Welcome to the sixth block reveal for the Sew Let’s QAL

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

Presenting: The Binding Clips Block

This block was designed by Jennifer Fulton of The Inquiring Quilter. You can download the free pattern here on her blog from now until September 24th, 2019. After then, the patterns may not be available anymore. Don’t delay, download them today.

Tips and Tricks to Constructing this Block

1. Have fun making this pattern. It’s an easy one with great directions. No seams to match. Sew much fun!
   
   

   

   I have many binding clips but I usually only use 5 of them when I’m sewing the binding on a quilt. I also have larger ones and some with pointy tips at my ND house. I probably should bring some of them down to AZ in the fall.

2. Since I can’t seem to follow any pattern exactly, it comes as no surprise that I had to add a little something extra to this one. I added flange to the elephant quilt last spring (read the post here). My little “quilt” in this block seemed to need the extra pop that a thin strip of color would add. I cut a strip of fabric 1″ x 12.5″ and ironed it in half. I then sew basted it within the 1/4″ seam allowance on the right side of the 7″ x 12.5″ piece which is the “quilt” in this block.
   

   My cactus fabric was only 8.5″ long so I had to match it to lengthen it. Can you find the seam? It was just too pretty not to use in this block.

   Then I completed the block following the designer’s directions.

3. Chain piece to reduce  your sewing time. I start each chain piecing with a “spider”. It’s a little piece of folded fabric (which can be used multiple times) that begins and ends each chain piecing section. It’s purpose is to reduce the amount of thread used and to help sew the beginning and ending of each seam more accurately.
4. Print out and write on your pattern.
   

   I write down my fabric colors when they differ from the directions, make notations (arrows) as to how to press the seams, and check-off the pieces when cut.

See These Hosts for More Construction Tips

Look for bi-weekly inspiration from these bloggers.

Sandy @ SandyStar Designs

Abbie @ Sparkle On!

Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats

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

Segment 2: May 21st to July 16th

Jennifer Fulton @ The Inquiring Quilter — The designer of this block.

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 consisted of 5 blocks. Segments two and three will each have four 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! and Segment Project Suggestions
• May 21st – Segment 1 Prize Winner Announced! Check our Facebook page for the announcement. (Update: Congratulations to Ethel Brake)

Segment 2: May 21st to July 15th

• May 21st- Block 6: Jennifer @ The Inquiring Quilter — Find Block 6 There
• June 4th – Block 7: Karen @ Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
• June 18th – Block 8: Sherry Shish @ Powered by Quilting
• July 2nd – Block 9: Kathleen McCormick @ Kathleen McMusing
• July 15th at 11:59pm EDT – Last day to enter for the giveaway.
• July 16th – Segment 2 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.

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 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, July 15th 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 2: Prizes and Sponsors

• A Warm 100 queen size batting from the Warm Company.
• A fat quarter selection from Dear Stella
• Three printed table runner patterns from Shabby Fabrics, the Vintage Series

AND

A free pattern of your choice from each of these Partners in Design: Powdered by Quilting (up to $10) and The Inquiring Quilter (A PDF pattern)

Choices!!!

You choose what you want to make: A quilt or several smaller projects. The sewing machine, revealed in segment one, 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 (but it doesn’t have to be quilted) quilt top or several projects that use all of the 13 blocks.

I’ll be making several projects for my sewing room. I completed a mini quilt using one of the blocks from the first segment. You can read about it here. The remaining blocks from the first segment as well as a couple from the third segment will be used for a sewing machine cover. So I really can’t show  you this project until those blocks have been revealed. Plus it gives me some extra time to complete it.

You will notice that my fabric has changed for this block. I have other plans for the blocks from this second segment. 

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 — Spinning Spools and Thread Tales

Tu-Na Quilts: Sew Let’s QAL Block 5 — Quilt Shop

Segment 1: 

Segment 2:

What I Learned Today:

1. It’s time for this season of “winter camp for seniors” to come to an end; Spring is almost over! Tu-Na Helper and I will be migrating north this week right after we stop in to visit our daughter and son-in-law and help them move into a house they’ve bought. It’s a real fixer upper and I get to help!
2. Sunsets in Arizona can be brilliant if one is patient enough. After Tu-Na Helper went inside our house I saw the sky turn a brilliant orange and pink and purple. It was one of those moments that is difficult to capture on camera.
3. The cacti and trees continue to bloom making it hard for me to leave this beautiful area.

Question: Do you use binding clips or stick pins or nothing at all when sewing on binding? I use about 5 binding clips when hand stitching on the binding. Anymore than that and I tend to lose them-on the floor, between the couch cushions, under the car seat. I also use binding clips to hold labels on my cut pieces and, sometimes, to hold pieces together instead of pins when machine stitching a seam. 

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

Linking to:

Main Crush Monday at Cooking Up Quilts

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

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

Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilt