This is one of those posts that for the last 5 months I couldn’t wait to share…but then that changed to dread over the last 2 weeks. Last December I made this quilt and pattern for Issue 2 of Modern Quilting Magazine. For those of you that haven’t heard, this UK based magazine, owned by All Craft Media, went into bankruptcy about 2 week ago. There were a lot of people with subscriptions that will probably lose out on the magazine and their money. Some did receive Issue 2…not me though so I haven’t actually seen my quilt in it. Lots of artists have projects still with the magazine and may never see their quilts and projects again. I actually thought I would never see this particular quilt again, but I did receive it back about a week and a half ago and for that I am very grateful. I don’t really want to make this post about ACM though, so let’s just focus on the quilt.

These quilt blocks were made by placing fabric strips improvisationally through square blocks. I used all solids – a combination of Kaffe Fassett Shot Cottons, Moda Cross Weaves, Art Gallery Pure Elements, FreeSpirit Designer Solids, and Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton Solids. The blocks measure 9″ x 9″ unfinished. My blocks alternate warm/cool/warm/cool… colors.

I decided on a scrappy binding and quilted this in a free motion meandering design. I am really happy with the finished product and it will probably now live in my daughter’s room.

So, I’m sure I don’t need to say this, but just because I like to keep my blog a positive place, please let’s focus on the quilt in the comments and not negative or disparaging comments surrounding the now defunct magazine. I know for those involved, emotions are high. Thanks everyone!

Updated:
Wow, I am really overwhelmed by all the emails and comments from you guys offering to send me a copy of the magazine! I am actually practically speechless over it, this is just the best community.

Since people are just now getting their magazines late, I’m going to wait a couple weeks and see if mine makes it over here. Looks like there is hope! Thank you so much everyone. xox

Another Update (early July):
Thanks so much to one of my readers who let me know she found the magazine at Barnes & Noble. I just found and bought a copy there! So if you are interested in making this pattern, check your bookstore for the magazine.

Last week I finished my Modern Whimsy quilt, and I am very pleased with how it turned out! When choosing a design this time, I turned to my collection of quilt books and ended up using a pattern (sort of) in the book Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design, and Inspirationby Malka Dubrawsky. This is the quilt from the pattern. I say I “sort of” followed the pattern because rather than using the actual measurements, I just made up my own based on the width of the solid fabrics I had and also the size of one of my quilting rulers. {Lazy much?} This meant the solid fabrics I used were cut 2.5″ x 17″ and the printed fabrics were cut to 6″ x 17″.

There were a couple things that drew me to Malka’s pattern. First was the fact that the resulting quilt appeared random and scrappy, but if you look at the solid fabrics, they are actually a pattern. In each column, the top 3 solid strips are the same color, the next 2 are the same color, and then the bottom 4 are the same color.

When I was laying out the Modern Whimsy prints, I made sure not to place a print with a non-white background between 2 solids that matched. For example, if the printed fabric had a blue background, I did not place it between blue solids. This ensured the fabric would really pop and not get lost in the quilt.

This quilt went together extremely quickly. I cut it in one evening and assembled the top the next morning. I think it has a pretty nice “wow” factor for a short timeframe.

For the back, I used some leftover prints and solids and made a strip through the top of the quilt. I quilted in a meandering free motion style. The binding is scrappy, using all of the colors of the Modern Whimsy circles. I really love how that part turned out, especially from the back. It measures 62″ x 49″.

I’m very excited about the destination for this quilt. I have a group of friends that started in an online message group 6 years ago. We met when we were all pregnant with our now 5 year olds. Over the last 6 years, the group has become a little smaller and moved locations, but there are still quite a few of us together. A lot of us have met each other in real life through vacations or just the fact that we happen to live in the same cities. It would be impossible to tell you how special this group is to me. We have been through a lot together – from siblings being born, to losing children, love, divorce, career changes, illness…even losing two of our own to cancer.

I tell you all this so you know how important this group of women and their families are to me, and how lucky I am to have the chance to help one of these moms and her son with a quilt. One of our moms (a fellow Chicagoan) has a little boy who was born 5 years ago extremely premature. He has cerebral palsy and receives therapy at Center for Independence, Through Conductive Education. It is an intense therapy program for children with Cerebral Palsy. The center has made unbelievable progress with my friend’s son – he has even started a bit of walking with a reverse walker, something they were told he would never be able to do. And the best part is that they do not turn anyone down because if an inability to pay.

This quilt is being donated to the Center for Independence for an annual auction fundraiser on March 2nd. I hope it helps raise a bit of money for an organization that has given so much hope to someone I love.

Yesterday was officially the best mail day of 2012. A couple of weeks ago, fabric designer Laurie Wisbrun asked if I was interested in playing around with a bit of her latest collection, Modern Whimsy. It took me about 1 millasecond to say YES! Well the fabric arrived courtesy of Robert Kaufman fabrics and it is just beautiful. It really screams out “Spring!” to me, which was appropriate as I think it was in the 50′s when I was taking my photos…in Chicago…in January!

I especially think these circles are a great stash builder. I see them in many, many future projects.

I have already started cutting my first quilt. There will be many more I think, and I believe I will be following Heather’s lead with her fabric and making some for donation. I can’t wait to share more with you soon!