A Sneak Peek At Our 2018 Sew-Along!

Today I have a BIG sneak peek to share! For weeks now my dear friend, fellow AGF design sister and Sewcial Bee Sampler co-host Sharon Holland and I have been planning a new sew-long for 2018, and today we are thrilled to finally announce and welcome ALL to join our 2018 event, the Community Sampler Sew-Along!

The Details

This Community Sampler Sew-Along is inspired by the amazing community that grew from last's year's Sewcial Bee Sampler! The experience, response and friendships that formed through our shared love of quilting was the very best part for both Sharon and myself. We invite ALL who joined us and who made the SBS so special to join us once again, and we hope that many new friends will take part in this new sampler, as well! 

One week from today, Wednesday, February 21st around 9 am EST, Sharon and I will share our first Community Sampler blog posts including the release of the very first PDF download! This sew-along is a free event to join, for quilters brand-new to experienced. All you have to do is follow along on our blogs to find the new PDF release each week, tips and tutorials along the way, our own blocks for inspiration and weekly fantastic Friday Giveaways from our generous sponsors!

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

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

Join Us

This Community Sampler Sew-Along will be a wonderful way to connect with fellow quilters and we hope you'll join in as much as you are able to! Each week you're welcome to share links to your Community Sampler blog posts within the comments of my posts so we can visit one another. On Instagram you can find and follow me at: https://www.instagram.com/maureencracknell/ and Sharon at: https://www.instagram.com/sharonhollanddesigns/ where we'll be using #CommunitySampler as a fun way to stay connected and to create a group pool for all to share in, with the added bonus of automatically being entered into the weekly giveaway drawings each and every time you post and use the hashtag! Of course feel free to tag us when you share your Community Sampler blocks, too. We'll give more details next Wednesday, but I hope this sneak peek has you excited for the full reveal next week!!

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

Sharon and I look forward to sharing more next week and we can’t wait to spend the next few months creating with you!

xo Maureen 

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 

The Sewcial Bee Sampler Sew-Along: Block 7!

It's week SEVEN 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! 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 #7: Dove in the Window. 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 Dove in the Window block I'm using my Garden Dreamer Moment in Time Light as the main focal print, a colorful pressed flower design, with three different Nightfall prints!

I'm so happy with this color & fabric combination, it made such a pretty block!



The two techniques used in this week's fun Dove in the Window block are the 8-at-a-time HST units and the No-Waste Flying Geese units that we've already used! I linked up to the generous tutorials Sharon put together and recommend you take look if you're in need of a some extra visuals to help you along.

This week's block is also the first that doesn't require a framing fabric, so be extra careful to use accurate seams when you sew this one together!




I can't wait to see the Dove in the Window blocks you'll make this week! Be sure to visit Sharon's blog today to see her beautiful versions, and to stop for details on how to enter this week's Sewcial Bee Giveaway Friday with our wonderful sponsor the Fat Quarter Shop!



I also want to send you all to the Needle & Foot blog to check out yesterday's Part:1 & today's Part: 2 of the "Meet the Designer" Interview I recently had with Bernie, owner of the Needle & Foot shop! She's also having a Garden Dreamer SALE with bundles less than $14.50!

Happy SBS sewing! ♡ Maureen