Rainbow ♡ : :

This week I haven't had a single day for free sewing. I had an Etsy shop pile-up and each day has been spent filling my birthday crown and fox pillow orders. Today I have to make three pillows and two crowns. Usually I don't mind so much, but when there's so many cheerful, quilty projects in the works waiting for my attention, Etsy sewing truly feels like work!



Thankfully, my Wanderlust Quilt binding session was just enough motivation to keep me going, and I love the way it turned out! Having a finished quilt waiting to be photographed to share and such a pretty rainbow of projects hanging around does help clear my cloudy mood and this cloudy weather!



How about you, what are you working on these days?   ♡ Maureen   

Color Spectrum Progress : :

I'm calling this one my Color Spectrum Quilt, but at second thought, as it continues to grow, I'm thinking the name Double Rainbow might be a bit more fun! Can you see it? The rainbow row of solid geese growing outward, beginning in red with plans to end in gray. While the inner patchwork border begins and will end in the opposite order!





I'm not one to do this tiny patchwork very often, squares and HST units finish at just two inches. But, with each new colorful geese that forms in the corners of each newly finished row, it's exciting and propels me to continue!





I'm hoping to add a few more rows before I share this one again! I'm getting lots of fabric questions on the fabric bundle I put together that's becoming this quilt. I'm considering asking one of my shop sponsors to offer it, so if you're interested in this bundle please do let me know!

♡ Maureen   

Color Spectrum Beginning : :

The idea for this quilt started on Monday when I pulled this colorful stack of fabrics. Such a happy collection made up of Wild & Free, AGF's new Prisma Elements minus Onyx and Sunstone, Bari J.'s new Petal & Plume feather prints, and the rest were picked from my AGF stash and added to the stack just as long as they looked pretty!





I'm hoping to turn this bundle into two quilts. One will be a quilt-as-you-go in the style of my Endless Summer quilt, but for the second I had a hard time deciding on a pattern I liked. I quickly sketched out a few ideas, kept rearranging the pile, and continued sketching. Since each of my designs included flying geese, I decided to just begin. I knew it would be colorful, that I wanted to go super scrappy, and to incorporate solids & geese. Since my Luminous Field print was the starting point of this bundle, I decided to start there!



Using both my favorite Half Square Triangle method for making eight a time and some speedy strip piecing, my colorful quilt began to grow quickly!



After this third row I decided I'm definitely sticking with this design! Like my Scrappy Bear Paw wip, this won't be a quickie quilt. The many rows of tiny 2.5" squares and HST units will take some time.



But I think with each finished row it will be so exciting to see a colorful, solid geese emerge one by one in each corner!

Happy sewing!!  ♡ Maureen    

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

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It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!  

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My sponsor Pile O' Fabric started off primarily as a modern quilting blog with tutorials and project inspiration, but this year Pile O' Fabric has branched out and is now also a full service online fabric, supply, and pattern shop. Every Monday Alyssa releases a new custom curated stash bundle in solids and prints based on a color scheme. She also stocks a great selection of modern quilt and bag patterns, as well as a large selection of her utmost favorite quilting supplies. She offers *free domestic shipping* on all orders over $45, a rewards program for returning customers, all fabric is labeled with the designer, collection, name, etc. and most in-stock orders placed Mon-Sat before 2pm MST are shipped the same day!
 
SHOP  *  BLOG  *  FACEBOOK  *  INSTAGRAM 

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We hope you enjoy visiting the Pile O' Fabric sites! 

For this week's Fabric Giveaway, Alyssa at Pile O' Fabric is offering one of her custom curated ​fat eighth Color Wheel Bundles! This week's winner will receive this beautiful bundle including 35 gorgeous prints! WOW!!

You can find each of the lovely fabrics that make up this bundle available for sale individually by the yard HERE, and you can find the bundle in the Pile O' Fabric shop available as a fat eighth, fat quarter, and half yard bundle right HERE!!

In addition, Pile O' Fabric is offering my readers 15% OFF any order from the shop, just use coupon code "maureencracknell15" at checkout!! Discount valid until the end of the day on Sunday, October 19th!
 
Enter to win! 

Here's how,

 
1. Simply leave a comment here under this post! (one entry)
2. Sign up to receive the Pile O' Fabric Newsletter, when you join the newsletter you will receive a FREE Rainbow Coin Quilt pdf pattern by email! Just let me know that you did by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (second entry) 
3. Follow Pile O' Fabric on Facebook or Instagram! (optional extra entry)
4. My followers get a third entry! If you follow here, on Instagram, or on Facebook just let me know by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
5. 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... (optional extra entry) 

That’s 5 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, October 20th! The winner will be picked at Random 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 anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment!

