The Weekend is Here!

Hi again, and welcome to another Primitive Gatherings Friday evening Sewcialites session! This week our block comes to us from Jane Davidson of Quilt Jane Quilt Shop based out of  Australia. Jane has been in the quilting game for many years and considers herself to be a modern quilter today. She often leans towards a contemporary or modern style of design, but will occasionally stir the pot by using a traditional pattern paired with reproduction fabrics. Jane also describes herself as having no fear of using color. Sticking her her motto, “if is it not challenging then it is not worth doing,” she will jump at the opportunity to add vibrance and challenge to her quilts using a mixture of prints, solids, and textures.

Though her block designs can be known for being on the challenging side, Jane also loves a simple yet versatile block. Block #21 – “Dapper is what she describes as a humble 9-patch snowball. Rated as a beginner quilt on the Fat Quarter Shop QAL Block Skill Level Scale, the potential for Dapperto become more complicated is definitely there – all depending on which fabrics you choose and where you decide to put them. Its simplicity makes this quilt a good choice for a variety of fabric options, including solids, prints, stripes, dots, and especially fabrics that lend to fussy cutting. The level of complexity all depends on what the results you want and how much time you have to put in.

As you can see Dapperis made up of four basic squares and four half-square triangles on the outside, and another basic square in the center. In other words, challenge level wise, this block could be as about as simple as it gets if you decide to make it that way. If you like the idea of simple, as always I suggest using my custom designed PG Triangle Paper where you can in this block – and otherwise – to make things easier for yourself. Remember, if your triangle paper stash is running low you can always stock up on the PG website by clicking the button below.

As you most likely already know, 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 dark pink floral print on a mid-tone pink background, paired with a larger red floral print on orange, and a navy ditsy print on mustard. 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. Take a look!

I had fun doing this block because it was super easy and fast to do since I already had my fabrics picked out. I have several pieces of Garden Gatherings left over from other projects in all shapes and sizes just waiting to be used, so it didn’t take me long to find some that worked. A few minutes of basic sewing later and voilà – done! I appreciate quick projects like this because nothing feels better than accomplishing a goal, ticking the box, and being able to say, “ok – what’s next?” Finishing one project goal inspires me to finish another, even if it’s just a block out of a larger project. Small accomplishments are still accomplishments!

Late to the game for Sewcialites 2? Don’t worry. Even though we’re near the end it’s not too late to start this Quilt-Along. Many of the blocks are fairly simple to make and can be done in an afternoon, so catching up is a snap once you find the time. You can always grab patterns for previously posted blocks on the Sewcialites 2 Landing Page by clicking the button below. 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.

Ahh Friday. I love this time of evening at the end of each week to kind of sit and reflect. My drive home will be nice since it’s finally still light out after 5:00 p.m. I bet the sunset will be beautiful. Before I head home I do want to say thank you to everyone who dropped a comment regarding the wool and quilt subscription boxes last week. I read every single one of your comments and testimonials and they were wonderful! I am humbled by your kind words. As I said before, there are no better reviews that by word of mouth and you definitely proved me right. In fact, it was really hard to narrow down prize winners for the week to be honest. I wanted to give out a prize to every single one of you! If the shipping cost of doing that didn’t kill me the girls in the shipping department definitely would so… unfortunately, I can’t do that!

I did managed to narrow it down to just a few so please help me in saying congratulations to Sharlene A., Sharon S., and Pat W. – thank you for your comments! Please remember to check your email for a message from Heidi (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)!

I wish you all a safe and happy weekend! For anyone in the area please drive safe over night and tomorrow as we get another 4″ of sloppy snow and then hit 50º by Sunday afternoon. Hopefully we’ll see some sun? It doesn’t look promising. 🙁 Oh well, you know what that means… Looks like I’ll be staying inside to stitch! I mean… What else can I do? See you all on Monday! ~Lisa

 

Almost to the End…

Hello stitchers… Happy Saint Patrick’s Day! I hope you’re in a “sewcial” mood this holiday because it’s time once again for another Sewcialites 2 block release! This week we’re featuring Block #20 – “Fascinate by my friend Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life. You’ve probably heard of Sherri and her blog sometime along the way in your quilting journey but if not, I definitely recommend that you check out her work. She is part of a mother-daughter quilting design team based in southern Nevada along with her daughter Chelsi Stratton. Fitting, considering Sherri has always found inspiration in her rich family heritage, passed down through generations of women who loved sewing and creating. Keeping the familial tradition alive, her life-long stitching career led her to start her highly successful quilting blog, A Quilting Life in 2008, and eventually to publishing her designs in magazines and books as well. On top of all of that, she’s also a talented Moda sister who has designed over 16 fabric lines under the Sherri & Chelsi name since 2015. Busy lady!

