Wonder Clips!!!!

And this month is the last month of the Goodness Grows Block!!!!   So exciting ;)    This month the block is called  Water Generously  and it is such a cute block!!!   The finishing pattern was also sent and I can't wait to share my finished Goodness Grows Quilt!!! 

And that is my March Sew Sampler box  :)  And yes, sorry it is being posted in April, it really is getting tough to get time on my computer with all the kids in online school :) 

 Oh, and FYI, the Sew Sampler Box membership has open spots so you don't have to get on the wait list!!!!  And April is the perfect month to join as we are starting a new Block of the Month ;)  I can't wait to see what we will be sewing up this year!!!!!

And that is all for today ;)  I hope you are all having a Happy Quilting Day!!

How to Color my Denim Quilt??

So, I am still working on cutting up my jeans for my Denim Quilt  I posted about back here, but this morning I got thinking about center fabrics for the Cathedral Windows, because ya know, playing with fabric is fun!!!  I debated about using eight charm packs, but then realized, I easily have enough scraps for the 324 Charm Squares I will need, and I seriously need to do some scrap busting, so that meant another playing with the rainbow scraps quilt ;)   So I hoped on to EQ8 , drafted a cathedral window block, and gave it a denim looking outline.  Then the coloring fun began!!!

It was so quick and fun to play with coloring this quilt . . . but now my only problem is, I can't decide!!!   So can you help a girl out ;)    Please leave a comment of which option you like best.

  And if it helps, this is for a queen size, shabby chic (the denim edges will be scruffy), cathedral window, denim quilt that will eventually be for kept on the bed at my in-laws cabin when it is all made ;)  

 Option 1 - Classic Diagonal Rainbow

For this option, I would plan on organizing all of my scraps into a color graduation so that it would really have a classic ombre effect.  It would probably take the most work to lay it out but would look awesome ;) 

Option 2 - Mixed Up Horizontal Rainbow

For this option, I would keep an ombre effect of three rows per color, but go ahead and mix up the shades of the colors within the three rows.   I like the mixed up look and it would make laying it out a little easier ;) 

Option 3 - Exploding Rainbow

This is the same type of option that I did for my Single Scrappy Irish Chain, but I went for an even more exploding look.  I would have to follow the diagram closely on this one, but it is such a cool layout that gives it a more modern look.  

Option 4 - Scrappy Goodness

And you can't go wrong with a scrappy option.  Obviously, this layout would be the easiest as I would just pull as I went and see what color mix ups I get.  And it might be great to keep that fun cabin quilt theme.

So ya . . . each I love for different reasons, and it is just so hard to pick a favorite!!!  So what is your favorite???   Or do you have another idea that I haven't even thought of yet??  I can easily sketch it up in EQ8 and add it to the options ;)  Just leave a comment!!

And fun side note for all my readers . . . right now you can use the promo code EQ8MELISSA for 20% off all EQ products, just in case you want to play around coloring your quilts as well ;)     And they have a brand new Dear Jane product that I am so excited about and will share more about soon!!!  Who else has had a Dear Jane on their to make list forever ;)   

And thanks ahead of time for all of your help in deciding a layout option!!!  You all are always the best for stepping in and helping me out!!!

Tutorial Throwback Thursday - Criss Cross Applesauce :)

So my life right now is Online School ;)   I have 5 kiddo's all doing their classes online, from several different schools all with different technology.     In fact, that is why this post is up so late . .  . I had to wait for kiddo's to finish their classes so I could get my turn on my computer, ha!!!    But I have to say, I am so proud of them!!!  They are really rolling with all of these changes and trying to stay positive even though they are missing out on a lot of the "fun school stuff".    So I figured, today's  Throwback  Thursday  should be inspired by school, and this Criss Cross Applesauce Quilt takes us back to the days of Kindergarten.    Because I don't know about you and yours, but I bet we all wish we were just doing happy online Kindergarten right now ;)

Criss Cross Applesauce was inspired by a rug that was in the Kindergarten class of my youngest.  Which means this is going back 3 years as she is now in 2nd grade :)   That is where it got its name to, because Criss Cross Applesauce is how you sit on the rug as a kindergartner.   This quilt is really a fun one to make that uses basic Half Square Triangles and then adds some fun Stitch and Flip to the party.   And before you know it, you have these super fun blocks!!!   It finishes at 72" x 72" so it makes a great size for a picnic quilt or to just snuggle up in with your family ;)  

Criss Cross Applesauce is Fat Quarter Friendly and you need 16 Fat Quarters for the blocks, and a Focal fabric for the Diamonds.   I used the ever so adorable Sunnyside Ave. Fabrics by Amy Smart for my quilt.  They fit the school theme just perfect.    And they might be hard to find now, but Amy's new Sugarhouse Park fabric would look equally great in this quilt and have a similar color to them ;)  Or you can simply pick your favorite 16 Fat Quarters and Focal fabric and make it your own!!!  

And the great thing about the Criss Cross Applesauce quilt is that diamond block is a secondary block and is created just by making your other blocks which gives the quilt a really fun feel.  I especially love the little lattice border it creates around the edges ;)  And with only 16 blocks to make that are on the large size, it really does make a big quilt in a little amount of time!!!  It would be a great one to make while we are all Home ;)

And that is my Criss Cross Applesauce Quilt!!!     I hope you have enjoyed today's Tutorial Throwback Thursday!!!    To make your own Criss Cross Applesauce quilt  just click on any of the project name links for the free step by step tutorial.    And when you are done,  I would love to see your Quilts!!  You can email me a picture at happyquiltingmelissa@gmail.com or post it to social media with #happyquiltingwithmc.  I can't wait to see your Criss Cross Applesauch Quilts!!!

  

Thanks for popping in today!!!   I hope you all have a very Happy Quilting Day!!!!