Last year over 800 quilters joined us for the Free-Wheeling Single Girl sew-along. You blew us away with your incredible workmanship and creativity, and we did a happy dance watching you tackle new-to-you techniques.  There was an enormous buzz on social media and the generosity and supportive community around the #freewheelingsinglegirlsal connected quilters from all over the world.

It was just so great that we couldn’t resist hosting another sew-along! This time we are making Denyse Schmidt's Cog + Wheel quilt and you can register here.

This quilt along is best for folk who have some experience in patchwork and are comfy sewing a consistent 1/4” seam.

If you are new to sewing curves then this is a great place for you to start.  The generous size of the curve in the Cog + Wheel block make them easy to master  If you stitched along with us on a Free-Wheeling Single Girl quilt and pieced those curves in ¼” segments, well there will be more of that, and we will also be showing you how to stitch inserted circles.

Denyse Schmidt’s Cog + Wheel pattern was inspired by a quilt pattern from 1902 and is a nod to the machinery and innovation of the industrial era.  The large, bold graphic design and scale of the blocks is fresh and modern, but I can also visualise it in vintage or reproduction fabric palettes.

While mapping out this sew-along I have been thinking a lot about the commonality with our forebears. Isn’t it interesting that they too were also dealing with the impact of technological change in their daily lives?  

Denyse and I settled on Cog and Wheel  for our next quilt-along project for a couple of reasons.  Just like FWSG, it has a balance of technique to keep things interesting, with large scale pieces that go together pretty quickly.  

AND we have new Cog + Wheel templates, but more about them later.

How will the Cog + Wheel SAL work?

 The Cog + Wheel sew-along starts 11 March 2019

The sew-along will primarily take place on Instagram so make sure you are following both @dsquilts and @thenextstitch .

Participants will receive weekly emails full of design ideas from Denyse Schmidt herself, and lots of tips from me so make sure you sign up. That way you won’t miss a thing.

You can register for the Cog +Wheel sew-along here.

We will be using #cogandwheelsal during the quilt-along

Make sure you use the hashtag when posting pictures of your project so that Denyse and I can see your progress and cheer you on.  It is also a great way to connect with other quilters, find inspiration and enjoy the sew-along community.

You can make whichever size quilt you like, but for the sew-along you should aim to make at least the baby quilt top, over the six weeks of the sew-along.

The baby quilt is just 4 blocks, which is totally achievable, AND then you will be in the running for one of our super prizes. 

We will be sharing more about the prizes and our generous sponsors soon.

What if I’m not on Instagram?

We’ve got you covered. 

There will also be a private Facebook group for people who registered for the sew-along.  It is a great way to join in the fun if you aren’t on Instagram.  The group is optional, so you don’t have to join if Facebook isn’t your thing.

Wondering why the group is private?

It will be a closed group and therefore a smaller, more intimate forum for sharing.  During the Free-Wheeling Single Girl SAL the Facebook group worked as a supportive space where people could ask questions and bounce design ideas of each other.

There are no dumb questions by-the-way. 

Denyse and I will be moderating the group and we will also archive the weekly emails and design prompts there.  This is really handy if you delete one by mistake.

Here's the link if you'd like to be added to the but don't forget to you need to RSVP for the sew-along first. 

Can I join in if I’ve already started a Cog and Wheel quilt? 

Of course you can!  We'll be cheering you on to get those orphan blocks turned into a beautiful quilt.

Cog + Wheel SAL schedule

Week 1

This week is all about getting ready to sew.  Gather your materials: fabric, pattern and templates if you want to use them, and sign up for the sew-along . All the details about where to buy a pattern and other supplies are below

Week 2

Start working on your first Cog+Wheel block.  Stitch together the centre piece and side units (pieces A1, A2 and B) for at least one block.

Week 3

This week we will help you get your curve on. 

Don’t stress.  We have lots hints to share.  You will be stitching those inside curves and complete the cog units C and B.  You might also want to make a start on piecing units for another block.

Week 4

We will be inserting the cog circles into the background and completing our first Cog + Wheel blocks.   You’re on a roll now, so why not make extra blocks, especially if you are aiming for one of the larger-sized quilts.

Week 5

Week 5 is all about catching up, and making more blocks if you need them for your project.  You should aim to have at least 3 completed Cog + Wheel blocks by the end of this week

Week 6

Finish your quilt top if you're making the baby quilt, or have at least 4 blocks sewn together if doing a larger size.

How much does it cost to join?

Absolutely nothing!

There is no cost to join in the fun, but you will need to purchase a copy of the pattern if you don’t already have one.  You can purchase one for immediate download from DSQuilts.

Materials

Denyse Schmidt’s Cog + Wheel pattern (PDF)

You can purchase a digital copy of the pattern directly from DSQuilts here

Cog + Wheel acrylic templates (optional)

You can purchase templates within Australia or the US.

While you can make a Cog + heel quilt without the templates, they speed up the cutting and will have you cog and wheeling like a MACHINE. 

The official C+W templates have been made in collaboration with Denyse Schmidt and are precision cut from thick acrylic specifically so you can use your rotary cutter, even for those curved pieces! 

As well as being etched with ¼” stitching lines, they are also drilled, allowing you to mark-up key points making accurate stitching a breeze.

Pattern and template bundles are available from us at The Next Stitch.  You can also just buy the templates if you already have a copy of the Cog + Wheel pattern.

We are in Australia but ship world-wide, so get in touch to discuss a shipping quote for your location if you're not on this big island of ours.

 Templates are also available in the US from DSQuilts

Fabric

The Cog + Wheel quilt pattern is fat quarter friendly.  That means it is an awesome project to shop your stash and it will look great in coordinated fabrics or even wildly scrappy.

Most people will be looking for yardage for their background fabric , so once you register you will receive a coupon code for 15% off.  You will be able to use the code and choose from our enormous range of  Kona cotton solids and Essex Linen fabrics in stock.

So what’s holding you back? 

C’mon. 

Sign up and join Denyse Schmidt, myself and a bunch of fantastic folk from around the world and make a beautiful modern quilt.  It will be a blast, I promise.