Yonder Quilt Along Week 6, June 3rd

Final week!

Get 'er done week!

You WANT to get this quilt top this week because the final giveaway prize is that good!

SO good!

Maybe you've already done the math and figured out that Cotton + Steel must be part of the final giveaway, and you'd be right!


This is Snow Flowers, by Oka Emi.  I'm captured by her artwork!

Before the fabric was in print, C+S asked me to make some digital renderings of my quilt patterns in this line.
Here it is in Starbright,

 Starstrung, (some C+S basics are included in this rendering, but are not part of the bundle)

 ...and Petticoat.
(I'm tempted to host a QAL in the Fall with either Petticoat or Starstrung, what do you think???)

So the Final Giveaway winner will receive the Snow Flowers bundle AND a 6-month subscription to  the Make Modern Magazine!

Week 5 Winner:

Congrats to Jen @hilljj25! You've won the Yard Quilt from Quilt Designs in the Yard! (Give them a follow if you haven't already.)  I'm so excited for ya, Jen!  Email me with your mailing address and phone number and Brenda will mail your prize to you.

Tips for the week:

Sewing the blocks together goes so fast.  That's part of the magic of big blocks!  When you sew blocks together, the seams within the block will not nest, these will have to be matched up with out nesting.  I thought long and hard about how to make the entire quilt nest, and it could have.  But it would have required you to know where you were putting every block in the quilt almost from the beginning, and that added a level of confusion to the pattern I didn't think was worth the fuss.  The seams from sewing blocks together will nest if you press the seams as suggested in the pattern.

As soon as my quilt is assembled, I am in the habit of running a line of stitching around the entire quilt top 1/8" in from the edge.  This keeps seams from opening, or seam allowances turning the wrong way.  It's referred to as stay-stitching, and can be done in a larger stitch length, 2.5 - 2.8.

Pattern Matching a printed fabric:

I thought I'd share this for down-the-line when you're ready to finish your Yonder and make your backing.  This week's goal is to have an assembled quilt top/flimsy, so batting, backing, quilting and binding can come at a later date.

Have you ever tried matching the print on a piece of fabric?  One of my favourite parts of the quilt-making process is choosing a backing with a printed design, and matching the print so that the design looks continuous across the entire backing.  It's my Superpower!   It can be yours, too!  Check out my blog post, Invisible Pieced Backing.

My finished quilt top:

Last week, I assembled my QAL Yonder blocks into a quilt top!  This quilt is a mashup of following the pattern's cutting instructions, and the two bonus tutorials: Using fat quarters for the Yonder Quilt, and Using directional prints with Yonder.  My husband and I are shopping for a small chair for our room that we can use to meditate in.  This matches the room well and will be the perfect lap quilt.  I'm tempted to make a matching roll pillow with my leftover bits! 

Well, 7 days left!  This week's work is pretty light, so if you're behind, you might still be able to have a quilt top by Sunday night and qualify for the giveaway.  Either way, tag me in your Yonder posts so I can watch your quilts come together!

Yonder Quilt Along, WEEK 1, April 29th

Virtual confetti dump!  Yonder QAL is open!

THANK YOU for joining!  We have 119 participants!  I hugely appreciate your enthusiasm for this pattern.

There's so much to cover in our opening post so I've divided things into categories to help you find what you're looking for. 

Giveaway!

Our opening Giveaway is a $30 Gift Card from Maker Valley!  Just enough to get yourself that quilty shirt you've been wanting, or some cute sewing related enamel pins!  Congrats to Julie Kerr!  I have your email address, so I'll get that gift card to you, pronto!

Although our first giveaway was open to everyone who signed up and purchased the pattern, future giveaways will be selected from posts on Instagram sharing your progress, using #yonderquilt, and tagging me @briarhilldesigns.  This week I'd love to see your palettes and/or progress!

Here's the palette for my first Yonder!  This is Garden Club by Brenda Ratliff of Pink Castle Fabrics, a fellow textile designer with RJR.  I needed a few extra fabrics to make the Twin size of the quilt, so I added a handful of RJR solids into the mix.

Our Epic Sponsors!

