Super-Sized

This is the first of two commissioned quilts that will be super-sized version of quilts I previously made as baby quilts.  A lovely etsy customer was kind enough to say she loved the baby quilts but needed them for twin beds.  Here is a super-sized granny square quilt (my baby quilt was based on Jolene's wonderful tutorial).  I kept it as similar as possible to my original quilt, but in this larger version the these squares began at 4.5 inches cut.  The sashing finishes at 3 inches wide, while border is 6 inches.

I even kept the quilting the same as the original quilt.  I created a flower in each granny square, complete with four leaves at the corners.  The white areas are filled in with a fun loopy design.

I love the two Flea Market Fancy prints I used on the back.  I joined them with a rainbow of leftover squares from the top.

These two Denyse Schmidt prints on the back have a touch of black which works nicely with the black and white grid fabric I used again for the binding.

I finished up just in time to enter this into the Blogger's Quilt Festival.  Thanks for visiting, especially if this is your first time! Be sure to check the link party over there for tons of inspiration.
                                                           

Quilt Measurements: 69 x 89

Quilted by: me

Best Category: home machine quilted, bed quilt

Next on my to do list is basting a giant flashdance quilt.

Snapshots Quilt

The title and inspiration for this quilt came from a beautiful scrapbook page I saw somewhere.  The asymmetrical arrangement of the snapshots caught my eye, and I love way they engage the edge of the quilt.  I framed each improvised panel or snapshot in white, and Angela Walters worked her magic to create a cool secondary design in the negative space.

The quilt pattern appears in the premier issue of Modern Quilts Unlimited.  I'm very excited to be a part of  a publication aimed at our community of quilters and those interested in what we're all about.  The magazine looks great.  I am especially interested in Jacquie's atomic quilt.  The design is so smart; she's made a complex looking quilt out of just three blocks.  Look for it!  Maybe she'll offer a preview on her blog.  In any case, I hear the magazine should be on shelves in early November.

I was a little disappointed to see that my quilt was photographed sideways, but then I had to laugh.  That must be a risk of modern, asymmetric design.  I'm just glad the editors thought it looked just as good that way.  If you try out the quilt, note that the diagrams are oriented with the shapes along the right edge of the quilt, as I have photographed it here for the blog.

I would love to see some of your own versions of the quilt.  The improvised panels are super fun and easy to make.  AmandaJean's book, Sunday Morning Quilts, has a wonderful description of how to make what she calls "slabs" like this. Jacquie's book, Quilting Modern, illustrates a similar technique nicely.

If improv isn't your thing or you want to make the quilt a little more quickly, you could always let the fabric do the work for you.  Here is a rough digital sketch of how the quilt would look made from Kona Modern Quilts' cheater prints.  Fun, right?

Or the panels can be a wonderful place to showcase your favorite large scale prints like Anna Maria Horner's Field Study.

Your fabric choices change the feel of the quilt so much!  Okay, now I kind of want to make that Field Study version.

Stash Additions

I've ordered a lot of fabric lately for commissioned quilts.  Somehow a few pieces for my stash always sneak into those orders.  It saves on shipping, right?  These are usually new prints I love and colors I'm low on, but I have no specific plan in mind for them.
These are from several different orders, and I think it is clear my subconscious has designed a quilt. 

Aren't they great together?  I love the City Center map print, the text from Mama Said Sew (it's so hard to find a good dark gray print), some shot cottons, Kona snow, the edgy floral from Rock 'n Romance, and a Field Study print.  I may throw in the two Chicopee prints as well.

I also have fallen prey to fabric photos on Instagram.  One photo let me know this bundle was in stock over at Sew Mama Sew, and I had to have it.  These new Liberty Lifestyle prints are more economical than other Liberty fabrics, and have you seen the frame purses Kelly made with them? I need to make something with them soon.

Revisiting Granny

This past winter I made a baby quilt of granny square blocks, from Jolene's tutorial.  A wave of granny square quilts rippled through blogland.   I wasn't surprised; I love everything she makes.  These blocks are particularly striking when they are made, as she did, from scraps.  I mentioned before that I love how the variations in value makes the blocks twinkle.

An etsy customer asked me to recreate this baby quilt (which is still available by the way!) as a twin sized quilt. So I am revisiting granny, only this time she's super-sized.  I started with these sunny fabrics and some scraps from the original quilt.

I cut lots of 4.5 inch squares and ended up with a dozen blocks just over 17 inches square.

I'm waiting for more Kona white to arrive for the sashing and borders; then I need to decide on backing fabric.  Hmm.

Next up, I'll be creating a super-sized Flashdance for the same customer.  That should be an interesting exercise

Links Quilt

I just finished up my commissioned quilt.  My etsy customer has been a dream and given me complete freedom to create whatever I liked in her preferred colors.  I ended up using Kona chocolate, snow, and baby blue.  I added a couple of print pieces to hint at the construction of the blocks.

I started with a sketch that became an EQ pattern, a first for me (it does all the math and creates templates!).  The links are very precise, traditionally pieced shapes, but I think they are very modern.  I used an asymmetrical setting and played with the background color divide, allowing some links to fall on both sides. The link shape prompted me to think about connections, given that they are not linked together.  Some bridge divides; some float alone. I further divided the two sides of the quilt by using a different free motion design on each one.  In the cream I used a paisley, and on the brown side I used a square meander.

I created full and partial ghost links with the quilting.  I think they are my favorite part of the whole quilt.  I especially like how the single brown link is entwined with the ghost link in the center of the quilt.

I used a few cream and chocolate prints for the back and bound the quilt in baby blue with one piece of a sweet baby blue stripe.

I hope this quilt is at home in its new space and that Lindy loves it!