Good morning!  I have some exciting news!  Later this summer, I will be hosting a quilt-along 

for this pattern, Feels Like Home and I'd love for you to join the fun!

Dates: August 7th - October 16th (11 weeks)

The quilt finishes at 92-1/2" x 92-1/2".  It's big but oh so cozy!

You can use your stash and scraps for a great scrap-buster quilt!

OR, you can get a kit for the exact quilt shown in the pattern from The Quilter's Crossing, HERE.

The kits are on pre-order right now.  Limited quantities will be available.  The fabrics in the kit are from my new collection with Riley Blake Designs called Feels Like Home (which is what I'm using for my quilt).

There is a little bit of paper piecing for the roof units but everything else is traditionally pieced.

If you haven't paper pieced before, don't be intimidated!  There are only 13 roof units with only 5 pieces in each unit.  I have a really awesome video coming out with Riley Blake Designs at the end of the month that will show you exactly how to do it!  This is a great time to learn and master the art of paper piecing.  You can do it!

The materials/supplies needed are: 

1 yard of light leaf print fabric for blocks & inner border

½ yard each of 9 light print fabrics for blocks

1¾ yards of pink floral fabric for blocks & outer border

1 yard of navy floral stripe for blocks & binding

1⅜ yards of brown print fabric for blocks & roofs

½ yard of yellow floral fabric for blocks & chimneys

⅜ yard each of 10 dark print fabrics for blocks

100” x 100” piece of batting

8⅜ yards of backing fabric

7 copies of roof foundation paper pattern (14 roofs total, one is extra)

Elmer’s Washable Glue Stick

The schedule is as follows:

Aug. 7th: Get fabric & make copies of roof unit FPP pattern

Aug. 14th: Do all the cutting

Aug. 21st: Make 13 Roof units

Aug. 28th: Make 25 Heart units

Sept. 4th: Make 6 House blocks

Sept. 11th: Make 7 House blocks

Sept. 18th: Make 6 Courthouse Steps A blocks

Sept. 25th: Make 6 Courthouse Steps B blocks

Oct. 2nd: Make the quilt center

Oct. 9th: Add the borders

Oct. 16th: Show the quilt top

If you'd like to quilt-along with me, please sign up HERE.  

It's free and you'll only receive emails about the quilt-along.  

You can unsubscribe from the emails at any time.

You can snag the PAPER pattern HERE

and the PDF pattern HERE.

Annnd, if you write "sticker" in the message to buyer at checkout the first 50 people will get a free sticker with their Feels Like Home pattern purchase (paper patterns only)!

And finally, HERE is a PDF with all the quilt-along details including boxes you can check when you complete each weeks' assignment.  I hope you'll join me for this quilt along!  Please let me know in the comment section below if you have any questions!

Happy quilting!

Riley Blake Designs 2024 Block Challenge

 Good morning!  Today I want to share a little project I'm working on - the Riley Blake Designs 2024 Block Challenge.  This is the 4th annual RBD Block Challenge and I am thrilled I got to design a block for it since I am now a RBD fabric designer!  Whaaat?!?!?

This challenge started in January and ends in May (but don't worry, there is still time to join the fun because all of the block patterns are on the Riley Blake Designs blog for you to access anytime).  The pattern includes sixteen 10" blocks + finishing instructions.  It's a really great way to improve your quilting skills as you try new blocks and techniques.

The block I designed is called Square Pegs.  I used my upcoming fabric collection, Feels Like Home for this block and it was so surreal to sew with it since I just got some advanced fabric!  Feels Like Home ships to stores at the beginning of May!  (And yes, I'm doing a happy dance over here.)

I am having so much fun with this challenge and want to personally invite you to join the fun!

I mean, who doesn't like free-block patterns???  I know I do!

Click HERE for all of the details about the 2024 Block Challenge.

Click HERE for details about the previous years' Challenges.

I'd love to hear what you think about this block design!

Thanks for stopping by today and happy quilting!

Scrappy Log Cabin Quilt

A scrappy, classic quilt is my favorite kind of quilt.

So when Liza Taylor (of Liza Taylor Handmade) announced

that she was hosting a Scrappy Log Cabin Quilt-Along

in 2022 - I couldn't resist joining.  And even though I am way 

behind schedule, I am so glad I participated!

I took my color palette inspo from some beautiful yardage

I had in my stash.  It's from the Kismet collection by Sharon Holland 

for Art Gallery Fabrics and I used it for the back of my quilt. 

I knew I wanted a layout that created diagonal rows of 

saturated prints and low-volume prints so I pulled warm

pinks, coppers, greens, golds, and low-volumes from my stash.

I tried not to choose "cutesy" prints.  I wanted a pretty, more mature 

feel to this quilt.  I auditioned and eliminated lots of fabrics along the way.

This basket stayed organized like this for about 2 seconds.