We have an amazing lineup of sponsors!  I love to get to brag up businesses I admire and believe in!  They've been very generous with their prizes for us, and I encourage us all to show our appreciation by checking out, and if you like, following these inspiring creative businesses.

Our giveaway for Week 1 is Winner's Selection of 3 large spools of Aurifil thread, and a pattern from our Briar Hill Etsy shop!

I'd probably want these three - Aluminum 2615, Chalk 2026, and Fairy Floss 6723. What would you choose?

Share your progress for the week by midnight on Sunday to be entered in the Week 1 Giveaway.  Winner will be announced in the Week 2 newsletter and blog.


This week's goal:

Since we are going to start sewing blocks next week, we need all the fabric cut for the entire quilt top.  

(Palette for the second Yonder I'm making from Dylan M's line Mazy's Garden, plus some neutrals from a variety of designers to build out the palette.)

This week we are working through Steps 1 and 2 in the pattern: cutting all the fabric we need for our quilt, stacking pieces of the same print and letter,... 

...then sorting which prints we want in a block together. Please note that in the image above, B1 and B2 are together in the B pile, and C1, C2, and C3 are together in the C pile.  When choosing which fabrics will go in a block together, I take a stack of D first because it's the largest, then select a stack from E, C, B, and then select A as the cherry on the top.

Here is how my bundles for individual blocks look.  

Don't feel pressure to gather the perfect assortment of colours and print for every single block.  Remember.  They're all going into the same quilt.  I've learned that if I only allow the best matches to become a block instead of allowing for some unexpected fabric mashups, an assembled quilt top can look segmented and less cohesive.  So, reminding myself, "They're all going into the same quilt." when matching up fabrics helps me make a quilt I love.

Some tutorials to help you get started:

First, here's a quick tutorial on how I stack my prints, and trim them to make as little waste as possible.  I use fat quarters to demonstrate this, but the same can apply to your full width yardage.

Want to see it on You Tube?  Click here.

As promised, here are links to the (optional) bonus blog posts:  These are meant to be a support if you would like to: 1.  Use fat quarters instead of yardage to make your Yonder Quilt, or 2.  Make a directional print upright in every part of the block.  That's not necessary (I enjoy my directional prints to be any-which-way) but if it's your style, the blog post will be a help.  If you're following the pattern as it stands, there's no need for you to read this content.

Using Fat Quarters for Yonder

Using directional prints with Yonder

I've made printable files of these tutorials.  You can download and print them from here.

ALSO, I've made you some labels to help keep your project organized.  They're also available through the link above.


Just in case using templates in the way described in the pattern is new to you, here's some info on how they're used.

1. Cut out the template.
2. Select one of your acrylic rulers that is just a little bigger than the size of the template.
3. Determine which edges of the paper template will need to be cut (arrows on paper templates point to these edges). These edges will be lined up to an edge on your ruler.
4. Tape these templates (right-side-up) to the underside of your ruler using a clear tape (I use Scotch Magic Tape).  We'll call these Ruler Templates.
5.  Align ruler template D or E to the stack of  D or E pcs cut. There are four D or E pcs per block, so you can cut all four at the same time.  Cut fabric to shape of template. The triangles cut away won't be used for this pattern.

Next week I'll be sharing my Yonder block assembly tips!

I recommend using a 6 1/2" ruler for trimming parts of the block next week.  If you'd like to order one fast, here's a link!

Some housekeeping details:

Long story short: 

Please use #yonderquilt in all your social media posts!  

You can follow this hashtag on Instagram to keep an eye on what other QAL-ers are up to!  I hugely encourage cheering on other quilt along-ers, and making a few new quilty friends! 

Long story long:

Last summer when I designed this pattern it was top-secret until Quilt Market weekend.  It’s not easy to name a quilt, and I finally found a name that was unused, and a good fit, Yonder. 

A few days previous to Market, a quilter I hugely admire, @eyecandyquilts announced her cute new pattern, Yonder.  What?!  What are the chances?!  I sent her a message and our unlikely and funny conversation went like this:

Me: Hi! Have you just named a pattern Yonder? I did too! 

Eye Candy Quilts: Yep!

Me: Yikes!  Mine is debuting in the C+S booth.  I would change it, but I don't think I'm able to.

