Creative articles about quilting

Start of the Temperature Quilt-Along: fabrics and first raffle

27.12.2024 by Jutta Hellbach26 Comment now!3,845

We are going into the preparation round with the BERNINA Temperature Quilt-Along. Today I’m continuing with new information. I’ll let you know the fabric requirements for the Quilt-Along and answer some of your questions. In addition, there is already a first chance to win a prize in the launch raffle. Scroll down to find out how you can take part!

In today’s post you will find

The list of Kona solid color fabrics and the quantities
What you need in terms of working materials
FAQ – answers to frequently asked questions
All information about the starting lottery

What is the Temperature Quilt-Along about?

Maybe you landed right here and didn’t read the first article? No problem, we haven’t started sewing yet. You are very welcome and can join the group at any time.

Our project in a nutshell: We are sewing a temperature quilt together. This quilt represents the daily temperatures you have measured throughout the year and tells your own personal weather story – day by day, block by block. The quilt consists of 365 blocks and will be a reflection of your year.

You can choose between two layouts:

Variant 1 is a so-called snowball quilt
Variant 2 consists of Flying Geese blocks

If you are a sewing beginner, perhaps even a patchwork beginner, the first version is just right for you.

Do you love a challenge? Then you’ll have a lot of fun with the Flying Geese.

All instructions and information will appear on the BERNINA blog. We will start on January 7, 2025, when we will look at the worksheets for the Quilt-Along and assign temperature ranges to the fabrics. Further articles will provide you with detailed information on all the steps, including of course how to sew the patchwork blocks.

You can find the exact timing of the blog articles in the announcement article.

An overview of the articles that have already been published can be found here: Temperature Quilt-Along – Overview

We will form a great community and can always exchange ideas, ask questions and help each other via the comment function.

Fabric requirements for the Temperature Quilt-Along

Each block counts for one day and consists of two colors in our Quilt-Along. We sew with a total of 20 colors, which we assign to different temperatures.

Do you want to sew with the same fabrics and colors as me? Wonderful! Here they are: we start with the lowest temperatures at the bottom right up to the shades of gray and then follow in the left column from top to bottom to the highest temperatures for summer. All clear?

The fabric in question is Kona Solids. You can often find them at a shop close to you, since they are often used for quilts. If you live in Switzerland, Austria or Germany, you have the opportunity to order fabric kits for the Temperature Quilt-Along from Andrea Kollath of Quiltmanufaktur:

Order fabrics at Quiltmanufaktur

The fabric kit is calculated for a quilt with a final size of 125 x 160cm (49″ x 63″). The fabric quantities are calculated based on the Temperature Quilt 2023, which I sewed as a sample. In addition, certain quantities of fabric have been calculated for temperatures in warmer and colder regions. Nevertheless, you may have to reorder one or the other color in the last third of the Quilt-Along; this will depend on the weather in your area.

Of course, you can also work with fabrics from your stash or buy new fabrics of your own choice. It is best to use the quantities we have calculated for the fabric kit as a guide.

The following colors and quantities are included in the fabric kit

The following list starts with the fabric for the lowest temperature and ends with the highest temperature in summer.

20 cm Charcoal
20 cm Dark Violet
20 cm Midnight
20 cm Windsor
20 cm Celestial
20 cm Glacier
30 cm Robin Egg
30 cm Iron
30 cm Snow
50 cm Quicksilver
50 cm Champagne
60 cm Lime
50 cm Melon
50 cm Peach
30 cm Coral
40 cm Pomegranate
25 cm Carrot
25 cm Tomato
20 cm Sangria
20 cm Crimson

The Kona Solids are 44 inches or 112 cm wide.

To pre-wash fabrics or not to pre-wash?

If you want to pre-wash your fabrics, we recommend 2 methods:

Wash fabrics in the sink with a little detergent and lukewarm water, then hang up dripping wet and iron out the residual moisture the next day.
Secure the cut edge of the fabric with a zigzag stitch or overlock and wash in the washing machine. Dry and iron.

I don’t pre-wash my fabrics, but put some color catcher cloths in the washing machine with the first wash of the quilt.

Additional working material

What else do you need besides fabric? A sewing machine, of course. I use the BERNINA 770 QE PLUS

BERNINA 770 QE PLUS

Extra Large 7″ Color Touch Screen ✓ Convenient Quilting without Foot Control ✓ BERNINA Stitch Regulator (BSR) Included ✓ Jumbo Bobbin with 70% More Thread ✓ Dual Feed for Precise Patchwork ✓

Learn more

You will also need the following tools and materials:

Cutting mat
Rotary cutter
Inch ruler/centimeter ruler
Fabric scissors
Pins
Yarn (neutral light gray)
For the FPP of the Flying Geese, I use an Add-A-Quarter ruler and standard printer paper.

