Sew Sampler Box - April 2021

 

Hello! I'm sew excited to share the April Sew Sampler Box from Fat Quarter Shop! The April Sew Sampler box is always extra special as it is the BIRTHDAY box. Happy 5th Birthday! I've been a Sew Sampler member from the beginning and love it! The April theme is Town Square and features Sunday Stroll designed by Bonnie & Camille for Moda Fabrics. Bonnie & Camille are two of my most favorite designers and their collections are a "must have" for me! Sunday Stroll Collection HERE

Let's chat more about my favorite aqua box of quilty goodies that I receive each month!

April Sew Sampler Box

-click on links to below to purchase products at Fat Quarter Shop

• Petite Sunday Stroll Fat Quarter Bundle - Bonnie & Camille for Moda Fabrics
• 3" Square in a Square Quilt Block Foundation Paper
• Keep it Quilty Canvas Project Bag
• Keep it Quilty Label Set
• Bright Side Block #1 - Sew Sampler month block of the month
• Starflower Quilt Pattern - exclusive for Sew Sampler Box
• Member Exclusive Coupons

Petite Sunday Stroll Fat Quarter Bundle

The Petite Sunday Stroll Fat Quarter bundle contains 6 amazing fat quarters. I seriously love love love the Sunday Stroll collection so much! I'm pretty sure I say that with every Bonnie & Camille Collection ;) . I love the exclusive Starflower pattern too. I think it shows off the fabric so nicely.  If you need the Finishing Kit - it is available HERE.

NEW Notions

Each month, Sew Sampler Box contains fun and new sewing/quilting notions! I love trying new products! 

• 3" Square in a Square Quilt Block Foundation Paper - Foundation paper is super helpful when you want perfect blocks especially when they are tiny!
• Keep it Quilty Canvas Project Bag - I love this bag for holding all of your quilty goodies!
• Keep it Quilty Label Set - I love adding labels to my quilts and these labels sew in perfectly with quilt binding! So fun!

Bright Side Quilt Along 54.5" x 72.5"

Sew Sampler Mystery Quilt (April 2021-March 2022)

Bright Side Quilt Along is the monthly mystery Sew Sampler Quilt. Each month a new block pattern is included with your Sew Sampler box OR you can purchase the Bright Side pattern HERE. 

This year I will be making my Bright Side Quilt with mixed collections from Sherri & Chelsi for Moda Fabrics (available here). I'm going to love picking out my favorite prints! 

Bright Side Block #1 

 

Fat Quarter Shop is also offering a Bright Side Quilt Kit (HER) featuring Happy Days fabric by Sherri and Chelsi

Join the Sew Sampler Box Membership (HERE)

Don't forget to sign up for the Sew Sampler Box wait list (here)* - each box is a wonderful surprise plus an awesome value! 

*The Sew Sampler Box Membership is full, but don't worry - you can sign up for the waitlist AND most of the items in this month's box are available at Fat Quarter Shop - links above.

Be sure to follow me on Instagram @ABitofScrapStuff  and here on my A Bit of Scrap Stuff Blog for more fabric fun!

Have a great day and happy sewing! 

Melanie

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting A Bit of Scrap Stuff. My family appreciates it!

Focus Quilt - Spooky Hollow

Trick or Treat! Are you ready to start quilting for Halloween?!?! Spooky Hollow is a brand new fabric collection designed by Melissa Mortenson for Riley Blake Designs and is available now (HERE). This super cute spooky collection will definitely make you want to start making Halloween projects right now.

Seriously - the Spooky Hollow prints are fabulous and I love the aqua and purple added to the collection! Plus a few of the prints are metallic and the eyeball fabric glows in the dark --- so cool!

I love the prints of the Spooky Hollow and I wanted the fabric to be the focus of my quilt so I chose to make my FOCUS Quilt Pattern - which was perfect! 

Focus Quilt Pattern Available on Etsy OR PayHip

I did make a few adjustments to the original Focus Quilt Pattern by making only 9 blocks and adding a border with the super cute Spooky Hollow Main Print.  That's why I love block based quilts as it's easy to adjust the size of the quilt by making more or less blocks. 

