succulent path {succulents blog hop and GIVEAWAY!}

***Edited to add:  If you're having difficulty accessing the free pattern for this quilt, try saving the file to your computer.  For some reason on certain browsers it looks as though the pattern is missing several pages, but this doesn't seem to be an issue once you download the PDF.***

Ohhh Succulent Path.  Sweet.  Succulent.  Path.

photo credit:  Eric Lubrick

I designed this quilt—free pattern here!—last fall for my dear friend Heather Givans of Crimson Tate.  Who designed her splendidly cheerful collection, Succulents, for Windham Fabrics.

For those of you who don't know Heather—wait, what?! Someone doesn't know Heather?!—she's an absolute joy to be around.  Her jovial personality—much like her infamous eyes-wide-mouth-open-and-let's-not-forget-the-glasses instagram selfies—is infectious.  We were first introduced by Amanda of Material Girl Quilts the year before last.  From the get-go, she was warm, welcoming, and fully committed to fostering creativity in our local community.
 

photo credit:  Eric Lubrick

And on top of that, she's a true artist.  So when she asked if we had any interest in designing projects featuring Succulents last fall, I immediately got to work.  I knew I wanted to capture the lightheartedness and whimsy that is Crimson Tate.  Now if you've been around here before you've likely realized that I'm all about paper piecing (paper piece all the things!).  But I also have a soft spot for historic design, and ultimately kept coming back to a traditional block that—though unassuming at first glance—turns into something spectacular with a simple repeat.  And in that spirit, Succulent Path came to be ;o)

This is Heather's first collection.  (The first of many, I hope.)  And this quilt—it boasts some firsts for me, too.  The first time I'd sewn exclusively with one fabric line.  (One that I had the privilege of seeing "behind the scenes," so to speak, as Heather's concept went from paper to strike offs to bolts.)

It's also the first time I asked for help to meet a deadline.  (And got it.  Major shout out to Meghan for your help with piecing the blocks—you are incredible.)  

The block is inspired by a vintage one, "Grandma's Fan."
This shot of the top really captures how the block's on-point repeat comes together to form the "path."

And the first time any of my work has been quilted by someone else (...Angela Walters, of all people!)

To me, all this creativity and collaboration really captures a thriving sense of community.  Succulent Path doesn't feel like "my quilt."  It feels like "our quilt."  As they say, it takes a village.  I'm happy and honored to be a member of said bustling village.

Plus it's the first quilt that's made it to Market.  (A pretty stellar cherry on top.)

photo credit:  Eric Lubrick

Now, if you're wanting to get your hands on some Succulents, now is your chance!  The folks at Windham will be giving away FQ bundles at every stop of the Succulents Blog Hop.  All of them!  Here's the line up...

March 15: Heather Givans of Crimson Tate

March 16: Eric Lubrick of Eric Lubrick Photography

March 17: Sarah Sharp of {no} hats quilts } you are here ;o)

March 18: Lindsay Lefevere of ellesquare

March 19: Karen McTavish of McTavish Quilting Studio

March 20: David Barnhouse of Crimson Tate

March 21: Meghan Eschbaugh of Calvin and Carolyn

March 22: Brooke Starnes

March 23: Matthew Wheeler of Kapa Quilts

March 24: Samantha Howard of Bobaloo Kids 

March 25: Amy Garro of 13 spools

March 26: Amanda Castor of Material Girl Quilts 

March 27: Heather Jones of Heather Jones Studio  

March 28: Heather Givans of Crimson Tate 

How do you win, you ask?  Just follow along over the next two weeks, peruse the projects and comment on the posts.  That's it!  Win win.  Speaking of, winners will be drawn at random at the end of the hop.

