The Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew-Along: Block 8!

It's week EIGHT 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 #8: Clay's Choice. 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 this week's Clay's Choice block I'm using Nightfall Mothlike Shadows Deep as my dark print and the subtle, hand-drawn lace print from my Fleet & Flourish collection, Lace in Bloom Cloud. I snapped the photo below just before adding the AGF Soft Sand Linen framing that I'm using for this first version of the SBS sampler. I really love the contrast of pairing these two prints together, especially how these dancing butterflies pop against the neutral background!

This week's technique, once again, is the 8-at-a-time HST units method that we've already used. I love this method for making HSTs! You can visit the link to find the generous tutorial Sharon put together including extra visuals to help you along. Today Sharon is including some more wonderful, extra info on her blog about using directional prints and understanding how they'll work in your SBS blocks, so be sure to visit her today to see her pretty blocks & post!



My block could still use a good press with steam, this linen really shows the wrinkles in my photos, but for now it hangs with the others on my rack of projects!

I'm excited to see the Clay's Choice blocks you'll make this week! Be sure to stop back for this week's Sewcial Bee Giveaway Friday with our wonderful sponsor the Llama Fabrics!



Happy SBS sewing! ♡ Maureen 

Introducing: the Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew-Along!

Today I'm so excited to share some BIG news! Whether you're a first-time quilter, a beginner, or a quilter extraordinaire my friend and fellow AGF design sister Sharon Holland and I are thrilled to announce and welcome ALL to join our very first co-hosted community event, the Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew-Along!



The Details

The Sewcial Bee Sampler sew-along includes a coloring sheet to help you plan out your fabrics, twenty-five fully tested PDF patterns with step-by-step illustrations for each week’s block that we'll be making together, plus detailed assembly instructions for a beautiful finish!



Beginning this Wednesday, February 1st and continuing through July, Sharon and I will be releasing one new PDF block pattern each Wednesday on our blogs. We'll share our own finished block of the week at the same time to offer as inspiration and we'll include any tips and tricks we might discover while making our own. I'm planning to use prints from all of my collections combined with linen and denim, while Sharon plans to feature her upcoming, beautiful line with AGF, Bountiful! The Sewcial Bee Sampler includes twenty-five 12" blocks with added sashing to create a finished quilt measuring 72" x 72".  Once all of the block patterns are released, we'll share assembly instructions, followed by a big quilt top reveal day the first Wednesday in August! To add to the fun, we've joined forces with wonderful sponsors to offer new, amazing giveaway prizes each Friday both on our blog and on our Instagrams throughout the sew-along!

Aurifil  *  Circa 15 Fabric Studio  *  Color Girl Quilts  *  Dritz  *  Fat Quarter Shop  *  Knotted Thread  *  Lady Belle Fabrics  *  Llama Fabrics   *  Maureen Cracknell  *  Needle and Foot  *  Needle in Fabric Stash  *  Omnigrid  *  Sharon Holland  *  Stash Builders Box  *  The Intrepid Thread

Join Us

Half the fun of a sew-along is getting to connect and we invite you all to join in as much as you are able to! Each week you're welcome to share links to your Sewcial Bee blog posts within the comments of my post so we can visit one another other. On Instagram you can find me at: https://www.instagram.com/maureencracknell/ and Sharon at: https://www.instagram.com/sharonhollanddesigns/ where we'll be using #SewcialBeeSampler to create a group for a fun way to stay connected and for all to share in, of course feel free to tag us when you share your Sewcial Bee blocks, too!

So what do you say, will you join us in making a Sewcial Bee Sampler? We hope you will! You don't need to do anything official to join, just let us know in the comments that you plan to! We also created this cute button for you to share on Instagram if you'd like!



And here's a button if you'd like to add one to your blog:

We hope you join in the fun and can’t wait to spend the next several months creating with you all!

♡ Maureen

A Folk Medallion Quilt : :

This Summer has been much busier than I ever anticipated, and this past weekend was no exception. Swimming, picnics, & parties - it was so much fun! I hope you all had a wonderful weekend, too!



I had big plans to take my finished Folk Medallion Quilt along for picture taking, but kept forgetting to grab it each time we headed out the door. This quilt, made with the last of my Wild & Free fabric strike-offs for my Fall Quilt Market booth months ago, has such an Americana feel. It was too perfect a weekend not to share it here today, thankfully we found a few extra minutes to venture out with it last night.



The pattern is just a jumble of different ideas really. I started with the center medallion patchwork, unsure if I was making a pillow or quilt at first. But with limited fabric and time, decided to combine several of my different works in progress to make a sampler style quilt.



This quilt showcases so much of what I love most about Wild & Free. Especially how well the denim-y blue Folk Plaid print works so well with all the colors! For those blocks I simply framed 8" cut squares of plaid with several different shades of my favorite Pure Element colors.



I think my most favorite part is this row of improv patchwork along the bottom! I still hope to create an entire Wild & Free quilt in this style someday.



For the binding I used both a Bari J. honey yellow print and my Sun Tracks print. I made sure to alternate the corners with each print and love the effect!





For some extra added patriotism, and to represent my Midnight Roof stars print that didn't make it into this quilt because I had already run out, I chose an allover loops and stars quilting pattern by Sew Shabby Quilting. I love it!



You can find more photos of this quilt in my Wild and Free fabric Look Book by Art Gallery Fabrics! Here's one of my favorites!!

Sharing these photos today means we can finally start using this quilt, hooray! I wish you all a wonderful start to the new week!

♡ Maureen