Staying Sharp Week 2

Hi friends!

Welcome to Week 2 of the Staying Sharp Quilt Along!

This week is all about cutting and making your half blocks. If you’ve gathered your fabrics and prepped everything during Week 1, now it’s time for the fun to really begin!

Week 2 Goals

✔ Finish cutting your fabrics
✔ Organize your pieces
✔ Complete your half blocks

One of my biggest recommendations this week is to cut all of your fabric at once — even if you’re planning to make multiple wall hangings or pillows. Pulling out all of your cutting supplies and clearing space only one time is a huge time saver!

When quilting, I love to “batch work,” meaning I complete one step for everything at the same time instead of making one complete block from start to finish and then repeating the process. Batch working helps things go faster, keeps your workflow smooth, and makes cleanup much easier too.

I also want to encourage everyone to have fun with color choices! Your pencils do not have to use traditional pencil colors. One of my favorite things about this pattern is how easy it is to personalize.

I recently finished another Staying Sharp wall hanging using my upcoming collection Catching Sunshine. For this version, I used an aqua floral and a cool blue mini floral along with a coral backing from Honeyed Horizon. I even chose coral-colored erasers instead of traditional pink because I loved how it tied in with the backing fabric and brought everything together.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and make your project feel like you!

A few more quick tips before you start:

• Double check your cutting measurements before cutting into your fabric.
• Starch and steam can make a huge difference for accuracy!
• Keep your pieces grouped together as you cut to stay organized.
• Chain piecing your half blocks can help speed things up!

This Week’s Giveaway 🎉

This week I’m giving away a Jelly Roll of my Honeyed Horizon fabric collection!

To enter, make sure you share your progress using the hashtag #stayingsharpqal. Winners will be chosen from the hashtag, so don’t forget to use it when posting your photos!

Don’t worry if you’re not perfectly caught up yet. Quilt alongs are meant to be enjoyable and encouraging — work at your own pace and celebrate your progress along the way.

Upcoming Schedule:
• Week 3 (May 19): Finish all blocks
• Week 4 (May 26): Assemble & finishing

You’ve got this, and I can’t wait to see your blocks come to life!

Happy sewing,
Keri