Here are some additional photos of the quilt.

In my quilt, I used  the Rainy Day Jolly Bar by Me and My Sister and the Sky Blue Kona background material. I love these fabrics! They are bright and happy! Since I was participating in the Jolly Bar Jazz Quilt Along, the Fat Quarter Shop sent me the pattern and a gift certificate to help pay for the cost of the fabric. 

The large quilt blocks are built from a center square and two kinds of blocks easily cut from strip sets. I chose to use a fish fabric for the center square in each block. Although the diagonal blocks look complicated, they are a breeze to make using the strip set method.  See the photo below.

I had a lot of fun arranging the blocks on my design wall. Although the quilt is scrappy, I wanted to balance out the colors and fabric designs. The collection ranged from cute rain prints to solids, wavy lines, and stripes of varying widths. I waited to complete sewing the blocks until I was satisfied with the distribution of the colors and fabric designs. See photo below.

Once I had sewn each block, I then completed the top by adding the background lattice strips and border.

I decided to quilt the top using free motion quilting. I am still learning this technique. However, sometimes you just to have to be brave and go for it! I outlined each of the nine squares in the blocks by quilting in the ditch first. Then I used free motion quilting inside each square and in the lattice strips. I made spirals for each center fish block. I used a leaf template for the border. Overall. I am happy with the way the quilting turned out. However, I am still learning. All the quilting was done using my longarm. See photo below.

Participating in this Fat Quarter Shop Quilt Along was a great experience! I hope to have the opportunity to do it again sometime. I do have some scraps leftover from cutting the strip sets. I have an idea for how to use them to make a table runner or placemats. Stay tuned for that upcoming post!

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Finally, I am linking up today with Thank Goodness It's Finished Friday, which is being hosted by Kathy's Kwilts and More, Finish It Up Friday , and Can I get a Whoop Whoop this week 

Happy Quilting!

This post was originally published on JANDA Bend Quilts.

Here is my version of Block 6: Hanging Stars Angel. It was fun to make!

I decided to fuse the angel pieces and stars directly onto the background block because I thought it would make it easier to align the angel and the star on the background. I used Heat N Bond to fuse the applique pieces to the background. First I traced the pieces onto the Heat N Bond paper side. Then I fused them onto the appropriate fabric and cut them out on the traced lines. I fused the applique pieces in place on the background fabric and sewed them down using a straight stitch. The French knots for the eyes were added last. I used six-ply black embroidery thread. The photos below show the fused pieces before they were sewn down and the completed block.

​How Do I Enter to WIn the Giveaways for Block 6?

There are three ways to enter. Do one of the following by October 9, 2017 at 11:59 pm  EST:

1. Upload a photo of your finished block to Sandra Healy's Linky Party at Sandra Healy Designs.
2. Upload a photo of your finished block to the I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long Facebook Group.
3. Upload a photo of your finished block to Instagram using #iwishyouamerryqal.

I Want to See More Versions of the Block. Who are the other hosts?

Abbie at Sparkle On
April at JANDA Bend Quilts (That's Me!)
Becca at Pretty Piney
Bobbi at Snowy Days Quilting
Diane at Cwilt Fabrics & Haberdashery
Jennifer at The Inquiring Quilter
Karen at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts 
Sandy at Sandy Star Designs
Sherry at Powered by Quilting
Vanda at Quilt in Piece

I Have Questions. Who Can I Ask?

You can ask me in a comment to this post or in an email, or you can ask the designer at Sandra Healy Designs.

When Will the Next Blocks be Released?

October 10, 2017 (Blocks 7 and 8 will be released that day.)

Where Will I Be Able to Find Block 7 and Block 8 on October 10?

You can find the Block 7 pattern by Sandy Maxfield at Sandy Star Designs and Block 8 by Olusola Ajisafe at Alice Samuel's Quilt Company. A link to their blogs will be found here at JANDA Bend Quilts, on I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long Facebook Group, or on any other host's blog.

Other Blocks from the QAL That You Might Enjoy

Click on the photo to go to the blog post for each block.

​Thanks for joining me and Happy Quilting!

This post was originally published at JANDA Bend Quilts.

Here is my version of Block 5: Snowman. Sherry has some great suggestions for embroidering the details, but I decided that I wanted to use applique instead.

 
This block is easy to piece. However, you need cut the pieces accurately, use a quarter-inch seam allowance, and press as you construct the block. First, you piece the sections of the snowman block and then, you sew the sections together. I chose to cut the pieces for each section as I went, instead of cutting all of the pieces at once. Frankly, I was afraid that I might lose a piece or that I might get pieces mixed up. This method seemed to work pretty well for me.  I added the applique after piecing the block. In the photos below, there is the hat section and the head of the snowman sections..

Once the head section was complete, it was easy to add the hat brim and the green sides. Then, I sewed the neck and scarf section. I pressed the seams toward the red scarf piece so that the seas would lie down flat. Photos are below.