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!! From 1,863 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

Comment # 813 --   *  charlotte   *  Congratulations, I'll be in touch shortly!   

Blogger's Quilt Festival -- ROYGBIV : :

One year ago today I shared my Bloggers Quilt Festival post, entering my Scrappy Improv Quilt into the Favorite Scrap Quilt Category. My entry was one of only a few quilts I had finished since I began sewing, and was the only finished piece I really had to enter. When my quilt actually made it into the final five voting stage, I was so thrilled! A year ago I wasn't a confident quilter at all. I struggled with following quilt patterns and even more with turning my own quilt pattern ideas into tangible quilts. Entering and receiving such a positive reply was one of the big uplifts I received that encouraged me to keep on trying. This year, I'm excited to be able to enter two quilts into the Bloggers Quilt Festival. Two that I'm really proud of mostly because to me they symbolize the growth and progress I've made as a quilter this year!

First, I'm entering my Butterfly Quilt into the ROYGBIV category. This one started as a late night idea, quickly sketched out, and then Instagrammed!







It's made with lots of fussy cut butterflies from Anna Maria Horner fabrics and Valori Well's Cocoon collection, along with AGF Pure Element solids. My idea was to use the rainbow of color beginning with the earthy, muddy colors to those shiny & bright and all the butterflies to illustrate metamorphosis and growth. More than anything I just wanted it to be pretty, since it's a Christmas present for my niece who's four! Haha











Quilt Stats

name: A Butterfly Quilt
size: 43" x 60"
fabrics: Art Gallery Pure Element solids, Anna Maria Horner Field Study & Loulouthi, and Valori Wells Cocoon
quilting: a dense wavy stitch using Aurifil dark gray 50wt for all the quilting at the bottom, an Aurifil bright, lemon yellow 50wt throughout the center, finished with a bright white 50wt on the top portion of my quilt
backing: Anna Maria Horner Loulouthi Clippings
binding: Pure Element Solids in Crystal Pink, Raspberry Rose, & London Red

Tomorrow I'll be back with my second entry! How about you, are you entering this year?

Happy quilting! ♥ Maureen

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

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It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!  

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My sponsor The Knotted Thread is run by Jenn, a fabric lover with a passion for sewing!  In her shop you'll find both bundles and single cuts of Fat Quarters, Half Yards, Yards, and Yardage, as well as some of Jenn's very own handmade items up or sale!! Designer fabrics include many of our favorites -- Free Spirit, Moda, and Riley Blake Designs just to name a few! 

She's just getting started and invites you all to stop by today to look around!! Thanks Jenn!
  
SHOP  *  BLOG  *  FACEBOOK  *  INSTAGRAM 
 

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We hope you enjoy visiting The Knotted Thread sites!! 

For this week's Fabric Giveaway, Jenn is offering this Rainbow FQ bundle of Mirror Ball Dots by Michael Miller! This bundle includes ELEVEN Fat Quarter cuts, one of each color in this pretty fabric rainbow!

You can find this bundle available in The Knotted Thread's Shop as a Fat Eighth Bundle,  a Fat Quarter Bundle, and in a Half Yard Bundle!! Jenn even has a super cute bunting already made using this collection HERE, what a perfect way to show off this colorful collection!

In addition, Jenn is offering my readers 15% OFF any order from her shop throughout this Giveaway, just use coupon code "Maureen15" at checkout!!

Enter to win! 

Here's how,

 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post! (one entry)
2. Follow The Knotted Thread on Facebook or on Instagram! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
3. My followers get a third entry! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra 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 tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (optional extra entry) 

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, June17th!! Winner will be picked at Random 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 anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment! 

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway!!

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From 1,410 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

  
Comment #1173 --   * Remnants and Relics  *  

Congratulations!!! I will be in touch shortly!

Zakka Style Sew-Along {and GIVEAWAY!} : :

Here we are at week 23 of the Zakka Style Sew-Along and it's finally my turn to share!!



This sew along is being led by Lindsey and Amy. They have invited 24 bloggers to sew the projects found in Rashida Coleman-Hale's book, Zakka Style, and what a wonderful book it is! I was lucky enough to be gifted a signed copy when I met Rashida at a sewing retreat in Atlanta -- I love my book!!



