Friday, August 4, 2023

I'm Back With Diamond Hashtag and a Giveaway

Hello everyone! I had a lovely month off with plenty of my favourite things: reading, sewing, relaxing in the back yard and in the pool, and generally enjoying the beautiful month of July. You've seen on Instagram some in-progress shots of my 150 Canadian Women quilt, but I also worked on one of Cheryl Brickey's designs in her newest book, Just Two Charm Pack Quilts. Her website is Meadow Mist Designs, and her blog is Meadow Mist Designs where you can follow the hop of fabulous quilts from her book.

Cheryl has a page right here dedicated to this hop with all of the participants listed and links to their quilts. If you ever have lost your quilt mojo, check out a few of the links there, and I guarantee you will find it in a hurry!

The premise of her second book is, obviously, to make a quilt with two charm packs. However, she adds one fabric, which she calls fabric A in the book, and then a background fabric. Cheryl shows you that you don't need two identical charms packs to make the quilts, (mine is an example of this) and that you can either make your own from your stash/leftovers (as I did) or cut a 10" layer cake or squares into charm packs. 

I made Diamond Hashtag, the last quilt in the book:
Photo by C&T Publications

Photo by C&T Publications


I was drawn to the quilt because of its layered design. For those familiar with my blog and designs, you know how much I love layered designs and shadow quilts.

I had already cut a stack of 5" squares from the leftover Blueberry Park by Karen Lewis that I used for my Summer Stars quilt. I only had 24 squares, so I knew I'd need to figure out a way to expand the quilt because I wanted to make a baby quilt with these soft colours. What to do... Well, Blueberry Park is simply white motifs printed onto Kona fabrics, and I have a nice stack of Kona. Did I have the right shades to coordinate with my charms?  Close enough! I bet you didn't realize at first that there are two lines of Kona that form the diamonds: Blueberry Park and Kona cottons.
An indoor shot was the only way to get a straight photo because it’s been windy

For my Fabric A, the hashtags, I used Benartex Silver which was left over from a quilt I made for their ezine a few years ago. The background is yardage I picked up somewhere in my travels. I didn't have quite enough, so some of the corner squares are from my 2.5" squares tray and the outer border is yardage of another white I picked up in my travels! That white is perfect because it has embossed squares on point on it. I love carrying a theme right into the very fabric itself.


I stitched the quilt on Billie, my 1947 Singer Featherweight. How I love that little machine! She's been a trooper while my 2003 Bernina Artista had to go back to London for a little further spa treatment on her needlebar. She's beginning to show her 20 years of sewing. I stitched and quilted everything, even a couple of almost-queen-size quilts, until 2013.


Although Cheryl doesn't provide the directions to make the baby quilt, all I did was make a few less blocks, which I kept the same size as the throw.

I also adjusted the width of the sashing and final border. Unfortunately, I don't have it quilted because my behemoth of a 150 Canadian Women quilt is still on Avril, my Avanté.

It’s a bit wrinkly, cold and windy of a shot, but it gives you the true soft colours and a better look at the squares on point fabric I used for the border.

I was so pleased to be included in Cheryl's newest book hop! I have a digital copy to give away to anyone who lives on Earth. I used a digital copy to make my quilt.

How to enter: See the directions in the Rafflecopter widget below. 

For more than a year now I use Change Toothpaste which comes in a backyard compostable little envelope, along with their bamboo compostable toothbrush. For almost two years I have been using TruEarth soap, which looks like a stick of thin gum, and comes in a cardboard box. I also use their wool dryer balls. I am not affiliated with either of those companies, but I am an avid user and lover of their products and philosophy.
Photo by C&T Publications
The giveaway will remain open through midnight Sunday, August 6. I'll post the winner on Instagram and here on the blog on Monday.


If you are a No Reply or Anonymous commenter please include your email in your comment using 'at' instead of @ and 'dot'com instead of .com


a Rafflecopter giveaway

37 comments:

  1. Love the green, blues and teals with just a touch of gold/yellow. What a great way to use up some left overs.

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  2. I like the colours, so soft looking and that silver for fabric A is a great choice. I also use TruEarth.

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  3. I love that you made do with what you had on hand ... And the placement of those Kona solids? Super smart! (insert fist bump here)

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  4. We get our vegetables from a local producer who has a CSA program. We are supporting local agriculture while eating more fresh vegetables.

