Edyta Sitar Alaska Quiltalong 2023-2024

In 2023, Royal City Quilters’ Guild joined with York Heritage Quilters Guild and Waterloo County Quilters Guild for a quiltalong to work on Tula Pink’s Butterfly Quilt 2.0. Participants enjoyed working together on the project and made plans for another quiltalong for the 2023-2024 guild year. 

The project we have selected is Edyta Sitar’s Alaska quilt.  Please join us if you’d like to participate. See the FAQs below. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Click a question to read the answer.

When does the Alaska Quiltalong start and what is the schedule?

We plan to start the Alaska Quiltalong in October 2023. We will publish a more detailed schedule as the date approaches. In general, we will meet at 10 am (Eastern) on the second Saturday of the month beginning in the Fall. 

At our first meeting, we’ll discuss any questions you have about the quiltalong or quilting generally, including tips on getting organized for a sew-along. Anyone who is not already familiar with groups.io can take a tour of the service and we can give you suggestions about how to use it.

How would you describe this project?

The Alaska Quilt uses three blocks: the traditional kaleidoscope block and two variations. The Alaska quilt pattern finishes at 71.5″ square. Quilters interested in making a larger quilt can explore a variety of border options to expand the quilt.

What is the Alaska Quiltalong online community and how do I sign up?
  • The Quiltalong organizers will use the online community to send Zoom invitations, tips, tricks, and other useful information to participants throughout the quiltalong. Participants can ask questions and share progress photos through the online community, too.  Membership in the Alaska Quiltalong online community is free. 
  • To join, send an email message to AlaskaQAL+subscribe@rcqg.groups.io 
  • You will receive a confirmation request message from Groups.io. (If you do not receive it, please be sure to check your junk mail folder)
  • You must respond to that confirmation request to complete your subscription and join the group. You can unsubscribe at any time. 
What are the requirements to participate?

To participate, you must purchase your own copy of the Alaska Quilt pattern and be a member of one of the participating quilt guilds. You are not required to purchase a kit from our vendor partner. Feel free to pull from your own stash or source your fabric from a favourite local shop. 

How do I order my pattern and fabric?
  • All participants must have their own pattern. You can purchase yours separately or as part of a kit.  We recommend our vendor partner, Quilting By Design in New Hamburg Ontario: https://www.quiltingbydesign.ca/ 
  • You have many options for fabric:
    • Search the Internet for colourway ideas. Make yours scrappy; design your own colourway; or choose from available kits. If you join the AlaskaQAL mailing list, you can download a colouring sheet from the Files section.
  • Quilting By Design is offering the Rainbow Colourway Kit. This is the same vendor we used last year for our Butterfly Kits. 
  • Mad About Patchwork offers three options: 
    • Colourways: Sunburst or Dusk using Alison Glass fabrics
    • Fabric only: $175
    • Fabric + pattern: $199.99
    • Fabric + pattern + ruler: $224.99
    • Rainbow Kit using Laundry Basket Quilts’ Century Solids fabric
    • Fabric kit: $110
    • Fabric + pattern: $124.99
    • Fabric + pattern + ruler: $149.99
    • Visit their website at https://www.madaboutpatchwork.com/ and enter Alaska into the Search box to see all the options
Is it too late to participate in the Alaska Quiltalong?

No, it’s not too late. You are more than welcome to join us when you are ready. Order your pattern; arrange for your fabric; and sign up to join our Alaska Quiltalong online community. 

What skill level is recommended for this quilt?

With the support of our online community and virtual tutorials, this quilt is suitable for novice quilters who have completed one or two quilts. More experienced quilters may want to customize their quilt by using more advanced techniques, including fussy-cutting for a truly kaleidoscopic appearance.  

Where can I find tips and tutorials to help me make this project?

Our monthly sew day sessions will be an excellent source for tips and tutorials. We’ve also collected advice from across the world wide web which we’re making available in our online community. And, of course, the Internet is a wealth of useful information. 

How/Where can I share my progress?

Anywhere and any way you’d like! Our online community lets you send messages to others who are working on the Alaska Quilt. You can upload photos to your own album and view photos others have submitted. You can also share progress on your social media accounts. 

How do I get help?

The monthly Saturday Sew Day sessions will be an excellent source of help and advice. The online community also includes an email distribution list that lets you reach out to others working on the project. Please exercise your best judgment about when you should reach out for emergency help and when you can wait for the next Saturday Sew Day to ask for help. 

Image depicting two colourways for the Alaska quilt project