Eye Candy Quilts: Mine is in Moda's sales materials.  Oh well!  It happens all the time!

Me:  Yup!  Well you know what they say about great minds!

I’m telling you this, because guess what!  The story gets even more ironic!  We’re both hosting quilt alongs with our individual Yonder patterns.  Hers starts in 2 days, so the Yonder quilt along Google search, and hashtags will show results for two Yonder Quilt Alongs.  

So to keep things tidy, we will use hashtags #yonderquilt primarily, and please tag me @briarhilldesigns in your posts so I don't miss a thing!  

Annaliese will be using other Yonder quilt along related hashtags for her quilt along like #yonderqal and #yonderquiltalong.  It doesn't mean we can't use "her" hashtags, or her participants can't use "ours", because we can, and they can.  I'm just promoting #yonderquilt as the one I'd primarily like you to use, and I'll be drawing winners from the #yonderquilt hashtag shared through Instagram.

If there is any content that needs to be added later in a week, it will be added to the bottom of that week's blog post, and a newsletter will go out to link you to the additional content.

Any questions, please feel welcome to email me at briarhilldesigns@gmail.com.


Here's the plan for every week of the QAL:

WEEK 1, April 29th 
Steps 1 and 2: Cut all fabric for your blocks, match up fabrics you would like in the same block.

WEEK 2, May 6th

Sew a third of the blocks
Bassinet:1
Throw: 5
Twin: 8
King: 12

WEEK 3, May 13th
Sew a third of the blocks
Bassinet:1
Throw: 5
Twin: 8
King: 12

WEEK 4, May 20th
Catch-up, get-ahead or take-it-easy week

WEEK 5, May 27th
Sew remaining blocks
Bassinet: 2
Throw: 6
Twin: 9
King: 12

WEEK 6, June 3rd
Layout and assemble quilt top.  Post by midnight June 9th to be entered in the final giveaway.

June 10th

Final giveaway winner announced!

Any questions, please feel welcome to email me at briarhilldesigns@gmail.com. 

Using Fat Quarters for the Yonder Quilt

Anticipating the question, "Can I use fat quarters for the Yonder pattern?"  I decided to prepare a blog post instructing how to do it.

In answering the question, I'd say, "Yyyyyessss, bbbbbut, it's tight!"

Quilt pattern designers often add 15% more to the yardage requirements to accommodate fabric cut crooked in the store, shrinkage if you prewash, a ruler that slipped, a rotary cutter that went rogue or a mis-cut.  So, yes it can all fit, but I recommend having a couple extra FQs on hand to allow for any additional fabric that might be needed.  This post and the diagrams assume that you will be able to get 17" x 20" of useable fabric from every fat quarter.  So, I was able to make Yonder using fat quarters, and you'll be able to, as well.

Get a printable file of this tutorial here, along with other Yonder bonus files.

This blog post is meant to be used hand in hand with the Yonder pattern, and I recommend you familiarize yourself with the foundational instructions in the pattern before proceeding with this tutorial, so that these instructions make sense.

The Yonder pattern requires 5/8 yard per block, so if you're making the Throw (16 blocks) according to the pattern, you need 16 x 5/8 yd.

Since YOU are using fat quarters, you will need 2 FQs per block.  So if you're making the Throw, (16 blocks), you need 16 blocks x 2 FQs each, totalling 32 fat quarters.

Here are the fat quarter needs for all sizes of the pattern:

Bassinet:  8 FQs 
In the pattern there's an exception for making the bassinet, and using 5/8 yds per block.  This is actually resolved because you are using FQs.  The bassinet has four blocks, but since there's 5 parts to the block you would need five 5/8 yards so you didn't have two sections of the block in the same fabric.  Since you're using fqs, and you need 2 fqs per block (and since you're adding variety to the palette by using 2 FQs per block), there's no exception and you need only 8 fat quarters.

Throw:  32 FQs

Twin:  50 FQs

King:  72 FQs

In the pattern the 5/8 yard allows you to cut all you need for one block out of every single fabric.  Then, that one fabric will part of five different blocks, it will be A - centre square in one block, B - star in another block, C - star echo in another block, etc.