So to get started, leave a comment on this post.  Want to double your odds from the get go?  Head on over to Windham's blog and leave a comment there too.  Cat got your tongue?  I want to know what you'd make with this line!

photo credit:  Eric Lubrick

If you're local, I'll be teaching this design later this spring at Crimson Tate, so keep an eye on the class calendar.  And for everyone else, you can find this design (and many more!) in the free projects section of Windham's site.  I opted for scrappy blues and greens against a neutral backdrop, but you can easily mix up the color placement to create a path all your own ;o)

Happy hopping!

gypsy vagabonds unite! {november giveaway}

Well my friends, after yet another month of radio silence, I'm back!  With nothing new to show for this particular post thanks to a relaxing holiday weekend, coupled with a heaping helping of QuiltCon sewing.  But now that that deadline has (nearly) expired, I have turned to my November gypsy wife blocks, which I'll share later this week.

And in the meantime, this shot of gypsy wife makings from months past will have to suffice...

So, are you sewing along?  Interested in catching up?  Perhaps now is a good time to remind you of what we have up for grabs this month...

(Rainbow not exactly included.)  Since I'm making my gypsy wife using exclusively Liberty tana lawns and Oakshott shot cottons, I've joined forces with my dear friend Heather of Crimson Tate and Michael of Oakshott to bring you two Liberty F8 packs (pictured above) and one whopping $100 voucher to use as your heart desires at Oakshott.

All you have to do is link up your November progress right here!  (Erm, and by right here I mean keep scrolling...)

And for those of you who might also have been tied up over the holiday, fear not.  The link will stay open until next Sunday Monday night, giving you (and me) another week to cross these blocks off your list.  ;o)  Can't wait to see how everyone's designs are coming along!

Edited to add:  No blog necessary to link up! InLinkz also accepts links to flickr and IG :o)  If you're having trouble linking up, please comment below or shoot me an email so we can fix that, stat.

An InLinkz Link-up

skipping in the rain {and a giveaway!}

Not surprisingly, Juliet of Tartan Kiwi is at it again with her mad paper-piecing skills.  As I'm sure some of you might recall, she recently debuted a massive bear, which turned out to be a wonderful reason to break into my newly acquired stash of oakshott lyon and summer stripes:

This time, she's dreamt up a playful silhouette, skipping in the rain with umbrella in hand.  Okay, technically she's "Singing in the Rain." :o)  And because my oakshott, liberty, and low volume stashes are the only fabrics that aren't packed away in bins at the moment, my selection should come as no surprise.  Though I originally had my heart set on a favorite watercolor tana lawn print (tresco c) for the umbrella...

Until it occurred to me that the limited bit I had to begin with had already made its way into liberty and justice for all.  But all was not lost!  Because I soon realized that this would be a perfect start to a quilt for our niece (my cousin and his wife live in London, and I actually picked up this black and white floral on my celebratory trip to Shaukat when we were in the UK for their wedding last fall).  Full circle :o)  Of course I'm hoping they can tell it's a girl dancing in the rain.  ...My husband thought it was someone running with a large rock for a head.  (Perhaps I should've seen that coming and opted for a striped umbrella per Juliet's original pattern.)

Speaking of which, if you're wanting to try out this pattern yourself, Juliet has offered to provide one lucky ready with a complimentary copy of this pattern plus two others of the winner's choosing!  (And yes, that includes big bear!)

To enter, please leave a comment below.  I'll pick a winner next Wednesday (October 15th).  For those of you who just can't wait until then, you can grab this pattern for just $2 over the next two days in Juliet's craftsy shop.  And as an added incentive, Juliet will even refund your money if you win :o)

Happy sewing, everyone!

in LOVE {AMB blog tour :: Indiana}

I have to say, I was pretty ecstatic to get Candice's invitation to participate in the American Made blog tour the other month.  My mind immediately started off in a million directions.  (...One might even say it was racing.)

At one point I was considering jampacking all-things-Indiana into a checkerboard layout; as in, sixteen snippets of Indiana-isms, each in its own 1.5" square package.  (I do have an affinity for tiny piecing, after all!)  Because really, there's so much to choose from!  Abraham Lincoln's boyhood home, Hoosiers and basketball, home to Raggedy Anne, James Dean, and the publisher of The Saturday Evening Post; a small town in Indiana even stakes a claim to the former "Circus Capital of America."  What's not to love about all that?

