*the giveaway has ended*
My dear friend AnneMarie Chany has a brand new book out and boy is it pretty!! It is full of great block patterns to make the most interesting samplers. I think my favorite blocks might be her inverse pattern blocks. You can see an example of those in the bottom pictures of the picture below. She’s played with color placement to change how you see a block pattern and it’s completely genius. I’ve done that on occasion but she’s been playing with the concept for a couple years now.
Her color schemes in the book are bright and juicy, so there is lots of eye candy. But for my stop on the blog hop I wanted to try something a little different. It’s actually totally out of MY comfort zone. I’m more familiar with choosing colors like AnneMarie did. But life is about growing right? So I tackled her Moon & Star block with some different fabrics.
And I wanted to try a new to me way to trimming HSTs! Someone mentioned it on Instagram, that instead of trimming the square while it was pressed open. To instead, trim it while it is still in triangle shape (before you press it open).
I’m not sure I got the best picture of exact measurements here, but this is what it looked like while I trimming. You can see the seam along the diagonal side. It is sewn together there. And I am trimming the side and top edges to square it up BEFORE I press it open.
It worked like a charm! I think I’ll do that from now on. Only two sides to trim instead of four!!
And didn’t the colors and patterns turn out fun?! Definitely a departure for me. I’m working on using prints for the background rather than a solid. And this tiny beautiful floral by Kim Kight from Cotton and Steel was too pretty to ignore. I picked my other fabrics around that.
If I’m being totally honest then I would say that I *might* change the coral color to a lighter one to better balance with the light pink. But that is part of my learning curve here. I’m still struggling to find balance with a block of all prints and wanting to really see the beautiful design of the block. It’s such a great design AnneMarie!
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I actually quite like samplers. They often encourage me to try something I might not otherwise. And I love the randomness of them.
It does look like a fun book. And I love your block!
I haven't tried a sampler yet but I think it would help me learn. This book looks like it has some fun blocks!
Lovely block! I'm struggling to finish a sampler quilt I started two years ago – I just want it done!
I'm with you I get tired of samplers. Once you have done a couple of them it seems enough. However I traded a couple of mine with friends so that I had colors I liked better and then I changed the look to on point and put a different border. It gave me incentive.
I haven't tried sampler but it would be nice to do! Interesting 🙂
A sampler block quilt has been on my to do list for ever but never enough time….Maybe this book is the push I need!
I love seeing Sampler Quilts, but I have yet to finish my FQS one from 2012 😉
I love the look of sampler quilts and I have provided blocks for group projects but I have never made one on my own. I hope to remedy that in 2016.
I have made several samplers thru BOM programs. I have found or come up with some more modern layouts because I don't love the simple sashing layouts either. This book looks fun. Thanks for the review. Also, I trim my HST that way using the Quilt in a Day Square Up ruler….it is great.
I have just started my third (or fourth?) sampler as a BOM. I love them, and try to make one a year.
I love the idea of sampler quilts – getting to try out all the different blocks but i'm not so keen on the traditional sashing and corner blocks layout. I think i'd want to do something different
Awesome tip about HSTs! Love the book!
I find sampler quilts very odd. Nothing matches. (Sigh). My quilt Bee picked a sampler to work on this year. I decided to limit my color palette to only three colors. Wont see it until April.
Thanks for the chance to win the book.
I like samplers. I love that I am able to try something new each block. I also love searching for the right fabric and with a sampler you get to do that each block! So yes: I am all about samplers. That is not to say, however, that I do not struggle with the same issues as you do: as soon as I finished my blocks I always find it difficult to finish. Not a big fan of sashings…:)
Thank you for the lovely giveaway!
I haven't made many samplers. To me the traditional rows and columns layout is not very interesting but I have seen some other types of layouts that are wonderful. AnneMarie has some lovely, innovative ideas that I would be interested in trying.
I have never done a sampler quilt either. To tell the truth, I do not have much time besides the four kids and work… But definitely like to admire them :). Thanks for the chance.
ehodasz at yahoo dot com
I'd like to do a sampler quilt, and I am always in need of color inspiration and guidance. Thank you for the giveaway!
I have not finished a sampler quilt but I've made a bunch of blocks
Quilt in a day Eleanor Burns makes a triangle square up ruled that has the markings so you can do the trimming if needed before pressing the block open, I have not tried it I asked a local quilt shop to order me one
Colleen
I have completed several sampler quilts using traditional sashing, and several using setting squares and putting the blocks on point. Anne Marie's Moccasin quilt setting was very dynamic for a sampler. I liked that quite a bit. It's fun to make different blocks, but the samplers I do now need a punch.
Samplers are fun, but a bit more time consuming. The trade-off is you get to learn new piecing skills, which is always a bonus. Plus it's great eye candy once it all comes together. Finish up your UFO samplers and let us see what you've been up to!
