Can you believe it? Today I’m sharing the last quilt from my book, Piece and Quilt with Precuts. Be sure and stick around for tomorrow’s blog hop wrap-up as I announce an epic giveaway (hint – it’s a QUILT!!!) and something fun to look forward to in the future!
Meet Spools, which is possibly my favorite quilt in the book. (I know – just like children you can’t really have a favorite, right???)
Spools Photography courtesy of Martingale/That Patchwork Place and Brent Kane
Piece It
My favorite thing about this quilt is that it expands on a concept that I introduced in my first book. (Remember Facets from Machine Quilting with Style? Similar piecing concept, totally different design!!)
Spools uses many leftovers from other quilts in the book as well as scraps from my scrap bin. It was so fun to combine any sized pieces to create my own “made” fabric, and then cut them up into recognizable shapes – a process I call “structured improv.”
Original EQ7 design concept for Spools. I made each spool a different color instead.
When I originally designed this quilt I had thought of mixing up a bunch of different scraps to make each of the spool blocks along with a scrappy border. The image above was my original EQ7 design for the quilt. But as I was getting ready to make the quilt I had a last minute stroke of inspiration to make them color blocked instead. And instead of a scrappy border, I made a scrappy binding around the edges that matches the color of the spool blocks!
I much prefer the quilt I ended up making, where each spool is a different color of “thread” – don’t you?? Now after making this quilt, I feel like any scrap can work its way into a future improv-pieced quilt!
Quilt It
I used a combination of two quilting designs. In each of the spool blocks I quilted wavy textured lines using a matching Aurifil thread. Then in the background I combined another fun free-motion technique I teach called “free-motion improv.”
You basically combine several of your favorite free-motion motifs and mash them all up together in the same quilt, changing designs every 2-3 motifs. It’s a fun way to quilt that adds tons of interest and texture to the design.
Machine quilting details on Spools.
One of the reasons I quilt my quilts so densely is to hide my mistakes. After all, when you quilt one line of imperfect stitches it really stands out like a sore thumb. However, if you surround it with more imperfect quilting, all you notice is the beautiful texture rather than the individual stitches!
More Arrows inspiration
Check out the bloggers below for their takes on Spools, and be on the lookout for giveaways! I hope you’ve enjoyed traveling to all of the stops on the hop for more ideas on how to make any of the quilts in my book!
Sandra Starley: Textile Time Travels
Who says you have to make rainbow colored blocks? Sandra decided to make mini-sized Halloween themed spools, complete with spooky background prints. Now this makes me want to make one for all the holidays! I mean, how cool would it look in reds and greens for Christmas, or red, white and blue for a patriotic quilt? This opens up a world of ideas for you to explore!!
Be sure and keep an eye on Sandra’s blog in the future to see how she quilts it!
Jen Shaffer: Patterns by Jen
I love how Jen made her quilt similar to the original, but she totally changed up the quilting. She used a combination of “modern zig-zags” in the sashing which I introduce earlier in the book. Plus she combined it with “triangle texture”, a motif I teach in my first book.
Visit Jen’s blog to see some really great process pics showing how she approached the improv piecing. I’m proud of her for going outside her comfort zone! While there, you’ll even see the coordinating pillow she made with another machine quilting design from the book!
Today’s Gift: Win Scraps of My new fabric
Since we’ve been talking about how to use up your scraps, I thought it would be fun to offer a unique giveaway today. Many of you know I’ve been sharing sneak peeks of my new fabric line, Modern Marks, which releases this November from Benartex. Well, I’ve been working behind the scenes, making a bunch of quilts from the new fabric to show it off a bit later. That means that I’ve accumulated a ton of scraps, so I’ve decided to give them away to one of you!
This bundle of scraps could be yours! It’s Modern Marks by Christa Watson for Benartex.
This means that one lucky winner will be the first (other than me) to get their hands on my fabric, before anyone can even buy it!!! Now that you know what you can do with scraps, the sky’s the limit when it comes to using them.
To enter, leave me a comment letting me know which quilt from the book is your favorite. If you haven’t had a chance to see them all, click here for the blog hop schedule, with links to each of the quilts. I’ll choose a winner’s name at random on Monday morning and notify them via email. I’m happy to ship your box of scraps anywhere, with the understanding that an international winner will pay shipping (less the cost of shipping it to the US).
And finally, if you’ve enjoyed the blog hop, be sure to pick up a signed copy of my book. It’s been a joy to write, and even more satisfying to share all of the quilts with you. Be sure and stop by tomorrow to see what’s coming up next!
Update: Winner Selected and Comments Closed
Congrats to Brandy F. who has been contacted via email.
Christa Quilts 
I love the movement in Dot’n’Dash. But they are all lovely! What a great idea to give away your scraps!
I love Frequency. I love that it is made with strips, asI seem to accumulate a lot of them as I go through my scraps. I have enjoyed this blog hop, lots of wonderful inspiration!! Thanks.
So hard to decide! I think Dot ‘n’ Dash would be the one. I like a simple design that can be impacted by fabrics easily. I LOVE other people’s scraps 😂 They are always better than mine. Thanks so much for the chance to win and congrats on the book.
Twinkling Diamonds is still my favorite though I like every quilt in the book! They are all winners. Can’t wait to add this fabulous book to my library.
Spools and arrows are my two faves. Then again, it just might be that the bright fabrics contrasted with a white background really make them pop. That’s why I’d love to work with these bold scraps.
