Community Sampler Week #1 : :

I'm so excited to welcome you all to the first official day of the Community Sampler sew-along!

I shared last week that my talented friend and fellow Art Gallery Fabrics designer Sharon Holland and I have teamed up to co-host a brand new, fun quilt event once again this year and we're beyond thrilled with the response we have received so far! Just as we did for the SBS, each Wednesday, we'll release a new PDF block pattern, share piecing techniques and tips, and provide inspirational photos as Sharon and I make our own quilt blocks using our own AGF fabric collections. The Community Sampler is a 16-week sew along and we welcome ALL to join us!



Let's Get Started!

Today we have the very first PDF download for you!

This first Community Sampler download includes the Introduction packet. Here you'll find an overview of what to expect over the next 16 weeks, a full materials list, and coloring book pages so you can get busy planning your sampler quilt right away. Today you'll also receive a first look at this year's sampler quilt design!



If you'd like to include and print out our pretty Community Sampler cover, simply click on the image below and then you can add it to your PDF!

Just like the SBS, we want this sew-along to be a fun, personal experience for you to make your sampler in your own unique style. Once again Sharon designed a quilt perfect for those wanting to use that favorite fabric collection, as well as those wanting to make their quilt entirely from your stash or scraps!

Sharon and I plan to create a dedicated page on our blogs where you can access the Community Sampler PDFs anytime! I ask that you all visit Sharon today to read quickly about the copyright rules that apply to our samplers. Sharon works incredibly hard on creating wonderful quality patterns to share. We both put time, love and money into creating and hosting these events and we THANK YOU for being considerate and respectful of copyrights.

Today I want to share with you my Love Story fabric plans for my sampler. Love Story is my newest collection for AGF, but I'm sure once my Flower Child fabrics arrive they'll be making their way into some future block, as well!



In today's Introduction PDF it's suggested that you focus on pulling 5 light fabrics, 5 medium fabrics and 5 dark fabrics to make up the total yardage needed for the Community Sampler blocks. My Love Story collection includes twenty different quilting cottons, so I'll have plenty of options to pick and pull the colors values needed for each new block. At any time, by all means feel free to adjust and swap out different fabrics, that's part of what makes this sampler so much fun, but it's always a great idea to have a plan from the start! Here's a look at the my sampler quilt plan using Love Story, along with an inspiration collage...



When I created my collage, my plan of using both Love Story and Flower Child were on my mind. I want my sampler to be colorful and full of florals and the boho style of prints that I love! I really enjoyed all of the opportunities to fussy cut fabrics during the SBS, and I can tell that this new sampler will lend itself to lots of fussy cutting once again. When I design a new fabric collection, I love to include a few novelty style prints with this style of quilt design in mind. If you joined us in making a Sewcial Bee Sampler, it was my Garden Dreamer Bumble Bee and Buzz prints that became a standout favorite for fussy cutting. I really look forward to getting just as creative with my Love Story and Flower Child fabrics!



Sharon and I can’t wait to see your fabric pulls and selection process! If you plan to blog your Community Sampler, when you share your post be sure to add a link to where I can see it below within the comments each week. When you share on Instagram don’t forget to use the hashtag #CommunitySampler and to tag @sharonhollanddesigns and myself @maureencracknell so we can visit and see your work!

Just as a reminder: Every time you post to IG using the #CommunitySampler hashtag, you will also be automatically entered in the weekly IG Giveaway pool! Remember that your Instagram account does need to be a public account for your post to show up in the Instagram hashtag pool. But please don't worry, if you don't have Instagram we will also be hosting the same giveaway prize, alternately between Sharon's and my blog, so you can choose how and where to enter each week!



Once again we have an amazing lineup of generous sponsors! Each Friday throughout the Community Sampler we have a wonderful Giveaway planned curtesy the list of shops and manufacturers below. We encourage you to visit them and to enjoy their offerings. Sharon and I look forward to highlighting these brands each week, they've all been so good to the quilting community!

  Art Gallery Fabrics  *  Aurifil   *  Bloc-Loc  *  Dritz  *

  Fat Quarter Shop  *  Hobbs Batting  *  Lady Belle Fabrics   *   Omnigrid   

Be sure to check back here on Friday for a new Community Sampler Giveaway from Sharon and I! Thanks again for joining us!

Happy sampler planning, friends! ♡ Maureen