We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! And from the bottom of our hearts we thank you for supporting Christa Quilts and The Precut Store!
We recently had the opportunity to be in charge of a fun pajama themed Christmas party for our church. We are just missing my other son who’s currently serving as a missionary in Hong Kong.
Star Wars posters are everywhere in Hong Kong right now! Too bad our son will have to wait until he gets home to actually see the movie, though!!
At this time of year we want to give big thanks and huge hugs to all of you who support our family’s quilting business. You are supporting our flexible work schedule so that we can volunteer in our community.
You are supporting two of our children as they work in our business while attending high school and college. You are supporting our other son who’s currently serving a church mission in Hong Kong, China.
You supported us earlier this year when we needed to relocate our entire household and business in under month (without shutting down business). You’ve supported our crazy idea to see if we could raise our family while working full-time in the quilting industry!!
First Christmas in our new place. It was fun to add touches of handmade to create a cozy home.
It definitely hasn’t been easy!! But through it all, I’ve been uplifted and inspired whenever you share something you’ve made from my books, patterns or fabric. And it brightens my day when I get a kind email or social media comment about how I’ve helped make your quilting life easier.
A friend of ours painted this window outside our home, welcoming all who pass by!
So thanks for a fabulous 2019, thanks for your friendship, and thanks for your continued support. I’m looking forward to an even better 2020!
The main reason I want to replace it is because every single time I share a picture of it on social media, everyone wants to know where I got it from, and I don’t have an answer for them. I bought it from a dealer who’s no longer in business and I don’t even know the brand of table it is. I’ve looked long and hard through ALL the current companies out there and have never been able to find it again.
Another view of my sewing room, before we installed the design wall.
But more to the point, this table has served me well, but there are a lot of features I wish it had. For example, when I first set it up in the middle of my new larger studio space, it actually doesn’t work well here because there’s no ledge on the back of the table to keep the quilt from falling off while quilting. I quilted a few quilts like this but struggled to keep the quilt on the table.
So I moved my table to the back wall of my space, underneath the window in my sewing studio.
This is a current quilt pattern I’m working on, so stay tuned for details in a few months!
Pushing my table against the wall works better because the wall can block the quilt from falling off the table. However, I’ve had to add small tray table in front of the table to form an L and hold up the quilt to my left. Of course this isn’t pretty and it also blocks access to the drawer, but it works in a pinch!
Here’s a similar setup from my sewing space in my old house that we moved from. I used a plastic table or ironing board to hold the bulk of the quilt on the left. Again, this is practical, but not very pretty:
I’ve gotten lots and lots of suggestions for other tables to try , but here’s the problem: They either aren’t all that pleasing to look at, or they are way too big. Or they have too many bells and whistles which jack up the price to be more than the cost of the machine!
Below is my setup again, and notice how I’ve also added another small table to the right of the machine, tucked into the corner. This is to hold notions and things that would fall off the side of the table. As you can see, when there’s nothing to hold up the quilt in the front of the machine, it falls off the table again!
This quilt in progress is made from neutrals from several of my fabric lines.
So one of my goals in the new year (or next several years) is to try and find a table manufacturer that wants to work with me to design and create the PERFECT domestic machine quilting table. To be clear, I’m not just looking for a “custom” solution for myself. I want to be an ambassador for THE PERFECT TABLE so that I can endorse it and share it with thousands of fans, followers, and machine quilting students. After all, one of my main reasons in being a quilting educator is to make the process easier for YOU!!
So here is what I’m looking for:
The piece should be a table that stays up all the time, NOT an overpriced cabinet.
It should measure between 60-66″ inches at the longest side. Anything larger than that and it simply wont fit in most quilters’ sewing spaces.
The depth should be about 36″-40″
It should have some sort of extension forming an L on the left
It should include an optional fly out leaf on the right to hold notions
The hole for the machine should be positioned as far to the RIGHT as possible,
not in the MIDDLE!
It should have a lip on the back to hold up the quilt if needed.
It should retail for $2,000 or LESS.
I’m “scrunching and smooshing” my Infrastructure Quilt through the machine on my table.
I’m putting this out there to the universe in the hopes that the right partner will see this, or someone out there has connections to a company who’d be interested in working with me as their spokesperson. If I can find the PERFECT domestic machine quilting table, I’ll be singing their praises all day long!!
So how about you? What’s your wish for the perfect sewing table, or other studio furniture??
I’m so excited that my newest fabric, Gridwork will be arriving in stores soon! To get you pumped up for some post holiday sewing, I’m sharing some gorgeous quilts made by my talented friends. Hopefully you’ll be inspired by one of these designs and put them on your “to make” list in the new year!
