It's Still Fall, Right?

I finished up my quilt for Fall over the holiday weekend. Technically, it is still autumn until December 20th, so I'm calling it a win.  I'm sure it won't be the last quilt that doesn't get done as quickly as I'd hoped.

The weather is about to turn really cold here, so I snapped some quick pictures while the sun was out today.

I quilted straight lines on either side of the main diagonal seams to prevent shifting during the simple free motion, dot to dot design I quilted in each diamond.

It creates an interesting texture on the back of the quilt. The flannel back is going to be so cozy.  I found this Timeless Treasures crosshatch flannel on a super sale, and I've heard great things about how it washes.

The binding is an orange hounds tooth by Denyse Schmidt.

 

Now that it has been documented, this 60" x 60" quilt is ready for use on the couch...next to the Christmas tree.  Oh well.  Maybe I'd better start, now, on a Christmas quilt for next year.

Partly Cloudy

I've been back at my therapy, working with scraps to make more monochromatic strip set blocks.  The technique is the same as I used in the Therapist.  I simply limited my color palette to create this 40 x 50 toddler quilt. 

The intensity of the teal and navy is what I find so arresting about this quilt.  I wanted the colors to gradually soften into aqua on one end and gray on the other, finally fading to white.  I used the block format to keep it deliberately a bit choppy and graphic.  The blocks are quite simple to make as well and more much more manageable than making an entire column at a time.

The tight color scheme creates cohesion even though it is a very scrappy quilt.  I really enjoyed working with both my own scraps and scraps from friends. (If you want to make a scrap quilt but don't have enough variety of fabrics or have colors you lack, I suggest swapping scraps with a friend or two.  It is a fun way to discover new fabrics and work with colors you might not normally use.  Scrap packs are also readily available for purchase online. One tip I can offer is to follow quilters you admire on Instagram or Flickr.  If you like the fabrics they use in their quilts, you're sure to love a scrap bundle, should they ever decide to destash.  Guess how I know.) My friends may recognize some of their scraps here.

I used a figure eight free motion design for the quilting and simple gray Heath to bind. The back is a cute DS Quilts print you can find at JoAnn's.

Partly Cloudy is available in my shop.  FYI, I am planning to clear out the shop in the next month or two, so it's your last chance to grab anything you've had your eye on.  All the baby quilts unsold by the end of September will be donated for the 100 Quilts for Kids quilt drive.

A Pleasant Trip

I thoroughly enjoyed my many trips around the world quilt.  You can find out more about the pattern and quilt along in my previous post.  It was a complete pleasure to make this quilt from start to finish.  I was excited to pull scrap strips in my favorite color palette of the moment.  I ended up raiding my stash as well, but it was worth it. I made 25 blocks; the quilt finishes at 60 inches square.  

The colors are moody and wintry, and the rich teals are a new obsession for me.  It is a hard color to find in fabrics.  I want it rich and saturated, without white accents that disrupt the value.  If you have a favorite dark turquoise or teal, let me know!

The Anna Maria Horner pastry voile I chose for the binding is the perfect teal.  And let me tell you, if you have not hand sewn a voile binding, you are missing out!  It was such a pleasure.  I will definitely be using it again.

I decided to try out  a new free motion quilting design.  I thought the busy quilt top would camouflage any imperfections, which thankfully seems to have been the case.  I picked the concentric circles design from Angela's first book.  The design is really quick and easy, although next time I will make the circles on a smaller scale (less than four inches across would be good I think), as the large circles were hard to keep even on my tiny machine.  I really love the texture they create, almost like raindrop ripples in a puddle.

The back is a text print from the Mama Said Sew line.  I saw it on lucyandnorman's gorgeous scrappy trip along quilt and had to have it.

You can find the throw sized quilt in my etsy shop.

Pincushion Swap

My guild, the KCMQG, frequently hosts fun swaps.  This time, we're swapping pincushions with several other MQG chapters.  I pulled some favorite materials and printed off a paper pieced template.  This block is called Economy, and you can find it here.

I had fun with the directional newsprint and fussy cutting the center.

My first attempt finished at three inches (tiny!), so I'm including it is a mini extra.  Four and half inches seems like a more useful size.

I'm looking forward to seeing all the other great pincushions at our meeting tonight.

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.

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.