Once I started making blocks, strips were strewn about as I searched

for the perfect contrasting fabrics for each block.

I completely guessed how many strips to cut and I had to

cut more along the way to give me the variety I needed.

I have a bunch leftover so I may make a baby quilt out of them someday.

I cut fabrics for 6-8 blocks at a time and then chain-pieced

everything to help things go a little faster.

The blocks finish at 11-1/2" x 11-1/2".

You can get the free pattern if you sign up for

Liza's newsletter via her Instagram profile

@lizataylorhandmade.

I love Log Cabin quilts because there are so many ways to create 

secondary designs through fabric/color placement and block orientation.

My fave long-arm quilter, Jen Ostler quilted this for me. 

The panto I chose is called Behold.

I was a little nervous that it would be too busy but

I'm really happy with the way it turned out.

I think the design compliments the 

diagonal rows of the dark and light fabrics while

adding some softness to this otherwise, angular quilt.

I originally planned on using a green or dark pink

fabric to bind this quilt but a friend at the fabric

store found this sweet little civil war brown print that I really liked! 

I loved the scale of the flowers and that it incorporated several of my colors.

It added a nice vintage vibe to the quilt, which I always love!

I made 56 blocks for a 7 x 8 layout so it finished at 80" x 92".

A great size to snuggle under!

Have you ever made a Log Cabin quilt?

I had so much fun making this quilt and look forward

to making another one someday.

Positive Vibes Quilt-Along

Get ready for some fun because it's time for another quilt-along!

The Positive Vibes Quilt-Along is for one of my newest patterns,

Positive Vibes.  I designed it for my new fabric line,

Treasured Threads with Poppie Cotton, which is in stores now.

Positive Vibes comes with instructions

for 2 size options - baby and throw.

For the quilt along, we'll be making

the throw-size quilt that finishes at 71-1/4" x 85-1/2".

You can get the paper pattern HERE.

Or the PDF pattern HERE.

Positive Vibes is a fat quarter-friendly pattern,

perfect for a Treasured Threads fat quarter bundle!

You are welcome to use whatever

fat quarters you'd like, of course, but if you would like

to make the same quilt version that I'm making, there are

3 awesome quilt shops that are offering kits!

Corn Wagon Quilt Co.

LouLou's Fabric Shop

Good Vibes Quilt Shop

[This Positive Vibes block features Bloom True fabric by Terri Conrad for Poppie Cotton.]

The fabric requirements for the throw-size quilt are:

Bright Print Fat Quarters (Includes Scrappy Binding) - 20

Good Measure Natural Background Fabric - 6¼ yards

Optional Non-Scrappy Binding - 2/3 yard

Backing - 5¼ yards

Batting - 80” x 94”

The quilt-along will start on Wednesday, March 1st, 2023

and last for 12 weeks.  The weekly assignments

will be posted on Instagram every Wednesday.

Here's the schedule:

Week 1: March 1st - cutting, fabric mix and match

Week 2: March 8th - make 6 blocks

Week 3: March 15th - make 5 blocks 

Week 4: March 22nd - make 6 blocks

Week 5: March 29th - make 5 blocks

Week 6: April 5th - make 6 blocks

Week 7: April 12th - make 5 blocks

Week 8: April 19th - make 6 blocks

Week 9: April 26th - make 5 blocks

Week 10: May 3rd - make 6 blocks

Week 11: May 10th - assemble rows

Week 12: May 17th - assemble quilt top

May 24th - show the completed quilt top!

I'm so excited to announce that we have one fabulous prize 

sponsored by Katie's Quilting Co.!  Katie has so generously offered to give 

one winner - free quilting (does not include batting or shipping).

She is also offering all QAL participants: 

20% of quilting (quilt must be received 

within 30 days of the end of the QAL).

I will choose the winner at the end of the QAL from the

#positivevibesqal hashtag pool on Instagram.  

Only people that post a picture of the finished quilt top 

by May 24th will be eligible to win.

To participate, you can do one or more of the

following things:

1. Print off the schedule and follow along privately.

2. Check in with me on Instagram @gigis_thimble

every Wednesday to get the assignment for the week.

Tag me and post your progress on Instagram

using the hashtags #gigisthimblepattern and

#positivevibesqal.  This is a great way to find and

encourage friends!  I love it because I get to see your

version of Positive Vibes, too.

3. Sign up HERE for weekly email reminders.

In case you're wondering, the skill level for this pattern 

is confident beginner.

And finally, I've created a Positive Vibes Quilt-Along PDF

with all the pertinent details and a coloring sheet!

Click HERE to get the PDF. 

Please let me know if you have any questions!

I can't wait to sew along with you this spring!

Seaside Quilt

 It's Friday, December 23rd, 2022.  

Two days until Christmas.  