Sherri describes her favorite designs as typically involving scrappy squares or star blocks of some sort. Fascinate is an intricate mix of four-patches, half-square triangles, and squares that creates an advanced skill level look within a beginner level block.

To make things easier for you while working on Fascinate,” Sherri recommends used strip piecing for the four patch units instead of cutting small squares. This makes the block not only easier to piece, but also more accurate (especially when working with very small pieces). Color wise, if you follow the pattern as it’s written, be sure to pay attention to the direction of the darks and of your half-square triangles. Speaking of half-square triangles, as always I highly recommend using triangle paper where you can when doing this block to make sure your half-square triangles are accurately sized. If you need to stock up, you can get my custom Primitive Gatherings Triangle Paper by clicking HERE

If you’ve been following along you know that for my blocks I’m using my Garden Gatherings fabric line, leaving out the five tans. For this block I chose to go with dark navy for the outer half-square triangles, and green, yellow and pinks for the four patch units. 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. It’s looking pretty sharp, if I do say so myself!I keep saying that one of the things I love most about this quilt-along is that you can do it on your time, however your schedule allows. In fact, please don’t let the fact that we’re closer to the end of this QAL than we are to the beginning scare you off. Many of the blocks are fairly simple to make and can be done in an afternoon, so catching up is a snap once you find the time. You can always grab patterns for previously posted blocks on the Sewcialites 2 Landing Page by clicking the button below. 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.

It seems like only yesterday that we were starting this QAL so it feels a bit on the unbelievable side that we’re getting ready to wrap it up in just four short weeks – truly just in time for spring. The timing really couldn’t be better if you ask me. I think it’s a pretty quilt, who’s cheerful palette fits the bill for spring and summer décor nicely – I have several thoughts on how I might display mine…

Well gang, that’s about all I have for you today. I’ll admit I’m ready to relax after starting out the week dealing with a nasty kidney stone that my doctor reports was about the size of a pea (no pun intended – ha ha). It didn’t help matters that there was a ton of activity going on here at PG that I really didn’t want to miss out on. Sometimes though, it can’t be about what our brains want because our bodies simply object – and this was just one of those cases. 🙁 If you’ve ever had a kidney stone before you know they are no joke. The pain is some of the worst I’ve ever felt! I tried to power through but even I need a break sometimes. Needless to say, I’m super grateful to finally be feeling better after all that, and looking forward to resting up as much as I can over the weekend with my sweetheart.

Before I head out I want to say Happy Saint Patrick’s Day to all my friends and supporters out there. It’s been a great year so far and I have you to thank for much of it! Today in honor of the holiday and to say thanks for all your great comments here on the blog, I thought it would be a great day for double prizes… So let’s do it! Congratulations to Mary Lou D., Sylvia M.,Catherine D., and Alice V., it’s your lucky day! Please check your email for a message from Heidi (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)!

Alright everyone, that’s a wrap! I hope you have a wonderful weekend and that you’re able to spend some time doing whatever it is that makes you happy. Maybe that’s getting outside for some fresh air and sunshine. Or maybe you enjoy going for a drive to see the sights, shopping til you drop, or staying INside to stitch while you watch the replays of all my past STITCH with Lisa Bongean episodes all weekend… Whatever it is, enjoy yourself, be safe, and I will see you next week! ~Lisa

Bring On the Weekend!

