Wiggle Me Colourful

Just a reminder that Friday at Midnight Monday Aug 3 at 12pm EST (i'm fighting a bug and giving you some extra sewing time while I rest!!) is when the submissions for the sponsored prizes close. So if you are working on your #WiggleMeColourful quilt top don't forget to post a picture over on the FaceBook Group page (sign up required for that....but worth it) or use the #wigglemecolorful or wigglemecolourful on social media so I can find you that way.

Look at all the tops so far:

Marg

Susan

Anga

 Jean

 Cindy

Sponsor Sales Reminders:

use code "SAVE20" for savings store wide until Aug 1st!!!

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July Stash Builder Save 10% on bundles or yardage of Sea Spectrum

#98 Time to Show Off Your Wiggles

I'm kind of sad that the sew along is over, it has been a lot of fun, and quite a learning experience!
Our FaceBook Group grow to over 80; we had so many encouraging posts along the way when anyone hit a snag; and let's not forget our go getter, Marg...who had her quilt top made and quilted before anyone even started piecing theirs!! And even though there were more followers than sewers, everyone seemed so thrilled with the pattern and wanting to make one of their own at some point!! !!! I couldn't be happier for my first attempt at a sew along. I hope you all feel the same.

More happy news....I have also had some fun things happening with the blog itself, which is a total bonus for all of you too...I found some great blog sponsors, who also sponsored the sew along. I'd like to introduce you to or re-introduce you if you have been following my blog for awhile,  another amazing Canadian online Quilt shop that now also has a store front in Stittsville, Ontario....

Pam's was one of the first shops I found online, and I have been shopping there ever since. The customer service is fantastic, love the modern fabrics she carries, and the monthly stash builder bundle sales, as well as the quick delivery turn around!! 

10 Over Coffee with Pam from Mad About Patchwork

It was fun to get to know Pam better, we've chatted a few times about fabric, but it is so nice to get a sneak peak of the person behind the quilt shop.......so in her own words, here's Pam.

What would you like us to know about yourself? Or as I like to say...name, rank and serial number. 
Small town girl, from Woodstock Ontario. Studied math and computer science in another lifetime. Moved to Ottawa 20 years ago to raise a family. Quilt shop owner for 7+ years. Denyse Schmidt is my quilting muse, and I was thrilled to take her workshop at Quiltcon 2013.


Do you have any hobbies? And do you have any time for them now?
Of course I like to sew, and still make time for both quilt and garment sewing whenever I can. I like to do some bicycle riding in the summer with my husband...we've got a 100k ride coming up later in July which will test my endurance (wow, I'm impressed!!)my words

What is your favourite and least favourite part of making a quilt?
 The excitement of actually starting a new project is probably my favourite thing, and also my least favourite thing. Sometimes I get stalled on making the decisions, which fabric, which pattern, etc. I love it when everything finally falls into place.

What made you think about opening a Quilt Shop in the first place, and why did you originally choose an online store?
I was bored with my part-time work in a local optometrist office, and wanted the flexibility to work from home. At the same time I was becoming aware of the fabulous fabrics that I could find online...but only in the US. I thought it was time for a Canadian presence in the online fabric scene.

What did your learn in the first years of your business that would have helped you to know ahead of time?
If I had known all the challenges I was going to face along the way I might not have started down this path. It's a bit like a long distance bike race- I stay focused on enjoying the ride and let the road unfold in front of me

In the last year you've opened a brick and mortar store front, in Stittsville Ontario, what brought this about?
I ran the business as online only from my home for 6 years, but in the last year I had more local quilters wanting to come to the house to shop. It was getting a bit unmanageable and I thought it was time to separate work from home. A fantastic spot just down the road presented itself to me....so I couldn't say no!!!

What changes did this bring to your already established online business?
More than I realized....back to Q#5! I have to manage my time better, and manage more staff. Orders still have to get shipped out on time (within a day) regardless of what's going on in the shop. On the plus side, it's been good because I can carry more inventory, which means more choices for customers.

What is your favourite part of owning your own quilt shop?
I love my customers....it's so rewarding to see the projects they share, online or in the shop. The quilting communtiy is fantastic, and I love being a part of it.

