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Maggie’s First Dance Block 3 & giveaway

Maggie’s First Dance block #3 is being released today from Jacquelynne Steves, and I’m excited to show you my version of it.  There’s also a great giveaway that you’ll want to check out at the end of this post. This giveaway is now closed.

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I’ve seen so many beautiful blocks on Instagram (hashtag #MaggieQuilt), Pinterest, Maggie’s First Dance BOM linky page and Facebook.  Here’s what my August block looks like.

Maggie's First Dance Block 3 made by Julie Cefalu @ The Crafty Quilter

Maggie's First Dance Block 3 by Julie Cefalu

 

This block is another beautiful pattern and it’s fun to see the three blocks together.

3 blocks on fence copy

 

The instructions are easy to follow and the block goes together smoothly.  The only tip I have is for getting straight intersections at the eight points shown below.

block 3 match points

 

When sewing the two units together, the top diagonal seam is difficult to see where the 1/4″ seam will intersect because it’s not the typical “X” seam that you get with flying geese units.  This makes it hard to know where to place the seam from this unit to line up with the seam from the bottom unit.

My tip is to place the unit under your presser foot and line it up where the 1/4″ seam would go.  Bring the needle down at the intersecting spot, making a hole that you can use to line up with the bottom unit.

Put a setting pin in the hole and match it to the seam on the bottom unit.  Pin on both sides of the setting pin.  When you stitch, make sure that your seam is going through that hole and you should end up with perfectly matched intersections.

matchpoint tip

block 3 match point

block 3 units

Maggie's First Dance Block 3 by Julie Cefalu

 

Make sure to visit all of the featured bloggers to see their beautiful blocks:

Greg at Grey Dogwood Studio
Monique at Farm House Quilts
Julie at The Crafty Quilter (you are here!)
Beth at EvaPaige Quilt Designs
Kim at My Go-Go Life
Jacque at Lily Pad Quilting
Brenda at The Quilting Nook

Giveaway Information:

This month’s giveaway is sponsored by EvaPaige Quilt Designs.  (Giveaway is now closed).  There’s a lot of great stuff going on at EvaPaige, including a Teal Mini Swap to benefit Ovarian Cancer research. This is an annual event intended to raise awareness of ovarian cancer, funds for Ovarian Cancer Research Fund, and give quilters and sewers a fun little swap. Registration will be open until August 29, 2016.

For our giveaway, one winner will be chosen to receive a Mod-ified Trees Christmas Table Runner Pattern AND Fabric Kit!  All you need to do is leave a comment telling me your favorite quilting tool.  This giveaway is open to everyone, and you can visit the other participating bloggers for more opportunities to win.

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Here are the giveaway rules:

  • To enter, leave a comment telling me your favorite quilting tool.
  • You must comment by 11:59 pm PST on August 7, 2016.  Now closed.
  • Your email MUST be included in your profile information or in your comment. If I choose your name and I cannot contact you, I will choose another name.
  • Giveaway is open to all.
  • Winner will be chosen at random.

Maggie's First Dance block 3 made by Julie Cefalu

Maggie's First Dance block 3 made by Julie Cefalu

Thanks for stopping by today and have a great week!

Julie 176 x 116

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212 Comments

  1. Rotary cutter & needle nose pliers, so happy rotary cutter was invented, otherwise I couldn’t do it, with the problems I have with my hands.

  2. Thanks for the information about matching points! That is always the biggest challenge for me. Which leads me to my favorite quilting tool…..Jack! (my seam RIPPER). I know, groan…..

  3. My favorite tool is my rotary cutter. And though it’s not a tool, I discovered Best Press this year and I can’t imagine not using it now.

  4. I love this block!
    My favorite tools are the rotary cutter and rotating mat. Years ago my mom tried to get me interested in quilting with her old school methods of paper templates and hand stitching, but I just didn’t enjoy it. Modern tools totally changed my attitude. I love to come home after a long day of accounting and do something creative in my sewing room.

