Category Archives: Quilts

Vintage Summer Quilt

I love this quilt. The soft colors…the simple chevron pattern…the pop of the colors against the white background. This quilt makes me happy and it feels summery and beachy. I can see many picnics in its future.

The printed fabrics are vintage sheets purchased on Etsy and cut into 6″ squares to make half square triangles with the white background fabric. The design is simple but graphic. This was quilted by Michella Kitto of Urban Spools on her Handiquilter long-arm. She did a beautiful job and the design really complements the fabric.

The backing is pieced from a variety of solids and a couple of prints that have that same vintage floral look. You really can’t see any of the solids in my photos, but they are pinks, orange, and yellow.

The binding is scrappy, made with leftovers from the backing.

This is the first quilt I sent off for quilting, and I’m thrilled with the results. I knew it would be beautiful because I’ve admired Michelle’s quilting since I met her, but still…it was my first time not to make the quilt from start to finish so I wondered if I’d feel less ownership over the finished product. But that’s not the case at all. I love that my dear friend is also a part of the quilt.

(Michelle does professional long-arm quilting if you are looking for that service. Email her at michelle{at}urbanspools{dot}com..)

Dimensions: 83″ x 90″

Fabrics: an assortment of vintage sheets, backing is Bella Solids by Moda Fabrics, Uptown by Erin Michael

Quilting Thread: Superior Thread

Started: October 2012

Completed: April 2013

The Learn to Quilt series will pick up again on Tuesday. I took a break today for Mother’s Day instead of piecing a sample block. See you then!

Happy Go Round Quilt

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My Happy Go Round Quilt is up on the Moda Bake Shop today! This is one I made for my demo at QuiltCon, and I’m very happy to have it completed. I am in love with Bonnie and Camille’s Happy Go Lucky fabric line so this quilt is going to go at the foot of our bed where I can see it all of the time.

If you want to make this quilt, one tip for you, Buy a Curve Master 1/4″ Presser Foot. It makes curved piecing a breeze and no pinning!

The Never-Ending Quilt

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Oh, this red and aqua quilt. I’ve been calling it the Never-Ending Quilt because it felt like I would never ever finish it. I’d grown tired of it, bored with it, so over it that working on it became joyless. I was determined to finish it because it was basted and partly quilted so it seemed like the worst was over. And also because I wanted those basting safety pins to use for the other 10 quilt tops I have waiting in the wings. Mostly that.

About half of the blocks in the quilt came from a Red + Aqua Bee I took part in almost three years ago. It was a mess of a bee where even the host dropped out, but I was one of the early months so I came away with most of my blocks (thank you, bee friends!) Oddly enough, I even received a block (maybe two) many months after the bee ended. The package was the original one I’d mailed, all shredded and taped up, and marked something like “address unknown/return to sender.” I expected that my package had gone astray and inside I would find the red and aqua strings I’d mailed out. But no. Inside were two finished blocks. I remember turning them over and over in my hands and looking again and again at the package, not comprehending. Until I realized what they’d done. I guess that is one way to save on postage. Oh, failing US postal service, you silly fool…

When I had all of the blocks together, I decided the quilt needed some pink so I made 14 additional blocks, ’cause why not? Why take the easy way out and just use the lovely blocks others made for me? Not this girl.

This vintage quilt top I found for a song was my inspiration:

{That quilt is badly made and mostly polyester but I just love it. Some day I will quilt it and use it.}

The jury is still out on whether the red sashing is a good or bad addition. But there is no doubt about the binding. It’s my favorite part. I love a scrappy binding (this one is made entirely with leftovers bits from my Black + Aqua Quilt which makes it even more awesome because I didn’t have to cut anything!).

I basted this quilt when it was over 100 degrees in July and I was 6 months pregnant. You can assume that means I didn’t do a stellar job. Because I didn’t. There are some lumps/folds/puckers/acne. Quilt acne! That’s what happens when you baste with a basketball affixed to your midsection.

What to call the quilting design? Scallops? I love the look of it, but it was a bad choice for an all-over design on a such a large quilt (better suited to filler in limited areas). I will do this pattern again, but I will use it wisely.

I have a dislike/hate relationship with this quilt. We are working on it. Taking things one day at a time. It’s not you, quilt, it’s me. I need some space. It would be good for us to see other people. I’m definitely going to start seeing other quilts and lots of other fabrics. Truth be told, I’ve been seeing other quilts and fabrics the whole time you’ve been in the picture.

