Clear Sky Quilt Along

 Hey friends! Want to sew along with me? Let's make a Clear Sky quilt together! Starting August 2nd (Monday) I will be hosting a Clear Sky Quilt Along.

The quilt along will run for eight weeks:

August 2 - Sept 28, 2021

All of the information will be sent out directly to participants in a weekly email - including exclusive content and plenty of helpful tips for piecing your blocks, finishing your quilt, and keeping organized along the way.  

Ready to join us? You can sign up here

It's free to join, no subscription or membership required. All you'll need is a copy of the Clear Sky pattern (find both PDF and paper copies here). 

Clear Sky is on sale for $8 until Aug 2!

Clear Sky is a modern style sampler quilt, made up of eight of my most favorite star blocks. It looks great in prints or solids, and in the pattern there are extra details to make it easy for you to create a scrappy version of Clear Sky if you'd prefer. I'll be making my own scrappy Clear Sky for the QAL!

Clear Sky finishes at 59" x 81" but if you're interested in making a different size I'll be including the details to make a crib size and twin size Clear Sky as a part of the bonus content in the quilt along. 

The email with those details will be sent out shortly but you'll only have access to that through the QAL so be sure to sign up!

The quilt along runs for 8 weeks, and each week we'll be making just a few blocks. I know summertime can be crazy and I don't want this to be a stressful thing so we'll be taking it easy.

The schedule and details will be conveniently delivered to your inbox each Monday and all downloadable files and bonus content will be contained in those weekly emails as well. 

If you're sewing along with us feel free to share your progress on Instagram using the hashtags:

#ClearSkyQAL

#ClearSkyQuilt

And if you're not on Instagram no worries - it's not mandatory. It's just a great way for all of us to see each other's work and cheer one another on!

Be sure to get your copy of Clear Sky here

And sign up for the quilt along here

Want to start planning? Here is the list of fabric requirements for the 59" x 81" size Clear Sky quilt:

And the fabric requirements for the crib and twin sizes will be sent out in the quilt along newsletter soon-- along with the coloring sheets so you can start planning!

Want more details about the Clear Sky quilt? See this post here.

Clear Sky Quilt Pattern

You know I'm a sucker for pretty much every star quilt block out there. I don't know what it is...I just really love star blocks. So I decided to gather some of my favorites and put them all into one quilt. 

Today I get to introduce the Clear Sky pattern - a sampler-style star quilt made up of 8 of my favorite star quilt blocks. 

Find Clear Sky patterns in my pattern shop

Use Yardage or Scraps

Clear Sky was originally written to use 10 different prints, with the prints paired up in groups of two. But in the process of testing the pattern I had a suspicion that Clear Sky would also make a fabulous scrap quilt. So I included extra details into the block instructions to make it super easy for you to make a scrappy Clear Sky.

I've already started my own scrappy red/white/blue Clear Sky quilt and I'm hoping to get it done in time to use this July!

Winterland Fabrics

I've made a couple of versions of Clear Sky so far (including one done with Kona solids) and I'll be sharing those soon. This version on the cover of the pattern is made with Winterland fabrics designed by Amanda Castor (Material Girl Quilts) for Riley Blake Designs. 

 I love this Winterland fabric line- there are 21 total prints (I've only used 10 of them in the quilt). The cool blues and grays are so beautifully contrasted by the warm reds. It was fun to pair up the prints for each block. I wanted each pairing to have some great contrast so the blocks could really shine.

Another great thing about Winterland is that it's not attached to any one particular holiday - so any project using Winterland can be used throughout the entire Winter season.  

Winterland will be available in stores in July, and I'll add links here once it's available.

Get your copy of Clear Sky here

both paper copies and PDF (instant download) available

Just as a note: Clear Sky patterns will be on sale for only $8 for a limited time!

Clear Sky Tips

I know my first reaction to most sampler quilts is usually something having to do with how complicated it looks and how long it will take me to finish. But let me tell you... Clear Sky is not nearly as complex as it may appear. 

There are 8 blocks, and there are 3 or 4 of each style of block. My first tip for you, is that I suggest making ALL of one block before moving to the next block. For example, make all three of block #1, then make all three of block #2, etc. With chain piecing techniques you'll find that you can get each set of 3 blocks done in no time. 

A second tip is that I highly recommend you label your prints as soon as you cut them. I keep all the pieces for each print together in one stack with a piece of paper on top that tells me which fabric/print it is: "fabric A", "fabric B", "fabric C", etc. 