The simple Gridwork quilting on this version gives it a completely different look, but it’s still very effective, don’t you think? And of course I love that it fits in with the theme of the fabric, too!
Mid Mod by Charisma Horton
I’ve recently gotten to know Charisma Horton online and her work is just fabulous! She has a great eye for modern design and is a prolific long-arm quilter, too. I love this composition that she created from Gridwork, called Mid Mod.
If you love jelly roll quilts as much as I do – check out the new Colourwerx Paintbox quilt below. It’s made from one “Strip-pie” of Gridwork plus background fabric – easy peazy!!
This striking design is made from Gridwork fat quarters + background fabric. I love how it shows off the prints and they look great all mixed up together!
I sure do love having talented friends that create some amazing patterns with my fabric!!
Now it’s your turn. Once you grab your favorite Gridwork prints and start sewing with them, please share your progress with me. You can post pics in my Facebook group, or you can share on instagram with the hashtag #gridworkfabric. I can’t wait to see what you make!
With all of the holiday preparations at this time of year, I’m also getting excited for my best gift of the year – my new fabric line Gridwork from Benartex, which should be arriving at shops starting in January of next year. For your viewing pleasure I’ve included pretty pics of all 3 fabrics by colorway below:
The Amethyst colorway includes 9 coordinated fabrics in gray, lilac, pink and plum.
The Breeze colorway includes 9 coordinated fabrics in lime, cloud, aqua and teal.
The Citron colorway includes 9 coordinated fabrics in Black, White, Navy, & Citron
Of course, I always encourage you to ask for my fabrics from your favorite local quilt shop first. And if you ARE a quilt shop who’s reading this, feel free to use these images in your marketing efforts.
However, if you don’t have a shop nearby, you can also preorder Gridwork directly from me while supplies last. I like to keep a healthy stock of all my fabric lines one hand, not only for my own use, but also to share with others so it gets into as many hands as possible.
You can preorder your favorite colorway from me in your choice of 9 fat quarters, half yards, or full yard increments.
Nothing beats seeing a project “in the wild” made from one of my fabric lines. And I escpecially love seeing how well it plays with other fabrics, too. Be sure to share your makes on social media using #gridworkfabric. Whenever I see your projects made from my fabric or patterns, it totally makes my day!!
Before the issue went to print, APQ magazine contacted me and asked if I’d be willing to offer kits for this quilt since it’s so eye catching. I immediately said yes and they were kind enough to mention my fabric and include a link to my shop in the magazine pattern.
Here’s a photo of the magazine cover, so you know which issue has the pattern:
It’s no secret that I simply adore all of Heather Black’s quilt designs. She really makes my fabric look good, don’t you think??
Of course I’m biased because it’s using my fabric, but I just love the bold design and energy in this quilt! I think Heather did a fabulous job with color placement, and I love how she fussy cut the Mosaic Dots print to create a frame in the borders. Heather is an expert with modern pieced curved designs, and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next!
I just love hosting quilt alongs, and better yet, I love it when you all quilt along with me! Here’s all the info you need to get started on my Paper Pieced Primrose Quilt Along:
Paper Pieced Primrose Kits Available
The image above shows the 35″ x 35″ wall size in two colorways, made from 16 paper pieced blocks. The images below show the 68″ x 84″ throw size in both colors, made from 80 paper pieced blocks.
For your convenience, I’m offering kits in both colorways, and both sizes – so you can pick and choose what works best for you! All four versions are made from my Abstract Garden fabric for Benartex. And for one week only, you can save 10% off the kit when you enter code KIT at checkout!
Of course you can make this quilt using any fabrics you like! Part of the fun will be seeing all of the different variations! Click the quilt pattern image below to enlarge the materials list:
If you want to follow along, we’ll make this entire quilt from start to finish in just 8 weeks!!
Click the links below for each step of the quilt along:
So don’t worry if you’ve never tried foundation paper piecing before. I’m going to walk you through every step of the process with detailed photos and explanations. The pattern includes the master foundation paper pieced template that you can photo copy as many times as you’d like. It will be a fun new adventure for a new year!
If you can cut the shapes above, you’ll have no problem foundation paper piecing – I promise!! Abstract Garden fabric shown is for BOTH colorways of Pieced Primrose.
So who’s with me? All you have to do is follow my blog each week! You can subscribe to my blog by entering your email in the box in the sidebar (either on the right if you are viewing on a laptop, or scroll all the way down to the bottom on your phone). You can also use the hashtag #piecedprimrosequilt on instagram so I can see what you are making!
