A Scrappy Happy Holidays Mystery Sew Along: Month 7

Whew! We made it to another installment of "A Scrappy Happy Holidays Mystery Sew Along"! This may be my favorite month - not because of the block, but because we're combining last month and this month blocks to create our string of Christmas lights, complete with a ric-rac electrical cord! I just love ric-rac! Of course, I used ric-rac but you can use your favorite trim such as bias tape, Chenille-it or embroidery thread.

I raced out to take photos of my finished lightbulb strings (before I even had a chance to press very well or trim the strings) because the wind wasn't blowing at gale force winds, so excuse the less than perfect picture. Even at that, I had to take quite a few shots before I got a couple that didn't have a corner flipped up from the light breeze. Oh the woos of quilt photography! LOL!

To sew the ric-rac in place, I used a disappearing ink marker to mark the lines from the templates, then cut lengths of ric-rac and pinned in place over the line, sewing one section at a time. Did you know that you can sew a straight line down the center of ric-rac? I removed a few stitches from the seam in the center of each plug-in and lightbulb to insert the ends of the ric-rac then sewed the openings closed and trimmed the ric-rac ends to 1/4". Warning!!! If your ric-rac has a blend of polyester, do not use an iron directly on the ric-rac or it will melt it onto your iron. Ask me how I know! (On a side note - what's your favorite iron cleaning product???)

I hope you enjoy this month of the sew along as much as I did! Happy Sewing!

~Sharla

NOTE: The pattern is not included in the post. The pattern is provided by email to those participants registered for 'A Scrappy Happy Holidays Mystery Sew Along'. Registration for this sew along has closed.

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Q3 2019 Finish-A-Long Goals

We finished up harvest here on the farm just in time for me to post my third quarter goals for the Finish-A-Long. Are you going to join me this quarter? There's just one more day to post and link up your goals - so don't dally! Wondering exactly what the Finish-A-Long is? Check out the details here.

Some of my goals have been on my list for literally years and then there are several new ones too. I always hope to get them all done (which never happens) but I'm always thrilled to get something marked of my list. So here goes with my goal list for this quarter.....

1. Stiletto Quilt: This one is a new secret sewing project for Moda Bake Shop this fall. I need to get it done this quarter!

2. Frivols Kindred Quilt: This one has been on my list for at least 3 years! It really wouldn't take that long to finish but why oh why do I procrastinate on it?!

3. Just The Atoms Quilt: Another one that's been on my list for a couple of years. Thank goodness I posted a tutorial on how to make these circle blocks because it's been so long I don't even remember how!

4. Modern Marks Quilt: This one is "only" a year and a half old! LOL! This really would make a great leaders and enders project so maybe I'll make myself do that and get it done. Maybe.

5. Quilts of Valor Sunflower Quilt: Yup, I didn't get it done last quarter. Okay, I confess, I didn't even touch it last quarter. Hoping to move it along this quarter though. Fingers crossed.

6. A Ribbon Runs Through It #1: Our quilt guild is doing a challenge with a 18" x 36" wall hanging where that turquoise fabric has to enter on the left side at 3" wide and exit on the right side at 3" wide. I'm making a one block wonder using a butterfly panel. Since I hope to do a faced binding demo at quilt guild in August, I'm hoping this one will get finished this quarter.

7. A Ribbon Runs Through It #2: I'm hoping to make a total of 3 wall hangings for our quilt challenge that I can hang together. I just bought these FQs yesterday to start collecting fabrics for a collage quilt. It's all still in the development stage.

8. QOV Fence Rail #1: These fence rail blocks were made by members of my quilt guild. I'm currently squaring them all up and will make them into a quilt to donate to our local QOV group. (note: if the quilt guild decides to sew these together at their sewcial hour next month, I won't count this as a finish - but then again, since I'm not entering my finishes for prizes because I'm one of the FAL hosts, I guess it really doesn't matter, does it?! AND, the whole goal is to get it off my to-do list.)

9. QOV Fence Rail #2: These fence rail blocks I made from left over fabrics from another QOV quilt I made, so I'm hoping while I'm on a roll with the other quilt, I'll get this one done too.

So, there's my list. I'm linking it up to the FAL Q3 post (see my last post for link up details here.) Hope you'll join me and let's work to get some of our UFOs completed!

~Sharla

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2019 Finish-A-Long Q3 Link Up

Hello everyone! It is time for Quarter 3 of the Finish-A-Long (FAL)!

As you can see, a new quarter of the Finish-A-Long is starting today.  If you missed participating the first half of the year, you can join us now for a brand new start. Those of you who did join us for the first and second quarter, thank you and I do hope you finished some things and plan to continue on with us for Q3.

