The Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew-Along Week 26!

Before I share our final PDF, once again Sharon and I are asking for all SBS makers to take the 8-answer survey we've prepared! This quick questionnaire is completely anonymous and the answers will give us better insight into how you've enjoyed this sew-along. To ensure the most accurate results, please only take the survey once. A BIG thanks to those of you who've participated in the SBS questionnaire already! If you've not yet had a chance to take the survey, please do so as soon as you can, we're only keeping it open now through the end of the SBS sew along. The link provided on both our blogs will link to the same survey. So, if you access the questionnaire from either Sharon's site or mine, your answers are compiled to the same place. Thank you in advance for your help!

Now it's time for the very last block release of the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew-along!

Today's free download is for : Quilt Assembly and Finishing. I'll be sure to add this final pattern to my Sewcial Bee Sampler Page with the previous week's patterns, where you can easily find everything you need to make an SBS Sampler right in one place, anytime! Simply click on the link or the image below for direct access to this week's final SBS pattern!



For my version of the Sewcial Bee Sampler I have used Art Gallery Fabric The Denim Studio Soft Sand Linen for each of my block frames and for the final sashing I'm using AGF's Solid Smooth Denim in Cool Foliage, a vintage looking blue that pairs perfectly with the colors I love to use when coloring my fabric collections! The photo below is a recent one I took of several of my collections together. Using prints from each of the five collections I've released so far is one of the many reasons I loved making this quilt so much!



Before I began adding my sashing strips to connect my blocks and rows, I had to remake just one block, my week 17 block: Spools. I knew this one would need remade as soon as I laid it out with the previous week's blocks. The eggplant purple is so pretty, and although I did include this print and color in other blocks throughout my sampler, including such a dark print as a star fabric, rather than a supporting print was just too much eye-catching eggplant purple. This lighter, brighter selection of prints works so much better with my other blocks and I was thrilled to add a little Soulful to my Sampler!

Once you're happy with your blocks and arrangement of each, it's time to connect your blocks and rows together! I left my Sampler arranged almost in exact week order, making just one swap of my first and sixth week blocks. Feel free to layout your blocks in any order that makes you happy and finds the right balance of color and pattern before adding the sashing. Once you're ready, the Quilt Assembly and Finishing PDF includes everything you need, with many bonus images and info on Sharon's blog today, as well! To add my sashing I began by sewing my denim sashing strips between  five blocks at a time to make a vertical row, until I had all five vertical rows sewn together.



Once my rows were complete, I used my long lengths of sashing to connect each vertical row together. Simply pin to attach the long strips to the length of each vertical row and sew the vertical sashes alternately together with the block rows until your quilt top is complete!









Now that my Sewcial Bee Sampler quilt top is finished, I'll be sending my top off to Lady Belle Fabrics, my friend and long-time sponsor who will be adding a brand new long-arm service to her amazing shop soon! For my Sampler I'm planning to choose an all-over floral quilting pattern to pair with the prints I used, something simple not to take away from these beautiful blocks! All that's left for me to do now before boxing up my SBS top to send off to Brooke is to choose and prepare my backing fabric. Again, I'm leaning towards a pretty floral print! Lady Belle Fabrics plans to have their long-arm service info up in a week or two, so if you'd like to send your quilt top to be long-arm quilted as well, feel free to leave me a comment or to contact them for additional info!



I can't wait to see all of the finished SBS Quilt tops this week! Be sure to visit Sharon's blog today to see her beautiful versions and for her post that's full of helpful finishing info! Be sure to stop back for details on how to enter this week's special Sewcial Bee Giveaway Friday with the Circa 15 Studio!

Happy SBS sewing, friends!  XO Maureen      

The Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew-Along: Block 12!

It's week TWELVE and another block release day of the Sewcial Bee Sampler sew-along! Sharon Holland and I are co-hosting this community sew-along now through early August and as usual, I like to begin each Wednesday by reminding folks just learning about the bee that it's never too late to jump in! We still have quite a few new participants joining us each week, the blocks typically take about an hour, so feel free to join us and play catch-up at anytime! I also love to encourage you all to keep posting to Instagram with #SewcialBeeSampler tagging @sharonhollanddesigns and myself @maureencracknell when you post anything SBS so we can both see and easily keep track of all your wonderful bee posts. We'll continue to try our best to visit with all who join the sew along. We're having so much fun!



