Garden Party Down Under--Get Ready

 On January 1, 2022, the Block of the Month quilt for The Quilt Show will begin. Designed exclusively for The Quilt Show by Australian designer Irene Blanck, it is FREE for Star Members from January 1-December 31, 2022. 

The show that will kick off this exciting project is FREE FOR ALL TO WATCH, beginning January 1, 2022. I hope you'll watch, even if you are not a Star Member or don't want to make this particular quilt. The show is so well-done and I bet you'll learn a tip or two. Watch Show 3001 starting January 1, 2022

Here is Irene's quilt:. It has that "Australian vibe" that many of us find so appealing:

Here is my sample quilt. It has my "vibe" and I also incorporated some "Optional Alternative Techniques", like pieced borders instead of needle turn hand applique borders:

Here are some TIPS for GETTING READY:

1. Have copy paper and ink on hand. The first month you will print up to 30 pages on copy paper--the patterns, the instructions for  Month 1, Irene's General Instructions, and my Optional Alternative Instructions, should you want those. I created a paper piecing pattern for the Dogtooth Borders in Months 1 and 2--you will print those IF you want to paper piece them.

2. Print & Piece Fuse Lite: if you want to print your pattern pieces on a fusible product using an ink jet printer, you will need 6-9 pieces for Month 1. 

3. Prepare Your Fabrics: the Kit instructions recommend pre-washing. I did. I separated darks/lights, made a slight 45 degree angle cut on all four corners to cut down on raveling and put a Color Catcher in each load. There was very little color loss in either load:

Trim all 4 corners to cut down on raveling before pre-washing

Color Catchers after pre-washing

This is a wonderfully scrappy quilt that doesn't require a large amount of any one fabric--you can use small pieces of your favorites. The Fabric Requirements document shows all the Kit fabrics and the amounts of each: Fabric Requirements  I provided a list of the Fabrics I used in my Sample quilt in an earlier post: Fabric Selection for My Garden Party

4. If you are new to Applique or want to consider making your quilt a "Sampler of Techniques", review some of the great shows available to Star Members on www.thequiltshow.com  I especially recommend the two Master Classes on Applique. Find those easily with the Search box at the top of each page.

I provided a Resource Guide for quite a few shows that will be helpful in making this quilt: Resource Guide

You can combine various techniques in this project: hand applique, turned edge machine applique, machine pieced borders, embroidery--the 1/8"stems are perfect for that. Trying these different techniques throughout the year will help you get better at them all and find your favorites. Irene Blanck's instructions are for needle turn hand applique.

5. Turned Edge Machine Applique: this is the method used to make my sample quilt. Eight of the Sunday Sew & Sews helped and this  method was new to each of them. I have written about it Here

and Here Those earlier posts used a different fusible product but the process is the same. It is how I made Ruffled Roses:

6. Tomorrow, December 27, 2021 I will do a LIVE broadcast at Noon Central time on how to GET READY for the Kick Off January 1, 2022. I will review these suggestions and answer your questions. If you can't make it live, all the LIVE broadcasts are available on THE QUILT SHOW channel on YouTube. You can find them easily at The Quilt Show On This Page

7. On New Year's Day be sure you watch the Show that begins January 1, 2022--FREE TO ALL--to see a complete overview of Irene's process and the Optional Alternative Techniques I offer. It will answer some questions you may have right off the bat. 

8. Additional  Resources to help you on our year-long journey:

     Monthly Blog Posts on Garden Party Down Under--available to all the first of each month--this is my primary way of  "teaching" how to make this quilt 

     Videos for a variety of techniques used in this quilt--find them under each month for the 2022 BOM  on www.thequiltshow.com 

    The Forum--the place to Ask Questions and Share Your Progress:  2022 BOM Forum

I hope you will join us on this journey! I am looking forward to a great year.

Let's quilt.

Barbara