Modern Quilts, Home Decor, and Handcrafted Clothing

As promised, today I’m sharing my latest quilt finish, Spectrum. Several months ago, the folks at Robert Kaufman Fabrics asked me if I was interested in creating a pattern using their Kona solids. I have been sitting on this flying geese design for a bit, waiting for the right time to make the quilt. (Does anyone else do this?? I swear I have more quilt designs than I’ll ever be able to make!) I decided the Kona’s would be perfect for it.

The Spectrum quilt features flying geese in a variety of Kona colors: Valentine, Camellia, Carnation, Pink, Coral, Kumquat, Mango, Cheddar, Corn Yellow, Canary, Buttercup, Maize, Sour Apple, Pistachio, Pear, Honey Dew, Breakers, Pool, Bahama Blue, Aqua. The background happens to be one of my favorite neutrals, Kona Snow (I just bought a bolt of it!)

In this design, I took a classic quilting element (flying geese) and updated the design through use of negative space. By staggering the columns and leaving the tops and bottoms empty (piecing in the background fabric), a traditional concept now has a very modern feel.

I quilted this using a free motion meandering design. I tried out the BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator) on my Bernina 750QE for the first time. (I have used the BSR on my Bernina 440QE). It worked great! I put my pressure foot setting down to 0 and found that to be the easiest for smoothly moving the quilt around while stitching.

The quilt measures 54″ x 60″. The pattern is now available as a PDF Digital Download in my pattern shop. Hardcopies are on their way as well and will be listed as soon as they arrive.

Tagged as:  Bernina · BSR · Flying Geese · Free Motion quilting · Kona Cotton · modern quilt · Modern Traditionalism · Pattern · quilt pattern · rainbow · Robert Kaufman Fabrics

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Happy Saturday! Yesterday when I posted my rainbow geese sneak peek, I had several people comment and email me about how to I got my perfect points. I think most people traditionally piece their flying geese (and I have instructions for how to do that on my Radiant Splendor block tutorial).

When I first started making flying geese, I made them using the traditionally pieced method. But like some of you, I was never totally pleased with the results. (I can be a perfectionist at times.) Once I learned to paper piece, I decided to try paper piecing my flying geese. And not surprisingly, just like everything else that comes from paper piecing, they were perfection.

At the bottom of my Patterns and Tutorials page, I provide links to download the templates I use in various sizes. But just to make it easier for you, I am linking to them here as well. All the sizes listed are finished sizes. The templates do include the 1/4″ seam allowance around each flying geese paper piecing unit.

1″ x 2″	2″ x 4″	2-1/2″ x 5″	1-3/4″ x 3-1/2″

As with all templates online, be sure to print at 100% or “Actual Size”. If you have never paper pieced before, I do have a tutorial for getting started.

I hope you enjoy them!

Tagged as:  Flying Geese · paper piecing · Templates

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Earlier this week I posted a bit about Cotton + Steel, and today I wanted to share a bit of what I’m doing with the fabric right now.

I grabbed a stack from the basics collections and have been testing a new block I’m making for a soon-to-be project. I’m not going to be making the final quilt in these fabrics, but thought they would be fun to test with!

These look like little tents to me.

I also pulled out my Arkansas Traveler work in progress and decided to go sort of bold for the backing. This print is from the Mustang line by Melody Miller for Cotton + Steel.

I also recently added a few more prints to my stash from Joel Dewberry’s Birch Farm line (left 2 prints) and Anna Maria Horner’s Pretty Potent line.

I think the Birch Farm prints will be a great addition to my low volume collection, and Anna Maria Horner’s prints…well I just love her designs and colors and I will easily work those into future quilts.

In other fun news to share, I’ve kitted a couple of my patterns for online shop Fabric Spark. I selected fabrics that I think work perfectly for my Island Girl and Twilight Patterns.

I know coming up with fabrics for a pattern can be one of the hardest parts, so I hope this makes the process easier and painless!

And finally…you guys, I’ve been so busy sewing this week. I finished up my quilt with the Kona flying geese. I just need to get a chance to go out and take pictures. In the meantime, here is a sneak peek.

I did some fun playing with negative space that you can’t see here…hopefully that will be enough of a tease for you to come back next week and check out the finished quilt!

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I’ve been to several sewing retreats – Sewing Summit (twice), QuiltCon, Camp Stitchalot (back when it was called Quilt Camp), and weekends here and there with friends. They are always so much fun, but I was never lucky enough to attend one here in Chicago. Until now!

Sewtopia Retreat recently announced their next event would be in downtown Chicago next April 16th – 19th, 2015. And what an awesome location. I’ve driven by The Drake more times than I can count. It’s right next to Lake Michigan and once I actually saw the filming of a movie there, the giant cameras pointed in through a window.

Not only is Sewtopia in a great location, I was thrilled to hear who would be there teaching classes. Rita Hodge of Red Pepper Quilts and Latifah Saafir of The Quilt Engineer! Seriously, what talent!

Latif is one of the cofounders of the LA Modern Quilt Guild and known for her use of curves and color. Latif will be teaching her new quilt pattern, Molehills.

I’m definitely going to need some hand holding as I make this!

Rita is coming over from Australia. Her blog is always so bright, fresh and she seems to whip out a new quilt every week! I’m always in awe of her style and attention to detail (and hopefully it will rub off on me as we are in the room together!)

Rita will be teaching the Kansas Dugout block and help us all not to dread sewing Y-Seams.

Super important registration details below ~

Registration opens August 1st at 10am MST. Registration fee is $375. They will be offering a discount to any past attendee of Sewtopia Salt Lake and Sew OK.

Registration includes:
 · Shop Hop Thursday, April 16, 2015
 · Open Social Thursday night, April 16, 2015
 · Classes and lunches for Friday and Saturday
 · Access to Sewtopia’s Sewing Lounge after classes are done
 · Swaps and any challenges (if you choose to participate)

You can find all the details on their website and email the Sewtopia staff at info@sewtopiaretreat.com with any questions! I hope to see some of you there!

Tagged as:  Quilt Retreat · Sewtopia

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