Today's free download is for block #12: Right Angle. I'll be sure to add this new pattern to my Sewcial Bee Sampler Page, so those of you just discovering our bee can find everything you need to begin right in one place! Simply click on the link or the image below for direct access to this week's new SBS pattern!



For my Right Angle block, once again I'm working to bring in new prints to add to my Sampler pulling from all of my collections ~ This week all three are from my newest collection for AGF, Garden Dreamer. The lovely, sunny Spring weather we've had the past couple of days definitely inspired this pretty fabric pull!

I snapped the photo below just before adding my linen border. I'm without a design wall, so now that we're into row three, each week I'm laying out my blocks to mostly make sure the colors I choose are spread out evenly. In the early weeks of the SBS, I kept reaching for blues and yellows without noticing, so I'm making sure to make more colorful choices from now on. I love how cute this Right Angle block is before the border!



The combination of the happy, Kelly green and the bright white was a great addition to the blocks I've made so far. I can't believe we're almost halfway through the SBS already!





I'm excited to see the Right Angle blocks you'll make this week! Be sure to visit Sharon's blog today to see her beautiful versions, and to stop back for details on how to enter this week's Sewcial Bee Giveaway Friday with our wonderful sponsor The Knotted Thread!



Happy SBS sewing! ♡ Maureen  

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

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It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!

My sponsor, Contemporary Cloth, 

has a wonderful offer for this week's Giveaway! 

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Contemporary Cloth began for owner Sondra, as a way to provide a resource for interesting, contemporary, modern, and retro-look textiles for home or office, at reasonable prices.The fabrics she offers can be used in art quilts, wearable art, wall art, interior design projects, crafts, mixed media, book arts, etc. They have a worldwide customer base that has inspired them to continue on that path. In the shop you'll find a large variety of quilting & home dec fabrics, bold cottons, Yuwa Japanese Fabrics, notions, magazines & books and more.

We invite you to sign up for the Contemporary Cloth email newsletter on the website, so you can stay up to date with their new arrivals and sales. You can visit and follow them at on their various social media sites --

* Shop * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest *

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We hope you enjoy visiting Contemporary Cloth!!  

For this weekend's Giveaway, Contemporary Cloth is offering a gorgeous, 1/2 YARD bundle of Anna Maria Horner's three Field Study Linen Parenthetical feather prints, AND the winner will also choose three 1/2 YARD cuts of Robert Kaufman's colorful Essex Linen Fabrics!!!

You can find these lovely AMH Field Study Linens available HERE and the RK Essex Linens right HERE!

In addition,  Contemporary Cloth is offering a special discount to my readers for 25% off ALL orders! Use discount code :  ThanksMaureen on orders placed now thru Wednesday, September 4th!  Clearance Categories are also included (selected Yuwa Japanese textiles, organic fabrics, fabric stamps and stencils, destash books and more!!

AND

Enter to win! 

Here's how,

1. Simply add a comment to this post! If you'd like, you can share with us what you'd stitch up with these beautfil linen fabrics? (one entry) 
2. Follow the Contemporary Cloth Blog, Facebook page, OR sign up to receive the Newsletter on their website. Just let me know that you follow them, by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (one optional entry)

3. Followers of Maureen Cracknell Handmade get an additional entry, too! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (one optional entry) 

4. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by instagram, tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (one optional entry)

Please enter now thru Monday, September 2nd. Mr. Random will pick the winner and I will announce their name at the bottom of this post, here on the blog!

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or an anonymous commenter, remember to include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you, should you win! Please check to make sure you can be contacted!

Wishing a wonderful weekend to all!!

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!!

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From 1,430 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

    Comment #1,047 --   *  Heather A *   

Congratulations!!! I will be in touch shortly!  

A Glimma & Linen Quilt Finish : :

I'm so happy to have a quilt finish to share here today!

I made this quilt top back in January, yikes, when things had finally slowed down after our move into the new house and those busy holiday weeks. It came together quickly, in a late night sewing session, completely on impulse after I had laid out my Glimma Charm Pack to get a good look at this new collection by Lotta Jansdotter. I added in some white and medium gray linens from my stash and got to work!



