January 2020 Monthly Color Challenge

The 2020 Color Challenge is here! Are you ready?

This year our Color Challenge has gone to the birds! Inspired by their gracious flight, unique and sometimes vibrant color, I chose birds to guide us in our challenge this year. To see the full year in preview read the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Announcement.

Our bird for January is....

the American Golden Finch.

A little background on the Golden Finch:

The male is, as always, the colorful version of the species.

They grow only up to 5."

They enjoy any type of seed from bird feeders.

The Finch is classified as a song bird due to it's distinct chirp.

During this time of year, when it's cold and snowy the Golden Finch will burrow in the snow, or roost with others in a coniferous tree.

For more fun facts visit Bird Eden.

One thing I love about the American Golden Finch is that it literally shows every color that is laid out in the January block. Let's take a look at the original version first.

This block is super simple. While there is still a little trimming/sub-cutting, there are no triangles. Enjoy this fact, because it won't last long. Bwaaahaahaaahaa (That's my evil, half square triangle loving laugh.)

This year I am offering instructions for making the background the same throughout with a neutral. You can download the yardage amount and instructions HERE.

See the short video for a "how to" on cutting the yardage.

This year we have an amazing group of bloggers; over 30 of them throughout the year! You can meet all of them in THIS POST.

January bloggers:

Kathy - Kathy's Kwilts and More

Kathy - Penny For My Thoughts

Joanne - Everyone Deserves A Quilt

Sarah - The Quilted Diary

Willow - Bear Paw Stitch and Design

Enjoy their posts and make sure to leave a note letting them know you were there. We all appreciate it when we know people are viewing our work. You can find them on Instagram, too. If you find the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge button on my Instagram page it will have these bloggers tags. Follow them for more quilty inspiration!

Have you heard?! We have sponsors for the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge! Meet all of them in THIS POST! 

Prizes will be given quarterly: April 1, July 1, Oct 1 and January 1 2021. To enter you must link up your block at the end of the month. Each month you enter gives you a chance to win. If you miss one month, don't despair, you can still enter the other months for a chance.

 

Quarter 1 Sponsors

Sponsors for January through March are:

Quilters Chic - PDF Pattern

3rd Story Workshop: Andrea Jackson - Book: Gemology






For the Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

Quilters Dream Batting - Dream Fusible 80/20 - 60" x 60"

Andover Fabrics - Fabric Bundle -  Giucy Giuce's DECLASSIFIED

Warm Company - Warm and Natural - Needled Cotton Batting 45" x 60"

Make Modern Magazine - 6 month subscription

Patterns By Jen - Superior Thread S-Fine 50

Patterns By Jen - Tucker Trimmer

I would truly appreciate if you would let these amazing sponsors know our appreciation in the comments below and/or on their social media pages.

Are you ready to get your block instructions? Remember if you want to get the block sent directly to your email you need to sign up HERE. This will NOT give you past blocks, including this months. You will have to go to the Payhip shop to get past blocks. You need to sign up even if you received the 2019 Monthly Color Challenge in your email.  On the first of each month you will receive the block instructions in your email. Please make sure to add Patterns By Jen to your email address book. If you don't see it in your email sometime during the 1st/2nd, make sure you check your spam and promo files.

Now it's time! Follow the Payhip Link to the January block and get stitching!

Thank you so much for sewing along with me and the amazing 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Bloggers!

Happy Stitching!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

2020 Monthly Color Challenge

Newsletter sign up

Find paper, digital patterns, and Studio 180 Design rulers in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring

Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook page.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily sneak peeks and updates.

December Color Challenge Link Up

It's late, but it's here!

I'm trying a different Linky Party host and hoping that this is easier for everyone to use.

The linky party will be open through Jan 3rd, 11:59 PM CST.

If you haven't joined the link up before, this is the perfect time to try. 1) It helps you practice for the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge that now includes prizes. 2) It gives me an idea of how user friendly this new host is.

If you haven't downloaded your December 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!

If you missed the introduction post for the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge 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.

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.

I can't wait to see your blocks! Thank you for stitching along with the 2019 Monthly Color Challenge! I hope to "see" you for the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge!

2020 Monthly Color Challenge Announcement

2020 Bloggers

2020 Sponsors

I can't wait to see your December blocks! 

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Happy Stitching!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

2020 Monthly Color Challenge

Newsletter sign up

Find paper, digital patterns, and Studio 180 Design rulers in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring

Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook page.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily sneak peeks and updates.

Meet The 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Sponsors!

I'm so excited to introduce you to the sponsor for the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge!

The generosity of the sponsors had me all verklempt and humbled inside. Make sure that you visit their sites and/or give them a shout out in the comments, because they have been super generous to us.

            

        

This year the prizes will be given out quarterly.  To enter you must link up a pieced block each month, one block link up per month, per quilter. If you link up each month during the quarter you will have three chances to win. (Don't worry, I will be here to help make sure you get your block linked up!)

