Hey everyone – thank God it’s Friday! There’s nothing more tiring than your first week back to work after a long vacation. After almost three weeks away, this week felt… a little long for some reason. LOL! I can honestly say I’m ready for a couple of true days off with no travel, no work… maybe even no stitching? Ha! Not likely on that one – but my goal is to not do much of anything else besides that and rest. You know me though. I can tell you I’m going to simmer down for some much-needed R&R, but we all know it won’t take long for my brain to nag me off the couch and back to working on something. I can’t help it!
If you caught me LIVE yesterday on my STITCH with Lisa Bongean YouTube channel you heard me mention now that Moda Blockheads 4 is over, I am getting ready to start my next quilt-along. I’m excited to announce that starting next Friday Sewcialites 2 will be in full swing. If you’re not familiar with this quilt-along let me tell you how it works! Sewcialites 2 is a sequel to Sewcialites 1 – a quilt-along hosted by Kim Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop, created to celebrate the quilting community with a free block release for 24 weeks. Fat Quarter Shop has again collaborated with 24 highly talented designers to bring you all new unique sampler blocks with a ton of options! Starting Friday, October 21, 2022 through April 14th, 2023, a new block will be released each week on Friday with breaks for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Two additional weeks afterward will be dedicated to finishing and backing the quilt.
As I mentioned earlier, this year’s Sewcialites quilt is made up of 24 blocks designed by 24 individual designers. The difficulty level of each pattern is marked from beginner level to experienced. Each block is constructed using straight seams and traditional piecing techniques. Isn’t she a beauty?
You know how I love a quilt with options! This quilt has three size options including 3”, 6”, and 9” finished blocks. To get started you will need the Sewcialites 2 Information Packet, which includes the fabric requirements, a coloring sheet, the complete block schedule, and a list of optional foundation paper supplies. The fabric requirements are listed for each quilt size, but you can certainly get a good start with your existing stash. And great news! All the quilt sizes are pre-cut friendly! Fat Quarter Shop recommends starting with a Layer Cake for the 3″ blocks, and using a Fat Quarter Bundle for the 6″ and 9″ blocks. To get your copy of the Sewcialites 2 Information Packet visit the Jolly Jabber!
Newly released blocks can always be found on Kim’s blog The Jolly Jabber, along with a video tutorial on her YouTube Livestream the same day. Each designer will also post their own block to either their blog or their website on that day as well. I will also be posting each block release here on MY blog every Friday for your convenience. Fabric requirements and all block patterns will be posted on the Sewcialites 2 Landing Page, which you can access by clicking the link below. If you’d like to get automatic updates on Sewcialites 2 you can subscribe to the blog by signing up in the Email subscription box by visiting the Landing Page, or by subscribing to the YouTube channel by clicking HERE.
One of the best things about this quilt-along is it’s never too late to start – you can join us at any time! Previously released blocks will be posted on the Sewcialites 2 Landing Page along with my blog in the Sewcialites 2 Block Archive, which is listed in the main menu of links at the top of the page.
Excited to get started? I know I am! If you want to see more, be sure to hit up Fat Quarter Shop’s YouTube Channel this Friday, September 30 at 9:00 a.m. CST for a preview of the blocks! To stay even more in the loop you can also meet up with your fellow Sewcialites online by joining the Sewcialites Lounge on Facebook. You’ll get weekly updates and be able to ask questions and share your progress!
Alright, I think that’s enough information for one night! Time to put this lap top aside for a couple days and enjoy my family. I missed them after being away for so long – even Nick! LOL Just kidding, I love my guy and always miss him when we’re apart…for long periods of time anyway! Have a great weekend everyone, and try to stay warm if you’re in WI. For those of you who aren’t you should know that we saw our first snow fall of the year this afternoon! Nothing stuck, but it’s a sure sign that there’s no turning back. Winter is near! At this point the only thing we can do is embrace it. Lots of people aren’t happy about it but I really don’t mind – especially for the first half of the season when everything is so fresh and pretty. I find that the trick is finding something about winter that you love and can look forward to each year. For me it’s the holidays and of course, skiing! Heidi and I are both due for some new skis this season so it will be fun to shop for those, and even more fun to use them. If you’re a skier, you know that’s pretty exciting stuff, getting new skis. Almost like getting a new car! Heidi swears in some ways it’s better…
How do you keep your spirits up all winter long? Let me know in the comments! Are the holidays your thing, or are you happier after the first of the year once things settle down? Do you enjoy winter sports, or are you better at winter couch surfing with a project in your hands? Tell me all about it! I will see you all again next week. Until then take care and try to stay out of trouble. Bye for now! ~Lisa
It was 90° today in Texas! You never know what Mother Nature is going to do in the Lone Star State! It gets cold, but not like WI!