Earlier this week, I shared my Infrastructure quilt finish, along with links to all of the quilt along tutorials. Today I’m back with more inspiring versions of this quilt made by others. I love to see the same design made up in different fabric, don’t you??
My version of Infrastructure quilt made with Geo Pop fabric.
Heather Black’s Version Made from Solids
Heather Black originally designed this quilt for me to show off my Geo Pop fabric line. But then she made her own version using Benartex Superior Solids. The color placement is basically the same, but the solids really allow her amazing machine quilting to shine!
Whenever I do a quilt along, I always emphasize that I want everyone to work at their own pace. But it was really fun to follow two of the participants on Instagram as they kept up each and every week. Check out their beautiful versions of Infrastructure below:
This lovely quilt top was made and shared by Margaret Fleisher on Instagram. I love her color choices and clever use of fabric. Now I’m excited to see how she quilts it!
If these have inspired you to make more quilts in the new year, be sure to check out my quilt along web page. It’s a roundup of all of the quilt alongs I’ve done so far. You may just find the perfect quilt you’ve been looking for!
I had the most amazing time making my Infrastructure quilt and sharing each step of the process with you. I’m excited to share more pics of the finished quilt along with links to all of the previous quilt along tutorials and videos. I hope it inspires you to make your own version!
I want to continue to be a cheerleader for “Start to Finish” quilting. Although I know that everyone has their favorite part of the quilt making process, I’m happy to guide you through the entire journey.
From now through Monday Dec 2, save 30% off all of my PDF patterns n my Etsy Shop – no coupon required! This is a great time to stock up on your faves and finish a quilt intime for the holidays!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! This officially kicks off the holiday shopping season, so I figured I’d join the crowd of business owners and get it on the Black Friday frenzy! From now through the end of the month, you can save 20% off all of my fabric lines by the yard, when you use code TURKEY during checkout at shop.ChristaQuilts.com.
It was such a thrill when Benartex contacted me three years ago and invited me to become one of their fabric designers for their Contempo division which features modern and contemporary prints. They told me they loved my work and would love for me to infuse my funky geometric style into fun colorful fabric. Modern Marks was the result and it’s been a wild ride ever since!!
I still have a bit left of each of the 26 Modern Marks fabrics, and most are now out of print. As you can see below, all of my groups mix and match and are a riot of color and texture!
I continued to fill out the rainbow in my fabric stash with this line, and decided I needed not one, but two background grays to go with them. Because Benartex reprints hot selling fabrics, the grays have been printed over, and over, and over again. They are literally, the “perfect” neutrals!!
Fun fact: most people mistake the word Fandangle with “Fandango“, but hey have two completely different meanings. Fandango is the dance, but Fandangle means decorative ornamentation – which is why I included fun fabric names like Beaded Curtain, Triangle Trinkets, and Baubles and Bits. Sometimes naming the fabrics is as much fun as designing them!!
With this group, you can separate them into warm and cool, but as you can see above, each print looks great with every other piece in the line. I have yardage of all 20 bolts of Fandangle available, and with this special deal, you can stock up on your faves!!
Can we say purple?? With each line I create, I want it to stand on its own as a complete color story. But, I love adding new things that will mix and match with what came prior. In Abstract Garden, I made sure to include purple, plus four great pastels that would serve as light, or “low volume” backgrounds.
Abstract Garden consists of 20 prints, many of which are loosely based on some of my favorite machine quilting motifs. The name is a tongue in cheek nod to the fact that I can’t really garden, OR draw floral motifs. Be sure to check out the signature print of the line, “Raised Beds.” It’s little plots of my most favorite geometric shapes!!
With four fabric collections under my belt, I decided I really needed a line of modern basics. This is my largest line yet at 25 pieces, but with only 4 different prints. I’m thrilled that I was able to include more neutrals – plenty of black, white, and gray in this group to go along with the bright saturated colors.
With Geo Pop, you can have fun fussy cutting the geometric stripe, and can create some really cool effects with the eye catching Mosaic Dots print.
Shop, Save, and Share!!
For your viewing pleasure, here’s my stash of all four collections that I’m offering for sale by the yard. I keep these in my overflow fabric room, I mean guest room!!
When you create with my fabrics, be sure to send me pics or tag me on social media using @christaquilts or #modernmarksfabric #fandanglefabric #abstractgardenfabric and #geopopfabric. I absolutely love to see what you create!!
Don’t forget to use code TURKEY at checkout to save 20%! Shipping is a flat $5 to the US, and I’m happy to refund excess International shipping charges, too!!
Star Wars posters are everywhere in Hong Kong right now!
Christa Quilts 