Rainbow Scrap Challenge Update and a Free Quilt Pattern

This was not the plan, but I have a Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilt finish with the first three months’ colours!

I’m actually quite pleased with it. January was dark blue, and I did a couple of medium and medium/dark blue 9-patch blocks. February was dark green, and I added in some muddy ones. March was red, which was when I realized my original thinking of a rainbow of 9-patches that finish at 7.5” wasn’t going to work the way I had envisioned; it would be a humongous quilt.

Arabesque Pattern Release

It's been a minute or three since I've had a new pattern out, but here I am with one more for 2025. Many of you will remember my SAHRR this year, and several said it would be a great pattern. So here she is!

Something I realized as I wrote up the pattern is that because the rounds (all seven of them) are 3" blocks or widths, you can really go wild with this pattern, and switch them around to create a totally unique personalized quilt! I told my pattern testers to feel free to do just that!

Oh, and of course, Arabesque is on sale all weekend for just CA$10.🤩

Tropical Twist

May I present my first finish of October. Tropical Twist is done and ready to be listed in my Etsy shop.

A bit of a tropical setting sets off the vibrant colours of the batik fabrics in this quilt. It feels so good to get a pretty stack of batik fat quarters off the shelf and into a quilt. 

Suburbia

I am pleased to present another finish, one that's been on the stack of USOs for quite some time! USOs are what I call Un-Started Objects, those kits or chunks or bundles of fabrics one gathers with pattern for a quilt you intend to make almost right away...except that 'right away' doesn't happen because other projects, be they must-do's or squirrels or quilt alongs or guild activities, or quilt courses and so on and so forth, get in the way. I have rather a few USOs, ahem. This, however, is no longer one of them!

This was a bundle of fat quarters with accompanying pattern from I believe bluprint, who took over from Craftsy. 

Tinker Toys Pattern Release

Yay! Finally, after two long years, I can publish my Tinker Toys design that was in the August 2023 issue of Love of Quilting. I honestly do think that is an exorbitant amount of time to not own the rights to my own design, but, sniff! and hmph! I have not submitted another to them since! You may recall that last fall I did get permission to publish a throw size of the quilt, with my own instructions (they changed them slightly in the magazine) and in a completely different colour scheme. Well, now the baby quilt, throw, and even a cushion cover are all in one pattern. And oh yes, it's on sale all August long weekend!

This perfect spot for a photo, or even a sit😊, which many people do, is the front of The Grove Hotel on Main Street in Kingsville. It's a beautiful old hotel, totally renovated, built in 1854. I think they should have a couple of quilts on those rocking chairs! Might have to approach them...

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.

Arabesque

And here she is, all pretty and toute finie!

I couldn’t be happier and more over the moon with this finish. Who knew it would end up so pretty, and, as people have commented and I agree, that it looks as if it was planned from the get-go!

Jasper Quilt Finish

I have another finish which makes two in a week! I figured I’d be able to get the Jasper quilt quilted between Project Quilting challenges, and SAHRR prompts and I’m so happy that I did. If only the weather had cooperated for better photos, but oh well, I can always add in one or two when the sun decides to shine on us again.

As you may recall, this quilt is going to my cousin Val, who lives in Jasper. As you may also recall, the town of Jasper was evacuated last summer due to a raging wildfire that roared through the town, destroying one third of the homes, various buildings and businesses over the course of its rampage. Val’s home was one that was burned to the ground. 

Goose Dance Finish

Goose Dance is finished! I knew I was going to quilt my fat flowers design with some loops but I decided to add swirls with hooks as well. It was done in next to no time. 

Why do I take a quilt out from under the Bernina where I’ve finished the binding, and throw it around on the ground for photos? 🤷🏻‍♀️ It works!

My Second Scrappy Strippy Stars

I am pleased to squeak in one more finish for September, a few hours before midnight lol. It’s one of my two Rainbow Scrap Challenge projects. This is my design, Scrappy Stars, which is a tutorial here. 

My original quilt was done on cream backgrounds with beige for patches. I decided to go dark with this one.

Orinoco Flow Pattern Release

This is my latest finish in my favourite colours. It is the throw-size version of Tinker Toys, which was published last summer in the September issue of Love of Quilting magazine.

Unfortunately, they hold the rights until August 2025, yes, the contracts are now two years, so I cannot publish the baby size pink and orange quilt. However, I contacted them to ask if I would be allowed to publish a throw size with a little bit different construction method than they use and different colours and they said, yes. So I am very happy to have this quilt available as a stand-alone pattern. Next year I will be able to release the baby size as well and will update the pattern. Know that I will send the updated pattern free to anybody who buys it this year. The pattern also has instructions to make a cushion cover.

Postcard from Sweden Shines Again

My fourth Postcard from Sweden quilt is finished! 

This baby’s mine, all mine. 