So let's get to it!
You can now link up your list of projects that you want to finish in Quarter 3 of 2019. We are hoping that the FAL community will inspire you to work on your unfinished projects this quarter, and to get them finished!

Our 2019 Finish-A-Long Hosts

The 2019 FAL is hosted by a great community of bloggers. This year our hosts are:

• Sandra - Sew of Course - Ireland
• Marci - Marci Girl Designs - USA Louisiana
• Leanne - She Can Quilt - Canada
• Ella - Throw a Wench in the Works - USA Georgia
• Karen - Capitola Quilter - USA California
• Lynne - Tinking Along - USA Maryland
• Izzy - Dizzy Quilts - Canada
• Sarah G - Sarah Goer Quilts - USA California
• Sarah Z - Cedar Fork Stitches - USA Montana
• Julie - That’s Sew Julie - USA Iowa
• Sharla - Thistle Thicket Studio - USA Kansas
• Nicole - Handwrought Quilts - Canada

For those of you who are new to the FAL, here is an explanation: The Finish-A-Long is a community aiming to motivate and encourage each other to complete those unfinished projects that are hanging around, sometimes for far too long. At the start of the quarter you post and link up a list of projects you hope to finish in the next three months. Then, at the end of the quarter, you link up each successful finish from your original list.

Each linked up finish is an entry into the draw for wonderful prizes from our sponsors. There is no penalty for not finishing a listed project, so feel free to make your list as long or as short as you wish. The 2019 Schedule and Rules for the FAL are on my permanent 2019 FAL page, let me know if you have any questions.

Our 2019 Finish-A-Long Sponsors

Here are the fantastic and generous sponsors for Q3 of the Finish-A-Long. you can see each of their prizes listed under their logo. Please think about visiting them and saying thank you for their their support of the FAL.

Winner's Choice of 1 Large 12 Spool Collection

$80 Gift Certificate

$50 Gift Certificate

$50 Gift Certificate

$25 Gift Certificate

3 PDF Patterns

2 PDF Patterns

2 PDF Patterns

1 Six Month Subscription

2 PDF Patterns

$30 Fabric Voucher

Make your Q3 List of Unfinished Projects

So now it is time to sort out the projects/UFOs/WIPs that you want to finish over the next three months. Take a photo of each one and make your list. If you like you can use our Finish-A-Long Planner to list your projects and keep track of progress. It also has all link-up dates for the year, and the hashtags that we would use. Or use any method that works for you. Please ensure that you have at least STARTED your projects - pulled fabric with a pattern is considered a project started - and remember it is only a FINISHED project that will get you an entry toward the above listed prizes. So while we love to see your bee blocks, the "finish" is when they are a completed, usable project.

Post Your Q3 List

Post your list either on your blog, on Instagram, or on Flickr if you prefer. If posting on social media (Flickr, Instagram), it will be very helpful if you tag your list with #2019FALQ3yourname (where yourname is unique to you). Using the same hashtag over the quarter when sharing project progress or finishes helps the host to make the connection to your original list quickly and easily.
IMPORTANT: Don't forget to link up your finishes at the end of the quarter! We will be posting a reminder on the blog and on Instagram, but do keep an eye out...

Link-up Your Q3 List

The 2019 Q3 link for your list of proposed finishes is now open below, on my blog and on each of the hosting blogs. You need only link your list once, on ONE host blog, and the link will show up on all the host blogs. If you are using Flickr or Instagram, post a mosaic of your projects and put your list in the description. Don't forget to include your unique hashtag.
If you need a little help, Katy of The Littlest Thistle has a great tutorial on how to link up if you need it, and Marci has a post on how to link up from Instagram.

Join the FAL Community

We also ask that you become part of the FAL community. Please check out the links of others - visit and comment on their lists. We all need encouragement to get those finishes done, so please share some of your own too.

If you want you can follow us on Facebook: Finish-A-Long and/or on Instagram: @finishalong, too. We'll post encouragement during the quarter and reminders when the finishes link up opens at the end of the quarter.

When creating your list there is one thing to remember - No deductions for not completing something so - Aim High! Nothing to lose!! Well now, get that list together and get linked up.

LET THE FUN BEGIN!

Feel free to use and share the FAL button at the top and this one too:

Remember: you only need to link up at ONE hosting blog and it will automatically show up on all hosting blogs.

