Patterns By Jen: October 2020

Sunday, October 25, 2020

October 2020 Monthly Color Challenge Link Up

Just like that it's time to link up your olive October quilt blocks!!

Another block with flying geese, but isn't it fun to see how versatile this unit is?

Sponsors October thru December

Said With Love - PDF Pattern

For the Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

P & B Textiles - Fabric Bundle

Quilters Dream Batting - 60" x 60" Dream Blend

Warm Company - 45" x 60" Warm and Plush

Warm Company - Light Steam and Seam 2

Island Batik - 3 1/2 yards of assorted fabrics

Patterns By Jen - Superior Thread S-Fine 50

Patterns By Jen - PDF Pattern

Make sure to visit the Quarter 4 sponsors to see what other goodies they have to offer!

The link up is open through September 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.

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?

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Find paper and digital patterns in my Etsy shop.

Find fun PBJ merchandise at Teespring

Join the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge!

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

Please make sure to add your first name!

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Block placement - A How To

Laying out a quilt with scrappy blocks, or blocks of multiple colors can be challenging. I struggle with it and I think it's one of the reasons I pick non-scrappy more than scrappy quilts.

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Affiliate Links. When purchases are made through these links I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your purchases help support my small business and keep my husband's head from exploding everytime a new quilting notion arrives in our mailbox. Thank you for that. Find out more about Affiliate Links Here.

Today I'm sharing a trick I use to help with the process. How to go from a pretty stack of pieced blocks...

....to a pretty layout and beautiful quilt. Black and white photos. This post is going to be photo heavy for the purpose of showing you how moving a block or two can change what you see.

This was the first layout of Wild Blossoms using Pat Sloan's Morrison Park fabrics. It looks pretty good, but lets switch this to black and white.

It's not too bad, but there's a clump of light blocks and two corners with medium to dark blocks. We want to spread those out a little more evenly if possible.

Layout number 3 or 4.

Better, but it still felt off.

One problem with switching to black and white; you can see what needs to be moved, but then find that you can see that there is a block of the same fabric next to where you want to move the other block and you have to rethink your changes.

Maybe at this point you think it looks great and it's time to sew. Then you should do so. Quilting is about what appeals to you. I wasn't happy so I kept going.

Twenty-four different layouts later and it was time to just start from scratch, by literally scooping it all into a pile. I was starting to see double. Ha.

Almost there.....

More pictures and layouts than I want to count later, I had my final layout. Confession. When I got the photos from the photographer I wished I had spread those gold blocks out differently.

In the end though, I think there was a nice spread of color and I love the quilt. That's all that matters really, that in the end YOU love it. So play with your layout, take pictures, but when you feel that it's right, go for it.

Happy Scrappy Stitching!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

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2020 Monthly Color Challenge

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

Tuesday, October 6, 2020

Another look at Wild Blossoms

It's always so much fun releasing a new pattern out into the wild. Fun and nerve wracking. You put a little bit of yourself out there every time.

This time was an even bigger event as the release of Wild Blossoms was also a part of Pat Sloan's Morrison Park Fabric Tour. You'll want to click on that link if you missed my stop on the tour, there's a giveaway and it's still open!

When I ordered the fabrics for this quilt I messed up on the backing fabric. I ended up needing to piece the backing, but I love a pieced backing. Look for a tutorial on pieced backings soon, but first a look at how to figure out where those different colored blocks should go. That's coming up Oct 8.

When I first designed Wild Blossoms I colored it in blue and white and named it Snow Blooms.

Once made up in Pat's beautiful Morrison Park fabrics though, I needed a name change.

The blue really sets off "flower" or "snow flake" part of the quilt and I had to include it on the cover.

The quilt really is beginner friendly even though it may look like a more difficult pattern. The hardest part is keeping all of the pieces in the right order, but the instructions help with that as well.

Lets see the testers quilts!

Amber's pretty quilt in green and white makes me think of summer picnics.

Janice's quilt is sooo soft looking and I can see a small child snuggling in it.

Joanne's top was made up in the blue I originally designed it in and I think shows more of a snowflake center.

Melva went scrappy. I love that she does that, because I struggle with scrapy, but how great does it look scrappy?

How pretty is Nancy's quilt? It makes me think of the tropics.

Sandy switched around the colors so that dark fabric was the flower/snowflake and the cream was the background. Isn't it beautiful?

Sherra also made the largest size available. How gorgeous is this soft blue quilt? I would love to snuggle under this on a soon to be cold winter's night.

Quilt Details

56 x 76 Morrison Park Quilt

Fabrics - Morrison Park from Pat Sloan/Benartex

Batting - Wool

Quilting - Quilted on Bernard with an all over large stippling with a flower thrown in every now and then.

36" square

Fabrics - Blue and Cream from Andover Fabrics

Batting - Wool

Quilting - Quilted on Bernard with a large stippling pattern

Where to buy

You can purchase Wild Blossoms at a special introductory price through October 10th.