  5. I’m new to quilting so it’s hard to pick a favorite tool but I guess I’d have to say my quarter inch foot, it makes that seam allowance so much easier to stick to!

  6. My favorite tool would be my sewing machine, although she’s getting very tired! Another favorite would be the quilting rulers! ;’)

  7. My favorite tool must be my sewing machine…because how could I do anything without it. Second favorite, the cubes that keep my stash organized. Lol!

  8. I’d have to say my sewing machine. My hubby bought me a new one a couple of years ago, and it makes sewing a dream.

  9. Thanks so much for the tip!! and I can’t live without my printer, I design so many blocks and print them off. Especially love to paper piece.

  10. There are so many great tools that I use it’s hard to pick just one. However was thinking about rotary cutters the other day and how wonderful it was to invent something so great that it would revolutionize quilting and sewing. So guess that’s my pic for today.

  11. My long arm machine. My wonderful husband saved up his lunch money for over a year. Plotting to get me the wonderful machine for my birthday/ Christmas gift. Have I mentioned that he is wonderful?

  12. I couldn’t quilt without my Electric Quilt program. I do a lot of original designs, but I also draw any design to better understand how it goes together.

  13. I have sooo many favorites ! I guess I would have to say my Bernina 880, what a great tool to have in my studio.

  14. My favorite tool is the Folded Corner Clipper by Prairie Sky Quilting and sold at many quilt shops. IT is a must for making half Square Triangles and bindings. You must have one of these.

  15. I am an avid, appliquer, epp’er, embroiderer and crosstitcher. I am enjoying doing Maggie’s first dance, thanks for the tips…

  16. Man, my Featherweight Singer would be my favorite, but next would be my Quilters Slidelock ruler, and I don’t even want to think of being without my rotary cutter. So, can I think of these as a unit of one????

  17. I have to say that my favorite tool is my amazing sewing machine! Without it I would never have entered this wonderful world of quilting.
    Annette

  18. My favorite quilting tool is “sewing machine seam guide” a small ruler that has holes for your machine needle so you can set your correct seam line. I got it from Bonnie hunters quiltville.com.

  19. My favorite quilting tool is my Pfaff sewing machine. I quilt all my own quilts. I am self taught. Started out just doing in the ditch sewing, but now add some simple free motion quilting.

  20. My favorite quilting tool is my rotary cutter. I having been quilting long enough to remember the days before rotary cutters came along. Imagine cutting out pieces for a log cabin quilt with scissors! I don’t miss those ‘good ole days’. Thanks for the chance to win.

  21. My favorite tool is probably my seam ripper. I used to use a razor blade, but the seam ripper beats that all to heck. There are about 10 other items I use a lot, but the seam ripper is my most useful, from correcting intersections to using it as a stiletto.

  22. If i have to pick just one between my seam ripper & rotary cutter I pick my rotary cutter! Beautiful block.

  23. Other than my MC12000, my favorite tool is my pair of Karen Kay Buckley small scissors. They are micro serrated on one edge, so they grip even the most delicate of fabrics and cut precisely!

  24. Love your blocks – how you changed up the colors on block 2. My favorite quilting tool is my 1/4 inch presser foot.

  25. My favorite tool is absolutely my sewing machine. Without it my pieces would never come together in a timely manner!⏳

  26. My favorite quilting tool is my Fons and Porter quarter inch ruler. So handy for making sure my HSTs and QSTs are spot on.

  27. I have a little pair of scissors on a ribbon that a friend gave me years ago. I hang them around my neck while I sew and iron and use them to trim thread ends. So handy! The other tools are great too and even more useful but the scissors remind me of the value of friends.

  28. It has got to be my rotary cutter. I use to use scissors for years before actually taking a beginning quilting class a few years ago and started using the rotary cutter. So much easier and faster than scissors.

  29. My favorite tool is my new hand crank sewing machine. Now I can sew even if the electricity goes out which it did for two weeks a few years ago. Next in line would be my GO baby cutting machine.

