Summer Sampler 2018: The big reveal!

It's time for the big reveal! My Summer Sampler 2018 quilt is done! And I think this might be my favorite Summer Sampler quilt of all.

I seem to be full-on addicted to straight-line quilting these days. I NEVER want to do free-motion quilting lately! I just love the straight-line quilted look so much. So this one got my usual treatment of straight diagonal lines about 1/2" apart, and I LOVE LOVE LOVE how it turned out.

I think the diagonal lines worked particularly well with the hourglass setting blocks. It all just flows. 😀The grays I used for my hourglass blocks were a random assortment of solids entirely from my stash. I had to break out of my comfort zone a little on that, because grays can vary so much in the colors they skew towards—some grays are more blue, some are greenish, others are warmer, etc. And I tend to have some OCD-ish issues about combining different tones of gray like that! What can I say, it's a problem. Lol.

So I had to get over the desire to have all my grays be in the same color family. But once I did, I realized that all those different tones of gray actually work really well together in this setting. And I love the finished result. Lesson learned!

For the back, I used a Tula Pink wide-back print in navy, which matches really well with my color palette for the quilt. I've had this wide back for YEARS and have always been a little afraid to use it, because I tend to quilt in light-colored thread. So I kept chickening out on using a dark back, because I knew my quilting oopsies would REALLY show. Lol. But for this one I threw caution to the wind, and I'm glad I did, I think it looks great. (With a bonus of the wide fabric meaning I didn’t have to spend any time piecing the back. Woot.)

I think one of the reasons this quilt means so much to me is the travel inspiration behind the blocks. The adventure of travel has been a shared love for my husband and I since we met, and it's one we're actively trying to pass on to our girls. A lot of these blocks come from places we've been (including some that I didn't design!), so I'll think of our various trips every time I wrap up in it. I know a lot of you guys have been making your own self-designed "bonus blocks" inspired by your own travels, and I heart that SO MUCH! You all have come up with some amazing designs, and it's wonderful to make your quilts more personal like that. I've been so impressed by the blocks that I've seen on Instagram and in the Facebook group. (Check out the Instagram hashtag #summersampler2018 to see some examples!)

And with that, I guess the Summer Sampler 2018 quilt-along is a wrap! I can't believe another one is already done! Thank you all for quilting along with us, it's been a joy, as always. And remember, it's not too late to make this quilt! Just because the quilt-along is done doesn't mean you can't make it on your own, right? And you'll always have plenty of company—people are still consistently buying and starting this quilt. Click here to get the pattern!

For those of you who DID do the quilt-along and are on the look-out for another one? I'm excited to say that I've got a Block-of-the-Month in the works for 2019—and here's a sneak peek! This will be a beginner-friendly quilt-along, and at the more relaxed pace of one block a month. Stay tuned—more info and pre-sale will be coming in early November! Can't wait! 😀