I've so enjoyed seeing the continuing rollout of Wagon Wheel finishes! I'm especially happy so many of you are looking forward to making more of this fast and enjoyable pattern – nothing is more gratifying for a pattern designer/writer!

 

I have to give credit to my tech editor, Jessica Schunke, of Blue Sky Modern Craft, who has helped to ensure all our patterns (past and present) are up to snuff and up to date with consistent details and language. It's a big job and I'm grateful for her expert eye and skills!

 

As this is our last sew along newsletter, I just want to take a moment  to tell you all how grateful I am for your company, your enthusiasm, and your creative energy! You're AMAZING!

When we think about making a quilt, we tend to focus on the most visible part of the process – the colors, fabrics, and design that make up the patchwork of the quilt top. 

 

But finishing your quilt involves an awful lot! Planning your quilting (or tying) and any necessary marking, making a back, choosing a batting, basting the layers together, and then quilting (or tying) by machine or by hand. Then binding, to finish the edges! Phew!

 

I'm guilty of wanting to be “done” once the patchwork is complete, but over the years I've grown to appreciate the many unsung steps that complete our quilts. It's rare that I have time to hand-quilt (maybe when I “retire?”) but it's one of my favorite ways to keep my hands busy.

 

How to quilt your quilt—whether by hand, machine, or hand-tied—depends largely on your skills, what you enjoy doing, and how much time you have to devote to the process.

 

The Guides + Tutorials section of my website (under “Resources”) includes an overview of all the steps involved in finishing your quilt.

To date, I've used my signature Figure 8 pattern (designed for use on a long-arm) for my Wagon Wheel finishes  (above). I love the soft, all-over texture this pattern creates, which complements almost any quilt design. Straight-line quilting would also work well for an all-over machine-quilted texture.

 

I think Wagon Wheel—especially a very scrappy one— would look great tied. And if you prefer hand-quilting, using straight or curved lines block by block is easily managed, as in my sketch (below). BTW, this is how I usually figure out any quilting design—I take as flat a photo as I can, and print a copy of the image. When I try out my ideas on pieces of tracing paper, I can quickly see what works or doesn't, and the process typically provides plenty of ideas I wouldn't have thought of otherwise!

It sure wasn't easy to choose winners for our fabulous “grand” prizes—in my book, each and every one of you is deserving , whether you finished or not, or posted by the deadline! I have a roundup of some of our favorite “honorable mentions” after our prize winners, so scroll all the way down! In no particular order, here goes:

 

Kate (@hellonursekate), won our incredible prize from QuiltFolk— a year's subscription to their beautiful magazine QuiltFolk and a copy of their gorgeous limited edition book, QuiltFolk Life! We appreciated Kate's “ghost” sashing, and her charming combo of wheel orientations. Congrats Kate!

Jennifer (@jenniferholme) won a super prize bundle from Soak! Soak makes eco-friendly products that make sewing, pressing, and caring for your fabric projects a joy! This prize bundle includes my favorite Soakwash soap for washing quilts and all fine washables; Flatter my go-to non-starch ironing and smoothing, and Sew Fine Thread Gloss! Jennifer's color-drenched rendition is beautifully designed and totally wow-worthy! Congrats Jennifer!

Competition on the other side of the pond was steep this year with many fabulous makers joining us from Australia and New Zealand, but we loved Deb's (@dlw0656) successful mix of prints on prints in a harmonious warm palette. Deb wins a bundle of Colorwash by Carrie Bloomston fat quarters from our friends at XLN Fabrics! I'm sure she'll put them to excellent use!

Vicki (@vickilovestosew) is one of a few wheelers who somehow managed to make more than one quit top, and both feature pieced wheel quarters! The striped effect created in her smaller quilt is a creative way to make the ground. Congrats Vicki, you win a box of Ruby + Bee Solids fat quarter box from Sewtopia and a set of my Patchwork Panels!

Ronnie (@visme1) made a super fun (and kinda wild!) Wagon Wheel with a thrifted table cloth and vintage Calvin Klein fabric, with lots of effective fussy cutting! Wow! Ronnie wins a bundle of  my “vintage” New Bedford fabrics from Sewtopia! 

Shannon (@shanlowe) made a  beautifully simple Wagon Wheel in a striking palette that we all loved—especially that rogue block! Shannon wins a set of irons from our friends at Oliso! Congratulations Shannon!

FYI, there would be NO DSQ sew alongs without the help of my partners, Sewtopia and The Next Stitch! I could never pull it off on my own, so thank you Wendy and Amy for being my sew along support team!

 

I have a HUGE amount of gratitude for all of our sponsors, who go out of their way to talk up the sew along and donate such generous prizes, and ship them out to our winners! Our sew alongs would not be the same without their support (and their juicy prizes). Oliso, QuiltFolk, Soak, Feral Notions, Windham Fabrics, Fabric Spark, XLN Fabrics, Sewtopia, and The Next Stitch. Be sure and show them some love!

 

And lastly, thanks to all you wheelers for your participation, enthusiasm, and creativity! Your support and projects are what owning a small, creative business is all about, and I'm grateful to you!

 

Until next time…