Hey everyone, great news! After three crazy days of non-stop ice and snow we finally made it through to bright and sunny skies, just in time for the weekend! I apologize that we had to cancel my LIVE show yesterday but with the delayed start to the day, hazardous travel, and the schools all being shut down, it was just too much chaos to get organized safely by air time. No worries though, we’ve rescheduled it for this coming Monday, February 27th, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. CST, so be sure to set a reminder so it doesn’t slip your mind! Rather than just skipping this week’s show all together I decided to do two shows next week because I have some quilts up for sale that I feel deserve their own episode. If that’s something you’re interested in, be sure to tune in during the LIVE broadcast because once I show them live, the phone lines will be open and they always go quick! In other words, you may miss out if you watch it after the fact. As always, you can tune in by hitting the STITCH button at the end of the post.
Well everyone, since it’s Friday I guess that means it’s time for another fun block release from Sewcialites 2. This week we’re showing off Block #17, “Simplicity“ by Vanessa Goertzen of Lella Boutique If you haven’t heard of Lella Boutique, it is a blog and pattern company Vanessa started from home after quitting her job to go on maternity leave. Having learned to quilt as a young girl, Vanessa has turned her natural ability and love for creativity into a career she loves that includes a variety of stunning fabric lines designed for Moda, and two best-selling quilting books. Often inspired by her childhood experiences, her patterns are known for their vibrant and playful style. As far as this block goes Vanessa admits that she’s, “a sucker for simplicity in general but I’ve come to realize that I [especially] appreciate it during a sew-along when life gets busy.” True story!
“Simplicity” is clearly the perfect name for this block since despite its intermediate rating on the skill level scale, it is fairly simple to make. It’s made up of six basic squares on the outside edges and three hour glass (or quarter-square triangle) units with one rotated for the center row – so nothing major. As far as color placement goes, “Simplicity” was designed with darker units on the outside and lighter units on the inside, but that obviously doesn’t mean you have to do yours that way. There are several color placement schemes that would work out great so really… Do whatever floats your boat! 
If hour glass blocks intimidate you, don’t fret. Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop has an excellent tutorial posted for this block where she explains her go-to hot tips and tricks for making perfect hour glass units, which you can find by clicking the Sewcialites 2 Landing Page link below!
For my blocks I’m using my Garden Gatherings fabric line, leaving out the five tans. For this block I chose to go with a four-color scheme using yellow, green, pink, and a bit of navy blue. For the background I used a selection from the Garden Gathering Shirtings Collection, #49176 15 – a cream fabric with an adorable tiny mustard/orange floral print. What do you think of how it’s looking so far? Tell me whether or not you like my color choices in the comments! I’d also love to hear about what fabrics you’ve chosen for this QAL. Let me know!
Every week I emphasize on one of the things I love most about this quilt-along, which is that you can do it on your time, however your schedule allows. Plus, many of the blocks are fairly simple to make and can be done in an afternoon so catching up is easy. You can always find previously posted blocks on the Sewcialites 2 Landing Page. You can also visit the Sewcialites 2 Block Archive on my blog which is listed in the main menu of links at the top of the page.
Newly released blocks are posted 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 are 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.
Now that you have a nice little weekend project on deck, let’s get on with it! Even though this week had kind of a weird work schedule and actually seemed shorter for some reason, it’s safe to say that I’m ready to hang it up for a couple days so I can hit the “reset” button on my brain… Before I go however, it just wouldn’t be Friday without throwing a few prizes out into the world. So with that being said, let me shout out a huge thank you and congratulations to Kim P. and Charlene M! You are my prize winners this time around for your blog comments last week! Note: I do not post last names or email addresses for your privacy, so if you think you’re one of the lucky winners this week please be sure to check your email. You can also contact Heidi at heidin@primitivegatherings.us if you have not already received a prize confirmation letter from her. If you think you are a winner but have not received a prize confirmation email, be sure to check your spam folder – it’s not often but our emails will sometimes end up there)!
As always, if you’d like to be entered in my weekly blog comment prize drawing, it’s easy to do! Simply leave me a comment in the blog comment section and you’re in (please remember that if you’re using a “handle” or screen name that is different than your real name, please leave your first name and last initial in your comment so we can include you). Let me know what you’re working on, what you plan to work on in the future, what you’ve already accomplished, projects you’d like to see more of – or whatever you want to share with me! I always love hearing about what’s going on in your life. Haven’t won yet even though you always leave a comment? Don’t give up! You just never know when it’ll be your turn for a prize. Have a great weekend and I will see you next week. Until then, stay warm, stay safe, and don’t forget to tune into STITCH with Lisa Bongean at 1:00 p.m. CST this Monday by clicking the STITCH button below. Be there or be square! ~Lisa
P.S. – As many of you know, our dear shop manager Shelley is currently battling Leukemia which she was recently diagnosed with out of the blue. We are doing everything we can to keep her spirits up with special deliveries of homemade meals, care packages, phone calls, text messages, jokes in bad taste, etc. That being said, I feel like during times like these you can’t ever have too much positivity so if you’d like to join me and my Primitive Gatherings crew in wishing her well, please feel free to send any cards or well wishes our way and we will be sure she gets them. You can send them in care of Heidi Niesl to Primitive Gatherings – 8567 South Loop Rd, Larsen, WI 54947. She would like to express to everyone that she is doing as well as she can and plans to kick this cancer in the pants. I’ve always enjoyed teasing her for not reading my blog so I think we might even be able to do this as a surprise. If she IS reading this… well shucks. Send them anyway!!! We love you Shelley, and thank you to everyone in advance!!! <3
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