Mercantile Sew Along

Today I'd like to tell you about a new sew-along that Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet is doing. It is called Mercantile and features a new fabric line of Lori's as well as a gazillion of her products and notions. There will be two blocks a week, with tutorials on her blog site. The sew-along starts this week and ends in April. As you see, the quilt is in her typical style: very cute, kind of vintage, with that 30s feed sack vibe she is known for. 

Let's talk about the first block, Birthday Cake, which I think is adorable (Photo from Lori's website). First, you make the cakestand block, then frame it with the background fabric. Next, you cut your block into a circle, using Lori's special circle template, and sew it to Lori's brand of interfacing. Turn the piece inside out and press to form the circle. Last, applique the circle to four print squares you have sewn together. As a final step, you trim the block down to size using Lori's special trim up ruler. That's a lot of steps, right? The resulting quilt is amazing, but for me, it's a bit too busy. And the amount of fabric required is staggering.

Don't get me wrong, I am susceptible to suggestion more than the average person and I considered buying the kit for about five minutes. The kit costs $260 and weighs contains about 30 pounds of fabric. Lori is a marketing genius and has created rulers, trim tools, applique templates, design boards, fabric "clappers", seam guides, thread to match her fabrics, and about a thousand other products that may make your sewing experience more fun and accurate. I have bought a lot of her products and do enjoy many of them. But honestly? If you are going to make this quilt and buy all the suggested products/notions this project will cost you a LOT of money. That being said, the block patterns are free on her website!

So here's my plan. I am going to make the blocks with the fabric and tools I have on hand and see what happens. I am not going to cut my blocks into circles and applique them onto yards of additional fabric. I am thinking of using several different neutral backgrounds and a diagonal setting and perhaps a pieced border.

As you can see, I have purchased plenty of Lori Holt fabric and it is hard to justify buying more when I have so much on hand. 

Are any of you doing this sew-along? The first block came out Jan. 29 and the second one will be on her website this Friday Feb.2. Are you planning to do the project as Lori suggests or are you a rebel like me and plan to switch things up? 

 

Comments

[Mary]

Yes, she's a marketing genius! It surprises me that there are people who are willing to spend that kind of money on everything needed to make the quilt - including batting, backing, quilting, and her gadgets. I'd cut my arm off with my rotary cutter before I'd spend that kind of money on a kit. I'm high-fiving you for using what you have to make this beautiful quilt.

[Anita]

I applaud you for putting this out there! I so agree with everything you said. It's understandable that designers, let's be honest everyone wants to make as much money as they can. But it so nice to see a refreshing take on using what we already spent a ton of money on. Thank you so much!

[T Holzer]

I also agree with you, Nicole. But that being said, your fabric is gorgeous and so will your quilt! I made one LH quilt and there was so much fabric waste that I said one was enough for me. Feel free to send me the squares quilt from yesterdays post!!! Loved it!

[June]

I bought the Flea Market pattern and kit. I love her fabrics, tools
And videos. I don’t like working with interfacing though. I am using her templates to cut pieces and using the drawn line to needle turn the pieces. Most of her pieces have gentle curves and I am terrible at machine appliquéing. Good luck with your new quilt. I know it will be beautiful!

[sue s]

Good for you to make it your own! I also think she's a genius, but I worry about those who feel they need to buy all of it to make the quilt. Ah, yes, flea market!- did you ever pursue that? I bought the book and that was all. No support on that one.

[Jan]

You’ve got a plan & plenty of fabric to carry it out. I’ll follow along & watch your progress. I know it’ll be a beauty!

[Sandra]

I appreciate your thoughts on this. I agree as well that Lori Holt is a marketing genius. When everything is so cute and coordinated it’s very hard to resist. It certainly looks like you will have a beautiful quilt using the fabric collection you already have. The original quilt is lovely but a little to busy for my taste. I look forward to seeing your creation. Have a great day!

[CarolE]

Lori Holt's quilts are very cute. I have bought some of her plastic templates and I have made three quilts from her patterns but I have used my own fabric. I look forward to seeing your version of this quilt.

[Debbie Myers]

Yes, indeed, Lori Holt is a marketing genius and I love it all! But I can’t afford it all either. I’ve started her Autumn Love quilt but put it away because it’s so labor intensive. I’m thinking about doing the Quilty Fun Row-along but with the 30’s fabric I already have instead of spending $$$ ordering more fabric.

[Cathy]

I like the setting, especially the circular aspect which is different from the usual, but agree that it is a bit too busy and scrappy for me. I think you have a great idea, make the blocks using the fabric you have from her prior line and wait until they are all done to decide how to set them. There are so many of these BOM and block-of-the-week things going that you should have no trouble finding setting ideas online. I'm doing the Primitive Gatherings Twilight Stars sew along but have fallen far behind.

[Patty]

I have found Lori Holt's QALs can be too labor intensive (with interfacing, appliqué shapes, gluing and sewing down shapes) and also too lengthy in progress that I grow bored , put them aside, and ultimately do not finish. And yes, that is costly for a kit. I look forward to seeing your version of this project.

[Clair Becker]

Great plan. I am at a point in my life that I am not buying anymore fabric or taking on any new projects. Looking at all the fabric I have is overwhelming and must start to downsize.

[Ina]

I love her old patterns better than her newer patterns. I especially love her old retro patterns. I just don't buy kits or BOMs. I bought one from Fig Tree years ago and it was so expensive. I really prefer to use fabric I already have or buy fabric that suits me better.

can't wait to see yours come together. enjoy the sunshine today!

[Sally]

I think you have a good plan on how to do your own version. It's your own creative "design element" that will make it uniquely yours!

[Carolyn]

Wow, that's an expensive quilt kit! I'm a minimalist, I don't buy the fancy rulers, etc. I'm sure they would make things easier but I don't want to spend the money because there are so many rulers in so many sizes. When I try to decide on one I get decision paralysis. I have bought one quilt kit in my life because it was half price and I've yet to make it. I can't wait to see your quilt, your fabrics are beautiful!

[Carol]

I love Lori Holt, but how many people can keep up with her! I’m still working on the Prairie Meadow quilt— it’s all appliqué, so I’m stitching with that. The Mercantile line is not my favorite— the motifs are too large and the colors are too mixed up for my tastes. I love what you have in the bin— I’m sure it will be beautiful.

[Kathy]

I also have a lot of her fabrics and could not justify the $260 for the kit. So I'm going rogue and using what I have. I also want to figure a way to not cut the whole background squares that go behind the circles. I don't want to waste that fabric.