Christa’s Quilt Along Update and Weekly Giveaway #5.6

April 4, 2013April 4, 20135 Comments

Congratulations to Heidi from Red Letter Quilts for winning last week’s giveaway. Heidi is doing a wonderful job keeping up with her “homework” and you can see pictures of her progress on her blog. Way to go Heidi!

Here are just a few thumbnail pics of some of the quilts in progress so far. You can see full sized pictures and share some of your own at Christa’s Quilt Along on flickr.

Quilt Along Giveaway #5.6 – Win a Pair of Machingers Quilting Gloves

These will come in handy when we begin quilting in a couple of weeks!

Here’s how to enter:

Post a picture of your quilt along WIP on my flickr group: Christa’s Quilt Along.
This can be a picture of the current quilt along, or any of my previous quilt alongs.
If you don’t have a flickr account you can email me directly and I’ll post it for you.
If you’ve already shared a picture that’s great – but I still need you to leave a comment here because I will draw one of the winner’s names at random from this post only! 🙂
Comments are open through Tuesday, April 9th, at 6 PM Eastern Time (3 PM Pacific).

Now remember, it’s not a race. If all you have done so far is picked out your fabrics or just starting cutting, that’s ok. I still want to see it, and so does everyone else!

If you have just now found my Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Along that’s no problem – come join the fun!

You can find Step 1 of Hugs ‘n Kisses Here and the current week’s tutorial here.

You can also purchase a Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Kit from my shop while supplies last.

Good luck and happy sewing!

Email me: Christa@ChristaQuilts.com.

Christa’s Quilt Along 5.6 – Hugs ‘n Kisses Pieced Backing

April 3, 2013May 7, 201310 Comments

I just love creative quilt backs, don’t you? For today’s Quilt Along lesson, I will show how I made my pieced scrappy backing for Hugs ‘n Kisses using fabric from my stash. It took me 4 hours to complete my pieced backing.

Step 1 – Choose Your Backing Fabric (30 Minutes)

To get started, comb through your stash for any fabrics you want to use up that “go” with your Hugs ‘n Kisses quilt top. Don’t worry about pulling too many or too few, you can finalize it a bit later.

I wanted to use up a few pinks and greens and I tried to pull fabrics that were light (or the backside was very light) so that they would not shadow (show through) the quilt top.

Step 2 – Estimate the Yardage (30 Minutes)

Next, lay out your quilt top so you can see how much area you need to cover. I laid mine out wrong side up so I could see where the darker and lighter blocks were. I wanted to mimic a little bit of the light and dark areas on the back of the quilt.

Now start covering up the quilt! It’s kind of like a puzzle. I played around with several different arrangements until the top was covered and I liked the way it looked. Don’t forget to stack your pieces so that there are a few extra inches of fabric hanging off all four sides.

Step 3 – Figuring Out Exact Measurements (1 Hour)

I drew a sketch of my layout in EQ7 so I could figure out the measurements. You can also do this on graph paper. Start with the finished size of your quilt top which should be around 48″ x 64″. Then add 6 inches to both directions to figure out how large your backing needs to be. This brings me to a total backing size of 54″ x 70″.

I drew rectangles of each fabric piece in place on my diagram based on the finished size. When I cut the pieces I will include 1/2″ for seam allowances. If you would like to skip figuring it out for yourself, you can use my exact cutting measurements below.

Step 4 – Cutting the Backing Pieces (1 Hour)

I recommend pre-washing and starching your backing fabrics. I have listed two charts below. The first one is how much fabric you would need as yardage (with some leftover). The second chart is how big to cut each piece, including seam allowances.

4.5 Yards Total Scraps

5/8 Yard
1/2 Yard
1/3 Yard
1/3 Yard
Fat Quarter
1/3 Yard
1/4 Yard
1 Yard
5/8 Yard
Fat Quarter

Cutting Measurements

20.5″ x 20.5″
34.5″ x 12.5″
34.5″ x 8.5″
40.5″ x 8.5″
14.5″ x 8.5″
30.5″ x 8.5″
6.5″ x 42.5″
30.5″ x 34.5″
18.5″ x 30.5″
18.5″ x 12.5″

You may need use a bigger backing if you are sending it out to be quilted, but no one here is going to do that, right?? We are all going to quilt our own quilts and have fun doing it!

