When I was picking thread colors to quilt projects for my new collection, Caturday, I discovered a happy accident. Lots of the thread colors from my Luna Sol Aurifil thread set were great matches for Caturday! When I dumped all the new rolls of fabric into my storage pin, it clicked. The two collections blend together almost seamlessly to create a bright and happy color spectrum! Awww yiss. 

I pre-ordered the Tula Nova EPP kit from Paper Pieces while at Quilt Market in St. Louis, and received it in early June, eager to get started. Time for a Luna Sol and Caturday mashup of legendary greatness! I spent some time studying the original quilt and mimicked the color placement in my coloring sheet, taking notes on which prints I planned to use. The ring of striped pentagons dug its claws in my brain and I had to replicate it. Thankfully, my buddy Rebecca Bryan's new collection Panache had four stripe prints that were perfect colors for this project. I had to improvise for the yellow stripe by piecing the fabric myself from Kona Buttercup and Yarrow. For the diamonds on the outermost pentagons, I used a selection of Windham Artisan cottons and a few other random Kona shades.

Once the whole thing was pieced, I had to figure out how to applique this giant onto the background. The pattern suggests basting it before appliqueing, but doesn't get more detailed than that. I put on my thinking cap and came up with a solution that worked insanely well. I've detailed my process below. Take note however, I thread basted all of pieces. If you're a glue baster, this approach won't work quite the same.

1. Remove all the paper pieces except for those along the outermost edge. Press the entire EPP monster with a hot iron and spray starch until it is entirely flat and smooth. Give the outermost edges an extra press.
2. Lay out background fabric and tape to the ground as if basting a quilt sandwich, making sure it's smooth and taut. Lay applique on top, position as desired, and smooth it out. Pin baste, starting at the center and working out radially. Do not basted the outermost edge because these pieces still have paper in them. Instead, pin as close to them as you can on the pieces without paper. Your outermost edge will be unbasted.
3. Select a thread to match your applique (I used Aurifil monofilament on top) and set your machine to a blanket stitch.
4. Remove the thread basting on a small section of the outermost edge and remove the paper pieces. I worked "block" (the star-in-pentagon units or fat star units) by block. With the papers removed from one block, pin the loose outer edge down with a straight pin or two. Begin stitching the applique down with the blanket stitch. When you reach any dog ears/seam allowances that stick out, simply fold them under the applique. I used my Purple Thang for this or a pair of tweezers for stubborn dog ears.
5. Proceed around the entire piece, removing basting and papers from the next block just before you reach it, pinning it as needed, and stitching. 

For the quilting, I mimicked the original quilt for the most part, making some minor changes here and there. I'm pretty impressed with how well it came out, considering I do this on a domestic machine. I can't wait to hang this up on the wall whenever we move into our own place!

Name: Luna Nova
Size: 58" square
Fabric: Luna Sol, Caturday, Panache (stripes), and assorted solids
Pattern: Tula Nova
Quilting: Custom (Aurifil monofilament)
Completed: June 28, 2017

Caturday is set to ship to stores in October 2017. I haven't done a recap/introduction post for the collection yet because I plan to do that closer to release time, so stay tuned!

Rainbow Medallion Tutorial

Last year, I downloaded the "Paint It" FPP pattern by ipatchandquilt on Craftsy in an attempt to get over my paper piecing aversion. After many diligent hours of work, I completed the block, but couldn't decide what to do with it. A year later, I picked it back up and used it at the center for a scrappy Rainbow Medallion.

Name: Rainbow Medallion 
Size: 50" square
Fabric: Assorted scraps and solids
Pattern: Rainbow Medallion 
Quilting: Custom w/ gray & white Aurifil 50wt

Completed: December 2015

I thought I'd share a rough tutorial so you guys can make your own Rainbow Medallion. You will need:

•  A ton of rainbow scraps / FQs / FEs
• The Paint It pattern ($1.49 on Craftsy) - print (4) copies of the templates
• Gray/Dark fabric for paint tubes (I don't know exact yardage, but .5 yard should be more than enough)
• At least 2 yds of white fabric
• .25 yd of solid fabric for border #6

Start by making the Paint It block. The pattern is made up of four quadrants that form the circle of paint tubes. Each quadrant measures 10.5" square unfinished. Sew the quadrants together to get the 20.5" square unfinished block. 

Border #1 - Solid White

I added a thin white border (cut 1" wide strips) to my center block to bring it up to 21" square (21.5" including seam allowances).

Border #2 - Plus Blocks

To make each Plus block in Border #2 you will need the following colored pieces: (1) 1.25" x 2.75" and (2) 1.25" squares. You'll also need (4) 1.25" white squares. Make (28) plus blocks as illustrated. They will measure 2.75" square unfinished.

