This post is part of the Totally Groovy Quilt Along. Click here to see all of the posts and learn more about the Quilt Along.
This is week twelve of the Totally Groovy QAL! I can't believe we are approaching the end of the QAL, time has completely flown by! Today submissions for the QAL will officially open with details below, but first I get to share my finished Groove quilt! I was a little afraid I wouldn't even meet my own deadline, but I worked very hard through the weekend and the early part of this week, and I am happy to say it is done and I am completely in love with it!
This has been such a fun event and adventure for me. When I purchased this pattern I had only began sewing and I told myself no matter what one day I would make this quilt. The pattern looked extremely intimidating to me and frankly I was a bit scared to do it. Time went by I learned more and felt a bit more confident, but new I didn't want to do it alone. So I recruited all of you wonderful folks to come along and make it with me. And that was such a good decision. You all have given me the drive and encouragement to get it done, while still enjoying every bit of the process. So without further ado here is my finished Groove quilt…
Making this quilt aloud me to conquer a lot of firsts. I had only a little practice with curves, it was the largest I have made, it was only my second time Free Motion Quilting on an entire quilt, and this will be the first quilt I actually get to keep for myself. So far I have made quilts for my children, family and friends, but not one for me. I figured this was the perfect one for myself :)
As I said before at first glance the pattern does seem a bit intimidating, but once you begin it is actually much much much easier than it looks. The curves we really fun and not hard at all. I ended up sewing all my curves without pins and I am walking away ready to do more, in fact I already have another curves quilt planned.
I was a bit frustrated during the piecing stage trying to line up all of the seams, and I can see how the hacked log cabin method would definitely be a better solution.
I stuck pretty close to my quilting sketch I had originally made, and despite my fears of FMQ decided that no other quilt would provide such a wonderful opportunity to practice FMQ than the Groove quilt. So I just went for it, and I had so much fun doing it. I was concerned that dealing with the bulk of the quilt would kill me, but with FMQ it really was very relaxing! I will also say that I am incredibly in love with my new Juki 2010Q, it is a quilting work horse and so nice to work on. If you are in the market for a machine check it out.
Being the host of this quilt along, I don't get to win any prizes or goodies, but let me tell you that the ultimate prize is having this finished quilt in hand! Speaking of prizes lets talk about Quilt Submissions…
It's time to start linking up! To qualify to enter a submission, the quilt must be completed binding and all. When you submit a quilt you can link up to a blog post or Flickr photo, or Pinterest photo, whichever you would like. Please try to share a little insight into your experience while making the quilt and the more photos the better! You have until October 25th to submit your final quilt. At which time the judges Angela Walters, Emily Cier, and myself will narrow the submissions down to 10 final quilts. On October 30th the finalist will be announced and public voting will begin. Voting will close on Friday, November 2nd at 5pm MST and the final 3 winners will be announced on Saturday, November 3rd as well as the winner of the final participant drawing. These are the wonderful prizes…
Originally I had asked that to qualify to enter a submission, the quilt must be completed binding and all. Since I know so many of you worked really hard and were only able to get your Quilt Tops done here is what I would like to do. Sorry I am only changing this the day before submissions are due, but the idea just came to me last night.
COMPLETED QUILTS
If you have a fully completed quilt, link it up and you will qualify to possibly win the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place prizes. You will also be entered in to the Final Participant Drawing. My plan was for the judges Angela Walters, Emily Cier, and myself will to narrow the submissions down to 10 final quilts which would then be voted on by the public. But, right now we only have 11 final quilts submitted, if we do not get over 15 final quilts then I will allow all of the quilts to go to public voting. On October 30th public voting will begin.
COMPLETED QUILT TOPS
If you have only completed you quilt top, please link it up and you will not be able to win the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place prizes BUT you will be entered in to the Final Participant Drawing with a chance to win a $50 GC to Fat Quarter Shop!
You have until October 25th at 12pm MST to link up your quilts! LINK UP HERE
Here are the wonderful Prizes at stake…
$100 Gift Certificate to Mad About Patchwork
$75 Gift Certificate to Fat Quarter Shop
$100 Gift Certificate to Fat Quarter Shop
$50 Gift Certificate to Cotton Blossom Famrs
All final submission participants will be entered into a drawing for a chance to win a $50 Gift Certificate to the Fat Quarter Shop
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Viewing this in your email? Click here to link up!
Spoonflower makes it possible for individuals to design, print and sell their own fabric designs. It was founded in May 2008 by two Internet geeks who had crafty wives but who knew nothing about textiles. The company came about because Stephen’s wife, Kim, persuaded him that being able to print her own fabric for curtains was a really cool idea. She wasn’t alone. The Spoonflower community now numbers over half a million individuals who use their own fabric to make curtains, quilts, clothes, bags, furniture, dolls, pillows, framed artwork, costumes, banners and much, much more. The Spoonflower marketplace offers the largest collection of independent fabric designers in the world. The site has appeared in the New York Times, Associated Press, Vogue, Martha Stewart Weddings, Make, CRAFT, ApartmentTherapy, Photojojo, and many other terrific publications and blogs..
I personally hope someday I will be selling my own fabric designs at Spoonflower, but for now I purchase all of my Pile O' Fabric tags from them and I love it!
Spoonflower is giving away a 1 Free Yard of Custom Printed Kona Cotton to two lucky Pile O' Fabric Readers.
Congrats Jenelle & Charlotte Maxwell you have won! I have emailed you.
I have enjoyed quilting along with you thus far and cant wait to see your finished quilts! Good Luck!
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Creator of Pile O' Fabric