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Facets – The Background Story
Facets 63″ x 70″ by Christa Watson. Photo courtesy of Robert Kaufman.
I love coordinated scrappy quilts and improvisational piecing, yet I’m more of a “structured improv” kind of gal. I like to randomly sew together a bunch of scrappy goodness, then create order and structure from the chaos. For Facets, I chose 28 Kona Cottons in warm reds, oranges, and yellows, with some green thrown in for good measure. The palette reminds me of crisp juicy apples!
It was such fun to cut up these fabrics into smaller chunks to play with!
It was very liberating to create my own crazy-pieced fabric to work with:
Randomly sewing bits of fabric together is very therapeutic!
I really went to town with the machine quilting on this one. I used both walking-foot quilting and free-motion techniques when quilting Facets. Whenever I quilt, I like to think about the logical sequence of steps I take before starting. That way, it doesn’t seem too overwhelming.
Using my “scrunch and smoosh” method for dealing with the bulk while quilting. There’s an extra table under there which helps hold up the weight of the quilt.
I love quilting swirls, and combining them with switchbacks really creates a lot of movement.
Photography by Brent Kane.
A Bit More – and a Bonus Giveaway!
I was stoked when Robert Kaufman decided to add this grouping to their designer palette series this fall. Coming in October, you’ll be able to get your hands on the Christa Watson Designer Palette in fat quarters, ten squares, charm squares, and roll-ups! You can create a quilt just like mine, but of course it will still be different because of the improv element. 🙂
What makes this quilt modern – offset grid layout, improvisational piecing, geometric design with high contrast and graphic impact, exclusive use of flat solids, bold, bright color palette, design goes all the way to the edges, organically quilted machine quilting.
Time for me to complete – 47 hours from start to finish, including the improv piecing.
How would you like to get your hands on a fat quarter bundle of my designer palette?
The Christa Watson Designer Palette – available at quilts shops everywhere in October!
To enter the giveaway for a 28 piece fat quarter bundle of my favorite Kona colors, just comment letting me know whether you’ve ever tried improv piecing and what you think about it. I’ll draw a winner at the end of the day on Sunday and announce their name on Monday, Sept. 28th.
And remember, don’t forget to vote for your favorite quilt for my QAL in January! Since I know you are dying to ask – yes, Facets is MY favorite quilt from the book. 🙂
Quilting Inspiration from kristy daum
I think my favorite part of this blog hop is seeing all of the amazing quilts from my talented friends! Kristy Daum from St. Louis Victorian and I have been online friends for awhile and finally got to meet up at QuiltCon earlier this year. You may remember Kristy’s amazing pixelated quilts featuring David Tennant as Dr. Who and the lovely Benedict Cumberbatch as Sherlock.
Now Kristy has knocked it out of the park with her version of Facets. I really love it when others really take an idea and make it their own! It was fun watching her instagram sneek peaks, and her final reveal today will take your breath away.
Pop on over to Kristy’s blog to see her version of Facets.
Teri’s Take
The amazing Teri Lucas from Terificreations shared a sneak peak of some Facets blocks on the Generation Q website earlier in the week. She chose to use solid pieces of fabric and did some killer quilting on them! Like me, she prefers to quilt on a home-sewing machine and she is one talented lady!! She’s one of those that I can talk quilting with all day long!
So far we’ve only met in person once, and I can’t wait to see her again at the next event. She’s always so thoughtful and encouraging – just the type of quilty friend you want in your corner. Teri is offering a book giveaway on her site. While you are there, be sure to browse around, and check out her amazing quilting!!
Head over to Teri’s blog to enter her giveaway.
Visit The Quilting Gallery
Michele Foster is the brilliant name and voice behind the highly popular website the Quilting Gallery. We first met online when I was an advertiser on her site, many moons ago. We have turned that business relationship into a really great friendship and I hope someday soon that we can meet up in person. I mean, if you are like me, you can always use another BQF (best quilting friend), right?
Michele blogs and shares so much inspiration about what’s happening in the quilting community, and she’s has written very nice things about my book over on her blog today. She even scored extra points with me by saying that Facets is her favorite quilt, too! In addition to being a prolific quilter, Michele is an amazing designer and hosts lots of fun clubs on her site. As part of her stop, she’s generously including a fun giveaway of her own. 🙂
Visit the Quilting Gallery blog and enter to win a membership to Michele’s mini quilting club!
Click here for the complete blog hop schedule.
Click here purchase your autographed copy of Machine Quilting With Style.
Christa Quilts 
I’ve done a bit of Improv Piecing…usually when I’m running out a fabric and having to create that little piece from ALL those i inch scraps I save!
I love improve piecing although I haven’t done much of it lately. It’s loads of fun. Your colour palette is so vibrant.
Yes, I have done improv piecing and find it one of those experiences that releases creativity…like coloring outside the lines,
I do indeed improv piece. It’s loads of fun!
Yes, I have tried improv piecing and found it quite relaxing.
I love the colors inyour quilt. I only did improv piecing with my granddaughter sitting on my lap at the sewing machine. She picked the colors and pieces from my leftover box to make a small piece for her dolls.
I’ve never tried improv piecing but I want to now!
Yes, i’ve done improv piecing before. I use my scraps this way all the time. =) Facets is a quilt that I love. =)
I have not tried improv piecing, but now I want to try it. The Facets quilt is great!
I am really liking these designs – and am putting my name here for the bonus fabric drawing. What fun to have new fabrics to make baby quilts with my friend who will be having two grandchildren this fall!
I have done improv piecing. With Gwen Marston and more recently with Sujata Shah http://therootconnection.blogspot.com/ Last summer I took two workshops with her and am looking forward to finishing the windmills and hour glass quilts I started with her. I am planning on making something from each of the chapters in Cultural Fusion book.
Christa’s book seems fabulous too. Am hoping to make it to LV for a workshop – and then to also make all the projects in her book too.
Thanks for the chance!
June
http://liberatedroundrobin.blogspot.com/ – we’ll get something going again for 2015-16 – come join us!
Improv piecing scares me — which is why I want to try it someday soon. So many things to master first!
I haven’t tried improv piecing but I like it.
wow this is lovely. I love the one solid triangle strip. I have not done improv quilting yet. I am so very much by the pattern and getting it right, lol I really need to step out of my comfort zone and give this a try. thanks for the encouragement and inspiration
I have made a few improv quilts. It is one of many quilting techniques I like to use. Your quilt is lovely!
I haven’t tried improv piecing but it seems so liberating! I would love to try.
I have yet to jump into the improv pool, but I do love the idea of “making” fabric with scraps!
Christa, I like that quilt – have enough scraps to make it stuffed into overflowing drawers! Thanks for the giveaway chance. I really love your colors in that packet.
I’ve been quilting for over 30 years and working so hard to make everything perfect and WHAM comes modern quilting and improv piecing and I’m in LOVE with it!!! Loving your book tour and posts! You are a STAR!!!
I do like improv piecing. One of my favorite quilts I made in that method, about 20 years ago, is still much loved & in regular use. That chain of solid in your quilt really adds a nice pop! Hope my quilting looks as nice as your some day!
Yes, I’ve tried improv piecing. It really forces me to STRETCH! Lovely colors! Congrats on your fabric line!
I like improv piecing.Its hard for me to limit myself to patterns.The last quilt i made was an improv purple square quilt
I guess the closest l’ve come to improv was random strip piecing with leftovers from the quilt top along with coordinated print for the backing. It was unplanned and I enjoyed it! It was unlike my former projects.
I would love to make this quilt of yours. I’m trying to get modern!
Thank you.
I have done one improve quilt and loved the results. I love this color combo for this quilt and would love to win. Thanks
Another great quilt Christa. I thought, oh sure, I’ve done improv piecing, but upon further reflection – I have only made one improv pieced block for a donation quilt. I guess I better get on that right away!
Haven’t done any improv piecing BUT I REALLY want to. Having a coordinated stack of fabric to Play with would be Wonderful ! Can’t wait to give it a try.