Since YOU are using two fat quarters instead, one fat quarter will be used in sections A, B, D, and the other fat quarter will be used in sections C and E.

Divide your fat quarters into two piles (one that will become sections A, B, D, and the other will become sections C, E.  Follow Step 1 directions in the pattern, refer to the cutting chart in the pattern, and refer to these diagrams.

Note that ALL pieces with the same letter are cut from the same fabric.  This is essential because the Star needs to be made with one fabric to appear as a star, and same goes for other letters with multiple pieces.

An exception:
Beside the fact that you're cutting these pieces from two different fabrics instead of one, the only exception is how you cut B2.  This piece will be cut from the discarded triangle from D.  Stack these four triangles and follow the directions in the diagram.  This will give you the four triangles you need for B2.

Then proceed with Step 2 in the pattern.

Yonder Quilt

Shop the Yonder pattern here:

When C+S asked me if I'd be interested in designing patterns for their new collections I had to keep my composure, so I didn't scream "YES!" and make them think I was a weirdo.  Because I'm not.

I was so happy to have the opportunity because:

1.  I'm a huge Rifle Paper fan, and would get a sneak peek at their newest collection.  (I know, we're Textile Designers too, but I feel that has even expanded my appreciation of other designer's creations, and it's fun to spend some time admiring other artist's work!)

2.  I was intrigued by the challenge of acting as a proxy Quilt Designer for another Textile Designer.  I imagine most textile designers have a feel for how they wanted their fabric line to be seen.  Being that for another means I hope to design a quilt that they would love, and that shows off their collection as they wish to portray it. I've enjoyed it!

3.  Though I wasn't attending Fall Quilt Market, I was excited that some of my projects would be there.

I was sent digital artwork of the collection in August and submitted designs within a week.  I submitted a few ideas for the Wildwood collection, and here is one I loved, but I'm glad Yonder was the winner.

In 2018, Anna Bond had her artwork placed on a stamp.  She had mentioned at the time that it was a huge achievement for her because she had loved stamps as a child, (but don't ask me how I know that because I can't find the source, but here's the stamp, so I didn't completely make it up).  So I thought this would make a fun quilt, and C+S basics had a great manilla envelope colour for the background.  I guess this designs will just have to go into the vault for another time.

My goals in designing Yonder were as follows:

1.  No background fabric.  I imagined a high saturation of print and colour.

2.  I wanted to see five different fabrics in a large 18" block.

3.  I was hoping for a pretty secondary design.

4.  I wanted to build from a simple star design I'd fallen for a few months previous.  Andrea of @3rdstoryworkshop had asked me to contribute star blocks to a quilt she was making.  I could make any design I wanted that was a star, and made this simple block.  When I handed the blocks over to her at one of our MMQG meetings, I mentioned, "I think I'm going to play with this star!"  

My quilty to-do list turned into a traffic jam in the Fall due to a truckload of unforseens, so I called out to my amazing quilty friends and they came to the rescue.  Eleanor Thili sewed up this quilt beautifully.

She also fussy-cut the bunny for the centre square (shown in the pic below).  I love her for that!

I knew for a long time I wanted to have it quilted in a woodgrain, but I couldn't find a pantograph that was organic and un-repetitive for my vision, so I rented Bella, the longarm at Violet Quilts, chose a pistachio coloured thread, and quilted it myself over about 5 hours.  

This pattern has been such an agreeable project.  Writing, proofing, testing, sewing, and editing were all easy breezy; so for the present, Yonder is my favourite child.

I always have a giveaway for a new pattern release, so on Friday please see my Giveaway post on Facebook or Instagram to enter.  Contest closes Monday, March 11th at 9am EST.  A winner will be chosen from FB and Instagram, and will win a great big coupon and a digital copy of the pattern for themselves and their tagged friend.

This quilt needs a Quilt Along.  It just does.  So, I'm starting a QAL on April 29th.

Sign up here!

(Since The QAL is finished, here are links to all the content.)

WEEK 1

WEEK 2

WEEK 3

WEEK 4

WEEK 5

WEEK 6

Bonus Files:
Using Fat Quarters with Yonder

Using Directional Prints with Yonder

Here's the plan for the QAL:
hashtag to use: #yonderquilt

You can expect an email every Monday of the QAL.  It will link you to the week's Blog post.