 
The final snowman section was the body and the scarf end section. I found it necessary to match the scarf pieces carefully. I hardly ever pin, but I did put a pin at the match points for the scarf. Then, I sewed the snowman section together head to toe and added the side green pieces. See photos below.

​Below is a photo of the sections sewn together without the applique details.​

I used raw edge applique with HeatnBond Lite to add the details. I used my accuquilt cutter to cut the circles for the eyes. It turned out the the die cut three circles, so I cut off the top of the circle to make a mouth. It was the Christmas Tree, Snowflake, and Holly with Berries die. The Holly Berries turned out to be the perfect size for eyes. I drew the corncob pipe by hand, I was going for (Frosty the Snowman.) I used Sherry's carrot nose. Finally, I cut three round peppermint candies from the black candy fabric I used in his hat. Below is Frosty, himself!

I had a lot of fun making this block. I hope that you have fun with it too! Thanks Sherry!
​
Where Can I Find the Pattern and the Designer's Tutorial?

Go to Sherry Shish at Powered by Quilting  for the pattern, templates, and designer tutorial.

What Are the Prizes for Block 5?

How Do I Enter to WIn the Giveaway for Block 5?

There are three ways to enter. Do one of the following by September 25, 2017 at 11:59 pm  EST:

1. Upload a photo of your finished block to Sherry Shish's Linky Party at Powered by Quilting.
2. Upload a photo of your finished block to the I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long Facebook Group.
3. Upload a photo of your finished block to Instagram using #iwishyouamerryqal.

I Want to See More Versions of the Block. Who are the other hosts?

Abbie at Sparkle On
April at JANDA Bend Quilts (That's Me!)
Becca at Pretty Piney
Bobbi at Snowy Days Quilting
Diane at Cwilt Fabrics & Haberdashery
Jennifer at The Inquiring Quilter
Karen at Tu-Na Quilts, Travels, and Eats
Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts 
Sandy at Sandy Star Designs
Sherry at Powered by Quilting
Vanda at Quilt in Piece

I Have Questions. Who Can I Ask?

You can ask me in a comment to this post or in an email, or you can ask the designer at Powered by Quilting.

When Will the Next Block be Released?

September 26, 2017

Where Will I Be Able to Find Block 6 on September 26?

You can find the Block 6 pattern by Sandra at Sandra Healy Designs. A link to her blog will be found here at JANDA Bend Quilts, on I Wish You a Merry Quilt-A-Long Facebook Group, or on any other host's blog.

Other Blocks from the QAL That You Might Enjoy

Click on the photo to go to the blog post for each block.

​Thanks for joining me and Happy Quilting!

This post was originally published at JANDA Bend Quilts.

Here is my version of the Lady of the Lake Quilt Block! I was so excited to be invited to participate in this Quilt Along at the Fat Quarter Shop. It is my first time to participate as a blogger in one of the their Quilt Alongs, and it has been a lot of fun. The pattern for the entire Lady of the Lake Quilt can be purchased from the Fat Quarter Shop. This block is very easy to make with only one tricky match point. Can you see where it is?

 
I chose a watery blue batik and a contrasting yellowish batik to complement it. I like how the contrasting batik has some reds, green, and purples in it. It is difficult to see, but the blue has some splashes of purple as well.

​The large half-square triangle is easy to make. Just mark a diagonal line on the wrong side of one of the large squares, place them right sides together, stitch a quarter-inch away from each side of the line, cut along the line, and press. This will make two large half-square triangles. You only need one per block.

Then, I made the small half-square triangles. I used a method that produces 8 small half-square triangles. Only 7 are needed for each block. I drew a center line on the rectangle and then drew diagonals lines as shown in the diagram. I sewed a quarter-inch away from both sides of the drawn diagonal lines, and cut along the drawn lines.  Then, I used my Quilt in a Day Triangle Square-Up Ruler to trim the triangles and pressed them open, clipping off the dog ears.

The last step is to sew the large half-square triangle and 7 small half-square triangles together as shown. I sewed 3 small half-square triangles to make a strip and then sewed the strip to one edge of the large half-square triangle. Contrasting fabrics should be next to each other. Then, I added a strip of 4 small half-square triangles as shown. There is only one tricky match point. It is the corner small half-square triangle. I do not usually pin when I sew blocks, but I did pin that match point. 

Making an entire quilt with the Lady of the Lake block would be fun and would result in a lovely quilt. It can be made scrappy or with only 2 fabrics for a more formal look. I hope that you give it a try!

Happy Quilting!

​This post was originally published at JANDA Bend Quilts. 

Disclaimer: As a participating blogger, I received a copy of the Lady of the Lake Quilt pattern from the Fat Quarter Shop at no charge. However, there are no affiliate links in this post that result in additional compensation..