Summer Sampler 2019: Piecing Bootcamp – a completed top!

Today it’s time for a little online par-tay! Why? Because I finished my Summer Sampler 2019 quilt top! Cue the confetti cannons and loud obnoxious music!

Okay, but seriously, you guys. This year marks the fourth Summer Sampler quilt-along that Katie, Faith, and I have created (well, make that the fifth, if you count the original Summer Sampler way back in 2011). After spending the summer making all these gorgeous weekly sampler blocks, actually putting them together and finishing the quilt always feels like a HUGE accomplishment. Even for us—the organizers/designers—it feels huge! So for all of you out there who are still working on this quilt, keep plugging away. You can do it! And I hope you when you do finish this bad boy, you’ll feel the same as me: “Hey, look, I DID A THING!”

Anyway, let’s talk about this circle-block setting for a minute (this was one of two setting options that we sent out at the end of the quilt-along). I know there are a lot of you out there working on this setting. So you should know that in the almost 12 years I’ve been quilting (wait, what? How did that happen??), this setting is somehow both the hardest thing I’ve ever worked on, AND the most forgiving. Weird but true.

To show you what I mean, let’s look at one of the spots in my quilt where my seams really didn’t come together the way they’re supposed to:

Yeah. Not my finest work, you guys. LOL. Those seams are obviously not meeting where they should. Why? Hard to say. Inaccurate cutting? Lackluster sewing? Maybe both? LOL. Regardless of the reason, this is what I ended up with. But now let’s take a few steps back and look again at the entire quilt (with problem area circled in blue):

See what I mean about this design being forgiving? I don’t know if the eye just wants to fill in those circle shapes or what, but the errors really do just kind of melt away! And I’ll take that! So, if you’re still contemplating which setting to do for your Summer Sampler 2019 quilt, don’t be intimidated by the circle setting. Remember, this is Piecing Bootcamp! : )

And my dog Willow clearly approves as well, if that factors into your decision-making at all. LOL. Thank you to everyone who quilted along with us this summer! I hope you had a fun and rewarding learning experience!

Still thinking about making a Summer Sampler quilt? There is no better way to up your piecing game! Every block in Summer Sampler 2019: Piecing Bootcamp will teach you a new piecing skill. While the quilt-along is technically finished, there are still hundreds of people working on theirs, and a great Facebook community to help you on your journey! Click here to join us today! 

Summer Sampler 2019 includes:
• Fully-tested instructions for 21 gorgeous blocks (12″ finished size)
• Complete finishing instructions to make an 80″ x 92″ sampler quilt
• Two layout options for finishing instructions
• 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

Fabric used in this quilt:
Confetti Metallic Ombré collection by V and Co. (Moda)
Kona Cotton in Ultra White (Robert Kaufman)
Kona Cotton in Shadow (Robert Kaufman)
Kona Cotton in Haze (Robert Kaufman)