The Focus Quilt is perfect for beginner quilters as the blocks are large with simple piecing!  

Hint: for perfect half-square triangles: Trim the half-square triangles with a Bloc loc ruler OR Use your AccuQuilt GO! Half-Square Triangle die for a no-trimming option (my fave)

Focus Quilt - Spooky Hollow Edition  60" x 60"

Supplies:

• Focus Quilt Pattern - available Etsy OR PayHip
• (24) 10" squares [9 block quilt requires only 18 squares] Spooky Hollow designed by Melissa Mortenson of  Riley Blake Designs
• 1.5 yards background - Halloween Pin Dot designed by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Designs
• 0.5 yard corner fabric - Spooky Hollow designed by Melissa Mortenson of  Riley Blake Designs
• 1.5 yards sashing fabric - Spooky Hollow designed by Melissa Mortenson of  Riley Blake Designs
• 0.25 yard sashing squares - Spooky Hollow designed by Melissa Mortenson of  Riley Blake Designs
• 0.625 yard binding - Spooky Hollow designed by Melissa Mortenson of  Riley Blake Designs
• 1 yard border fabric [add an extra 1/4 or 1/2 yard if you want to fussy cut] - Spooky Hollow designed by Melissa Mortenson of  Riley Blake Designs
• 4 yards backing - I used my left over Spooky Hollow yardage for a scrappy backing - love it!

Optional for trimming half-square triangles

• Half-Square Triangle Bloc-loc ruler      OR
• AccuQuilt GO Half-Square Triangle Die

Adding a border 

A border was a "must add" with the Spooky Hollow Main Print. Don't forget to buy extra fabric to allow for fussy cutting of the cute characters.

Cutting:

• Cut (8) strips 3.5" x WOF - I chose to fussy cut my borders. So I cut (4) strips with the vampires and witches and (4) strips with the mummy and pumpkin girl.

Assembly:

• Sew (2) matching strips togethers to create (1) 3.5" x 80" strip
• Repeat until you have (4) 3.5" x 80" strips
• Measure length of quilt
• Cut (2) side border strips the length of quilt
• Sew (1) side border strip to each side of quilt
• Measure width of quilt
• Cut (2) top/bottom border strips the width of quilt
• Sew (1) top border to top of quilt and (1) bottom border to bottom of quilt

Now the hard part will be waiting to start using your Focus Quilt - Spooky Hollow. Of course, there is no rule that you have to wait until fall! My 14 year old quilt holder was a bit baffled why I was making a Halloween Quilt in April. Ha! 

 

I used yardage for my Focus Quilt so then I could make a scrappy backing! I love having a reversible quilt!

I don't use a pattern when piecing my quilt backs. I just sew long strips of fabric of fabric together until I reach the desired length/width. It does take a bit of extra time, but I love scrappy backings and using my left over fabric - no waste here!

Spooky Hollow Fabric Available HERE (Fat QuarterShop) or HERE (Green Fairy Quilts)

Focus Quilt Pattern Available on Etsy OR PayHip

Be sure to follow me on Instagram @ABitofScrapStuff and here on my A Bit of Scrap Stuff Blog for more fabric fun!


Have a great day and happy quilting!


Melanie

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting A Bit of Scrap Stuff. My family appreciates it!

Serendipity Quilt and Stitch Along - Release 3

Hello Friends! Today is Release Three - Windfall Row  for the annual Fat Quarter Shop Charity Quilt Along plus Cross Stitch Along that benefits Make A Wish of Central and South Texas!!! I absolutely love the generosity of Fat Quarter Shop and am glad that I able to quilt and stitch along! 

Today Release Three is available for BOTH the Serendipity Quilt AND Cross Stitch Patterns - yay!

Serendipity Release Three - Windfall Row:

• Quilt Pattern (HERE)

I'm quilting with Smol designed by Kimberly Kight with Speckled designed by Rashida Coleman-Hale for Ruby Star Society / Moda Fabrics. 