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  5. This looks like an interesting book and the colors that you used for your quilt are gorgeous!
    My husband and I have become frequent kayakers on nearby lakes. While we are paddling, we regularly pick up trash left by others on the banks and in the water. We pile it all on the front of our kayaks and take it to the trash bin when we get back to the boat dock. It's crazy the amount of trash that is out there every single time we go out.

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  6. Love your version - the colours are so 'you'! We've used dryer balls for years, and have been intrigued by TruEarth. Need to switch next time we're out of laundry soap! basaran (dot) family (at) rogers (dot) com

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  7. Your version is fabulous and in some of my favorite colors. Recently, I made the switch to laundry soap sheets in box...and won't go back! For years, I have used wool dryer balls and love those too.

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  8. Hi Sandra, good to have you back. I hope your time off was relaxing. I love what you've made with "leftovers". I'm not in the drawing as I've already purchased the book. I keep recycling all that I can and use the reusable bags when I shop. I use the dryer balls and have even given them as gifts.

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  9. I consistently recycle to help our environment. Love your quilt pattern.

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  10. That's such a beautiful quilt Sandra! I don't usually buy quilt pattern books, but this is one that I'd love to own! My dad taught us to reduce, reuse and recycle long before it was a necessity. As a result, we grow a big vegetable (and some fruit) garden; we recycle and use reusable bags for shopping; I use the clothesline as much as I can, and finally, I walk just about everywhere I go instead of hopping in the car.

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  11. Your sashing makes this a true beauty,Love the pale colours together. We recycle glass, plastic and paper in our local transfer station, but for myself, I buy handwash in a huge container and refill the small one by the handbasin, that saves SO many smaller plastic bottles.

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  12. Ritaanneh@gmail.comAugust 4, 2023 at 2:51 PM

    Lovely quilt. My colors. I recycle everything I can, drink only city water, save rainwater for my houseplants, dry some clothes on the line, can tomatoes from my garden, etc. Wow, too many to mention.

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  13. Looks great with the muted hashtags! Love it, that you used what you had on hand to add up to the amount you needed. For a while I'm using washing machine sheets/leaves, that come in a paper envelope and is super earth friendly, and gives great results. We changed to an e-car, when we needed a new car anyway 2 years ago and since them we are much more aware about what we're driving (it's always calculating the next loading stop involved) and we do longer travels by train.

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    1. It's gudrunborn86@gmail.com writing the text above, usually it shows my name, sorry about.

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  14. I have completely stopped using paper napkins at the table and am only using paper towels if there is something not suitable for cloth clean up. When we were driving through Quebec this summer, I was shocked to see the forest clearing and the trucks loaded with fresh logs. I plan to do anything I can to lessen the damage.

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  15. Loving your version, especially from leftovers. Look forward to seeing it quilted. Don't put me in the draw as I've already got the book and joined the blog hop too. Rarely use my dryer, so don't need those "ball things" and we try & buy local (when we can) or at least Australian made/grown. My beautiful Bernina will be 30 years old next year & has made many. many quilts. Take care & hugs.

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  16. That's a pretty design and I can see why it appeals to you! I didn't know that about Kona cottons and the Blueberry Park prints - they are always pretty prints. We live in a city that has an award winning recycling program, so we recycle everything we possibly can. I always feel good about that! Thanks for the giveaway!

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  17. I love your sweet baby hash tag quilt!
    We have started using Earth Breeze laundry detergent rather than liquid detergent in a big plastic jug. It is dehydrated sheets of laundry detergent and it comes in a recyclable cardboard packet. I actually like it better than the liquid we had been using!

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  18. I gave up my lawn and let native plants take over the yard. jhogler@sbcglobal.net

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  19. What a lovely version of the Diamond Hashtag quilt and a great use of leftover fabric!
    We recycle and use a low-flush toilet.

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  20. I switched from the big bulky plastic jug of laundry soap to thin sheets of soap that is shipped to me in a thin cardboard mailer that I can place in the ground to compost. I also sewed cloth napkins to use instead of paper napkins for our meals!

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  21. Sandra, your baby Diamond Hashtag quilt is awesome! I like the idea of being able to cut up a layer cake to make the charm pack sized pieces. I have a few of those that need a project. Keeping our planet clean and sustainable is quite important to me. I'm a regular composter and recycler and just a 10 months ago bought a hybrid car. I've only put gas into it once, so it's paying off!

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  22. Love it, Sandra!!! Diamond Hashtag is definitely my fav from Cheryl's new book!!! As for changing things to care for the earth, I ditched the plastic laundry jugs and buy the detergent that comes in sheet form.