Etsy Digital

Etsy Printed (ships Oct 17)

Payhip Digital

When you make Wild Blossoms I hope you share! Use #wildblossomsquilt to be sure I see it.

Happy Stitching!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

Etsy Shop

Payhip Shop

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.

Sunday, October 4, 2020

Introducing Wild Blossoms and a stop on the Morrison Park Tour (Plus a Giveaway)

There is so much goodness in that one title, isn't there? I'm not even sure where to start!

First things first. Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains Affiliate Links. When purchases are made through these links I receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Your purchases help support my small business and keep my husband's head from exploding everytime a new quilting notion arrives in our mailbox. Thank you for that. Find out more about Affiliate Links Here.

Now for Wild Blossoms.

Is it wrong for me to just want to stare at this all day? Wild Blossoms is made using Morrison Park, a new fabric line designed by Pat Sloan for Benartex. PS Fabric tour stops and Giveaway below. Don't miss it!

Wild Blossoms is fat quarter and beginner quilter friendly! Instructions include step by step guidance for each block. I design my patterns with the beginner in mind and love to help build a love for this amazing craft. My Facebook group; Quilt and Learn with Pattern By Jen is a great space to learn as well.

Far Quarters can be used to make the sections with the colored fabric. A Morrison Park Fat Quarter Bundle is perfect for the 56" x 76" sized quilt.

Buy the pattern at it's special introductory price

Etsy Digital

Etsy Printed (ships Oct 17)

Payhip Digital

Check out "Another Look At Wild Blossoms" to be inspired by what the testers made with this pattern and for more pretty pictures.

Giveaway

There are two giveaways, one for US residents and one for outside of the US.

For US residents the giveaway includes a Morrison Park layer cake and a Benartex Fat Quarterly club newsletter w/charm pack.

Any one can join the Benartex Fat Quarter club and it includes a pattern, charm squares with an article and peek at up coming fabric lines.

Outside of the US you can win Pat's Aurifil Perfect Box of Neutrals. Yes please!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Don't miss the rest of the Morrison Park Fabric Tour!

Pat Sloan's Morrison Park Tour

September 28 - Cheryl Bricky Meadow Mist Designs

September 29 - Laura Pilan Slice of Pi Quilts

September 30 - Andy Knowlton A Bright Corner

October 1 - Amy Ellis Amy's Creative Side

October 2 - Yvonne Fuchs Quilting Jetgirl

October 3 - Pam Vieira-McGinnis Pam Kitty Morning

October 4 - Jen Shaffer Patterns by Jen

October 5 - Heather Valentine The Sewing Loft

October 6 - Annie Unrein By Annie

October 7 - Melissa Corry Happy Quilting Melissa

October 8 - Karen Pratt Cream Craft Goods

October 9 - Jane Davidson Quilt Jane

October 10 - Wendy Sheppard Ivory Springs

October 11 - Pat Sloan

Each stop on the tour has their own unique project and a giveaway. You won't want to miss a single stop! Just don't forget to pick up your Morrison Park Fat Quarter bundle and Wild Blossoms pattern to go with it.

Happy Stitching!

Jen

New to Patterns By Jen?

Etsy Shop

Payhip Shop

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.

Thursday, October 1, 2020

October 2020 Monthly Color Challenge

Do you know what is scarier than Halloween? That we only have two more months and then the 2020 Monthly Color Challenge is over! What?!

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.

This month our bird is the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. While this might make you think red, this sweet little bird is olive green in color. These little ones remind me of my child care Littles, constantly moving, but always with a sweet eye.

All About Birds has some interesting facts about the Ruby-crowned Kinglet. They are smaller than a chickadee (can you imagine!) and are song birds with a large head.

The ruby crown is only found on the male, but is rarely seen.

They are a high energy, restless bird that can be found foraging in the bushes and lower foliage.

Let's see October's block! Now before you throw things at me, remember the last two blocks were super easy! Plus, this one only looks a little more difficult, I promise.

The instructions include a How To video, especially for the Color Challenge participants.

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.

October Bloggers

Fawn - Quilty Creations By Fawn

Roseanne - Home Sewn By Us

Stephanie - Steph Jacobson Designs

Sheila - So This Is Kentucky

Alla - Rainbows, Bunnies, Cupcakes

Kathy - Kathy's Kwilts and More

Kathy - Penny for my Thoughts

Joanne - Everyone Deserves A Quilt

Quarter 4 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 October thru December

Said With Love - PDF Pattern

For the Love of Geese - PDF Pattern

P & B Textiles - Fabric Bundle

Quilters Dream Batting - 60" x 60" Dream Blend

Warm Company - 45" x 60" Warm and Plush

Warm Company - Light Steam and Seam 2

Island Batik - 3 1/2 yards of assorted fabrics

Patterns By Jen - Superior Thread S-Fine 50

Patterns By Jen - PDF Pattern

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.