It starts today! The Loretta’s Farm and Garden Samplers Block-of-the-Month at Sew Sweet Quilt Shop in Brunswick, Missouri. If you haven’t gotten signed up, it’s not too late. I’ve got lots of information for you, and a give-away, if you read far enough!

You can sign up for the traditional version without appliqué, Loretta’s Farm Sampler, 84″ x 84″:

Or you can sign up for the modern version with appliqué, Loretta’s Garden Sampler, 84″ x 84″:

Or you can sign up for both!

As always, the two designs are interchangeable. The pattern booklet comes with instructions for both versions, and you can do the Farm Sampler in the modern look, or the Garden Sampler in the traditional look, OR you can even mix them up!

Do the pieced center medallion with the appliqué borders, or do the appliqué center medallion with the pieced borders. Have I ever mentioned how much I like options? I like to build them into every one of my patterns. I think it’s a symptom of never being able to make up my mind, cos I like making ALL the things! Haha!

Here’s how it works:

Call Sew Sweet Quilt Shop at 660.548.3056 to get signed up.

You purchase your pattern booklet up front from Sew Sweet for $28.50. The pattern booklet has full-sized appliqué templates, complete instructions for both quilts, color photos of the blocks, and labels for you to use to help keep everything straight while you’re working.

For $5 each month, you can go pick up your monthly block packet at the shop on the second Saturday of the month (or after). For an additional $3, they will ship it to you, if you’re not able to come in to the shop personally.

The block packets include fabric for the 12 pieced blocks around the sides of the quilt. The fabric in your packets will be the same as the samples, or very similar.

The setting fabric is up to you. Sew Sweet will make finishing kits available for purchase around month 7 of the BOM (March 2021 or thereabouts), but their quantities will be limited. You can choose to use one of the settings shown (remember, they’re interchangeable), or come up with your own setting for the 12 blocks.

The appliqué version is Jen Kingwell fabric so any of her fabric (or similar scraps) will work for finishing. The black and cream is a variety of fabric lines so you can use any similar fabric for finishing. The background is a basic.

You can also purchase the booklet by itself and not the monthly packets, if you want to make the quilt in your own color scheme. Just give the shop a call to get the pattern (660.548.3056).

To get you started off right, once you have your pattern booklet, refer to this article on how to set it up and make it yours: Setting Yourself Up

I don’t normally recommend using any specific tools in my patterns, but for this particular one, there are a couple you might find handy.

For the appliqué vines, I recommend using a Bias Tape Maker. The center block uses a 1/2″ bias tape maker, and the outer blocks and border use a 1/4″ bias tape maker. You can refer to this tutorial for help: Using a Bias Tape Maker

Since these blocks have lots of pieces, it makes for more precise piecing to make your triangle-squares a tidget larger, and then trim them down, which is how I’ve written the pattern. One easy way to do this is to use a Bloc-Loc ruler, and I have an article on that here that you can reference: Using a Bloc-Loc Ruler

For these quilts, a 4 1/2″ Bloc-Loc ruler will work, but a 6 1/2″ size could come in handy on the center block of the traditional version.

Sew Sweet has Bloc-Loc rulers and bias tape makers for sale in their shop, so when you call to get signed up, you can add any tools you need to your initial order, and you’ll be all set.

But to kick things off, since it’s launch day today . . .

I’m giving away a Bloc-Loc ruler in the 6 1/2″ size. All you have to do for a chance to win it is leave a comment on this post. Let me know which version you’re doing, or if you’re tackling both! I’ll draw a winner on Wednesday, September 16th.

As you work on your Loretta’s Sampler over the next 12 months, be sure to post your progress photos in Sew Sweet’s Facebook Group HERE. If you’re not already a member, just ask to join — it’s a public group, and they have all sorts of other fun things going on there, too.

As the BOM rolls along, I’ll also have some more helpful articles for you, and some bonus projects along the way, so check back. All the articles related to these quilts will be HERE, in the Loretta’s Samplers category (you can also use the pull-down menu in the sidebar to access them).

I’m excited to start seeing your blocks come together!