Merry Christmas 2013 from all of us at Christa Quilts!

December 24, 2013December 23, 201326 Comments

Merry Christmas from the Watsons!

I love Christmas time because it’s the only holiday I’ve made a lot of quilts for! (Note to self – get a jump start on those other holidays right away in the coming year.)

Nutcrackers with an earlier version of my Log Cabin Wreath Mini

When we first moved into our house 8 years ago, I let everyone pick out any fabric they liked for their stockings (the kids’ tastes have changed a bit since then). My mom embroidered the names for me on a separate piece of fabric which I then appliqued to the front of the stockings.

And the stockings were hung by the front door with care…

I’m not much of a decorator and I like to recycle many of my ideas so I don’t have to think too much! (I have made two “tree” quilts and two mini’s from pretty much the same patterns I created about 10 years apart.)

This is the original Christmas Trees quilt and the updated Log Cabin wreath mini.

I like how Modern Trees looks hanging down over the bannister from the second floor of the house. It’s the first thing everyone sees when they walk though the door. I think I’ll eventually add some loops on the back that I can velcro around the wooden spindles so I can show the whole quilt.

This is the view from the bottom floor looking up.

The only thing I’m missing now is a quilted tree skirt. Maybe next year…

Merry Christmas!

Riley Blake MQG Challenge Quilt Post #1 – The Start

December 13, 2013December 12, 201312 Comments

For Sew and Tell today, I’m excited to be participating in the Modern Quilt Guild’s upcoming challenge focusing on these Riley Blake prints:

Riley Blake MQG Challenge Fabric

Each of the challenge participants received a fat 1/8th of each of these fabrics. We can add any other Riley Blake fabrics to the mix to create any type of quilted item we wish. Finished projects are due by February 17th and if I know me, I’m sure I’ll be finishing right under the wire. 🙂

Since I’m not hosting any new Quilt Alongs for awhile (here’s why), I thought I would share some of my in-process quilts as they happen. I’m not sure how many blog posts it will take to complete this quilt, but I invite you along for the ride.

I started playing around with this block that I had designed a few months ago – parallel lines. I blogged about it here (including a free paper pieced template to make it).

Parallel Lines block by Christa Watson

What if I added additional lines, sewed them more randomly, and filled them in with color? I thought it would be fun to piece a few improvisational “string” blocks and leave a little negative space to add extra machine quilting texture (my #1 passion)! I’m thinking maybe light or dark grey for the background negative space. What do you think?

I started by doodling a few improv blocks in EQ7 and cutting out some strips. (Anyone else get the irony of planned improv blocks?) I’ll be back next time to show you how they are shaping up!

Guest Posting at Quilt Story – Log Cabin Wreath Holiday Tutorial

December 11, 2013December 11, 201313 Comments

Today I’m excited to share a holiday tutorial over at Quilt Story with Heather and Megan! Learn how to make my log cabin wreath wallhanging – or turn it into a pillow. 🙂

Log Cabin Wreath, Pieced and Quilted by Christa Wason 18" x 18"

Log Cabin Wreath, Pieced and Quilted by Christa Watson, 18″ x 18″

I made my Log Cabin Wreath last year for Christmas and I’ve re-created the instructions so that they all fit in one post. Pop on over to check it out!

Here’s the complete Holiday Tutorial Series. Enjoy!

Melissa from My Fabric Relish
Kelly from My Quilt Infatuation
Lindsey from Inspiring Creations
Jennie & Clara from Clover and Violet
Teje from Nero’s Post and Patch
Bev from Flamingo Toes
Stacy from Freshly Handmade
Christa from Christa Quilts
Erin from Why Not Sew?

Bar Graphs Pieced Backing Tutorial

November 4, 2013July 1, 201519 Comments

Bar Graphs is the name I gave to the design of the pieced back I made for Colorful Chevrons. I like my backs to be just as fun and colorful as the original quilt, and many times they end up being even more modern than the fronts!

Strips of Color Backing by Christa Watson

I really like the chunky “bars and graphs” look to this design, so I thought I would share a tutorial with you on how I pieced this backing. After all, it could stand on it’s own as an independent quilt design.

Bar Graphs 72″ x 88″

I started off with some basic measurements. Since my finished quilt size is approximately 64″ x 80″, I needed my backing to measure at least 4 inches larger on each side so that there would be “wiggle room” around the entire perimeter.

I also wanted to make sure that whatever design I chose would look okay once the top, bottom and sides were trimmed up. I designed the backing to be 72″ x 88″ with plenty of blank space on the top and bottom strips for trimming.

I started by sketching long colorful strips in a stair step design, filling in with dark blue solid for the negative space.

I used leftover Michael Miller Cotton Couture solids from the front of the quilt along with more of the dark navy.