Step 5 – Piecing the Backing (1 Hour)

Use 1/4″ seam allowances and press all seams open. Follow the diagram above:

Sew piece 2 and 3 together; add to piece 1.
Join pieces 4 and 5.
Add 6 to the top of piece 8; then add piece 7 to the side.
Join pieces 9 and 10
Add unit 1-2-3 to unit 4-5
Add unit 6-7-8 to unit 9-10
So both larger units together to complete the backing and give it a final pressing.

Optional Non-Scrappy Backing

If you would like to sew your backing using all one fabric, you will need a total of 3 yards.

Cut it into 2 equal pieces and trim off the selvedges. Then join the pieces together parallel to the selvedge.

You will have now a large piece measuring approximately 54″ x 80″.

Cut off about 10″ of excess length so that you have a piece measuring approximately 54″ x 70″.

Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Kits are available for purchase while supplies last. If you have any questions about this week’s homework, please be sure to join my flickr discussion, leave a comment, or email me directly at christa@christaquilts.com.

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Ties
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Top and Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Christa’s Soap Box – Defining Modern Quilting

April 2, 2013April 4, 20139 Comments

Ever since attending QuiltCon in February, I’ve been giving some serious thought to modern quilting and what it means to me.

While filling out a recent application to teach a quilting class, I was asked to define how I interpret modern quilting.

This is what I said, “I’m attracted to quilts with bright clear colors, bold geometric designs, and lots of negative space to showcase extensive machine quilting.”

I was very pleased to find that the Modern Quilt Guild has refined their definition of modern quilting to the following statement, taken from their website:

“Modern quilts are primarily functional and inspired by modern design. Modern quilters work in different styles and define modern quilting in different ways, but several characteristics often appear which may help identify a modern quilt. These include, but are not limited to: the use of bold colors and prints, high contrast and graphic areas of solid color, improvisational piecing, minimalism, expansive negative space, and alternate grid work. ‘Modern traditionalism’ or the updating of classic quilt designs is also often seen in modern quilting.”

Modern Log Cabin at QuiltCon, made by members of the Las Vegas Modern Quilt Guild

I love this because coming from a traditional quilting background, I find myself drawn to modern traditional quilts. Probably the thing I love most about modern quilting is seeing all of these quilters taking classic quilting patterns like log cabins, stars and hexagons and interpreting them in new ways.

Modern Hexagon Table Runner and Placemats by Alyssa Lichner

One of the definitions I heard at QuiltCon was that modern quilting was definitely not “art quilting”, although one could argue that they are very artistically well-done and they certainly are beautiful works of art!

I appreciate the quality workmanship that goes into making a modern quilt and the fact that modern quilters are not afraid of doing handwork or projects that may take a little longer to complete. I recently wrote a blog post about slowing down and enjoying the process and I think that is the epitome of modern quilting.

Christa’s Modern Quilt Blocks

Many modern quilters will also dive right and and quilt their own quilts, something that thrills me immensely! (Read my soapbox post about quilting your own quilts!)

So am I a modern quilter? I think I find myself heading in that direction, yet the whole point of modern quilting is not to narrowly define oneself or one’s quilts.

As one of the lecturers at QuiltCon noted (I forget who), I am a quilter first, a modern quilter second.

Winter Ski Vacation Wrap Up

April 1, 201310 Comments

We are back and well rested from our Spring Break snow vacation last week. Because we live in the hot desert, to us going on vacation means finding the snow, rather than getting away from it, LOL! We enjoyed beautiful weather in Brian Head, Utah which meant lots of wonderful white snow amidst sunny skies – the best of both worlds.

The Watsons at Brian Head Ski Resort

This was literally the view we had out of our cabin window all week long. It was the perfect setting for me to relax, get in a little design work and keep up with my email and blogging.

During our stay-in-the-cabin days, Jason entertained the kids by watching movies and playing games, allowing me to get in a little sewing and work on a few WIP’s and UFO’s. After all what’s a cabin vacation without a sewing retreat thrown in for fun?

