Patterns By Jen: April 2019

Saturday, April 27, 2019

April Color Challenge Link Up

Time for the April Color Challenge Link Up.

We are 1/4 of the way through the year already! Have you enjoyed the blocks so far?

This year the link up is available just for you to share your gorgeous blocks, there are no prizes. You will need either an Instagram account, a Flickr account, or you will need to email me directly so I can put your block on my Instagram account and get you added. patternsbyjen(at)gmail(dot)com

If you haven't downloaded your April block yet, it is still free through the end of the month. You can find it in my Payhip store HERE. Each block now comes with a link to a full video how to!

You can also have the block instructions delivered directly to your inbox on the first of each month. Please make sure to add patternsbyjen(at)gmail(dot)com to your address book so you get the email.

Email sign up

If you are having trouble getting the link up to work please read THIS POST.

If you haven't already, you can join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook group to get inspiration for you blocks as well as tips, advice and encouragement from quilters sewing along with you.

If you missed the introduction post you can find it HERE. This post will be updated each month with a link to the new Color Challenge post, so you may want to bookmark it.

I can't wait to see your blocks! Thank you for stitching along with the 2019 Monthly Color Challenge!

Happy Stitching!

Jen

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Monday, April 1, 2019

April Color Challenge - Blue

Welcome April!

If you are new to the 2019 Monthly Color Challenge you can hop over quick to read through the introduction and also see the colors coming up in the months ahead.

This month's flower inspiration is Glory of the Snow. I had no idea when I chose this flower that we would be coming out of a winter of record breaking snowfall. Who can worry about that though, when these beauties are here to welcome spring?

Are you a beginner? For this month's blocks you might find these posts helpful:

Accurate cutting

Keeping your points

For this months block you will need:

Mat

Rotary cutter

Ruler

Marking pen/pencil

Specialty rulers that are NOT required, but helpful:

Tucker Trimmer

A great group of bloggers will be joining us throughout the year. April's bloggers are:

Joanne - Quilts By Joanne

Leanne - Devoted Quilter

Sarah - 123 Quilt

Nancy - Masterpiece Quilting

Make sure you visit their blogs, see their beautiful blocks and maybe even get some tips.

Piecing tips

For dark fabrics I recommend the Clover White Marking Pen (fine). It shows up really well on dark fabrics and disappears when you hit it with a hot iron. When marking the back of your half square triangle for hourglass blocks, make sure you are marking perpendicular to the seam.

I never trim my blocks, but if you are a trimmer I recommend waiting until all of your blocks are pieced and then trimming them all at once. Your goal is to have 12 1/2" unfinished blocks. I don't trim because I don't want to lose my points and since we make the units that makeup the block larger and trim them down, you should be fairly close to the correct size. If you are off 1/8 of an inch or less I really discourage trimming. If you are off 1/4 of an inch then instead of trimming I would suggest taking a look at your seam allowance and cutting, because trimming will definitely cause you to lose the look of the block.

Ready for your free April Monthly Color Challenge block? Find it HERE. Remember there is a change this year and the block is available for free only through April 30th. Use #2019monthlycolorchallenge on social media so we can see your blocks.

**NEW** Each months set of instructions comes with a full video tutorial!

To get the block instructions delivered right to your email sign up HERE.

This will not give you any of the previous month's blocks, you still need to go to Payhip and download those, but from this point on it will come directly to your inbox on the first of each month. Make sure to add patternsbyjen(at)gmail(dot)com to your email address book.