Tall Tales Baby Quilt

I had intended to make more of these adorable foundation pieced blocks, but I cut things a bit short when I realized they would be perfect for my book loving friend's new baby. Using 20 blocks (8" square unfinished), I staggered the placement and added a quick border to make a 37 x 49 baby quilt.

The blocks, which use adorable Heather Ross prints, are just so cute for tummy time and story time - they would be great for any baby - but I know my friend is going to love making up silly tales about each one with her kids.

The background is a lovely, soft peppered cotton, and the backing fabric is a Alexander Henry print I have been hoarding for a while. A great black and white print goes with anything! I chose the texty binding print by Carolyn Friedlander which is a bit on the nose for the quilt theme. It made me chuckle anyway.

You can find the Tall Tales Quilt blocks by Quilt with Kate on Etsy. 

Quilt Blocks for a Book Lover

I have a small stash of special Heather Ross prints. The hand drawn quality and quirky subject matter of her fabrics is perfect for fussy cutting and quilt blocks that need a focal image. As I was thinking about the stories such images tell, I was reminded of a cute paper pieced book block I'd seen around the web. It is the Tell Tale block pattern by Quilt with Kate. 

The Heather Ross prints make perfect book covers, and I enjoy imagining the titles and subject matter of each one. The frog cover is of course Wind in the Willows, and clearly we have an account of the  the Princess and pea. The unicorn has to be a book of fairytales. The girl and her cat cover is a recent YA novel full teen ennui. Maybe this book is memoir about Woodstock. 

Scraps, Inc. Vol. 2 Giveaway Winner

Congratulations to Fran who wrote:

"I live near the beach and I take most of my quilt photos there. I also like industrial type backdrops but they're more difficult to get. Love your quilt. Thanks for the chance to win this amazing book!"

I have sent you an email. Send me your information, and I'll forward it to Lucky Spool so you can get your copy of Scraps, Inc. Vol. 2.

Thanks to everyone who kindly left comments. You can still get 30% off the cover price with the code Scraps30. And check out the other stops on the blog tour for more chances to win a copy.

Twirligigs Quilt - Scraps, Inc. Volume 2 Blog Tour

If you've visited my blog more than a couple of times, then you know I *heart* sewing with scraps. It's my favorite way to make quilts. My quilt, Stripes Earned, from Scraps, Inc. Volume 1 featured scraps strips in a very masculine palette in keeping with the military inspiration. When I was asked to contribute to Volume 2, I took the opportunity to make a quilt with feminine curves and a saturated, analogous color palette.

The name Twirligigs came from the hanging, spinning garden ornaments that twirl in the breeze. I made the quilt using freehand arcs, sewn by hand using needle turn applique to strips of natural Essex linen. The improv shapes and offset placement of the curves in the columns creates the effect of spinning, cascading spirals. It's just a lot of fun. The bold, graphic shapes work best with saturated fabrics like I chose, but the quilt could take on an entirely different feel done in low volume prints on a dark background. The contrast is key.

Nydia Kehnle did the photography for Scraps, Inc. Volume 2. The urban setting she chose is such a fun contrast to the softness of the quilts. I often struggle with  photographing my quilts in interesting ways, and Nydia has done a beautiful job. The book has a fresh and hip feel, as do the scrap quilts in it. The book features 15 scrappy quilt patterns, each by a different designer.

Lucky Spool has kindly offered a copy of Scraps, Inc. Volume 2 for me to giveaway. For a chance to win, leave a comment on how you like to photograph your quilts, or the type of photos you enjoy most. I will chose a winner at random on Thursday February 11th at noon. Giveaway now closed, but you can purchase a copy at 30% off the list price here until February 16th. Just use the code Scraps30 for the discount.
Check out more stops on the Scraps, Inc. Volume 2 blog tour for more chances to win! You'll get a sneak peek at all the quilts in the book.

 

Monday, February 8 Amy Smart, Diary of a Quilter Nydia Kehnle, Nydia Kehnle Design + Photography
Tuesday, February 9 Amy Friend, During Quiet Time Alexandra Ledgerwood, Teaginny Designs Wednesday, February 10 April Rosenthal, April Rosenthal - The {Studio} Blog Dorie Schwarz, Tumbling Blocks
Thursday, February 11 Erin Harris, House on Hill Road Janice Ryan, Better Off Thread
Friday, February 12 John Adams, Quilt Dad Kari Vojtechovsky, Craft Happy
Saturday, February 13 Katie Blakesley, Swim Bike Quilt Kati Spencer, From the Blue Chair
Sunday, February 14 Melissa Lunden, Lunden Designs Allison Harris, Cluck Cluck Sew Sherri McConnell, A Quilting Life  

Gameday Throw and a Book Signing

Here is a second project from Improvising Tradition which uses both the strips and slice and insert technique.  I call it Gameday Throw because the color blocked background and square log cabin blocks remind me of the field and players in a playbook diagram.  Can you tell I'm not very sporty?  In any case, the manly colors and wonky angles make this throw casual and perfect for snuggling on the couch watching the game.

photo by Joe Hancock

I will have this quilt with me, along with a few other projects from the book, at my first book signing tomorrow!  Please come out to see me at Modern Makers at 11am.  I find it easiest to take 12th street from downtown to the shop, which is at 1400 W 12th Street.  The shop is on the second floor of Le Fou Flea (look for the yellow sign). 

You will love this adorable shop.  Elizabeth has so many gorgeous fabrics and notions.  You can experience all the cute antique shops in the area, and since it is a first weekend, there will be yummy food trucks in the area too.  So come down, have some lunch, and make a fun afternoon of it!  I will have a few steps outs for anyone who is interested in seeing some techniques from the book explained.

Scraps, Inc.

I have another new quilt to share.  I created Stripes Earned as my contribution to a fun new book, Scraps, Inc. published by Lucky Spool.  The book has 15 different block-based quilts by 15 designers, all created specifically to use your scraps.  If you've been around my blog for any length of time, you know how I feel about sewing with scraps.  This book has so many great ideas for using the last bits of your favorite fabrics.

My quilt, Stripes Earned, uses scrap strips, which seems to be the bin that fills up most quickly in my sewing room. It was quilted by Tia Curtis.  I designed the quilt using the strategy of a limited color palette.  I was inspired to use colors reminiscent of camouflage, since the three chevrons in the design reminded me of military insignia.  I think this quilt is fun because it is appropriate for even the manliest man, which can be hard to do with a scrap quilt.

You may choose any three colors for the quilt as a whole, or use a different color combination for each chevron for a very different look.  Here is a  mock up in a feminine color way.

I'm so excited to be a part of this terrific, useful book, as well as to be involved with Lucky Spool.  It is a new publishing company, and it aims to create high quality books and interact with its writers and designers in a really collaborative way.  I got to interact with the other designers in the book too, sharing ideas and inspiration via Pinterest.  I'm really interested to see their blog posts in the coming week or two and to read about the story behind each quilt.  One of my very favorite quilts in the book was designed and made by Kati of Quilting from the Blue Chair.  She'll be posting about her quilt next Monday, November 24, so be sure to look for that.

 

Lucky Spool is kindly offering 30% off the book if you order by December 1st.  Purchase Scraps, Inc. here and enter the code "SCRAPS30" at checkout.

Book Giveaway Winner

The randomly selected winner of the first giveaway of Improvising Tradition is
SewPsyched.  Congrats!  I have sent you an email requesting your contact info so the publisher can send you a copy of the book.

While I did not attend Quilt Market this past weekend, the book was there!  Lauren caught this picture of it on display in the F & W Media booth.

Improvising Tradition Sneak Peek, Video Promo, and a Giveaway!

With a little over a month before Improvising Tradition hits the shelves, I'm pleased to share a little video promo created by my publisher, Interweave Craft. Thanks to Alison Korleski for the lovely introduction.



Here is another sneak peek from the book, as well.  This quilt, Shattered Chevrons, is from the Strips section of the book.  I show you how to create the irregular chevron design, shattering into the negative space, using simple strip sets and an easy to follow pattern.

I'm excited to offer a copy of the book to one of you!  To enter the giveaway (for US residents with a street address only as it will be shipped by the publisher),  please leave a comment.  I will choose a winner on Monday morning.  I will announce the winner here on the blog and contact you by email, so be sure I can reach you.  You can comment however you would like, but if you feel like sharing, tell me what improvisational technique you would most like to try.

Improvising Tradition

I've been anticipating this post for over two years, as I have been in the process of writing my first book.  I'm so excited to finally be able to share it with you!  Improvising Tradition: 18 Quilted Projects Using Strips, Slices and Strata will be available November 27th.

The book teaches several improvisational techniques, step by step, pairing them with traditional skills and methods. It is my hope that this book will give you the tools you need to create your own improvisational quilts, embracing an element of spontaneity while building on the traditional techniques you already know.

I'm also thrilled to be able to give you some sneak peeks of projects in the book, over the coming weeks.  The first is another shot of the cover quilt.  This is the Waterfall Quilt, along with its coordinating quilted sham.  This project set is from the Strata section of the book.

photo by Joe Hancock, copyright 2014

I've created a Facebook page for the book, if you'd like to stay up to speed on sneak peeks that way.  You can count on updates across all social media platforms, and the links to all of mine are now in the right sidebar.
 

 

Giveaway Winner

The randomly selected winner of the giveaway of Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters, is #36, Caryn.

Caryn said...