Frequently asked questions – FAQs

I would like to work with my own fabrics, which ones are suitable?
You can work with printed and/or plain fabrics. Use the fabric quantities given above as a guide and make sure you have enough of these fabrics in stock for the project. Batiks and other patchwork fabrics are ideal.
I would like to change the size of my quilt.
This is possible. The easiest way is to enlarge the quilt with a corresponding border.
I would like to change the size of the snowball block.
Yes, you can do this too, but please calculate the block size yourself based on the desired final size of your temperature quilt. Please note: The fabric kit that you can order from Andrea Kollath is calculated to the original size of 125 x 160 cm. Please also note that only instructions for the original size are published here on the blog.
I would like to sew the Flying Geese smaller as a wall quilt.
Of course, that’s fine too.
Is it bad if I haven’t received all the fabrics at the beginning of the QAL?
No, that’s not a problem at all. We know that three colors from the kit currently have a slightly longer delivery time. Just plan your colors and catch up with us when you can!
I would like to sew the Flying Geese with a pattern variation.
That is also ok.
I am on vacation, which place do I choose to measure the temperature?
You are free to choose the location. However, it is important that you choose a single location for your measurements – either your home or the vacation destination, not both. If you cannot read the temperature at your locations because you are away, just search the average temperature of your city in weather records on the internet.
Where can I get the temperatures if I can’t measure them myself?
There will be a separate post about this, with websites to look up the temperatures of your chosen location.
I would like to sew with other colors because I don’t like the color selection.
You’re welcome to do so! You are free to sew with fabrics and colors of your choice.
Do we sew in centimeters or inches?
There will be both units of measurement for the Snowball version.
Can I have my finished quilt top quilted?
Yes, Andrea Kollath also takes on quilting work on her BERNINA Q 24. For other countries, please look up quilting services in your area.

Launch raffle

You can now take part in the first prize draw. There are great Mettler yarn kits and small material kits from korkundkuloer to be won.

Readers of the English BERNINA blog will be entered into a prize draw to win four sets from Mettler’s Seasons collection. The sets each contain 8 spools of 200 m of Seralon universal sewing thread. In keeping with the theme of our quilt-along, there is a Spring Kit, a Summer Kit, an Autumn Kit and aWinter Kit to be won.

From korkundkulör you can win 4 material kits for small cases made of cactus leather, cork and Pinatex.

How to take part in the competition

Post a photo of the fabrics you are using for the quilt-along on Instagram. Use #BERNINAtemperatureQAL and mention @berninanaehmaschinen and @juttahellbachcreativcoach on Instagram.
Or upload a photo to the community section of the BERNINA blog.
Or use both channels, Instagram and the community area, and increase your chance of winning.

When uploading to the community area, don’t forget to select “Temperature Quilt-Along” under “Campaign”.

You can post your photos until January 8, 2025, 23.59.

Winners will be announced on January 8, 2025 on the BERNINA blog as part of the next Temperature Quilt-Along article and will be contacted via their social media account (if participating via Instagram) or email (if participating via the BERNINA blog community).

See you again on January 8, 2025 for the first part of the Temperature Quilt-Along!

I sincerely wish you good luck with the launch raffle.

See you soon,
Jutta

Conditions of participation for the raffle

Acceptance of these terms and conditions is a prerequisite for participation on the BERNINA blog.
All users who have uploaded a picture of their fabric choice on Instagram/Facebook or in the community area of the BERNINA blog by January 6, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. will be entered into the prize draw. On Instagram, the tags #BERNINAtemperature-QAL and @berninanaehmaschinen and @juttahellbachcreativcoach must be used.
Employees of BERNINA and the cooperation partners are excluded from participation.
The winners will be drawn by lot after 08.01.2025.
The winners will be notified within seven days of the draw. Notification will be made via social media profile (if participating via Instagram) or by email (if the email address is known). We are not liable for non-receipt or late delivery of the notification.
If for any reason the winner is unable or otherwise ineligible to accept the prize, we do not guarantee that an alternative prize or substitute can be offered. The prize cannot be paid out in cash and the claim to the prize cannot be assigned.
If no response to the notification of the prize is received within 7 days, the prize will be forfeited. If no response is received within 7 days, a new winner will be drawn immediately.
We reserve the right to interrupt or terminate this competition at any time or to vary the procedure and rules. Legal recourse is excluded.