This month I've hosted two family parties,

 bought, wrapped, and delivered all the neighbor/friend gifts,

purchased and wrapped a good portion of our family's gifts,

ate my weight in toffee, made two batches of cinnamon rolls,

made two batches of caramels (both of which ended up in the trash, sadly), 

had a girls' night out/favorite things exchange with my besties,

 did two puzzles, and lots, lots more!  It's been a great month overall.

[My favorite Christmas puzzle by Cavallini and Co.]

Today, I have been taking it easy even though

I should be out getting a few last-minute gifts

(my husband is on it though, thank goodness!)

I'm "done" and craving some rest.

Writing a little blog post isn't too hard...

So today I want to share with you my finished Seaside quilt!

I made this during the Seaside Quilt-Along I hosted

in September and October.

The pattern is from my book, Quilt the Rainbow.

Here's the original version:

[Photo courtesy of  Martingale Publishing]

Seaside is a great stash buster.  I used up tons of aquas for the background

so all I needed to buy was the solid teal fabric for the accent color.

While I was making the aqua version I also envisioned it

with low-volume fabrics for the background.  I was really excited

to see it come to life during the quilt-along, starting with this fabric pull:

I really love the soft, muted tones of these fabrics!

The quilting was a new-to-me design called Swivel Circles.

I really like it with these earthy fabrics.  Someone even said it reminded

them of seashells which is perfect for the name of the quilt!

Jen Ostler quilted it for me and did a fantastic job, as always!

I bound it with this copper print from Fig Tree's Cinnamon and Cream line

and backed it with Intrinsic Soft from Shine On by Sharon Holland for Art Gallery Fabrics.

I absolutely love that dark green floral fabric!  So pretty!

My labels are from Everemblem.

I get the 2" cotton, fold-over, sew-in labels.

If you go to their site, you'll have to pick a cotton label 

and customize it from there.  I've loved the ease of these labels.

Now I don't have an excuse to not label my quilts!

This is a great project for beginning quilters!

Seaside is such a quick, easy make.

I really see myself making more of these in the future.

I'd love to have one in all the colors!

If you'd like to purchase a copy of Quilt the Rainbow

you can snag an autographed copy from my Etsy shop.

It includes 10 patterns to help you whittle down each

color of your fabric stash + lots more!

Check out THIS post for all the details!

So which version do you like better?

Can you see yourself making Seaside and if so,

what colors would you make it in?

Thank you for stopping by today and happy holidays to you!

Seaside Quilt Along

My next quilt-along will be the Seaside pattern from my new book, Quilt the Rainbow! 

It's a beginner-friendly pattern and a great way to whittle down

some of your fabric stash!

When: Starts September 19,  2022

It's a 6-week quilt-along.

The schedule is as follows:

Week of 9/19 - cutting

Week of 9/26 - make 9 blocks

Week of 10/3 - make 9 blocks

Week of 10/10 - make 9 blocks

Week of 10/17 - make 9 blocks

Week of 10/24 - assembly

10/31 - show finished quilt top

Where: Instagram, follow me @gigis_thimble

I'll be posting the weekly prompts every Tuesday.

Mark your calendars!

Pattern: Seaside from the book

Quilt the Rainbow

You can purchase autographed books from my Etsy shop HERE.

Or you can try Amazon, The Fat Quarter Shop, or your local quilt shop!

Quilt the Rainbow includes 10 quilt patterns to help you whittle down 

each color of your fabric stash.  I also share the meaning/symbolism of each

color, tips on cutting scrap quilts efficiently, scrap storage ideas, choosing fabrics

for scrap quilts, some of my favorite time-saving notions, and tips on making

scrappy bindings and scrappy backings.  I think you'll find this book both

useful and inspiring, plus, I think all of the patterns are timeless patterns

that will be cute in any colorway!

I can envision Seaside is so many different colorways.

Here are just a few ideas:

Classic solid black + white

Classic scrappy red + white

Low volumes with your favorite accent color

Low volumes with an assortment of accent colors!

Arranged in a rainbow configuration?

I'm planning on making something similar to this image (above).

I'll be using light, earthy prints for the background

and darker earthy prints for the accent colors.

Here are my fabrics all ready to go:

It will be very scrappy and I'm excited about the colors/fabrics!

Please note, there will be no sign-ups or weekly emails.

Just mark your calendar, grab your copy of Quilt the Rainbow and your fabric,

and look for the weekly Instagram prompts starting the week of September 19th.

Let's use the Instagram hashtags:

#gigisthimblepattern and #seasideqal

to post our progress and encourage each other!

I'll pick someone from the hashtag pool to send a

couple of Quilt the Rainbow quilt labels to the first 5 weeks!

Post your progress each week to be entered to win.

(I know this is a very tiny prize but they're useful and fun!

Maybe I'll throw in one of my quilt patterns too!)

Click HERE for a printable schedule, materials list and coloring sheet.

That is it!  Please let me know if you have any questions.

I'm excited to quilt along with you!