Welcome to the fifth block reveal for the Sew Let’s QAL.

This QAL is brought to you by Partners in Design: Where Friends and Fabric Meet.

Presenting:

This block was designed by Abbie Danahy of Sparkle On! You can download the free pattern here on her blog from now until September 24th, 2019. All the patterns are free until then but may not be available or may be available for a small fee after that time. Don’t delay, download them today.

Tips and Tricks to Constructing this Block

Follow these tips to make this block even easier.

1. If you are finding your needle just can’t go through the layers as you sew over several seams or your fabric is pushed down into the needle hole, the needle may be dull. Change it!!
2. Write the color of the fabric that you will be using for each piece. Then check off the pieces after cutting.
   

   I get easily distracted so I also put marks when I need to cut more than one piece.

3. Pat yourself on the back after you finish cutting those pieces. There are not as many as the last two blocks so I didn’t bother labeling them.
   

   I machine stitched my name before I cut out the oval shape for the shop name sign. I changed my  mind on a couple of pieces after I took this picture. Even from the picture I could tell that my fabric choices looked too busy. 

4. Get creative with your embellishments. It’s not a secret that I love cacti blooms. I was ecstatic when I found that I had fabric in my stash that contained cacti in pots.
   

   I fussy cut some for the windows.

   They were the perfect size for this block. I also used them rather than using the applique templates that were provided in the pattern.

   

   To make those cactus stickers, I got creative with the machine applique. I used a blanket stitch the regular way for the pots. Then I used it the other way for the cacti making them look like they had stickers! I didn’t stitch around the flowers but made sure they were well ironed hoping the fusible material will keep them in place. The project that I will use this block for won’t be washed so it should be just fine.

5. When you pin your seams together, you may find that your two pieces are not exactly the same size; there’s an easy fix if they are just slightly different. Match and pin the top and bottom edges. Lay the slightly longer one on the bottom; the feed dogs pull the bottom layer just a tish bit more than the top is fed so by the time you reach the end of the seam, they will be the same length. Watch your seams on the underside so they lie flat.
   

   Notice the arrow above: I spent quite a bit of time retrieving a pin from one of those little holes in my machine bed. (I’m not sure what they are for). When I brushed the pin aside, it fell into the hole!! Wow, I could hardly believe it. Lucky me; it happened twice! Then I asked Tu-Na Helper if he had something in his tool box that would cover those holes as it was becoming time consuming retrieving those lost pins. His suggestion came in a flash, “Just put some tape across them.” I folded over one edge of the tape before sticking it down so I could remove it easily if needed. 

See These Hosts for More Construction Tips

Look for bi-weekly inspiration from these bloggers.

Sandy @ SandyStar Designs

Abbie @ Sparkle On! — Designer of this block

Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

Jennifer @ The Inquiring Quilter

In addition to those listed above, look for inspiration from these bloggers during: 

Segment 1: March 12th to May 21st

Sandra @ Sandra Healy Designs

Kathleen @ Kathleen McMusing

Quilt Hosts

Look for bi-weekly inspiration from these bloggers as they turn their blocks into a quilt.

Bobbi @ Snowy Days Quilting

Sherry @ Powered by Quilting

April @ JANDA Bend Quilts

Becca @ Pretty Piney Quilts

Join this QAL

You can join in anytime. Every other Tuesday, a new block will be released until all 13 blocks have been released. You can find the full schedule on my post here. This QAL will be divided into three segments. Segment one will consist of 5 blocks.

Share a picture of your block on our Facebook page, or on Instagram with the hashtag #SewLetsQAL. We want to see them. A prize will be awarded at the end of each segment.

Segment 1: March 12th to May 21st

• March 12th – Block 1: Sandra @ Sandra Healy Designs — Find Block One there
• March 26th – Block 2: April @ JANDA Bend Quilts —Find Block Two there
• April 9th – Block 3: Sherry @ Powered by Quilting — Find Block Three there
• April 23rd – Block 4: Bobbi @ Snowy Days Quilting Find Block Four there
• May 7th – Block 5: Abbie @ Sparkle On! Find Block Five there. Ideas for using these blocks in small projects will also be posted separately. 
• May 21st – Segment 1 Prize Winner Announced!