The backing is basically a horizontal strippy quilt sewn together in rows. A list of yardage requirement and cutting dimensions are shown below:

Dark Blue Fabric – Approximately 4.5 yards. Cut (18) 8.5″ x 42″ strips. Piece them together to create the lengths shown in the above diagram

Colored Scraps – Approximately 1/4 yard of 9 different fabrics. Trim each piece to the lengths shown above. In some cases you can use a fat quarter where the pieces measure less than 22″ in length.

Bar Graphs Pieced Together – Ready to Baste!

Join together the rectangles with 1/4″ seams to create each strip. Then join the strips to create the backing (or new quilt top). I prefer to press my seams open and I starch the whole piece when sewn together. This is especially helpful if you are making a pieced backing. It will help the quilt glide more smoothly under the machine.

When I basted my quilt, I was careful to line up the strips as straight as I could. I knew that a lot of the blue would be trimmed up from the top and bottom strips and I’m pleased with how it turned out. I used the same dark navy for the binding as well.

Here are pictures of the finished quilt, both front and back:

Click here for detailed shots of the quilting and more about the front.

Whether you use it for the back or front of your quilt, please share pictures of your progress on my flickr group: Christa’s Quilt Along. Remember, you can make it yourself and make it your own. 🙂

I hope you enjoy making Bar Graphs. Click here for the EQ7 download and play around with different colorings, layouts and sizes.

Blogger’s Quilt Festival Entry – Strips of Color (Home Machine Quilted Category)

October 31, 2013October 31, 201322 Comments

I’m doing something a little bit differently this time around and probably unheard of. Since I’ve been blogging so much about the front of my quilts and how much I adore machine quilting, I thought I would enter the back side of my Colorful Chevrons quilt into the Bloggers Quilt Festival. Crazy, huh? After all, every quilt has two sides and I really like to make my backs just as fun as the fronts!

Strips of Color by Christa Watson

The “other side of the quilt” was inspired by a simple line sketch I drew on paper some months ago. I like the simplicity of the design and how it really shows off the machine quilting. I used leftover chunks of fabric from the front of the quilt, plus a rich dark navy for all of the negative space. The fabrics are Cotton Couture by Michael Miller.

Strips of Color Backing

I call it Strips of Color and it measures 64″ x 80″ – perfect for snuggling! I quilted it myself on my Bernina 710 and loved every last stitch! Machine quilting is very meditative for me. I can put on an audio book and quilt for hours. 🙂

Quilting on My Bernina

I straight-line quilted tons of zig zag lines with a walking foot following the pattern on the font of the quilt. I free-motion quilted pebbles in between for added texture. For those of you new to my blog, here’s a detailed shot of “Colorful Chevrons”, just so you can see the complete picture!

Detailed Quilting on the Front

You can vote for this quilt as your favorite in the Home Machine Quilted category here. Voting is open November 1-7, 2013.

Colorful Chevrons at Quilt Market, Fall 2013

I’m not at Quilt Market but my Chevron Quilt Is

October 27, 2013October 30, 201320 Comments

I didn’t get a chance to attend Fall Quilt Market in Houston this weekend because I’m home judiciously revamping my sewing room. However, I just found out a little piece of me is there. 🙂

Thanks so much to my BQF (best quilting friend) Stacy who snapped this picture of my Chevron Quilt while she was there and emailed it to me. (Can we say jealous?) I had no idea it would be on display so this is a pleasant surprise! I was kind of wondering when they’d mail it back to me after the issue was published, but now I’m completely happy to wait a few more days, knowing it’s getting a little more exposure.

Quilty Chevrons at Market

Seeing it paired up next to the blown up cover shot gives me a thought – is it ok to change the name of one’s quilt after it’s been “christened”? I originally named it Colorful Chevrons, but lately I’ve been referring to it as Quilty Chevrons in honor of the magazine, and to help me keep track of which chevron design I’m referring to.

I plan on entering this quilt into shows in the future and using it as teaching sample, so the name Quilty Chevrons is kind of growing on me. What do you think?

By the way, for those of you who are new to my blog, you can read more about the quilting of this quilt here, and enter my giveaway to win a free copy of the magazine here.

You can be sure I’m not missing market next time around, and you can quote me on that!

Updated – I have to give a big shout out to another of my BQF’s Denise, who talked the gals from the booth into sending me the poster sized cover shot. Won’t that look great in my new sewing room?!

Blogger’s Quilt Festival (Fall 2013) Begins This Week!

October 21, 2013May 15, 20148 Comments

The online Blogger’s Quilt Festival kicks off this week, on Friday, October 25th to be precise. Hosted by Amy Ellis, it’s an online quilt show open to anyone who loves to quilt and enjoys blogging about their creations.