Sew (7) plus blocks together with 1.375" x 2.75" sashing pieces in between. Make (4) borders like this. Make (4) 2.75" unfinished HSTs using the one at a time method and add those as cornerstones. 

Border #3 - Solid White

I added another solid white border (cut 1.75" wide strips) to bring it up to 28" (28.5" including seam allowances).

Border #4 - Chevrons

I made (24) pairs of inverse flying geese to form (24) chevrons. Each geese measures 2" x 4" finished. The >< shaped chevrons are sashed by 2" x 4" solid white pieces. The corner stones measure 4" square, finished.

Border #5, 6, 7 - Solids

I sandwiched a solid Aloe border between white ones. I cut all strips 1.5" wide for 1" finished borders.

Border #8 - Rectangles

The last border is made up of (44) 2" x 4" finished rectangles and (4) 4" square cornerstones. Simple enough.

Here's a little grayscale planning sheet for you so you can better see the individual sections.

Chic Country Quilt

Since I made my first curved quilt, piecing curves has been no big deal. They don't scare me at all and always seem to impress people. I purchased the Quick Curve Ruler and the Chic Country pattern from the Sew Kind of Wonderful booth at Fall Quilt Market because this design makes such a statement. It looks difficult as hell, and I love the chance to trick people into thinking I'm a prodigy. 

As is my tradition, I pulled my fabrics from the bag of Cotton + Steel FQ bundles I bought at Sample Spree. I started with Kim Kight's "City Afternoon" print from Penny Arcade as the inspiration for my color palette: warm purples, orangy reds, dusty pink, and an assortment of low volume prints. I also tossed in a few C+S basics and other low volume prints. 

Piecing the quilt was deceptively simple. I probably spent more time obsessing over fabric placement than sewing. The QCR makes the whole process pain-free. 

I went for a simple quilting approach, echoing the circles that the pieced blocks create. 

Name: Amusement
Size: 54" square
Fabric: Cotton + Steel Fall 2015 collections + basics
Pattern: Chic Country
Quilting: Echoed circles w/ gray Aurifil 50wt
Completed: November 2015

The Meadow Quilt

I think the Meadow Quilt is like the unicorn of quilt patterns. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, the Meadow is a quilt pattern taught exclusively in workshops by its creator, Lizzy House. There has been and will never be a print version available. The only way to make the quilt is to take the workshop, which Lizzy literally travels the world teaching. This past November, the Houston Modern Quilt Guild hosted Lizzy and I got one of the coveted 18 spots in her Meadow quilt workshop. 

This was my first paid workshop experience, and I was very pleased with all that I learned. Lizzy's a wonderful teacher and she made everything so simple for us. As a thank you, I gave her the little Lizzy doll I made as a gift. 

I used all Lizzy House fabrics + Kona solids for my meadow. It was so gratifying to watch the colored centers come together that I ended up putting the entire top together in two days, which Lizzy confirmed is the second fastest after herself! So I got that dorky bragging point now. I made my borders a tiny bit smaller than Lizzy's because I realized I could use 2 yards less fabric and the quilt would only be like 5" smaller overall. 

I dreamed big with my FMQ quilting and went for custom centers and pebbled borders to mimic stones around a flower bed. I used a gray 50wt Aurifil on the centers and border and white 50wt Aurifil on the white petals. I ended up using an entire spool of gray, because pebbles are no joke! 

I'm so happy to have this quilt in my collection!

Size: 66" x 75"
Pattern: Meadow Quilt
Quilting: Custom center with pebbled borders
Completed: November 2015
Fabric: 48 Lizzy House prints, Kona White, Kona Aloe, and Kona Seafoam

Treasure Jar Quilt Pattern

The Treasure Jar Quilt was an idea I had been sitting on for a while before I put it to the test. It was one of many quilt ideas I had stashed in an Illustrator document on my computer, unsure if it would ever be executed. Thankfully, I recently took the initiate to try it out. I totally fell in love.

The Treasure Jar Quilt was meant to be a way to showcase your favorite fussy cut fabrics without having to constrain those prints with a color palette. The consistency of the jars and lids helps keep everything in check.

This quilt pattern uses a combination of traditional piecing and machine applique to highlight your favorite fabric prints. The jar blocks measure 6" x 8.5" and the quilt finishes at 52" x 52.5".

My pattern testers dug into their stashes to make some fun-filled jars!

@smoobug added an extra contrasting border for a larger quilt.

@clairejc filled her jars with plenty of critters.

@modernsewciety made her quilt for a the newborn of a friend. 

@taracceleste made a bunch of blocks for a jumbo Treasure Jar quilt! 

@fatchickquilts packed her jars with itty bitty treasure.

@meredithrussian made tiny hexie honeycombs for her treasures.