And, I LOVE my Happy Garland Message Board! This project was designed by Katrien Van Deuren of A bit of Pilli Pilli. I adore her style!



Made with Robert Kaufman's Essex Yarn Dyed Linen and colorful fabric scraps, with a sweet stitched bow detail, a little twine, and mini clothes pins -- It's the perfect place to hang a note and was such a fun project! As for my BIG news....I'll be sharing that soon!



If you join in and are making the Happy Garland Message Board this week, don't forget to post a photo of your finished project in the Flickr pool and link it up to Lindsey's blog, LR Stitched, for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Fabricworm. WOW!! Good luck!



Today, I get to giveaway FIVE sample packs of amazing Aurifil Thread! I've been using nothing but Aurifil for several months now and I love it! I'm so excited that five of you will get a chance to win some. A Big thanks to Aurifil for sponsoring this Sew-Along!!

Enter to Win!

 
Here's how,
 
Simply leave a comment here in this post!  Enter now through Thursday morning, September 6th. 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 anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment so that I can contact you should you win!

Good luck everyone!!
* * * * *  UPDATE  * * * * *

Thank you to all who entered this past weekend's Giveaway!! 

 

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  From 430 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky FIVE winners are... comments #

 75 --  Colleen
124 -- linda
203 -- Kristi
34 -- Jackie Dudek
11 -- pennydog

Congratulations, friends!!! I will be in touch shortly!

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Pezzy Print Goodness : :

I am completely in love with this cheerful bundle of Pezzy Prints! They're like a new box of crayons -- so perfect and bright! They arrived earlier this week from Cotton Blossom Farm (where they're on sale!) and they've been making me happy ever since!



Right away I knew I was going to have some fun with these! I'm a little late in stashing. I know these pezzy's have been around a while, and are even a little hard to find now. And, I'm definitely a bit disappointed that I missed out on the green and gray! But look how pretty they are!!



These Pezzy's make such a great basic and seem like the perfect thing to have in your stash. They're very usable with SO many other prints! Even so, I just don't want to split them up!

Yes, I think the Pezzy projects that I have planned will involve these Pezzy's staying together!








I'll have a new tutorial to share tomorrow for a simple drawstring skirt, as part of Skirting the Issue with Project Run and Play, and I'm super excited!!

If you've been wanting to give garment sewing a try or if you're a beginner, I really think this is a good first project! I'm just starting out myself, so it had to be easy, right? I hope you join me!!  ♥ Maureen 

p.s. If you're looking for my Art Gallery Fabrics LillyBelle Giveaway -- click HERE!!

Fabric Stash Rainbow : :

It always feels so good to find new ways to store your fabrics and craft supplies, doesn't it? I think so! Once I was home from Atlanta, the first thing on my mind was to shift things around in my studio! I was so inspired by my trip to Whipstitch, not just to get things a little more organized, but to also change HOW I organize. You could even say that I had a bit of an "Aha! Moment" while I was there. And, that 14.5 hour ride home gave me lots of time to think this through, I'll explain!

Whipstitch is a very organized, well layout shop, with fabrics mostly displayed by fabric manufacturer, collection, and designer. Which is exactly how I was stashing my fabrics, in a much messier way. While we were shopping I realized something that I hadn't before -- I was much more drawn to the fabrics I bought, what it was that made them interesting and something I wanted, when they were pulled away from their collection, laid out on a cutting table, next to a contrasting print, or even in someone's hand. So of course I decided it would make much more sense for me to divide up my fabric stash in a new way. By color!

We found this great 25 cubby shelf at HomeGoods and right away I knew it would be perfect! I pinned a few similar options here, for those of you who are interested!



For this color game I called in the troops to do the sorting for me, while I did the folding. Most of my stash consists of half yard cuts, to give you an idea on what the dimensions are here.The little bowls for pins and buttons are from here, and the "M" from here.



It didn't take long before it was full!



Of course these aren't all my fabrics. I still have my wooden crate storage for the fabrics that wouldn't fit -- my Melody Miller and linen stash, holiday prints, solids, custom bundles, flannels, home dec, Riley Blake, Summersville, Anna Maria Horner (I'll save the pictures of that stash for another day), and my Art Gallery Fabrics.



It's so nice to be able to see what colors I really need now -- purples, true blues, and black for sure! Plus I really need solids!



It's extra wonderful to see this wall of goodness when I'm sitting behind my sewing machine!



And I'm extra excited about WHAT having this view will inspire me to make!



My little space will always be a work in progress, but right now it sure feels pretty perfect!