But at the end of the day, I decided on something a little more, shall we say, straightforward...  simply in LOVE:

Robert Indiana's iconic LOVE symbol embossed on a checkered flag (a nod to the ever-popular Indy 500, which just celebrated its 98th running this past weekend).  A big shout out to my friend Amanda who encouraged me to use our state's abbreviation rather than the full name ;o)  To mix things up, I jotted it down in lowercase cursive, and then used a gray perle cotton that my friend Heather gave me.  (Aren't creative friends the best?)

And because I couldn't make just one, I also started a little red, white and blue tribute...

American LOVElies.  Which are soon to be joined by the full spectrum of colors, as I couldn't resist cutting into all 50 hues that AMB sent my way!

Want to make one, too?  Great!  The only special items you'll need are template plastic, your paper-backed adhesive of choice (I used Therm O Web HeatnBond Ultra), and the 5.5" LOVE template, which I will upload soon, so check back in over the weekend for that :o) Just remember to print at 100%!

Here you can see my various stages of progress:  

reverse LOVE template (bottom right) | traced+pressed LOVE emblems (left) | (partially) cut out LOVE (top right)  

The quick (as can be) and dirty for a 6" block:
Using 2" squares, piece two sixteen patches, pressing seams open as you go.  One of these will be for the LOVE lettering, and the other for the background.  Then, after creating a plastic template of the LOVE symbol, use it to trace the *mirrored* lettering onto the paper side of the adhesive.  Loosely trim around the symbol, leaving a little room beyond the letter lines (you'll cut more precisely once it's fully bonded to the fabric).  Next, center the adhesive on the *wrong side* of the sixteen patch (the one you made specifically for the lettering), and press according to the setting instructions.  Once it's secure, carefully cut out the symbol and then remove the paper.  Finally, overlay and line up the checkered LOVE symbol on the background block, press to secure, and channel your inner Casey York and finish the applique in your method of choice!

The block will finish at 6" x 12"

And if you're lucky, you just might be able to get started on your own American Made love... because the AMB folks are giving away a pack of eight fat quarters!  (And not just Indiana, but one for every state in the whole U.S. of A., so go check out the other states'  plates!) 

To win here, just leave a comment on this post :o)  Easy peasy!  A winner will be announced June 3.

Edited to add:  Congrats to No. 63 Carmen N.!  

welcome and a winner! {SMS giveaway day}

First, I just wanted to say WELCOME(!) to all of you who've recently started following this hatless-ness optional house.  Glad to have you and hope to see more of you around these parts.

Second, to those of you who (1) "have never gotten around to doing paper-piecing" (2) get "bad frustrating results," (3) think it "wastes too much fabric", (4) are still "intimidated" by it, (5) "hate it," (6) "enjoy it," (7) "love it," or (8) "absolutely love it," I've got a little something for everyone up my sleeve.  I've still got lots of planning (and patterning) to do, but don't be surprised if—in a few month's time—you start to hear me blab about a "bootcamp" of sorts.  ;o)  Oh, and unless I lose my job or something inconvenient like that by then, it'll be on the house.

And now on to the real reason you clicked through this post to begin with—(and I hope *not* the reason you'll hit the "unfollow" button!)—the winner of the SMS giveaway goodies is no. 638 of 1235...

Afton of Quilting Mod!  Who, crazily enough, was the very first person to comment on my gradient fill layer cake sampler post that went up during the SMS giveaway week chaos.  Love it when the stars align :)

So glad to be sending this little stack of favorites southwest.  Truthfully I wish I could share it with all of you, but if history is any indication (I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII) it's safe to assume there will be more where this came from.  Case in point?  Gypsy Wife quilt along participants already have another shot coming in November!

And for those of you who don't have any liberty en route to your corner of the world just yet, I have it on good authority that Massdrop will soon be offering not only the same liberty bundle as last time (FQ, F8, or half yard), but also a *new* mini-collection of 10 different prints.  (I may or may not have had a hand in selecting said second batch... so I may be a bit biased when I say they're pretty ultra.)

Anyway, if any of this has piqued your interest, head on over to the drop page to request a reminder for whenever the second round goes live (sometime next week, I think).

Till the next time... ;)

a few (more) of my favorite things {SMS giveaway day}

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  Thanks to all who entered! Winner is 638/1235 (Afton W.)!

Somehow, half a year has gone by and once again it's time for Sew Mama Sew's semi-annual Giveaway Day Week!  (!)

Much like last time, I've grouped together another trio of favorites.  Think of it as a trifecta of sorts:  fat (or skinny) sixteenths+ of 21 jewel-toned liberty and oakshott fabrics, plus a miniature arsenal of neutral 50wt aurifil in 2024, 2021, 2000, and 2325 (that gracious Mr. Veronelli slipped in a few extras and I couldn't help but share my good fortune).

You might recognize some of those liberty tana lawns.  That's because I just gave away a FQ set on behalf of the lovely folks at Massdrop.  And guess what?  By popular demand, the classic 10-pack will be making a reappearance in a few weeks, along with a *new* assortment of 10 more prints.  Just go here to sign up for a reminder when that buy is back on :o)

Right.  So getting back to THIS giveaway.  You have three chances to win*:

1.  Leave a comment on this post.  Anything at all.  Need help?  Tell me your thoughts on paper-piecing.  I'd love to hear them ;o)

2.  Leave a second comment if you are a follower (old or new, just tell me how you follow:  Instagram?  Bloglovin'?  Feedly?  Email?) (optional second entry)

3.  Help spread the word!  Then leave a quick (third!) comment telling me how you did that. (Pinterest? Facebook?  Instagram? Tag me @nohatsquilts!) (optional third entry)

*International entries welcome.  Void where prohibited by law.  Because hats or not, we follow the law in (and out of) this house. :o)   

This giveaway will be open until 8 pm EST (5 pm PST) on Friday, May 16.  The winner will be notified by May 18.

Best of luck, and if you haven't already, be sure to check out all the other amazing goods up for grabs!

xo Sarah

liberty winner!

Lucky no. 12!  Susan of PatchworknPlay :o)

I'll be sending an email your way very soon!

And for those of you who might not already have tana lawn en route, you're not necessarily out of luck... Both Liberty drops are open one more day (here and here), and an Aurifil drop just went up tonight.  So there's that :)

liberty for the masses {massdrop GIVEAWAY}

THE GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED.  Winner is 12/173 (Susan)!

Friends...

Have I got news for you.  (And fabric!  Liberty of London fabric!)

A week ago, I'd never heard of Massdrop.  Then, a curious email popped up in my inbox asking if I would give away a FQ bundle of Liberty Tana Lawns right here on the blog.  And just like that, Massdrop became a lot more interesting ;o)

So, what is it?

In their words—they are providing the goods for this post, after all—Massdrop is a private sale website that organizes group-buys for different online communities.  In the past, they've worked with different groups like audio enthusiasts, scrapbookers, boardgamers and kitchen gadgeteers to help them get great products at wholesale prices.

In my words?  They're us.  We join, we starts polls based on what we're interested in (you can bet I've already started one for oakshott), we get our friends to jump on the bandwagon (because really, is there anyone better at that than we are?), and then Massdrop organizes a group buy (they call them "drops") for whatever it is that we're willing to band together to get.  Sewing machines?  Thread?  (It's Aurifil!)  Fabric?  The world is our oyster.  Massdrop is our co-op.  (Not technically, but you get the point).

Also, they're really quite nice and friendly.  As some of you may know, I tend to ask lots of questions.  Gmail tells me there've already been over a dozen emails back and forth with them over the past week; turns out they're just as excited about having Liberty on the site as I am.  And if it goes well (nudge nudge), Liberty of London will start making a regular appearance(!)  Because who doesn't need a little more liberty in their life?

To kick things off, they're offering two "drops."  One is for a ten print bundle (the fabric that appears throughout this post).  The standard option is FQ but you can switch to half yards or fat eighths, too.  The other is for larger cuts (min. 1m) of your choosing from 18 prints (the 3 meter bundle option).  Have some friends who are interested in starting a collection, too?  You can pool together or each buy three different prints to assemble your own little bundles.  Bonus?  The more people who sign up, the lower the price.  So go check them out!  (Registration is free, just sign up with email or sign in with facebook).