An InLinkz Link-up

~Sharla

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Q2 2019 Finish-A-Long Link Up Reminder

Today I'm popping in for a quick reminder that the Quarter 2 link up for all your finishes closes on Tuesday, July 9, 2019 at 11 pm EST.  So you still have a few more days to finish that project or two and link them up to be eligible for prizes.  The link up can be found HERE or on any of the 2019 FAL hosts blogs.


A few reminders for linking up:

• Please only one finished project for each post that you link up, so that each finish can be an entry in the (random) prize draw. 
• Please include a link to your original list in each post of your finishes (on Instagram the link is the unique tag #2019FALQ2yourname to be used in the Q2 list post, and in any Q2 finish post).
• Please visit some of the other participants and leave a friendly comment, we all love to get those! 

I also wanted to share with you that we just wrapped up "Tutorial Week" which has been part of the Finish-A-Long since it's inception.  The tutorials are varied, interesting, and usually helpful, so take some time to investigate and visit the blogs below!

• July 2, 2019 - Marci of Marci Girl Designs - Fabric Ball Tutorial
• July 3, 2019 - Karen of Capitola Quilter - "In A Bubble" Quilt Block
• July 4, 2019 - Izzy of Dizzy Quilts - Simple and Quick Quilt Labels
• July 5, 2019 - Julie of That's Sew Julie - Crochet Self-Folding Hot Pad

And whether you had a lot of finishes, or none at all this quarter (Like Me!), or you missed Finish-A-Long Q2 altogether, you can always join in for Quarter 3 which is taking off on July 10th, with the link up opening for your List of Proposed Finishes. We hope you will join us!

~Sharla

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2019 Finish-A-Long Q2 Finishes Link Up

We have reached the end of Quarter 2 of the 2019 Finish-A-Long already!!  Of course, that means it is now time to link up those finishes from the list you linked up in April. We hope that you have been able to complete a bunch of the UFOs on your list and if you haven't, we'll do it all over again for Quarter 3...

The 2019 FAL is hosted by a great community of bloggers. This year our hosts are:

• Marci - Marci Girl Designs - USA Louisiana
• Sandra - Sew of Course - Ireland
• Leanne - She Can Quilt - Canada
• Ella - Throw a Wench in the Works - USA Georgia
• Karen - Capitola Quilter - USA California
• Lynne - Tinking Along - USA Maryland
• Izzy - Dizzy Quilts - Canada
• Sarah G - Sarah Goer Quilts - USA California
• Sarah Z - Cedar Fork Stitches - USA Montana
• Julie - That’s Sew Julie - USA Iowa
• Sharla - Thistle Thicket Studio - USA Kansas
• Nicole - Handwrought Quilts - Canada

Each finish you link up will be in the draw for great prizes, so let's give a huge thank you to our fantastic sponsors:

Winner's Choice of 1 Large 12 Spool Collection

$80 Gift Certificate

$50 Gift Certificate

$50 Gift Certificate

$25 Gift Certificate

3 PDF Patterns

2 PDF Patterns

2 PDF Patterns

1 Six Month Subscription

2 PDF Patterns

$30 Fabric Voucher

The 2019 Quarter 2 link for your finishes is now open below on my blog and on each of the hosting blogs - you only need to link on one blog for your finish to appear on all host blogs.

Link-up "Rules":

Add one link for each finish.  If you want to link a round up post of all your finishes, use that link to enter one of your finishes and then link the rest of your finishes separately.  Please, only one link per finish, as your link is an entry into the randomly drawn prize draws. 

Please ensure that the photo (Instagram or Flickr) or blog post you link up contains a link or reference back to your original list so that we can verify your entry (make sure it is from the appropriate quarter, too). On Instagram the best way to do that is to tag your photos with #2019FALQ2yourname (where yourname is unique to you), this makes it easier for us to match your finishes with your list, which also should have this tag.

Please become part of the FAL community.  Check out the links of others and leave a comment. We all need encouragement so let's applaud each other.  The 2019 FAL Facebook page is HERE and you can follow us on Instagram @finishalong.

Our hosts will also link up their finishes to share in the community but they are not eligible for any of the prizes.

The Q2 Finishes link will stay open from now thru 11 pm, EST, Tuesday, July 9, 2019 - as we are global, you might want to check your time zone to determine your last possible time to link. You can also see how much time is left below the linked up images on the right.  It is best to link up your finishes early and if you have a last minute one, add that one later so you don't miss out.  The prizes will be awarded as soon as we can verify all the entries and do the drawings.  We will post the winners on each host's blog.

Lastly, don't forget to start making your Q3 list as the next LIST link opens on Wednesday, July 10, 2019.

2019 Q2 Finishes Link Up:

An InLinkz Link-up

~Sharla

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