Category: Finished Quilts

Wooden Rose Quilt Pattern is Here!

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The day is finally here for the release of my second quilt pattern!  And, I have to say that the second time around is just as exciting as the first.  Actually, it may be more exciting because now I know how meaningful it is to see others making beautiful variations of my quilt pattern.

My Wooden Rose Quilt pattern is a spin on the traditional Carpenter’s Wheel quilt block.  When I first designed the pattern, I set out to use a similar block called a Dutch Rose, but I kept coming back to the Carpenter’s Wheel—it just fit better.  I decided to keep the name “Rose” in the title to celebrate my first pattern since my daughter, Rose, was born.   The idea of a “Wooden Rose” came as a way to include a nod to both blocks.  And now I smile every time I think of someone making a quilt named after my beautiful baby girl.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THE PATTERN

A Couple Things to Know About This Pattern:

  • I labeled it as Advanced Beginner.  The entire quilt is made from half-square triangles; but there are lots of seams to match up, so some experience may be helpful.
  • Like I said, there are lots of half-square triangles (HSTs). If you love them, then this is the quilt for you!  If you are unsure, then this quilt would be a great skill builder as you will get lots of practice.
  • Last, I cannot recommend this ruler enough!  It is not required to make the pattern, but it will save you HOURS of trimming time.
  • The pattern also comes with bonus instructions for a matching throw pillow 🙂

I am providing all the details on my cover quilt below.

You can find kits for a very similar version at Just Sew Studio.  There are also gorgeous kits available at Fairview Quilts, and San Diego Sewn.  Click the mock up photos at the end of this post to purchase one of these kits!

Cover Quilt Details:

Pattern: Wooden Rose Quilt

Quilt Top Fabrics:  Kona Cotton in Melon, Dusty Peach, Mac and Cheese, Saffron, Dusty Blue and Snow.

Backing: Salon Floral in Peach Cream Metallic by Melody Miller

Quilting: Pantograph- White Space, quilted by Kaitlin of Fairview Quilts

Thread: Machine Piecing– Aurifil 50wt in White (2024)

Quilt Kit Mock Ups (Click the on the photo below to purchase a kit)

The Rocking Chair Quilt Pattern is Here!

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I can’t believe I am writing this blog post and that the Rocking Chair Quilt Pattern is finally here!  Writing my own quilt pattern and making this quilt has been such a long time in the making that it seems surreal to finally share it with you.

It has been over a year since I first sketched out the design on graph paper and even longer since I first envisioned it.  The inspiration for this quilt came from the patterns and fabrics in my son’s nursery that I spent hours reflecting on while rocking him sleep; hence the name “Rocking Chair Quilt.”  In fact, we even had another baby and moved homes in the time between imagining this pattern and actually writing it (which is probably why it has taken me so long!)

Like me, the pattern itself also went through lots of changes.  If you purchase the pattern you will see that it comes in two color way options: traditional (three tone) and modern ombre.  I didn’t set out to create an ombre quilt but in the design process I found that one of my favorite parts was creating mock-ups of all the fabric possibilities.  When I saw the mock-up of the ombre version, I fell in love and knew that I had to include directions for this version.  Every copy of the pattern has instructions for both traditional and ombre versions– it’s like two patterns for the price of one!

I am providing all the details for the Rocking Chair cover quilt below.  I did also make a traditional version using Kent chambray fabrics.  However I have not quilted it yet, so it will be a blog post for another day.  Both quilts are pictured below and both are offered as quilt kits, if you want to recreate them for yourself.  You can find quilt kits for my cover version at Just Sew Studio and for the more neutral, traditional version at The Cottoneer.

Here are all the details: (for the ombre version pictured above)

Pattern: Rocking Chair Quilt 

Quilt Top Fabrics: Kona Cotton in Deep Rose, Melon, Primrose, Bellini, Salmon, Peach, Marmalade, Mango, Grellow, Buttercup and Snow

Backing: Autumn Garden in Cranberry by Indy Bloom Design

Binding: Kona Cotton in Bellini

Batting: 80/20 Quilter’s Dream Blend

Quilting: Pantograph-Orange Dream, quilted by Paige Carothers of The Stitching Paige

Thread: Machine Piecing– Aurfil 50wt in White (2024)

All the Details on my Finished Deviate Quilt

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Just two more weeks until our baby girl is due to arrive and I finally finished her last baby quilt.  This quilt was one that I pattern tested but didn’t really have a plan for until I got is back from the long arm quilter…then I knew that I had to keep it!

I have only pattern tested a handful of quilts in the past, but when Kiley from Kiley’s Quilt Room (and Editor of Modish Quilter) reached out to see if I would test her upcoming pattern, I was so excited!  I was a little nervous because this quilt was also my first attempt at Foundation Paper Piecing (FPP), but she promised it was a beginner level design and that the pattern would walk step by step through the process.  And boy am I glad I branched out!  I learned a new skill and found that I love the precision of paper piecing.  This was my first FPP quilt, but it won’t be my last!

If you are new to Foundation Paper Piecing, here are a few tips that I picked up while testing this pattern:

  • Use Foundation Paper.  I tried using regular computer paper, and this was so much easier to use. Here is the brand I used.
  • Shorten your stitch length.  I set mine to 1.6 and this made it much easier to peel the paper at the end.
  • I’ve also heard that many quilters like to use finer thread.  I used my typical 50wt thread and it worked just fine, but I am going to try a higher weight on my next quilt to compare.

As for the design of the quilt, the pattern that I tested was called the Deviate Quilt from Kiley’s Quilt Room and it is available now!  Kiley offered testers a fabric discount at one of her favorite online fabric shops, Binded with Love.  I took advantage of the offer and had them curate a custom bundle of soft blues and pinks and paired them with a white background (see below for all the fabric details).

Being so close to my due date, getting down on the ground to pin paste a quilt was a challenge so I decided to send it off to my friend Paige of The Dogeared Quilt for long arm quilting.   I also thought it would be a good opportunity to try using Shannon Minky as the backing fabric.  Paige used the pantograph called Sprawl and I could not be happier with how it came out!  I think it was the perfect design for this quilt and looks great on the minky back.

And because this was a quilt of firsts (first paper piecing, first minky…), I decided to try my hand at a new binding technique.  Rather than make binding and stitch it on, instead I trimmed the minky fabric about an inch wider than my quilt top and folded it over to create a cozy, frayed look.  If you are looking for guidance, I got my idea from this Instagram post by PiperAutumnFabrics.

All together, I love how this quilt turned out!  It was a quilt of trying new things, which made it perfect for all the new beginnings headed our way.

Here are all the details:

Pattern: Deviate Quilt from Kiley’s Quilt Room (made in the baby size)

Quilt Top Fabrics: Custom Bundle from BindedwithLove, Snow by Art Gallery Fabrics, Sandstone by Art Gallery Fabrics

Backing: Shell Pink Luxe Cuddle by Shannon Fabrics

Binding: Shell Pink Luxe Cuddle by Shannon Fabrics

Batting: 80/20 Quilter’s Dream Blend

Quilting: Pantograph– Sprawl, quilted by Paige Carothers of The Dogeared Quilt

Thread: Machine Piecing- Aurfil 50wt in White (2024)

My “After the Rain” Let’s Grow Quilt for Monthly Milestone Photos

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It has been several weeks since I shared any finished quilts, but I have been doing a lot of sewing behind the scenes. I have two projects that I am waiting to get back from the long arm quilter, including the cover quilt for my first pattern.  I am so excited to share that with you in the coming months!

But first up, today, I am sharing my most recent finish, the “Let’s Grow” monthly milestone quilt.  We are expecting our second child, a baby girl, this month and I fell in love with this pattern the minute I saw it.  I purchased the pattern from Casey of Well Spring Designs, and despite all the different numbers that go into the design, it sewed up relatively quickly!  

And, of course, I did change the pattern quite a bit.  The original pattern did not have the rainbow in the center.  Our pregnancy came after a really difficult year and two lost pregnancies, so we will forever refer to this little one as our “rainbow baby,” and I wanted to incorporate this into the quilt.  I purchased the “After the Rain” quilt pattern from Quilter’s Candy and made the mini size (a single block with borders).  The mini size measured 22”x22”, which was just a little bit bigger than original block in the “Let’s Grow” quilt, so I removed the top border and trimmed the sides to make it work.

I planned to make this another pink and purple quilt, but my three-year old insisted that rainbows have more than just two colors (and he IS right…), so I decided to add all the colors of the rainbow to the border.  And because you can’t have a rainbow without some sunshine, I picked the most adorable sun burst fabric for the back.  I have all the fabric details outlined below.  

When it came time to quilt, I lengthened my stitch to 4.5 and made simple straight lines spaced 1.5 inches apart.

I absolutely love how it turned out! I am planning to use this quilt to take monthly photos of our little girl for the first year.  It will be so fun to watch our little rainbow baby grow on this quilt.  I am still looking for fun and creative ideas to mark which number month I am taking in each photo, if you have any ideas please send them my way!

Here are all the details:

Pattern: Let’s Grow Quilt from Well Spring Designs

      Center block: After the Rain Quilt from Quilter’s Candy

Quilt Top Fabrics: Kona in Melon, Mac and Cheese, Maize, Mint, Dusty Blue, Peony, Thistle and Snow

Backing: Blooming Sunshine in Afternoon Glow by Seamless Gal for Hawthorne Supply Co

Binding: Blooming Sunshine in Afternoon Glow by Seamless Gal for Hawthorne Supply Co

Batting: I used unmarked scrap batting I had on hand (This quilt is more for photos than snuggling)

Thread: Machine Quilting– Aurfil 50wt in White (2024); Binding– DMC Pearl Cotton Size 8 in Cream

FREE Pattern: The Reversible Gameboard Quilt

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Today is an exciting day! I am releasing my first ever quilt pattern, The Reversible Gameboard Quilt!  The pattern is very beginner-friendly and can easily come together in one afternoon.  Fun, fast and free…need I say more?  

If you’d like the free download sent to your email, just click here and I will send you a copy.

My idea for a reversible game board- one side is checkers, the other is tic tac toe- came from a love of spending time outdoors with my family.  I wanted to design something fun, machine washable and that we could easily take anywhere from the beach to camping trips to backyard bonfires.  This pattern is very simple, so it was also good practice in pattern writing as I prepare to release my first full-sized quilt pattern this Summer. 

I have already made two different versions and I am sharing all the details below.  If you are looking to give this game board as a gift or just need an extra set of checkers, here is the link to the ones I have pictured.  Or you can get creative, my son and I used chalk to mark stones with Xs and Os for a game of tic-tac-toe.

Here are the details on my two finished versions so far:

Pattern: Reversible Game Board Pattern (20”x20”)

Quilt Top Fabrics:  Sevenberry Petite Classics in Blossom, Kona in Ballet Slipper

Backing: Kona in Ballet Slipper, Kona in Snow

Binding: Watercolor Gingham Pink from Bessie Pearl Textiles

Batting: Hobb’s Heirloom Cotton Batting (This is not so important since you won’t be snuggling under this quilt- just use scraps you have on hand!) 

Thread: Machine Quilting -Aurifil 50wt in White (2024); Binding– DMC Pearl Cotton Size 8 in Cream

Pattern: Reversible Game Board Pattern (20”x20”)

Quilt Top Fabrics:  Sevenberry Petite Garden in Black, Kona in Snow

Backing: Kona in Snow, Kona in Cardinal

Binding: Kona in Cardinal

Batting: Hobb’s Heirloom Cotton Batting (This is not so important since you won’t be snuggling under this quilt- just use scraps you have on hand!) 

Thread: Machine Quilting -Aurifil 50wt in White (2024); Binding– DMC Pearl Cotton Size 8 in Cream

All that is left is to sit back and enjoy a cup of iced tea while you play (or hot cocoa if you are playing fireside in the wintertime)!

Have the pattern sent to your email by clicking here and let the games begin!

All You Need to Know: Simple Irish Chain

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At the beginning of the month it felt like I was struggling to complete any projects.  But then everything came together and I put the finishing touches on two different quilts in a week…this might be a record for me!  Although it feels a little bit like cheating because this Irish Chain was so simple and fast to put together. But simple patterns and low volume prints make for my favorite type of baby quilt- calming and cozy.

This is the second quilt I made for our little one coming this Spring, but I’m planning to use this one as a stroller, car seat, floor, everywhere kind of blanket.  And for a while, it will probably get more use than the crib quilt I finished last week.  

For those asking about fabrics and patterns, I am sharing all the details below (you can also scroll to the bottom for everything in outline form) 

I have been listening to old A Quilting Life Podcast episodes while I sew, and in several episodes they mention Irish Chain quilts.  I think this is where the idea for this project set in.  I searched through Instagram and found this free pattern from Penelope Handmade. The actual pattern has the requirements for making a 66 x 66”quilt, but it was pretty easy to remove blocks and rows and resize to a 42×42″ baby quilt.  

At this same time, I found the Sevenberry Petite Garden fabric collection and fell head over heels in love, and so I reverse engineered my fabric selection (I started with the backing and found solids to match for the front) to come up with the Kona solids that I chose for the top.

For the quilting, I went with simple cross-hatched lines spaced 2 inches apart. For this I also lengthened my stitch to 4.0.

And quickly becoming my favorite detail to any project is the binding.  A few weeks ago, I wrote a blog post highlighting my favorite (and fastest) ways to make binding strips.  But it turns out there is an even faster (and easier!) way… for this quilt I purchased pre-made binding from Bessie Pearl Textiles.  I chose her delicate pink stripes and I am absolutely in love with how it ties the front and the back of this quilt together. 

All this to say, this was my first Irish Chain but I definitely won’t make it my last!  

Here are all the details:

Pattern: Irish Chain, free download from Penelope Handmade (resized to 42×42″)

Quilt Top Fabrics: Kona in Thistle, Kona in Snow

Backing: Sevenberry Petite Garden Bunches Pink

Binding: Delicate Pink Stripe from Bessie Pearl Textiles

Batting: Hobb’s Heirloom Cotton Batting

Thread: Machine Quilting- Aurfil 50wt in White (2024); Binding- DMC Pearl Cotton Size 8 in Cream

All the Details on my Completed Coralie Quilt

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My Coralie Quilt is finally done!  My favorite thing about this quilt is how simple it looks at first glance, but all the precious details you find when you look close.  The quilt top actually sewed up rather quickly, but I took nearly a month to add all the details I am sharing below (scroll to the bottom for all the details in outline form).  The plan is to use this one in the nursery for our baby girl due in May, so I didn’t mind slowing down to make it extra special.

I wanted a simple and delicate look, so I chose a white background with a variety of pink and purple fabrics for the stars.  I chose mostly low and medium volumes, but did throw in a few darker shades for interest.

Because we are using this quilt in the nursery, I resized it from a throw size to a crib size.  I did this by removing a few rows and blocks.  My version ended up as 47x 50 with 7 Lemoyne Stars and 6 Sawtooth Stars.

When it came time to quilt, I again went with simple.  I used a ruler and hera marker for straight line quilting spaced 2 inches apart.  Next I embellished each star with some hand quilting using Aurfil Floss.  This is the only thing I would do differently next time!  I chose a soft pink color that did not stand out on purpose, but I do wish it was a little more visible.  Next time, I would use a bolder color thread but would have embroidered the stitches onto the top before quilting so that they would not clash with the backing fabric.

My last and maybe favorite detail is the binding.  I always finish quilts by hand but this time created my own criss-cross stitch pattern and I love how it came out!

Here are all the details:

Pattern: Coralie Quilt by Liza Taylor Handmade (I resized to 47×50)

Star Fabrics: (As photographed above) Kona in Foxglove; Cozy Ditzy in Plum; Pure Solids in Dried Roses; Wildest Dreams in Burgundy; Pure Solids in Cinnamon; Stay Humble Foresta; Flecks in Ballerina; Sevenberry Petite Lawn Flowers in Pink; Tapestry Lace in Blush; Pure Solids in Blushing; Romance Novel in Hardcover; Pure Solids in Sweet Macadamia; Favorite Sweater in Dusty Pink

Background: Kona in Snow by Robert Kaufman

Backing: Fern and Fungus in Almond by Bonnie Christine

Binding: Art Gallery Pure Solids in Blushing 

Batting: Hobb’s Heirloom Cotton Batting

Thread: Machine Quilting– Aurfil 50wt in White (2024) ; Hand Quilting– Aurfil Floss 12wt in Pale Pink (2410); Binding– DMC Pearl Cotton Size 8 in Cream