My kids all want to move someplace where there is snow. But as their mother I realize it’s only because they see it as something to play in. They’ve never shoveled it, driven in it, had to deal with the muck and the mud, etc.. etc.. Oh, to be young and carefree again!

The family that snow-shoes together stays together!

At the end of the week, we tried out snow-shoeing, tubing and building snow caves.

Snow Tubing

Snow Cave

The other snow activities were fun but I think I still prefer downhill skiing. 🙂

Christa Skiis

Now I’m happy to be back home safe and warm, ready for a week of quilting!

Christa’s Quilt Along Weekly Giveaway #5.5

March 29, 201312 Comments

I have decided to separate my weekly giveaways from my quilt along tutorial posts. Because the tutorials are so long, the giveaway announcements were getting buried.

Plus, the quilt along instructions will be on my blog forever, so including the giveaway in each weekly quilt along post would not make sense once it’s finished.

Click here for Step 5.5 of Hugs ‘n Kisses, posted earlier this week.

Weekly Giveaway Prize for Hugs ‘n Kisses 5.5

Thanks to all those who helped spread the word about my quilt along with my new button. (If you haven’t done so yet, please grab it from the sidebar and put it on your blog!)

For this week’s prize, one lucky quilt along participant will win a roll of fusible batting tape and a pack of Superior topstitch needles. Batting tape helps you use up all those leftover batting scraps with no mess! The needles are my favorites for both piecing and quilting.

Batting Tape

Superior Needles

How to Enter This Week’s Giveaway

Entering is easy – just post a picture of your quilt along progress on Christa’s Quilt Along flickr group. It doesn’t matter how far along you are, or even which quilt along you are doing. I just want to see your quilting awesomeness and I’m sure others do, too!

Because I’m making the giveaway change – anyone who has posted their picture on flickr so far is eligible for this week’s giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post with your flickr name so I know who you are. 🙂

Entry Deadline and a Little Housekeeping

Comments on this post will be open through Wednesday, April 3rd at 6 PM Eastern Time, (3 PM Pacific). A winner will be selected at that time and their name will be posted the next day on Thursday, along with next week’s giveaway prize announcement. I will also email the winner directly.

Because I’ve separated the giveaways from the quilt along posts, I’ve moved all of the winners’ names from the previous quilt along posts and am listing them here. (They have all received their prizes and were very excited!)

Week 5.1 Giveaway Winner – Anne C. won a ChristaQuilts.com Gift Certificate.

Week 5.2 Giveaway Winner – Diana W. won a Charm Pack of her choice.

Week 5.3 Giveaway Winner – Rose B. won a pair of Snip Eze Comfort Scissors.

Week 5.4 Giveaway Winners – Lesley C. and Clair S. each won a ChristaQuilts.com gift certificate.

A Little Modern Applique Quilt Inspiration

March 28, 2013March 23, 201317 Comments

I thought it would be fun to share a few more quilts with you from QuiltCon. These are beautiful applique quilts that I just adored. Who says applique can’t be modern?

Squiders and Winks by Janet McWorkman, Anchorage, Alaska
Quilted by Laurie Vandergriff

Apiary by Casey York, Chesterfield, Missouri

Time Travel by Barb Forrister, Austin, Texas

Apeeling Rainbow by Jen Eskridge, Helotes, Texas

From One Color to Another by Mary Langenberg, Overland Park, Kansas

Orange Trails by Leila Gardunia, Huxley, Iowa

Dream a Little Dream by Angela Pingel, South Bend Indiana

Click here for pictures of all the QuiltCon 2013 Award Winning Quilts.

Christa’s Quilt Along 5.5 – Hugs and Kisses Top and Pieced Borders

March 27, 2013May 7, 201315 Comments

Hugs ‘N Kisses 48″ x 64″

Welcome to part 5 of my Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Along!

For anyone just joining me, Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Kits are available for purchase while supplies last.

Be sure to work at your own pace and please share pictures of your progress on flickr.

Scroll to the end of the post for the quilt along schedule.

It took me a total of 6 hours to follow the steps below and complete my Hugs ‘n Kisses quilt top.

