Big Sky Fabric in Funky Christmas

Last Fall while visiting Denver, CO, I went to Fancy Tiger Crafts, a unique fabric, yarn and craft store. Definitely worth a visit if you're ever in the area!

Of course, I had to buy some fabric as a souvenir! And settled on Big Sky from Moda. Once I got it home, I knew I'd make Funky Christmas from my book, Simply Modern Christmas. I always love seeing other quilters versions of my patterns and I definitely wanted to try it again with a dark background. I think it was the perfect fabric line, background, pattern combination!

Once the quilt top was finished, I was clueless as to how to quilt it and what color thread to use with the dark background and light pieces. I ended up with straight lines running diagonally from the center. I started the quilting with a big "X" through the center and then echoed the lines in each quadrant. The thread color is a medium teal and it worked out pretty well!

For a backing, I found this Mammoth flannel by Robert Kaufman in just the right colors. This was my first time using this line and I have to say - I love it! The flannel is not as "fuzzy" as typical flannel, but it is oh so soft and the quilt has a wonderful drape and feel to it.

I had trouble finding a good binding fabric in my stash, so I ended up making a scrappy binding from the leftover fabrics in the quilt.

Gotta love those bears and the moose!!!

What I did on my retreat!

I was on my semi-annual retreat last week! It was fabulous! The weather turned more Spring-like and addition to the food and fun, there was lots of sewing!

I started this quilt. The pattern is from Fat Quarter Style. I modified the blocks a bit (big surprise!) to make them square and plan on setting them together like this.

I also finished the top of my "Scattered Blossoms Quilt" from the book Playful Petals. Ten of the blocks were made by some Bee friends, so I just had a few more to make.

Also on my retreat agenda was this tote bag. It's the small Art Student Tote by Anna Maria Horner. It was a breeze to make! All her patterns are so well written. I'd really like to make the bigger version now.

Three of my retreat-mates finished  (or almost finished) a Garden lattice quilt from my book, Simply Modern Christmas. I never tire of seeing this pattern done in different fabrics.

And this week I've started to machine quilt "Fletching", "Broken Arrows", "Jarts" quilt. You girls came up with such great names - now I can't decide which I like best :)

It's a lot of turning with the Zigzag lines, but totally worth it. The perfect quilting design for this one!

Thanks for stopping by!!

Some year end projects...

It's that time of year when all the normal routines fall away and the busyness of the season takes hold. I have been sewing and finishing up some projects, but haven't taken the time to share here on the blog. Maybe some of us Instagrammers are getting a little lazy on the blog front. And it hasn't helped that there's been so little sun here for picture taking in maybe a month?

So I'm dropping in today to share a few photos of some recent finishes.

Cheerio pattern by Thimbleblossoms, quilted by Crinklelove.

Peppermint Float in Cotton + Steel, quilted by me...

A mini quilt made by me for a Christmas exchange. Tutorial found at Modern Handcraft...

I love the Cotton + Steel Feather print binding on this one...

After you make something for someone else, do you end up making another for yourself? More Hexagons...

And that's a wrap on the sewing for this year!  I'll be back with some year end collages and some thoughts on the future of the blog {and there is a future}.

I wish each of you a very Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday. Enjoy every single little minute!
Blessings...

Peppermint Float Variation

I've had this variation of my Peppermint Float pattern {from Simply Modern Christmas} in the back of my mind for a while. I finally created it in EQ7, liked the idea and decided it was time to cut into my precious Cotton+Steel fabric!

The change starts by substituting an alternate 6" square or block for the center star...

A slight change in the sashing creates a background grid for the blocks. I think that has lots of possibilities! The sashing strips are cut 2 1/2" x 10 1/2" with a 1 1/2" x 2 1/2" framing fabric piece on each end.

It's actually a simpler version and went together in a snap!

I decided not to add a border to this one {except for a white background border to float the design}, so this one's ready for quilting! I'm thinking of a simple diagonal grid.

Here's the original quilt from the book...

What do you think of the variation?

