I am 57 out of 100.
This is not my class rank or my finish in the last 5K I participated in.
It is my block number in the Splendid Sampler.
I call it the Super Splendid Sampler. (triple S)
It seems like yesterday that I met with Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson as they were cooking up this idea. What a idea it was, bringing together 100 different people from the quilting community from all over the world to make 1- 6″ block.
Sounds easy enough! I had fun playing with a 6″ block, but tying it to a story about me got a little tough. Where to begin?
I played wth fabrics and decided Starting Point was the perfect description for my journey as a quilter. I started quilting in 1980, pre-google, pre online shopping, pre-almost everything! I am a self taught quilter, trying to figure it out as I went along. This was my Starting Point.
The Block instructions are posted on the Splendid Sampler website. I snagged this picture from the site. I had completely forgotten that I wrote the silly note on the envelope when I mailed it to Pat.
In 1989 my SIL gave me a book, It’s Okay to Sit on My Quilt by Mary Ellen Hopkins and an Olfa rotary cutter. Game Changer!! I was hooked. Many books, classes and quilts later, I am still as passionate about the art of quilting as I was then. I continue to learn and be inspired and hope the Splendid Sampler has inspired you.
If you are making the sampler, keep going, you can do it. Hopefully, you have learned a few new things and met some quilty friends along the way.
ONE FINAL THING
Organizing and supporting such a project has been borderline miraculous for Jane and Pat, or maybe a better description would be as if they were herding cats. Thank you to Pat, Jane and all of the designers contributing to this project. Hop on over to Splendid Sampler to download my block instructions.
-MODALISSA
The Splendid Sampler QAL has been one of the best experiences. I’ve learned new techniques, met some wonderful people and have created the beginning of a couple of great quilts. I’m crazy enough to do the blocks in a couple of fabric combinations.
Thank you Pat, Jane and all the wonderful designers for gifts to all of us.
Thank you for the 57th block. Having the best time doing them. Just wanted to say the motto is if you never make a mistake you never have made anything. I think from Pat Sloan. Our motto in our sewing class. Regards Jenny W
Thoroughly enjoyed your story of how you began. I would love to see photos of those two first quilts. Thank you for your contribution to the splendid journey. Glad to have a block come up that can use some of the small scraps accumulated along the way. There is a gallon zip bag full to choose from. 🙂 And as for the job Pat and Jane have done, well it’s nothing less than totally amazing. Your comment of herding cats is most likely spot on. What has amazed and impressed me the most is how wonderful the group has behaved and responded to each other. I belong and have belonged to a lot of groups large and small, online and off; this is by far the best ever! Again, thank you to you and all the designers.
Thank you for a lovely block Lissa. I hope you are on the way to good health and feeling better each day.
Thank you Lissa for your “Starting Point” Block… It is a great Blick, similar to one of the Irish Chains patterns! I love the book I recently purchased of yours, “All in a Row”! Such a precious book!
I love your block. I looked at All in A Row on amazon and it looks like a fun book, too. The Splendid Sampler is challenging for me, but I do like the blocks when I finally get them done. Even my husband who has never paid much attention to my sewing says it will be really something when it’s done. I pretty far behind the pack, but I still want to finish. I hope the book has lots of photos of the designers’ finished quilts.
I love this square. Thank you so much for your beautiful contribution to our efforts.
Your story inspired me to continue on mine. I started with gray and yellow and ran out of what I had in these colors. I’ll start collecting again.
I also started quilting in 1980 and self taught. It amazes me how much easer it has become to quilt. I love new quilt tools.