12 Days of Christmas in July, and Quilt-Along, Day 11!!

Hi, all!

Can you believe we're eleven days in to the 12 Days of Christmas in July blog hop?  If we were collecting the presents in the song - you know, a partridge in a pear tree and all that - we'd currently have 286 items piled up around the house!  Can you imagine - 11 partridges in pear trees, 20 turtle doves, 27 French hens, 32 calling birds, 35 gold rings, 36 egg-laying geese, 35 swimming swans, 32 milk-maids, 27 dancing ladies, 20 leaping lords, and 11 pipers adding to the racket!  I read online that PNC Wealth Management measures the changing cost of the items on the list, and in 2015, the company disclosed that the cost of all the gifts would total $34,131 - and I bet that didn't even include the cost of storing all that wildlife and feeding all those people!

Hopefully all the stops of this blog hop have given you something much more useful - some great gift and decoration ideas for Christmas that you can use now and in the future!  Let's see what's in store today...

Carolyn blogs at ...byCJ and has a great project to share with us today!  She's been on a bit of a blogging hiatus for a while, so be sure to drop by and leave her some encouraging comments - we'd like to see more of her in blogland!!!

Tisha, from Quilty Therapy, will be sharing a scrappy project with us today.  Be sure to take some time to look around her blog while you're there - she has a fun style and is always doing something interesting!  

So hop on over and check out today's offerings, then come back here for Day 11 of the quilt-along.  We're so close to having a new Christmas quilt made - are you excited yet?  See you in a few...

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Today we'll be putting the center of the quilt together.  Gather up your centerstone 4.5" square and the four 4.5" x 32.5" strips.

TIP:  This is a really good time to lay your quilt out with the centerstone in place (cornerstones too if you need it to visualize) and be sure that you like the fabric you chose for them.  (Don't ask me how I know this!)  If you are happy with your choice, proceed!  If not, swap it out now for something you like better.

Take one of your large blocks and a 32.5" strip.  Sew the strip to the right side of the block, matching the ends and easing fabric as needed.  If the center of your block is directional, be sure it's going the right direction!

Now take a second block and sew it to the other side of the 32.5" strip, also matching the ends and easing fabric as needed. Press the seams toward the sashing strip.

Repeat for the other pair of blocks.

Now take one of the 32.5" strips and your centerstone.  Sew the centerstone to the right side of the strip.  Take the remaining 32.5" strip and sew it to the right side of the centerstone.  Press the seams toward the sashing strips, away from the centerstone.

Take one of your block strips and pin it to the top of the narrow strip you just made, matching ends and seams. Sew the seam.  Repeat for the other block strip, sewing it to the bottom of the narrow strip.  Press the seams toward the narrow sashing strip.

TIP:  Corner and centerstones may seem like a fiddly affectation, but they will allow you to line up your blocks perfectly every time. I usually include them in my sashing - if I don't want a contrasting color, I just make them out of the same background fabric.

Congratulations!  The center of the quilt is done!  One more day and you'll have a finished quilt top!

Hugs and see you tomorrow!

Sarah

Here's a list of all the bloggers participating in the hop so you can catch up if needed!

July 14th:     Sharon Vrooman @ Vrooman’s Quilts

                    Carole Carter @ From My Caroline Home

July 15th:    Yanicka Hachez @ Finding Myself As An Artist

                   Chris Dodsley @ Made by ChrissieD

July 16th:     Marsha Hodgkins @ Quilter in Motion

                    Leanne Parsons  @ Devoted Quilter

July 17th:     Tonia Conner @ All Thingz Sewn

                    Selina @ Selina Quilts

July 18th:     Lara Buccella @ Buzzin Bumble

                    Soma Acharya @ Whims and Fancies

July 19th:     Joanne Harris@ Quilts by Joanne

                    Suzy Webster @ Adventurous Applique and Quilting

July 20th:     Vicki in MN @ Vicki’s Crafts and Quilting

                    Jennifer Fulton @ The Inquiring Quilter

July 21st:     Michele Kuhns @ Crayon Box Quilt Studio

                    Jan Ochterbeck @ The Colorful Fabriholic

July 22nd:     Alla Blanca @ Rainbows. Bunnies. Cupcakes.

                     Zenia Rene Lewis @ A Quilted Passion

July 23rd:     Joanne Hubbard @ Everyone Deserves a Quilt

                    Paige Alexander @ Quilted Blooms

July 24th:     Carolyn Jones @ …by CJ

                    Tisha Nagel @ Quilty Therapy

July 25th:     Susan Arnold @ Quilt Fabrication

                    Beth Sellers @ Cooking Up Quilts

                    Linda Pearl @ One Quilting Circle