One day, probably this July, in fact, I will be sitting on this quilt with my little family, listening to a concert at the Arboretum or watching fireworks in Fair Park, and I will love this happy and patriotic quilt, boils and all. But today I’m going to fold it up and tuck it out of sight while I work on prettier things.

Dimensions: 76″ x 78″

Fabrics: a huge assortment of red, aqua and pink strings, Lipstick Ta Dot from Michael Miller (backing)

Quilting Thread: Aurifil 50 wt #2600

Started: May 2010

Completed: April 2013

Ben’s Quilt

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This is Ben’s baby quilt. I started it when I was about 6 months pregnant and got most of the top done before he was born (he is now closing in on 18 months old). It was the linen sashing that made me put this project into WIP cold storage for such a long time. Let me tell you, working with real linen is unpleasant (as opposed to linen/cotton blends or quilter’s linen, which is just cotton). It ravels. The edges curl up like bacon. Starch would probably help but I was not yet addicted to it way back in ’11.

The pattern is a simple set of drunkard’s path blocks with linen borders at the top and bottom. It would have had them on the sides but I couldn’t bring myself to cut and piece them.

I embroidered his name across the top border using perle cotton. It’s a simple process – I created a Word file (landscape), estimating the size of the font, printed it in reverse, and transferred it to the quilt using a Frixion pen. (Font used is Typewriter Hand).

(His whole name is embroidered on the quilt but I blurred it out in the photo above for privacy reasons.)

The quilting is a meandering stipple. Nothing fancy but the fabrics are so busy it didn’t need any pattern to compete. This quilt is not actually 100% complete to my satisfaction, but I sewed the binding on to keep the linen borders under control. I’m adding applique circles of the leftover blocks on the back. These are raw edge and again, hand quilted using Perle cotton.

Another quilt in the books! That brings me up to 4 completed quilts so far this year (I have the 5th finished and waiting to be properly photographed.)

Dimensions: 32 x 39″

Fabrics: Circa 60 Beach Mod by Monaluna, linen

Quilting Thread: Aurifil 50 wt #2600

Started: June 2011

Completed: April 2013

Cotton Candy Quilt

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This quilt is made almost entirely of Moda Candy – those cute 2.5″ squares that now come in almost every new line. I’ve been stashing them for years, before they were ever sold in quilt stores. I had quite a collection of Summer in the City by Urban Chiks that came as freebies in a pattern I found on clearance (yeah, I bought them all. Sorry if you are new to fabrics because that line is awesome but long out of print). I mixed in some others I got at quilt market as samples or freebies at guild meetings. I also added a charm pack or two of Plume by Tula Pink to make the quilt a useable size.

This is a basic disappearing 9-patch pattern. I used a bright pink as my centers, but I kinda wish I’d gone for something softer. Next time.

It’s quilted with my favorite Aurifil thread and it’s a dream. I swear by that light gray color (#2600). It really does go with everything. The quilting pattern is free motion swirls, which is something new for me. This quilt needed lots of quilting and a playful pattern that offered a little more excitement than the basic stipple.

My favorite part of this quilt is the binding. I just love that polka dot print! The colors really are like candy. One day I will make a quilt in that color palette (any excuse to use that binding again.)

I have to share a photo shoot outtake…

Ben is always drawn to the quilts in our house. I find it very endearing since I made all of them. .

Dimensions: 54″ x 54″

Fabrics: Summer in the City, Dream On, and Hullabaloo by Urban Chiks; It’s a Hoot by MoMo, Central Park by Kate Spain, Plume by Tula Pink, Breakfast at Tiffany’s at Fig Tree and Co.; Snippets by American Jane, Funky Monkey by Erin Michael (binding & backing)

Quilting Thread: Aurifil 50 wt #2600

Started: July 2011

Completed: March 2013

Silhouette Cameo for Quilting

Micah’s Quilt

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This quilt is for a sweet baby girl named Micah (not so much a baby anymore! She’s one year old now). Her parents are friends of mine from college. They live in Austin and their taste is modern, hip, and maybe a little bit whimsical (check out Micah’s stylish nursery). I stayed away from the traditional baby girl look with cuteness overload and lots of pink. The color palette is soft and feminine, but not too juvenile.

I used little pieces of some favorite prints – precious bits of Heather Ross’s long out of print Munki Munki and some of her more recent Far Far Away 3 line. There is also some Melody Miller and Flea Market Fancy.

I quilted it with an overall stipple and tiny pebbles on the print squares.

The binding is green and white houndsooth by Paula Prass (Summer Soiree from two or three years ago).

It took me ages to make this quilt because I was just not sewing much last year after my son was born. I’m glad its finished so I can mail it to its new home. Happy first birthday, little Micah!

