Rainbow Neighbourhood Quilt Along: Schedule and Sponsors

Welcome to the seventh annual quilt along here at mmmquilts! I am so glad you are here, and I do hope you will join in with us for yet another year of fun sewing and prizes galore! If you are new to the blog, welcome! I hope you'll peruse the tabs up top, check out some of the activities and makes of mine. Be sure to follow me (see the follow it buttons for the blog and Instagram on my sidebar) to be notified of new posts over the next few months of the quilt along.

This is the main page where you will find the schedule and sponsors of the QAL. If you are participating, be sure to grab the graphic below and paste it on your sidebar or in your Instagram feed, on Pinterest, wherever you are on social media! I thank you for spreading the word.

Here is the html code:

<div style="width:100%;text-align:center;"><span style='margin:5px;padding:5px;border-radius: 5px;border:1px solid lightgrey;display:inline-block;'><a  rel=_nofollow href='https://www.mmmquilts.com/2023/03/rainbow-neighbourhood-quilt-along.html'>           <img style='border: 1px solid gray;width:200px;height:200px;' src='https://www.homesewnbyus.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Rainbow_Neighbourhood_QAL.png' alt='mmmQuilts'></a></span></div>

Just copy and paste that code into your sidebar on your blog and when others see it, they'll be bounced here where all the information is! Thank you so much Roseanne of Home Sewn by Us for offering to code the graphic for me. The way I used to do it doesn't work...

What quilt are we making this year?

Rainbow Neighbourhood!

You have two options, a throw that uses just the houses, and a twin. This one is the twin size made by my lovely and soooo very much appreciated pattern tester, Michelle in Scotland. This is option number one, ten houses with some setting blocks of trees, flowers and hearts.

The second option is to make the throw. These are the original blocks I made each month during 2017's Rainbow Scrap Challenge. People loved them and wanted a pattern... It took me five years, but I finally wrote one up, and well, went to town by giving not only the pattern for a rainbow of house blocks, but also for an entire neighbourhood of happy homes. 

This option has just nine houses, set traditionally with sashing, cornerstones and a final border. Both quilts, the throw and the twin, are excellent stash-busting or scrap quilts. You might need yardage for the background for the twin.

There are just so many possibilities for making this quilt your own. You could do a two-colour quilt. You could feature just two or three of the eleven star blocks on the side of the houses, you could make all the houses alike, or choose just two of the four styles given within the pattern. As for the twin, the large trees blocks are interchangeable, as are the flowers and small trees blocks. Skip the pinwheels if you like, and put in fussy-cut plain squares, fussy-cut the windows or the doors... Have your eyes glazed over yet?!

The only big difference in this year's QAL is that I am asking participants to purchase the pattern. Usually I offer the pattern for sale, but provide instructions for one size of quilt free on the blog. A few of my readers and who I consider friends, after having bought the pattern when it was released, suggested I use it as this year's QAL. At first I was like, oh no, no, it's always free... but over the next couple of months I started to think well, maybe...

So, here's the deal: the pattern goes on sale today, March 27, for 25% off, the same as it was when it was released. That works out to $10.50CA. It will be on sale all week until midnight April 3. And, for those who finish their quilts, as in quilted and bound, 'done-done', (don't want to be the reason our UFO pile increases!), I will give you a second pattern of your choice from my shop. I currently have 20 from which to choose. So you will end up with two patterns for $10.50CA, pretty good, I think. You can grab the pattern at SandraJaneQuilts.

Note that either a flimsy or a finished top will qualify for the prizes from the sponsors! I am sweetening the pot of purchasing my pattern (with a fat quarter as well, see below) for those who completely finish their quilts. Yes, worldwide participants are welcome and will qualify for all prizes but the batting and possibly the fabric bundle from Island Batik and Quiltinator, but will confirm.

Schedule

April 3 - Official start of the QAL: gather materials, and make House Block #1

April 10 - House Block #2

April 17 - House Block #3 and Twin only: (2) Round Tree Blocks

April 24 - House Block #4 and Twin only: (2) Evergreen Tree Blocks

May 1 - House Block #5

May 8 - House Block #6 and Twin only: (2) Flower Blocks Progress Linkup for Prizes

May 15 - House Block #7 and Twin only: (2) Small Trees Blocks - Prizes announced

May 22 - House Block #8

May 29 - House Block #9 and Twin only: (2) Heart Blocks

June 5 - Throw - you have a bye week; Twin only: House block #10 and Pinwheel blocks

June 15 - Quilt top due

June 30 - Final parade linkup opens

I will update the schedule as each post goes live.

Sponsors

I am thrilled to have so many of my regular sponsors back again this year. Their support means so much, and I thoroughly appreciate their generosity. I hope you remember them when you are shopping for supplies! I have a few new sponsors this year, and I am just as thrilled with their willingness to be involved.

Island Batik is my main sponsor this year. They generously provided the fabrics for me to make the twin quilt. They are also offering a 10" stack of 'Broken Glass', which is the main line of fabrics I am using to make the twin quilt.

Canuck Quilter Designs is offering one winner a free PDF pattern of their choice. Joanne will once again offer a 10% discount with a coupon code for my readers throughout the QAL. It will start April 4, so be sure to check back next week for the code!

The Fabric Nook is offering a $50 gift certificate to her online store.

Quilting Jetgirl is offering a $12 coupon

Quilty Zest is offering one winner a free PDF pattern of their choice.

Make Modern is offering a 6-month magazine subscription.

Hobbs Batting is offering a batt of their Tuscany cotton/wool (one of my absolute faves).

Sew Fresh Quilts is offering a $50 gift certificate to her shop.

Art East Quilting is offering two winners their choice of one PDF pattern.

Stitchin' at Home is offering one winner their choice of two PDF patterns.

Devoted Quilter is offering one winner their choice of two PDF patterns.

Meadow Mist Designs is offering two winners their choice of two PDF patterns.

Quiltinator is the new longarm quilting business of Gale Bulkley. She is offering to quilt one lucky winner's quilt top! AND, she will supply the batting, either Quilter's Dream 80/20 or select loft cotton.

**Even if you finish your quilt yourself, you can still win this because I am sure you might have another top you could send to Gale.😉 If you would like to get in touch with her, email hello (at) quiltinator (dot) ca

mmmquilts (that's me!) is offering a free PDF pattern of their choice and a fat quarter of fabric for every participant who finishes completely their quilt.

Persimon Dreams aka KimLapacek.com is offering one winner their choice of two PDF patterns.

Crazy good stuff right?! Okay! Thanks so much for reading through this lengthy post. I will be featuring a sponsor in more detail on each of the weekly posts as well as on Instagram. Remember you don't need a blog nor even Instagram to participate. You can email me your progress and I will post it here and count you in for all the prizes. 

If you have any questions, send me an email or write your question in the comments.

Hop on over to my shop, snag the pattern, and start to gather up some scraps and stash.

See you on April 3!