Traverse Block of the Month Sew Along

The start of the Traverse Block of the Month sew along is just around the corner and we're going to kick this BOM party off with all the details you need to know about your next year of quilting! Read through some of my design process or scroll down to the details (under How to Participate).

When I started designing this quilt (see more about the original inspiration here), I worked with Windham to design 25 new cross-woven colors for their Artisan Solids collection. It was a fun collaboration, where I sent colors I wanted to see in the Artisan Cottons, and the folks at Windham sent the specific thread choices off to the mill. We went through several iterations of samples before we landed on the final choices. When I was choosing colors, I looked for a good variety of values, and of course we all need more magenta in our lives so I threw in a few of those as well! It was such a treat to be able to do this again, as this was part of my job when I worked at Michael Miller, and I have dearly missed being able to create fabrics in colors I wanted to see out in the world!

If you know anything about me, you will know cutting is my favorite part of the quilt making process, so to start, I threw some HSTs I had sitting around up on the design wall for color inspiration, and then I cut. I just took my rotary to the fabric. I cut fabric. I sewed fabric. I called Windham for more fabric. And so the cycle went. While the quilt you are making takes about 14 yards of fabric, I'm sure I went through at least 30 yards designing the entire quilt. I made big blocks and small blocks, resized blocks, and recolored them until I hit the sweet spot where I knew it was just right. Below are some fun peeks of what this quilt looked like in its infancy.

And here's how it ended, far different from the start. I asked for the help of my friends in sewing up the neutral color way, and many many thanks to Liat Roarer and Margaret Glendening for their beautiful quilt!!

How to Participate

Originally slated for August, we have decided to postpone the start of the BOM until September 1, 2022 due to fabric shipment delays. I do apologize as we know the delay is a bit of a bummer for everyone who has fabric already, but I want to make sure we have a great start to the BOM and no one feels left behind from the beginning!

Ok, now on to all the details you need for the sew along!

Each month you will head to this blog and Thinkific to get all the details you need to sew up each row.

Here on the blog, you will get:

• The inside scoop on designing the quilt + never before seen photos of the design process

• A suggested weekly sewing schedule to help you stay on track all year

• Details on how to enter the monthly giveaway hosted on Instagram

All of the video content will be hosted on Thinkific, which is an online-learning platform. Your quilt shop (where you registered for the BOM) will be providing you with information on how to register.

On Thinkific, you will get:

• A new set of videos released each month on how to construct each row that can be watched over and over

• A forum to ask questions if you get stuck on a part in the pattern

• Access to video content through the end of the BOM in 2023

See you on social media!

Part of the fun of a sew along is interacting with other quilters! There are a couple of places we'd love to see you post photos and cheer on your fellow BOMers!

• Post photos of your progress on Instagram using hashtags #traversebom and #artisancottons

• Join my Facebook Group to share photos and chat with other BOM and workshop participants

Launch Party Sponsor & Prize

Our first generous sponsor for the BOM is Oliso! We're excited to be giving away a full-sized, touch-activated, Smart Iron!

I've been using an Oliso for many years and I absolutely love this iron! Do you look for an iron that is hot and steamy? You've got it with an Oliso!! As quilters we all get picky about our irons, and this is my favorite one to use, and of course I chose the orchid color!!

How to Win:

• Post the I'm In! Traverse Sew Along images in your colorway on Instagram using hashtags #traversebom and #artisancottons.

• You must have a public Instagram profile to participate so we can see your photos

• Date Extended! Photo must be posted by September 30, 2022

• A winner will be chosen randomly on October 1, 2022. Winners will be announced on Instagram and contacted via DM.

• This giveaway is open to ship in the US only. But other months will be open to all participants!

Traverse Block of the Month Sewing Schedule

• Sew Along Intro

• Month 1: Flying Geese

• Month 2: Pluses

• Month 3: Half Circles

• Month 4: Square Dots

• Month 5: Hourglass

• Month 6: X's & O's

• Month 7: Diamonds

• Month 8: Hexagons

• Month 9: Half Squares

• Month 10: Triangles

• Month 11: Assembling the Quilt Top & Basting

• Month 12: Quilting & Binding

*links to each month will be updated as they are released

Wishing you'd joined in on the fun?

Some online shops are still selling kits! Check out this list of shops selling the Neutral Colorway and this list of shops selling the Multi Colorway.

Still have questions?

I'd love to help you! Just send an email to info@tarafaughnan.com