Rather than stressing about making perfect quilts, it’s a chance to share and connect with others who share the same passion. There were over 600 entries in last spring’s show and it was like inspiration overload! My two entries from last spring’s festival are shown below:

Charming Chevrons, one of my early quilt along tutorials:

Charming Chevrons, awarded Viewer’s Choice Spring 2013

Roses for Katelyn, made for my sweet sister’s baby girl:

French Rose Buds Pattern, Blogger’s Quilt Festival Spring 2013

If you have a recent finish, I encourage you to enter. It’s a great way to find new blog followers and fantastic blogs to follow! Plus it’s pretty fun to get positive feedback on your quilts. And you might even win a prize, either for entering your own quilt, or nominating your favorites. You just can’t go wrong by participating in this fun event.

Here’s an idea – show off one of your quilt along quilts, or finish up a current WIP!

For complete details including the festival schedule and rules, be sure to visit the Blogger’s Quilt Festival Main Page.

Be sure to check out last spring’s winners. You may even recognize some of the quilts from people you know (wink, wink)!

Cover Girl!

October 15, 2013January 6, 2014150 Comments

I am over the moon about this. I am a cover girl. Well, really my quilt is, and it looks much better closely cropped than I do. 🙂 My Chevrons quilt is on the cover of the Nov./Dec. 2013 issue of Quilty Magazine.

I was beside myself when the folks at Quilty accepted my submission many months ago. I set to work diligently cutting and piecing this labor of love and giving little hints whenever I could. I was thrilled that someone wanted to publish it. Not that I don’t take pride in my work. It’s just that seeing it in print is somehow a validation of everything I work for.

I pieced it on my older Bernina 1630 and quilted it on my brand new Bernina 710 . (Buying a new machine mid-deadline can be a pretty stressful experience, LOL!)

I practiced on a bunch of scrap pieces before I was happy with the quilt design. I basted my quilt with lots of pins and anchored the rows by stitching in the ditch. I quilted straight lines about 1/4 away from the seams, using painter’s tape to help keep them straight.

Here’s a closeup of the back after all the rows were quilted. This is technically enough quilting for this quilt, but since I tend to go a little crazy when it comes to machine quilting, I decided to add quite a bit more.

I filled in all the Chevrons with straight lines using a blending thread. I added pebbles and echoed lines in the background, leaving some un-quilted areas to create a textural “relief”.

I was unsure how this would turn out, but once I flipped the quilt over to the back side, I was happy with how the texture was looking.

I’m still learning how to photograph my quilts so that the quilting can show, but it’s a work in progress. For some reason, I get better details when the quilt is flat on a table rather than a straight shot. I know it has something to do with the lighting.

The down side is that since I can’t get a straight on shot, you get to see my messy sewing room with ugly chairs, plastic bins, and cords sticking out everywhere, LOL!

Chevrons Front

It took me several years to get the quilting part down. It may be several more before my photography skills catch up to my quilting skills. Be sure to pick up your copy of Quilty so you can see it professionally patterned, styled, and photographed. 🙂

I almost forgot – I owe a huge thanks to the folks over at Micheal Miller who supplied their gorgeous Cotton Couture Solids to me to make this quilt. I simply adore solids!

Chevrons Back

Here’s a shot of the back. I’ve written up a separate tutorial on how to make your own colorful strippy backing here.

Shades of Grey – Pieced Backing Tutorial

July 16, 2013May 15, 201414 Comments

I love to make pieced backings and by popular request I’m sharing with you a tutorial on how to put one together. This goes with my String of Pearls Quilt Along.

Shades of Grey Pieced Quilt Back, 72″ x 72″

Before we start, there are a few things to consider. First of all, how big is your quilt top? You want to sketch out a backing design that leaves plenty of wiggle room around the sides. A good rule of thumb is to make your backing at least 6 inches larger than your quilt top.

String of Pearls Quilt Top 66″ x 66″

For example, my String of Pearls quilt finishes approximately 66″ x 66″. Therefore, I need to have a backing that measures about 72″ x 72″. That’s a nice measurement because 72 inches is the same as 2 yards, so you can visualize a backing roughly 2 yards wide by 2 yards long.

Backing, One Fabric, 72″ x 72″

The second thing to consider is, do you want to make your backing from all one fabric (most efficient), or would you like to make it a little more artistic (my favorite)?

The solid backing above requires 4 yards of fabric (two – 2 yard lengths). Join them with a seam down the middle making a rectangle of approximately 72″ x 80″. Trim off about 8″, making a 72 inch square and throw the excess into your scrap bucket.

Finally, you need to decide ahead of time if you will be quilting the quilt yourself, or hiring a longarmer to do it for you. When quilting yourself, you can get away with less extra around the sides.

When sending a quilt out for professional quilting, however, you may need more fabric around the edges for the longarmer to work with. She also may request that your seams need to run either horizontal or vertical depending on how she loads the quilt on the machine. Be sure to check ahead of time (or just quilt it yourself like I love to do!)

