Beaded Lanterns QAL Week 1 Cutting

Leave a comment

This week it’s time to cut into your yummy fabrics as we begin to make Beaded Lanterns. If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to download my free Beaded Lanterns Quilt pattern to follow along. Now, let’s get started!

Cutting Beaded Lanterns Fabrics

You’ll need a total of 36 precut strips from a standard sized strip roll. Using my Dazzle Dots 2 roll shown above, I took out 2 strips of the ice blue color because it was the same as the background and I didn’t want a “hole” in my quilt. I also took out the 2 white strips since it had the least amount of contrast. That left me with a total of 18 colors, 2 strips of each. Perfect!

Click here to get my Christa Quilts Rotary Cutter (on sale while supplies last).
It includes my special “magical” pixie dust which makes you a better quilter, LOL!!

Follow the pattern instructions on page 2 to cut out your individual units for each block, plus cutting up the 4 yards of background fabric (which includes the binding). To speed up the cutting, I layered 2 strips of each color (4 layers of fabric), and cut through several stacks of strips at one time.

I prefer to cut out all of my units to the correct size first, before sewing. After many years of trial and error, I’ve found that my units are much more accurate this way.

I plan to set aside the leftovers after cutting, and then piece them into the backing. This is totally optional, but it’s a fun way to personalize your quilt!

Ta-Da! All of my pieces are cut and ready to sew into blocks for next week!

Now it’s your turn to share. You can share your work in progress on social media using #beadedlanternsqal. Or you can post pics and ask questions over in my Christa Quilts Facebook group.

Machine Quilting Bling with Your Walking Foot

Leave a comment

I’m excited to share my step-by-step process for quilting my latest iteration of Bling. This is one of my favorite patterns I’ve made over the years. Whenever I get a new idea for a fun colorscheme or quilting plan, I can’t help remaking some of my most popular patterns! Click below to watch and let me know what you think!

Get the Bling Quilt Pattern

Bling quilt pattern

You can choose a similar color story and layout, or you can switch things up and make it your own! The last few times I’ve made this quilt, I chose scrappy backgrounds, but you can also use one fabric for the background and it looks just as good. Hmmm, maybe you’ll want to make more than one like I did??

Grab My Kits and Fabrics While Supplies Last!

I always like to kit up a quilt when I make it because I know others will like it too. However, these are only available for a limited time, as long as the fabrics are in print. Enjoy some beauty shots of this quilt that I took while on a recent beach vacation. It was a nice cloudy day, and seeing these pics brings back great memories!

I had just as much fun making the pieced backing and using up a bunch of leftover Dazzle Dots!

Beaded Lanterns QAL Begins Next Month – Schedule Included

3 Comments

Thanks to everyone who chimed in and let me know which quilt you wanted to make next! I’m excited to make Beaded Lanterns right along with you, from start to finish! Read below for details…

Click here to get the Free Beaded Lanterns Quilt Pattern
Click here to get the optional Beaded Lanterns Kit (while supplies last)

Beaded Lanterns Quilt Along Schedule

  • Week 1 – Cutting
  • Week 2 – Making the Blocks
  • Week 3 – Quilt Top Assembly
  • Week 4 – Catch up & Basting
  • Week 5 – Quilting and Finishing

Each week I will guide you through one part of making the quilt. I will be making the icy blue version shown made from my Dazzle Dots 2 fabrics, but of course you can use any fabrics you wish! This quilt along is completely free to join – just sign up to get the free pattern sent to you and you are all set!

Beaded Lanterns Supply List

Each week of the quilt along, I will be sharing tips and tricks right here on my blog and will include a bonus video during the quilting and finishing week. Just remember, you can work at your own pace and the quilt along will stay up indefinitely so you can refer to it again and again, any time you wish!

Click here to get the Free Beaded Lanterns Quilt Pattern
Click here to get the optional Beaded Lanterns Kit (while supplies last)

So – who’s in????? Leave me a comment letting me know if you plan to make this one. I’m happy to cheer you on, every step of the way!

Come Take a Free-Motion Class with Me at AQS Quilt Week!

Leave a comment

I’ve had a nice summer break but now I’m gearing up for my next teaching trip which will take me to Lancaster Pennsylvania for AQS Quilt Week, September 10-13, 2025. I made a short video teaser telling you more about it, you can watch by clicking play on the video below:

I recommend kicking things off with my Free-Motion Bootcamp class and then delving deeper with some of the other design-specific workshops I’ll be teaching.

