Let’s do a Handstitched Stitchalong!

HandStitched Stitch along

Edited to add- The live stitch along lessons on FB Live are now over, but not to worry. Now you view all of the FB Live videos of me I stitching this project together  on my YouTube channel. Grab a kit and start stitching anytime!

Download the template/layout here

Starting the week of September 18

Edited to add- The last day to order your EPP kit to ensure you’ll get it in time for the stitch along live FB videos is Tuesday, 9/12/17. 

Updated at end of post with Dates and Times!

Let’s face facts, Summer is winding down. It is kind of bittersweet, I know. But I can’t say I’m not ready for a little more routine around here.
What about you?
The biggest news here is that my daughter is leaving for college in a few days. She’ll be about five hours away. Not a terribly long distance, but far enough! We have bins to pack, sheets and towels to buy, dorm rooms to decorate, and you know what that means?
I am distracting myself with sewing. And important stuff like daydreaming up new projects.
One of those new projects is a stitch along. I love stitch alongs. They feels like community to me. Its very easy to spend lots of hours here sewing and I do love it, but it can be pretty quiet. But with a stitch along, we’re all working on a common thing. I’ve been itching to do a project like this for a while, and with Facebook Live videos so easy to do, it really can be like we’re doing it together! My plan is to stitch on air at scheduled times, and you can ask me questions that I can answer in real time! (Don’t worry, if you join the stitch along and can’t catch the video live, you will still be able to catch the replay, and I’ll be sure and share details on that.)
The project I’m planning for the stitchalong is the project called “Handstitched” from Wise Craft Quilts.
When I designed this project for the book, my intention was to make a framed piece. Not a “quilt” in the traditional sense, but one that could utilize smaller, special pieces of fabric, and create something that could be framed and hung on a wall.
This piece, as its name implies, is completely hand stitched using a technique called English Paper Piecing. Each piece of fabric is sewn around a paper template. There is no machine stitching required. This technique creates perfectly sharp corners and curves, and is really fun to do once you get the hang of it. (I promise, it is NOT scary at all.)

No machine stitching means its great to throw in your bag for stitching on the go (like while we’re waiting at kid’s after school activities).
The first version I made was so fun, in fact, I stitched a second one. This one I sent to Denyse. (Maybe you can see the reflection of one of her quilts in the background, below.)

During the stitch along, I’ll walk you through everything and show you exactly how to do each step! The actual project is quite fast. I completed each of mine in a weekend.
The stitch along will officially start the week of September 18, which means the first Facebook Live video will happen during that week, and I’ll be sure to post the exact date and time.

Things to know now about the Stitchalong:

  • This project is suitable for all levels, even if you have never English Paper Pieced before! I will be demonstrating it and promise you will soon be addicted.
  • You will need a set of the paper templates to complete this project, but be sure to join my email list if you’re not already on it, I will be giving out discount info to the list!
  • We will begin the week of September 18, and I will announce details as we get closer.
  • You will need a copy of Wise Craft Quilts in order to play along. Its not manditory, but it does contain lots of helpful information about layout, yardage, and thoughts on color, and could help answer questions that may come up.

Please leave a comment with any questions both at the bottom of this post, or in the Wise Craft Quilts Facebook Group.
Participating and want to get the word out? Here’s a downloadable sidebar image to add to your blog and FB page (click  image to download)-

Grab/download the button above if you’d like to share on social media or add it to your blog!

You can link the image to this post- https://wisecrafthandmade.com/2017/08/lets-do-a-handstitched-stitchalong/

#wisecraftstitchalong from Wise Craft Quilts book

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11 Comments
  • Pingback:CraftCrave | DigiFree | CraftCrave

    August 13, 2017 at 5:14 am
  • Nicole Bell

    August 15, 2017 at 12:11 pm

    I’m so excited to do this- what a great idea!

    • Blair Stocker

      August 16, 2017 at 10:56 am

      Thank you Nicole! So happy you’re in!

  • Lucy Blum

    August 15, 2017 at 3:30 pm

    I have your book and have wanted to do the English paper piecing project but didn’t know where to get supplies. I’ll be traveling to Italy 9/14 and would like to take a handpiecing project – this would be perfect!! Thanks so much!

    • Blair Stocker

      August 16, 2017 at 10:56 am

      Fabulous, thank you Lucy! This is the perfect travel project!

  • Pam

    August 17, 2017 at 4:19 pm

    I so want to do this! I may not be able to follow along live, so I hope I can keep up. It’s time I learned EPP and this looks like such a beautiful project to try. I’ve been hand-piecing/quilting on the way back and forth to my son’s school . . . I highly recommend it!

    • Blair Stocker

      August 17, 2017 at 7:47 pm

      Hi Pam, Glad you’re going to stitch along! The videos will be available after the live version, I’ll be sure and post a link in the Wise Craft Quilts FB Group, so be sure you are a member of that group so you can see them! 😀

  • Penny Tyler

    August 19, 2017 at 12:33 pm

    This project looks like so much fun and would look great on the glass window in the foot door of my cabin home. I’m not on Facebook – do you have to be in order to to do the Stitchalong. So looking forward to this.

    • Blair Stocker

      August 19, 2017 at 4:00 pm

      Hi Penny, Glad you’re joining us. You definitely do not be on FB, but that’s where most of us will be and its also where I’ll be stitching live. But I will post details on the blog as well. If you have my book you’ll have the instructions.

  • Jo Cypher

    August 22, 2017 at 3:04 pm

    This sounds like a great stitch along. I have a hexie
    quilt project which I am expecting to take a year (s) to complete so this will be fun to have a completed project. The book and template ate ordered. I will have time to finish a baby quilt and a purse before then.

  • asha kannan

    September 4, 2017 at 8:15 am

    great idea !love it -your work is adorable!

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