*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 have never tried a sampler but think it would be so much fun!
Thanks!
I think it depends on the quilt patern some just draw your eyes in until you 've seen everything. Others are just ho-hum.
I think it depends on the quilt patern some just draw your eyes in until you 've seen everything. Others are just ho-hum.
I have never tried one, love your block with the patterned background. It looks great x
Iain.ross30 at gmail dot com
I've never done a sampler quilt. I like them because it's not all matchy match. I don't like things to match and prefer an eclectic design. Thanks for the chance to win! Shopgirl7232 at yahoo dot com
I adore sampler quilts. I've made one and hope to make many more. This looks like the perfect book for me 🙂
I haven't done a sampler yet, but I'd like to. I recently learned about "presashing," i.e. putting sashing on each block as you finish it, which apparently makes it easier. And I like the look of setting squares.
I have done a few sampler, but really like the concept of combining sampler blocks with a modern flair. Looks like a very interesting book. Thanks so much for the giveaway.
I have made samplers as part of shop hobs, but generally don't do them otherwise.
I like samplers they have a touch of everything. Thanks for the great idea on squaring up your triangles!
I struggle with samplers, because they often seem disjointed. But I enjoy making them, and I've participated in a couple Saturday Sampler programs (and finished them!). I'm about to dive in to Elizabeth Hartman's Patchwork City, so I hope I can manage it!
I love sampler quilts, and would love to win this neat book. robinsheloratearthlinkdotnet
I made about four blocks of a sampler quilt about three years ago. I've seen some bloggers finishing theirs lately and it's spurred me to get mine back out. I'm not sure why I never finished in the first place. I think it's because everyone was doing x blocks a week and I'm more of a 'get her done' kind of gal.
I have recently fallen in love all over again with sampler quilts! What I am doing now is gathering ideas for color combos and different settings on a pinterest board; I am hoping that will allow me to focus on options before I put a quilt together; I am a hopelessly visual person!
I've never made a sampler quilt – I love your block!!
a lot of my quilt are
I have not tried a sampler quilt yet. But am always willing to try something new.
I think AnneMarie has a lot of great suggestions for making your sampler unique. I struggle with them too, but like her idea of choosing a block and then enlarging it to make it become the setting for your sampler blocks. She has some very creative ideas. Thanks for sharing!
I've done a few sampler quilts, mostly quilt shop blocks of the month. I just heard about this book on Pat Sloan's podcast, and am hoping I win it!
I've never tried one. I really need a bee friend to do one with me to keep me going. For variation, I'd try setting the blocks on point or for a more modern vibe, add sashing of varying widths to stagger the blocks around the quilt top.
I've never made a sampler, and I have to say they are not my bag, baby. But I love love love your block. I've been following this blog hop and really like the blocks in it and the idea of reverse blocks.
I like samplers for learning new things. I have a few in the UFO pile, but not a disproportionate amount.
I love your block: great combo of colors and prints! 🙂 And I love sampler quilts because with my ADD, I get bored when making a bunch of blocks of the same color and pattern: best to change it up in my opinion!! 🙂 Hugs, H
So far I've only done one sampler quilt, and I think it looks lovely hanging up. I've been reluctant to start a new one, but this book looks like the one! Thanks for the opportunity.
Angela, Just today a friend shared a gorgeous quilted bag made w/two sampler blocks, topped w/a batik, and the handles were from a totally different scale print (resembling 1930's repro). Samplers also make wonderful baby doll and small doggie blankets.
I've made a couple of sampler quilts and they were great for learning new techniques or different quilt blocks. But I prefer to make quilts that have one or two different blocks. I can finish them a lot faster!
tstanulis@verizon.net
I like samplers, but not with great frequency. I like that all the blocks aren't the same, so I don't get bored doing the same thing over and over. Picking fabrics in a quilt is the hardest part, so a sampler requires me to challenge myself more than normal.
I do like sampler quilts. They are fun to make because of the variety. Nancy A: rangerer@sbcglobal.net
I love to piece sampler quilts. The quilting I do find harder though!
I like sampler quilts done in non standard arrangements, especially with different sized blocks.
I also struggle with them but am about to start one myself. Love your colors and the block is awsome. Great tip about the hst. I would love a copy of the book.
I have never tried one. I enjoy looking at everyone else's but in my limited time, I feel more drawn to improv and making it up as I go. I seem to accomplish more this way when compared to the time it takes for me to follow a pattern.
HI,I'm a beginner quilter so I'm still enjoying lots of piecing+sashing+binding etc.! Love your Blog! Thanks for a sweet giveaway! msstitcher1214@gmail.com
I really like that block and how the same fabric is split. Thanks for sharing!
I've never done a Sampler Quilt, but I have done a Sampler table runner and a wall hanging many years ago. I am very much in love with the Moon and Star block though – and would love the book for that block alone! I love using a very light neutral for the background so that each block stands out. I think that setting makes me actually like a Sampler quilt!!!
I like the idea of samplers as I learn to do more types of blocks but I have a difficult time putting them together. Love the block you did.
I know what you mean about sampler blocks, but I like them! I've made a few of them as baby quilts and like when I color coordinate them. It gives the quilt a cohesiveness, yet the eye wanders all over to catch the different blocks.
I learned to quilt by making a sampler. It was in the early eighties,made with templates,and mostly hand pieced. I made more blocks than required because I had so much fun piecing. I still love piecing, but I have not made another sampler quilt. Don't know why? Maybe 2016 will be the year of the sampler for me.
I haven't done a sampler quilt. I would like to make one. I think it would be interesting to try.
Dmac5958ataoldotcom
I absolutely love the sister blocks! I think that is a brilliant idea! I have not yet made a sampler quilt, it is on my list to do though. I love your block and can't wait to see the other bloggers!
I'm making a few samplers this year for the first time. thabis for the chance to win!! Ksmith8@emich.edu
Love to make them
I've never made one but have always found them to be beautiful. Thanks for the chance to win the book!
I have never done one, but they look beautiful. jarvenpa1ne at gmail dot com
I have never made a sampler quilt, but I have recently seen some beauties. I think I was put off sampler quilts years ago when I would only see them made with very traditional fabrics. I quite like sampler quilts made with modern fabrics.
I have made one sampler quilt and found it difficult choosing blocks. This book would certainly help and looks good fun.
I try samplers and block of the month projects every year, but have yet to finish one! Goal for 2016 is to finish the two sampler block of the month projects I started last year!
I love samplers!! I get very bored doing the same block over and over. Plus samplers give me a chance to learn new blocks.
Thanks for the chance to win!!
From other posts about this book, it looks like it has some new and creative ways to set sampler blocks. I love them…it's fun to "modetnize" old idess! Thanks for the opportunity!
From other posts about this book, it looks like it has some new and creative ways to set sampler blocks. I love them…it's fun to "modetnize" old idess! Thanks for the opportunity!