I'm with you. Samplers aren't my favorite quilts. I love making them because of the variety of blocks, but sampler blocks with sashing are a little boring. Would love to explore new ways of putting them together!
I have made three samplers, always look nice on point, if pattern allows. Would love to win the book, thank you for the change to win. christatheron@yahoo.com
I'm working on Farm Girl Vintage right now and it's going to be cute, but I probably won't do a ton of samplers in the future. They feel inefficient, I can't get a good rhythm going. Also, there is something more restful to me about a quilt with some repetition in the design, especially when you like those eye-popping colors like I do.
I've made a few samplers and always end up giving them away. I think it's because I didn't keep a fabric theme in them. This year I'm in a few BOM's of the month and the blocks will be different. I'm going to use one or two of the same fabrics in each block and will see how I feel about the end project.
Thanks for the chance to win this beautiful book!
I am working on my first sampler quilt using the book, "Farmer's Wife 1930s Sampler Quilt". Not to crazy about working with six inch blocks, but I am going to finish it. Thank you for the chance to win the book, I have not worked with circles yet, but looks very interesting!
I love sampler quilts. I often find inspiration from the magazine 100 quilt blocks that comes our quarterly. I find an intriguing block I want to make and then collect them into a sampler quilt. Thanks for the introduction to this book and the opportunity to win a copy.
I've not done a sampler quilt. However, it might be fun to do. I've begun doing a few test blocks to test drive fabric and color combos and someday those might find a way into a larger project. Thanks for sharing, Angela
How in the world are you measuring that block to trim it to the right size before pressing open? Am I missing something?
You replied to me, however, I can see the diagonal seam however, how are you measuring. There is no diagonal on the seam on the ruler. The markings are all different from every part of the seam. But thank you for answering.
I love the variety of samplers!
I've never tried one. Looks like a great book! Thanks for the giveaway!
i have never tried a sampler. I would like to. what are you lining up to cut the hst? i would love to cute only two sides instead of four. thanks for sharing.
quilting dash lady at Comcast dot net
I love doing samplers. This book is so cool- love the modern look and fun fabrics chosen!!
I like sampler quilts. They are fun to make, and pretty, too. Thanks for the chance. PS: Try a bloclock ruler for squaring up HST's. It's super easy that way (the groove holds the seam area).
I don't usually care for traditional sampler quilts but , find my self in love with those that are very bright colored or the ones with different size sampler blocks cohesively assembled
To be honest, I normally shy away from samplers, but every so often I find one I adore! And your block is very fun!
I usually work on sampler quilts when I take advanced quilting classes. If the quilt catches my eye then I take the time to do it.
akk_nana@yahoo.com
So glad I found your blog! I'm new to curves and can't wait to explore more.
Love the choices of modern fabric for a sampler. Would certainly like to make the one with the negative space in the middle. I too do not readily pick a sampler quilt. Perhaps taking my time and working on several projects at once would help. Thanks for the chance
I said that I didn't like sampler quilts for a long time, but now I realize that I love MODERN sampler quilts, with something a little out of the ordinary. I love this book. I saw the block of the month on Pink Castle Fabrics website and I was hooked!
I love the fun ways they show of putting these blocks together-very different than I have seen before!
This looks like a really fun book!
My very first quilt was a sampler I made during a class at a local quilt shop many many years ago! Had to make templates, trace and cut with scissors and each block was hand sewn. I think it's time I did another one with modern tools and techniques. I like the idea of each block being different since I get bored doing the same thing over and over.
Well I have two sets of blocks (one a garden theme and one a beach theme) that we did as a Christmas exchange in our sew group. Still haven't put those together because I'm not quite sure what to do with them! Would love to have this book to give me ideas! Thanks for the opportunity.
I'm trying a mystery sampler QAL for the first time so I'm not sure how it'll go! Will be a good learning experience for sure.
I have done so many samplers – both bom's and stand alones – I have a big box labeled "12" squares" and it is stuffed. I also did the Moda big block quilt and quilts like gravity…am currently doing some mini projects just for calmness.
AnneMarie's book looks exciting Angela! Especially because of the inverse blocks. Your Moon & Star block turned out really Fun! That's a great block!
I love sampler quilts, but they do tend to be more time consuming to make because you can't do a lot of assembly line piecing.
I've never tried them but would love to give it a go! Thanks for the chance to win!
I haven't tried a sampler. I look at all the different blocks and think, "all that work and you only get one block." I like to chain stitch and do a bunch of blocks at the same time. That said, I think I must make at least one because they are challenging, interesting and it something everyone must do before they die. Right? Thanks.
I find the hardest thing about samplers is how to quilt them so each block is highlighted, and the overall patterns go together. Medallion quilts are a type of sampler that I want to create soon.