Blooming Wallflowers Quilt Along Part 5 – How to Spray Baste Your Quilt

February 23, 2022February 22, 2022Leave a comment

For this week’s video, I’m showing how to spray baste your quilt using a design wall and basting spray. Click the video below to watch!

Spray Basting Tutorial Using a Table Instead

If you don’t have a design wall, be sure to click THIS LINK for my spray basting tutorial using a table instead. I’m demonstrating table basting below with my Improv Squares quilt pattern.

Click here to get the Improv Squares PDF quilt pattern
Click here to get your favorite Layer Cake (10″ squares) to make Improv Squares

In Case You Missed It…

Be sure to check out last week’s video showing how to make a pieced quilt backing, below:

Helpful Links:

Blooming Wallflowers Quilt Along Part 4 – How to Sew a Pieced Quilt Backing

February 15, 2022February 14, 2022Leave a comment

For this week’s video, I’m showing how to turn your leftovers into an interesting secondary composition that you can use on the back of your quilt. It’s a great way to use up your scraps! Click play below to watch and learn:

Get the Blooming Wallflowers Quilt Pattern

You can jump into this quilt along at any time! The videos will stay up indefinitely so you can refer back to them at your convenience. Just grab a copy of the Blooming Wallflowers quilt pattern to join the fun!

Last Week’s Video Tutorial

In case you missed, click play below to watch the previous quilt along video showing how to sew the quilt top, also know as a “flimsy!”

Black White & Bright Precuts – Add These to Your Stash!

February 11, 2022February 10, 2022Leave a comment

My latest Benartex fabric collection has been out for a few months now and I love that people are loving it! If you want to get your hands on the full line, but don’t want to break the bank, I recommend grabbing some of the Black, White & Bright precuts. They are like quilter’s candy but are high in fiber and good for you too, LOL!!!

Fat Quarters are always a great place to start because they are the most versatile precut. Each of the fabrics in this 20 piece bundle measures approximately 18″ x 22″ which is a much more usable size than a standard quarter yard cut.

If you are wondering what you can make with one fat quarter bundle, check out my Modern Logs quilt pattern, shown below:

If precut squares are more your thing, then pick up a Charm Pack or Layer Cake or two.
My Black, White & Bright Charm Packs measure 5″ x 5″ and the Layer Cakes measure 10″ x 10″. Both include exactly 42 squares, so you get 20 of each print, plus a couple extras!

If you are looking for a fabulous quilt pattern to show off these beauties, might I recommend my Charming Chevrons pattern? You can use either precut depending on the size. I’ve recolored the original and it’s on my bucket list to make!!

Finally, I think everyone’s favorite precut is the ubiquitous Jelly Roll: 40 strips, 2 1/2″ x 42″ each. You’ll get 2 of every print and it’s okay if you don’t even use them. Collecting is just as much fun as quilting, right??

Click here view all of my designer Jelly Rolls, also known as a “Strip-pie”

If you are itching to put your strip roll to work, be sure to download my FREE quilt pattern – called Stacked Bricks. I came up with 3 different variations for you to try, each made from one Black, White & Bright strip roll.

Click here to get my free Jelly Roll quilt pattern called “Stacked Bricks.”

If you’ve made a fun quilt from my fabrics, I’d love to see them! You can post your pics in my ChristaQuilts Facebook group, or on social media #christaquiltsfabric.

Now I’m curious to know – what’s your favorite precut?

Blooming Wallflowers Quilt Along Part 3: Making the Flimsy

February 9, 2022February 8, 2022Leave a comment

For this week’s video, learn how to utilize a design wall to lay out and assemble your Blooming Wallflowers quilt top, also known as a flimsy! Click play below to watch, and use this technique on ANY quilt you choose to make!

Design Wall Tutorial

If you’ve ever wondered how to make a design wall, click here for my design wall tutorial. It’s pretty easy to make and is an integral part of my sewing setup!

Quilt in Progress on Design Wall — I used my design wall while making my Bling quilt. I use it for every quilt I make!

More Blooming Wallflowers Quilt Kits!

I now have 2 versions of the Blooming Wallflowers quilt kits available: the Black, White & Bright version shown in my video, and a now a fun red/white and gray version. These are available while supplies last, so grab one and join the fun!

In Case You Missed It…

In case you missed the previous video (part 2 quilt blocks), click below to watch:

AccuQuilt Dies Used in this Quilt

Terrace Tiles Quilts with 3 Easy Free-Motion Quilting Designs

January 25, 2022January 23, 2022Leave a comment

I made these 3 versions of my Terrace Tiles quilt pattern 2 years ago when my Gridwork fabric line came out. That was right before the world shut down due to the pandemic, so I was never able to properly photograph them until now. But better late than never, right??