Wholecloth Quilt

While I was waiting for backing fabric for my atomic strips top to arrive, I noticed a fabric stack that has been sitting on my table for a while.  I traded fabric with Andrea from guild for this old Amy Butler Midwest Modern floral.  I have always loved it.  Large scale florals aren't always easy to use for quilting though; I really didn't want to cut it up.  So I set it aside with an aqua DS Quilts print and a Bespoken stripe to make a wholecloth quilt.

I used free motion quilting to trace the flowers and leaves all over the top. At 41 x 50 inches, it took two big spools of thread, but it was fun.

I had my heart set on using the stripes on the bias, so I thought why not round the edges too.  I love the softness of the curves for such a feminine quilt. 

This pillow was made from scraps, and I had a great time with the quilting.

Here is the back before I put the pillow cover together.

This is the first time I have sewn a lapped zipper on a pillow, and it was really easy.  This tutorial from House on Hill Road is great.  A zipper closure for an overstuffed pillow like this is a must.  An envelope closure would have bulged open.

This pair is headed to Project Linus as part of 100 Quilts for Kids, a summer and early fall sewing event that encourages quilters to donate quilts for children.  One of the best parts - this year you can donate your quilt locally, which makes it just that much easier to participate.  I'll add this post when the link up opens on July 1st.  I hope lots of you will join in!

Quilt Market

Wow.  Quilt market was quite an experience.  I was able to help at the DS Quilts booth from set up through opening day.  I had no idea how much went into putting together a booth, from assembling walls and laying floor tiles, to organizing marketing materials and arranging quilts and samples.  Put 800 exhibitors in a convention hall all working hard and you've got set up day.
I snapped a few pictures with my phone along the way.  Here is Denyse creating her inspiration wall - all the ephemera that helped inspire her newest line, Chicopee.  I thought that was such a creative addition to the booth.  It offered such an interesting glimpse into her creative process. Jenny posted a close up shot of part of the board.  Chicopee is so pretty.  I love the color palette.  It reminds me a little of Hope Valley, and I can see the prints working well with several of her previous lines.

Here is the completed booth.  She had most of the quilts from her most recent book and all seven of her patterns on display, and did you know there is Denyse Schmidt stationary?  I didn't, but now I definitely need some.  Betsy says Bon Bon has some locally, if you're interested.

Denyse is so gracious and warm.  She hand pieced some improv blocks during spare moments to add to the design wall.

I had a few chances to walk around market, and everyone is right when they say it is overwhelming.  Here are just a few of the booths I enjoyed.  This is Anna Maria Horner's booth.  Again, this is just an iPhone snapshot.  To see closeup, high quality photos of all the new fabrics, be sure to check out True Up for market coverage.

And I stood about ten feet from Joel Dewberry in his booth most of the day. He, like everyone I met actually, is super nice.  This booth was for his new line of patterns.

I spotted this beauty which I'm guessing from the sign underneath was created by the New York City Modern Quilt Guild.  I think it's such a unique setting for improv blocks.

And speaking of improv, have you seen this new line of cheater prints by Kona?  Yes, it's printed fabric, not piecing.

I even managed to find my Advent calendar in the Brewer booth.  They distribute patterns, including those by Empty Bobbin.

I ran into many of my guild friends. Jacquie did a book signing, and I even met a few bloggers like Jen of In Color Order, Amanda Jean from Crazy Mom Quilts, and Adrianne from Little Blue Bell. It was an amazing experience to be a part of market for the first time.  I'm so grateful to Denyse for the opportunity.

Wiksten Tank

Thanks to your well wishes and tips, my Wiksten tank is finished.  The pattern is very clearly written, and the details of this simple top really make it feel like a quality garment.  It has french seams and bias binding for the arms and neck, so there are no exposed seams.  The A line cut makes it really easy to wear too.

I made the size small, and it is pretty big on me.  Next time, I'll make an x-small.  I will also take an inch or so off the length, but I'm used to that, being petite.  I would say the pattern seems to run a bit big, so keep that in mind if you're thinking of making one.  

Did any eagle eyes out there spot the selvage on the fabric I used?

It's a piece from Denyse Schmidt's new line for Free Spirit, Chicopee, which will premiere at Quilt Market next week, where I will be wearing my Wiksten tank to help out in the DS Quilts booth.  That has to be the most exciting sentence ever to appear on this blog. It is so great to have market in KC this year.
If you're in town for market or a local modern quilter, be sure to stop by the Modern Meet Up Saturday the 19th at the Marriott.  There are tons of fantastic door prizes!  More details here.