I had shared last week that I was having some pucker issues in a couple of spots -- many thanks to those of you who offered up your advice! Well, I'm happy to report that after some heavy quilting and a good tumble in the washing machine and dryer, I think I'm the only one who would notice. In the end I think it started as a piecing problem that went unnoticed until I started my quilting. Lesson learned!



The unexpected bonus of my mistake is the crinkle effect that this quilt received right away from that washing. Usually I prefer my quilts to keep that flat look for as long as possible, but this quilt was made to be crinkly! It softened up beautifully!! I was a little worried throughout the process, having pre-washed my linen but not the Glimma pre-cuts. Thankfully it came out better than I imagined!



Using both a cotton Aurifil 50wt in white and a gray from my Tula Pink thread collection, I added my quilting stitches only on the linen -- with a dense quilting around the borders and inside the larger shapes, and some wider pivot quilting on the inside of each of the linen charm squares.



The back is finished in the Kulla Glimma print in Slate and for the binding I used Korkek in Dandelion.





The finished quilt measures a 44" x 48", a good size to keep on the couch I think!



I have to also share that these quilt photo shoots are becoming such a family favorite! I held this quilt up to Kevin and the kids and we brainstormed where to take it, together. It's pretty special and an awesome reminder of how gorgeous Potter County, Pa is!

You can find Glimma available in the shops of my sponsors -- Contemporary Cloth, Stash Fabrics, The Intrepid Thread, Pink Castle Fabrics, Moona Fabrics, & the Fat Quarter Shop!

Happy Monday, friends!!  ♥ Maureen

A Glimma & Linen Quilt Top : :

Yesterday, after packaging up orders and one long, very cold trip to the Post Office, I decided to treat myself to an afternoon of sewing something not on my list, because I'm really trying to stick to a list these days!

I put on The Lumineers, my new favorite! and laid out that beautiful Glimma Charm pack on our craft table. I had mentioned making a pillow, but once I starting planning out a project for them, I just couldn't get beyond wanting to combine them with some linen and make a quilt! Just for fun, for once!!



To begin, I started cutting 5" squares from both my stashed grey and white linen. The idea was to do a simple patchwork, with each block consisting of two Glimma prints and two linen. After I finished those blocks, easy, I did a little measuring. Lucky me, turns out I had just enough linen for some sashing! After the kiddos were asleep, with a clearer head than I've had in months, I thought it would be interesting to add the sashing to create points towards the center -- now that was fun! And, just before bedtime for me, I took a few quick photos. Right away I knew it wasn't done!





This was my favorite corner last night!



After one more border of linen, I still love this corner!



I tried my best to take some photos this morning, a little too early, just after the kids were off to school. I completely froze and it was a huge photo failure -- way too dark and dreary!



Yes, I much prefer the comfort and warmth of taking pictures indoors these days! Once finished, I hope this quilt will be bringing a little more of those things to someone?

For now, it looks pretty right here...



Now, I'm off to see who I'll be sending that Glimma, too! And, then it's back to work for me!
♥, Maureen

p.s. Oh, and if you happen to have any good ideas of what I could name this quilt -- please share! I am terrible at it! :)

Recently Made : :

Today I decided to stop the house tour and spare us all of an overload of dining room pictures and share some of the things that have been made recently in my new sewing room!

First up, a new Fox Pillow -- this one with a fabric fox and linen combo!!



It's an 18" sq and I do love the linen for this project. It is my contribution for a Woodland themed nursery in the works!!



He or she, hmn? looks very formal in our vintage chair, don't you think?!



I also have a couple of new things for my etsy shop!



A Three Little Birds Pillow. This one was made for Simply Handmade Magazine's Sewing issue for Fall 2012.



Made with one of my favorites -- Summerlove by Pat Bravo! You can find this little pillow available in my etsy shop  here!



I decided to turn a dress I had started for Haila into an apron for my etsy, as well. Originally this was going to be a Summer dress for my girl. She picked out the sweet pink and Yuwa fabrics herself and we were both excited! As time went on we both changed our minds and agreed this week that it would make a sweet half apron for tea parties, pretend play, and dress up for a little girl who loves pink and horses!



It's completely reversible and I do love that ruffle and those swirly stitch details!



I'm off to work on more orders!! Happy sewing! ♥,  Maureen