Super Sunday: 1st Year Blogiversary GIVEAWAY!!! Woo-Hoo!!!

Hi peeps! 

As you have probably guessed from today's title…today is my 1 year anniversary of starting to write the Quilt, sew Happy! blog!!! Wow! I never imagined what kinds of things would come my way just from writing a quilting blog!

My great sponsor, Connecting Threads is offering a 29-piece fat quarter bundle of their newest collection, called Line Dried, (shown above and below) to one lucky blog follower. This line, like most of their in-house fabric collections, is a great value too: Only $5.96/yard!

The Line Dried collection reminds me of those lovely vintage aprons and table linens that you can come across while at the thrift store or country estate sales. So sweet! 

Connecting Threads also shows you which of their "basics collection" and Essentials brand thread coordinate with this line when you go to the Line Dried page under the Fabric tab on their website.

*Giveaway has ended and the prize has been claimed*

Now for the GIVEAWAY:

I am going to make it easy for you to enter to win this lovely fat quarter bundle;

-just follow this blog by email or with Bloglovin' and tell me how you do. There are windows to follow by email and Bloglovin' just below my profile blurb.

Note-If you choose to follow my blog via email you will receive a confirmation email from Feedburner(the email delivery company). This is not spam. You need to click the link in this email to activate your email subscription to this blog. If you don't, you won't get any of my posts and you won't be eligible to win this giveaway.

I only write 2-3 posts per week so I won't be clogging up your inbox!!!

That's it! Easy-Peasy!!

The giveaway will be open from today, Sunday, May 17, 2015 to Thursday, May 21, 2015. I will have The Hubs draw a number(the comment number) on Friday, May 22nd.

Please, please make sure I have a way to contact you. Most people don't even know that they are a "no-reply blogger" which means that their email address is not visible to anyone. So, if you are not sure if you are a "no-reply blogger" or not, please leave me an email address so that I can contact you if you are my winner. You could type your email address out this way: 

youremail at yahoo dot com, so that you won't get hit by scammers. I would never sell, share etc. your email address with anyone!

Remember in the Country Village QAL, Part 3 post where I made a boo-boo? …Well I did fix it and here's the photo. This is how your block should look; main fabric, then your center fabric and another fabric, for the center of the block.

After I got all of my block centers done, I laid out each pile of cut squares in the 25 different prints for the 25 blocks. Then I chose a center block to contrast with the main fabric and made little piles so I wouldn't mix them up like I did on the Part 3 post!

Sharing is caring!!! 
Don't forget that I am happy to share with your friends…feel free to pin to Pinterest, post on Google+ and Facebook, and Tweet away! Just please play fair and make sure your posts link back to this blog. 

*If you mouse/hover over the top right corner of my photos, a red "Pin-it" button will show up and all you have to do is click it to be taken to Pinterest. There is also another red button right beside it for posting to Facebook and Twitter. Or, you could always use the little square grey buttons at the end of this post. 

Thanks for reading and have a great day! 

Quilty Huggs, 

Jacqueline 

PLEASE NOTE: This blog accepts forms of compensation such as, but not limited to; fabric/notions/patterns/books in exchange for a posted review and/or tutorial. All comments/critiques/opinions are completely my own and are not those of the provider. This blog may also contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links. Thanks so much!

SEW MAMA SEW GIVEAWAY IS HERE!!!**INTERNATIONAL** YAY!!!

Hi peeps! 

This is my giveaway package!

Welcome fellow travellers, to my stop on the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway train!!! Thanks for coming to my little blog, Quilt, sew Happy!  ;-)

For those of you who don't know, the Sew Mama Sew blog hosts a semi-annual(May and December) giveaway spree each year and that means there is lots of swag to be won!!! Woo-hoo!!! 

The Sew Mama Sew blog allows us blog writers to post a photo of what we are giving away as well as a link to our blog, on their website. This helps all sorts of new people to get to know different blogs and hopefully the participating blogs will gain new followers…so it's a win-win situation for everyone! 

