Get Ready for the Barn Star Sampler Quilt Along! - The Jolly Jabber Quilting Blog

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Kicking Off the Barn Star Sampler Quilt Along!

39 Comments

Are you ready to shine? It’s time for the Barn Star Sampler Quilt Along to start! Keep reading for details about the Barn Star Sampler Quilt designed by Shelley Cavanna, and starting this year-long quilt along!

Throughout the year, we’re sewing all the Barn Star Sampler Quilt blocks in the same order as they appear in the book. If you’re just hearing about the Barn Star Sampler Quilt Along, pick up a copy of the book, your favorite half yard bundle, and check out the schedule below! Barn Star Sampler Quilt Book by Shelley Cavanna is available now as an E-book, and the printed version will be available again in March.

This Queen-sized quilt finishes at 80.5″ x 100.5″ finished. It is written for traditional piecing techniques, but if you like to use foundation papers, we’ve created a collection of Triangles on a Roll and additional foundation paper pads that you can use with the Barn Star Sampler Quilt. Be sure to grab anything you need from this optional supplies list.

Kimberly will be sewing with the Barn Star Sampler Starter Half Yard Bundle, a combination of fabrics from Sunwashed by Corey Yoder and Simply Delightful by Sherri & Chelsi for Moda Fabrics curated by Fat Quarter Shop (it’s due in March).

Quilt Along Schedule

For this quilt along, you’ll be sewing a few blocks each month in the order and number called for in the pattern. Kimberly plans to share her progress according to the following schedule. There won’t be a tutorial for these, as all of the instructions are in the book.

MonthBlocksDateNotions
JanuaryMake two of Block 1January 27H200
FebruaryMake two of Block 2February 24H300, ISE-777
MarchMake two of Block 3March 31H300, ISE-777, ISE-796
AprilMake two of Block 4April 28
MayMake two of Block 5May 26ISE-780, ISE-776
JuneMake two of Block 6June 30ISE-780, ISE-776
JulyMake two of Block 7July 28ISE-795
AugustMake two of Block 8August 25ISE-780, ISE-776
SeptemberMake two of Block 9September 29H300, ISE-779
OctoberMake three of Blocks 10-15October 27H200, ISE-776, ISE-778, ISE-780
NovemberMake four of Blocks 16-20November 17H200, ISE-774, ISE-776, ISE-778
DecemberBacking and FinishingDecember 15

From Shelly Cavanna: Replacement Text for Page 72: Cutting for Block 17

  • From each of 2 white or light prints, cut: 2 squares 2.5″ x 2.5″ (4 total, 17A)
  • From each of 2 dark prints, cut: 1 rectangle 2.5″ x 4.5″ (2 total 17B)

Who’s Sewing Along?

We invited some friends to join us, and they’re sharing their progress along the way! You can follow them on social media for inspiration and tips.

Meet the Quilters

Join us for the Barn Star Sampler Quilt Along!

You can tune in to Fat Quarter Shop’s Friday Livestreams in 2023 to see Kimberly’s progress, and check out the trunk show video below! She also discussed her plans for sewing along in a past Livestream on October 7.

Keep up with us by following @fatquartershop on Instagram to see and share work from your fellow quilters. Don’t forget to use #BarnStarSamplerQAL to share your progress on social media, so we don’t miss seeing your quilts!

Update 12/8/2023: Kimberly’s sewn all her blocks! We’ve added them in to the gallery below. Click on any image to see it larger.

Happy quilting!

Stay connected to Fat Quarter Shop!

39 comments

  1. In the video Kimberly stated she would use FQB of Simply delightful and FQB sunwashed. But it also states a HYB (half yard) of the barn star sampler half yard bundle. So we really need that much fabric?

    1. Hi Laurie!

      We curated the Barn Star Starter Bundle to be a starting place. The fabric requirements were read by Kimberly in that same video, and you can get them in the pattern. Kimberly decided to start with the individual Fat Quarters and then supplement if she needs more. You can do whatever you feel is best!

      Hope this helps!

    2. Hi Laurie,
      I started the blocks a few weeks ago, and the first blocks are 24″ blocks. I was trying to use FQ’s but for these blocks, you definitely need 1/2 yards to make two of each block the same, as the pattern calls for. If you want to make each one different, you can use different FQ’s. But I ended up needing to order more fabric to make mine match each other.

      1. Kaitlin, thanks this is a great answer! I ordered two fat quarter bundles thinking that would work before the half yard curated bundle came out. Knowing that I’ll need to make some of the blocks different using different fq’s vs the same is helpful. I still need to get the background fabric and binding fabric when the collection comes in. I’m excited to make this quilt.

    1. Hi Pat!

      Triangles on a Roll triangle paper allows you to create perfectly accurate half-square triangle units in any size and amount you need for your next quilt.

      Flying Geese Paper and Square in a Square Foundation Papers are guides to help sew those types of blocks. You can see Kimberly use them in many of the videos on our Youtube Channel.

    1. HI Angela!

      The total cost will depend on what you specifically get. it looks like the book is around $13. The Barn Star Starter Sampler is around $199, but it’s a starter and it doesn’t include background which depends on what you select. You can follow all the links above to see the costs and add items to your cart to see what they would total.

      Hope this helps!

    1. Hi Carissa!

      I think that is honestly up to the quilter. The blocks you’d be making are the ones on the front of the book shown above, and you can see the individual blocks in the trunk show (also linked above). If an advanced beginner sees them and feels up to it then go for it!

