I love it when a quilt project is a journey. Like a story
that you’re writing up as you go along. Don’t you?!
The freedom of creativity. How a small idea leads to
uncharted territories and, through exploration, blooms into a new pattern. This
was that kind of a quilt journey.
uncharted territories and, through exploration, blooms into a new pattern. This
was that kind of a quilt journey.
It all started with triangle scraps leftover from the flying
geese I used in my Playtime Quilt.
I have a hard time throwing away those pretty little cut-offs. So, I stacked
them in a pretty little bowl I brought back from Japan.
geese I used in my Playtime Quilt.
I have a hard time throwing away those pretty little cut-offs. So, I stacked
them in a pretty little bowl I brought back from Japan.
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And then thought about
them everyday that they sat on my table, just beckoning me to create with them.
But there they sat for months on end, until one day I decided to schedule them
in my Quilter’s Planner and finally decided to piece them together back in January. They were such
little cuties and, paired together, the blue shot cotton made this graphic
chevron motif. What a happy little discovery!
In came the orphan hourglass blocks. I liked the idea of
them being on point. With my continued dedication to work my stash off this
year, I had just enough of the Raspberry shot cotton by Kaffe Fasset to
border them up. After I got them all pieced, I realised I made the hourglass
blocks look more like half square triangles, but with a lot more work!!
them being on point. With my continued dedication to work my stash off this
year, I had just enough of the Raspberry shot cotton by Kaffe Fasset to
border them up. After I got them all pieced, I realised I made the hourglass
blocks look more like half square triangles, but with a lot more work!!
In any event, I liked the added lines this brought to the
overall design.
With a good chunk of the Blue Jean shot cotton leftover, I knew this
would be the background and backing. I figured this worked out perfectly as I
really wanted the focus to remain on the central chevron design.
would be the background and backing. I figured this worked out perfectly as I
really wanted the focus to remain on the central chevron design.
What I hadn’t counted on was having my mother-in-law stop by
for a visit and compliment this quilt. She was really taken with it and I
instantly knew I would gift it as her birthday gift. At that point, it was a
baby size quilt and I had worked out all the materials to complete that size.
I had been mulling incorporating some Essex linen in Flax into the mix, but
after I made the central chevron panel, I decided to forgo the linen and just
focus on the shot cottons in Blue Jean and Raspberry. But
with the need to increase the size, I had no choice to bring in some more
fabric. The Essex linen was my go to. Plus, I know she loves blue and beige and it works with her
interior décor. It was perfect!
after I made the central chevron panel, I decided to forgo the linen and just
focus on the shot cottons in Blue Jean and Raspberry. But
with the need to increase the size, I had no choice to bring in some more
fabric. The Essex linen was my go to. Plus, I know she loves blue and beige and it works with her
interior décor. It was perfect!
I added a larger border in the beige linen around the design
to bring it up to a generous lap size. Although this wasn’t my initial plan, I
love how the soft colour complimented and framed the darker blue. I find the
central design really stands out more because of this addition. Not to mention
it gives the eye some breathing room.
to bring it up to a generous lap size. Although this wasn’t my initial plan, I
love how the soft colour complimented and framed the darker blue. I find the
central design really stands out more because of this addition. Not to mention
it gives the eye some breathing room.
I had a plan for the backing. And then, while lying in bed
at night, it dawned on me to go asymmetrical. My original thought was to steer
pretty traditional and border the blue square on all sides with the Essex
linen. But the more I thought about my idea to border only 2 sides, the more I
really liked the idea. So much so, I was really intrigued and excited what this
would mean for the look of the quilting on the back. It would elevate it from
classic to contemporary and I loved that! I just needed to remember the plan in
the morning! I really should place a pad and pen next to my bed…this happens
way too often! Thankfully, I did remember and as I pieced the backing, I grew
more and more excited about the quilting.
at night, it dawned on me to go asymmetrical. My original thought was to steer
pretty traditional and border the blue square on all sides with the Essex
linen. But the more I thought about my idea to border only 2 sides, the more I
really liked the idea. So much so, I was really intrigued and excited what this
would mean for the look of the quilting on the back. It would elevate it from
classic to contemporary and I loved that! I just needed to remember the plan in
the morning! I really should place a pad and pen next to my bed…this happens
way too often! Thankfully, I did remember and as I pieced the backing, I grew
more and more excited about the quilting.
Quilting with my Juki TL-2010Q is such a joy. The
stitch quality is phenomenal and, paired with Aurifil Thread, the resulting
quilting really stands out. I decided on 40wt Aurifil thread in the colours Wine, Blue Gray, and Silver White. They all match the
Raspberry, Blue Jean and Flax perfectly.
stitch quality is phenomenal and, paired with Aurifil Thread, the resulting
quilting really stands out. I decided on 40wt Aurifil thread in the colours Wine, Blue Gray, and Silver White. They all match the
Raspberry, Blue Jean and Flax perfectly.