• Cross Stitch Pattern (HERE) 

I'm stitching with DMC floss that coordinates with my quilt!

How to donate:

Every two weeks, Fat Quarter Shop will release FREE Serendipity Quilt and Cross Stitch download patterns. A suggestion donation of $5 each for each quilt pattern and $15 for the whole cross stitch pattern directly to Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas campaign. Of course, you can always donate more if you choose! No amount is too small - all donations are appreciated! Please use the official donation link as  your donation goes directly to Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas campaign HERE.

Serendipity Supplies:

You can choose the Serendipity Quilt Kit featuring the gorgeous Spring Brook fabric collection - HERE

Or you can choose your own fabrics! 

Serendipity Quilt Fabric Requirements PDF - HERE.

I'm making my Serendipity Quilt with Ruby Star Society Fabric: Smol  designed by Kimberly Kight with Speckled designed by Rashida Coleman-Hale for the background.  I love the bright and happy colors!

• 1/2 yard bundle - Smol designed by Kimberly Kight for Ruby Star Society 
• 5&1/2 yards Background Fabric: Speckled Metallic White Gold designed by Rashida Coleman-Hale for Ruby Star Society

I want my Serendipity Cross Stitch to match my quilt so I chose my own colors!

• Antique White 28 count Lugana
• DMC floss: 166, 316, 823, 807, 931,  3829, 900

Of course I needed the matching accessories!!!

• Serendipity Enamel Needle Minder
• Serendipity Enamel Zipper Charm
• Serendipity Project Bag

Fat Quarter Shop does have Serendipity Fabric and Floss Kits if you want to make yours like the pattern!

• Serendipity Supplies - floss, fabric, enamel needle minder, enamel zipper charm, project bag

I'll be back on May 1st to share Serendipity Release Four ... yay!!!!!

Be sure to follow me on Instagram @ABitofScrapStuff  and here on my A Bit of Scrap Stuff Blog for more fabric fun!

Have a great day and happy sewing! 

Melanie

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting A Bit of Scrap Stuff. My family appreciates it!

Retro Stitchery - Happy Stitching Pillow (mini tutorial)

Hello crafty friends! I am so excited to share my This is my Happy Place patchwork pillow inspired by Retro Stitchery by Beverly McCullough. Hand embroidery plus tiny patchwork makes me super happy! This is my Happy Place perfectly describes how I feel about floss/thread and fabric!

Retro Stitchery is the brand new book written by Beverly McCullough and it has 13 absolutely fabulous embroidery projects to make - I'll share more at the end of this post.  Retro Stitchery is available at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon or your favorite shop.

PS - This gorgeous fabric is Stardust - Beverly's newest fabric collection shipping to your favorite quilt shop this month! (here)

I'm new to hand embroidery, but am familiar with the classic embroidery backstitch. After learning so many new embroidery stitches (lazy daisy, layered backstitch, and French knot) from Retro Stitchery - I am officially HOOKED! I love being able to embroidery anywhere - it's sooooo portable plus I don't have to count the tiny little squares like in cross stitch.  I'm already planning my next project from Retro Stitchery.

Let me share how I made my This is my Happy Place Pillow as the original Happy Stitching project in Retro Stitchery makes a framed 8" x 10" project - see below.

Time to gather up all the supplies plus a few extra fun stitching accessories - like the super cute Sewing Canister Tins designs by Beverly McCullough (here).

Supplies for This is my Happy Place Pillow 6" x 10.5"

