February 2017 Quilt Along Challenge

It's Sharon here with a new block for you! This month's block is a great one for using up those bigger pieces of your favorite colored scraps. Each bock will actually make a set of two blocks total. Very simple and lovely. 

Prizes

Each block that you sew and enter into the Facebook Album will count as one entry into our drawing.  If you make two blocks, that is two entries, make four that is four entries, and so on and so on. There will be a prize drawing at the end of the challenge. We will be giving away a gift certificate to Whimsical Fabric for our prize. For every 5 blocks entered the gift certificate will increase by $1.00! If 25 blocks are entered the gift certificate will be worth $5.00. If 100 blocks are entered the gift certificate will be worth $20. The more everyone sews the more you could win. *Maximum gift certificate value will be $25.

This month's prize is a Whimsical Fabric Gift Certificate!

Supply List

• cutting mat

• rotary cutter

• fabric pen

• scrap fabrics

Let's sew!

1. First we will cut two  5½" squares in coordinating colors. This will make two blocks total. 

2. Place the squares with the right sides facing and pin together. Draw a line starting from one of the top comers down to the bottom opposite corner.

3. Stitch with a ¼" seam along both sides of the line you drew onto the square.

4. Take your block you have sewn and cut right down the center of it on the line your drew to create two pieces. Press each block open with the seam pressed to the dark side.

5. To create our two final blocks, place the two blcoks you have just made with the right sides facing each other, and the the center seam of each block lined up with each other. Being careful that the coordinating fabrics are facing each other like the one below. Draw a line starting from one of the top comers down to the bottom opposite corner going in the opposite direction of the center seam.

6. Stitch on both sides of the center line that you just drew with a ¼" seam allowance. Take your block and cut right down the center line again. Press each block open with the seam pressed to the dark side.

7.  Take your quilting ruler and square up each of your blocks. Now admire your two lovely finished blocks!

Facebook Group
After you have sewn all your blocks for this month please go over to our Facebook group and share each of them in our February Quilt Along Album for a chance to be entered into our drawing! You have until March 13th at 12:00pm (noon) CT to enter your blocks.

Remember, there is no required amount that you need to make. Make as many or as few as you would like.

Happy Sewing!!
Sharon
www.whimsicalfabrics.com

October Quilt Along Challenge

Hello again!  It's Sharon with October's Quilt Block of the Month. This month is another version of a star block. Autumn evenings for my family means sitting outside and stargazing. It is one of our favorite things to do. I had to use the scraps form my son's quilt as it seemed very fitting for this block. This is the Sarah Jane Magic! fabric line.

Prizes

Each block that you sew and enter into the Facebook Album will count as one entry into our monthly drawing. If you make two blocks, that is two entities, make four that is four entries, and so on and so on. There will be a prize drawing each month.

This month's prize is a $10 Whimsical Fabric Gift Certificate!

Supply List for this month:

• cutting mat

• rotary cutter

• fabric pen

• quilter's ruler
• scrap fabric pieces

Let's Sew!

1. To cut out each of your squares use your quilting ruler and mat. 

To make this block you will need to cut the following;

Dark Color Fabric

• (2) 2¼" squares

• (1) 2" square

Light Color Fabric

• (2) 2¼" squares

• (4) 2" square

2. Grab your two larger sized light colored squares and draw a line right down the center from one corner to the opposite corner. Repeat on second light colored square.

3. Take your two larger dark colored squares and place them on your table right side up. Next, place your light colored square on top with the right sides facing, making sure that the two are even.

4. Sew on each side of the center line that you drew with a ¼" seam allowance. Repeat with the second square set. Then, cut right on the center line to make two triangles pieces. 

5. Press you squares open with the seam facing the darker fabric and trim off the "triangle" pieces on the seam that over hangs over the edge of the squares. You will now have four squares like the ones pictured below. 

6. Lay your blocks out like in the picture below. 

7. Next, we will sew our blocks together into three rows; top row, middle row, and bottom row. On the top and bottom row press your seams away from the center square. On the middle row press your seams towards the center square. 

8. Sew all your rows together. Remember to place the seam together so that they "lock" together while sewing for neat points on our stars. This is why we pressed the seams in different directions on the rows in step 7.  Lastly, trim up your blocks with a straight edge quilt ruler.

Repeat to make as many blocks as you would like!

Facebook Group

After you have sewn all your blocks for this month please go over to our Facebook group and share each of them in our October Quilt Along Album for a chance to be entered into our monthly drawing! You have until Monday, October 31, at 12:00 pm (noon) CT to enter your blocks.  

Remember, there is no required amount that you need to make.  Make as many or as few as you would like.

Happy Sewing!! 

Sharon
www.whimsicalfabric.com

September Quilt Along Challenge

Hello! Sharon here with September's Block of the Month!

This month's block is a star patch.  The star patch is really a nine patch with a few more added squares to it. It is made with only square pieces so it is the same concept that we have already been working on. 

