"Sew the Samplers Challenge 2023"

     Here's something I've been meaning to do since I first subscribed to the Fat Quarter Shop's monthly Sew Sampler Box subscription in 2017-- actually sew them! What better time to start than with January's box? If you are a member of the Sew Sampler Box club, you know that these boxes start to stack up pretty quick-- I don't have a finished sewing space yet and they are popping up everywhere after just a couple of months in this house!

    If you've never heard of it-- the Sew Sampler is a box of sewing supplies FQS sends out usually toward the end of each month. It includes some fabric-- charm packs, 1/2 a jelly roll, an assortment of layer cake squares, or a panel-- you never know. Then there is a pattern to use the fabric, a couple of notions, a card with instructions to make a bonus quilt block for a year long quilt project, and last, but not least, a coupon!  Everyone has a strong opinion on each box, in fact there's very strong opinions on each and every item in the box-- I sometimes think if we all spend more time doing and less talking about it, there would be a lot more completed projects! I'll lay my opinion straight out there-- I love getting a little surprise in the mail each month, it's very affordable for me, and I don't have to fall in love with every single box. 

     I do have a peeve about it, though-- the part I don't like is having to spend more to finish up the project. Usually a couple yards of background fabric is needed just to complete the top -- not to mention backing, binding, and quilting. So unless I absolutely LOVE, intend to finish, and will use the completed quilt, I'm pretty cheap about wanting to spend more money on it-- and so, it just sits. 

     This is the challenge I'm laying out for myself-- complete a little project using all of the fabric in the box, and adding only stash fabrics if needed. Within a month's time. Then gift, sell, donate, or appropriately store anything else from the box. And, oh-- use the coupon. How many times have you ordered from FQS and then realized you had a Sew Sampler coupon for it! 

     Imagine having 12 cute projects to gift next Christmas-- or to be able to pull something out of a hat for a birthday or what not-- it would be amazing, not to mention the shelf space we would all gain!

     If this sounds like something you'd be interested to do--join me! I am going to make up a little worksheet for us with checklists and even some rules... what makes quilting more enjoyable than a bunch of arbitrary rules-- it's sew fun to break them! I am going to start a Facebook group, and you can download your monthly worksheet, get motivated, git 'er done, and then post a finished picture of your projects at the end of the month. Beware-- since I am listing everything in each box for the worksheet-- there will be SPOILERS.

     If you don't get the box, you're welcome to join anyway to see the projects and cheer the rest of us on...

     Let the challenge begin!

Join the 2023 Sew the Samplers private Facebook group here:

Start by downloading and filling in your January worksheet, then take a picture of it and post it as I did on the group as your commitment to make a project for the month.

I'm really looking forward to seeing what comes of this... not to mention free up room for even more supplies! LOL

xox

Carol