Author name: Melissa Dunworth

On Friday – Vicki from SassyPacks posted a tutorial for my Christmas Sampler on how to make a Snail’s Trail block.  Her block turned out great – it had all current fabrics in it. I followed her tutorial and made block 15 for my Christmas Sampler this weekend. Check it out!

I’m pretty happy with how it turned out – and this is the first time I have used the cute bear material that has been hiding out at the bottom of my vintage fabrics pile.

Today I have a fun tutorial for you on a block that I’m not sure could possibly get more vintage – the Double Wrench – it is accredited back to the 1800s!

It is a timeless block and would look great in a quilt with any fabric if you ask me.

Get the know how after the jump: …

Snail’s Trail & Double Wrench TutorialsRead More »

I have been working on my Vintage Christmas Sampler since the middle of July. I have 14 blocks sewn and completed. I have 6 more that I need to make and 10 9 tutorials that need to be written.

Here is a look at my progress so far:

1. Indian Mats (paper pieced)   2. Wonky Barn Fence   3. Christmas Tree   4. LeMoyne Star   5. Oatmeal Cookie Variation   6. Ohio Star Variation   7. Radiating Diamonds   8. Log Cabin   9. Blueberry Pie   10. Wreath   11. Chevrons  12. 9 patch   13. Old Snowflake (paper pieced)   14. Stocking   15. Snail Trail (not pictured)

The tutorials for 10 9 of the completed blocks can all be found here on my Vintage Christmas Sampler page.

You may be asking yourself why Snail Trail Block is not pictured…well that is because I haven’t done it yet!  You may also be asking why I keep crossing out the number 10 and writing in the number 9, well…when I posted yesterday about my awesome giveaway from SassyPacks I mentioned that Vicki loved my sampler and had planned on making one of her own. I asked her if she wanted to do one of the tutorials for one of the vintage blocks on her site and I would use her tutorial to create my block using my vintage fabrics.  She said yes and today you can see her tutorial for the Snail Trail block up on the SassyBlog!

Check out how great her block turned out in the updated fabrics – and doesn’t that chocolate look yummy!

Go look at the tutorial and don’t forget to enter the giveaway – you can win a layer cake of O’ Tinsel Town and maybe start your own Christmas Sampler Quilt!

I will be making this block over the weekend using Vicki’s tutorial and I will post a picture on Monday of how it looks in my vintage fabrics – I am excited to get to follow a tutorial instead of write one!  Will you be making this block?

Have a great weekend!

I love Christmas time…that much was probably made evident when I started making a Christmas Sampler Quilt all the way back in July!  There is just something magical about the season.

When I started my sampler quilt – I post a picture of my completed blocks to a group I belong to on Facebook and Vicki from SassyPacks immediately responded and told me how much she loved it.  We have since become friends and she has been a great supporter of my blog AND she is one of my sponsors!

As a special treat to help someone who wants to make their own special Christmas Sewing/Quilting project – Vicki and Jennifer have oh so generously decided to giveaway a layer cake of O’ Tinsel Tree by Robert Kaufman Fabrics!

This is a contemporary funky line and some of the fabrics can be viewed on the Robert Kaufman site – not all are shown because it is not readily available anymore. 

Here’s how to enter (you must be a follower of my blog!)

1. Head over to the SassyPacks and tell me what your favorite SassyPack kit
2. Head over to the SassyBlog, follow Vicki & Jennifer – say Hi and tell me that you did so!

For a bonus entry – blog, tweet or facebook about this giveaway – come back here and let me know that you did.

And don’t forget…SassyPacks is also offering free shipping on all US orders over $20 for my followers – use the BitterSweet code upon checking out!  For my international readers – they have something special just for you too! Email them at contact@sassypacks.com!!  These special deals are for the entire month of October!

This giveaway will be open until Midnight October 20, 2011 – I will announce the winner on October 20th (my wedding anniversary!).

Good luck!

WOW! The response to my Intrepid Thread giveaway was phenomenal! I had 289 entries! This blogging community is so wonderful – I wish I could have given a prize to each and everyone of you! Since I can’t – I had Mr. Random Number Generator pick just one.
The winner is:

Linda says:

I am the kind of person who needs lists. I like to be able to cross things off and feel as though I accomplished things.

Here is my October list – the crossed off things have already been completed this month – everything else is in the category of “Git ‘Er Done!”

1. Sew Bee Blissful Blocks
2. Do. Good Stitches Blocks
3. Christmas Block Swap Block
4. Block Swap Adventures Block
5. Simply Delightful Purse – sewn
6. Simply Delightful Pattern
7. Halloween (bag & tutorial) guest post for Creating My Way to Success
8. 6 blocks for Christmas Sampler – 10 Tutorials
9. Cut my charm squares for Christmas Charm Swap
10. Bottled Rainbows Blocks (these don’t all have to happen in October:
    1. Indigo
    2. Ocean
    3. Teal
    4. Turquoise
    5. Grass
    6. Moss
    7. Lime
    8. Mustard
    9. Tangerine
    10. Pumpkin
    11. Ruby
    12. Raspberry
    13. Petal
    14. Cerise
    15. Eggplant
    16. Plum
11. Stocking Tutorial for Stocking Drive at Purple Panda Quilts (actually due November 8)

It is a big list, but if I do a little bit each day I will be good to go I think!  I also have 4 quilts that I want to finish before Christmas!  We shall see!

Today is the last day to enter the Intrepid Thread Giveaway – it ends tonight at midnight!

What is on your list?