I like to have several wool projects ready to work on when we have to stay indoors!
This will be be my first Wisconsin winter. Am looking forward to being able to spend a lot of time stitching! The snow this afternoon was exciting and got my creative juices churning!
That’s awesome Barbara! Welcome to WI. Don’t you just love how fresh the snow smells? You’re in for a real treat!
Oh Lisa I just LOVE Everything you do for us!! You deserve to rest!
I love that I live in Wisconsin where I am able to experience all four seasons. I really do love how snow blankets the ground and makes everything fresh and bright. I am a home body -a stitching project or two, a good book and a glass of wine or hot cocoa – yup that sounds perfect to me.
I enjoy my winter months here in Missouri by sewing, stitching wool appliqué and cross stitch. I like decorating for Christmas. I enjoy going to various sites to see bald eagles in the early part of the new year. But, once again I will enjoy my retreat at Primitive Gatherings this Dec! Hoping for good weather since I’ll be driving up!
Awesome, see you soon Jeanne!
I love being in my cozy quilt room sewing flannel quilts and watching the snow falling. Later I will pull a cozy flannel lap quilt over my legs while working on wool handwork in the evening.
While fall is my favorite season, I love winter. Nothing better that watching the snow fall, snuggle under a quilt and hand stitch. The snow is so crisp and clean smelling and makes the world slow down and enjoy.
I would live to know what fabric collection you are going to use for sewcialites sew along.
Hi Joyce! I will be letting you in on those details each week when I release a photo of my finished block for that week. Stay tuned!
I’m totally a skier in the winter. Nordic and alpine. I feel my Norwegian heritage pop out in the winter, sounds crazy but it’s true! Being in the woods exercising is the best way to get through winter! My favorite day is skiing in the morning, put a crockpot of something on, then head to my quilting room! 💥
Couldn’t agree with you more Barbara!
Cold winter days are just the excuse I need to stay indoors, feet up, good movie on, and spend an afternoon stitching on a project! No lawn work to worry about!
I’ve started a new holiday tradition that helps me get through all the craziness of the holidays – attending the Naughty or Nice retreat! I can’t wait!
I love the winter weather! Don’t mind the snow either! As long as I have stitching projects to work on and a fridge full of food and snacks, I’m set!
Living in Central PA my whole life means that winter is a crap shoot. The last few have been awesome( in my book), with last years only giving us about 10” snow total. Alas we are do for a few blizzards. I like snow when it falls but doesn’t stick. I hate to shovel, get bundled up and be cold with my nose running. Snow is absolutely beautiful on Christmas Eve but doesn’t need to feel like it needs to hang around or keep coming every few days.
I plan to watch it from my window and pray my husband shoveled us out. As per the wooly worm and the farmers almanac, we are in for a doozy.
Come on spring!!!
I hear ya Laura! Winters in WI last darn near six months! We start to see snow in October and are typically done by the end of March. When we’re especially lucky (like the last couple of years for instance), we often see it into April. In fact, four years ago-ish we had a snowstorm in April that dumped literally FEET of snow on us in a matter of 24 hours. Pretty sure Mother Nature is on some kind of weird drugs… LOL! The minute you think you have her method to her madness figured out, she pulls something like that.
❄️ I’m jealous you got your first snow! I live in Maine and they say we will see snow in October, time will tell. There is always plenty to keep one occupied in the winter, I love to go snowmobiling, hunting, ice fishing, cross country skiing ⛷, ice skating, and going to hockey games is my favorite thing by far!!! Of course there has to be time for lots of quilting and baking and lounging by the fire 🔥 with a good book. You will never hear me say that I am bored, toooo much to get done and not enough time to do it all ❤️ Thank you for the Oh Say Can You Sew Along, I am really enjoying this mystery sew along!!! Glad you enjoyed your cruise!