How would your describe Mad About Patchwork? What should we know as customers?
From the beginning I have carried fabrics that I love, and would want to use myself in a quilt project. There are lots of bundles and precast in the shop for those who want a quick start to a project. 
If you're looking for solids we keep more than 200 bolts of Kona Solids in stock, and this year we have added Freespirit Designer Essential solids to the mix, and will be hosting the Denyse Schmidt modern solids trunk show in the fall. 
We carry a limited inventory of books and patterns, but are always happy to special order items for customers (even full bolts of Kona and Designer Essential solids, at a 10% discount, I have taken advantage of this deal by about 10 bolts, lol) 
The shop focuses mainly on quilting cottons and Essex cotton/linen, but we are also adding other substrates like voiles, lawns, knits and double gauze for garment sewing.
We are offering 2 Clubs this summer (click on either to be taken to more information)

1. Moda Frivols Club Starting in August
2. Cotton + Steel Club is shipping later this month

Anything else you'd like to share that I missed asking about?
I have stopped blogging for the summer so I can play a bit more with the other social media channels like IG (@madaboutpatchwork) and FaceBook, so readers can follow us there for shop news and updates.

More Fun for You!!

Show us your Wiggles!! 

If you've been following along, or just found us, you still have time... complete your quilt top...and post a picture to the pinned post on our Facebook group page by next Friday July 31st, Midnight EST, to enter your name for all the great sponsored prizes!! That's it! If you haven't joined, please do......but I will also be checking Instagram for the #wigglemecolourful and #wigglemecolorful and will be adding these names to the draw bucket too. So if you are in the Facebook group and on Instagram you just doubled your chances at a prize!!

Here is the list of Sponsored prizes

$25.00 Gift Certificate

$50.00 Gift Certificate

$25.00 Gift Certificate

And if that isn't enough reason......

Cantik Batik Strip pack

and

 an offer you just can't afford to pass up.....

Rita is generously offering

Everyone in the FaceBook Group who finishes their quilt top or has even started your quilt top, and posts a picture (within the pinned post) a $15.00 Gift Certificate   

Yup, you read that right, everyone!!      

So what are you waiting for head over to Facebook and sign up and get sewing!!           

#97 Week 3 Wiggle Me Colourful

Wiggle Me Colourful

Let the fun begin!! Time to start putting all of your hard prep work into making a pretty wiggle!!

First thing on the agenda today is to grab the colouring sheet that came with your pattern . It is going to be your construction chart, like the ones you get in some knitting patterns. This will be your row builder and row joiner chart of order.

...and now I am giving you permission to colour!! 

Yup, colour!! Grab you pencil crayons or go get your kids, this will be so much easier in colour...and not just any colour, but your fabric colours, or a simple version of them anyway.

I used the basic colour for each of my rows, and I left the background blank. You don't want to colour that in because it is a great place for further numbers and notes. I thought about adding some for you but decided that it was better for you each to add what you wanted to see on your own sheets.
So here we go. 

Once you are done colouring your sheet, lay out the background fabric strips next to your sewing machine in this sewing order:

Now following your chart you are going to sew your different strip sets and background strips together to form rows.  

Also when you are pressing your row seams you may want to add in your colouring sheets left border area a note as to which way your seams are being pressed. I also used different checks and highlighting as I constructed the top to keep things in order. Use the system that works the best for you. 

• place your background strip and your first strip set together and sew your 1/4" seam. Now take the unsewn  end of the strip set and flip it is right side facing up and sew your next background strip to the end, and repeat with the background strip adding the next strip set and repeat with the strip set adding the last background piece and your first row is all together. 

Once all your rows are all together and your seams are all pressed you can again join your rows together following your chart. I love that each time the amount of seams to sew goes down by half...sets of 2, sets of 4.....

At this point I press my seams open when joining my rows, but again its your quilt and you have your  preferences, go with them!!
Once all your rows are joined together and all seams are pressed...admire your gorgeous wiggles!!! :)

But there is one more step: Adding your border

• measure from top to bottom in 3 sections of your quilt. I usually go in about 3 inches from each side and the centre. Hopefully you find a consistent number,  that is what you will use to make the side border cuts with.
• Whatever your length is make 2 and sew one to each side of your quilt
• Now measure your quilt again from side to side, in the same way as before, for your top and bottom cuts. Use this number to make your remaining top and bottom borders with and sew them in place.

Your Wiggle Me Colourful Quilt top is now complete!!

I have to confess, eek, I have now made 2 tops and not finished either. (I am shopping for long arm quilting machine, but haven't decided or saved enough money at this point) so my stack of quilt tops keeps growing. So I can't say with certainty how accurate these measurements are,I used the Robert Kaufman quilter's app. I know the EQ7 fabric amounts were over generous and I tweaked them. 

