Quilt-Alongs Archives - Color Girl Quilts by Sharon McConnell

15 Jun

Announcements, Polka Dot Bikini, Polka Dot Bikini QAL

A Modern Classic…New and Improved!

The Polka Dot Bikini quilt pattern was among the first produced here at Color Girl and has been a best seller for several years. With the new Tula Pink polka dots and stripes fabrics hitting the market earlier this year, I felt inspired to take another look at my signature quilt. I am re-releasing the Polka Dot Bikini pattern in a new, improved format. I've revised some instructions for clarity and added more, better illustrations in full color. These updates make the pattern better and will ensure your success in making this masterpiece quilt. If you've purchased the quilt...

18 Jul

Free Quilt Patterns, Quilting Interest, Summer Blockbuster 2015

Summer Blockbuster: Finishing the Quilt Top

Posted by Sharon
how to make modern patchwork, how to sew sampler quilt, simple sampler quilt
2 comments

Thank you for following along this month as we quilt along on the Summer Blockbuster, making our sampler quilt blocks into a finished quilt top! Last week we finished sewing the blocks with the sashing strips and blue setting triangles. This week it is time to arrange those blocks, sew the rows and finish the top. 1. Arrange your blocks as you want them to appear in the final quilt. If you are sewing with me: for the 72 block quilt you will make nine rows of eight blocks. For the 36 block quilt, you will have six rows of six...

11 Jul

Summer Blockbuster 2015

Blockbuster Quilt: Finishing the Sampler Blocks

Posted by Sharon
how to sew a sampler quilt, simple modern sampler quilt
4 comments

Welcome to week three of the Summer Blockbuster quilt, 2015 edition. Last week I published the cutting instructions and first sewing step to get started setting our sampler quilt blocks together. This week we are starting where we left off, with blocks that have the gray and white sashing strips on, ready to add the blue half-square triangles. 1. Place one sampler block on the design surface face up. Place one navy blue 2 5/8" square (right sides facing) so that it covers one corner where the gray and white sashing meet: 2. Mark the diagonal of the blue square from...

05 Jul

Free Quilt Patterns, Summer Blockbuster 2015

Blockbuster Sampler Quilt: Cutting and Sewing

Posted by Sharon
how to sew sampler quilt, simple modern sampler quilt
3 comments

It was so great to hear from a few of you who are going to sew the Summer Blockbuster quilt with me! Thank you so much, it is way more fun, and I can't wait to see what you make. Be sure and Like the Color Girl Quilts Facebook page so you can post your progress. If you are just tuning in, get the details on this Mini-Quilt-Along, Here. Today I have cutting instructions, and the first sewing step. Let's get to it, Cutting for the 72 block quilt (cutting instructions for the 36 block quilt are at the end of this post,...

27 Jun

Free Quilt Patterns, Quilting Interest, Summer Blockbuster 2015

Summer Blockbuster Quilt-Along: A Simple Sampler

Posted by Sharon
how to make sampler quilt, modern sampler quilt, super simple sampler quilt
11 comments

It is finally time to make the Summer Blockbuster of 2015! This is the third annual summer quilt-along here at Color Girl, a quilt along for finishing those orphan blocks you might have laying around, or an opportunity to make something new and fresh. This year, I am using all the blocks I made throughout this year in Quilters' Book Club and the Super Simple Sampler series. There are few out there who have made the simple sampler blocks with me, so I hope you will quilt along with me this month and get those blocks finished into a quilt....

17 May

Free Quilt Blocks, Free Quilt Patterns, Super Simple Sampler Quilt Blocks

Simple Sampler Block #36

Posted by Sharon
6" sampler quilt block, easy quilt block, how to sew a basic quilt block, modern sampler quilt
3 comments

Kind of crazy, this is the last in our Super Simple Sampler quilt block series. After this block we have 36 adorable 6 1/2" quilt blocks ready to be made into an easy modern quilt. If you have been following along, I have also been making blocks each month from Tula Pink's City Sampler book (see posts here), so I have 72 blocks! This summer I will be posting a series of tutorials to make these blocks into a quilt, so whether you have made 72 (or more!) or just the 36 in the Super Simple Sampler series, you will...

15 May

Free Quilt Blocks, Free Quilt Patterns, Super Simple Sampler Quilt Blocks

Simple Sampler Block #35

Posted by Sharon
easy quilt sampler 6" block, free quilt tutorial, how to sew quilt sampler block, modern sampler quilt
3 comments

We are on quilt block number three for May in the Super Simple Sampler series. Kind of amazing we have made 35 already! This month we don't have a theme, I decided to just make a variety of blocks to use the technique from previous months. Here is how to make this fun half-square triangle block, Cutting from the yellow: cut (2) 1 1/2" x 6 1/2" strips; (2) 2 1/2" squares; (2) 3" squares, cut on diagonal to yield 4 half-square triangles from blue and pink (each): (1) 3" square, cut in half on diagonal to yield 2 half-square triangles (HST) Sewing Right sides...

13 May

Free Quilt Blocks, Free Quilt Patterns, Super Simple Sampler Quilt Blocks

Simple Sampler Block #34

Posted by Sharon
flying geese, how to sew a basic quilt block, simple sampler quilt, simple sampler quilt block
1 comment

Welcome to the second block of our May edition of the Super Simple Sampler. This month we are finishing up our 6" sampler blocks! Almost ready to turn them into a quilt. Here is how to make block #34. Cutting from the dark blue: cut (4) 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" rectangles; (8) 1 1/2" squares from the aqua print: cut (4) 2 1/2" squares from the yellow: cut (1) 2 1/2" square; (4) 2 1/2" x 1 1/2" rectangles Sewing right sides facing, 1/4" seam, press well after each seam 1. Place one dark blue 1 1/2" square right sides facing a yellow 2 1/2" x...

11 May

Free Quilt Blocks, Free Quilt Patterns, Super Simple Sampler Quilt Blocks

Simple Sampler Block #33

Posted by Sharon
how to sew easy sampler quilt block, modern patchwork, quilt block tutorial
1 comment

Welcome to the last week of the Super Simple Sampler series of 6" block tutorials! By the end of this week, we will have 36 blocks to make our sampler quilt. This month I didn't choose a theme, so we will have a variety of blocks, using all the techniques we've done so far: flying geese, triangles, squares and strips. Check out the tutorials for all the blocks, click Here. To start, we have a very simple block using just squares, but it makes a fun pattern and good way to use small scraps. Here is how to make the...

18 Apr

Free Quilt Blocks, Free Quilt Patterns, Super Simple Sampler Quilt Blocks

Simple Sampler Quilt Block #32

Posted by Sharon
easy quilt block tutorial, how to sew nine-patch quilt, modern sampler quilt, six inch quilt block
1 comment

Time to make our fourth Super Simple Sampler quilt block for April! I think this is my favorite of the nine-patch blocks I have featured this month. If you want to sew along with me, you can find the instructions for all of these six inch quilt sampler blocks, Here. Let's sew! Cutting from each of the dark blue, yellow, pink, and light blue: cut (1) 1 1/2" square, (1) 2" x 3 1/2" rectangle, (1) 2" square from the black (center square): cut (1) 1 1/2" square from the black and white: cut (4) 1 1/2" squares Sewing (1/4" seam, press after each seam) 1....