In case you missed the announcement in January, I will give you a little recap. On the first Monday of each month, I will teach one quilt block pattern. You have until the last Monday of the month to sew your quilt block(s) and enter them into the album in our Facebook group, Whimsical Fabric & Me. 

Prizes 
Each block that you sew and enter into the Facebook Album  will count as one entry into our monthly drawing. If you make two blocks, that is two entries. Make four blocks, that is four entries, and so on and so on. There will be a prize drawing each month.

This month's prize is a Riley Blake Medium Tone Dots Charm pack.

Let's get started!!

Supply List:

*cutting mat

*rotary cutter

*quilter's ruler

*scrap fabric pieces 

1. First we will need to cut out nine 2" squares. Mine are placed out in the order they will be sewn. You will need eight dark colored squares, and one light colored or bright square. (Refer to photo below with block color placement.

2. With the same light color fabric cut out eight 1¼" squares. 

3. Take one of your dark colored 2" squares and place the smaller light color squares on top of it, right sides together. Stitch the light color square to your darker square by stitching right down the middle from one corner to the other corner as pictured below. 

4. Trim away the extra from the block's corner to a ¼" seam allowance. Press your seam to one side.

5. Take a second light color small square and place on top of the darker big block on the opposite bottom corner, right sides together. Stitch the light color block to your darker block by stitching right down the middle from one corner to the other corner as pictured below.

6. Trim your seam to a ¼". Press the seam towards one side.

7. This is what your block will look like now. Repeat these steps with three more of the darker squares.

Remember that you can chain sew them all at once as well!

8. Now time to lay out your squares to be sewn together! Use the picture below as a map for square placement.

9. Sew your squares together in rows of three squares. Be sure to press each row's seams in a different direction. (As in the top and bottom row press the seam towards the outside and the middle row press the seam towards the center.)

Here is a photo of the back side with the pressed seams.

10. Now sew the three rows together as laid out in the photo, with pressing the seam towards  the center of your block.

Back side picture.

Facebook Group

After you have sewn all your blocks together for this month please go over to our Facebook group and share each of your blocks in our September Quilt Along album for a chance to be entered into our monthly drawing! You have until Monday, September 26th at 12:00 pm (noon) CT to enter your blocks. 

Remember, there is no required amount that you need to make.  Make as many or as few as you would like.

Happy Sewing!! 

Sharon 

www.whimsicalfabric.com

June Quilt Along Challenge

Hello, Sharon here! This month's BOM is the Broken Nine Patch.  

Remember January's block? This is the very same but with a few more added steps. I made my daughter a quilt out of this pattern a few years ago and I still dearly love this block. With just the block being re-arranged and using multiple prints it gives the block a whole new look. 

In case you missed the announcement in January, I will give you a little recap. On the first Monday of each month, I will teach one quilt block pattern. You have until the last Monday of the month to sew your quilt block(s) and enter them into the album in our Facebook group, Whimsical Fabric & Me, and/or blog about your quilt blocks and link up your blog post in our link party (see below). 
  
Prizes 
Each block that you sew and enter into the Facebook Album  will count as one entry into our monthly drawing. If you make two blocks, that is two entries. Make four blocks, that is four entries, and so on and so on. There will be a prize drawing each month.

In addition to the prize giveaway on the Facebook group, we also have a monthly Link Up Party. Blog about your entry and link up your post and you will automatically be entered to win a second prize.

Note: You CAN enter both giveaways to increase your chances of winning!

This month's prize is a Riley Blake Medium Tone Dots Charm pack.

Supply List:

cutting mat

rotary cutter

quilter's ruler

scrap fabric pieces

Let's get started!!
1. First we will need to cut out nine 2 ¼" squares. Mine are placed out in the order they will be sewn. I used four light colored, four dark colored and one bright block to make my block. (Refer to photo below with block color placement.)

2. Sew your squares together in three rows of three strips. Press the top and bottom rows with the seam towards the outside of the rows and press the middle row seam towards the center. Pictured below is the front side. The photo under that is of the back side seams.

3. We will now sew our three rows together to make our first block. (The block will not stay this way for long!) As we sew our rows together the seam pressed in the opposite direction will "lock" together to make for lovely squared points. Press you seams towards the outside. Square up your block by trimming up your edges with the your cutting mat, ruler, and rotary cutter.

4. This next step we will take our cutting mat, rotary cutter, and ruler and cut our block twice right down the center as shown below to make four new squares. (It's how this block gets it's name, Broken Nine Patch!)

5. Now, re-arrange your blocks with the dark colored strips into a pinwheel shape as pictured below. (It is easier to show than tell you how to lay them out.)

6. Sew the two top squares together and the two bottom square together. Be sure to press the seams in the opposite direction.

 7.  Sew your two rows together at the center to make your finished block. Once again, take your cutting mat, ruler, and rotary cutter and square up your block by timing the edges even.

Repeat and make as many blocks as you would like!

