Historically I am not very good at Sew-alongs (SAL), normally I end up starting way too late to sew along with anyone and by the time I have finished everyone has already moved onto the next thing.

At the start of the year I told myself (as you know from this post here) I had to finish up old projects and use more from my stash. Of course that had to be adapted slightly when scrolling through Instagram I saw this post for a SAL that I could not resist. The pattern is by Pen and Paper Patterns and Then Came June from their Modern Holiday Quilt Collection. I’m a bit of a sucker for anything with hearts and it looked fairly doable so I dived right into my stash.

It took me a little time to settle on what fabrics to use, mainly as I couldn’t decide between a solid (like the pattern) or to use up some of my many pink prints and make it scrappy.

In the end I settled for the solids that were in my stash and a lovely grey low volume print.

The cutting out part of a quilt is one of my least favourite parts, only because I’m too impatient and just want to get started once I’ve picked my fabric. However this time was different, I actually enjoyed sitting down to cut them and before I knew it I had cut out all the pieces I needed. The thing I loved most about the cutting out for this was it was nice and simple, lots of cutting across the width of fabric (WOF) and then sub cutting those strips.

I then set up a little factory line and whizzed off 4 blocks in an afternoon. There is nothing more satisfying than a quick easy project. I was feeling hopeful that I may actually keep up with this SAL!

My organisation for this quilt has been my best yet, I even sourced my backing fabric before I’d finished the top!

Isn’t this XOXO fabric by Art Gallery Fabrics just perfect!?

Do you find you get projects that once you start you can’t just stop. It became a little bit addictive and I found myself slipping onto the machine of an evening after little one had gone to bed and the husband was at work, telling myself just one more block. It was quite fun doing it in batches. I had a proper little production line going.

Just like that I had my top finished, and only halfway through the SAL too! Two things now… do I make another scrappy one? I’m super keen too, even if it is just a pillow case. Second thing, how on earth am I going to quilt it!? I struggle with this part all too much!

How good are you at keeping up with sew-alongs?