Click here to get the Terrace Tiles quilt pattern – paper booklet.
Click here to get the Terrace Tiles quilt pattern – PDF download.

I did take some video of myself quilting them, each with a different free motion quilting design, and a different color from my Aurifil Variegated thread collection. So click play below to watch and learn, and try them out on your next quilt!

Get the Kits!

You can still grab quilt kits for 2 of the colorways, and a custom fat quarter bundle in similar colors for the third. The hardest part will be choosing which one you’ll want to make first!

Click here to get the Terrace Tiles quilt kit in the Breeze colorway above.

Click here to get the Terrace Tiles quilt kit in the Citron colorway above.

The pink and purple colorway below is called Amethyst, and I had just the sweater to match!

I sold out of all the bundles to make this quilt exactly as shown above. But you can get a similar look using 2 of my custom color bundles in purple and pink!

Click here to view all of my custom color bundles. They are made from a mix of my fabrics!

If you choose to make this quilt, let me know! You can share your makes on social media #terracetilesquilt, or you can share pics in my ChristaQuilts group on Facebook. I’d love to see your version!!

Blooming Wallflowers Quilt Along Part 2: Sewing the Blocks

January 19, 2022Leave a comment

Welcome to the Blooming Wallflowers quilt along! In this week’s video I’ll show you how to sew your triangle in a square blocks that make the “wallflowers.” Grab a copy of the Blooming Wallflowers quilt pattern, then click play below to watch the video.

Click here to get the Blooming Wallflowers Quilt Kit

Sewing Tips – Match The Ends

If your units are die cut, you’ll want to match up the blunted edges. If they are rotary cut, you’ll have extra triangle tips that will need to be trimmed. Colorful patchwork is a great place to use up colorful threads and leftover bobbins, especially if they are 100% cotton!

Click here to get my Aurifil Thread kits in colors, neutrals, or variegated.

Coming Next Week…

After your blocks are sewn, we will assemble them into the quilt top, also known as a “flimsy.” Remember to take your time and sew at your own pace. My quilt along tutorials will stay up indefinitely so you can refer back to them as often as you need too!

Click here to see my design wall tutorial.

In Case You Missed It…

In case you missed the previous video (part 1 cutting), click below to watch:

Click Below for Additional Help or Supplies

AccuQuilt Dies Used in this Quilt

Join Me For Curated Questions about Teaching Quilting!

January 13, 2022January 12, 2022Leave a comment

I’m excited to announce that I’m part of an online event called “Curated Questions” brought to you by the magazine Curated Quilts. This is a series of panel discussion about different topics in the quilting industry.

Curated Questions Sessions:

January 18 – Teaching with panelists Irene Roderick, Carole Lyles Shaw, Christa Watson
January 25 – Fabric Design with panelists Carrie Bloomston, Annie Chen, Kimberly Kight
February 1 – Pattern Design with Nicole Daksiewicz, Mary Davis, Yvonne Fuchs, Meaghan O’Malley
February 8 – Book Publication with Jacquie Gering, Andrea Tsang Jackson, Riane Menardi Morrison

Click here to register for my panel – Curated Questions about Teaching
Click here to register for the entire Curated Questions event at a discount.

The best part is, you’ll have access to the recordings for an entire year, so you can refer back to them as often as you like. It should be a fun time so I hope to “see” you there!!

Blooming Wallflowers Quilt Along Part 1: Cutting

January 10, 2022January 10, 20221 Comment

Welcome to the Blooming Wallflowers quilt along! In this week’s video I’ll show you how to cut out the entire quilt using regular rotary cutting techniques, or AccuQuilt die cut t ing. Watch my full length video below and let me know what questions you have in the comments.

Click here to get the Blooming Wallflowers Quilt Pattern

Triangle Tips – Cut Mirror Image Pairs

When cutting out your triangle pairs from your dark background fabric, half of them should “face” left and half should “face” right. You can tell you’ve cut the pair correctly when one pair looks like the image below.

Tips on Cutting Setting Triangles

Because Blooming Wallflowers is set on point, you’ll want the outside edges to be on the straight grain. The corner triangles (below left) are cut so that the top and side edges are on the straight of grain. The side triangles (below right) are cut so that the long side (on the top of the triangle) is the straight of grain. All of this is to prevent your quilt from stretching out of shape along the edges.

Click here to get yardage of my Rainbow fabric above, while supplies last.

If you cut your setting triangles the traditional way, you’ll start with squares as indicated in the Blooming Wallflowers Quilt pattern. If using the Setting Triangles AccuQuilt Die, you’ll cut strips parallel to the selvage. Both ways will produce the correct triangles needed.

