Sew Thankful Sunday, March 2016

{I love the idea of “paying it forward”.  I think the world would be a better place if we could spread some joy and acknowledgement of good deeds done by others.  I try to do that once a month for my Sew Thankful Sunday posts.  I highlight some great content that I’ve found on other people’s blogs that I hope will inspire you and reward the originator by bringing traffic to their site.  If your blog has been mentioned without your consent, please let me know and I will take you off the current list of featured bloggers.}

 

Hello March!  In my area of the US, it’s green everywhere and we’re very thankful for the rain we’ve been having (finally).  I’m ready for the coming Spring season and all of the color and warmth it will bring.  You’ll find some great ideas for spring quilting and organizing in the following list of things I’m sew thankful for.

(Remember, you can click on any of the images in this post and it will open up a new tab to the associated link).

1.  If you’re thinking green, then you’ll love this Lucky Mini Quilt from Megan at Canoe Ridge Creations.  This is another free pattern being offered as a peek into what the Fresh Mini Quilt Club is all about.

 

2.  Sew in Love {with fabric} just announced the debut of a new e-zine, Modern by the Yard.  This quarterly digital publication is packed with inspiration and ideas for using Benartex, Kanvas and Contempo fabrics to create modern projects.  And it’s free!

 

3.  It’s nice to see the quilting community rally for a good cause.  Amy at Amy Made That! has created the Mr. Sunshine Mini Quilt Pattern to support a friend who is campaigning to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS).  You can help by purchasing the pattern for $3 at Craftsy (all proceeds will go to this campaign).  You can get more information and read the full story at Amy’s blog.

 

4.  Hexagons are still popular, so you’ll want to check out the Hexagon Mini Quilt at Clover & Violet.  Jenni also gives you a tutorial on how to add single fold binding to these smaller treasures.  It’s a nice way to finish a mini quilt!

 

5.  If you’re ready to add a little spring to your sewing room, check out Tulip Time, a free quilt pattern from Anorina at Samelia’s Mum.  It’s bright and cheery and perfect for Spring!

 

6.  Sometimes bigger IS better, and that is the case with these 18 1/2″ Single Rolling Star Blocks by Jennifer at Ellison Lane.  I think these would sew up quickly and if you make 12 of them, you’ll have a nice sized quilt in no time!  Jennifer gives you the instructions for a single block and the fabric requirements to make all 12.

 

7.  Do you ever wonder how to hang a quilt once it’s finished?  Check out the 5 Ways to Hang a Quilt by Bettina Danger.  You’ll have plenty of options for your next project.

 

8.  If you’re looking for something different to do with your precut 2 1/2″ wide strips, check out Enchanted Forest by Stacey at Stacey In Stitches.  I love the curved diamonds that she created.  Stacey even gives you instructions to make the quilt in two different skill levels.

 

9.  I’m a big fruit lover, especially one that’s made with fabric.  This Pineapple Mini Quilt by Red Brolly will leave you drooling for the real deal.  It would be a great way to use up those scraps, too!

 

10.  We all want an organized sewing or craft room.  Check out The Ultimate Craft Closet Organization from Jen at I Heart Organizing.  This one is drool worthy and gives you plenty of ideas to inspire your own closet makeover.

 

11.  I attended QuiltCon this year in Pasadena, and I was amazed at the beautiful quilts I saw there.  But, I’ll admit that I was also baffled at how some of the winners were chosen.  If you want an inside look of the judging process, you’ll really appreciate this article, From a Judge’s Perspective, Quilt Con 2016, by Cheryl Arkison, one of the judges from this year’s show.  It’s changed the way I look at show quilts, especially from a modern perspective.

 

12.  If you’re still curious about modern quilting, take a look at Trends in Modern Quilting by Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl.  She was at QuiltCon this year and has a few observations from the show that I think are on point.  Make sure to read the comment section for more discussion on this topic.

 

13.  Easter is right around the corner and this Bunny Bag Pattern from Abby at Sew Much Ado would make the perfect egg-collecting basket!  It’s worth a visit just to see the extra-cute model having fun with her bag.

 

14.  On my sewing list is The Pixie Basket from Heidi at Fabric Mutt.  I think this would make a perfect basket for organizing all sorts of sewing notions.  I’m sure I’ll need more than just one!

 

That’s a long list of things to be sew thankful for, friends!  I’m glad you stopped by today, and I hope you’ll visit the other bloggers and designers featured here.  Thanks for being such a supportive community!