- I'd like to thank Skillshare
for sponsoring this video. Are you interested in
participating in a quilt along but you just have no idea where to begin? Or maybe you made the decision to join but you just don't know
what the next step is. Or maybe you want to start
one but you're afraid that it's going to end up as a UFO
in the back of your closet. Today, I'll go through the
planning stages of a quilt along, what you need to do before you
cut so that you give yourself the best possible start to
get you to that finish line. So stick with me, and I'll
show you how to do it. (bouncy music) Hi there, I'm Karen Brown
of Just Get It Done Quilts, I give you tips, tricks and
strategies to help you make the quilt that you want to make. And if you like what you see, please hit that subscribe button. We have all seen the
thumbnails on social media, and now seeing the next quilt along. Pattern, the fabric, the prizes,
it's such an exciting step in making a quilt and you
can't wait to get started. But if you don't take the time to prepare, they can easily turn into a WOMBAT, a waste of money, batting, and time. The good news is with a little planning, they can be amazing events
that push your skills and colour zones, and introduce you to a new global pack of quilters. So if you saw my interview
with Gnome Angel, then you know that I'm jumping on board for this year's #100Days100Blocks Kinship Fusion Quilt Along. And there's some exciting
developments to share, so join me as I get ready. (bouncy music) So the first step in joining a quilt along is understanding the value. What's in it for you? And there might be 2 parts to this. There's the surface part,
you're attracted to the pattern, you're attracted to the
designer, and the excitement of working on a new
project with new fabrics, or joining your friends
in a common project. But think a bit deeper,
is this the opportunity to challenge you with a new skill or practising a quilting technique that you're not that confident in. Maybe you want to experiment
on a new colour palette or use up some scraps. Maybe you're craving a new connection in the quilting community. Or maybe you just want to sit
back and follow the leadership that a quilt along provides. Since there's a set
pattern and a set time, you can put yourself on
autopilot and find solace from all the other stresses in your life. Knowing this value will give you direction in the weeks ahead. And when the going gets tough, it's also your check-in point
to get you back on track. (bouncy music) Your brain needs space to plan, so take the time to tidy up your space. Finish up the projects
that you're working on, and put your unused fabric away, and then organise your
scraps if they're in the way. If you were on board with
my decluttering challenge back in January, then
you'll know how empowering a clean space can be. If you're not sure on how
to declutter and organise your sewing space, I have
already started a series and I'll leave a link in the notes below. (bouncy music) I know this sounds obvious,
but you want to sign up as soon as possible, then
read the welcome email. The host of the quilt
along wants you to succeed, so they have provided you with links to important information, like where to purchase the pattern. Then take a moment to purchase it. And where can you find the
frequently asked questions. If the quilt along has run before, the organiser has accumulated
a list of questions that participants regularly ask, so if you have a question,
check here first. What are the hashtags to use for posting? Then add them to your follow list. The important dates, then take a moment to put
these dates in your calendar. When the tutorials, if
any will be published. And if there are prizes, what the rules for those prizes are. Download the 'I'M IN' thumbnail, and post it to your social
media to tell the community that you're on board. (bouncy music) Read the pattern completely. I know this sounds like
another no-brainer, but often we skim through the pattern without reading the details. Not only does the pattern tell
you how many fabrics you need and how much, and the
additional fabric needed for the backing and the binding. It should show what fabrics go where. Any concerns about directional fabrics, if there are size options,
trust me, options are good. A tool list, sometimes
you need specific tools, sometimes they're only suggestions
for ease of construction, or maybe you have a similar
tool that can do the same job. Reading through the
instructions will let you know which is which and give you
some time to do the research to figure out if it's right for you. And if you need it,
you'll want to buy it now before it's out of stock. Construction, how is it going to be made? Regular piecing, applique, paper piecing, or maybe all 3. Once you understand the method, then you'll know whether
you have the skills. So will the quilt along have
the tutorials to help you, or are you going to need outside help? And the last thing is pattern storage. Like how are you actually
going to use your pattern? Will you keep it on your
tablet or your computer and just refer to it there? Or are you going to buy a
hard copy or download a copy? Will it be kept in a
file folder or a binder, or just with a paperclip? If the pattern uses templates, where are you going to store those? But choose the pattern
organisational system that's best for you. (bouncy music) Now, for the most delightful
step in the whole quilt along, the fabric pull. This is both one of my favourite steps and one of the most stressful
as I tend to overthink it. Picking fabric that is good
for you starts a feedback loop in your brain that makes you feel amazing. So give yourself time
to enjoy yourself here. Don't be rushed, note the
fabrics and the colours that bring you joy. And take lots of pictures of
the different fabric pulls because they look very
different through the lens of a camera. If your quilt along happens annually, you can also check out social media and see past participant's