Another WIP Wednesday...

Between shoveling snow, photography class and painting walls, I feel like this year has gotten off to a slow start for me sewing-wise. So if for no one except me - a WIP Wednesday is sorely needed!

I did finish up my Hanging Around wall quilt. The pattern is in my book and I used the Botanics line with some peeks of Charlie Harper fabric thrown in...

Next up in my quest to use some scraps and stash fabrics this year, I started making Economy Blocks using the tutorial from Red Pepper Quilts. The blocks are colorful, fun, but slow-going especially in the cutting phase. 

Luckily, I cut the remainder of my blocks the other night, so things should move along soon. I'm making 90 blocks {9 x 10} - a nice lap size for the kiddos.

A bit at a time, I'm piecing the blocks for my Gypsy Kisses quilt from Material Obsession 2. I have some tricks I've discovered along the way - let me know if any of you are interested!

I pulled out my 2013 BOM, Lucky Stars, last week and happily discovered I had 12 blocks completed {I was procrastinating on this one because I thought I had one more block to make!}. My sashing had been stowed away, so it was a quick job to sew these together!

And my quilt top pile has seemed to grow again {how does it do that??}. I chose my Kaleidoscope first, got it basted and started quilting.

That's it for this week! Linking up to Lee at Freshly Pieced!

Hanging Around...

Like much of the midwest {maybe even the country?} I've been snowed in this week. Seemed like the perfect opportunity to go to my want-to-make-quilts list and have some fun.

I've been wanting to make another of this pattern from Simply Modern Christmas. I was a lucky girl and won some Charlie Harper fabric on Instagram from Westwood Acres before Christmas. The little cardinals were the perfect size to fussy cut and place randomly in my wreath made from Botanics.

I just love this little guy peeking out from the design!

Hope you're staying warm and making the best of your inside time!!

More Chances to Win!

I asked a few of my favorite bloggers to review my book and give away an ebook on their blogs. You definitely want to check out these two! Candace and Carla are both fantastic photographers and wait until you see what they made from the book!

Candace blogs at Saltwater Quilts and has an amazing gift for putting fabrics together. I found Candace from Lee's WIP Wednesdays and have been a loyal follower since. You must see the "Joy" quilt she made using the Moda line Lush Uptown {and of course some of her stash additions}. It makes me want to make a third version! Visit Candace's giveaway post here.

Carla blogs at Lollyquiltz and we have just gravitated towards each other. Our styles are very similar as are our grandchildren's ages. {We've got a boy and girl born a month apart that we have plans to fix up someday!}. Carla made the tree skirt, "Skirted", from the book and it is just fabulous! She used an Aneela Hoey Christmas print for the large triangles and well, you've just got to hop over and see it! Carla's giveaway post is here.

And don't miss the chance at Tracey's blog, Traceyjay quilts.

I'm packing up the quilts today and they're headed out on the road again {they've been traveling a lot!}. A few will go to Quilt Market ~ check out Martingale's booth there ~ and the remainder will be on display at The Hickory Stick. If you're in or near Hannibal, MO be sure to check them out. And I'll be there for a book signing on October 19th!

Scrappy Quilts and a book giveaway!

Thanks for reading along as I share all the projects in my new book. One of the interesting things about making quilts for a book is that you spend so much time with them - when you're done, you're so ready to ship them off and move on. But then about a year later, they come back and you fall in love all over again. Yes, I'm so happy with every quilt in this book.

Many of you have shared in my excitement and I so appreciate that. I have a couple more quilts to tell you about, but before I do that ~ how about a giveaway announcement?

Next Monday morning I'll randomly pick 2 names from the comments on this post. One international reader will receive an ebook and one US reader will receive a signed hard copy.

Who doesn't love a scrappy quilt? And who doesn't have some scraps to use up? Meet "Check". She's the perfect quilt for using all kinds of fabric. Coordinated or totally scrappy.

Here's an earlier version I did. It has more of a sweet, Springy look to it.