I quilted each section differently. The raspberry central
panel I stitched ¼” on either side of the squares. The blue got a mix of
triangles and ½” organic straight-line quilting. The outer beige borders got 1”
straight lines, which makes a square motif in the corners where the lines
intersect – swoon!
panel I stitched ¼” on either side of the squares. The blue got a mix of
triangles and ½” organic straight-line quilting. The outer beige borders got 1”
straight lines, which makes a square motif in the corners where the lines
intersect – swoon!
Since I was trying quilting different techniques, I
encountered a few issues. Fabric bunching kinda issues…ugh, just to name one. Even
with mishaps, it felt good to step outside my quilting comfort zone and try new
approaches. And, I’m glad I did as the different quilt designs paired with the
different feel of the shot cotton and linen feels simply amazing! The hand feel
on this quilt is scrumptious! From the über soft Playground fabric from Art Gallery Fabrics, and the soft Shot Cottons, to the texture of the
linen, it’s a total sensory experience. The dense line quilting creates these
soft pillowy hills that just make you want to curl up on a couch with a hot cup
of tea and a great book!
encountered a few issues. Fabric bunching kinda issues…ugh, just to name one. Even
with mishaps, it felt good to step outside my quilting comfort zone and try new
approaches. And, I’m glad I did as the different quilt designs paired with the
different feel of the shot cotton and linen feels simply amazing! The hand feel
on this quilt is scrumptious! From the über soft Playground fabric from Art Gallery Fabrics, and the soft Shot Cottons, to the texture of the
linen, it’s a total sensory experience. The dense line quilting creates these
soft pillowy hills that just make you want to curl up on a couch with a hot cup
of tea and a great book!
And of course, no quilt is complete without a label! I’ve
actually grown fond of my custom quilt labels, they just seem to finish the
quilts off perfectly! Plus they use up scraps from the project – how bad can
that be?!
actually grown fond of my custom quilt labels, they just seem to finish the
quilts off perfectly! Plus they use up scraps from the project – how bad can
that be?!
It has taken me forever to share this project with you as my
plans to take pictures of this quilt in the wild got foiled on so many occasions!
We would be driving up North on a beautiful sunny day and then bam clouds would
roll in and rain would soon follow just as we got all unpacked! I lost count
how many times this happened to me! But when I finally caught a nice day and
loaded the files when I was back in the city I was so excited by how they
turned out. So, I guess the moral of the story is things happen when they’re
meant to happen!
plans to take pictures of this quilt in the wild got foiled on so many occasions!
We would be driving up North on a beautiful sunny day and then bam clouds would
roll in and rain would soon follow just as we got all unpacked! I lost count
how many times this happened to me! But when I finally caught a nice day and
loaded the files when I was back in the city I was so excited by how they
turned out. So, I guess the moral of the story is things happen when they’re
meant to happen!
I’ve also come to realize that I love quilting without a
pattern. I love the thought process. The endless possibilities to explore. And
then seeing those ideas form into a unique and custom quilt. So fun! Do you
like to quilt without a pattern?
pattern. I love the thought process. The endless possibilities to explore. And
then seeing those ideas form into a unique and custom quilt. So fun! Do you
like to quilt without a pattern?
Happy quilting my friends!
xo
Shannon
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This quilt was quite the journey but so worth the time and thought you put into it! I think the back is great and I am glad you remembered it when you woke up. Funny how quilts talk to us all the time (if we're awake enough to listen)! I hope your mother-in-law loves the quilt and can feel the care and thought you put into it for her.
I’m so happy to hear I’m not the only one who noticed their quilts talk to them 😉 I try to really tune in to the design process and to keep an open mind. It’s not wonder by the end of a design session I’m so tired!!
My MIL loved the quilt and I think she was really touched that it was handmade. Always so nice to have your work appreciated.
Super cute Shannon!
Thank you, Francine!! So happy you like it 😊
Thanks for sharing your story of how this quilt evolved. I am sure it will be loved! To answer your question, you know I love to design and quilt without a pattern. It is so interesting for me to see where a quilt goes and it entertains me to play with an idea on the design wall.
Isn’t it the most fun! It’s amazing how engrossed you get when you’re designing on the fly! Plus, it is so fun to play around with possible layouts! Hopefully one of these days we’ll get to create on the fly together 😉
This is such a great quilt and I loved reading its story. I keep saying I enjoy following a pattern more, but I've designed a few of my quilts now and I really did enjoy the process. My only problem is that I'm a bit of a control freak and I hate making mistakes – so I'm really not a "go with the flow" kinda quilter! 🙂
I’m finding more and more freedom in accepting when things don’t go right! And it can lead to unexpected discoveries – love when that happens!! So happy you’re finding enjoyment in the design process 😊