In anticipating the "Can I use Fat Quarters?" question, the answer is yes.  You'll need two for every block, but it's tight, and I'd recommend having a few extra FQs on hand in case you need to bring them into the fold.  I'm sewing up a Yonder made with FQs, and there will be a Blog post all about it before the QAL.

I find it best to cut the entire quilt, match up which prints you want together in a block, then make blocks one by one, so that's how I've organized the QAL.

Opening giveaway will be on April 29th. If you have signed up for the QAL you are automatically entered.  Once I draw a name, I'll request to see proof of purchase of the pattern, then the giveaway will be mailed to you!

WEEK 1, April 29th
Steps 1 and 2: Cut all fabric for your blocks, match up fabrics you would like in the same block.

WEEK 2, May 6th

Sew a third of the blocks
Bassinet:1
Throw: 5
Twin: 8
King: 12

WEEK 3, May 13th
Sew a third of the blocks
Bassinet:1
Throw: 5
Twin: 8
King: 12

WEEK 4, May 20th
Catch-up, get-ahead or take-it-easy week

WEEK 5, May 27th
Sew remaining blocks
Bassinet: 2
Throw: 6
Twin: 9
King: 12

WEEK 6, June 3rd
Layout and assemble quilt top.  Post by midnight June 9th to be entered in the final giveaway.

June 10th
Final giveaway winner announced!

It's going to be a fun QAL, I just know it!  I hop you'll join us.  Follow this link to Subscribe!

New Spring Quilt Pattern

 So far, I'm able to call myself a quilt finisher. I usually work on about four quilts at a time in different parts of the process, but they do all get done. And I don't start many more projects before one has been completed. I like it this way! It keeps my to-do list short, or at least, not too overwhelmingly long!  ;)

This winter, facing snowstorm after snowstorm, I was desperate for the thought of spring. A quilt idea suddenly took shape in my mind, I designed it and within a very short couple hours, I was testing out the block. I had a few other deadlines looming, but I thought a little spring would do me good, and it has!

I designed this quilt to use 2 1/2 inch squares in the tulip patchwork

The pattern includes amounts needed if you would like to use 2 1/2 inch pieces from your stash, and also how many you'll need of other precuts.  So, whether this will be a scrapbuster, or cut from precuts Or yardage, I've got ya covered!

For this quilt, I used Lecien's antique flowers in pastel, and added a few pieces from Brenda riddles line, Guernsey.

I fell in love with these sweet florals, and his new they would look so Spring-y with this pattern. I deliberated over what colour background to use, but I'm happy I chose the cream background. I find it softens the entire quilt, and I'm quite certain I'll be using this delicate creamy white much more often.

These blocks go together so easily.  This is a great beginner quilt for someone who's ready to take on curves. The curves are very soft, so it's very easy to manage, and I have instructions in the pattern for everything you need to know about curved piecing: cutting curves, how to start sewing, easing the two curves together, pressing, and truing up.

All curved piecing comes with truing up templates, which ensure excellent blocks.

Every one of my pattern testers commented that the curved piecing went so much more successfully than they had expected! I love this! Isn't that what we all want to for our sewing projects? To have successful outcomes!  I'm so delighted that my pattern help them learn a new skill successfully!

The backing was pieced in a brick lay style with leftover pieces from the fat quarters, and a few extra prints that weren't on the front.

It's actually easy to figure out how many pieces you'll need!  I will prep a tutorial on how to do it!

I love how the front of the quilts is understated simplicity, and the back of the quilt is this huge saturation of colour!

I searched for way too long for pantograph that I thought would look sweet on the quilt.  In the end, I asked my quilter if we could design an edge to edge. She happily obliged and we came up with this sweet little thing! I love how it turned out, and I'll definitely use it again! Quilting was done by Sheri from Violet quilts.

My scrappy binding helped to use up lots of the last bits of fabric.  I barely have any fabric left, just the way I like it!

Country Clothesline has put together quilt kits for both the Crib and Throw sizes of the quilt using mostly the same bundle of fabrics I used for mine!  And, as always...

... the New Spring Quilt Pattern is available in our Etsy shop!