Step 1 – Arranging The Blocks (30 Minutes)

I decided to go with all X blocks for my layout. You will notice that my blog header shows part of a Hugs ‘n Kisses quilt I made several years ago in reds and oranges. I decided to try something different this time around and I encourage you to make it your own. 🙂

Using a design wall or other large surface, play around with your blocks until they are in a pleasing arrangement. I tried to create a radiating effect by grouping all of the lighter blocks together in one corner and gradually darkening them across the quilt.

Step 2 Sewing the Blocks into Rows (1 Hour, 30 Minutes)

Lay out your design forming 5 blocks across by 7 rows down. To keep track of my rows, I took a picture with my camera phone. Then I was able to refer back to it for proper block placement. I pinned at the intersections and pressed all of my seams open.

Sew each set of blocks into a row. For easier joining, press rows 1, 3, 5 one way and press rows 2, 4, 6 the opposite way. Or press all seams open like I did.

Step 3 – Joining the rows (1 Hour, 15 Minutes)

Join two sets of rows into one piece. Repeat for 3 pairs of rows with one left over. When pressing my seams open, I open them with a wooden seam roller, then press with an iron.

Join rows 1-2 and 3-4. Then join rows 5-6 with row 7. Then sew the two pieces together.

Step 4 – Adding the Inner Borders (45 Minutes)

Measure the width of your quilt top. An easy way to do this is the fold it in half and measure using a cutting mat. My folded measurement is 20.5 inches which means my quilt measures 41 inches. (Mathematically it should measure exactly 40.5 inches so mine grew slightly.)

Trim two 2.5 inch background strips to this measurement. Attach carefully with pins and sew one strip each to the top and bottom. Usually I sew side borders first. However, since I wanted to avoid piecing the top/bottom borders I sewed them first. 🙂

Next, measure the length of your quilt including the added strips. Use the same folding trick as above. Mine was 61 inches (mathematically it should have been 60.5 inches). You will need to join multiple background strips together for length. Trim two pieced strips so that they measure this length exactly. Add rows to either side.

Step 5 – Adding the Pieced Outer Border (2 Hours)

Each pieced border is composed of bricks that you cut out previously. You need a total of 54 bricks that measure 2.5″ x 4.5″ each. Sew them together into segments until you have 4 pieced segments (you can make them random or gradated):

2 Top/Bottom Borders – 12 Bricks Each
2 Side Borders – 15 Bricks Each

Top & Bottom: 12 segments sewn end-to-end (Make 2)
Sides: 15 segments sewn end-to-end (Make 2)

Add the pieced side borders to your top first. If they are too short, you may need to go back and re-sew a few segments with slightly narrower seam allowances. Or you can insert a piece as needed.

If the rows are too long, you may need to go back and increase the width of a few of your seam allowance segments to shorten it up. Or just trim off the excess.

Add the top and bottom borders on in the same way. Voila! A finished quilt top!

If you have any questions about this week’s homework, please be sure to join my flickr discussion or email me directly at christa@christaquilts.com.

Quilt Along Schedule – Links will go to each active post when published.

5.1 – 2/27/13 Supply List
5.2 – 3/6/13 Choosing Fabrics and Alternate Layouts
5.3 – 3/13/13 Cutting and Sewing the Bow Tie Blocks
5.4 – 3/20/13 Sewing the X and O Blocks (or alternates)
5.5 – 3/27/13 Finishing the Quilt Top and Pieced Borders
5.6 – 4/3/13 Piecing the Backing
5.7 – 4/10/13 Pin Basting
5.8 – 4/17/13 Stitching in the Ditch
5.9 – 4/24/13 Decorative FMQ
5.10 – 5/1/13 Additional Quilting
5.11 – 5/8/13 Binding – It’s Finished!

Christa’s Soapbox – Why I Teach Quilting

March 26, 2013March 23, 201316 Comments

Teaching quilting is in my blood. I love it, I need it – I can’t live without it! I began teaching quilting classes nearly 16 years ago when my oldest son was just a baby. It kind of happened by accident when a local quilt shop (who’s no longer in business) needed a shop teacher and I was in the right place at the right time.

Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Along

Fast forward 16 years, 3 kids and a business later, and I am finally returning to what I love.

I’ve been doing my quilt alongs for a few months now and it gives me such joy and satisfaction to see my students create a beautiful work of art from just a few bits of cloth.