We can choose to offer quilting/crafting supplies(like me) and/or a homemade item like a quilted pouch or mug rug. There is a USA-only mailing section, for those who prefer to mail the winnings to USA addresses only, and an International section…which is where I am, as I am a Canadian blogger! 

I have won a few prizes offered by several individuals over the last few years, and this is the first time I am offering a prize! I hope you'll agree, it's a goodie!

This is my one and only award-winning quilt, called "Kitty-Cat Chat"; I won a third prize ribbon at our local fair! I bought the cute cat print while on vacation visiting an Aunt and Uncle.

I thought you might like to get to know a little about me: 

I am a late-40's Christian wife and mother who loves to quilt, cook, and go thrifting/garage-saling for vintage finds. We live in a small town about an hour east of Vancouver, BC and have 2 sons, aged 24 and 16. The eldest is going to University in Eastern Canada and my youngest is enjoying having his first job!

I have been blogging for just under a year(my 1st blog-iversary is May 17th!); I've made more than a few beginner mistakes! Eek! Would you believe that I actually started this blog without owning a digital camera??? Ha ha ha!

Part of the over 4,000 x 1" hexies I made for a new quilt for my youngest son.

I am really enjoying getting to know the people that I come into e-contact with through this blog and have already held several giveaways(there might be another one coming on May 17!!…hint hint!)!

I guess you could say that my quilting style is Traditional-Modern. I love colour and have slowly begun to embrace solids, but my true love is scraps and scrappiness! I love all scraps equally; mine, from pen pals and scrap bags from thrift stores!

I like to make quick things, but am not deterred by a longer project. I have made so many quilts, including 6 full-sized ones for a women's shelter, but rarely photograph them(didn't have a camera). Everyone in my family and my in-laws have a bed-sized quilt that I made especially for them.

Wall-hanging I made with blocks from a block raffle at the Lions Gate Quilt Guild(I made the top right one). I got the little red sailboat buttons from a pen pal in France!

Come have a look around my blog! Under the various tabs you'll see I like vintage things, sharing recipes, thrifty tips and even have a few tutorials under my belt…yay! 

Last Wednesday, I started my very first quilt-a-long, with a block I designed, above. I'm so, so excited that one of my designs will actually be published, even though it is only being self-published!

Maison de Provence…the prints are so beautiful in person that it was hard to cut them up!

Here are part 1 and part 2 of my Country Village Quilt-A-Long, featuring the Maison de Provence fabric collection by Connecting Threads.  You can also find all the steps as they are posted under the QAL tab just below my blog name header.

So, without further ado, let's get to the giveaway!!!

GIVEAWAY HAS ENDED AND PRIZE HAS BEEN AWARDED

*Just to remind you!*

This is what one lucky individual will win from me:

-half-yard of the pink/black floral fabric with gold accents that is the background of the above photo,
-2 spools of Essentials-brand thread by Connecting Threads(black &white),
-Olfa-brand rotary cutter(45 mm blade),
-pack of Olfa-brand replacement blades,
-6-pack of handy Craft Clips(I use these to hang orphan blocks up in my sewing room),
-mini screwdriver with a big, chunky handle,
and,
-pair of metal thread snips.

…gee, I wouldn't mind winning a prize like that!!! Hee Hee Hee!

Here's the rules:

1. I am always very curious as to where my blog-readers are located(especially which country)…so, for your first entry, please tell me where you live, for ex: Vancouver, BC, Canada.

2. For a second entry, you can follow my blog via E-MAIL* or BLOGLOVIN' only and tell me how you do so. There is a follow-me window to enter your e-mail address and a follow by Bloglovin' button near the top right area of this blog, just below my profile blurb. 

-Those who follow my blog elsewhere(G+, Tw, FB etc.) must sign up to either above-mentioned method, to gain this second entry. 

*If you choose to follow me by e-mail, you will be sent a confirmation email from Feedburner(the e-mail sender). This is not spam. You must click on the link provided to activate you subscription to Quilt, sew Happy!, or you won't get my blog posts. I usually post only 2-3 times a week, so I won't be flooding your inbox!!!