quilts for inspiration. Alternatively, you can look
at other sampler quilts to get ideas on different colour pathways. An exciting news for this
year's 100 Days, 100 Blocks, Gnome Angel has teamed up with PreQuilt, so that you can use Kinship
colouring sheets online, and you can play and play and play. And they have colouring pages
for all the new layouts too. Just go to their website,
they've got a new video on how to do it, plus how to
get the add-on Block Library. Gnome Angel is also known for
her amazing fussy cutting, and you can be sure that
it will be a big part of this year's quilt along too. If this is something that
you might like to do, be sure to include designs at
the scale of your block sizes, and make yourself some templates so that you can test drive your fabrics. See my video, 10 Sewing
Hacks with Templates, if you want to learn how
to make a set of your own. And if you're having
difficulty with colour harmony, check out my colour
series in the notes below. I also have a great video
on playing with your fabrics that can also help in the
colour selection process. (bouncy music) Often, you can leave out
layout decisions until the end, but here are a number
of things to think about before you start. Are you going to rainbow your quilt? That is, will you have blocks
that wash across your quilt in a rainbow of colours? Or are you going to use
value to put more weight on the bottom of the
quilt or around the edges? If you are wanting to fussy
cut some of your blocks, where are you going to
put them in the quilt to highlight your work? Or maybe you just want
to spotlight a few blocks by having a contrasting
colour, saturation, and value. Are there filler blocks or
borders that you will need to make after the quilt along is over? What do you need to do now to make them more harmonious later? And of course, you can lay out the blocks in a totally different way
than the pattern suggests. Keeping these points in mind
before assembling will make all the effort worth it
and make the final assembly so much easier. Ask me how I know. (bouncy music) The make-or-break part of
any quilt along is the pace. We're always excited to
start only to fall behind after a couple of weeks or months, as the rest of your life gets in the way. So now is the time to get out
your calendar and figure out how you're going to fit it all in. Not all days are equal,
so when is the best time to get your piecing in? For #100days100blocks, Gnome Angel recommends focusing
on seven blocks per week, rather than one per day. That way you can get ahead
when you can for those days that you can't fit any sewing in. Personally, I like to cut
a week's worth of fabric on Sunday and use my 30
minute timer first thing in the morning to get
the daily block done. And new this year, Gnome
Angel has new layouts for those quilters that
can't commit to 100 blocks or those that leave early. The important thing is to
do what's right for you in your schedule. (bouncy music) Next to playing with fabrics, the next favourite thing is
posting your photos online. The 100 Days, 100 Blocks community
is so fun and empowering. They appreciate your efforts and empathise with your challenges. And the team spirit will
encourage your growth into new techniques and colour harmonies. So you want to take a moment
before you begin to create a style or layout that
identifies you as you. So for those that are
following the hashtags, they can recognise you
as your posts go by. Again, take a look at what
participants have done in past years. See what works and see what doesn't, then think about your
space and how you can make them distinctly yours. I am hoping to up my
photography game this year, so I'm turning to Skillshare for help. Photographing my quilts and blocks is something I always forget to do, so my photos are always rushed. So this month, I am looking through the
Skillshare class catalogue to find some pointers to make
my blocks look their best. Skillshare offers creative and curious people thousands
of inspiring classes on illustration, design,
content creation, and more. Skillshare classes include a
combination of video lessons and a class project, and most
are designed to be completed in 60 minutes a day or less so they fit into the short
blocks of time in your day. Skillshare is also incredibly affordable, especially when compared to
in-person classes and workshops. An annual subscription
is less than $10 a month. Turn this time into an
opportunity to explore new skills and deepen existing passions. Take a look at their class lists. What you find might just
surprise and inspire you. The first 1000 of my
subscribers to click the link in the description below
will get a free trial of Skillshare Premium so that you can explore your creativity. (bouncy music) And think about what platforms
you'll be posting to. If it's Facebook, make sure you
join the Facebook group now, and create a list of hashtags
that you're going to use to paste into your posts so
that you don't need to type them every single time. And considering using a
scheduler like Canva or Planoly so you don't need to
remember to post every day. If you're interested in
coming along for the ride for the 100 days, 100 blocks challenge, I'll leave links and
information in the notes below. And I will be doing a YouTube live stream with PreQuilt next week and
all their exciting features on how to colour your quilt. Last Monday, I had Bernina
Jeff on Karen's Quilt Circle, and we were talking all
about sewing machines. It was a great chat and
you don't want to miss it. I'll leave a link in the notes below. If you liked this video,
please give it a thumbs up. Don't forget to subscribe
and hit that bell beside the subscribe button so
that YouTube will notify you when I make new videos. You can also follow me
on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest at Just Get It Done Quilts. And of course, my website
at justgetitdonequilts.com. So take care, and I'll see you next time.
