Cloud 9 Cirrus Solids

I'm sure you have seen this advert for Cloud 9's range of Cirrus Solids. They are GORGEOUS colors and fabrics to touch. I was really taken with them when quilting this top - soft and vibrant.

Cloud 9 has a Block of the Month challenge going at the moment. Our guild (NYC Metro Modern Quilters) took on the challenge and made a beautiful quilt. I got to quilt it! Maria pieced the quilt and suggested the feather running up the middle. This is essentially a little bit of an quilters eye candy post ;-)

Mixing up Simple Free Motion Designs

Our guild is currently making baby quilts for charity and this was a top from Maria. Maria said that she had had this top for around a year so it would be nice to get it finished. The block is based on the Flatiron Partnership logo - which I think makes a really great block. It was such a great idea my Maria to translate this logo into a patchwork design. I read somewhere that you are a true quilter if you see a quilt in everything you see - and I don't know how many of you also walk around the world looking at things constantly thinking 'that would make a great quilt' .... my list of ideas & projects is seemingly endless these days.

As soon as I saw it and saw all the white negative space my eyes lit up. I decided to play with mixing various designs together.

The top I started off with spirals and pebbles. 

A little further down the quilt I added some longer wavy spirals to the standard spirals & pebbles.

Next I added in some plain waves to the mix ...

... and finally I added some feathers (I love this row the best.)

It was a fun, quick project - and I love the result.

I hope that in the future I will be able to push this idea further and mix lots and lots of designs up together to make a really interesting texture/design - try and encourage people to look at the top of the quilt for a long time - hunt for different designs and concepts mushed in together in unexpected ways!

New York Metro Mod Quilters: Quilt Top

As I have mentioned this top came from my guild the New York Metro Mod Quilters. I haven't belonged to a quilting guild before - my teacher Teri had encouraged me to join one. At my first meeting I showed this memorial quilt. For some reason I thought that I would be flooded with ideas on how I could make it better, improved it, done it differently - but to my surprise people where SO kind about it. So kind my cheeks got pink.

I also mentioned I was getting a longarm and happy to practice on anything anyone wanted to give me. Perhaps a foolish offer as a few minutes later I had this quilt top in my arms. The backing material was also provided by the guild.



I have posted about this quilt before here and here. It has not been a happy relationship - and I felt I might pass out when I had eventually finished it. I felt everything could have been done better. Now it has been bound and washed I am able to look at it more fondly. Yes the quilting is not perfect enough to make me 100% happy - but it was great practice for me and I know the next piece will be better and more accurate because of the time I put into this top.

Every block is done is a different pattern - so that is 30 different patterns I got to try out on this piece. Here are some of my favorites.

This fan pattern was really pretty and surprisingly easy to do. 

This Sashiko Shell is from Day 10 of Leah Day's Free Motion Project. I was surprised by how much I liked the effect it gave.

Feathers into the corners.

Spirally fans. 

And this one - figure of eights - I know it is a well used, known pattern. I've seen it all over the place - but gosh did I struggle with this!! Funny how sometimes those things supposed to be easy & basic really challenge us at times. 

And here is the back - in pink tie dyed wonder! The block in the middle was handed in late so it was used as part of the back. I still need to practice improving the backs of my quilts. When ever I see people with quilt backs as pretty as the front I am jealous.  It will be something I'll be working hard on this year.

I'm excited to hand it back - but also terrified. I hope people will be kind. I'd probably give myself an A for effort on this piece with a C- for results .........