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  23. Beautiful quilt. Love the colored background. I have switched to detergent sheets and vinegar and dryer balls.

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  24. Gorgeous little baby quilt!
    When I go shopping I always bring my own shopping bags, I haven't bought a plastic shopping bag for years.

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  25. Love your version of hashtag diamonds! It does my heart good to see other using up fabric on hand. And reminding me it’s ok if all the background whites don’t match! I recycle what my community recycle places accepts. I’ve been known to dig a bottle or aluminum can out of the garbage to put in the recycle bin. I know I can always do better, but I do the best I can. I’m going to look into the laundry sheets!

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  26. I no longer use paper napkins and have stopped coloring my hair, we don't buy beverage cans and don't use plastic bags. But there is always more...

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  27. We have practiced reuse, reduce and recycling as long back as I can remember. We compost our yard and garden waste and reuse wherever possible. very little goes to the landfill from our house. Thanks

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  28. Beautiful quilt. We do not water our lawn. It will grow back in the fall. We recycle everything we can which means there is very little garbage to go out. We use soaker hoses on timers in the gardens where we can. I reuse cooking water to water some of the baskets and pots. We try, but there is always more to do. Thanks for the chance to win.

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  29. Mmm, I love the calming color palette and how my eyes move back and forth between the two designs. I’ve been using laundry sheets ever since you introduced them on your blog. We’ve always lived a frugal life (some would say we don’t keep up with the times, but that’s okay with me). Lately, I’ve become really aware of how many products there are with unnecessary chips in them. I am more than disappointed that people talk about taking care of the environment, but always need the latest technology and gadgets with chips in them, using precious, non-renewable materials to do things they could easily do with their bodies. So, if we need to replace something, we try to find the simplest form we can of the product. It’s hard because those chips are everywhere, but we try to be thoughtful about our decisions, and we hang onto items until they wear out regardless of trends. I am also gradually replacing more household products with those with compostable packaging. Toothpaste replacement is next on my list. It’s overwhelming at times, isn’t it? Life is so complex, and I know we are each trying to do something in one area and missing the mark in another. For example, these new household products are mostly available only online, so then I worry about the environmental cost of getting them to my door. Sigh. Can you tell this has been bothering me a lot lately? Thanks for letting me grapple with it all in my comment.

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  30. There are several things we have been doing to care for the environment. One, we haven't bought new clothes in several years. We shop at thrift stores, mend or remake what we have.
    We haven't use weed killers like Roundup for years. We either use something environmentally friendly or good old fashioned dig the weeds out control.
    We used to compost, but when our composter disintegrated, we couldn't afford a new one, but a few years ago we found out the high school near us was forming a garden club to grow food to help with food insecurity for their students and also to teach them how to grow food. They posted on line and students went around the neighborhood putting up flyers asking for food scraps and stuff to start a compost pile at the school garden area. They gave us a big pail and picked it up every other week, then brought it back. We learned they only had two households from the neighborhood respond which is kind of sad, but this past Spring, the teacher told us they now had a sustainable compost pile. We keep taking our food scraps over whenever we fill up the pail and dump it on the pile. It has reduced our garbage pickup to every two weeks.
    14 the money at duck dot com

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  31. I have been using dryer balls for several years. And as a quilter I try to use up all my scraps. I make many small projects that use up a lot of those smaller bits.

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  32. Actually its's Pam Really, really loved this pattern & your quilt! I work hard at recycling, growing b=vegetables, buying local. pjrquilter at msn dot com

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  33. That is a beautiful quilt with absolutely gorgeous backing fabric, Sandra. What a quilter you are! I have to say I've been composting for over 10 years now, keep a container under the kitchen sink so scraps go in it, then outside to my big bin. I get a couple of pails of soil from it each year. It is very rich and I think of it as a secret ingredient as to why my houseplants overwinter so well and also in the flower beds outside. Another thing I do is use thrift stores all the time even for clothes and men's shirts for quilting. I believe in the reusing of whatever you can.Textile waste is a huge problem worldwide. Whatever can be kept from landfills is good. Scrappy quilts are a good thing!

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  34. I'm so pleased to hear that you had a fabulous July blogging break. I love your Diamond Hashtag quilt and really like the way you put your fabric together ie some 5" squares from here, more from there and beefing the background up with a few add-ins.

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  35. What a sweet baby quilt! I always have cloth napkins that I sew up to use and we recycle all we can!

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  36. It's so nice to see you back at the blog Sandra. I've missed you here. Lovely, lovely quilt.

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