Prizes will be randomly selected on April 1, July 1, Oct 1 and Jan 1, 2021.

     

                 

To visit each sponsor simply click on their logo. The actual prizes will be listed each quarter, but prepare to have your socks knocked off each quarter, I really think you will love what is coming your way.

If you haven't heard about the Color Challenge yet you can find out more of what is coming at "Announcing the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge" post.

Meet the 30+ bloggers.

Check out the 2019 Monthly Color Challenge and the 2018 Monthly Color Challenge as well.

Sign up to have the block sent directly to your email! Each block comes with a "how to" video right in the instructions.

We're less than two weeks away from getting started! Go gather your colors, visit the bloggers and sponsors and sleep with visions of pretty blocks dancing in your head!

Happy Stitching!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

2020 Monthly Color Challenge

Newsletter sign up

Find paper, digital patterns, and Studio 180 Design rulers in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring

Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook page.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily sneak peeks and updates.

Meet the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Bloggers

During the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge there will be over thirty bloggers sharing their tips, tricks and pretty blocks with you throughout the year.

There will be many familiar "faces" but there are some new bloggers as well!

Photo by Gwen Weustink on Unsplash

If you missed the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge post you can find all of the details HERE.

Kathy - Kathy's Kwilts and More
Kathy - Penny For My Thoughts
Joanne - Everyone Deserves a Quilt
Sarah - The Quilted Diary
Willow - Bear Paw Stitch and Design
Claudia - Create With Claudia
Carolyn - Sweet Boater Chick
Catherine - Ali & CC
Kathryn - Dragonfly's Quilting Design Studio
Pamela - Pamela Quilts


I hope you take some time over the next few days and months to visit the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Bloggers.


Anja - Anja Quilts
Mona - Ky Whittaker Creations
Terri - Purple Moose Designs
Jen - Faith and Fabric
Roseanne - Home Sewn By Us
Stephanie - Quilt'n Party
Pam -  The Strong Cofee Press
Kris - Scrapdash
Tammy - Tamarinis
Fawn - Quilty Creations by Fawn
Kathleen - Kathleen McMusing

They will be working hard all year to make blocks and share other fun quilty things with you.

Kate - Katie Mae Quilts
Wendy - Pieceful Thoughts
Joanne - Quilts By Joanne
Sarah - Sew Joy Creations
Alla - rainbows, bunnies cupcakes
Becca - Pretty Piney Quilts
Stephanie - Steph Jacobson Designs
Terri - Lizard Creek Quilting
Sheila - So This is Kentucky
Sandra - Textile Time Travels

Take your time and have a look see at these awesome bloggers, bookmark their blogs, and start pulling fabric, because the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge will be here before we know it! Unlike the American Robin who will not return for many, many months here in Minnesota.

We will be making half-square triangles (HST), Flying Geese (FG), Square in a Square (SIS) blocks as well as some tradition four patch units. I like these specialty rulers for trimming these blocks. They are NOT required, but they definitely make trimming a little faster/easier.

Tucker Trimmer for HST
Wing Clipper for FG
Square Squared2 for SIS

You can find these in my Etsy shop HERE.

***Now through December 31,2019***
Receive FREE SHIPPING ( to US residents only, 50% shipping refund on orders outside of the country) on any ruler with code 2020MCC

To have the block sent directly to your email sign up HERE.

NOTE: Even if you signed up for emails for 2019, you will still need to sign up for the 2020 emails this year.


Start looking through your stash then come back for:


Meet the sponsors! December 20th.

Happy Stitching!
Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

2020 Monthly Color Challenge

Newsletter sign up

Find paper and digital patterns in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring

Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook page.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily sneak peeks and updates.

Announcing the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge!

Welcome to year THREE of the Monthly Color Challenge!

There is so much to be excited for this year, and I will try to keep the exclamation points to a dull roar, but I think year three is going to be better than ever! There are over 30 bloggers joining the Color Challenge this year and over 15 sponsors. Yes, that's right, sponsors, which means prizes are back! Who's ready to get into the nitty gritty?

This year's color inspiration is "Birds." This is going to have us diving deep into our fabric stash! I've added a few colors we haven't used in the past, but don't start throwing bird poop at me, what good is a stash diving challenge if we use the same colors every year?

2020 Monthly Colors

January - Finch (yellow)
February - Indigo Bunting (aqua)
March - Oriole (orange)
April - Honey Creeper (purple)
May - Budgerigar (green)
June - Blue Bird (blue)
July -American Robin (rust)
August - Flamingo (pink)
September - Cinnamon Teal (cinnamon)
October - Ruby-crowned Kinglet (olive)
November - Buff-breasted Sandpiper (buff)
December - Cardinal (red)

How much fabric do I need?

The general rule is a fat quarter of light and a fat quarter of dark will be enough. If you are using scraps the longest strip you will need is 19" and the largest piece you will need is a 7 1/2" square.