So.  ABOUT THAT GIVEAWAY.

To win the bundle of your choosing—fat quarter or 3 meter—just leave a comment below.  Not sure what to say?  Why don't you tell me what *you* would like to see on Massdrop.  Spread the word on instagram (I'm @nohatsquilts) or facebook (I'm basically a ghost over there) for a second chance to win (be sure to come back and leave a second comment here so I know to count you twice).

I'll be announcing a winner on Wednesday night.  You know, so there's still time for you to join in ;)

In the interest of full disclosure, Massdrop provided the bundle pictured above.  As always, I only work with companies and products in which I believe, and the opinions expressed in this post are entirely my own.

365 days well spent? {giveaway: year I}

Giveaway is now closed.  

Congratulations to AMANDA of Everyday Fray!  Happy to call you my friend, A :)  Now, off to assemble some goodies (more on that to follow).

I'd say so.  But then again, I'm a bit biased :o)

A year of doing what, exactly?  Well.... there's been:

a lot of trial and error.
new techniques.
a welcome bounty of new friendships forged (all but one long distance).
too many (or not enough?) new fabric purchases (which is why I've committed to holding off on all future stashing until my selvage quilt is completed (insert tear of sorrow)).
my first link-up.
my first pattern.
my first giveaway (and then a second, and a third).
my first tutorial.
my first (official) forray in do(.)ing Good.
my second attempt to do some good, one by one.
my first honorable mention.
my first first place.
my first teaching opportunity (as fate would have it, sign ups for the February 14-15 class start TONIGHT, of all days!  There's that karma again.)

But I doubt you're here for long-winded lists.  So why don't I show you a sampling of what I've been up to since burrowing out this little corner of the blogosphere on January 9, 2013:

So, as a little gesture of appreciation for the role you've played in making this {house} feel more like a home, I'm going to cull a few favorites from a year's worth of projects and put them up for adoption (disclaimer:  loveless abodes need not apply).

What might that look like?  Well there's Liberty.  And Oakshott.  And low volume.  And Aurifil.  And grays.  And feedsacks.  And the rainbow.  (Speaking of, maybe I'll just give away all those pre-cut, 2" selvage strips so I can get back to my previous fabric-hoarding habits. (...Juuuusssst kidding!))

Let's just say the winner should prepare to be surprised, shall we? :o)  Unless of course you follow me on IG (@nohatsquilts), in which case you should keep your eyes peeled for a sneak preview post in the next few days.  Along with other goings-on, of course :)

So, how to enter?
1.  All you have to do is leave a short comment with whatever word or phrase best describes you.  I'll start:  Crazy thoughtful and generally free-spirited.  But mostly crazy.
2.  Followers get a second entry. (Honor system here:  @nohatsquilts on IG, bloglovin, feedly, or email?)

Edited to add:  I'll keep it open for four days, and will draw a winner sometime on January 14, 2014.

Cheers to the next year's installment of optional hatlessness.  I hope you'll stick around for whatever's to come!

Sarah

linking up to crazy mom quilts

and the oakshott/aurifil/diamond trio goes to...

Lucky no. three hundred and fifty-seven of one thousand, two hundred and four(!*), Quilting Tangent!

Come Monday, this bundle of goodies will be headed your way.  (Emailing for your address as we speak.)

As for all the other wonderful commenters, while it's not exactly free fabric delivered to your doorstep, Oakshott** is running a bit of sale at the moment so I encourage you to take a look, even if it is just to add it to your wishlist.  ;o)

*Thank you to each and every one of you who offered such beautiful words about my dwr.  You're amazing.  I'm speechless.
**This post is not sponsored by anyone other than me, myself, (my husband) and I; I just freely encourage savvy, ethical stashing habits.

aurifil + oakshott + diamonds, oh my {giveaway day!}

When it came time to decide how to partake in Sew Mama Sew's semi-annual Giveaway Day Week this time around, you might say I was inspired by the sparkly liberty+oakshott+aurifil doozy I recently crossed off my list (…for now, anyway):

Since I already gave away some of my coveted liberty lawn in September, I'm thinking some other DWR-inspired faves are in order for the SMS wintertime giveaway extravaganza:  oakshotts, precious stones, and aurifil.