So if you have your own system use that.


I hope you have enjoyed the sew along and that you are all in love with the quilt tops you have created!!
Next week will be having a show off your "wiggle" party on our FB page, that will run all week so you really have 2 weeks to get your "wiggles" together (and yes I chuckle every time I use wiggle this way, lol)

 You'll get all the info on that next week with the last blog post for the Wiggle Me Colourful Sew Along!! Thanks so much everyone for making this such a fun first experience with a sew along, though you have all !!

I can't wait to see what you all come up with!! don't forget to use #wigglemecolourful

Have a great week and happy sewing!!


Just for fun I made a very mini version of my pattern.....

<div align="center">
<a href="http://upstairshobbyroom.blogspot.ca" rel="nofollow" title="UpStairsHobbyRoom" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJIp3FPHJmeJzVYSGoVxdzVdpBFld0Ws_4rht6ZVt69v5pFIjtEXHWkk5psaDJJ5AgmLGiSqG503gRKZ2WqdVBNZSlojuJQkNbOs_4owUa7zM_bt7Fs9vPV4lqa-2Aq9K70agWg7HHQnC/s1600/Wiggle+Me+Colourful+Sew+Along+Button.jpg" alt="UpStairsHobbyRoom" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

Wiggle Me Colourful Reminder

Just a quick Post 

to remind you of the
FaceBook Group 

we have for the sew along.

It is the easiest way to post questions and see how everyone is doing in one spot.

If you are doing the sew along, but haven't joined the group, 

you should before Friday...

We are having a draw for a

Cantik Batik Strips Pack
Anyone who has done this weeks work and posts a picture is entered!!

Generously sponsored by

And

Pam from Mad About Patchwork 

just informed me the the Kona Brights and Classic Jelly Rolls are finally in stock.

So for any joining late or just haven't found what you were looking for or you just want to stock up

use code  "WIGGLE15"

to save 15% off either of these jelly rolls or both

offer expires July 28/15

#96 Week 2 Wiggle Me Colourful Sew Along

I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays and found time to collect your fabrics!! 

This week is all about strip sets, cuts, sub-cuts!!

Week #2

Wiggle Me Colourful

• Once you have your strips laid out the way you want, you need to sew them together in their groups.
• Sew strips together along the longest side, sewing the first seam from top to bottom and the second seam from bottom to top. This trick should help stop the sets from bowing/warping, because of feed dog pulling(unless you have a machine with IDT, which should eliminate the need to rotate your seams), it feeds top and bottom evenly. 

• 

 What you do when you want the window open and there is a nice breeze making ironing a little difficult....(use a fancy amethyst stone as a weight)

Trim edge....

Sub cut according to pattern directions...

Background cuts....

That's another week done!! 

If there are any questions or if I've missed something don't hesitate to voice them over on the 

FB group page

See you all back here next week!! 

Have fun and I can't wait to see your pictures!! 

#wigglemecolourful

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<a href="http://upstairshobbyroom.blogspot.ca" rel="nofollow" title="UpStairsHobbyRoom" target="_blank"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoJIp3FPHJmeJzVYSGoVxdzVdpBFld0Ws_4rht6ZVt69v5pFIjtEXHWkk5psaDJJ5AgmLGiSqG503gRKZ2WqdVBNZSlojuJQkNbOs_4owUa7zM_bt7Fs9vPV4lqa-2Aq9K70agWg7HHQnC/s1600/Wiggle+Me+Colourful+Sew+Along+Button.jpg" alt="UpStairsHobbyRoom" style="border:none;" /></a></div>

One More Day

I can't tell you how excited I am for the instructions to go up, Friday,  for Wiggle Me Colourful and to finally start to see your visions for the pattern come to life.

Just a note on the FaceBook Group page. 

Again not mandatory to join, but it will be helpful for help and questions along the way. Not to mention a great place to post your pictures to inspire and show your vision of the quilt!! Also I will be sharing there for anyone interested how I altered the pattern for the Necessary Clutch Wallet Flap, along with a few other alterations, and exclusive giveaway just for the group members. (membership has its benefits ;)

So spread the word, tomorrow I will be making the group page private so only the members will be able to see the posts.

Sew Along Sponsors

*any other shops that would like to be a part of the sew along
would love to have you!! Use contact form in side bar