June Monthly Color Challenge Link Up

It's time to link up your June blocks!

The blue blue sky of summer is reflected in our blue June blocks.

If you haven't joined the Quilt and Learn with Patterns By Jen group on Facebook, it is full of inspiring blocks and encouragement.

Sponsors April thru June

Quilters Chic - PDF Pattern

For The Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

Said With Love - PDF Pattern

Quilter Dream Batting - Dream Poly 60" x 60"

Cherrywood Fabrics - Two $40 gift certificates

Warm Company -  100 Warm - 100% Natural Cotton 55" x 60"

Island Batik - Garden Party Fat Quarter Bundle

Patterns By Jen -  PDF pattern and Superior Thread S - Fine 50

Our sponsors are new for the 2nd quarter, but the giveaways are still awesome! Please take a moment to visit them and see what they offer. ☺

The link up is open through June 30th. If you have a problem linking up, please use the "question mark" button next to the log out button. If you are trying from your phone, try it from a laptop/tablet if you have one.

2nd quarter giveaway winners will be chosen July 1st. Good luck and thank you so much for stitching along with me!

Missed the block? Find it HERE!

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 2020 Monthly Color Challenge!

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

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

Please make sure to add your first name!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Introducing The Border Quilt 3

The next quilt in A Medallion Series from PBJ is here!

The Border Quilt 3 is a beginner friendly quilt pattern with six different size options, including a small wall hanging for a quick finish.

Each size is chosen by the border you stop on. If you decide to stop "half-way through" you will still have  a quilt to enjoy! If you enjoyed making the first few borders and want to continue, it's easy to add the next border.

If you love scrappy quilts this one is easy to translate into scrappy.

Anyone have a favorite fat quarter or large print that you just don't want to cut into? Replace the center star with a square of that favorite fabric and show it off.

Don't let the tiny pinwheels scare you, there's a trick to making these that make them super simple to do!

Lets see what the testers did with their quilts!

Amber chose to make her "plain" borders pink instead of matching the background color. What a difference that makes and I love that it shows how easy it is to make this pattern your own!

Beverly used an awesome focal fabric for her center and a light fabric for her pinwheels. This makes the smaller pinwheels really stand out.

Denise made her quilt in the colors I originally designed the pattern in, and I LOVE it. I definitely need to make this one up in purple and green.

Joanne's quilt is striking in her bold color choices. This makes me think of team colors and now I see this as a great graduation quilt, or made up in a couple's wedding colors. The color combos are endless!

To celebrate the release of The Border Quilt 3, you will find The Border Quilt and The Border Quilt 2 on sale as well. Enjoy them all at their introductory price now through June 26!

Shops

Digital The Border Quilt 3- Etsy

Printed The Border Quilt 3- Etsy 

(this is a pre order, patterns will ship around July 1st)

Digital The Border Quilt 3 - Payhip

Interested in wholesale? Email Jen at wholesale(at)patternsbyjen(dot)com to set up an account.

This pattern has so many options, you are sure to find the one you love.

Happy Stitching!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

Spinning Bow Ties Quilt Along

2020 Monthly Color Challenge

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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.

Spinning Bow Ties Quilt Along - Finishing Touches

It's time to add those finishing touches to your quilt.

Adding the binding to a quilted top is one of my all time favorite things to do. There is something about sitting and stitching the binding on that speaks to my soul. It's a time to slow down, think about the quilt you've made, the person you are gifting it to and really just have some peaceful down time.

I chose to use the red from the sashing to bind this quilt and give it a strong finishing point. A favorite fabric that I love to use for binding are stripes. There are some pretty striped fabrics out there and they can really add a touch of fun to your quilt top.

I apologize that once again I am unable to show you tips and tricks using the Spinning Bow Ties quilt pattern, but there is a really good post on how to do the binding and add a label from last years quilt along. Read through the Broken Panes Quilt Along - Finishing Touches post to get tips and tricks.

Something not mentioned in the above post are wonder clips. I have started using them to hold the binding down around the quilt as I stitch on the binding. I have found that it helps with hand/finger fatigue and I can stitch longer without cramping and sore hands.

I know this post is a bit disappointing, please ask any questions you may have. The Broken Panes post has some great tips, so I hope you jump over there and read about binding and labeling your quilts!

Happy Stitching!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

Spinning Bow Ties Quilt Along

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.

June 2020 Monthly Color Challenge

It's June and that means we are half way through the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge.

I don't know about you, but I'm so ready for summer. We are officially done with school and that means we can have late nights during the week sitting around the fire pit eating S'mores and laughing. In the morning I get to sit with my coffee and listen to our resident Cardinal wake up the world. 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.

Photo by Joshua Coville

For June though we are going to enjoy the petite Blue Bird, but more specifically the Mountain Blue Bird, becuase that's the one I think of. ☺

Some information from All About Birds about our pretty Blue Bird.

"You may spot these cavity-nesters flitting between perches in mountain meadows, in burned or cut-over areas, or where prairie meets forest—especially in places where people have provided nest boxes."

"They sit in the open on perches such as treetops, fence posts, and power lines. In summer in rural areas and ranches, particularly at higher elevations, you can often find them simply by driving rural roads and eyeballing such potential perches."

"A female Mountain Bluebird pays more attention to good nest sites than to attractive males. She chooses her mate solely on the basis of the location and quality of the nesting cavity he offers her—disregarding his attributes as a singer, a flier, or a looker."

Click on the link above for more fun facts.

Now it's time for our beautiful blue block.

The instructions include a link to a How To video, but if you like pictures better you might find this post helpful. It's for the Spinning Bow Ties Quilt Along, but has some helpful tips.

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.

June Bloggers

Fawn - Quilty Creations By Fawn

Kate - Katie Mae Quilts

Terri - Purple Moose Designs

Joanne - Everyone Deserves a Quilt

Kathleen - Kathleen McMusing

Quarter 2 Sponsors

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.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.

Sponsors April thru June

Quilters Chic - PDF Pattern

For The Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

Said With Love - PDF Pattern

Quilter Dream Batting - Dream Poly 60" x 60"

Cherrywood Fabrics - Two $40 gift certificates

Warm Company -  100 Warm - 100% Natural Cotton 55" x 60"

Island Batik - Garden Party Fat Quarter Bundle

Patterns By Jen -  PDF pattern and Superior Thread S - Fine 50

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.

Now it's time! Follow the Payhip Link to the June 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?

Spinning Bow Ties Quilt Along

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.