SAHRR#2 - Aquamarine

The name of this quilt just popped into my head when I was writing down details in my longarm notebook. Upon checking that I did indeed have the colour link correct, I learned that the colours of this gem vary from lighter blue to deeper blue-green, but they all evoke the colours of the sea and sky, which is right up my alley or should I say beach! It's the birthstone for March, and the gemstone brings calmness, clarity, and serenity. It belongs to the mineral beryl. (Note to self for a good name for another blue and green quilt!)

The border is a perfect match; you’d think I planned the colours in the quilt from it! It’s actually a piece I bought many years ago in Alberta for a quilt back when my aunt took me to a quilt shop near Barrhead, which I just found out today is still there, and which my cousin‘s partner frequents! I had about 1.5 metre left, most of which was only half the width of the fabric but I was able to get four 1.5" borders and three of the 4.5 strips I needed for the binding. A few extra joins of half-width of fabric strips easily made enough for the binding with about a fat quarter now left. 

Gratitude and Glimmers #94

Welcome to my post for the month of all things I like and for which I am grateful.  This is out one day after the Thursday usual post time because I didn't want to interfere with this week's instructions for my annual Quilt Along. You can find links to more posts like this one at LeeAnna's blog, Not Afraid of Color. Glimmers are the little things that give me a frisson if you will, of joy or happiness or excitement or all three.

This first one was a definite glimmer when I read it on Instagram.

Glowing Hearts - Tutorial for Lower Heart Section

Are you ready to begin piecing some hearts? I bet you are. If you are like me, you rarely make it through cutting out an entire quilt before you have to pause and “just sew up one block”.😄 However, this week is just half of the heart, the bottom half. It uses a pretty unique way of making it. Remember you can pick up the pattern at SandraJaneQuilts if you want to sew ahead or make the throw. 

*Note that my Gratitude post will be out tomorrow so as not to interfere with the QAL.

Here are the pieces I cut out last Friday for my Glowing Hearts version. The maple leaf is rough cut for now about an eighth of an inch all the way around. I’m using the Crafted Appliqué™️ method for this.

Summer Vibes

First of all, Happy St. George's Day! He is the patron saint of England, the one who, legend has it, slayed the poor dragon. His colour is red. I'm a bit chuffed as my mum would've said, when I realize that the RSC colour of April is red, and I'm making a red and white quilt for my Quilt Along! She read all my blog posts, and I just know this first paragraph would make her grin in English pride.

When I made my second version of Winter Blues I wanted to make it in warm vibrant colours, totally opposite to the cool blues and icy background of the photo shoot. So I give you Summer Vibes which, I think, definitely is the opposite!

It’s actually spring, not summer, here in the northern hemisphere, and our pink magnolia isn’t quite open yet but she is the closest to a full floral background in my yard for today!

SAHRR #2 and RSC

While I was sewing up the throw version of my newest pattern, I started sewing the blocks together for my SAHRR #2. This was the one where instead of doing a round each week according to the prompt, I made a block. I ended up with seven blocks, so of course I had to make two more for a 3 x 3 set.

It turned out so well! I’m so happy to get that striped heart that is in the centre out of the orphan block drawer and into such a pleasing quilt.

Glowing Hearts Quilt Along - Cutting Instructions

Now that we have decided upon (or maybe there are still a few possibilities to decide upon) our fabrics, it's time to cut them up.

Be sure that your fat quarters are the full 18" x 21". If you wish to work ahead, or you wish to make the throw version, the pattern is available in my Etsy shop, SandraJaneQuilts. It is on sale for 25% off now through midnight on Easter Monday. There are instructions for three quilts within this pattern, each one unique. Once I have the Glowing Hearts version quilted and her glamour shoot wrapped up (see what I did there?!), I will update the cover, and send it out to those who have bought it. Here it is at present:

Arabesque Near Disaster

I am always wary of red fabrics, and with good reason: they have run on me more than once and nearly ruined a quilt. Yet I do not learn, and rarely think to prewash them. This latest near disaster has taught me to prewash them without fail, and so to that end, I have pulled the yardage off my shelf and done just that. Prior to this incident, I had washed all my red scraps when two quilts I'd made with scraps had run so I figured I was okay for this SAHRR quilt. I must say it is intriguing how certain light-coloured fabrics pick up the dye, while others do not. Here is what happened with Arabesque.

This was before the quilt had been washed. I admit I was a little concerned by the deep burgundy used in the on-point frame, some of the star points and the maple leaves in the four corners. It was yardage, an older fabric I'd had for some time, called Nana's by The Balson Hercules Group. I was fairly confident of the other burgundies because I was relatively sure I had pre-washed them all after seeing them run in the 94 Quilt and one or two of my scrap quilts.

Glowing Hearts - Fabric Requirements

I am so pleased at the reaction to this year's Quilt Along! I've had some lovely emails and chats. I even met a new blog reader who lives on Vashon Island in Washington State, who learned of my Quilt Along through her membership in the Royal City Quilt Guild in Guelph, Ontario (love the global connections we quilters make, and thank you to that guild for mentioning my QAL). She is going to make the maple leaf version and donate it to the guild’s Home for Good campaign. She’s not the only American I know making the Canadian quilt as a show of solidarity and respect for a sovereign country. 😍

This week we will discuss fabric requirements and some selection tips and ideas.

I am sorry to report that I do not have the pattern quite finished, but should have it by the weekend. Here you are!

I've included the maple leaf Glowing Hearts instructions as well as a throw, so it will definitely be a good bang for your buck with three quilts within the pattern, each one quite unique. I’ve had a few real life happenings over the week, one that was such a happy event: having a late lunch/early supper in Windsor with blog reader ‘Cathy in Port Perry’ and her husband on Monday! That’s the second time we’ve got together for a meal in a week! Last weekend it was in Toronto, technically Mississauga. So let's talk fabric!

Glowing Hearts QAL Kickoff

Welcome to the ninth annual Quilt Along here at mmmquilts! Once again, this free Quilt Along kicks off today, on my birthday, and ends on June 15, what was the birthday of one 'famous Canadian', my dad. I am so glad you are here, reading this post, and I hope that you will join in. This year's quilt along features a smaller quilt, and, as usual, maybe even more so this year, the pace is nice and slow, so it's easily worked in with your regular quilting projects.

If you are new to the blog, welcome! I hope you'll peruse the tabs up top, maybe check out some of the activities and makes of mine. Be sure to follow me (see the buttons 'Get new posts by email' and Instagram on my sidebar) to be notified of new posts over the next 2.5 months of the quilt along.