Specifically, one delectable F8 stack of oakshott elements {water}:

I don't know about you, but I'm seeing shimmers of aquamarine, emerald, sapphire, and blue topaz in this water :)

Two birthstone block paper-piecing e-patterns {princess + round}:

And three of my go-to Aurifil 50wts {2000, 2021, 2024}:

So let's cut to the chase.  In keeping with the trio theme, you have three chances to win*:

1.  Leave a comment on this post.  (Done and done.)

2.  Leave a second comment if you are a follower (old or new, just tell me how you follow:  Instagram? (@nohatsquilts has finally gotten with the program!)  Bloglovin'?  Feedly?  Email?) (optional second entry)

3.  Help spread the word!  Then leave a third comment telling me how you did that. (Pinterest? Instagram? Facebook?  Quick one-word explanations 100% okay by me!) (optional third entry)

*A word of warning to all "no-reply" bloggers:   I am not a PI, so please(!) include your email address in your comment so I can track you down :)

All entries welcome, near and far.  This giveaway will be open until 8 pm EST (5 pm PST) on Friday, December 13.  A winner will be announced and notified shortly thereafter.

Edited to add:  Thank you (truly) for all the entries.  The giveaway is now closed, and this bounty will be making its way to commenter 357/1204, Quilting Tangent.

Bon chance.  And be sure to check out all the other amazing giver-awayers's posts :)

-- Sarah

freshly cut lawn

And the liberty goes to... #64 Alyce(!), who will soon be receiving this roygbiv spread of 28 tana lawn prints:

Most pieces measure around 5"x10", so think of it as 50+ charm squares headed your way (nearly 1m by weight  {including best press} in all, but who's keeping track? <<<ahem>>>).

The lucky lady mentioned she was digging navy+teal+coral at the moment, so I initially set out to add a few of those notes from my collection. (Clearly) I wound up with a more complete spectrum.  ...Because who doesn't love a little liberty rainbow?  ;)

Hope you enjoy them, and can't wait to see these resurface in your work, friend!  I've got a similar scheme up my sleeve, now if only I could find the time to take it from the sketching+starching phase to the cutting+sewing stage!  #cantcomplainnowthatIhaveajobtosponsormycreativeendeavors

Happy Tuesday!

the {let's spread the joy with liberty 'cause my name is on the *pass* list(!)} GIVEAWAY

What can I say that hasn't already been captured in the title of this post?  Not much.  So instead, I'll share with you another glimpse of my excursion into London the other day...

...and a few purchases therefrom.

That's right.  Liberty of London is in {the house}.

...And soon, a surprise sampling of these luscious lawns could be in your house, too.  Am I crazy to part with even the teensiest morsel of these?  Perhaps.  Or maybe I'm just that plain happy that I won't be sitting for any more bar exams in the foreseeable future.  So rather than stingily safeguarding this recently-acquired stash, I've opted to share some of the {tana lawn} wealth with one of you.

Interested in the details? There are three ways to put your name in the proverbial {hat}*:
1.  Leave a comment on this post.  Preferably describing your favorite quilting color scheme, but any comment will do.  
2.  Leave a second, separate comment if you are a follower (old or new!).  Just tell me how you follow.  Feedly? Bloglovin'?  Email?  Psssst.... the last two are on the sidebar ;)
3.  Spread the word.  Then leave another (no. 3) comment letting me know your communicative channel of choice:  Facebook?  Twitter?  Pinterest?  A shout from the rooftops?

*International friends welcome {and I think quite appropriately so.}  But no matter where you reside, if you're a no-reply blogger, please please {please!} do yourself a favor and include your email address in your comment!

The giveaway will close in roughly one week's time {midnight EST on Saturday, October 5}, when random.org will kindly inform me which one of your addresses to pen on a petite parcel-ful of liberty.

Thanks for visiting.  The best of British to you ;)