I love the entire process – designing an original quilt, putting together photos and instructions, making the quilt, and editing and rewriting until everything is clear.

After attending QuiltCon and meeting up with editors and publishers last month, I’ve decided I want to take things to the next level.

One of my strongest desires is to start publishing my work in magazines and books.

I feel like I have so many ideas it’s hard to pinpoint where to begin. The biggest eye opener for me after speaking to a few editors was learning that things I want to publish in print cannot be published on my blog first. That’s okay because I have so many ideas that I can’t possibly blog about them all in the first place.

My plan is to continue developing my quilting techniques with free patterns here on the blog. Then I will take what I’ve learned to create original patterns for publication. I will also learn to practice patience.

From talking to friends of mine who’ve written books and magazine articles, I’ve learned it takes anywhere from 18 months to 3 years to get a book written and on the shelves. That means if I start today – you won’t see anything from me in print until at least 2 years down the road! But that’s ok, too.

In the coming weeks and months you can be my cheerleader by continuing to follow my blog, joining my quilt alongs and giving me your honest opinions about how you like the techniques I’m teaching. And maybe someday soon (or not so soon) you’ll get to see me in print!

Original X and O Quilt, 1st Place Pieced, DQN Show 2002

A Little Cabin Retreat

March 25, 2013March 23, 201310 Comments

This week, my family and I are headed to the snowy Utah mountains for a little vacation with the in-laws (the same ones who took us to Florida earlier in the year). We will do a little skiing, a little relaxing, and for me, hopefully a lot of quilting!

I’ve packed the most essential supplies for a spring-break getaway: my Singer Featherweight along with a pile of fabric and supplies to get caught up on a bunch of UFO’s.

Right now I’m working on two block-of-the-month projects: my skillbuilder quilt-as-you-go blocks and sewing themed paper pieced blocks.

I’m also going to start piecing my backing for my Hugs ‘n Kisses Quilt Along.

While there, I hope to spend a lot of quiet time thinking about and planning some upcoming quilting projects. I have loads of ideas for future quilt alongs that I’ve got to get out of my head and sketched onto paper.

Thank goodness for the great help back at home.

Marcie does a fantastic job taking care of business for me both when I’m here, and while I’m gone.

She helps make my professional life easier so I can enjoy my personal life!

Sew and Tell Baby French Roses #3 – Top Done!

March 22, 2013March 22, 201317 Comments

I am finally starting to feel like I’m having more personal time to sew. Perhaps I’m being more efficient, or maybe I’m just not getting distracted by things that waste my time.

Whatever the reason, I am loving it. I was able to finish up my French Rosebuds quilt top this week and I’m very pleased with how it turned out. French Roses kits are available using these exact same fabrics. You can see my progress and read my previous post here.

French Rose Buds Quilt Top 36″ x 43.5″

French Rose Buds Pattern

I changed a few things from the original French Rosebuds pattern to make it a little more sassy.

First of all, I chose pastel Kona Solids for a fresh, modern look. I also widened the frames and borders.

The pattern calls for the frames around each block to be the same color as the roses. I thought that by switching up the colors, it looks a little more lively.

Finally, I added small 9-patch blocks in the border corners to give it a little more pizzaz. This actually made the borders easier to sew, too.

Whenever you make a quilt from a pattern or a kit, you can still change it up and make it your own!

During construction, I pressed all of my seams open.

My new favorite tool, a wooden seam roller came in handy for this task.

I rolled each seam first to open the seams.

Then I went back and pressed each seam with a hot dry iron from both the back and the front to keep them open and flat.

This nifty tool is really nothing more than a wooden wallpaper roller. I originally bought it for paper piecing but use it now for all of my “finger pressing.”

Now I am excited to baste this puppy and start quilting!

I’m thinking I want to stitch a small filler around the roses and then quilt the white sashing with pebbles – sort of mimicking a path or stone wall surrounding the roses.

Then I think I’ll free-motion quilt some sort of floral motif in the outer borders. When I took Angela Walter‘s FMQ class at QuiltCon, she showed us how she quilts her free-form feathers and flowers. So I’ll practice on some scraps first and see what I can come up with.