(I know that most of you are here because of the SMS giveaway, but it would be great if you continue to be a follower of Quilt, sew Happy! even after the giveaway is over). ;-)

****2 entries ONLY per person, please****

This giveaway runs from Wednesday, May 6, 2015 to Sunday, May 10, 2015 at midnight, Pacific Time. My Hubs will choose a comment number as the winner on Monday, May 11, 2015. I will email you to let you know that you have won my prize and ask for your full name and snail-mail address.

***Please, please make sure I have a way to contact you, or you can't win. So many people are classified as a "no-reply blogger", which means there is no e-mail addy connected to their profile. If you are not sure, please include your email(I promise I will never use it, share it, sell it, whatever!!!). An easy way to type your email would be "your e-mail name (at) yahoo (dot) com", that way you shouldn't get anyone spamming your e-mail address.

Thanks for entering and good luck!

Sharing is caring!!!
Don't forget that I am happy to share with your friends…feel free to pin to Pinterest, post on Google+ and Facebook, and Tweet away! Just please play fair and make sure your posts link back to this blog. 

*If you mouse/hover over the top right corner of my photos, a red "Pin-it" button will show up and all you have to do is click it to be taken to Pinterest. There is also another red button right beside it for posting to Facebook and Twitter. Or, you could always use the little square grey buttons at the end of this post. 

Thanks for reading and have a great day! 

Quilty Huggs, 

Jacqueline 

PLEASE NOTE: This blog accepts forms of compensation such as, but not limited to; fabric/notions/patterns/books in exchange for a posted review and/or tutorial. All comments/critiques/opinions are completely my own and are not those of the provider. This blog may also contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links. Thanks so much!

COUNTRY VILLAGE QUILT-A-LONG! YAY!!! PART 1: Introduction, Schedule and Supply List ;-)

Hi peeps! 

For blocks and cornerstones

As promised in this post last Wednesday, today is the starting point for my Country Village Quilt-A-Long! Below is a hand-drawn example of the Country Village quilt block, designed by me(yay)! Sorry, I was not organized enough to have a sewn up a block for you beforehand…grr... 

So, please bear with me until next QAL post when there will be a real live block for you to see! I don't dare show you my own "test sample" block as it is made up with ancient, hideous, floral prints that I got in a scrap bag from Value Village!!!

I am working with the Maison de Provence fabric line(pictured above) by Connecting Threads. The photos don't do it justice at all, as the prints are so much more rich and vibrant. It is also economical-this line costs only $5.96 a yard!

Just so you know-Connecting Threads has generously provided me with the Maison De Provence fabric, a spool of Essentials thread and the Hobbs batting needed for this QAL, at my request.

Schedule(Wednesdays)...subject to change if I fall behind!!!

1. April 29- Introduction, schedule of posts and supply list.

2. May 6-Cutting fabrics for the Country Village blocks, cornerstones and sashing strips(we will cut the borders and binding strips in later posts).

3. May 13-Instructions for piecing the Country Village blocks.

***4 week break for piecing the 25 blocks***

4. June 17-Adding lattice strips, corner stones, laying out the blocks and sewing them all together. (I have a special way of doing this!)

5. July 1-Cutting and adding both borders.

6. July 7-Preparing the pieced backing and label.

7. July 14-Spray-basting the three-layer quilt sandwich.

**Break now till mid-September/October. It is just too hot to machine quilt!**

8. TBA-Machine Straight-Line and Free-Motion Quilting.

***2+ week break to allow for machine-quilting the entire quilt***

9. TBA-Cutting and sewing the binding to the quilt. 

10. TBA-View of the finished quilt after washing.

These are the three fat quarters that I removed from the 28-piece Maison De Province fat quarter bundle. The print on the left will be used for part of the Country Village block centres and the middle print is the "background" print. I might use the print on the right as corners on the outer border, but that will have to wait till the blocks are put together into a flimsy!

