This week’s expert tips come from Kitty Wilkin. Kitty Wilkin [@nightquilter] is a photographer, life-chronicler through quilting, teacher, designer and quilter. Kitty shares helpful quilt photography tips on her website! She also has a Take Great Quilt Photos Now course--make sure to check it out! Photography Tips Blog Post. photo by kitty wilking Quilt Photography Tips The beautiful photo above, taken by Kitty, is her gorgeous version of the 2019 Summer Sampler, with one block repeated four times!     Kitty has an on Demand take Great Quilt Photos Now! Quilt Photography Class 20 ..read more

    Surprise! About midway through, I decided I wanted to add one more quilt block to this quilt along. Oh my goodness! I just noticed that I made my block wrong. I swapped the orientation of each of the 4 templates. This is the Broken Sash block—it is really easy to piece. Each of the blocks in this quilt along were selected from Barbara Brackman’s Encyclopedia for Pieced Quilt Patterns—I drafted the paper piecing templates, wrote all of my own instructions, etc. I chose blocks that all had particular angles and “fit together” to make interesting secondary shapes. This block has ..read more

    Mystic Maze is block #9 in the Summer Quilt Along! This block has so many interesting secondary patterns when you mock it up! There is a coloring page included in each block. I just mocked up a baby quilt using this block—so fun. All the quilt along posts Spend the summer making a choose your own adventure sampler quilt! This beginner-friendly sampler pattern features 9 different block designs—make the quilt as shown [2 options!] or create your own 13 block quilt. Note: Faith Jones, Lee Heinrich and I are not hosting the Summer Sampler this year. This quilt along will be run ..read more

This week's expert tips come from Faith Jones of Fresh Lemons Quilts. Faith Jones [@freshlemonsquilts] is an author, designer, quilter, and one of my favorite people to work with. We have co-hosted the Summer Sampler for years, and wrote Vintage Quilt Revival together. Faith shares helpful tips for choosing your quilting, specifically how to audition quilt designs for quilts.     Have you ever thought... wow, I wish I could see what different quilting patterns would look like on this quilt top before I take the plunge and start quilting [or pay someone to quilt!] With these tips f ..read more

    Memory is block #8 in the Summer Quilt Along! I think the small black triangles really add some pizazz to this block. You could really play around with color on this block and come up with something great! I like the quilt mocked up repeating this quilt block just as it is, too.! All the quilt along posts Spend the summer making a choose your own adventure sampler quilt! This beginner-friendly sampler pattern features 9 different block designs—make the quilt as shown [2 options!] or create your own 13 block quilt. Note: Faith Jones, Lee Heinrich and I are not hosting the Summe ..read more

This week's expert tips come from Yvonne Fuchs from Quilting Jetgirl. I don't know about you, but most quilters have a part of the process where they get stuck.     For years, I quilted my own quilts--even the quilts for my book, Vintage Quilt Revival. But I usually stalled at basting them. Now, I send quite a few to be long armed [something about paying a babysitter when i had a not-so-calm toddler so I could quilt and then realized I could just pay someone to quilt them]. Quilt Basting Tips Yvonne’s Meringue Quilt Pattern Get to know Yvonne in her own words, and check out her a ..read more

    It is Week 7 of the Summer Quilt Along. Spring Beauty is a fantastic traditional block, and I love how it looks mocked up in a quilt of its own. Spring Beauty is a "pineapple" block, where the design continues to radiate outwards. Some blocks are really versatile, and this one definitely is. So many different ways to color it. Each block has a coloring page for a quilt made up of just that week's block. I hope people take the individual blocks and make awesome quilts with them, too! Or use two different blocks in a single quilt. You could really play around with color on thi ..read more

This week's expert tips come from Amy Smart at Diary of a Quilter. Amy Smart is a fabric and pattern designer, author and quilter. Amy has shared so many wonderful tutorials, patterns, and more over the last decade +. Amy writes about choosing batting for a quilt here. Choosing Batting for a Quilt Organizing Your Sewing Space Amy has designed a few blocks for the Summer Sampler, including designing the Horsetail Falls block for the 2016 Sampler--there are 3 different layout options for this one!  2016 Summer Sampler Bella Solids Mockup Sign Up: 2022 Summer Quilt Along 2022 Summer Quil ..read more

If you have been quilting or creating for more than a few months, chances are, you have hit a creative slump. Sometimes a creative slump can last a day or two, sometimes it is a lot longer! Erica Taylor Jackman (@kitchentablequilting) is a pattern designer and quilter. Erica is sharing tips about organizing your sewing space this week--Erica is great at showing her space on Instagram stories and reels, so check it out! My guess is that even though Erica has an awesome studio she works out of now, she got her start sewing at her kitchen table, and has tips for all sorts of sewing spaces. Orga ..read more

    It is Week 6 of the Summer Quilt Along. Railroad Crossing is a fantastic traditional block, and I love how it looks mocked up in a quilt of its own. Each block has a coloring page for a quilt made up of just that week's block. I hope people take the individual blocks and make awesome quilts with them, too! Or use two different blocks in a single quilt. You could really play around with color on this block and come up with something great! I like the quilt mocked up repeating this quilt block just as it is, too. If you sign up, you will receive all of the previous files, and ..read more