A New Sew Along for September

My new Facebook group is starting a sew along on September 1 for the Window Box quilt in my book A Prairie Journey. We did this as a small quilt group challenge a few years ago when the book first came out. If you missed making this one, here's another chance to get it done. Marian Edwards made this adorable little quilt for the book a few years ago and I always regretted I didn't have one to call my own. So I'm making it too. It's pretty simple and with those colors I thought it would be a perfect fall project. You can make the applique in wool or cotton, whatever you're comfortable doing. This is going to be a lot of fun! If you have the book, grab some wool or fabric scraps and sew along with us. 

You're welcome to join the group if you love making these kinds of things, but you must have the book to follow along and make the quilt. 

(Courtesy Library of Congress)

From the Prairie Journey book: Gardening was an essential part of frontier life. The early homesteaders cooked meals that were prepared from food that was harvested from their own gardens. The "kitchen garden" was a necessity if an entire family was to be nourished. But flower and herb gardens that contained plants for medicinal purposes flourished as well.  Perhaps a primitive window box filled with wildflowers found on the prairie would have given a warm touch to a rustic log cabin or sod house.

Posy Baskets Quilt

 I love basket quilts! The new small quilt challenge for this month from the Schoolgirl Sampler book is - Posy Baskets on page 36. (The sampler sew along group is still open. You can jump in and start at any time if you have the book for the blocks and patterns. There are quite a few quilters who've joined after we started in January.) 

Posy Baskets quilt made by Sue Bennett. 

We're working our way through the small quilts in the Schoolgirl Sampler book. This colorful, scrappy quilt is one of my favorites and is perfect for a summertime project. And, of course, you have to make it with scraps, scraps and more scraps which only adds to the fun. This might be a good opportunity to go through your scraps and sort and clean them up a little. It's fun and relaxing and you never know what you'll find. If you've been feeling stuck, sometimes a little playing around with fabric is just the thing you need to get your creativity flowing again.  

Even if you don't have a plan, playing around with scraps and making tiny things is a good way to get motivated to start something new. I get lazy and unmotivated at times but give me a basket of scraps and sometimes wonderful things happen. 

Little log cabin pattern is now available in my Etsy shop.

*  *  *

I recently started a new Facebook group for those who are most familiar with my books and quilts. The old group had become a free for all and was difficult to manage. This one is much smaller and will be focused on my quilts and my favorite style of quilting -  using reproduction fabrics. We're taking a more relaxed approach (instead of doing frantic monthly challenges) and occasionally making simple little quilts with our reproduction scraps. You'll have to prove you're a fan and not a spammer if you request to join. Here's the first quilt - 

Quick and easy and lots of fun.

Simple is good. 

Make a Little Pinwheels Quilt

 For the second quilt in the little quilts sew along from the Schoolgirl Sampler book, the Facebook group is making the Pinwheels quilt on page 22 of the book. 

This one was made by Marian Edwards for the book. It's a fun little quilt that uses two Schoolgirl Sampler blocks. I think it really shows off her scraps and makes the pinwheels look as if they're spinning. 

There are a few different pinwheel blocks in the book and if you like you can choose one of them and make your own design. 

And, if you don't have time to make a quilt for July, how about some little fabric pinwheels?? 

Here's a tutorial for making the pinwheels 

Small Quilt Sew Along - Patriotic Stars Quilt

Today we kicked off the Small Quilt Sew Along for the six small quilts in my book Schoolgirl Sampler. We'll be starting with this one, the Patriotic Stars quilt on page 26 of the book.

Patriotic Stars quilt made by Sue Bennett

Each month we'll have a theme. The theme for the first month is:  Make a quilt with patriotic blocks or fabrics or make a row quilt using different blocks in red, white and blue fabrics. I thought this would be a great quilt to start with so it could be ready to display on or around the Fourth of July. 

The Schoolgirl Sampler Sew Along Facebook group will be making all six of the small quilts from the book.  One per month. I hope some of you will join us.  The directions for the blocks to make the small quilts are in the book.

                                 

I know this is going to be a lot of fun. If you want to purchase a book, check your local quilt shop, Amazon, Martingale or other online shops for copies.  Check my website or Etsy shop for signed copies. 

Click the link to see more info and join the Sew Along Facebook group.   I'll also list the quilt we're working on each month on the Sampler Sew Along page of my website so those of you who don't do FB can follow along too. Enjoy sewing some cute little quilts!

Small Quilts Sew Along

I hope you've had fun following along and making the Schoolgirl Sampler quilt. I've seen some gorgeous finished quilts! And such a variety of colors and other small touches to make them all unique. 

Beginning in June, the Schoolgirl Sampler Sew Along Facebook group will be making the small quilts from the book.  You're welcome to join us as we choose one quilt to sew each month through December 2020. 

Which one will be first??

Since January, quilters in the group have been sewing alongside each other, making all of the 4" blocks and then assembling the large schoolgirl sampler quilt. The book also contains six small quilts made with some of the blocks used in that quilt.

You'll need the book to participate since the patterns and block instructions are in the book. I was out of books for awhile as more were being reprinted but copies are back in stock if anyone is interested in a signed book. Check my website or Etsy shop. Or, check your local quilt shop, Amazon or Martingale to find a copy.

Click the link to see more info and join the Sew Along Facebook group   I'll also list the quilt we're working on each month on the Sampler Sew Along page of my website so those of you who don't do FB can follow along. 

Doll Quilts in the Spring Garden

I love making small quilts and if you're reading this and following my blog, you probably do too.  Simple little doll quilts made with reproduction fabrics really tug at my heartstrings. I know some of you love these same kinds of quilts as much as I do. So I'm sharing some of my favorite ones and a few newer ones that I made or finished last year just for those of you who are new to the kinds of quilts I like to make. (You can find the patterns for some these on my website and in my Etsy shop. Or ask and I'll tell you which book it's from.) 

So simple, yet gloriously fun. You can crank these out in between working on larger quilts. They're that quick. The most fun was probably sorting through my reproduction scraps looking for just the right combination of muted colors, finding some I hadn't seen in awhile. 

There's something calming about creating something pretty with simple little pieces . . . . 

One of the nice things about making small quilts is that they're easy to display around the house in many different ways. Quilts really add something to a room whether they're dressing up a bed, draped over a sofa or hanging on a wall in an entryway. 

                                 

*  *  *

I really wanted to thank so many of you for participating in the Schoolgirl Sampler Sew Along this year. It was a nice diversion for awhile, don't you think? Thanks also for purchasing the book. Your support means a lot. The FB group will stay open for the rest of the year and we may do sew alongs for some of the smaller quilts in the book beginning this summer. 

I also wanted to thank you so much for following me all these years. It's been so nice meeting and connecting with many of you who share my love of all things small and made with reproduction fabrics. I sincerely hope that my books and quilts, my groups and this blog have inspired you a little bit and brought some joy into your lives. I know you have enriched mine with your kindness. 

                                                                                My best to all of you,

                                                                                                     - Kathy