Ribbon Box Quilt - WIP

Last year I had finished this Ribbon Box Quilt top and finally decided to start quilting it.  When I picked my fabrics for this quilt I was certain that the prints and colours I had selected would work perfectly with the design of the quilt, but when I had finished piecing it, I was not entirely sure if I had made the right selections.  Because all of the fabrics are light to medium together with the white background fabric, I don't think that the ribbons 'pop' as much as I had hoped.  

In the end it is a really pretty quilt and together with some beautiful textured quilting I think it will look great!

I had decided to quilt a rather dense (small scale) stippling in the background, the idea is to have the background area lay a little 'flat' and hopefully that way once I quilt the ribbons they will pop and stand out.

With all of the stitch in the ditch complete and the background quilting done it is time to move on to the 'ribbons'.  I just love quilting swirls!!!  I think I am going to use three or four different designs within the ribbons, its hard to decide which, but so far the swirls looks great!  Maybe some large pebbles and curvy lines will work well too... I just want to have fun playing around with different textures.

So far...I think it looks great!

If you are interested in the making your own 'Ribbon Box Quilt', you can find links to the pattern in this POST I shared.

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New WIP - Ribbon Box Quilt

I've had these fabrics in my stash for almost a year now, waiting for the right project to come along.  It has been a while, but I think I finally found a pattern that I really like.  It was especially hard not to start cutting into them once I got them, but I am so glad I kept it aside ...

Ribbon Box Quilt by Michelle Engel Bencsko

The prints are so pretty I just had to decide on something that would really show them off.  Some of the prints are quite large and covers large spaces, so to use it in a quilt that uses small or smaller pieces would not be sensible.  

So I found this Ribbon Box Quilt pattern by Michelle Engel Bencsko on Cloud9Fabrics, and I think it was the perfect choice for my fabric bundle.

I am pleased with the way it looks so far, and I love that it comes together so fast.  I will have a finished quilt top in no time...

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Double Slice Layer Cake Quilt

For those of you that have been following my blog for a long ...long time, might remember THIS quilt.  The design is called 'Double Slice Layer Cake' quilt and its from Missouri Star Quilt Co. 

I pieced this quilt in December 2012, and would you believe it, I had forgotten all about it.  It was tucked away right at the bottom of one my UFO containers.  I was on a mission these past few weeks cleaning out, sorting out and organizing all of my cupboards and rooms in our home.  The last room I sorted out was my sewing room, and when I came across this quilt, I immediately set it aside, knowing that this quilt WILL be quilted next.

Basting this quilt took me a good few hours.  I had to move the furniture away in my bedroom to clear a large enough space to pin baste it.  It's quite BIG, measuring at 73 inches square.  Luckily I am no longer afraid of quilting a large quilt on my home sewing machine.  After I have finished my Summer Solstice quilt, I know its possible.

For this quilt I am going to keep the quilting simple.  My aim, is TEXTURE.  So I am quilting an all over flower meander design using a gold'ish colour thread.  I think it blends in really well, and on every other dark piece of fabric the quilting shows up more clearly.  I might add a bit of interest inside the narrow white border and quilt something completely different, but I am still deciding. 

It is so nice quilting again after a few weeks' distraction.

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Finally, a finished quilt top!

I am calling it, 'Summer Solstice'

I can seriously get why people love designing their own quilts.  From the first moment you get an idea, playing with layouts, colours and fabrics, right up to that point where you've lovingly stitch that very last block, sew in that last border.  There is a sense of accomplishment, relief almost knowing and seeing your work, your idea come alive.  I love it!

I love this quilt!  I had a mix of ten different 'Cocoon by Valerie Wells for Westminster fabrics' in my stash for a while now, and I knew I wanted to keep it for something special.  This project was the perfect choice, and I am so glad I did.  Using traditional quilt blocks, with bright and bold fabrics and the white background fabric makes it look quite modern, and with the blocks on point it really adds another dimension to the quilt. 