Facebook Group

After you have sewn all your blocks together for this month please go over to our Facebook group and share each of your blocks in our June Quilt Along Album for a chance to be entered into our monthly drawing! You have until Monday, June 27th at 12:00 pm (noon) CT to enter your blocks. 

Link Up Block Party

In addition, if you blog, write up a short blog post about your quilt-along block(s) and link up your post in our Link Up Party.  The button is located below. In addition, 

1. Grab the June graphic, share it in your blog post, and link it back to this post here to let all of your followers know you are partying with us.

2. Share about your blog post on all your favorite social media outlets.

Note: We will be sure to visit and comment on your blog. We love interacting with our followers!

Remember, there is no required amount that you need to make.  Make as many or as few as you would like.

Happy Sewing!! 

Sharon 

An InLinkz Link-up

May Quilt Along Challenge

Hello, Sharon again. It must be the first Monday of the month, because it is our Block of the Month post! This month's BOM is called Hearts for Mom. For this block we will be using only rectangles and squares to make our heart block, so it uses only techniques that we have already learned.  I hope you ladies will enjoy it as much as I have!

In case you missed the announcement in January, I will give you a little recap. On the first Monday of each month, I will teach one quilt block pattern. You have until the last Monday of the month to sew your quilt block(s) and enter them into the album in our Facebook group, Whimsical Fabric & Me, and/or blog about your quilt blocks and link up your blog post in our link party (see below).
 
Prizes
Each block that you sew and enter into the Facebook Album  will count as one entry into our monthly drawing. If you make two blocks, that is two entries. Make four blocks, that is four entries, and so on and so on. There will be a prize drawing each month.

In addition to the prize giveaway on the Facebook group, we also have a monthly Link Up Party. Blog about your entry and link up your post and you will automatically be entered to win a second prize.

Note: You CAN enter both giveaways to increase your chances of winning!

This month's prize is a Riley Blake Medium Dots Charm pack 

Supply List:

quilter mat

rotary cutter

quilter's ruler

long scrap fabric pieces

Let's get started!! 

1. You will need to cut two rectangles for your hearts. Cut all of these pieces out with your quilter mat, ruler, and rotary cutter.

• (2)  4¾"x 2¾"
(Note: If your blocks that you made previously measure a finished size of 5" you will need to cut these pieces  5" x 2¾".)

• (4) 1¼" square 

• (2) 2¾" square

2. Take all of your squares and mark a center line with a fabric marker right through one corner to the opposite corner as to divide the square into two triangles. These will serve as our stitching lines.

3. Take two of your smaller squares, one of the lager squares and one of your rectangles and lay them out for sewing. Place the two smaller square up in the top two corners as shown below.  Then take your larger square and place it with the mark you made starting at the middle left of the rectangle then going out to the right side bottom corner of the rectangle. If you look at at your lines you drew it should make up half a heart at this point. Pin all of your blocks in place.

4. Now we will sew all three squares onto our rectangle by stitching over the lines we made on the square pieces.

5. Trim the seams down to about a 1.4" on each square you have just sewn on.

6. Press all your seams towards the outside of your block. (This will be the left side of our heart.)

Here is a look at the back side of our block with the seams pressed.

7. Now onto the right side of our heart. Take and lay out your block in the same manner as the first, except for the bottom square. Place the larger square at the bottom with the bottom of the line you drew facing the bottom left corner of you rectangle and the top of the line facing the right side middle of your rectangle. Pin these in place, then stitch over your lines and trim as before in step 4 and 5. This time when you press your seams press them facing towards the center of your block. This will help us to "lock" seams on the next sewing step for perfectly matched seams.

 8. Now take your two heart halves and place them next to each other.

 Place the right side over on-top of the left side with right sides facing each other. Pin on the long side of the heart.

9. Stitch the long side of the heart with a 1/4" seam allowance.

10. Press your center seam to one side(either side is fine).

This is a look at the back side of the seams. I did press the bottom of the heart in the same direction, but the two top in the opposite direction as to help lock those two seams together.

11. Trim your block so that it is square on all sides. 

That's it, we are all done with our block.  Now repeat these steps as many times as you would like!  

Facebook Group

After you have sewn all your blocks together for this month please go over to our Facebook group and share each of your blocks in our May Quilt Along Album for a chance to be entered into our monthly drawing! You have until Tuesday, May 31th at 12:00 pm (noon) CT to enter your blocks. 

Link Up Block Party

In addition, if you blog, write up a short blog post about your quilt-along block(s) and link up your post in our Link Up Party.  The button is located below. In addition, 

1. Grab the May graphic, share it in your blog post, and link it back to this post here to let all of your followers know you are partying with us.

2. Share about your blog post on all your favorite social media outlets.

Note: We will be sure to visit and comment on your blog. We love interacting with our followers!

Remember, there is no required amount that you need to make.  Make as many or as few as you would like.

Happy Sewing!! 

Sharon
An InLinkz Link-up