It's my turn for Christmas Caroling...

Welcome to day three of the 3rd Annual Row A-Long, hosted by Marian at Seams to Be Sew.

 This 6-week event  features 42 bloggers bringing their interpretation of their favourite Christmas Carols in a  row and offers you the chance to download a copy of each pattern, so you can make your own for FREE. 

The row along started on September 5th, finishes up on the tenth of October 2017 and a number of bloggers from all around the world will feature each Tuesday and Thursday. There's lots of giveaways each day so make sure you check into each one to see what giveaway is on offer, and to download the patterns! (The schedule is towards the end of this post).

Northcott Fabrics is the main sponsor of this row a-long and generously provided some fabrics to each blogger to use to sew their row.  I however, was a little late in coordinating my fabrics, and didn't order in time but funnily enough, the fabric I had purchased and decided would be 'perfect' for the night sky in my row is in fact, a Northcott fabric!   Just goes to show.

Northcott are sponsoring a weekly giveaway all throughout the Row A-Long, as is Calibre Art.  Click HERE for more information on these giveaways and the all-important links to enter. (however, I'm featuring the links at the bottom of this post as well, just so you don't forget!)

I was invited earlier this year to participate in this Row A-Long and I just couldn't say no.  Choosing a Christmas Carol to feature wasn't too hard either, as a picture popped into my head as soon as I read through the list......"Once in Royal David's City" was the one that 'spoke' to me.  I pictured the 3 wise men riding their camels over the hills on their way to visit Mary and Joseph with their newly born son, Jesus in a barn complete with animals, under the light of the brightest star, guiding them to their destination.

I love the way the Northcott fabric makes the night sky look so much brighter.  This beautiful blue starry fabric is from Northcott's  Magic of Christmas range SKU 21701-44 (if you were looking at ordering some for your own row). 

Not a big applique designer, I did find the smaller pieces a bit challenging, however I did try to invent an easier way for myself by taking three plastic loose leaf sleeves and trimming off the reinforced edges and the bottom edge.  That way I could open them out at the fold, tape them together to form a plastic cover for my row. 

 Once taped, I placed the plastic sheet over my design, traced the design onto the plastic with a black sharpie pen, making sure to mark the registration points (corners) on the 'map'.  I then used this 'map' to ensure I had the correct placement for each of my applique pieces on the background before I fused them.  Worked a treat! 

Another tip I have is making sure you place each of the applique pieces in individually marked bags for each section of the row.  This made it much easier to keep them together and find them again.

With such fiddly pieces, I did find it stitched better on the machine using smaller blanket stitch.  

Now I still have a bit of stitchery embellishment to go, but I'll show that on my blog as the week goes on.  I've decided I'll make mine as a wall hanging ready for Christmas, so I've got the borders done already, using scraps of the fabric within the row.

You can download my pattern at either Payhip or Craftsy at the following links: 

                                   PAYHIP:  Once In Royal David's City Row

                                CRAFTSY:   Once In Royal David's City Row

I decided to offer it at both of them as there have been issues of sites crashing with overloaded downloads, so I'm hoping this will make it less frustrating for you.  Please note, my pattern is free to download, but if you feel inclined, as a thank you why not donate a couple of dollars to the charity of your choice, whether it be a hurricane support fund, earthquake fund, cancer fund or some other fund, we're all needing a little help, and if we can help one another, that's awesome!

My row is being sponsored by June Taylor and I have been provided some June Taylor  cotton pressing cloths for three lucky winners.  If you're not really familiar with this product, visit HERE for more information.   You could also visit their website to view their many other products. 

To enter, log in to the rafflecopter link below.  Entries will close midnight 19th September, EST   * please note, shipping is anywhere however, shipping must be paid for by the winners.  
Be sure to read through all the giveaway guidelines and rules over HERE.  These are valid for all of the giveaways during the Row-a-Long.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GIVEAWAY #2

Visit each of the four bloggers featured in the row-a-long today, enter the rafflecopter link below and you will go into the draw to win a Northcott Fabrics fat quarter bundle totalling 2 yards to the value of $20 USD.  

This giveaway will end at midnight on September 19th, EST when a winner will be drawn and notified.   This giveaway is open worldwide and Northcott will ship the prize to you anywhere in the world.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

                                                                     GIVEAWAY #3

Our final giveaway is from Calibre Arts and they are offering  a 50% discount on an 8 x 8 Rotating Cutting Mat to the value of $29.95 USD.  There are 5 coupon codes you have a chance of winning.   You will have 6 days to use your coupon code.
This is a daily giveaway, it starts on Tuesday, and ends Wednesday Morning.   

 *Please note, if you win, you will be responsible to pay 50 % of the cost of the mat and the shipping for this prize.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

That's if from me.....be sure to check out the wonderful bloggers/designers who are participating in the Row-a-Long and leave a comment....believe me, your comments mean the world!   Here is the schedule I promised you at the beginning of this very long post -

The Christmas Caroling Row Along Schedule

Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Quilting Affection
Any Pattern
Just Let Me Quilt
Quilt In Piece
Kissed Quilts

Thursday, September 7, 2017
Daydreams of Quilts 
Seams To Be Sew
Be A Quilter
Creatin’ in the Sticks
Fun Threads

Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Sew Incredibly Crazy
Masterpiece Quilting
Sugarlane Designs  ***me***
Happy Sewing Room

Thursday, September 14, 2017
Barbara Dieges
Cynthia’s Creating Ark
The Quilted Snail
Ms. P. Designs USA
                                                        (sponsored by Just Let Me Quilt)

Tuesday, September 19, 2017
Jaded Spade Creations
Adventurous Applique and Quilting 
UlaSewing / SzycieUli
From Blank Pages

Thursday, September 21, 2017
Martina Latimer
Quilt Fabrication
Patchwork Breeze
Patti’s Patchwork
Miss Loreen’s Schoolhouse

Tuesday, September 26, 2017
Cheryl LaPlante
                                            (sponsored by Quilt In Piece)
Morning Glory
Pampered Pettit
Fun Threads

Thursday, September 28, 2017
Mountain Meadow Designs
Quilt Art
Made By Marney
Renee’s Quilting Addiction

Tuesday, October 3, 2017
MaryMack’s Blog
Kathys Kwilts and More
Pamela Quilts
Duck Creek Mountain Quilting
Heleen Pinkster

Thursday, October 5, 2017
Seams To Be Sew
A Dream and A Stitch
Upstairs Hobby Room
Words & Stitches

Tuesday, October 10, 2017
Show and Tell Day
Bloggers will be announced at a later date

Make sure you pop along and say Hi!  Thank you for joining in on the Row-a-Long with me.  I hope you enjoyed my row and when you do make it, I'd love for you to send me pictures or share a link so that I can feature it on my blog.

xox big sugary hugs :o)