Cobblestone Quilt

Just looking at this quilt makes me want to pull out my scraps and start sewing!  They are so satisfying.  I started this quilt this past summer, and didn't stop until it was finished (the quilt top anyway)...which rarely happens.  

 This was a freebie pattern that came in the mail from one of the quilting magazines, trying to get me to subscribe.  I've tried to find it online, but haven't had success.  It's made up of 4.5" x 2.5" rectangles and 2.5" squares, sewn together into a 6.5" x 2.5" rectangle.  I then sewed 3 of them together to get a 6.5" block.  Super simple to cut out and sew together (no triangles!).  I used color for the rectangles and low volume for the squares.  It helps give the eye a place to rest in this quilt.

 I quilted in 8's or S's, and used the squares as my guides. 

 I tried a dozen or so bindings out on this, and ended up going with a classic black and white.  Works so well on scrappy quilts.

Finished size: I forgot to measure before I sent it to it's new owner.

Pattern:  See method above

Fabric: front-scraps ● back- Fantasia (Art Gallery Fabric) ● binding- Timeless Treasures

Batting:  Warm and White

Buffalo Plaid Quilt

 Buffalo Plaid might have been the pattern of the year for 2016, and especially around the holidays...I saw it EVERYWHERE!  I had to make it for myself.  It's pretty amazing that you can take 3 solid fabrics and create this!  I don't mind if buffalo check sticks around for the next 10 years.  I love it!

 I think this print for the backing matches the front just perfectly, with the cute animals.  This quilt would be super happy in a cabin in the woods.

Quilt stats:

Finished size: I forgot to measure before I sent it to it's new owner, it's probably about 60" x 75"

Pattern: I used this pattern from Empty Bobbin, except I cut mine at 5.5 inches (I think)

Fabric: front-Red, Maroon-ish, Black ● back-Cotton and Steel ● binding-chemistry compounds

Batting:  Warm and White

Blue

I guess the great thing about my absence on this blog over the holidays, is that I have LOTS to share. I've been working on this quilt for a while.  I started it because my blue scraps were plentiful...still are.  

I sewed it together in strips, I'd sew about 12 inches of strips together, and then square them up, to make blocks.  Once I had enough blocks, I'd sew them together to form a row. After sewing one or two rows, I decided to add in a few pops of orange.  I like how it worked out.  I love the scrappiness of this quilt.  

This is my backing...if I could change one thing about this quilt, it'd be the backing.  I like the scrappy squares (good use of fat quarters), but I wish I'd used a different color--NOT blue.  With so much blue on the front, I think a different color (yellow or orange, or even just low volume prints) would have worked better.  I'm still happy I used up stash.  

 For the binding I used this white polka dot (see here's another light binding).

 For quilting I sewed vertical and horizontal lines, randomly spaced (2-4 inches apart), and it's a winner.  The quilt is still soft, it blends into this quilt design, and it was super easy! .  I was not excited about this quilt for quite a while, I didn't love much about it, but it's funny how once it's quilted and washed, how that can change.  It's one of my favorite quilts right now. 

Quilt stats:

Finished size: 56" x 66"(after washing and drying)

Pattern: none.  (see method above)  

Fabric  

front: scraps

back: stash

binding: Country Girls by Riley Blakel

Batting:  Warm and White

Celebrate!

 It's been a while since I've shared anything on this space, I always underestimate the holidays.  I love the busy-ness that surrounds them with special activities and traditions, but I also look forward to getting back to normal life.  I have several quilts to share, starting with this one.  The pattern is called Celebrate, by Cluck Cluck Sew, and I was able to sew up the blocks quickly.  Such a simple, but happy pattern.  I think this would be so cute as a baby quilt.

I'm surprised that I have been drawn to this dark green color lately.  Reminds me of my high school days (hunter green).

 I didn't think I liked my bindings to be light (or almost white), but lately I seem to be leaning that way often.  I like that it doesn't draw my eye to it, disappearing into the quilt (almost).

 For the quilting, I went with scallops...oh boy, they are definitely imperfect, but that's okay.  Nobody really notices anyway.  Plus, they are fun to do.

Quilt stats:

Finished size:   61" x 66"(after washing and drying)

Pattern: Celebrate by Cluck Cluck Sew  

Fabric  

front: stash

back: cotton and steel 

binding: cotton and steel

Batting:  Warm and White

Shimmer Quilt

I finished my Shimmer Quilt as I rewatched the first season of Poldark , which is probably the reason I finished it so quickly.  Are you watching?  If not, I highly recommend it.