Leftover Pearls

When deciding on a pieced back, I like to incorporate leftover fabrics or blocks from the top to give it a little interest.

First, I lay the quilt top on the floor or a large table, then start randomly placing leftover pieces of fabric on top until it’s covered. I rearrange all my pieces as needed until I’m happy with the layout.

Next, I will trim up my pieces and start joining them together in sections until my backing is big enough to overlap the top on all sides by at least 3 inches. Remember, it will shrink up some with seam allowances, so be sure to add more if needed.

Pieced Backing Diagram

For your convenience, I have included cutting diagrams for my pieced back. The measurements include seam allowances. Note, the pieced Pearl Bracelets section is made from 12 (3.5″ x 4.5″) rectangles to create a 3.5″ x 36.5″ unit.

Voila! Time for basting!

For more inspiration on making a pieced backing, check out Elizabeth Hartman’s FREE online Craftsy class, “Creative Quilt Backs.”

You can also see how I made these pieced backs by clicking the links below the pictures:

Hugs ‘N Kisses Pieced Backing Tutorial
Sea of Squares Pieced Backing Tutorial
Charming Chevrons Pieced Backing Tutorial

A Few Words About Judged Quilts Part 3 – Don’t Hold Me Back!

June 24, 2013May 15, 201429 Comments

This is my 3rd and final post about having my quilts judged. You can read part 1 and part 2 here.

Once I realized I love showing and sharing my quilts, it was time to find my “voice” or quilting style that most appealed to me. Enter… modern quilting! Finally I found a way to merge what I loved – bold fabric colors and graphic designs with intense machine quilting. Although rooted in tradition, the modern quilting movement and the judging that went along with it have finally freed me to go my own way.

So here are a few more quilts I finished within the last year that I entered into competition. I’ve included the judges’ comments once again and my thoughts.

Baby Bricks in Pink and Green by Christa Watson, Desert Quilters of Nevada Show 2013 – Baby Quilt Category

I originally made Baby Bricks as part of my quilt along series, completing it in time to enter it into my local guild’s show. Though it didn’t win a ribbon, it was still gratifying to watch people ooh and ah over it at the show.

From the judge, “Good variety of pink and green fabrics. White sashing allows them to shine. Piecing techniques are good but there is some distortion of the top caused by machine quilting. Changes in quilting thread is effective.”

Jenna’s Hugs ‘n Kisses by Christa Watson, Desert Quilters of Nevada Show 2013 – Holiday Category

From the judge, “Gradation of fabric works well. Dense quilting in negative space seems to give fullness to the pieced blocks. Quilting should be evenly distributed throughout the quilt.”

The judge was right about the quilting for Hugs ‘n Kisses. I spent so much time machine quilting the flowers that I did not allow enough time to fully quilt the X blocks.

Instead of rushing to finish this quilt in order get it in the show, I should have taken more time to finish and then saved it for next year’s show.

But my daughter was still pleased with it and she was ready to have it NOW, so that’s ok, too. 🙂

One quilt that I did take my time with was Roses for Katelyn, based on the fabulous French Rose Buds pattern. My time well spent was rewarded with a second place ribbon.

Roses for Katelyn by Christa Watson, Desert Quilters of Nevada Show 2013 – 3rd Place, Applique

From the judge, “Soft color palette makes for a restful quilt. Raw edge applique is well handled. Straight lines and border are straight. Quilting stitch is good and quilting design adds texture.”

And then finally, my favorite quilt of the year and the one you guys are probably tired of me blogging about – Charming Chevrons. I included it because it was my first “real” modern quilt and it was the first time I took a leap of faith and sent a quilt out of state for judging.

Charming Chevrons by Christa Watson
Blogger’s Quilt Fest 2013, Machine Quilted Category, Viewer’s Choice
Desert Quilters of Nevada Show 2013, 2nd Place Modern Category
QuiltCon 2013, Modern Traditionalism Category

Charming Chevrons Backing

Here are the judges’ comments from QuiltCon:

“Quilting and quilt is beautifully made. Overall workmanship is excellent. Piecing is accurate. Quilt is straight and lies flat. Binding is well executed.

Areas for improvement – thread choice is distracting on the back, pebble quilting pattern feels unrelated. Would love to see this quilt with a more narrowly focused palette.”

Since I also entered this in my local guild’s show it was interesting to compare the judges’ comments.

From an NQA certified judge, “The soft grey is a good background for the bright solids. Quilt has great texture, quilting design choices are very good. Multi-colored pebbles are well done.”

The best thing I learned from entering this quilt in 2 different judged shows was that opinions vary widely and that’s perfectly ok!

In both cases they applauded my workmanship. However, I’ve learned that I need to go perhaps a little more bold and a touch more artistic with my designs. So look for more of that from me in the future!