Dimensions: 40″ x 32″

Fabrics: Ruby Star Shining by Melody Miller, Munki Munki and Far Far Away by Heather Ross, Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt, Bella Solids from Moda Fabrics, various Japanese import prints, Summer Soiree by Paula Prass.

Quilting Thread: Aurifil 50 wt #2600

Started: March 2012

Completed: January 2013

WIP Wednesday: Jelly Roll Race

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So for yesterday’s WIP Wednesday project, I tackled a quilt I’d named “Urban Cowgirl Around the World” and it turned into a completely different project. I had a trip around the world quilt in mind, combining an Urban Cowgirl jelly roll with a Bella Solids {warm} jelly roll. The color palettes aren’t an exact match, but they’re close enough to look good together. I’m not into matching anyway…I prefer coordinating palettes.

Instead, I decided to try the Jelly Roll Race (also called Jelly Roll 1600) method.

It’s a fast and easy method to whip up a lap-sized quilt in about two hours. Some tutorials say one hour, but two hours is more realistic. Still, how many other quilts can be made in two hours?

I can imagine all sorts of variations with this pattern. Given my considerable stash of jelly rolls, it’s very likely that I will be making one (or several) of these again.

As for this quilt top, I have half of each jelly roll remaining and I will probably use a similar method to create some borders (and save a few strips for a scrappy binding). And I’m going to have to rename the quilt. Jelly Roll Cowgirl? Urban Barrel Race? Urban Jelly Roll sounds like a city dweller’s muffin top, which makes me kinda like it best of all.

Giant Scrappy Blocks Quilt

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Not a very creative name for this quilt, but giant scrappy blocks is what they are…These are 16-inch blocks made with some very favorite fabric scraps. There is a little bit of everything in there. The design is simple – eight 16″ improv patchwork blocks and eight blocks of varying sizes sashed with navy. I used a navy from my stash and it was the cheapest of quilting cottons from JoAnn’s. Stretchy and thin and I wished I hadn’t used it when I started basting. It was purchased from my pre-fabric snob era. If you are going to put a lot of hours into a sewing project, use the best materials you can.

I did a basic meander on the patchwork blocks and a fun free motion stem quilting patten on the navy + patchwork blocks. The variegated Auriful thread I used really pops on that navy fabric. The stem quilting was easy to do and it really makes an impact.

The binding is from Hope Valley by Denyse Schmidt.

This is my first finish of 2013 so it’s the first quilt to have one of my new labels from Spoonflower. I’m working on a similarly styled label that I’ll make available for purchase. Not sure of the timing but within the next month or so.

This quilt is popular with puppies and babies…

I made it for Ben, and he loves it. He likes to point at the different fabrics and ask, “That!” The owl print from Jenn Ski’s Ten Little Things is his favorite. (But so is the lens cap.)

Dimensions: 65″ x 65″

Fabrics: Snippets and Pezzy Prints by American Jane, Dumb Dots from Michael Miller, Modern Meadow by Joel Dewberry, Bella Solids by Moda, Ten Little Things by Jenn Ski, Sherbet Pips by Aneela Hoey, Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt, Munki Munki by Heather Ross, Lush by Erin Michael, Dolce by Tanya Whelan, Hope Valley by Denyse Schmidt

Quilting Thread: Aurifil 50 wt variegated #4657

Started: August 2012

Completed: January 2013

WIP Wednesday: Quilting Espionage

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I started writing this post in my head while I was looking through today’s photos, and I was thinking how I’d explain that my bad photos are the result of working in shadows. And that made me giggle because it sounds like I was doing something mysterious. Working in shadows sounds more exciting than starching and pressing quilt blocks.

Behold, my WIP Wednesday project for today:

This quilt started off as a stack of Bella Solids, and then I added some prints for interest. I’m making City Aviation from Cherri House’s City Quilts book. Here is her version of the quilt:

{photo courtesy Cherri House and Generation Q}

I have all of the solid blocks cut and probably 1/3 of the other blocks pieced. I’m going to keep at this one through the weekend and see if I can get the top complete. On Monday I FINISHED last week’s WIP Wednesday project – my Giant Scrappy Blocks quilt. Fingers crossed that the weather will cooperate tomorrow and I can get some photos.

Before I go off the Bedfordshire, I have to share these photos of Ben from his bedtime tonight. I was sneaking photos with my phone while I read his bedtime stories.

Ben-bedtime

His expressions crack me up.

If you’re reading along with my book club, tomorrow is my first book review of the year. Get excited.