The quilt top finished at 87 x 66 ½ inches, the biggest I have made yet.  It will be a test of patience quilting it on my little Bernina, but I cant wait to get started, sooooo excited!!

I thought of sharing with you some of the colour layouts I played with before I finally decided on what I have today.  I love the look of solid colours as shown in the pink/grey and red/green quilt below.  I even played around with some more traditional autumn colours, but it was just not what I had in mind.  That was when I uploaded a few of the fabrics I used in my now finished quilt,  and I loved it together with the white background. 

I have a few people that volunteered to test my pattern, but I am not completely finished with it just yet.  If there are any of you who might want to try it out, please contact me.  Update (19/01/2014) I have been very lucky with a large amount of volunteers to test my pattern, and do not need any more request, thank you for your interest.  Please keep a lookout for future updates on my blog, it will be up for purchase soon.

Fabric Requirements

6 yards White/Solid Background Fabric

1 ¾ yards Assorted Print Fabrics

½ yard Assorted Solid Colour Fabrics

Finished Quilt Size at 87 x 66 ½ inches

Finished Block Size at 13 inches (12 ½ inches inside quilt)

Quantities are for 44/45” wide 100% cotton

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Double Slice Quilt Top

We all know things can get a bit hectic this time of year, and to make time for sewing and quilting is almost impossible.  But over the weekend I suddenly had a burst of energy and thought of nothing except piecing this double slice quilt top.  And that's exactly what I did.

The pattern calls for a layer cake, but I used a 32pc fat quarter bundle that allowed me to make this quilt larger and I still have bit of fabric left.  I made 49 blocks in total that allowed me to put 7 blocks across and 7 blocks down, so this quilt be a completely square instead of a rectangle shape.  

I have not measured it yet, I'm thinking of adding another strip of white fabric all around to accentuate the scrappy border I've already added.

I cant wait to start quilting, although I have no idea what design to quilt yet...

Happy quilting

 

When is a quilt your OWN design?

As I'm still fairly new at quilting and learning new terms every day, I haven't really thought about this topic until now.  But I need help to know when is a quilt your own design.

I made this quilt, following a 'single block' tutorial I found on the internet (click here for the tutorial), I did not piece it from any pattern or example except for the block, so is it safe to say its my design?

Pers Diamant/Purple Diamond

Most of the competitions I have seen, one of the requirements is that you design the quilt yourself.  So before I can really think about doing something like that, I need this question answered.

Happy quilting.

Diamond block, -the way its intended UPDATE

If you go back to my previous post "Diamond block -the way its intended" you'll see what a mess I've made of a block which should be so simple.  I completely went at it all wrong, and I'm so glad I went back to change it.

Here is a sneak peak of my quilt.  I've finished basting it this afternoon, and I will start quilting tomorrow.

Happy quilting

Diamond Block, -the way its intended

A couple of days ago I posted that I needed help with a quilt I was planning, you can read up on it here.  

HUGE FLOP..

But  when I looked closely to my original block (right), I realized it didn't look one bit like the one I intended on making in the first place.  Why would I want to complicate something that is already done, and which I liked enough to make.

Diamond HST Block

Because of silly pour planning, I started out all wrong, so after looking at the block (left) again, and comparing it with mine, I noticed that my purple block did not even 'match' the one shown in the picture.  So I drew out the block on a piece of paper, numbering the fabric, and went from there.  I should have done it in the first place, as the tutorial called for 4 different types of fabric, I wanted it like the picture, using 9.

Now the center block, is purple all round with the green around it.  Exactly the way it should have been.  At least now, the block makes sense, right?

After I was happy with the result I carried on piecing all the little half square triangles.  I've linked up the video tutorial I used to make them at the end of this post, be sure to check it out, it's very simple to do.

So after cutting, piecing and pressing the seems open, which comes to a total of 160 small half square blocks (excluding the 2 finished blocks I already made) I decided to carry on tomorrow.

Happy quilting.