Fabric Requirements and Basic Supplies

*I have included the Connecting Threads fabric names and stock numbers so that you can make your quilt with Maison De Provence, exactly like mine…or you could choose another of their lovely fabric collections!

-25 dark or medium-dark value fat quarters(for blocks)*. I used 25 of the 28-piece Maison de Provence fat quarter bundle, #7213.(A fat quarter is a 18" x 21"-22" cut of fabric). * you could use a linear quarter yard cut(9" x 42") of fabric instead of a fat quarter. 

-0.75 yard of a contrasting medium to medium-light print(block centres).* French Medallion-Parchment, #7172, shown above on left. 
*you will have to piece one square from scraps if you have not also purchased the 28-piece fat quarter bundle…or you can always purchase 7/8ths yard of this fabric.

-4.5 yards of a light fabric(background)-can be a tone-on-tone like mine, above centre and below). Colette-Parchment, #7165.*
*I don't pre-wash my fabrics, so if you do, please purchase 4.75 yards of this fabric. The same goes if you are unsure or new to rotary cutting(buy 4.75 Yds).

-0.5 yard of a dark or medium-dark co-ordinating print(inner border), see burgundy print, second photo down. Feathered Sprigs-Rosewood, #7178.

-1.5 yards dark print,(outer border), see dk. green sprigged print in second photo below. Colette-Med. Mineral Green, #7163.

-1.25 yards dark co-ordinating stripe(bias binding). Cote d'Azur-Multi, #7157.

-2.5 yards wide backing. Amelie 104 Wide Backing-Lt. Mineral Green, #7191.

-100% Cotton or cotton/poly blend thread-Essentials brand in Sandstone, #20950. 

-Batting-queen-sized, must be at least 90" x 90". Hobbs Tuscany Cotton/ Wool Blend Batting, #21303. 

Also: Sewing machine in good working order, rotary cutter with new blade, various square and rectangular acrylic rulers, straight pins, new all-purpose needle in your machine, quilting needle, iron and ironing board.

PS: You can copy and paste these requirements(and the schedule as well) into a word document to make it easier to refer to.

**I will be putting all of the Quilt-A-Long posts under their own tab just under my title header. That way you can find a specific step with ease!

This is for the "pathways" or "background" of the blocks and lattice strips. It is difficult to see in my photo, but this is a tone-on-tone print.

From left: Centres, inner border, outer border and binding-to be cut on the bias.

Backing fabric and my thread choices for piecing and machine-quilting. For piecing, I always use two colours, one slightly darker than the other. For this project, I will be using my 5,000-yard cones of Sandstone, #20982, in the needle, and Taupe, #20980 in the bobbin. I find it easier to distinguish which thread is top and which is bottom this way. I got these two cones during a Connecting Threads sale and they last a super looong time!!!

Queen-sized cotton-wool blend batting. I am SOOO stoked to try this batting out! Has anyone used cotton/wool batting before? It is very light and soft and I think it would beautifully show off hand-quilting.

I hope that you are as excited as I am to get started on this Quilt-A-Long! 

Feel free to leave a comment or email me(my addy is on the "Drop me a line" page), if you need some assistance or even if you don't; I love hearing from you!

Sharing is caring!!! 
Don't forget that I am happy to share with your friends…feel free to pin to Pinterest, post on Google+ and Facebook, and Tweet away! Just please play fair and make sure your posts link back to this blog. 

*If you mouse/hover over the top right corner of my photos, a red "Pin-it" button will show up and all you have to do is click it to be taken to Pinterest. There is also another red button right beside it for posting to Facebook and Twitter. Or, you could always use the little square grey buttons at the end of this post. 

Thanks for reading and have a great day! 

Quilty Huggs, 

Jacqueline 

PLEASE NOTE: The writer of this blog accepts forms of compensation such as, but not limited to; fabric/notions/patterns/books in exchange for a posted review. All comments/critiques/opinions are completely my own and are not those of the provider. This post may also contain affiliate links and I will receive a small commission if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links. Thanks so much!