  30. Plastic Chop sticks. Great for turning over points, not a tool but I use it as one. An awl is too pointy

  31. My favorite quilting tool is definitely my rotary cutter!!! When I first learned to quilt I did card board templates, tracing and regular scissors to make quilts and Wow, the difference in accuracy and speed is unbelievable!

  32. I love your color choices and thanks for the tops on completing the blocks. I think my favorite tool has to be my ergonomic rotary cutter, because I cried when it broke and I couldn’t replace it.

  33. Thanks for your tip for matching the points on this block. My favorite tool is whatever I need for the current project.

  34. My favorite quilting tool is the rotary cutter, because it makes cutting quick and efficient. Thanks for the great giveaway!

  35. I have been doing machine embroidery for a long time and I love how I can incorporate this blocks into a project.

  36. Your blocks are wonderful, I have so many favorite tools, to chose just one, I would have to pick my 12 inch square rotating cutting mat. It makes cutting smaller pieces so much easier without having to disturb them.

  37. My favorite tool is my Olfa ergonomic rotary cutter, and my rulers. It’s so easy to cut for a quilt. Thanks for the info.

  38. favorite tool? That would be my rotary cutter. Now if you had asked about the most necessary tool, that would be the trusty seam ripper!

  39. My rotary cutter and mat are my favorite tools. I started quilting before they were on the market, and I wouldn’t want to go back to those days.

    p.s. Love the tip about matching points. I have to give this a try soon.

  40. I made a quilt with templates for my first quilt many years ago(double knit) so I LOVE my rotary cutter!

  41. My favorite tool is my sewing machine. I’m still learning all of the things it’s capable of doing!

  42. I just started my quilting class 2 weeks ago…so my favorite tool so far is my instructor, Cathy, she is quite the tool! I’ve learned so much in such a short time.

  43. My favorite tool is a 6 1/2 inch square ruler with diagonal lines. BTW, I love your tutorials for these blocks. They are so helpful.

  44. Thanks for your tutorial. It looks so simple when you do it! I love my little scissors that I keep next to my sewing machine to trim threads. Thanks,

  45. Your block–and all you do–is so pretty! Such a great color combination on all three. My favorite tool is my sewing machine! Couldn’t do anything without it.

  46. Current fave tool is the new sewing machine I treated myself too this summer, nothing special but a HUGE upgrade to me.

  47. My rotary cutter…it’s as important to quilting as the invention of the wheel! (No pun intended…lol).

  48. My favourite tool (after the sewing machine, rotary cutter, and ruler!) are those little clips. They are great for all kinds of things, whenever you need another hand…

    Thanks for the chance to win the runner pattern. I would really like to make it.

  49. My favourite tool (after the sewing machine, rotary cutter, and ruler!) are those little clips. They are great for all kinds of things, whenever you need another hand…

  50. My favorite quilting tool has to be the internet. I find inspiration everyday. The other tools I use the most are a cutting mat and rotary cutter. Thanks for the chance to win.

  51. I am old enough to remember life without rotary cutters so it gets my vote. Great block. Beautiful sewing.

  52. Your applique is perfect! Such a pretty block!
    If I had to choose just one tool, it would be the rotary cutter. My first quilt was made with templates and scissors and the difference in accuracy is astounding just by using a rotary cutter and rulers!

  53. My rotary cutter, but also a cute little ladybug needle threader with a light on it so I can see to thread my needle!

  54. Great tip, Julie! How’d you get to be so smart! favorite tool? Hmmm, I have so few. Guess it would be my 28mm rotary cutter because I use it for ripping seams and for making my cards as well as cutting fabric. XO

  55. I love my rotary cutter and mat! My thumb still remembers cutting out 2.5 inch squares. And my favorite blocks are what ever I have in my hands at the time, but aren’t these just FUN!

