Lyra Quilt Along - Quilt Parade

I think a few of us have been looking forward to today! It is the culmination of my tenth quilt along where we show off our finished quilts! I’ve seen a few floating around the internet, and it truly gives me a thrill to see the variety.

Today would have been my dad’s 100th birthday, that famous Canadian father of mine.😉 Today is also the New Moon, as well as the start of the G7 Summit which is in Evian, France this year. Quite the date!

The Making of a Lion Quilt

Brady turns 18 this summer (how is that remotely possible?) and so I’m making him a lion quilt as he is a Leo.

This is Lion, a paper-pieced pattern by Tartan Kiwi Designs. I bought it ten(!) years ago, knowing I’d make it one day for Brady. Well, that ‘one day’ has arrived. It is a huge block, the biggest one I’ve ever paper-pieced, at 24” finished. The cows quilt blocks were 12”.

Lyra Quilt Along - Sashing Units and Quilt Assembly

Aaand… just like that - we are done until the final parade opens on June 15! A few of you have gone ahead and got your quilt top together, so I do hope you'll have a completely finished quilt by then. Know that both tops and finished quilts can go into the parade, though I truly do hope that you finish your quilt. I'd hate to be the reason more WIPs show up in your quilt rooms!

The sashing pieces will go together in a jiffy. Then it's basically a 9-patch layout with borders. But I'm a bit ahead of myself.

Lyra Quilt Along - Make the Blocks

Well, we’ve got all the units made, so let’s put them together and make some blocks.

There are four blocks to make this week. Next week we’ll make the sashing units and assemble the quilt top!

Lyra Quilt Along - Spiky Star Points

This week we are making the last units for the blocks, the spiky star points.

These can be easily and efficiently made using your Tri Recs or Wonder Triangle rulers. There are eight star points per block for a total of 32, as well as the eight that make up the centre star, so 40 all in all.

Lyra Quilt Along - Square in a Square Units

First of all, thank you to those who linked up—some gorgeous fabric pulls. I have heard that the kite shapes went together very well (yay) and so well, in fact, from one quilter, that she went ahead and finished the quilt top, figuring out the other steps on her own. I think she’s competing with Rose for the speediest sewist award, ha.

This week we are taking it easy and making five square-in-a-square units.

Lyra Quilt Along - Piecing the Kite-Shaped Star Points

One of my favourite things about hosting these Quilt Alongs is seeing everyone’s fabrics, so when I saw the fabrics Susan in Australia (Granny Smith Quilting) has pulled, I thought, for the second time, and am now acting upon it, that we need a link-up to show off our fabric choices and/or cutting. If you don’t have Instagram or a blog, just email me (click ‘View my complete profile in the sidebar) a photo, and I will happily post them for you!

I thought we’d tackle the more intimidating shape first. I’m sure you’ve found that cutting the kite shapes is a bit of a pain in that they don’t nicely line up along the fabric length. I did update the cutting post with a photo of that step. This results in some weird leftover triangles which is annoying, I know. It’s worth it though for the cool effects they add to your block.

Kite Shapes in Blocks

Geometry is just so cool, but it can make your brain hurt sometimes too! Quilting is so good for our brains isn't it? We do geometry, measurements, and all sorts of calculations. For the Lyra quilt, four kite blocks are in the corners, creating another starburst. I used these same shapes in my very first QAL, Freefall, which was ten years ago. As I said, I love that connection from the first to this current one. Here is the ‘bad boy’ in question:

I’ve made a paper-piecing template for it, which is how we did this block in Freefall. You can get the link to download it here. It’s in Dropbox as well, and again, you do not need a dropbox account to access the file. You'll find a paper-piecing template for the square-in-a-square block in the same PDF.

Lyra Quilt Along - Cutting

This week we are cutting into our fabrics, and I can’t wait to see what beauties you are working with. Just wait until you see Rose's (somethingrosemade) pull—be still my heart! Please don’t be intimidated by the spiky triangles or kite shapes; the way the templates’ seams are angled at the pointy ends makes for perfect alignment. Truly. And Rose gave us all another simplification if square-in-a-square blocks are your nemesis, so be sure to read to the end.