@pmpaulone contrasted bright hues on a dark background for jars that pop.

The Treasure Jar quilt is now available for sale in my Craftsy pattern shop!

Size: 52" x 52.5"
Pattern: Treasure Jar
Quilting: Straight line quilting to echo sashing
Completed: September 2015

Fabric: Hoarded scraps, Kona Curry, Kona White, and Cotton Couture Aqua

The Teddies Quilt Pattern

Sometimes inspiration for patterns comes in unexpected places. A month ago, I was having one of those days where all you want to do is lay on the couch and veg out. I downloaded a relatively new mobile game for my iPhone called Alphabears. It's a pretty standard word-building game, with one adorable difference: cute blocky bears in costumes.

After playing a few rounds, the light bulb switched on and I ran to my computer to design a teddy bear quilt block. Once I had the block design nailed down, I started working on a quilt layout. Then, as I shifted a second block over, I realized the teddy bears would "hold hands" without sashing strips between them. It was just too cute to pass up.

The Teddies Quilt patterns consists of nine teddy blocks, each comprised of three fabric prints plus a black solid (or near solid) for the eyes, nose, and mouth. My pattern provides material requirements for three bears in each of three colors, as well as cutting instructions for individual teddy blocks if you want to make scrappy teddies like some of my testers.

@applepiepatchwork made her charming teddies with Bonnie & Camille scraps.

@gailtmonroe used her teddies' bellies as a clever opportunity for fussy cutting, which reminds me of Teletubbies.

@hugsarefun made her magenta teddy into a huggable pillow.

@3stitchin_nite_owls also made scrappy teddies with Alison Glass prints. 

@Ifitaintkate didn't have time to finish the quilt top, but she did make some adorable bear-ception blocks with Cotton + Steel prints.

@sleinwand is after my heart with these blue teddies! How cute is that Castle Peeps teddy?!

@taracceleste also made her teddy block into a pillow! 

@karriofberries made a turquoise teddy that she plans to finish into a tote bag. Won't that be cute?

Thank you to my testers for all your work! They really made these teddies come to life.

Click *HERE* to purchase the Teddies Quilt in my Craftsy shop. Check out the hashtag #TeddiesQuilt on Instagram to see more teddies!

Size: 56" x 65"

Fabric: Mini Pearl Bracelets and Jewels by Lizzy House, Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander, Cotton + Steel basics, and Paper Bandana by Alexia Abegg
Pattern: Teddies
Quilting: Blocky meander
Completed: September 2015

Bubble Plus Quilt Pattern

When I read the announcement that Windham Fabrics would be reprinting Heather Ross's Mendocino collection, I practically hit the ceiling. It's one of my favorite fabric collections and by the time I started quilting, it was already long out of print. When Windham sent me a fat quarter bundle to play with, I started sketching ideas to do this collection justice.

The shapes in the background of the octopus print caught my eye and I thought, "That would be a really cool quilt!" 

Windham asked to use the quilt in the look book for the collection, so I was biting my nails about how to quilt it. Quilting is probably one of my weaker points in the quilt-making process, and this was just too pretty for me to mess up. I made the decision to have a quilt long armed for the first time by my friend Pam Biswas. I've never not quilted one of my own quilts! It was hard to hand it off, but I was so glad I did. Pam did a beautiful job.

After binding the quilt, I took some photographs, and packed my baby up to ship out to Windham. The Bubble Plus Quilt makes it's appearance on the back cover of the look book as well as the project book. 

The Bubble Plus quilt pattern is available for purchase in my Craftsy shop. Mendocino will be shipping to stores in March 2016. 

I believe the quilt will be on display at Fall Quilt Market at the end of the month, so if you're in attendance, be sure to check it out!

Size: 64" x 75"

Fabric: Mendocino by Heather Ross
Pattern: Bubble Plus
Quilting: Quilted by Pam Biswas
Completed: August 2015

Iceberg: A Double Gauze Quilt

The more quilts I make, the more I come to appreciate simplicity. After finishing the Epic Game of Thrones Quilt, I needed an easy project that would be less mentally taxing. Without too much thought, I started making half square triangles with my collection of double gauze prints. 

At first I made a bunch of 6" HSTs, which is the largest size I can make with my bloc loc ruler. Then I started using small scraps to make 4", 3", and 2" HSTs. When I was tired of making blocks, I connected the smaller HSTs to make 6.5" x 6.5" unfinished blocks and randomly arranged them. They reminded me of icebergs poking out of the water, hence the name.

Pressing double gauze seams can be...obnoxious. Since the farbic doesn't have much body, the seam allowances aren't inclined to hold their position. I got frustrated and lazy during the process and pretty much threw seam nesting out the window. I would just mash them flat with my iron and sew them. Surprisingly, it doesn't seem noticeable in the finished quilt.