I'm just getting ready to quilt my first one. It'll be straight line, but I love FMQ and can't wait to try it!

July 2, 2012 4:41 PM

Congrats.  You're going to get so much out of this book!

Free-Motion Quilting, Book Giveaway

I'm so excited to finally have this book in my hands.  I've had it on pre-order since I learned Angela was writing it - a book on free motion quilting from the best known modern machine quilter around!  I've been lucky enough to hear Angela talk about machine quilting before, at guild, so knew her book would make it accessible and fun.

What I love the most about the book is the diagrams that take you step by step through creating a quilting design, along side a photo of that design used in a real quilt.  Angela shows you how to create everything from simple swirls to some of her signature designs like the plume feather.

She even shows you how to combine two or more designs.  How cool is this one?

Angela talks about how, specifically, to quilt elements of the modern quilt.  With all these new ideas, it's a good thing she also explains how to decide which design to choose for your quilt.  This book is a great resource for your quilting library.  I know I'm looking forward to trying some new things on my next quilt.  And can you believe she's already written a second book, due out in December?
Although I paid for my own copy (pre-ordered ages ago!), Angela was nice enough to send me a signed copy to give away to one of you!  US residents please leave a comment telling me your go-to quilting design (don't forget to leave your email address if you are no reply), and I will select a random winner Friday morning. Giveaway now closed.

Quilting Modern - Book Review

I've been waiting very impatiently for my pre-ordered copy of Quilting Modern to arrive.  I've mentioned before that Jacquie is a friend and the former president of my local Modern Quilt Guild chapter.  I've had the pleasure of seeing her work in person on many occasions and am always inspired by it.  She has encouraged me so much as a quilter.  While I don't know her co-author Katie Pederson, I've favorited many a quilt of hers on flickr, like Stepping Stones.  So, when the book finally showed up this week, I read it straight through.  Click the photo below for an affiliate link to the book.

Now, I do buy quilting books, but I rarely follow a pattern from one.  This book is exactly the kind of quilting book I have been waiting for.  It explains and illustrates improvisational techniques and shows you how to use each technique to create several different modern quilts, allowing you to use the method on your own rather than follow a strict pattern.  I'm excited to try several of the projects, but my favorite has to be the one that first caught my eye on flickr - Stepping Stones. It was quilted by the fabulous Angela Walters.  Look at those pebbles!

I love that the book includes a diagram of each quilt and basic dimensions, without giving specific measurements for every little piece.  It gives you enough information to create the feel of the quilt while making it really your own, not a replica.

Interweave has formatted the book beautifully, and the illustrations are really well done.  I am definitely a visual learner when it comes to techniques, and I can understand each method at a glance.  If you're interested in modern quilting and want to try improvisational piecing, this book is a must own!

FYI, I have not received anything for this review, but I loved the book so much, I had to spread the word.

Christmas Came Early

A certain online seller sent my gift with the name of the e-reader on the box, and since the surprise was gone, I got my Christmas gift early.  Yeah!  I whipped up this super simple cover.

Isn't the book fabric perfect? It is from the Victoria and Albert Museum collection, along with Essex linen and a print from Mini Mike.

I need to make another cover for my Dad, since he got the same gift.  I think I'll try a strap closure on his.

Inspiration Overload

I'm feeling very inspired. In fact, it's kind of a problem, given how little time I seem to have to devote to sewing. I'd certainly rather have too much than too little to inspire me though, right? These books were on my wish list for the holidays, and they do not disappoint! Malka's book in particular suits my improv leanings, and I'm excited to try some of the art quilt techniques in the book by Jean Wells (very soon, in fact, but more on that later). As you know I've already made two quilts from patterns by Elizabeth Hartman, and the instructions in the book seem just as impeccable as those I've encountered on her blog. I found a quilter's candy land last weekend at Sarah's in Lawrence. I've been trying to find a time to visit for over 6 months and was afraid it couldn't live up to my built up anticipation. But it did - fabulous store with so many fabrics. It is so fun to see fabrics I've admired online in person. When I asked if they had any shot cottons, they said "yes, we have all of them." Oh my! I came away with these three lovelies. If you haven't seen shot cottons, they are unique. The warp and weft threads are different colors, which creates a shimmery depth to the colored fabric. So pretty.
I'm planning to put all my inspiration to good use to tackle the latest KCMQG challenge. It' s called No Prints Allowed. We're each to use a charm pack of Kona cotton solids (thank you to Robert Kaufman for donating them to the Guild!) and make something quilty. We can add other solids, but no printed fabrics and we must use a little bit of every fabric in the charm pack. I chose the dusty colorway, and I'm excited about my idea!
Aren't those colors pretty!

If you need a little inspiration this morning check out a quilt Jacquie shared with us last night at Guild meeting. It is amazing!!