clickable links below

• Retro Stitchery Book by Beverly McCullough (Fat Quarter Shop) or (Amazon)
• 10" x 10" background fabric - Stardust by Beverly McCullough for Riley Blake Designs
• (36) 1.5" x 1.5" squares - Stardust by Beverly McCullough for Riley Blake Designs
• 6.5" x 11" rectangle pillow backing fabric - Stardust by Beverly McCullough for Riley Blake Designs
• Sulky Stick 'n Stitch Printable 8.5" x 11" sheet
• Sulky 12 wt Cotton Petites Thread - colors #1045, 1173, 1307, 1119, 1095, 1124
• 7" Morgan Hoop
• Embroidery Needles - I used Lori Holt Embroidery Needles
• Needle minder - Sewing Machine and Needlework Shop designed by Beverly McCullough - she has many designs to chose from!
• PolyFil to stuff the pillow
• Lori Holt Vintage Trim - Ric Rack (peony)
• Lori Holt ribbon - tiny tag/detail in corner of pillow 
• Sulky Cotton + Steel 50wt Cotton Thread #1015 for pillow assembly and quilting.
• Pellon Shape Flex 101 6.5" x 11" rectangle
• Sewing Canisters - not required, but so cute! Designs by Beverly McCullough for Riley Blake Designs

Reducing Pattern Size

The original This is my Happy Place embroidery design size is for a 8" x 10" frame. I wanted my stitching to be smaller as I wanted to make a pillow for decor on a shelf or my tiered tray. So I simply reduced the pattern by 57% - I did this "copying" the pattern on my Epson Printer/Copier with the 8x10 to 5x7 reduction feature so no math was involved ;) 

Print design on Sulky Stick 'n Stitch

Instead of tracing my pattern directly onto my fabric - I simply printed the design on Sulky Stick 'n Stitch. I LOVE this product as you simply stick the product to your fabric and start stitching... NO tracing required! Then rinse the Sulky Stick 'n Stitch away with water!  Hint- You may see upcoming projects I'm planning on stitching next from Retro Stitchery as I printed out multiple projects on one sheet

Start Embroidering

Retro Stitchery has all the information for which embroidery stitch to use plus illustrations to explain if you are new to embroidery.  I used Sulky 12wt Cotton Petites Thread/Floss for my project. I used 2 strands of Sulky Floss which is equivalent to about 4 strands of DMC.  I realized shrinking the pattern down by 57% made the lazy daisy stitches a bit trickier to make since they were soooooo tiny, but I was up for the challenge ;).  Plus I just love the Sewing Machine Needle Minder by Beverly McCullough (Flamingo Toes).

After you are finished embroidering, rinse project per Sulky Stick 'n Stitch instructions. Dry and then iron. I was a rebel and ironed over my stitches so they got a bit flat, but I didn't want wrinkly fabric ;)

Cutting Instructions

• Trim This is my Happy Place to 5" x 6.5"
• Cut (36) 1.5" x 1.5" squares

Pillow Assembly

• Sew together (6) rows of (6) patchwork squares [6x6 grid] with a 1/4" seam to create patchwork section.
• Attach Lori Holt Vintage Trim to left side of patchwork section.
• Sew This is my Happy Place embroidery to left side of patchwork section with a 1/4" seam
• Fuse Pellon Shapeflex 101 to wrong side of embroidery/patchwork pillow front
• Quilt if desired - I chose to top stitch next to Lori Holt Vintage Trim (ric rack) and 1/4" away from seam lines on patchwork.
• Optional - add tiny piece of Lori Holt ribbon to corner for a fun little detail
• Place pillow front and pillow backing right sides together and stitch with a 1/4" seam around  - leaving a 3" gap to turn pillow right side out OR sew all around and then cut a 3" opening in pillow backing to turn pillow right side out.
• Add PolyFill stuffing through opening.
• Hand stitch pillow opening closed.

Enjoy your This is my Happy Place Pillow!

A bit more about the fabulous Retro Stitchery Book. Beverly did an amazing job designing and creating such gorgeous projects. The 13 projects include framed embroidery pieces, jewelry, clothing embellishment, tea towel, zipper pouch, wreath, cup cozy, journal cover, and more. There is a definitely a project for everyone! These two are next on my "must make" list.

Retro Stitchery is available at Fat Quarter Shop or Amazon or your favorite store!

The gorgeous Stardust Fabric designed by Beverly McCullough for Riley Blake Designs ships this month! (available here)

Be sure to follow me on Instagram @ABitofScrapStuff and here on my A Bit of Scrap Stuff Blog for more fabric fun!

Have a great day and happy quilting! 

Melanie

This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting A Bit of Scrap Stuff. My family appreciates it!