Prints are paired together in the blocks and stay that way through the entire pattern: A & B will always be together, C & D will be together, and so on. 

Clear Sky quilt along

I also have an announcement to share with you! There's a Clear Sky quilt along starting on August 2 (that's the first Monday in August). It will run for 8 weeks and along the way I'll share plenty of bonus extras  and exclusive content with the QAL participants. 

Sign ups are open NOW. Don't worry, I'll have several reminders between now and then as well. The quilt along is free to join- you'll just need a copy of the pattern and you'll be ready to go. 

Longarm Quilting

The quilting on this Winterland version is a computerized edge to edge design called Loopy Loops. I love how the little bit of curve in the stitching helps to soften all the angles in the quilt top while still keeping the clean, modern look of the quilt. 

For the backing I used a coordinating gray solid I found at my local quilt shop. 

I look forward to seeing your version of Clear Sky! What fabrics will you use? Maybe all solids? How about a super scrappy fall-colored one? Or maybe a version with a charcoal gray background - wouldn't that be stunning? 

Grab a copy of Clear Sky and start digging through your scraps to see what you can come up with. 

Quilt Details:

59" x 81"

Pattern: Clear Sky (find it here in my shop)

Fabric: Winterland by Amanda Castor for Riley Blake Designs

Quilting: Loopy Loops (edge to edge computerized longarm design)

Pieced on a Juki TL-2010Q using Aurifil Thread (50 wt color 2021)

Pin these images to save to your favorite quilting board!

Holiday Celebrations Book + Midnight Magic 2 Fabric

Hello everyone! Today I get to share a new project with you, as well as a brand new book from Pat Sloan and a soon-to-be-released fabric line by April Rosenthal. Lots of new things coming your way! And there's a few giveaways as well so be sure to read through to the end for all the details. 

This has been kind of a strange month for me....Christmas projects and a Halloween project all in the same month and it's just barely June. What should I sew next? A Valentine's quilt? :)

(You're going to want to see the Christmas projects I've been cooking up...be sure you're signed up for my newsletter so you don't miss out. We also have two fun quilt alongs planned for later this year!)

Here's what I've been working on this week:

I made this 42" x 42" quilted wall hanging using a pattern called Liberty Hill, from the new book, Holiday Celebrations by Pat Sloan**. 

Retro Stitchery

Well hello!  I've been working on something just a little different (for me) this past week and I have a fun new book to share with you today.

Four Patch Spin Quilt Pattern

Oh just look how we're just cruising through March! 

I've been sewing with these Goose Creek Garden prints over the past week and the colors and florals are really making me SO very excited for spring to officially begin. 

Goose Creek Garden is the newest line from Poppie Cotton (click here to see the shops that carry it). It has some pretty teal and berry colors as well as some warm yellows and some really lovely florals.

I decided to make a version of my Four Patch Spin quilt in these pretty fabrics. This quick little pattern has become one of my favorite go-to solutions when I need a quick finish.

Windy City quilt in Shabby Basics

I don't know why, but I always forget just how FAST baby and crib sized quilts are to make! Back in December I started working on this crib size Windy City quilt and I have to say that the cool blues and greens were a refreshing change from all of the Christmassy reds and greens that I had been sewing with! 

You know that one of my new favorite things is to use textured fabric for my background print - but I loved these colors so much I wanted to make them the star of the show in this Windy City quilt. 

These are all prints from a line called Shabby. Shabby is a fun textured line of fabrics created by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Designs. There are 55 colors available* and even a handy color card that you can get to make it easier to find the perfect color of Shabby to go with your project. 

**This post contains affiliate links, which means I may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you) when purchases are made through links found in this post. Thank you!

Fast Track Ombre Fairy Dust + Quilt Along Wrap Up

Our Fast Track quilt along just finished up last week and I'm excited to be able to share my finished quilt! This was a nice and quick QAL - only four weeks - and it's a nice and quick quilt to piece (say that four times fast - Ha!)

I used a bundle of fat quarters, but the pattern also allows for Jelly Roll strips, Layer Cake squares, or 1/4 yard cuts to be used as well. You could even dig through your scrap bins for this one.

For my quilt I used this bundle of Ombre Fairy Dust (by Vanessa Christensen for Moda Fabrics)* and I love how the black contrast print just makes the colors that much more vibrant!