Fellow Quilters,
Happy Monday! If you’re popping over from another blog today, a warm welcome to you. Are you ready for some fun? Today is my day to blog in the Seaside Adventures Row-along and I couldn’t be more excited. Let me tell you about this popular event.
The Row-along was started several years ago by the wonderful Marian Pena of Seams to be Sew. Each year Marian enlisted the support of dozens of pattern designers to create a row to showcase a particular theme. Some of the past themes include “winter”, “home”, “my happy place”, Christmas carols, and “garden party”. The designers share their “free for a week” row instructions, with 3 different designers showcasing their row each week of the event. Sadly, Marian passed away this year but not before the Seaside Adventures theme was selected. To honour her memory the designers decided to go ahead with the row-along for this year, and Melissa of The Quilting Room with Mel graciously stepped forward to organize the event – thanks Mel!
Northcott once again offered to support the designers with fabric for their rows, so of course all the rows are gorgeous. I chose to work with Northcott’s Dublin linen-look cotton blender because I needed a variety of bright tropical hues, and with 42 dee-lish colors, this collection delivers that and more.
A sizzling selection of Dublin hues
So here’s something that you may not know about me – I like to scuba dive, particularly in warm tropical waters filled with colorful fish and interesting coral. Sometimes the coral is even more interesting than the fish.
Photo courtesy Diving Kona Hawaii
It is thrilling to slowly drift along 40ft below the water’s surface with a school of yellow/electric blue fish or watch a little orange clown fish darting in and out of an anemone.
One time a pair of dolphins swam right past me – they’re HUGE! And snorkelling is a very close 2nd to diving – simply floating on the surface with a mask and snorkel, face down in the water, visually exploring the abundant sea life below me. Some of my favorite locales include Negril (Jamaica), Hawaii, the Great Barrier Reef (Australia) and Cancun.
Coming up with a design for my row was quick – colorful fish!
My Which Way to Class row
I chose to use large and small triangles to depict fish. Then I changed the direction of some to reflect the darting schools of fish I’ve seen dashing in one direction then another. Finally, I added some sea grass to help the fish hide from their predators. You can download my Which Way to Class pattern here.
Tip: Trimming the tips of the pieces with the blunt ends of the templates ensures that you align the patches correctly when piecing the columns.
Trim the tips of the patches along blunted ends of templates
Aligning the patches is now foolproof
This week 2 other bloggers are sharing their row patterns for free as well, after which time there may be a small fee for their patterns. Hop on over to Elizabeth Coughlin’s site and Nancy Myers’ Patchwork Breeze site to get their free patterns this week as well.
There are not many prizes this year (Marian worked hard to solicit prizes) so I shall offer one to my readers. For a chance to win a bundle of Dublin and a couple free digital patterns of your choice from Patti’s Patchwork please leave a comment below telling me your favorite tropical spot to dive/snorkel/play on the beach. Comment by Sunday September 26 to be eligible.
To get the links to the upcoming designers’ blog posts and free blocks visit The Quilting Room with Mel each week.
Happy Sewing!!
Patti
pattispatchwork-blog.com 
Love these fish Patti. The long wavy grasses make me think this pattern would make a great yard flag. My favorite place to snorkel is Puerto Vallarta.
I have only been snorkeling in 4 or 5 places and each time I saw some beautiful things! I think Hawaii was probably the best. Thanks for sharing your fish pattern, it is so cute!
Your fish row is really lovely! The grasses add a nice dimension to it.
Very cute row! Thanks so much!!
Hawaii beaches.
I like your fish. I have only snorkeled a couple of times in an inland lake where my aunt lived. I would love to be able to go and snorkel at some tropical place.
What a great row. The sea grass adds the perfect touch.
I haven’t been to a beach in a very long time, but I really like to walk along the boardwalk at Crescent Beach in British Columbia. And we enjoy finding quiet beaches on which to walk when we go on vacation.
I have only snorkeled once in Cuba, but enjoy my favourite beach right here in Ontario!
Thank you for the pattern! I’ve never dived or snorkeled but have enjoyed walking different beaches.
Love your fishes, the grass makes it feel like it is moving. I have never snorkeled but do live by a creek and love watching all the minnows and other creatures in the water.
I liked the beach at Padre Island. I love sitting in the sun under the umbrella staring out into the waves. All the stress just washes out of me. I like your fish!
I only tried snorkeling once many years ago in Antigua, and the sound of my own breathing – like Darth Vader – scared me to death! I’ll look for a glass bottom boat instead next time! Wonderful pattern – love Dublin!
Love these fish! I think I would like to dive/snorkel in Hawaii but I’ve never been to tropical beach.
Love it!!
I love your colorful school of fish and the title of the block resonates with this former teacher. I had to retire early from teaching due to medical issues, so there will never be snorkeling in my future. However, I live vicariously through my daughter and son-in-law and their travels. Their favorite spot so far has been Oahu, Hawaii, as the water there is so clear and they say there are so many great undisturbed natural areas to snorkel and see such beautiful formations and various sea creatures! They have made some beautiful pictures for us of their adventures so we can share in their fun.
Such a colourful block, and I especially like the way you made the seaweed. Thank you so much. It is lovely!
I’ve never snorkeled but I love the beaches on Captiva and Sanibel Islands.
love the Keys
What a sweet school of fish!! Thank you !
So excited about the row that I forgot to say – I love Sanibel Island in FL to relax in the sand !
Swimming in the Indian Ocean at Rottnest Island (Perth Western Australia) is special for me. Don’t do it often enough though.
Loved your fishes going to school! Best snorkeling we had was with turtles in Hawaii!
I have only been snorkeling one time and the was in Key West. I’m not a swimmer and I don’t go to the beach. I love your fish pattern. This is the only was I pretend to go swimming. LOL Thanks for the pattern. It will be a cute design to do for the grandkids.
Patti your Which Way to Class is perfect! When I was younger I was able to go scuba diving in Bermuda, various spots in Europe, the coast off British Columbia. My last trip was Cuba and I did manage a bit of time underwater. With Covid we still don’t travel, but I am looking forward perhaps next year to get underwater off the coast of British Columbia. I like playing close to home.