Today is my day for the Splendid Sampler 2 Book Sew Along - and you know I love a good sampler! If you have not heard of it, the Splendid Sampler is a book complied by Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson. It features 100 quilt blocks from many different designers.
I was SO honored and excited to be included in the book this time (this is the second Splendid Sampler book). Samplers and Block of the Months are my “thing” and to be included in a large project like this was right up my alley. I was asked to create a block that showcased something about “me” and my best quilting life.
Love the soft palette here inspired by Sharon Holland’s Bountiful print (AGF Fabrics) used as the background.
I came up with this block called Radio Silence. It features traditional patchwork - straight up simple piecing, like half square triangles and flying geese. Basics that are repeated in quilt blocks again and again because their simple geometric shapes can create so many possibilities. Classic variations of stars that look good in just about any color or fabric combination.
I auditioned a couple different fabrics before sewing up my second version of this block…
I called this block Radio Silence because of how I started quilting. Without knowing how to sew, decided to make a quilt for my firstborn. It became my passionate hobby - and my beginner’s learning curve was sound tracked by the radio static of a baby monitor in my sewing room. I sewed in welcome silence during nap times, accompanied only by baby-monitor static. The white noise and hum of the sewing machine became theraputic. Radio silence was synonymous with “ME” time and resembled stress relief for me.
I still find the hum of the sewing machine calming today. And I most enjoy my sewing time when doing traditional piecing patchwork.
Need some help with patchwork basics? Check out my video tutorials for Half Square Triangles and Flying Geese.
Hop on over to the Splendid Sampler 2 website. There is information about the blocks in the book and a fun weekly giveaway if you make one of the four featured blocks this week.
Ready to get sewing? START HERE
AnneMarie Chany is an author and pattern designer who teeters on both sides of the modern and traditional quilting line. She loves using bright colors and solid fabrics while nodding to traditional blocks. On the website, you'll find many resources to inspire and get you sewing right away like free quilt patterns, the Quilt Block Library with links to 350+ free quilt block tutorials, Block of the Month Clubs, and the Quilt Pattern Shop with clear detailed instructions to make your quilting easy and fun.
"all I need is fabric and coffee. and maybe chocolate too. yeah, definitely chocolate. let's create!"