      Hope this helps!

  6. Hello! Would it be possible for Kimberly to share in a printable format her coloring of the quilt using her fabrics?

    1. HI Tamela, I will look into this for you.

      Since Kimberly is sewing along all year she may not have decided on coloring yet.

  7. I want to join this sew along. Do you think a half yard bundle of Figtree’s Cinnamon & Cream would work? I received this for Christmas, and I would love to use it in something.

    1. Hi kari! Any half yard bundle should be a good starting place. As this is not our pattern and Kimberly is sewing it for the first time along with all of you we’ll know more as we go.

      The fabric requirements are in the book, so you can always look at those to find out for sure. Cinnamon & Cream would be beautiful in my opinion but it’s really up to you and what fabrics you like!

  8. Am confused. The book looks like is a typical pieced pattern but it looks Kimberly will be paper piecing. Why?

    1. Hi Marie, great question!

      Kimberly prefers how easy and exact she can be when using foundation papers. The pattern is written for typical piecing, but she’s chosen to use the papers as she sews alongs and created a foundation paper bundle so anyone else who wants to do the same can.

      It’s not required, just a tool to help out!

  9. Marissa thank you for explaining about the paper piecing. Im not real knowledgeable about paper piecing and trying to decide whether to buy box of papers. Is there a book that explains how to convert cutting instructions to paper piecing or am I over thinking it?

    2. Hi Marie! Of course, I’m happy to help. The pads themselves have the cutting directions for those parts of piecing. You would just use the pattern’s guide for how many of each of those units to make and based on the size’s of the units you’d figure out which papers to use. I totally understand it feels rather overwhelming to have so many things going on, but I personally love the papers as a new quilter myself.

      If you’re going to do Barn Sweet Barn then I’d get the recommended set of papers and then you’d be all set. If you’re looking at papers for other patterns then you can ask here on the blog or contact customer service adn tehy can help you pick the right ones if you’re ever unsure.

      You’ve got this!

  10. I want to hold off and buy the currated 1/2 yard bundle. Will it be here and ready to ship before the start date of 27 January?

    1. Hi Nadera, unfortunately some of the fabric in the bundle was delayed and won’t be to us until February. If you go to the bundle on our shop site the expected shipping month is shown and you can sign up to be notified when it is in stock.

      We are moving forward with the sew along as scheduled and because it is a year long we’re those waiting on the bundle will be able to catch up!

    1. Hi Rhonda, all of our livestreams are up on our Youtube channel permanently after they air. Barn Star Sampler will be shown throughout the year according to the schedule we shared. Kimberly will show her progress and talk about it. Follow the hashtag to see everyone else who is sewing along!

  12. It would be helpful to know which foundation papers Kimberly used/is going to use for each block. Is that shown somewhere or will she be mentioning it during the livestreams?

  13. I have a real quick question, is there link to the tentative schedule in order to print it off?
    Also, I sent the attachment of the Fabric Swatch Pages to a Professional Printer by me. So it will be on a heavier card stock.

  14. Im doing the Houses on Peppermint Lane as one large piece. I printed off the free PDF from Pansy Patch Quilts and Stichery, for all the outside and inside borders. Has anyone else done this? And if so are you able to read the Cross Stitch Pattern? Or am I the only one.

  15. I understood Kimberly to say that she would not be doing a tutorial on these blocks but would be passing along some tips and tricks. Since today is the 27th, I thought I would be seeing them. Will this be happening and if so when? Thanks so much.

  16. Though Kimberly said she would not be doing a tutorial on these blocks, she mentioned passing along tips and tricks. I watched the video from yesterday (the 27th), but nothing was mentioned. Is Kimberly still planning on reviewing her tips and tricks and if so, when will that occur in relation to the dates published for each block for the year? Thank you 🙂

  17. This BARNSTAR Sampler looks amazing, I am holding off as I think I need a tutorial. Paper piecing is out of my wheel house. I was hoping there would have been more in the video. Will follow along another month to see if I can manage this.

  18. Yes I see that others have the same question re the paper piecing issue. the pattern says 2.5 inch half square trim, but is that the finished sized? If it is what paper do I use? as the cheat sheet doesn’t show a 3″ cut size, perplexing. Maybe Kimberly can tell us what papers she used or someone at the shop who is doing the QAL.

    Also I missed seeing various color patterns, Kimberly has spoiled us with those and they help so with choosing colors.

    I was really at a loss without mention of the BSS on the live stream 1/27 as stated in the schedule.

    let me know

  19. Hi, I too am interested in finding out if Kimberly would share her color choices. I ordered a fat quarter bundle of Sun Washed and Simply Delightful. I am still waiting on Simply Delightful to ship so have not started yet. This is such a massive undertaking, I do not want to make bad color choices and I completely trust Kimberly’s . Biggest project I have undertaken so any guidance will be much appreciated.

    1. Hi Jennifer we have not shared Kimberly’s color placement anywhere yet as she’s sewing along with everyone month to month.

  21. Did Kimberly use the download swatch sheet to label her fabrics and if so could you post it as I’m using the same half yard bundle of fabrics.
    Thanks

    1. Hi Heidi! This information is available in the pattern but we have not shared the fabric requirements on the blog as it is not our pattern.

      Happy quilting!