crossroads quilt along - intersection block

Hi y'all! Just a short, quick, sweet post today to let you know that it's time for the Crossroads quilt along again! This month we're making the Intersection block. In the tutorial video, Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts and Kimberly Jolly of Fat Quarter Shop discuss the intersections in their lives. But we're at another type of intersection, too - we've now finished the vintage-inspired blocks, and next month we will start the chain blocks that will pull everything together. Are you sewing along with us? You can still catch up! Check out this blog post for all the details on how to download the pattern (it's free, but a donation of $5 or more is requested to March of Dimes).

crossroads quilt along - month 3!

It's Crossroads quilt along time again! We're up to the third month, and making the "Friendship" block. I really like the circular, almost ring-like design. And it's loaded with flying geese!

We now have 12 blocks made. Yay! But so far there's only one pink block. I need more pink! And when the quilt along is finished later this year, we'll have this beautiful quilt:

Crossroads is the annual charitable quilt along sponsored by Fat Quarter Shop and Moda Fabrics. The monthly patterns are free, and a donation of $5 (or more) is requested for March of Dimes. It makes me happy to know that we are sewing for a great cause. You'll find the block pattern here, a new video tutorial with Joanna Figueroa and Kimberly Jolly here. Also check out the special Jolly Jabber Crossroads quilt along blog here for lots of great information about the prior month blocks.  You can use your own fabrics, or make blocks just like mine with this kit featuring the Strawberry Fields Revisited collection by Fig Tree Quilts.

(And I just returned from my week of meetings in Scottsdale. Now I am officially ready to SEW again!)

crossroads quilt along, AND the name game!

Hi everybody! The Crossroads quilt along officially kicks off today and I am SO EXCITED! You know how much I love Fig Tree fabrics and quilt patterns, so do I really need to say more?!

These four house blocks make me happy in so many ways. House blocks are one of my all-time favorites (like my pink house logo!), and there they are in the sherbet-y goodness of Strawberry Fields Revisted fabric! I'm sewing with the kit, and for once, I am resisting the urge to make fabric changes. But you never know what the future might bring!

Crossroads is a 10 month quilt along designed by Fig Tree Quilts and Fat Quarter Shop. We'll be making blocks for six months and then we'll put it all together in August and September.

One of my favorite parts of the pattern is that after each step, the pattern tells you what the size of that sewn unit should be. It's a great way to make sure that your sizing is accurate throughout the construction of the block. I always take a measurement of my unit and make corrections if needed. And guess what? There are NO templates in the roof unit!

And of course, while I was sewing these blocks, my local radio station was in the midst of a Big 80's weekend, and John Mellencamp's "Little Pink Houses" came on! (Now if only the lyrics were "little pink strawberry houses for you and me.")

And part of my love of house blocks comes from my very BIG interest in becoming a first time homeowner. I've lived in 18 different locations (there might be more, but I've lost count) and I've never actually owned a house. Maybe home #1 can be aqua and covered with big roses?

The pattern download is free each month, but a minimal donation of $5 is requested for March of Dimes. Together, we'll raise funds to help prevent premature births. You'll find LOTS of additional information about Crossroads here - you'll see fabric requirements, a calendar of the blocks that we'll be making, and a list of the participating bloggers. And be sure to watch this new video with Joanna and Kimberly, where they discuss what "home" means, as well as a house block tutorial. 

But wait, there's more!

Have you ever wondered where my name - Grey Dogwood Studio - came from? I'm playing The Name Game today on Cindy Wiens' blog,  Live A Colorful Life. Learn all about how I came up with my moniker (it's more complicated than you might think!) and check out all of Cindy's other fun posts. Just click here to learn more!

crossroads charity quilt along 2016

Well, my quilty friends, we are at a quilting crossroads. The Snapshots charity quilt along is nearly finished. It's been fun, right? I've seen SO many great blocks from everybody. My Snapshots quilt just returned from my longarm quilter, Kaylene just a few days ago, and now I can stitch the binding! And the generosity of the quilting community has really been amazing - together, we've raised $38,000 - nearly double the original goal. That's awesome (and I don't use that word very often).

We all need another sew along!

Next up is the 2016 Crossroads charity quilt along. And omigosh it features my all time favorite fabric collection, Strawberry Fields Revisited! Just look at this strawberry-licious fabric. 

You can read all about Strawberry Fields Revisited here. And yes, I was one of those people who asked/begged Fig Tree Quilts and Moda Fabrics to pleeeease reprint the collection. There are some new prints and colors this time, along with the return of some favorites. Strawberry Fields Revisited will coordinate perfectly with any older Strawberry Fields that might be in your stash.

Isn't this quilt perfect? It was designed by Joanna Figueroa and it's reminiscent of a vintage quilt. It's the kind of quilt that I always hope to find at a consignment shop, but of course, I never do. It's definitely a future heirloom for today.

The "crossroads" theme is an excellent way to describe the year that I've had. Many of you know that I was recently at a crossroads with my housing, and we made a huge decision to relocate from NYC to Indiana.  Sure, I wanted more living space and clean air and a modern kitchen. I had many doubts about moving. I knew absolutely nothing about Indiana, and it doesn't even have a tour book! But the decision to move was made very quickly, and all I can say now is... why didn't we do this sooner?! My quality of life is SO much better. I miss almost nothing about NYC, and that really surprises me. My boss told me today that I always readily embrace change and I thought "really, I do?" So this major crossroads changed my life for the better.

Next year's quilt along will benefit March of Dimes, which helps families with premature babies. It's surely a very worthy cause, and I'll be learning more about them throughout the year.  I am confident that quilters can make a difference. We did it this year, and we can do it again.

Okay, so here are the details. The eight month sew along will start in February 2016. Fat Quarter Shop will post a pattern download on the 15th of each month. Each pattern is free, but a $5 donation to March of Dimes is requested for each pattern download. A quilt kit with all the fabric you'll need is available here, and there's also a pieced backing kit. Designer Joanna Figueroa has shared a story about her own personal crossroads, as well as the inspiration for this quilt on her blog here.

I do hope that you'll join me (and a group of bloggers!) as we sew together. I can't wait!