Lisa (Lisa in Port Hope) had mentioned to me last week that a rainbow colour scheme would be an idea, and well, great minds think alike, because that’s where Rose is headed!

Lyra Quilt Along Kickoff

Welcome to the tenth 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, the pace is nice and slow, so it's easily worked in with your regular quilting projects. 

If you are new to my 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’, Pinterest and Instagram on my sidebar) to be notified of new posts over the next 2.5 months of the quilt along. Feel free to grab the graphic for the QAL and post it on your social media with a link back here so others can find it.

Glowing Hearts - Winners!

Wow! Seventeen quilts made this year, and what absolute beauties. I am truly grateful that each of you took time out to make this quilt. I love seeing all the various spins you put on it as well. To me, a quilt pattern can be made as is, or can be a jumping-off point for your own personal touch.

I am also truly grateful that once again, I have generous sponsors who offer some pretty sweet prizes. Let's see who won!

Glowing Hearts QAL - The Parade!

Welcome to the ninth annual Parade of Quilts for my Quilt Along! First of all, I want to pause, as I always do, and think of you, Dad, on this day. You always thought it extra-special when your birthday happened to fall on Father's Day. I miss you still. I know you would love that my Quilt Alongs always end with a parade on your birthday.

I am so excited, as always, to see the lineup! It's such a thrill, and it never gets old, seeing what people do with a design of mine.

Glowing Hearts QAL - Quilt Top Assembly

As always, when I first start my Quilt Along, getting to the quilt top assembly stage seems awfully far off. Yet here we are. I have been thoroughly enjoying seeing the variety of glowing strippy heart blocks!

It's time to put our nine blocks together.

Glowing Hearts QAL - Make Four Hearts on Light Background

Wow, are there some gorgeous heart blocks out there! I know of several more that are in percolating stages, and do not worry, I will show them in a post once they're emailed to me, or tagged at me. And, it just hit me: I will extend the linkup for another week. I have the power, ha, and why not?! Know that we've got lots of time yet before the parade on June 15, so please don't stress.

As always, I am just thrilled to see what you are doing with the quilt design! Some are doing all one background as opposed to two, others are making twelve instead of nine blocks, and still others are adding wider borders... I look at patterns once I've bought them as my jumping off point. Some I sew just as they are designed, while others I change them up to suit my tastes or needs. You do you! We do us!

Love in a Mist

Finishes fast and furious this past week! 😊 Today I have the throw in my newest pattern Winter Blues to show you. It is yet another spin on this (if I may say so myself) wonderful pattern!

The light pink and dark pink magnolias close to the lake are at their finest right now, just jaw-dropping magical. When I walked by this old girl on my morning walk on Thursday I knew it would be a great spot for a glamour shot.

Glowing Hearts QAL - Make Five Heart Blocks

I am happy that the method to make the bottom half of the heart has been so well-received! This week we are going to make the five heart blocks that are on the dark background.

I also think that we should show off our first heart blocks, don't you? There will be a linkup at the end of this post to show one heart block on your dark background (or whatever colour of background you are using). I admit this is also because I am so curious to see the fabrics you've chosen! Two of my yoga students are joining in with this quilt along and I got to see a photo of one block, and wow, I love it as well as what she's doing with the entire 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:

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.

Spring Sparkle - My Luminous Layers Quilt and Winners

Today I am so pleased to show you the finished quilt which I made with everyone for this year’s quilt along. I made the large throw, which is 72" square. We took it for a glamour video shoot to the marina in Leamington after supper last night (think setting sun ahhh). It's a favourite spot of ours, just ten minutes from home.

I’ve named the quilt Spring Sparkles because when I chose these rich fabrics, it was early spring and I was thinking of the magnolia pinks and crabapple deep maroons along with all the greens that were imminent. I couldn’t wait! Isn’t this line, Stonehenge Gradations, so rich with such depth?