Celeste's Personal Quilt Along

Every once in a while I have a really great idea!  Really!

Now I know this doesn't look like much, but let me explain......introducing (drum roll) Celeste's Personal Quilt Along!

I am sure we can all think of times we've learned something about ourselves and the way we operate best.  Sometimes these revelations can be life changing and sometimes they just help you get your quilts finished!

Recently I have discovered things I love about being a quilter and things I don't.  After a very exhausting season of swaps last year I felt exhausted.  I wrote and posted in my sewing room a little list of things I love to do, things I sort of like to do occaiosionally and those things I better think really hard about saying yes to.  

What I already knew is that I love making quilts most of all (surprise!) - not bags, clothes, etc.  Then I realized how much I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE quilt alongs/sew alongs.  They are so much fun to me and I feel like I can manage the sizable weekly or monthly chunks they come in.

So my revelation was, "What if I did this with all my WIPs (Works In Progress) that already had cut out and ready to go?"  So I decided to make the list above and have my very own personal quilt along.  Each day is dedicated to a block or two of a current quilt along online (like the Bloom Sew Along) and any quilts that I have cut and waiting to be finished!  

And so far?  After a week?  I am loving this method!  Even if a day goes by where that block doesn't get done, I can just pick up where I left off the next week.  

Really all this is a method of organized madness for making all these beautiful quilts instead of keeping them in drawers!

Maybe you too could host your own personal quilt along!  Join me!

A few progress shots.....

#daisiesthursday

#swoonfriday

#simplestarmonday

#toneitdowntuesday

#greatgrannysquaredwednesday

Bloom Sew Along Progress

I have been having such a wonderful time participating in the Bloom Sew Along from Lori Holt and Riley Blake.  Every week we have been making an applique block using Lori's super adorable Sew Simple Shapes!  It has been a real learning and growing experience for me!  I used to only do applique with raw edge shapes and I HAD to use Steam A Seam to hold it down.  And this I didn't do very often!

Using Lori's Sew Simple Shapes and the amazing tutorials on her blog, I have learned to love applique!

I have been using the wonderful Calico Days fabric by Lori Holt for Riley Blake Designs.  It has some of the most adorable little prints and the colors are so bright and happy - right up my alley!

You can get the free pattern over at the Riley Blake blog and then follow along on Lori's blog every Monday for her block tutorials!

Week One

Week Two

Week Three

Week Four

Weeks Five and Six

Week Seven

Week Eight

Week Nine

At the end of every four weeks, you will have enough blocks with borders to create a row.  I have been sewing my rows together after each fourth block!  I love how it makes the quilt feel so much closer to being finished!

 

Hurry up!  It's not too late to grab your shapes and some adorable scrappy happy fabric and join in the fun!!
Have a super happy quilty day!
Celeste