The last quilt in the book is called "Coming Together". It's made from lots of scrappy Flying Geese and  a fun larger scale print. I love this quilt, even though it seems a bit chaotic. Don't you think the holidays can be a bit chaotic in a happy way?

And an alternate version in one of my favorite combos ~ red and aqua.

So there you have it! A close up look at all the quilts in the book.

For a chance to win your own, leave a comment on this post. I'd love to know if you have a favorite quilt from the book; or what kind of sewing you're doing for Christmas; or what's your favorite Christmas fabric?

If you're an international reader, please note that in your comment - {I'd love to know where you're from} there will be 2 separate drawings. And please be sure there's an email address associated with your comment. I'll draw 2 winners Monday, September 30th at 8am. Good luck!!

Modern Quilts from Traditional Blocks

I've had some fun over the past couple of weeks lecturing for some of our local guilds about making modern quilts with traditional designs. It's been dubbed "modern traditionalism" and fits my style to a "T". I thought I'd share a few of the quilts from Simply Modern Christmas that are truly designed around a traditional block.

First up is "Peppermint Float". If you're a local you may remember this pattern that I did several years ago for one of our shops. It was back in the day when brown and blue were the go-to colors and my original was called "Root Beer Float".

A few years later I moved to brighter colors and a more modern aesthetic, and it became "Peppermint". The block is a Sawtooth Star - a little one and a big one that looks like it's sitting on top of it's border. Really, pretty easy to piece. The fabric is a beautiful Christmas line by Heather Mulder Peterson that is somehow both traditional and modern at the same time.

That traditional Sawtooth Star block has been a favorite of mine forever and I love combining it with an alternate block. "Funky Christmas" is a good example! I just love the bright aqua in this quilt {then again I have an affinity for aqua}.

And yup! The same Sawtooth Star is found in "Spruced Up". This simple design is another that showcases the gorgeous fabrics we have to work with. I love the modern asymmetry created by the Christmas tree, but you really could leave that off and have a wonderful, simple quilt for any occasion.

Here's my original in an older Christmas line by Basic Grey.

Did you know the Sawtooth Star dates back to 1884? I love how we're using these old blocks in new ways. Our ancestors would be very proud and probably amazed!

Don't forget to add anything you make from Simply Modern Christmas to the flickr group here.

Saturday I'll be at Janie Lou in St Louis from 1-3 for a trunk show and book signing. In fact the trunk show is already up in the shop. Hope you can stop by and chat!

Have you seen the ad in Quilt Sampler magazine? You can get a $10 rebate on any Martingale/That Patchwork Place book purchased from a quilt shop. You need the coupon in the ad and a receipt. What a deal!

Fat Quarter Friendly Quilts...

What quilter doesn't love a fat quarter pack? Even my husband, who could not tell you the size of a fat quarter, knows that they're collected by quilters everywhere. I have mixed emotions about them. They look so pretty all tied up, but I'm always anxious to pull each fabric out to get a closer look. Someday, if I win the lottery, I'll buy two of each one - one to open and one to look pretty on the shelf!

Scrumptious - photo used with permission by Camille Roskelley at Simplify

Your favorite fat quarter pack would be really useful for three of the quilts in my new book, Simply Modern Christmas.

First up, Garden Lattice...

This pattern looks fantastic in so many color combinations! Here's my original one in grays and yellows...

I recently made a new one using a Nordika fat quarter pack - the line by Jeni Baker from Art Gallery Fabrics. I changed it a little by putting the blocks on point and adding setting triangles in gray. I'll show you more of this one once it's quilted!

"Joy" is also made with fat quarters...

And the first one I did using primarily Meadowsweet by Sandi Henderson (the blocks are set straight here instead of on point)...

And finally "Argyle"...

Here's my "Wild Child Argyle", with it's single rebel block...

You'll also notice I changed the colors and used white and black, creating an "X" effect across the quilt. I love how changing up the fabrics a bit can change the whole look of the quilt!

So grab a fat quarter pack {yes, you have to open it} and get sewing. Don't forget to add anything you make from the book to the flickr group!