Summer Sampler 2019 Blocks 6 and 7: Cul de Sac and Sparkler

Happy July y’all! Let’s check out the latest Summer Sampler 2019 blocks!

This week’s block is Sparkler by Yvonne Fuchs of Quilting Jet Girl. This 4th-of-July-inspired block is a gorgeous, challenging paper-pieced design! Our previous paper-pieced block—Rope Twist by Amy Friend, from two weeks ago—was fantastic and beginner-friendly, the perfect starter block for paper-piecing newbies. Well, I hope you enjoyed that, because now we’re throwing you into the deep end with this little firecracker! LOL.

But really, before I scare you off, I promise that if you can paper-piece the Rope Twist block, you CAN paper-piece this one too. It’s the same exact process—it’s just that the angles are a little more challenging here, and you have more sections to sew together when the paper-piecing is done. So just take it slowly, and I highly recommend you read my favorite paper-piecing tip ever before you start – this tip will help you figure out how to places pieces correctly the first time for all those tricky angles. I’m also going to make a video version demonstrating this tip in action, using this particular block—click here to subscribe to my YouTube channel so that you can see the video as soon as it is posted!

At any rate, paper piecing is actually not even this week’s skill (though it’s great paper-piecing practice!) This week’s skill is actually transparency designs, and Yvonne of Quilting Jet Girl is an expert in those! There are lots of great tips in this week’s pattern for selecting fabric and evaluating fabric choices and value to pull off a great transparency design. I love these blocks that build design skill as well as technical abilities!

Block #6 was our first block of the summer featuring curved piecing! This is Cul de Sac, designed by Jen Carlton-Bailly of BettyCrockerAss.

While I LOVE paper-piecing, curved piecing is really not my niche, you guys. But I followed Jen’s tips, used her templates (which are magical), and glue-basted per her recommendation. And viola! A curved block that wasn’t painful to make and doesn’t look crazy wonky! I’m so proud of this block! Visit Jen’s website for more info about how she sews curves.

And Jen was even nice enough to make a great video of her entire process for making this block—it is soooo helpful when tackling this block, or really any curved sewing you might be doing. Check it out! 

If you’re intimidated by curves, check out the #summersampler2019 hashtag on Instagram to see how many people have already made beautiful versions of this block! This block has been out for a week now, so there are tons of great examples out there to admire. Jen’s method and tips really do make a huge difference.

Want to join us in the Summer Sampler 2019: Piecing Bootcamp quilt-along? Subscribers get a new quilt block pattern each week, and each block tackles a new piecing skill or technique. Join us to up your quilting game, and you’ll get immediate access to all of the blocks that have already been released (seven already – wow)! Click here to join! 

Summer Sampler 2019 includes:
• Fully-tested instructions for 21 gorgeous blocks—a new 12″ (finished) block delivered to your email inbox each week, beginning May 20 and running through October 7
• Complete finishing instructions to make an 80″ x 92″ sampler quilt (delivered October 14)
• Two layout options for finishing instructions (all subscribers receive both – no need to choose!)
• All fabric requirements and suggested Moda Bella Solids colors (YES! There are fabric kits! Available from Sewtopia and Canadian shop Mad About Patchwork)
• Quilt mock-up coloring sheet for planning
• Access to a subscriber-only Facebook group to interact with other quilters and the designers
• Weekly newsletter subscription with insider info

The Summer Sampler 2019 designers are:

Top to Bottom, Left to Right

Row 1: Heather Black @Quiltachusetts, Krista Hennebury @poppyprint, Lynne Goldsworthy @lilysquilts,  Lee Heinrich @lee.a.heinrich, Krystina Hopkins @khquilts

Row 2: Andrea Tsang Jackson @3rdstoryworkshop, Jemima Flendt @tiedwitharibbon,Faith Jones @freshlemonsquilts, Kitty Wilkin @nightquilter, Yvonne Fuchs @quiltingjetgirl

Row 3: Lynn Carson Harris @lynncarsonharris, Stephanie Zacharer Ruyle @spontaneousthreads

Row 4: Jen Carlton Bailly @bettycrockerass, Amy Friend @duringquiettime, Justin Stafford @keatonquilts, Katie Blakesley @swimbikequilt, Jo Avery @mybearpaw