Block patterns will be free from the designers and available on their blogs until the date of the Grand Prize announcement September 24th, 2019.

This brings us to the end of Segment One. See my next post for ideas on turning these first five blocks into projects.

Enter to Win

Entering to win the prizes below is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. Everyone (You must be 18 to be able to enter to win prizes) gets to participate because International entries are welcome! You do NOT need to have a blog to enter.
2. Make all of the 5 blocks in this segment provided to you free of charge for this event. Use your own fabrics and embellish them as you like. If entering the giveaway, the blocks should definitely be recognizable as made from these free patterns.  Take one picture with all of them included.
3. Post a picture of all of your blocks before 11:59 PM EST, May 20th, 2019 either on the Facebook page, or on Instagram with the hashtag #SewLetsQAL, or on the hosts  blog Linky party at the end of each segment.  You are welcome to post a picture on each of the sources but it will only count as one entry.

Segment 1 Prizes and Sponsors

• A newly released item from Omnigrid® (a Prym Company)
  Large Folding Cutting Kit that includes 18 x 24″ mat, a 3″ x 18″ ruler and a 45 mm rotary cutter
  
• Timeless Treasures Tonga Treat Strip Jr. “Orchid” -20 pc 2 1/2″ strip pack
• 2 Shabby Fabrics Vintage Blessings printed table runner patterns and a packet of Sunflower laser-cut appliqués (small.)

• One Free PDF pattern (up to $10.00) from each of these “Partners in Design”

Sandra Healy Designs   Janda Bend Quilts  Powdered by Quilting

Choices!!!

You choose what you want to make: A quilt or several smaller projects. The sewing machine is the only block that will be large. The rest will be 12.5″ unfinished. We have several hosts who will offer suggestions as to what you can do with your blocks if you don’t want to make a quilt.

Not sure what to do? Just start making the blocks and decide along the way. A grand prize will be offered for a completed quilt top or several projects that use all of the 13 blocks.

I’ll be making several projects for my sewing room.

Don’t Miss Out on My Previous Sew Let’s QAL Posts

Tu-Na Quilts: Sew Let’s QAL – Introduction

Tu-Na Quilts: On Pins and Needles – A look at my fabric selection. It varies with each segment of the QAL.

Tu-Na Quilts: Sew Let’s QAL Block 1— Sewing Machine

Tu-Na Quilts: Sew Let’s QAL Block 2 — Quilt Along Mug Block

Tu-Na Quilts: Sew Let’s QAL Block 3 — Ruler

Tu-Na Quilts: Sew Let’s QAL Block 4 — Thread Tales and Spinning Spools

What I Learned Today:

1. I am not very good at centering machine alphabet yet but I have learned to adjust the size of the letters.
2. I should clean my fabric stash shelves more often. Had I found that potted cacti fabric earlier, I would have used them in my blocks. Hmmm, might not be too late for the next segments.
3. Tu-Na Helper is very smart.
4. It’s hard to give up a dream. Many years ago I wanted to own either a quilt shop or a bed and breakfast. Things never worked out so that I could achieve either of those dreams.
5. The more cacti blooms I see, the more I love them. We’ve spent a lot of wonderful time last week driving to and walking around the Desert Botanical Gardens in Phoenix, Saguaro National Park near Tucson, Tonto National Forest, and the Grand Canyon. I’ve seen lots of blooms. Here’s just a few of the many pictures I took.

Finally, there’s still “Little Bud” left to open. I will have to check his progress every day.

Questions: What dreams do you have? Have you ever wanted to work in or own a quilt shop? I wouldn’t make any money if I worked in a quilt shop as I’d never take any pay home. I’d have a very large stash of fabric but no time to sew.

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

Linking to:

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Let’s Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt