I’ve been having such a fabulous time sharing all the quilts from my new book Piece and Quilt with Precuts. In fact, once the blog hop ends, I’m going to be at a loss for what to do next! (But not for long I hope!) Take a look at Arrows, one of my favorite designs from the book, which just so happens to be on the cover!!
Arrows Photography courtesy of Martingale/That Patchwork Place and Brent Kane
Piece It
I had two goals when designing this quilt: I wanted to make it with a scrappy background, and I wanted to create a design that would use a fat eighth bundle for the focus design. While designing the quilt in EQ7, I also wanted to see what the quilt would look like if you decided to use just one fabric for the background, rather than going scrappy.
Check it out using a black background – doesn’t it make the colors pop?
Here’s what it would look like with a white print background and bright colors:
As you can see, it’s such a versatile design! Whenever I make a quilt, I usually want to remake it using other fabrics because it ends up looking so different!
Quilt It
I actually designed Arrows just so that I’d have lots of negative space to quilt a dense free-motion design I named Arrowheads. I first taught this motif during a class at QuiltCon, and knew I had to use it in a real quilt!
I quilted a contrasting design called “Cursive L’s” in the arrows blocks. It’s easy to create contrast in the quilting when one of the motifs is a curved design and the other is linear or geometric. Cursive L’s is one of my “go-to” designs because it’s easy to stretch or shrink to fill any space!
More Arrows inspiration
Take a look at two more ideas for how you can change up the fabrics. I’m sure this will get your creative juices flowing to make your own version! And don’t forget to visit each blog looking for more fun giveaways!!
Lynn Kline: Monkey Needle
For her version, Lynn used the same Arrowheads and Cursive L’s quilting as taught in the book. I also include a suggestion to echo quilt around the blocks to make the blocks pop even more, and I love how it looks on Lynn’s quilt!
Doesn’t Lynn’s version look great with the scrappy white background? Be sure and visit her blog to read more her progress and to find out which fabrics she chose. Plus she’s hosting 2 giveaways!!
Look at all of that scrumptious quilting texture!! In her post, Lynn even mentions how long it took her to quilt – along with more gorgeous pics where you can really see the quilting. I know that if Lynn can do it – so can you!
Click here to read more about Lynn’s version of Arrows and enter her giveaways.
Kathy Bruckman: Kathy’s Kwilts and More
Kathy’s name should seem familiar since she was one of the first stops on the hop when she made Squiggles. After I shared the first quilt, Kathy made a coordinating Squiggles pillow from her leftovers of the first quilt!
Click here to read more about Kathy’s bonus pillow project.
She had so much fun making that first quilt that she wanted to make another one from the book. So pop on over to her blog to see her version of Arrows in progress.
Don’t you love the crinkly goodness of a fresh batch of bright batik fabrics?
These will look so good once they are quilted up!
Today’s Gift: A Free PDF Pattern for all, plus Win The Set!
Just a few of the patterns I currently have available through Craftsy.
Although I currently have 6 patterns available in print, I offer a total of 10 PDF patterns in my Craftsy store, including one that’s totally free!! So pop on over there to get the freebie and check out the other 9. I’ll choose two winners at the end of the hop on Aug 31. Because these are delivered electronically, this giveaway is open to everyone around the world!
Click here to get the free Craftsy pattern and see the whole collection.
To enter, leave me a comment about your favorite way to quilt. Do you prefer walking foot, free-motion, or both? Or maybe you like to hand quilt, or even quilt “by check!” I’d love to know. 🙂
Click here to get your signed copy of Piece and Quilt with Precuts.
Click here to see all of the stops on the hop.
Update: Winner Selected and Comments Closed
Congrats to Pat T. and Lynn T. who have been contacted via email.
Christa Quilts 
So far I feel like I have more control with a walking foot, but I am excited to try some serious free motion quilting. Love all your patterns. Thanks for blogging.
Just purchased a mid-arm…been practicing all summer…love your new book!
I really like the zen of working with my walking foot. I will usually fill in smaller areas of piecing with FMQ. I hope to eventually be proficient enough to feel confident in doing a whole quilt with FMQ.
Walking foot would be the method of choice now with a little bit of freehand. Would love to be able to check by check more often.
tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com
free motion is for me. haven’t yet tried with a walking foot but it’s up there to do. thought about ruler work, but don’t think I have the patience for it.
I’m a walker 🙂 Very scared to free-motion quilt as I just can’t seem to move my fabric at the same speed as my foot pedal! I’m hoping that your book will give me inspiration to challenge myself. Thank you for a wonderful tour!
I love the black background for this pattern. I have just started free motion quilting and I am really loving it.
My favorite way to quilt is hand quilting, it’s the way I learned, and I have stuck to what I know. Love seeing other forms that I can’t seem to master yet.
Another wonderful pattern, Christa, in a great book!!
(I love seeing how the makers have added their own styles to your versatile patterns!)
As far as my quilting goes… I do whatever the quilt needs… (I’ve never quilted by check, though.)
I love to free motion quilt on my sweet vintage Singer 301 sewing machine!…
Pat T.
I quilt by walking foot because it works for me. I am working at and practicing FMQ though.
I like free motion quilting, but sure have a lot of work to do to perfect it.
I like to fmq and have just started playing with rulers on my domestic machine. Thanks so much for sharing
My favorite quilting is combining walking foot and free motion quilting. However, I definitely need more practice with my free motion.
I prefer walking foot, but I love to look at free motion qiilting and dream that someday I would free motion a quilt all by myself
Walking foot is my favorite right now. That is only because I have not mastered fmq. I find it hard to string together enough free time to practice as I should.