Triplets

I posted a peak at these quilts a couple weeks ago on Instagram, and have finally taken some proper pictures of all three to share here.  One of our good friends here in Houston just had triplets.  There were born 6 weeks early, but all were breathing on their own and all are home now and healthy.  It's such a miracle I got chills when she sent me pics from the hospital.  

All three babies are boys! and I had the hardest time settling on design for three quilts.  Then color and fabric was so hard to choose...  I ended up picking a favorite fabric for the backing and sticking to solids on the front.  I think three girls would've been easier for me than three boys (sorry boy quilts).

Another challenge was trying to keep the design equal on all three.  I didn't want one quilt to be more simple than the others, nor did I want one to seem more complicated.  They needed to "match" without actually matching.  I'm sure I overthought these things too much, I was stumped for several weeks...but in the end, I love them all.

The flag quilt was made using this pattern. ( I modified it a bit, and used sashing between the flags instead of a border around each flag).  I like this one.  I wish I'd made the flags bigger, but that's not a big deal.  I always enjoy a black and white quilt.

for the backing I used a print from cotton and steel, called Stork Nest.  I love the birds, but really love the green color.  It's a muted grass green.

for the triangles quilt, I used a dark green solid from Moda (I can't remember the name).  It has a little bit of blue in it.  I used this triangle ruler, the biggest size triangle you can make.  Cutting them out is a breeze, but sewing triangles together can be a challenge!  Matching up all those points is tricky.  I love the finish, and have mostly forgotten my frustration with points not matching.  

Backing is another print from cotton and steel.  

And finally a cross quilt in blue.  This is such a fast pattern to put together.  I cut my squares at 5 inches.  The blue is an Art Gallery Solid (don't have the name).

This backing fabric is my favorite of all the quilts.  It's adorable.  From Dear Stella, called Forest Dreaming, perfect for a baby quilt.

 And for the binding, stripes for 2 and this print for the 3rd.

Spellbound Quilt along

Another new quilt pattern from Fat Quarter Shop.  This one is called Spellbound and uses 2 Jelly-Rolls (2.5 inch strips), plus yardage to make.  It also uses a specialty ruler from Creative Grids, the 90 degree Double Strip Ruler, I'm not one to buy all the quilting rulers, but this did make cutting triangles a breeze.  

 I used Carolyn Friedlander's new line called, Friedlander to make this, with some low volume prints mixed in for the background, but the low volume could easily be substituted for color and would give the quilt a totally different look.

 I'm still debating how to quilt this, it's a pretty big one, measuring 64.5x80.5"!

 The sun was really bright when I took the top pics, I felt like it really washed the quilt out, so here is a shot indoors.  I don't know if I will ever tire of Carolyn Friedlander fabrics.  They are so unique.

Additional Spellbound quilts can be found here.

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

Filigree Quilt Pattern

I've been working on a fun new quilt pattern the past couple weeks with Fat Quarter Shop and Art Gallery Fabrics.  I didn't even get a chance to take a picture of the pretty fabric stack that made up this quilt, I cut it up too quickly.  Art Gallery Fabrics are one of my favorites...they are so soft.

Quilt kit for this quilt can be found at Fat Quarter Shop.  (My quilt looks very similar, but isn't the same.)  I used a mixture of fabrics from various Art Gallery Designers, I wanted the background to be subtle and the crosses to be bold, but I think it would look great reversed as well...so many options with this pattern.

At first glance the pattern looks a little tricky, but it's actually really simple, and the block is trimmed down to size after it's sewn together, so every block is squared up to the exact size.

I had hoped to have this quilt quilted and bound, but I injured my shoulder and can hardly use it for anything--no basting for me.  I've been resting it and hope it will heal soon.  I'm surprised by how much I do everyday that uses my shoulder, pretty much everything.  Even sleeping has been hard.

I would love to see this pattern with different fabrics.  I can envision it using an ombre effect, or making it scrappy, and even shrinking it down to baby size.  I'll add it to the list :).  Hoping to get this quilted in the next few weeks, quilting will really make the pattern pop!

Find the quilt kit here, and the pattern here.

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