Which cutting method do YOU plan to use? I’d love to know. Leave a comment or question here on the blog. Or share on your favorite social media channel. I’m here to cheer you on each step of the way!

Once your units are all cut, it’s time to sew up the blocks, so meet me here again next week!

AccuQuilt Die Sets Used

Here are links to the cutter and all of the die sets I used during the making of this quilt:

Click Below for Additional Help or Supplies

Learn How to Quilt with My Craftsy Classes

January 7, 2022January 6, 2022Leave a comment

One of the most fun things I love about teaching others to quilt is seeing their joy when they successfully learn to make a quilt from start to finish! I know not all of you can come see me in person, so that’s where my online videos come in.

I’ve filmed 3 comprehensive video classes with Craftsy along with being featured in a compilation video hosted by Angela Walters. So let me tell you a little bit about each one:

The Quilter’s Path – Learn how to Machine quilt

Click here to view the trailer for The Quilter’s Path.

In my class, The Quilter’s Path, I teach you how to practice some of my favorite walking foot and free motion designs. Then I show you how to quilt them on a REAL quilt! In fact, I show three different versions of the same quilt, quilted three different ways.

The class includes the pattern to make the pinwheel quilts you see in the photo above as well as lots of different motifs to try. It’s the next best thing to taking a class from me in person!

Click here to get my class The Quilter’s Path

Startup Library: Quilting – Make an Entire Quilt

Click here to view the trailer for Startup Library: Quilting

In Startup Library Quilting, I teach you how to make an entire quilt from start to finish. This includes ALL of the steps: setting up your sewing machine, choosing materials, cutting, piecing, basting, machine quilting AND binding. It’s over 6 hours of video content along with the pattern booklet to make the Friendship Stars quilt shown above.

I’m really excited that I was able to include my spray basting technique in this class, and students have told me it’s worth the price of admission just for that video tutorial! I also show how to do a couple of very easy machine quilting designs that are perfect for beginners. If this is your very first quilt or you’ve made dozens before, this class is perfect for getting started, or filling in the gaps of your quilting knowledge!

Click here to get Startup Library: Quilting

Startup Project: Starry Path Quilt

Click here to view the trailer for Starry Path Quilt

The Starry Path quilt is a great follow-up to Startup Library, because I again walk you through all the quilt-making steps for this quilt, with a focus on how to get perfectly pieced points! I was able to include a bonus section on quilting the quilt with a fun swirl design and I throw in lots of extra tips and tricks along the way.

The class includes the Starry Path quilt pattern and you’ll learn accurate ways to piece two of my favorite star blocks from basic units that you can add to your library of piece-making skillz!

Click here to get the class: Startup Project: Starry Path Quilt

28 Days to Better Free Motion Quilting

Many of you know I wrote an indepth machine quilting book with Angela Walters, called The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting. It’s been well-received and gives you lots of practical advice for quilting your quilts – plus 10 full-size quilt patterns for you to make.

Click here to get a copy of The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting

In 28 Days to Better Free-Motion Quilting, Angela has assembled 28 machine quilting tutorials from among the Craftsy library of classes. The idea is to learn one quilt design a day for 28 days. 3 of my designs were included (from my Quilter’s Path and Startup Library classes) plus a whole host of ideas from other designers.

My favorite part of this class is seeing Angela’s version of each of the 28 designs she stitched. And even if you already own the classes featured, it’s a great way to get a sampling of designs AND teaching styles from 11 different instructors.

Click here to view the Trailer for 28 Days to Better Free Motion Quilting.

A Note About Commenting on the Platform

Although I absolutely LOVE to engage with my students, just know that I won’t be able to see the class comments. So feel free to reach out to me anytime on my blog, social media or through my website. I’m always happy to hear from you and cheer you on in your quilting efforts!

Links at a Glance

Blooming Wallflowers QAL Fabric Prep

January 3, 2022January 1, 20221 Comment

I’m going to officially start Blooming Wallflowers quilt along next week since I’m waiting on a cutting mat from AccuQuilt before I can finish up the first video. Be sure to subscribe to my youtube channel so you don’t miss a thing. In the meantime, you can start prepping your fabrics. I like to prewash and starch yardage (not precuts), so check out my bonus video below!

Bonus Starching Video

I prefer to starch my fabrics before cutting. Click the image below to watch! I’m demonstrating using Good Vibes fat quarters.

AccuQuilt Dies Used

If you’d like to use die-cutting techniques to cut out your entire quilt, here are a list of the specific dies I used. Click each of the links below to learn more about that die.