Postcard From Sweden Parade of Quilts Link Up

It is HERE and it is as good as Christmas IMHO! Oh the eye candy on Instagram! The teaser posts, the artful shots, the sheer joyous colour out there! Much needed on these recent grey, gloomy, rainy, and in a lot of cases, snowy, days. We even had snow flurries from time to time here this morning and about 1/4" (yep, I know that measurement well) on the patio table and deck rails, like what??

The linkup is below, but first let's visit my most generous sponsors. (note that I am not affiliated with any of the sponsors, but I am an affiliate of Craftsy).  Sponsors! I never dreamed when Helen and I started talking about making this quilt together, and I said,
me: Maybe we could put it out there if any others want to join us?
Helen: Oh, that's a good idea!
me: We could host a QAL!
Helen: You're a good organizer; you can put out the word...

...so I did, much like when Tish and I decided to make the Swoon mini together. However. This one kind of 'went viral'. I owe much of that to Tanya of Tanya Quilts in Colorado. She bought a kit from

Stitch Stash Diva, and she wrote on her blog that she was going to join Helen and me (that's correct English, don't worry. Here's a wee English lesson: 'she's going to join... me or I?  me!  So use me, but always put yourself second. It's polite, right?)

Where was I?! Tanya. She said she was going to join Helen and me in this PfS QAL. Her readers went, wait, what? My followers on IG and my blog went, wow, yeah! and then I suddenly had an email from Tayva, lovely owner of Stitch Stash Diva wanting to sponsor my QAL because kits had been flying out of her shop....

Helen suddenly got an email from the over-the-top lovely and talented Kelly of Jeli Quilts,

saying she'd like to offer a prize, as she'd seen the excitement and participation building up on IG. (sidenote: I see Kelly has just released a new fabulous rainbow pattern...you'll find it through that link to her shop, which is an affiliate link, but I don't get anything if you buy patterns from Kelly; however, if you buy supplies to make one of her patterns, then I'd get a small commission, and thank you, so much!)

And then! I got another email from

Mad About Patchwork, asking if they could sponsor my QAL because one of the ladies who works there follows my blog (who knew?😄) and they'd noticed a spike in kit sales...

So I knew that there were several planning to quilt along with us who lived, as Helen does, in the UK, and I saw a post on Instagram where Kelly said kits were available through...

The Tartan Reel, so I asked Janey if she would like to offer kits and a prize for those participating, and got a resounding yes!

Boom! Four sponsors just like that!

What are they offering as prizes once again? The original list and details about each of their shops can be found here, but in a nutshell,

Jeli Quilts: $30 worth of patterns

Stitch Stash Diva: Winner's choice of either a quilt backing and binding set OR a $75 gift card; includes free shipping

Mad About Patchwork: a $50 gift certificate, shipping not included

The Tartan Reel: one Elizabeth Hartman pattern, a Kona bundle and a Kona colour chart

Super-exciting prizes, right? Now, if you missed it a few posts back, on April 24 I'm starting my actual second annual QAL--this Postcard from Sweden was just totally unforeseen, but what a fun ride it's been! My annual QAL is for Plus Playtime, my quilt that was featured in Benartex's ezine, Modern by the Yard. It's a free pattern still, available for download by clicking on the ezine cover on the sidebar of their blog. You can check out more photos and info about it here. It's going to be a fairly quick make, but I've spread it out a bit so you can 'suh---lide' it on in with your regularly scheduled projects. 😎  I'm doing the one for the hop in a more adult modern vibe.

Yup, there are going to be lots of prizes...and, breaking news! Tayva of Stitch Stash Diva is going to make up kits available for purchase! Pinch me! More details next week.

Grab a java, a tea, a glass of vino or du vin, and visit these wonderful, colourful pieces of our quilty rainbow-loving hearts, thanks to Kelly's ingenuity in creating and offering for free a lovely pattern.
One more thing! Did anyone see the crocheted (check it out Judy!) version of Postcard from Sweden created by Alice @thebuttonship and offered for free on Ravelry? Kelly posted it on Instagram today. Wow!

An InLinkz Link-up

Update: Winners!
Ms Random Number Generator picked the following numbers:

#11 Heidi @ sewnheidi wins the prize from Jeli Quilts
#8 Roseanne @ Home Sewn by Us wins the prize from Stitch Stash Diva
#3 Lisa of Sunlight in Winter Quilts wins the prize from Mad About Patchwork
#12 Rochelle of Rochelle S on Flickr wins the prize from The Tartan Reel

Thank you all so very much! Winners have been notified by email.