  56. Your blocks are so beautiful. I love the colors that you have used. Thank you for the tip on lining up the seams. I always say that my favorite tool is my rotary cutter and that is because I wanted to quilt long before there were rotary cutters and gave up because cutting the fabric just took way to long.

  57. The rotary cutter improved my cutter as compared to the scissors. What a great creation! kathleendotlutzatcomcastdotnet

  58. My favorite quilting tool would have to be my rotary cutter. When I think that my mother and all her friends made quilts for missionaries and for charity with no rotary cutters, I am just amazed!

  59. My most favorite quilting tool is the 6×14 inch nonslip Omnigrip ruler. I have a lot of different sizes, but this one is the perfect size for just about everything. It gets used every day.

  60. My sewing machine, she has been with me for 20 years! But right now all of my “toys” are packed up because of the tree that fell on my sewing room, and I am missing them sew sew much! Love your blocks and the tip for matching the points! Thank you for sharing!

  61. I have to say I love my rotary cutter. The first quilt I made I used scissors to cut out squares. The rotary cutter has revolutionized fabric cutting!

  62. My favorite tool is one I made myself for making perfect half square triangles. I took a 6 inch ruler and placed a thick line of masking tape on the diagonal line. Now all I have to do is but that layer of masking tape up against the diagonal seam and trim. Works every time!

  63. It is difficult to choose just one favorite quilting tool, because it depends on what I am doing.
    But I do use and recommend to others the “Purple Thang” it is so versatile and useful in many situations.
    It can be a stilleto, a point turner, a bodkin, help get bobbins out, and so much more.
    I also love the Maggie’s First Dance blocks, they are fun.

  64. Have lots of favorite sewing tools but the most multi-functional is my pair of long tweezers. Can use as a stiletto, pulling out threads and then us them when cleanng my machine.

  65. Hi Julie, I love the colours you used in your block!
    My favorite quilting tool is my KAI self-retracting rotary cutter……never need to check if the blade is dangerously left open.

  66. Beautiful blocks, I have to agree with most of the other people – my favorite tools pretty well have to be the rotary cutter, ruler and mat combo………I can’t cut straight otherwise!

  67. So hard to pick out a fav sewing tool, because I love so many of my toys!!!!!! Especially since I hand and machine piece and then hand quilt. So guess I would have to say first a cutting mat and rotary cutter. All of the other toys come later.
    Love your blocks!!!!

  68. Your blocks are beautiful! My favorite quilting tool is the 6 1/2 inch ruler. It comes in very handy for trimming down the blocks.

  69. My favourite is the rotating cutting mat I was given a week ago, as a birthday gift. So easy to use, perfect size to have right there by my machine. I have a smaller ruler with a handy suction grip to make it very easy to hold and keep in place, there as well, so a wonderful combination.

  70. Based on the fact that I can never find these, they MUST be my favorites….rotary cutter and small KAI scissors! I find that when ‘done’ using them at the time, I KEEP them in my hand and carry them wherever and then when I need them again, I have to back track to locate them!!!
    Thank you for the chance to win and your blocks are beautiful…

  71. Your blocks are so pretty. Being fairly new to quilting I really enjoy using the rotary cutter. And for smaller blocks I love my rotating mat.

  72. My favorite quilting tool would have to be my rotary cutter. I still remember my mother cutting zillions of 2″ squares one by one to make a quilt–no thanks!

  73. One of my favorite tools is my rotary cutter. Bless all those who had to cut quilt pieces with a pair of scissors in years past.

  74. Sweet block!! My sewing machine is on the top of my favourites tool list… But as a quilter, there are so many tools that are essential that I could list 5 easily that I can’t live without!!

  75. Hi Julie,

    Your color selection is also so striking. I love it.

    My favorite tool is the Nifty Brass Stiletto. I use it for piecing, applique and especially for curved projects. It is a tool that I can not quilt without…. Ruth

  76. I love this new block and my favorite tool would be everyone’s blogs because I get my ideas from the web. thanks for sharing. Oh and my sewing machine couldn’t live without it.