I would definitely like to give Starstruck a try! Winning your scraps would be sew cool!!!
Those scraps would look awfully good on grid work. I also love the baby flying geese. They are all beautiful and I have the book and starting working on baby geese.
Spools may be my favorite. Love them all though.
SWAK is my favorite! I have scrap envy!
Of course, S.W.A.K. is my favorite! I already got the A.G. dark denim dot to start it.
Earlier today, I finished DOT N DASH as a Quilt of Valor. It was Easy Peasy! Last week I finished PLUMB LINES from your Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting, also in Quilt of Valor colors. I was amazed at how quickly that quilt finished as well. I am ready for a scrappy quilt now. Thanks for all you do.
I love Arrows. I can’t wait to make it. Thank you Christa.
I like S.W.A.K.
I like S.W.A.K.
Impossible to pick a favourite- I love them all!
It is hard to pick a favorite but I really like Squiggles and Dot N Dash. I make a lot of string blocks out of my scraps but I would love to make one of your quilt patterns from your scraps. Thank you for the chance to win!
Wow, they would all be great in scraps. I think squiggles would be fun in scraps, but so would arrows. Of course I think starstruck would be fun as well.
Star struck is definitely my favorite!
Once again, so hard to decide. Those “scraps” sure are pretty; colors and patterns that are just my style! I think they would look simply marvelous in the Windows quilt!!
Fun hop and great inspiration, I like starstruck. Thanks.
such a difficult choice. I think Starstruck is my first choice, then arrows
Starstruck is in first place, but seriously – you have so many great designs and easy!!! This book is a must have.
Christa, you have really opened my eyes to so much that can be done with not only with machine quilting but now with piecing! WOW, this book has so many interesting and beautiful quilt designs and fabrics. It’s hard to pick my favorite, but I might say the Starstruck one.
Your blog hop has been great! I love your book which came in the mail two days ago. Spools is my current favorite😍
I Love Spools! It’s beautiful and has some much potential for variety. Can’t wait to use some scraps for this one.
Loved the windows, but those spools’ scrappiness is even better, so I guess spools
Dot N Dash is my favorite. I have a jelly roll of Uppercase fabric that will look awesome in this patter.n. Can’t wait to get started!!
A really hard choice, With all the possibilities of creating fabric from scraps, I think Spools would be
really fun to make. This blog hop opened up so many more ideas on top of those you shared.
I’ve loved seeing all of your quilts as well as all the wonderful variations! I thought my favorite was the stars but after seeing Spools…. too hard to decide!!!
I really love S.W.A.K., Spools and Arrows. I’m excited for your fabric to come out…thanks for the chance to win the scraps. How fun!
Which one is my favourite depends on the fabric I planned to use. With scraps it would be spools!
Starstruck is my favorite with Kites a close second.
I have love this blog hop and your new book!! I really love all the quilts!! My favorite is Starstruck!
So hard to decide which of the quilts is my favorite but I think it’s Kites. The new fabric line is luscious and I’d love to win the scraps! I’m a scrapoholic at heart and my stash (dating back to the 80’s) needs updating so I’m hoping to be the lucky winner. Thanks, Christa, for all you do for us!
I’m partial to stars, so star struck is my favorite, but spools is a close second. Loved getting sneak peaks of your new book!
I love your book but my favorite has to be “Spools”. All the different versions are beautiful and jnspiring. Thank you for the chance to win your fabric, I love the peek I have seen!
Christa, you have created another *wonderful* book!!
You have done SO much to teach, encourage, and inspire,… and this great new book of yours continues to do just that!
When I first saw the pictures of your quilts from “Piece and Quilt with Precuts”, I had about 7 or 8 “favorites”… But, seeing your beautiful quilts up close and in detail each day of this hop, AND the quilts that other makers were creating from your inspiration,… I had a New Favorite *each day*! I really *cannot* say which One is The Favorite!!
It’s the mark of a great pattern that it can inspire, and be so versatile, that makers can use it to create a beautiful quilt in their own style!
Thank you, Christa!
Pat T.
(p.s. And, thank you for fixing my “Latitude-not-Horizons” error the other day!!:-D
“S.W.A.K” is my favourite but I love all star quilts so “Starstruck” is definitely a runner-up in my books! After seeing your abstract piecing, I think it’s a technique that could be applied to just about any pattern! Maybe some stars in “Starstruck”?
Starstruck is my favorite.
I like S.W.A.K.
I like Arrows the best and Kites is a close second.
My favorite quilt from the book is a toss up. I LOVE scrap quilts so Baby Geese really appealed to me. But, the layout of Starstruck and how you shifted the stars within the blocks was pretty cool so I really liked both. By the way, did I mention that I REALLY love scraps?
I like them all, but I really like the spools. It was fun seeing all the different quilts mde from the pattern.
I really like them all, but do love how the colors are highlighted in the spools quilt.
Thanks for the opportunity to win!
I have really enjoyed the blog hop, and simply cannot say I have a favorite. I love them all!!
I still like Starstruck the best, but all of the patterns are cute. Thanks again for the great blog hop.
Arrows is my favorite-TODAY ! I have several. Thanks for the giveaway.
Loveyour new book…hard to pick a fav!
I really like all of them. Would love to win any of them.
I love the abstract piecing in SPOOLS! I would love to win your scraps!