Click here for class details and registration.

Whenever I teach at a large event like this, the classrooms are sponsored by a sewing machine company, usually Bernina. I’m excited to announce that the local dealer, Hinkletown Sewing Machine Shop, is offering some bonus incentives for those in the local area:

~ Register and attend any of my classes and receive a coupon for a $50 Shopping Spree in the Hinkletown Booth during the show!

But Wait… There’s more!!!

~ Purchase a new Q Series Longarm system, from the classroom or the show booth, and receive your class fee as a credit towards the machine’s show price!

Click here to register today. I can’t wait to see you there!!

99 Designs Episode 29 – Free-Motion Quilting Scrolls & Curls

Leave a comment

In this week’s episode of 99 Machine Quilting Designs you can learn how to free-motion quilt 2 closely related designs called Scrollwork and Echoed Curls. Watch below:

Get the Swanky Spirals Pattern

The quilt shown behind me in the video is my Swanky Spirals pattern featuring Dazzle Dots. It’s my machine quilting sampler that includes nearly every FMQ design I can think of!

Bonus Video – Quilting Swanky Spirals

In each of these videos, I like to share an example of a quilt in which I’ve quilted the design I’m showing. Take a look below to see how I did it:

If you are enjoying these videos, let me know! There’s so much to explore over on my YouTube channel!

Bling Quilt Along Week 4: Backing and Basting

Leave a comment

I absolutely love making pieced backings for my quilts. It’s a great way to use up leftovers, and I love how it makes the quilt double sided! So this week I’ll share the fun backing I made for Bling, as well as my spray basting process, too!

Click here to get my Bling Quilt Pattern PDF
Click here to get the Bling Quilt Kit or Printed Pattern

Puzzle Piece the Backing

Whenever I have leftovers, I start by grouping them into similar sizes. Then I randomly sew the same sized units together to make bigger pieced panels. Below, I’ve pinned my quilt top to the design wall and am methodically covering it up with pieced leftover units. I’ll fill in the gaps with other fabrics as needed.

My biggest tip is to use the larger fabric pieces around the edges since those will get trimmed off the most. Then place the smaller pieced units inside the perimeter of the quilt so none of them go to waste. If needed, I will trim units to the same size so everything fits together. I call this the “puzzle” method and it’s quite fun to do!

Just remember to make your backing at least 3-4″ larger on all sides. As you can see above, I’ve completely covered my Bling quilt top! Now it’s time to baste…

Spray Basting Tutorial

I use 505 Basting Spray and I spray the top and backing wrong side up outdoors. Then I assemble the layers inside on my design wall. This method works with any fabric/batting combo, but for this quilt, I chose Hobbs Tuscany Wool. It will give me lots of stitch definition and is very light weight and lofty.

Above: for this quilt, I sprayed the wrong side of the pieced backing and pinned it to my design wall. Gravity pulls on the weight of the quilt and I use a long acrylic ruler to help me smooth out each of the layers. The batting layer is next and I take as much time as I need to make sure it’s all nice and flat. As long as the backing and batting are larger than the quilt top, I’m in good shape.

Below: next I sprayed the wrong side of the quilt top and added that as the final layer, smoothing it again with the ruler. I can also smooth the quilt blocks and rows so that the quilt top is flat, smooth and squared up. Finally, I iron both sides of the quilt with a hot, dry iron to set the glue. It also gives me a chance to press out any wrinkles and smoosh all the layers together. Every inch of the quilt is sticking to itself which makes machine quilting a breeze. And there’s no pesky pins getting in my way!

Bonus: Watch My Spray Basting Video

Here’s a recent video I made, showing how I used thes exact steps to spray baste my Color Weave quilt. I know that it helps seeing the same idea presented more than once in a different way, so click the image below to watch!

Click here to get my Color Weave quilt pattern
Click here to get my Color Weave quilt kit

Be sure to give this method and try and let me know what you think!!

99 Designs Episode 28 – Free-Motion Quilting Switchbacks

Leave a comment

For this week’s 99 Machine Quilting Designs video, tutorial, I’m demonstrating how to quilt one of my favorite free-motion designs called Switchbacks. It looks great when paired with other motifs. Click play below to watch:

Bonus Video – Quilting Switchbacks on a Real Quilt

I quilted switchbacks, combined with other motifs on the smaller version of my Charming Chevrons quilt. I quilted a second quilting plan on the larger version, and you can see how I quilted both below:

Bonus Quilt Pattern & Quilting Plan for Facets

Each week I like to feature a quilt behind me that uses the designs I’m sharing. This week’s featured quilt is Facets, from my first book, Machine Quilting with Style. The book itself includes 12 start-to finish patterns. I take you from cutting, to quilt top assembly to a detailed quilting plan for each and every design. That way you can put what I’m teaching into practice!

