I love them.
I like to work on several projects at once. And I like to learn. And I have to do things (mess them up!) several times before I really know what I am doing.
But I am totally not into time constraints.
So I hate them. Quilt-alongs run on a schedule. And my life is on a different schedule :-)
BUT.... I am religious about getting the block instructions - and then working it into MY life. Much of what I have learned about quilting, I learned right here on the internet. I have fine-tuned it when I can find real live people to help - but most of my info starts here. And no class is waiting on me to finish :-)
Just make sure and get the instructions! Many designers run the project for free and then take the project down and sell their patterns - so make sure you get the instructions before they do that :-) And also - share your work... it continues to promote the designer's efforts and shows your appreciation!
And quilt-alongs... with the friends I make.... are where I can learn. I try to keep the number I join down... but I have also given myself permission to STOP if I'm not feeling it :-)
Most of these have Facebook groups where you can do a little show and tell and chit-chatting with your virtual sewing friends. Which is really fun when no real live person in your world is doing the same thing!
Also - most of the projects have lots of contests and giveaways. I don't usually get involved with those but they are available!
Anyway - I wanted to share a couple of new ones I am involved in this year that you will see in my WIP posts ....
The list will be online quilt alongs.... I also try to do the quilts presented as classes at my local shop where I work AND my little group has a triple Irish chain that they are working on.. so I will join in the fun there too. I do love show & tell!
Modern HST Sampler - This one is a good pace.... 12.5-inch blocks... 2 per month.... all half-square triangles. I like the knowledge I am gaining / refreshing about different methods of making half-square triangles. It is run by Alyce Blyth at Blossom Heart Quilts. (I am choosing fabrics from my stash as I go and will begin to tie them together later when a main color begins to surface :-)
 |
| This is the first block from January 2016 |
Aurifil Designer of the Month - Aurifil Threads runs wonderful projects each year. They invite 12 designers to design blocks or projects. I am working on the 2015 mini-quilts from last year still :-) And started the 2016 blocks already. I have printed the 2014 instructions and will mess with them sometime because I love the theme [women in our lives - especially women who taught us to sew! I have visions of some sewing related fabric for it but haven't settle yet :-)]
365 Challenge - I didn't plan to do this one - sounded daunting! But all that work on the Aurifil minis last year... plus my work with scraps... anyway, I was intrigued by the concept of 365 blocks.... and then I looked - and many of the blocks are a tiny 3-inches! Using up my 1 and 1.5-inch bits... 365 different blocks... all pieced... set in a lovely 90X90 sampler quilt. So far, it's still fun and easy to catch up. Presented by Kathryn Kerr from Australia.
 |
| This is the first week's blocks plus a bonus block.... I am doing these with color scraps by month - January is blue :-) |
The Splendid Sampler - This one starts on Valentines Day and will go at a 2 block per week pace. Yikes! BUT it will encompass many different techniques and as many designers. AND it will be a book when it is finished. SO.. with all those lessons and ideas coming through.. I will set out with good intentions and definitely gather the info while it is available. There will be piecing, paper piecing, applique, English paper piecing and I don't know what else - BUT with 100+ designers? Well.. there is a lot to learn! It is run by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson. [I plan to choose color by the block and tie together later]
Shenandoah Botanical - I LOVE the idea of this one but it's out of my comfort zone! It is a fundraiser for the Virginia Quilt Museum - so about $20 for the pattern. The quilt is a reproduction of an album quilt done in the mid-1800s of flowers in the Shenandoah Valley. It has taken me several months to decide between hand applique and fusible & machine applique.... but the fusible has won out and you will begin to see the blocks show up in my WIP posts! One block comes out per month with a show & tell post coming mid-month. Lots of history and tidbits about the flowers... Perhaps in a month or so I will have a show & tell block! [for these blocks I am choosing period fabrics and trying to come close to the original quilt - some out of my stash.. but most purchased]
Droid Quilt-Along - Definitely for the nerds! This is a birthday present so it has a deadline of mid-April. [BUT the quilt-along ran last fall until the new Star Wars movie came out! So I am once again on MY schedule :-)] Run by Pam Cobb from the Stitch TV Show (You-tube)... I came across it from listening to Pam's podcast [hmm... I should do a podcast post]... Anyway it's a gift for a Star Wars fan and done in BB-8 colors :-)
I will do another post later with a couple of other quilt-alongs that I am in the middle of... or quilt-alongs that I am not ready to begin but are on my list!
Do you do quilt alongs?
No comments:
Post a Comment