My quilt and I went for a quilt in the wild shoot this morning at Seacliff Beach in Leamington which is a mere ten minute drive from my house. I am blessed to have this beautiful spot so near.

TGIFF! Postcard from Sweden Finish

Welcome to TGIFF! This is a celebration of finishes, and I'm happy to be back hosting the second one of 2024. I am also very pleased to show off my second finish of 2024, my third Postcard from Sweden quilt.

Like the first two, this one is not going to live with me, and that is just fine. Like the first two, it is on its way to a good home where I know it will be cherished. If you are interested in hosting TGIFF go here to pick a date to sign up. It's super-easy.

Sunset Strip Pattern Release

Sunset Strip is my newest release! This was a quilt I designed for a challenge when I was an Island Batik ambassador in March 2019. There are (ahem) a few challenge quilts that need to get written up and published into patterns! I've not been as productive in the pattern-writing department this year, just three: this one, and two for magazines.

This pattern was the first design in that year's Design Challenge I was hosting, so it is high time I got it out into the world. It's also the first one I wrote up, graphics and all, in Pages, a word processing app on my MacBook Air. Prior to this I worked in Googledocs, but storage is limited there, so I thought why not learn Pages. It's really not much different than Word and Googledocs, and is actually more user-friendly in many ways.

I had four lovely ladies test the pattern and I am excited to show you their makes! Also I should add that it is on sale all week at the lowest price I've ever released a pattern: $7CA. That's just about half price. ($12 regular)

From Dawn to Dusk

It is with great pleasure that I present to you, not one but two finished quilts! These qualify for my PHD, Projects Half Done challenge, and this means that every one of the Rainbow Scrap Challenge quilts I have made since joining in 2015 are complete! 

I made these blocks during the RSC2016 year, using a pattern in Kim Schaefer's Cozy Modern Quilts. It's a great book, and I need to make some more quilts from it!

Rainbow Neighbourhood

This post should have come out this morning, but well, life in general intervened and that is just fine. It wouldn't be fair to take my time to write about this much-loved and long-anticipated quilt finish that comes with a pattern release, unless I held over the sale price one more day. Yep, another 24 hours you have to save 25% off the regular price of the pattern.

I had really hoped for some sunshine but sadly this week, the sun peeped out for a few minutes only once since I wrote the pattern release post. However, I did shine a few twinkly lights on the quilt for this photo.

I thought a quilt of homes should be photographed on the steps of a cozy home, right?

Rainbow Neighbourhood Pattern Release

It's been a long time coming, but I'm thrilled to finally have my houses pattern together and released! You'll be seeing more of it all week, as the pattern has four projects within it: a throw, a twin sized quilt, and two pillows, one of which is a cushion and the other a bench pillow. I made the throw using the original blocks I made back in the Rainbow Scrap Challenge of (would you believe) 2017.

It is so good to see these fun spectrum of houses finally 'grown up' into a quilt. The pattern, which I've named Rainbow Neighbourhood, is on sale all week for 25% off. You can get it in my Etsy shop, SandraJaneQuilts. 

Soar

I think it was when I made the Postcard from Sweden makeup pouch for my niece that I realized I needed to make a quilt for her niece and nephew (my great-niece and great-nephew!). Both quilts percolated throughout this year.

The wind was a factor today, but I think the billowing effect is a-okay with this airy quilt! Keen eyes will notice Xena sunbathing on the deck behind the quilt.

Heading North Pattern Release

I am excited to release another pattern today, Heading North. This is one that should have been released a year ago, but ahem, here we are. How can patterns be UFOs? Well, I stand here telling you yes, they sure can. Do not ask me how many I have that are UFOs... Okay, enough confessing, here's to celebrating!

This was published in Make Modern #39 in spring 2021. (affiliate link) The design originated as one of the 30 Quilt Design Challenge quilts I did a few years ago. It uses one block from EQ8! It was my first published quilt Make Modern, and I went to town on the quilting, filling up the negative space with lots of texture. It is a super-simple block, and the quilt top comes together in a day or two max. There is a second design option in the pattern, one that is not in the magazine: a baby quilt with a completely different look, using the same block!

Patchy Pumpkin Farm Quilt

It's been a little while since I had a finished quilt to share, but I have one today! Some of you may already have seen it yesterday on Instagram, since I needed to post it there to qualify for the prizes for the second quarter of Leanne's #wipsbgone2022. It's an adorable design from Brittany of White Plains Quilts that I first saw on Instagram.

As soon as I saw this quilt, I thought of Brianne, my eldest. She loves the old farm truck image, and she loves fall. So I sent her the Instagram post. She loved it. As in loved it so much she asked me to please make it for her, "and Mom? (she insists on the 'o', though I am and always have been 'Mum') I never ask for a quilt, but I am asking for this one, so that should tell you how much I want it."