easypatchwork with Karen Ackva

Sunday, December 10, 2023

Transparendo Sewalong - Week 14

Happy Second Advent! Are holiday decorations are still happily stored away, but hope to change all of that this afternoon after the blog post is finished.

If you are new here, thanks for stumbling across my website and blog, especially the Transparendo Sewalong. Transparendo is the newest quilting book featuring a modern sampler quilt using transparent quilt blocks to make a comfy-sized sofa quilt ~ 60" x 80".

We are entering our second to last week of the sewalong. The pattern is setup with the easiest blocks first followed by more difficult blocks; the difficulty increases with each block. You have two weeks to finish up your quilt or sew one of the alternate blocks if you decided to swap one out.

Are you sewing along with us? Enter your finished quilt top for the random drawing in Week 15 for your chance to win a full-version copy of EQ8 sponsored by our platinum sponsor - The Electric Quilt Company.

Verena from einfach bunt Quilts and I love sewing your blocks and look forward to seeing your finished quilt top in our Transparendo Sewalong (#transaprendosal).

This week's hashtag is #transparendosalw14 for Week 14, Bonus Blocks.

Please sign up for our newsletters to keep on top of the sewalong.

Sewalong Schedule

We are wrapping up our sewalong with two weeks to go. You still have time to start and finish the quilt top if you hurry. The following week we will be sewing a bonus block if you prefer and then you still have time to sew all of the blocks together into a quilt top.

Post your progress on Instagram with the hashtags: #transparendosal and the week - #transparendosalw1 (week one, etc.) for your chance to be entered into a drawing. If you don't have instagram, you can send me a photo with your fabric selection at 72 dpi with a resolution of 800 pixels or less. The following Sunday, one lucky recipient will be chosen at random. Our sewalong is open internationally, so get out those sewing machines ladies (and gents)!

Email Karen with your weekly photo assignment.

Email Verena with your weekly photo assignment.

Week 14 Prize

In Week 14, we have a fat quarter selection sponsored by Robert Kaufman Fabrics of Kona Solids used in the Miami Palms version of Transparendo. The fabrics arrived a little later than expected, so I couldn't use them in the sewalong quilt. Verena and I also also threw in coordinating fat quarters fabrics from the sewalong quilt. What can I say, they all match and coordinate very well together. It looks like I have a standard color scheme when designing the quilt.

We also have our final set of Taylor Seville - Magic Pins sponsored by Steidl & Becker

Week 14 - (Bonus Blocks)

There are three different bonus blocks in the pattern to use as alternate blocks. They range in difficulty level. Here is what the quilt would look like if all three blocks were used.

I really wanted to make the Radar Signal block, because I feel it shows a very interesting transparency effect. it is also my own design! However, my holiday schedule is starting to get booked up quickly, so this week I chose to make one single bonus block - Delicate Knots. This block was inspired by the quilt block found in EQ8 - Simple Knot which is found in the Electric Quilt Library and is another Nine Patch block. Do you see the nine quadrants? I added the transparency squares where the two fabrics overlap.

This block would typically be made with templates, but I wrote to the directions for easy patch assembly with larger pieces which would allow the block to be cut-to-size later when finished.

The square the block up, place a large 12 1/2" quilting ruler or larger over the block and find the 6 1/4" center point from two adjacent sides. Cut the two adjacent sides consecutively, rotate the block and then line up the 12 1/2" mark on the lower corner in the opposite side of the block. Of course, you can line up the 6 1/4" mark again as a reference point, but we want the block to be 12 1/2".

Here is my Delicate Knots finished quilt block using the current fabrics for our sewalong.

Delicate Knots - Bonus Block 2, Week 14 in the Transparendo Sewalong - #transparendosalw14

My Tip This Week

I have a healthy tip for you this week. In 2023, I have made a commitment to myself to get healthier (and happier). One daily routine I have added is eating a regular breakfast of oats in the morning. Who would of thought there are so many different ways to enjoy a healthy breakfast of protein, antioxidants and healthy oils. Here's my favorite recipe.

Breakfast Oats Single Portion:

3-5 tablespoons old fashioned oats

1 teaspoon chia seeds

1 teaspoon bran

1/2 teaspoon flaxseed (ground)

1 teaspoon flaxseed or linseed oil

150 ml or grams of low fat dairy or non-dairy product such as skyr, greek yogurt, quark, buttermilk. almond milk

1/2 apple, banana, fresh seasonal fruit or handful of berries

1 tablespoon chopped, ground or sliced nuts such as walnut, almonds, peanuts, pistacio, coconut flakes

Mix first six ingredients together and let sit for 30 minutes to thicken. Add the fruits and nuts on top. Enjoy thoroughly. Individual portion ranges from 300 - 450 calories.

Our Sponsors

We are so happy to announce our fabulous sponsors!

Gold Sponsors:

Platinum Sponsor

The Electric Quilt Company

The wonderful folks at the Electric Quilt Company are sponsoring our Finale Prize of one full version of EQ8 at the end of the sewalong Week 15. To enter your finished quilt top with all blocks and borders, photograph and forward to me or post on Instagram. If you would like to purchase the program, we have a PROMOTIONAL CODE to receive 25% off the software. Enter EASYPATCHWORK25 at checkout. If you live outside of the US, you will be sent a physical item in the mail. After you receive the package, you will be informed how to download and install the software on your system. Please follow the Electric Quilt Company on Instagram and subscribe to their newsletter for other great deals.

The winner of this week's drawing is Renate again! You will be contacted shortly about how to collect your prize. Thank to all for participating. We look forward to seeing your beautiful blocks next week as well.

Please participate in next week's drawing. Take a photo and post for all of us to see on Instagram or send to me info@easypatchwork.de or Verena with a resolution of 72 dpi no larger than 800 pixels. One lucky participant will be chosen at random. The giveaway is open internationally. Void where prohibited. Open to quilters 18 years of age and older. Good luck to all. Thanks for joining us!

Preview

We look forward to seeing you next week! I'll talk about what went wrong when sewing my quilt top together. Stay tuned.

Please leave a comment below and tell everyone that your are sewing along. Be supportive and comment and contact other participants. We would love to hear your thoughts. Take care of yourself and keep on sewing happy.

Sunday, December 3, 2023

Transparendo Sewalong - Week 13

Happy First Advent or the first Christmas Sunday of four before Christmas.

We are entering our thirteenth week of the sewalong. The pattern is setup with the easiest blocks first followed by more difficult blocks; the difficulty increases with each block. Being in our 12th of 15th week and knowing there are 12 blocks in the quilt, that means we have already advanced the the harder blocks.

Verena from einfach bunt Quilts and I love sewing your blocks and look forward to seeing your finished quilt top in our Transparendo Sewalong (#transaprendosal).

This week's hashtag is #transparendosalw13 for Week 13, Block 12.

Please sign up for our newsletters to keep on top of the sewalong.