The Splendid Sampler – The Journey Continues and a Celebration Giveaway

February 14, 2017February 21, 2017198 Comments

Happy Valentine’s Day! Have you been following along with The Splendid Sampler? The 100th and final block was released earlier in the week and to mark this tremendous milestone, there’s a huge giveaway to celebrate!

Splendid Sampler - Scrappy Happy Heart

My block contribution to The Splendid Sampler – Scrappy Happy Heart

The New Book

But before I get to the giveaways, there’s some exciting to share. Although the first stage of the quilt along has wrapped up, the journey isn’t over! The Splendid Sampler book releases in April!

Splendid Sampler Book

Click here to pre-order your copy of The Splendid Sampler.

Then in May, authors Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson will embark on phase two – encouraging new Splendid sewists to create one block a week from the book. So it’s never to late to join in – or if you started the quilt along and then set it aside to work on other things, you can re-join the fun!

Pat Sloan Hearts Aflutter from the Splendid Sampler

Pat Sloan’s Splendid Sampler Block #1 – Hearts A Fluttter

The Giveaways

Whenever Pat and Jane do something, it’s a huge production and that includes the giveaway celebration! Head over to The Splendid Sampler website to enter Pat & Jane’s giveaway for 7 fabulous prizes! While you are there, click on each of the 25 designer links for your chance at 25 more!!

Click here to view all of my PDF patterns in my Craftsy shop.

For my stop, I’m giving away PDF copies of my latest pattern releases: Positive Direction and Stepping Stones. (If you already own these, you can pick two others from my Craftsy pattern shop.)

To enter, leave a comment letting me know how many Splendid Sampler blocks you’ve made so far! (And yes, it’s okay to say “zero!”) Next Monday at the end of the day, I’ll randomly choose 2 lucky winners – one from the US and one International. I’ll email the winners and will update this blog post with their names on Tuesday.

Lots of Love Splendid Sampler Block by Melisa Corry

Melissa Corry’s Lots of Love Splendid Sampler Block

Please share your blocks in The Splendid Sampler Facebook group!

You can also share your progress in my group: Quilt with Christa.

Splendid Sampler Heart Blocks

Remember – heart blocks don’t always have to be red and pink!

Update with Winners!!!

Congrats to Leslie F. and Christine C. for winning the PDF patterns!!

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A Splendid Celebration!

August 3, 2016August 3, 2016501 Comments

Are you following along with The Splendid Sampler? If you haven’t heard of it yet, it’s the most epic, “sew-lebrity” filled sew along (of all time), consisting of 100+ free block patterns, designed by 83 pattern designers, shared twice week, for an entire year!!!

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Just a few of the 80+ Splendid Sampler designers at Spring Quilt Market 2016.

For those of you making blocks either physically with the group (or virtually in your head), the 50th block releases this week! Isn’t that exciting?? Although I’m not going to spoil tomorrow’s surprise, the designer of block #50 is Joanna Figueroa of Figtree Quilts. I’ve seen the block, and let me tell you – it is Splendid!!

My Splendid Block

You may recall my block, Scrappy Happy Heart, below, which was released back in May. Click here to learn more about my block! It’s been exciting watching so many people making my paper pieced block design and sharing their work. The biggest comment I’ve seen on Instagram (#scrappyhappyheart) and in the Splendid Sampler Facebook group is that my block is the perfect block for those who have never paper-pieced before and want to try out an easy block. That warms my heart!!

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My Scrappy Happy Heart Block

To celebrate The Splendid Sampler halfway point, hosts Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson are teaming up with many of the Splendid Sampler designers with bonus blocks, fun giveaways, free patterns, and maybe even a little “behind the scenes” of the project.

Click here to see the complete blog hop celebration schedule!

Free Pattern for Splendid Friends

For anyone new to my blog, I invite you to get this free PDF quilt pattern of my Puzzle Box design just for stopping by and signing up for my email newsletter.

Click here to get the free pattern.

But wait…. there’s more!!

Puzzle Box Pattern

Book Giveaway for Splendid quilters

I’m also giving away a copy of the brand new collaboration book, 180 Doodle Quilting Designs. This book was compiled by Martingale/That Patchwork Place, the same folks who will be publishing The Splendid Sampler book once the blocks are all complete! (They have also published both of my quilting books, so I might just be a little bit biased!!)

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180 Doodle Quilting features designs from several talented friends, including Splendid Sampler designers Melissa Corry, April Rosenthal, and yours truly! Perhaps this book will help you decide how you want to quilt your blocks when they are all finished!

For your chance to win, just leave a comment below letting me know if you’ve ever participated in a block of the month/week/day type program before. If so, tell me what you loved about it!

This contest is open to everyone worldwide. I’ll pick one US winner who will win a physical copy signed by me, and one international winner who will receive an e-copy.

The contest will close Aug 15th and I’ll ship it to you by the end of the month. Thanks for stopping by!!

The Splendid Sampler Block – Scrappy Happy Heart

May 22, 2016May 22, 201615 Comments

Welcome to my stop on the Splendid Sampler 100 blocks tour! Today is a very special day. Not only because I get to share my special block with you, but it is also my anniversary! 23 years ago I married my best friend and he’s supported my quilting habits ever since! Sharing my heart block with you now has extra special meaning and today I’m dedicating this block to Jason – the love of my life!

scrappy_heart_finished

Scrappy Happy Heart – for Jason – the love of my life who’s also my #1 fan!

I love the “structured improv” look so I chose to paper piece this block, to contain the crazy pieced chaos. I took some step by step pictures while making this block that can help you with your paper piecing efforts.

Click here for Splendid tutorials on paper piecing.

I was very lucky to get to work with the Little Miss Sunshine collection by Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique for many of the fabrics. Click here to get the precuts to make a similar block. 🙂

Step 1

Comb through your stash for pretty scraps that work well together.

scrappyheart_1

Thanks to Moda Fabrics for supplying me with such a sweet palette to work from!

Step 2

Cut the pieces according to the cutting chart given in the Splendid Sampler block pattern.

Step 3

Sew the first section of pieces starting with the white background square; press and trim after each piece. It will look somewhat like the hot mess below!

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Step 4

Add the corner triangle to the first section. Remember, all this time you are sewing onto paper following the printed lines on the front of the paper.

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Step 5

Repeat the piecing, pressing and trimming process for the second section of the block.

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This is what the front looks like – I fold each line I am going to sew next and use an add a quarter ruler to trim off the excess smoothly and neatly.

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Step 6

Add the last section of heart in the same manner. It will look so good once it’s all trimmed!

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Step 7

Add the last two background corner triangles to complete the heart shape and trim to size. Now the best part – gently remove all the paper!

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Step 8

Stop and admire your beautiful handiwork. Now is a great time to start thinking about the threads you will use to machine quilt your beautiful blocks. My favorite thread for both piecing and machine quilting is Aurifil – 50 weight cotton.

scrappy_heart_styled

All of that mess miraculously turns into a beautifully finished block!

Click here to go to the Splendid Sampler Block Page

Here’s my block in other colorways, made by some of the other Splendid Sampler designers. 🙂

Splendid Sampler Heart Blocks

Made by Pat Sloan, Julie Karasek, Jane Davidson, Lynette Anderson, Joan Ford, Melissa Corry