Click here to get Machine Quilting with Style which includes Facets.
I was thrilled when my Facets quilt won a national show ribbon several years ago!

Are you practicing these designs? If so, be sure to share your samples over in my facebook group!

Bling Quilt Along Week 3: Quilt Top Assembly

Leave a comment

How are you doing with this quilt along thus far? Just remember, you can make this quilt at your own pace, and on your own schedule! This week we are assembling our quilt top. For my Dazzle Dots version of Bling, I rotated the individual blocks so that each set of 4 formed a larger hashtag block. Then I sewed the larger block units into rows, and then joined the rows to complete the top.

Click here to get the Bling quilt kit – Dazzle Dots version
Click here to get the Bling quilt kit – Stitchy version

In the Bling quilt pattern, I share several different layouts. Pick your fave and then find a large flat area to lay the blocks out before you sew. I use a design wall to help me decide which blocks go where, and I tried not to have any 2 blocks with the same fabrics touching.

bling quilt pattern

Click here to get the Bling quilt pattern – PDF version
Click here to get the Bling quilt pattern – Printed Paper version

Bling is one of those designs that will look different depending on how you rotate this blocks. I’ve actually made this quilt several different times, so take a look at these other variations for inspiration as you sew your quilt top together!

Any Questions? Share Your Work!

If you have questions, or want to share your progress, feel free to do so over in my Christa Quilts Facebook group. It’s fun to see what others are making and cheer each other in our efforts!

99 Designs Episode 27 – Wavy Walking Foot Spiral

Leave a comment

For this week’s episode of 99 Machine Quilting Designs learn to quilt one of my favorite walking foot quilting designs: Continuous Wavy Spiral. Watch the full video by clicking play below:

Get the Sparkling Stars Quilt Kit

While supplies last, I still have a few Sparkling Stars kits made from Stitchy fabric. Grab one now and start practicing your wavy spirals!

Click here to view all Quilt Kits

Bonus Video: How to Quilt Wavy Spiral on Sparkling Stars:

I made this video in response to everyone saying, “sure I can quilt that on a small sample, but it must be hard to quilt that on a larger quilt!” My answer is that it’s super simple to do! Watch and learn below:

If you’d rather choose your own fabrics in similar colors, you can grab the Sparkling Stars quilt pattern and get started making this quilt right away! The full color pattern incudes color charts so it’s easy to follow. It’s available both as a PDF instant download, or I’m happy to snail mail you the physical hardcopy. Choose your favorite format below:

Click here to get the Sparklign Stars Pattern – PDF Digital Download
Click here to get the Sparkling Stars Pattern – Printed Version

Have you tried the Wavy Spirals design yet? If so, leave me a comment and let me know what you think!

Bling Quilt Along Week 2: Block Sewing

1 Comment

I named this pattern “Bling” because the main part of the design is an abstract representation of a sparkly ring. Can you see it?? Last week we cut out our fabrics and this week it’s time to sew them together to make Bling blocks! I like to lay out all of my pieces stacked up in order next to my sewing machine.

I’m making the scrappy background version, so as long as there’s good contrast between my lights and darks, these are going to look great! You can also use all of one background fabric for a more consistent, cleaner look.

In the Bling quilt pattern, I give you a couple of options for arranging each Bling block. You can use all of the same fabric for each Bling like I did above. Or you can use more than one fabric for a bit of a scrappy look. It’s totally up to you!

I like to press my seams open so the blocks will lie super flat. I sew with a shorter stitch length (2.0 instead of 2.5) to add more thread to each seam for extra strength. Click the image above to watch a short video of me sewing the units together using pins to line everything up. I assembly line sew, aka “chain piecing” to make this process faster.

The pattern tells how many blocks you need to make for each size. So your homework this week is to follow the diagrams and instructions in the pattern on pages 2-3 to make your blocks. The be sure to share pics of your progress in my Christa Quilts group on Facebook!

If you are just joining us, you can grab a copy of the Bling quilt pattern and choose your own fabrics. Or you can grab one of the optional kits if you want to make one just like mine!