***NEW THIS YEAR***
This year includes the option to have all the same background, instead of using the lighter color for that month. Download the file HERE.

Blocks are available for free during the month. After the month has passed blocks are available for $1.

Do I *have* to use my stash?

No. If you want to go purchase some new fabrics to play with you are more than welcome to. *I* do, because I don't keep a stash. There may be colors you really don't have, maybe they aren't your favorite to work with, maybe the ARE your favorite, so they get used all the time and your stash is low on the color.

I'm a total beginner, should I even try?

Definitely! This is the perfect time to join! Each block is beginner friends AND comes with a "how-to" video linked right in the instructions.  The Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook group is full of helpful quilters, too, so make sure you join and ask any questions you may have.

To get started I recommend you check out the link to Beginners Unite. A post that has great information and "how-tos" for beginners.

What supplies do I need?

You will need all the pretty fabric colors listed above, a cutting mat, rotary cutter, rulers, fabric marking tool, pins, and an iron.

We will be making half-square triangles (HST), Flying Geese (FG), Square in a Square (SIS) blocks as well as some tradition four patch units. I like these specialty rulers for trimming these blocks. They are NOT required, but they definitely make trimming a little faster/easier.

Tucker Trimmer for HST
Wing Clipper for FG
Square Squared2 for SIS

You can find these in my Etsy shop HERE.

***Now through December 31,2019***
Receive FREE SHIPPING on any ruler with code 2020MCC

To have the block sent directly to your email sign up HERE.

NOTE: Even if you signed up for emails for 2019, you will still need to sign up for the 2020 emails this year.


Start looking through your stash then come back for:

Meet the bloggers! December 18th.

Meet the sponsors! December 20th.

Happy Stitching!
Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

Newsletter sign up

Find paper and digital patterns in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring

Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook page.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily sneak peeks and updates.

My Favorite Quilty Things

Anyone still need to give a gift list, or need ideas for a quilting buddy? Here's a list of a few of my favorite quilting tools and resources.

Rulers

To know me is to know I love a good trimming ruler. Making units larger and then trimming them down to the right size literally makes me happy. If I'm having a bad day, it's time to start trimming! A few of my favorites:

Tucker Trimmer™ for trimming HST units, Hourglass units, quarter squares and more.

Wing Clipper™ for trimming Flying Geese units.

Square Squared™ for squaring up Square in a Square units.

Find these and more in my Etsy Shop.

I use Creative Grids rulers for all the other cutting that we do in quilting. My most used sizes are the 6 1/2" x 24 1/2" rectangle, the 6 1/2" x 12 1/2" rectangle and the 6 1/2" square.

Marking Tools

I mark my lines on my squares and my favorite tool for that is the Clover White Fine Marking Tool. It disappears when hit with an iron.

I also love Frixion pens. They are not good for marking quilting lines, but they do mark smoothly on fabrics. I use them for marking the line for HST units that I will eventually cut on. That way I don't need to worry about marks left on fabric.

I really liked using the Point Turner and Seam Creaser when I was marking quilting lines on my Fall Retreat Quilt.

I also like the fine line that a regular mechanical pencil makes.

Needles, rotary cutters, scissors, oh my!

I purchased these rotary cutter blades. I am very happy with how long they last and how well they cut.

I use Organ needles 75/11 for all my piecing and quilting.

I love to have my snips handy, and this little thing keeps them from running away from me. Plus, having them clipped to my shirt means they are with me at the ironing board and cutting mat, not just by my sewing machine.

Clips, bobbin clamps, thread

My favorite color thread for piecing is grey. I use polyester thread from Gutermann.

I keep my bobbins and thread spools together with Bobbin Holders and Bobbin Clamps.

I wind a bunch of bobbins used for piecing, in that case I store them in a bobbin holder.

Extra tools

I adore my mister from A Quilters Corner. My Timeless Day just got a shipment you. Hint! Hint! I bought a gallon of Best Press a year ago and it's still at least half full, and I starch *Everything!*

I pin my quilts for quilting. My go to is curved pins and the Kwik Klip tool. However, The Kwik Klip tool is no longer going to be produced, so if you want one, go now!

My favorite seam ripper is the Clover Seam Ripper.

I use wonder clips to hold my binding folded over when I'm hand stitching  it down.  Of course, when I found purple only wonder clips I had to get those.

Magazines

I love Quilts and More magazine for a variety of ideas and projects.

For modern quilt patterns and great articles I like the Make Modern digital magazine out of Australia. **This is an affiliate link, if you make a purchase from this link I receive a small amount of compensation at no extra cost to you.**

I hope you enjoyed this quick look at a few of my favorite quilty things. I may need to do a "Favorite things part 2" because apparently I like tools.

Happy Stitching!
Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

Newsletter sign up

Find paper and digital patterns in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring

Join the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen Facebook page.

Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for daily sneak peeks and updates.