Improv pricing is my favorite. No more rulers !! Love th fabric collection.
Improv will be the next method I will try in my Free Spirits Bee. We love trying new techniques.
I need to try improv piecing.!!!! Totally my style since I do not like to follow someone else pattern
I have tried improv piecing before and loved it. Freed up the mind. Love your colors.
Such a lovely palette of fabrics! I have done improv piecing, and I am a big fan. It’s a great way to use up scraps, too.
Yes I have done some improv piecing…working on neutral blocks with a hint of pink and green . Time consuming but I like it! We will see where it all goes.
I love improv piecing! So free! So fun! Clears the brain. Usually once I get started I have a hard time stopping- just add one more scrap! Love this pattern that brings some order to balance the scrappiness. Thanks for sharing! Would love to win the bundle!
Yes, I have tried improv piecing and like the Facets project I do decide on a color palette first. Love those Kona cottons in nearly any project.
Christa~
This is simp0ly a mega WOWZA quilt. I have tried oh-so-little improve peiecing but when I see your colors and choices I am moved again to try it on a smaller project. ( I ama easily overwhelmed :))
You inspire me!
Sarah
I have done a little improv piecing but find I keep trying to impose some sort of order! Love this “Facets” quilt! Wonder what it would look like really scrappy??
Hi Crista. I haven’t done any Improv yet. I took the Craftsy course with Jacqui Gering, and I have read Sherri Lynne Wood’s wonderful book, but I have too many wip’s to complete before I start an Improv quilt. I am in the “percolating” part of the process- where I am exploring what I like about the Improv quilts I’ve seen. Once I get a direction in my mind, I’ll be on my way. It’s pretty much the most planned, un-improv way of doing Improv.
I’ve played with improv piecing for small items, but it kind of scares me for a bigger quilt. Yours came out so great I may have to try it.
I have not tried improv quilting yet but have been gathering ideas and fabric for a some day soon project. I love the “random messy” part of improv and love the look, but can’t yet seem to be able to cut without my ruler or cut up something that I have made and sew it back together. I think too much I guess.
I did improve piecing for a past presidents quilt for our guild. I just told members to put together there scraps and make me a new piece of 10″ X 10″ fabric!! Then we put them together in a scrappy quilt. It turned out great!! So doing this is really great….If I win I will add some pink to the mix, since it is my favorite color ( with orange a close second) I’m sure you would okay that!! Then I will make a quilt…..similar to yours 🙂 I have followed your blog for quite awhile and I appreciate all the things I have learned from it!! THANKS THANKS THANKS…
Vickie.van@hotmail.com
I’ve only been quilting for a year and haven’t tried improv yet but I like the way it looks and I love your use of it here! Beautiful!
Christa, I have not done any improv piecing, but am going to give paper piecing a try after I finish a few gifts I am working on for October birthdays. Thanks for the giveaway opportunity of all those beautiful colors!
I’ve done improve piecing a bit, mostly for making fabric postcards. I usually make them after I have finished a quilt and still have all the left over bits and pieces that work together on the cutting mat,
I have never tried improv piecing, I’m afraid I will try and go about it too organized and they will come out looking structure. However, I LOVE this quilt and may just have to try it!
Love the quilt! I have done wall hanging size improv quilts and I find it incredibly fun and freeing (kind of follow the rules gal in general). I want to do more. I like the way you describe bringing “order” to your improv. I am like that.
I did some improv quilting when I made a triangle quilt. The first few rows, the points were so bad, I chopped it all up and sewed it back together – like broken glass/tiles.
I haven’t tried improv piecing but it has grabbed my interest.
I’ve done a liitle with random blocks but never a full quilt.
I have done some improv piecing. I enjoy doing it, but it isn’t as easy as I thought it would be!
haven’t tried it yet – but I love how it looks – it’s on my list
Hi Christa. I don’t think i have tried improv piecing. Crazy patch piecing is about the only ‘improv piecing’ that I have done so far. LOL
Sandra