I pieced some wool batting scraps together and made a backing from my unbleached Cotton + Steel double gauze and some larger blue double gauze scraps. I tied all the intersections with blue perle cotton before hand quilting all the background triangles.

Instead of a traditional binding, I did a self-binding finish using some of the excess backing. I machine stitched it down because I was concerned about fraying. Either way, it's super cuddly. 

Size: 48" x 66"

Fabric: Cotton + Steel double gauze prints, Nani Iro, other Japanese double gauze prints, and one Japanese lawn print
Pattern: 6", 4", 3" and 2" HSTs
Quilting: Hand quilted with Aurifil 12wt cotton & tied with perle cotton
Completed: September 18, 2015

Epic Game of Thrones Quilt: All Done!

Seth's Xmas present came early this year! The Epic Game of Thrones quilt is finished! 

I was really anxious about how the quilting process would go. I even considered having it sent out to be longarmed (something I've never done). In the end, I wanted to give Seth a gift that I made entirely by myself, so I put on my big girl pants. Time to do a large custom FMQ job.

On each banner, I did a small scale stipple pattern on background using matching thread, then closely outlined each animal so they would pop. I considered going back and quilting the animals with matching thread, but I was worried about damaging the hand embroidery. Plus they ended up looking pretty cool without any quilting.

I quilted an upside down clam shell pattern on the gray background. The result looks like the banners are hanging on a brick wall. Totally unintentional, but very satisfying.

I stitched a double wavy line (is there a technical name for this?) in the outer border.

I used wool batting (that loft!) and a black sheet for the backing. The solid sheet made for a very interesting back that shows off the quilting. I bound the quilt with more Kona Cotton in charcoal, the same color as the outer border.

Size: 60" x 72"

Fabric: Kona Cotton solids (charcoal, pewter, silver, curry, pepper, rich red, caramel, and tomato)
Pattern: FPP patterns from Misha29 (200%) + original layout (I'll post a tutorial soon)
Quilting: Clamshell background, stipple in banners, and double wavy line border
Completed: August 22, 2015

Finished Full Moon Quilt

No matter how many quilts I finish, each one feels like a grandiose accomplishment. The look of my newest finish deviates from most of my projects, which tend to be a lot more youthful and playful. Nonetheless, it represents an image I've had in my head for a long, long time. It feels good to get the stinker out of of my noggin and into reality. 

When I get the to quilting phase of my quilts, a particular pattern emerges. I think about what designs will enhance the quilt top, speak to it's its design, and make it the best it can be. Five minutes into the execution of that plan, I either screw up or realize that it's going to take a lot more effort than I'm willing to give. The five minutes of quilting takes more than an hour of ripping out and I resign myself to another allover meandering design. I was determined to make sure that wouldn't happen for this quilt.

There were a few times where I doubted how well the quilting would turn out, but I'm glad I hung in there. I started by quilting a spiral on the moon with white thread and my free motion foot. I switched to navy thread for the background and continued the spiral around the moon. After the spiral extended several inches beyond the moon, I ended it and switched to rays that shoot out from the moon. I used tailor's chalk to draw lines out every so often, which helped keep it on track.

The quilting blends into the top nicely, but it really stands out on the back. For the back, I pieced a strip with some of my leftover fabric to add some interest to the plain navy sheet. Yes. I use bed sheets for quilt backs. Don't hurt me.

Size: 60" x 72"
Fabric: Nocturne by Janet Clare
Pattern: Full Moon
Quilting: Spiral and rays
Completed: August 17, 2015

Pixel Chain Quilt

Over the past few months, I've gained a greater appreciation for simple quilts patterns and limited color palettes. I've also been trying to come up with some fast, but cute quilt patterns for gift quilts. I designed the Pixel Chain quilt to blend those elements. Plus I need to work through my stash! 

I used all Cotton + Steel prints, mostly from the Spring 2015 collections. I recently purchased the Creative Grids Stripology ruler and it made the cutting process for this quilt a total breeze. After that, it didn't take long to chain piece all the blocks. 

I machine quilted it with diagonal lines using variegated Aurifil 50wt cotton (#4647) that incorporates blue, white, and pink. It's hard to capture the thread in photos but it made for a really cool effect.

The quilt pattern is available in my Craftsy shop for only $4 and it includes instructions and yardage for three quilt sizes: baby (40" x 40"), lap (48" x 56"), and twin (64" x 88"). This particular quilt is the lap size and it's available for purchase in my bigcartel shop. 

Size: 48" x 56"
Fabric: Cotton + Steel prints
Pattern: Pixel Chain
Quilting: Diagonal lines
Completed: July 8, 2015