Posted by Shari on July 5th, 2024
Summer Picnic Quilt Sew-Along: Month 1
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| Hello! Apologies again for being a few days tardy in getting going. Let's jump right in..... |
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| The Summer Memories pattern book has the fabric requirements listed for the Summer Picnic Quilt on page 30. They are also listed on the Summer Picnic Quilt introduction blog post. |
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| This quilt can be a great scrap buster or you can stay with a preferred colorway. The choices are endless! |
| Here is the Summer Picnic Quilt Sew-Along Schedule following the book: 07/04/2024 - Month 1: Basket One Blocks - We are here! 08/04/2024 - Month 2: Basket Two Blocks 09/04/2024 - Month 3: Basket Three Blocks 10/04/2024 - Month 4: Basket Four Blocks 11/04/2024 - Month 5: Basket Five Blocks 12/04/2024 - Month 6: Assembly |
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| I am staying with the Red, White and Blue theme and adding some Light Blue and Gray. I am using American Beauty by Riley Blake Designs along with some scrap pieces from my stash. |
| Susan's instructions are very clear and easy to follow. If you are wanting to create the Summer Picnic Quilt following her instructions, you will start with Basket One Blocks this month. You will create a total of 12 Basket One Blocks that will go together in 3 - 4 block units. |
| I am in love with this quilt but decided to take a little easier approach. If you would like to follow along on my Summer Picnic Quilt Sew-Along adventure, keep reading..... |
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| I had just finished the Bluetiful Quilt when I found the Summer Picnic Quilt. I am not a big fan of working with the biased triangle fabric edges. I can do it, but I wanted an easier way. That's when I noticed the Cat's Cradle Block. I may have never noticed it before learning about the new-to-me block. I loved making them in the Bluetiful Quilt so I am diverting from the book directions to use the Creative Grids Cat's Cradle Tool. |
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| The Summer Picnic Quilt has a total of 64 Flower Basket Blocks. I am creating all my Flower Basket blocks like Flower Basket Block #4 from the book. This is going to stream-line my process. This allows the Summer Picnic Quilt to be my current leader/ender project while working on other projects. |
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| For Month 1, I am creating all 64 of the Cat's Cradle blocks. Below is the schedule I have created for myself. |
| Here is my personal Summer Picnic Quilt Sew-Along Schedule: 07/04/2024 - Month 1: Create Cat's Cradle Flower Block - We are here! 08/04/2024 - Month 2: Create Half Square Triangles (HST) 09/04/2024 - Month 3: Finish piecing Flower Basket Blocks 10/04/2024 - Month 4: Sew Flower Basket Blocks into 4 block units 11/04/2024 - Month 5: Finish sewing Summer Picnic Quilt top. 12/04/2024 - Month 6: Catch-Up, if needed. |
| I did a Cat's Cradle XL Block Tutorial for the Bluetiful Quilt. The sewing instructions are the same and the cutting/trimming concept is similar using the smaller Creative Grids Cat's Cradle Tool. Here's a quick photo summary of how the steps look using the Red, White and Blue fabrics. |
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| Using the Creative Grids Cat's Cradle Tool will create two blocks at a time. Here are the fabric requirements you need to make (64) - 3 1/2" x 3 1/2" unfinished blocks: (32) : 4" x 5" rectangles (Blue basket base) (64) : 2 1/4" x 2 1/4" squares (Red square in Cat's Cradle) (64) : 2 1/4" x 3 1/4" rectangles (White HST in Cat's Cradle) (64) : 2" x 2" squares (White for "splitting" the Red square) |
| Before your start cutting, decide if each of your Flower Basket blocks are going to be completely scrappy or the same fabric. See my Red and Blue finished blocks above. If you are going completely scrappy in every block, next month's tutorial will be a breeze as you won't have to worry about color placement. If you are using the same fabric in your Flower Basket blocks as you use in your Cat's Cradle block, you are going to need to save some of the matching fabric for your Half Square Triangles. |
| See you in August! |
| All monthly Summer Picnic Quilt Sew-Along posts will appear on our blog. This is not a Zoom class or a specific time to check in. Sew at your own pace as you follow along with me on the Sew-Along schedule. The Summer Memories Pattern Book is required to participate as no cutting/sizing information will be given. The Summer Picnic quilt pattern is one of many patterns in the Summer Memories Pattern Book. Our Bear Creek Quilting Company Exclusive Sew-Alongs private Facebook Group is available to join. Be sure to complete all the questions and agree to the group rules or the automated-moderator may deny your request to join. |
| Questions?? Email us at sales@BearCreekQuiltingCompany.com |
 and the BCQC Team |