Boy, what a week! Frankly, I’m happy that it’s over and the weekend is here. If it wasn’t crazy weather and dangerous roads throwing a wrench in our gears, it was medical emergencies, transportation issues, and a whole slew of other inconveniences that we could have done without. Special thanks to those of you prayer warriors who took the time to say a prayer for little Emery, my goddaughter’s son who was rushed to the hospital earlier in the week with fluid on his brain. If you haven’t heard the latest, I’m happy to report that the doctors were able to remove his drains and he continues to improve. So thank you, thank you, thank you! See! Prayers WORK!

Thankfully the craziness we faced this week wasn’t all bad. There were a few other positive things that happened in the midst of all the chaos to be grateful for, including attending my grandson Jace’s school spring concert. He even had a solo speaking part. Talk about a proud Mimi moment!

It’s such a huge blessing to be a regular part of these boy’s lives, they bring me so much joy it’s ridiculous. Definitely one of my favorite things about life so far, hands down! But as much as I love watching them grow up… I wish it didn’t go by so darn fast. Slow down boys – just a little!

Another reason I was so ready for Friday this week is because this afternoon we kicked off our “Friday Night Lights” over night retreat with a bang as guests started arriving late afternoon. We’ve been mingling and getting to know each other as everyone gets settled in before dinner. I have to admit, I’m pretty excited about this particular dinner because it includes a WI style Bloody Mary bar, and after a week like this one – a Bloody sounds pretty darn good right about now. I’m not a huge drinker and usually have mine sans vodka, but tonight I may need to make a little exception… If you don’t know what I mean by WI style Bloody Mary, let’s just say we tend to get a little crazy with our Bloody’s by bringing a whole new meaning to the word “garnish.” As in…we like to garnish ours with enough to make a meal out of it. Here’s are some examples of what I mean… Basically we believe you can have whatever you want in your Bloody. Yeah – like I said… Wow right!? These aren’t our photos, just examples of how we’ll be doing ours in just a few minutes here (photo credits go to Anduzzi’s in Green Bay (left), WI and the Nitty Gritty in Madison, WI). The pictures are featured in a really great article on onlyinyourstate.com about where you can find some of the best Bloody Marys in WI. You can check it out to see more examples by clicking HERE! 

After dinner we’ll be having a pajama party including pajama bingo complete with prizes. Then tomorrow we stitch, shop, and stitch some more! It’s going to be great and I can’t wait to get at it… That being said I better get back over there, but before I sign off for the night we need to talk about the latest Sewcialites 2 block release. This week we’ve reached Block #18 – “Spellbound by Robin Pickens, another of my super talented fellow Moda sisters. In years past, Robin worked as a graphic designer in a corporate setting, but quickly discovered that despite the prestige and rewards of the job, the stress and long days were not fulfilling. This inspired her to pursue art that was more personal and artistic. She eventually found joy through illustration, textile, and surface design. Her current works are known for beautiful color, happiness, and positive inspiration, and range from greeting cards and calendars to tabletop collections, rugs, and home décor. She is also a talented fellow fabric designer for Moda!

Robin’s block Spellboundis a charming and unique block that is fun to do. It’s made up of an hour glass unit in the center, and 16 squares – 12 squares around the center piece and the remaining four the outer corners. In other words – a quarter triangle block that is surrounded by little patchwork squares and then framed by another outer row with squares on the ends.

Spellboundis classified as “intermediate” skill level by Fat Quarter Shop and is fairly easy to do. The block pattern is based on four fabrics that you will be placing however you think it looks best – scrappy or planned. Starching will help control small pieces and help them to keep their shape as you sew and press. If hour glass blocks intimidate you, don’t fret. Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop has an excellent tutorial posted where she explains her go-to hot tips and tricks for making perfect hour glass units, which you can find by visiting the  Sewcialites 2 Landing Page. For the full pattern and instructions for Spellbound simply click the button above!

If you’ve been following along you know that for my blocks I’ve been using my Garden Gatherings fabric line, leaving out the five tans. 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. I really love how this block turned out. Let me know in the comments what you think of it so far!

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.

Alright gang, that’s all I’ve got for you today! Time for me to skidattle over to the retreat house and let the Bloody Mary bar commence! I hope you have a great weekend and an even better week next week. I for one plan to come back refreshed and ready to go! I’m looking forward to putting this week in the past and moving forward with a fresh start. See you then! Until then, take care and remember – Stitch every day! Talk soon… ~Lisa