I'm so excited to share this month's block for "A Scrappy Happy Holidays Mystery Sew Along" because it's the last block! And you know what that means? Next month we'll get to sew it all together! Yay!!!
I think each month I say this is my favorite block! But I think this "Candy Cane Lane" block is so cute, especially a whole line of them! You can get candy canes in about any color and flavor these days, so don't be afraid to use non-traditional colors for your candy canes.
My only tip this month is to pair up your two fabrics of candy canes for each block when you sew so that you don't end up with a hook that is a red floral with a stick that is a green stripe. Again, ask me how I know!
These long rows aren't the easiest to photograph, so I apologize for the poor photo. But anyway, here are my three versions of this month's block.
If you share photos of your blocks on social media, use the hashtag #AScrappyHappyHolidayMysterySewAlong so we can all see. See you next month when we sew it all together!
~Sharla
It's only been a year in the making and it's been on my Finish-A-Long list for just as long - but I finally finished my Kansas Stars and Stripes Quilts of Valor quilt!!! I purchased the fabric last September on a trip to the International Quilt Museum in Lincoln, NE to see Moda Fabrics owner Mark Dunn speak.
I designed the pattern - or rather re-designed a pattern - to feature the sunflower fabric for a special Kansas serviceman. The inspiration for the quilt design came from a free pattern on the Robert Kaufman website called Mirrored Stars.
I mentioned the Finish-A-Long and you can see my goal list for Q3 here. I will be linking up to the Finish-A-Long finished projects link up when it opens later this month. Until then, here's the stats on this quilt....
Quilt Stats
- Pattern: Kansas Stars & Stripes designed by Sharla Krenzel
- Size: 68" x 80"
- Fabric for Top: Red - Patriotic Pattern #7788 by Andover Fabrics; Blue - Legendary Basics II by Jason Yenter for In The Beginning Fabrics; Gold - Pattern #A7996Y by Andover Fabrics; Background - Patriots #18270 by Robert Kaufman Fabrics; Sunflowers - older unknown fabric from stash.
- Backing Fabric: Patriots #18270 by Robert Kaufman Fabrics
- Binding Fabric: Legendary Basics II by Jason Yenter for In The Beginning Fabrics
- Thread, Piecing: Aurifil 2310
- Quilting Pattern: Stars and Stripes by Anne Bright
- Thread, Quilting: Signature 100% Cotton Thread in Parchment
- Batting: Hobbs 80/20
- Longarm: Gammill Statler Stitcher
~Sharla
Procraftenation: [prō krăfte nāshŭn] Noun. The habit of delaying an important task, usually by focusing on less urgent, easier and quicker craft projects instead.
Yup, I did it again. Instead of sewing the borders on my Quilts of Valor quilt I'm working on for my uncle, I pulled out some things I've picked up here and there to make a couple of Halloween decorations.
I found a couple of vintage orange and black spice tins a year or more ago and have been gathering trinkets to decorate them along the way. I saw some on Instagram and, of course, decided I needed to make some. Aren't they just so cute? Is it too early to start decorating for Halloween?
Did you notice the vintage Halloween noise maker on the left? I picked that up at an estate auction this spring and I can't remember if I shared it before so I included it in the photo.
I did get the center of my QOV quilt put together yesterday. The photo only shows a portion of it, there's a total of five stars across and six stars down. Now it just needs borders. Maybe tomorrow. The plan is to get it quilted this week, along with another QOV my quilt guild made. So I really need to stop procraftenating!
Did you do any procraftenating this weekend?
~Sharla