  77. Julie, your block is so pretty! And thanks for the great tip on getting that seam just right! My favorite tool is a sharp seam ripper. Unfortunately, I use mine a lot! lol

  78. I haven’t participated in Maggie’s First Dance, but do love this center applique the most! I may have to make just this one! I’ve got several sewing tools that I favor and one is my latest acquisition…a purple Havel’s double-sided cutting mat. My old one was warped and stained and just a mess, so this being brand new and in my favorite color is so sweet!

  79. Probably my rotary cutter and ruler although they aren’t much use without my cutting board. Thanks for the pining tip, I always stress about my points matching. Thanks.

  80. ha only one? Well I guess that would be my rotary cutter (ruler, cutting mat, iron, sewing machine).

  81. Hi, my favorite tool would be my new fiskers scissors for people with arthritis in their hands…These are great to use…not much pressure is available when I need to grasp the handles and cut…snip…cut…Thank you for a great tutorial for how to get those points to match and what a lovely block you have made…..Thanks for the giveaway.

  82. My favorite tool is my rotary cutter. This is because I am such a new quilter I don’t know how to do much else!

  83. Hmmm I would have to say my electric scissors as they help for sure (due to carpal tunnel syndrome) the 2nd one would be the seam ripper. It sits in wait (for me to make a mistake), then it pounces like a cat on my mistakes …

  84. Hands down…..it’s the rotary cutter. How did quilters live without it??
    Great tip today, your work is always crisp and sharp looking.

  85. Well, I’d have to say my favorite tool is my sewing machine. But as far as a small tool is concerned, it would have to be my rotary cutter, equipped, of course, with a brand new blade!! Whee!!! And away we go!!

  86. My most used tool is my seam ripper, lol, but my favourite tool has to be my rotary cutter. Can’t do without it.

  87. I would have to say my favorite is my 61/2″ square ruler–I use it all the time.
    Your block came out great!

  88. It has got to be my rotary cutter, then my ruler. Next, not really a favorite thing when I have to use it but couldn’t be without it, my seam ripper!! haha!!! Love all the other great and unusual notions quilters come up with!! love quilting period! Thanks for the giveaway!!

  89. Great tips! My favorite tools are rulers and rotary cutters and seam rippers… I couldn’t sew very well without all of them… of course, my machine(s) are prized as well.
    Thank you for some great tips!

  90. I have come to love my 4-in-1 tool by Alex Anderson. It’s a seam ripper, stiletto, pressing tool and point turner all in one beautiful wooden shape. I have it by my machine at home and in my supplies when I go to a retreat.

  91. My favorite tool to have close by is my seam ripper. I also like moleskin to use for my quarter inch seam guide. Thank you, Pat

  92. Love your block! My favorite quilting tool would have to be my rotary cutter. I don’t know what I’d do without it.

  93. My favorite sewing tool is my seam ripper. It frees me to try new things because I can pick them out if I don’t like them. Don’t get me wrong — I do NOT love ripping out, but I DO love my seam ripper!

  94. Good morning!

    Hard to pick a favorite tool, but my rotary cutter with a brand new blade is it.

    Thanks 🙂

  95. My favorite quilting tool is my “Bo-nash” mesh ironing screen. I applique a lot,and use fusibles which could get on your iron (oh no!), and worse yet, on your ironing board cover.
    It is made out of nice wire mesh that is not sharp, and because it is mesh, allows the steam to get through if necessary without making your surfaces sticky. It doesn’t get hot to the touch, so you or little ones won’t feel heat if you touch it. I bought it at a quilt show and afterwards wondered if I had made a good purchase, and now I use it all the time and love it. Thanks for the chance to enter your give-away contest.

  96. i love your block, and i will be sure to use your tip on the blocks i will be making for my nearly here grandson.

  97. Probably my grid ruler-I’d never be able to cut a straight line without it! Probably second would be my rotary cutter as well.

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