These blocks are pretty simple to make, and it was fun picking fabrics for each block.  I tried to stick with muted, less bright colors...and it feels perfect for fall.

 Yellow seems to be my go to color for binding lately.  This print is by April Rhodes, from her Bound line. (I just realized I used Bound fabric for the binding, it was meant to be).

 For the backing I used a Cotton and Steel print that I found for a steal at fabric.com.  It seemed a perfect fit to offset the bold colors on the front.

for the quilting, I stitched in the ditch horizontally and vertically, and then some diagonal coss-hatch. My quilting choices have definitely evolved over the years, I find myself trying to hide my quilting lately.

Quilt stats:

Finished size:   53.5" x 66.5"(after washing and drying)

Pattern:  Shimmer Pattern 

Fabric:  front: stash + back: cotton and steel +  binding: bound by April Rhodes

Batting:  Warm and White

Pink Plus

I feel such satisfaction in a good scrap quilt.  I started these pink plus blocks because my pink scrap bin was overflowing.  I probably should've kept going, because I've still got too many pink scraps.  

 I paid no attention to shades of pink and put them all in this one quilt...from the purply-pinks to the peachy-pinks, and I'm a little surprised that it worked out so well.  

 Polka dot binding.

 I love Sarah Jane's border prints, and I used this one on the back.  You can also see how I quilted it.  I  basically quilted straight lines, in the ditch along all the pluses.

I thought I'd share the measurements for this block.

each block finishes at 8 inches.

background:  4-3.5" square & 4-2" squares

plus 1-5"x2" rectangle & 2-2" squares

I kept my plus all the same fabric and tried to keep the background similar fabrics.  Some of the pluses pop more than others, and I like the effect.

Quilt Stats:

Finished size:  39.5"x43" (after washing and drying)

Pattern:  See notes above

Fabric:  front: scraps, back:  Let's Pretend by Sarah Jane, binding: Lucy's Crab Shack (Moda)

Batting:  Warm and White

Star Wars Quilt

I finally have a finish to share here, and this quilt has been done for several months, just took a while to get pictures.  It's a HUGE quilt and big quilts are hard to take pictures of...so I put it off.  I also realized as I'm writing this, that this is only my second finish of the year.  I don't know what's happened, usually I've done more.  I guess I need to start finishing quilts, instead of starting new ones.

My son is a huge fan of Star Wars, has been for years, and I figure he probably will be for many more to come (especially with the new movies coming out).  So this was really fun to make and exciting for him--kinda.  (Let's face it, quilts aren't as exciting to my kids as they are to me...).

The pattern is actually a cross stitch pattern by wee little stitches.  Each stitch is a 1 inch square.  I started out doing a 2 inch square, but it was just getting too big, so I shrunk it down to one inch, and honestly it could probably be even smaller, but I don't love working with smaller...

 A blurry picture on my sons bed...he even accessorized it with a vader mask and cross bow for chewie.  

 I used black and white stripe on the binding.  

And I didn't quilt it myself...I tried, but after attempting 2 times, unsuccessfully, to baste it, I decided  to send it out.  I used Emily Session @ Emerson Quilting.  She did such a great job.  She quilted in concentric squares and I think it works perfect for this pattern.  I love it!

Quilt Stats:

Finished size: 92in X 104in

Pattern:   Cross stitch pattern found here 

Fabric:  Solids are Kona (not sure colors)  binding:  timeless treasures

Batting:  Quilters Dream cotton batting (from quilter)

Quilted by:  Emerson Quilting

Hatched Quilt

My friend just had her 6th! baby, a boy, and this quilt will soon be his.  I really love this quilt and I really want to make one in my size.  

It's similar to this quilt and this quilt, but I added sashing, horizontally and vertically, through the middle for some variation.  I also added a border.  It's really not very different, so I guess it's no surprise that I love it.

For the backing, I used this large black polka dot fabric, that I designed and printed myself through My Fabric Designs.  I love how it turned out, my husband says it looks like black olives, and now all I see are olives.  

I wanted an almost ombre effect, but it just wasn't working until I added the grey, and then the greens really popped.

 I quilted straight lines on either side of the seams. 

Binding is a black crosshatch that I've had for a while.  I'm not sure who makes it.

Quilt stats:

Finished size:  38in x 45in (after washing and drying)

Pattern:  Inspiration here.  Half square triangles.

Fabric:  front--from stash   back--my own, printed and designed at My Fabric Designs  binding--stash

Batting:  Warm and White