Staying in stitches,
Darla
Enjoy preparing for holidays with grown children & grands for Christmas. Then stitching as many days as possible. Joining friends who love to stitch. Doing retreats or do I say sew, stitch, quilt : sew stitch, quilt.
I love snow but the older I get shoveling isn’t my idea of a fun time. I’m lucky not much snow in Arkansas. Love sitting in front of the fire stitching with a cup of hot chocolate in a PG mug (love those mugs)!
For the last 2 years, we have been lucky enough to be able to work remote in Arizona. We are hoping to do that again this year as it is good for my soul. Must admit cold and snow are nice to see but having some level of warmth during Jan and Feb are good too. Lots of projects are always in the mix during the winter. I really like having the wool applique projects whether is a small or large quilt as there is nothing like a Sunday in my chair watching a good movie and sewing. I was also happy to see that Lisa is offering Naughty and Nice again this year. During that week is my birthday. Though I am not close, I have considered coming for this last year and now this year. My family may miss me but sewing on my birthday would a be great gift. 🙂
We hope to see you there Jennifer! It would be great to meet you in person!
Oh, Winter what a fun time to sew! No yard work to do. And the Holiday’s, but then at the end of winter you look forward to better weather. Sometimes you just have to love where you’re at in your life. Happy sewing
I am looking forward to winter, because it will keep me indoors with my new machine!!!!
I love living in Wisconsin where we have the opportunity to experience the change of seasons. I am a home body and love piecing/quilting in the warmer months and stitching something warm and soft like wool applique in the colder months – always something fun to work on!
I get together with 2 good friends to sew all summer. In the winter, one of our group goes south so we “zoom” once a week to hand stitch, show & tell and just catch up with how things are going for each of us. It gives us something to look forward to each week. Winters can seem very long here in Maine.
I quilt to get through the winter, LOL
Glad you had a good trip to Hawaii! Enjoy shopping for the new skis 🙂
How to keep your spirits up during the winter . . . that is a good question and always a challenge for me, always has been. But this year I’m counting on this Q24 that I bought a few weeks ago at the Madison quilt show to help.
Keeping busy doing something you enjoy . . . I think that’s the answer!
I live in the Pacific NW and snow does not happen often in the area but when it does—it stalls everything. We don’t drive well on snow!! Looking forward to Sewcialites 2
I love the fun and the craziness of the holidays but love January 2,when its all over!! Haha! I always have great hopes of what projects I will get finished in the new year!
Lisa I so enjoy your blog. I had to quit the facebook page, the arguing and nasty language has ramped up recently and it just isn’t fun anymore. But I can find you here and that’s always fun when I sit down with a hot cup of something. As for winter, who doesn’t love a snow day and wearing jammies and sewing all day with new found bonus time.
Winter is the time I get caught up on all my BOMS. I spend my summer in the garden and canning, so not much time to sew. I pick out my fabric’s and get the monthly pattern’s in the summer, then sew, sew, sew to catch up in the winter lol.
We have just moved to Oregon and are enjoying a beautiful extended summer at this point but the trees are actually turning colors and there is a chill in the air in the morning. They tell me it will start to rain at some point. I am still waiting…. The farms and hills are so pretty. The vineyards we can see are also nice to look at. I am not sure how this California girl will do when it actually starts raining for many days in a row! If it actually gets cold too that will be a new thing too and well, driving in all of that will be different if there is sleet or temperatures below 50 for an extended time. I am looking forward to stitching too and the Sewcialites looks so fun plus Kimberly’s idea of doing some of each size is very appealing. Glad you are home and hope you enjoy your family. K-
I get together with 2 good friends to sew all summer. In the winter, one of us in our group goes south so we “zoom” once a week to hand stitch, show & tell and just catch up with how things are going for each of us. It gives us something to look forward to each week. Winters can seem very long here in Maine.
Living here on the east coast of Florida our winter’s cold doesn’t last long at all. I love Christmas, decorating the inside of the house and enjoying various Christmas music. When it’s a really cold day here, which is probably a warm day for you, I put on my warm fuzzy socks, jeans and a nice sweater and watch Christmas movies. I start planning my quilt projects for the coming year.
I really enjoy your blog and videos Lisa and appreciate everything you do for us!!
Thank you Theresa!!!
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