The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting – Cornered

April 28, 20164 Comments

Click here to get your autographed copy of The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting.
Click here to see all of the quilts from the book, as they are added each week!
All photography courtesy of Brent Kane and Martingale.

Take a look at Cornered – a simple yet striking design that can be used as a table topper, baby quilt, or wall decor. Although Angela and I chose to use solids for our versions, it would look equally beautiful in your favorite prints!

Corned quilt by Christa Watson

Christa’s Version – Pretty in Pink.

I often like to color code my quilts, where each fabric showcases a different quilting design.

Free Motion Quilting Detail

Free-motion quilting detail showing one of my favorite combinations – Swirls and Pearls.

Cornered by Angela Walters

In Angela’s version, she shows you several different ways to quilt the same block!

For the record, Angela Walters quilts on a Handi-Quilter Long arm and I quilt on a domestic sit-down machine, a BERNINA 770 QE. But no matter which machine you choose, our goal is to help get you comfortable with the machine quilting process!

Christa Watson Books

Click here to purchase my machine quilting books and let me be your cheerleader as I guide you to machine quilting success! After all, that’s my favorite part of making a quilt!!

Facets Quilt Wins 2nd Place Modern in Paducah 2016!

April 22, 2016April 22, 201648 Comments

This week has been crazy busy and exhilarating! I was packing up to teach at EQ Academy earlier in the week when I got the email notice that Facets had won an award at AQS Quilt Week in Paducah, Kentucky – the mother of all quilt shows! Knowing I wouldn’t be able to attend due to my prior teaching commitment, I lamented the fact that I’d miss the awards ceremony and hoped someone I knew would be able to take pictures for me and let me know how it did.

By the way, when you get these emails from quilt shows, they don’t notify you of placement – they just say you have won “an award.”

Facets Quilt

Facets, 2nd at AQS Quilt Week Paducah 2016 – photo courtesy of Cassandra Beaver.

Then when I heard that AQS would be broadcasting the awards ceremony live on You Tube I was so excited to watch! As I’ve said many times before, I don’t enter to win – I just want my modern quilts to be seen out there in the world wide web of quilters!

To start off the awards presentation, names of all of the Honorable Mentions were rattled off at once. When my name was not listed among this group, my heart skipped a beat and I thought, “OK, this is cool – I’m up a for another 3rd place finish.” After all, I had scored a distinctive yellow, pink, and green dogwood ribbon two years prior for Colorful Chevrons – the very first time Paducah debuted the modern category. At the time I considered it a fluke, thinking the only reason I got the award is that there wasn’t much competition.

AQS Awards Ceremony

Then they announced 3rd place and it wasn’t my name. Say what?? Anyone who’s ever entered or won at Paducah realizes that even a 3rd place finish awards more prize money than many 1st place finishes!! (Enough to pay for many more quilt show entries – the fees really add up fast.)

When my name was announced for 2nd place, I whipped out the iPhone, my hands shaking so badly that I barely managed to snap a dark picture on the computer screen before it disappeared from sight. I completely missed the first place finish because I was still in shock. (Thank goodness for social media so I was able to catch up later in the day).

Modern Quilts at Paducah

Paducah 2016 Modern Winners – From left to right: Facets (2nd), Whole is Greater than the Sum of its Parts by Cassandra Beaver (1st); Big Love by Sheri Cifaldi-Morrill (3rd).

This win is especially validating because I had entered Facets into AQS Phoenix earlier in the year, with a bittersweet story as the result. Although I wasn’t disappointed that it didn’t ribbon in Phoenix, I was pleased to learn that AQS wanted to feature the quilt in their 2018 wall calendar. However, my excitement was quickly dashed when they had to rescind the offer about 5 minutes later, after learning the quilt had already been published in my first book.

Quilt_montage

Machine Quilting with Style features 12 show-worthy quilt patterns, including Facets!

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with entering published quilts into quilt shows of course, but since AQS also publishes books, they didn’t want to feature a competing publisher’s quilt image, even though the pattern wouldn’t have been included.

The audible sigh on the other end of the phone line was followed by a meek, “well….. just let us know…. if you have anything else we can consider…..” (I promptly gave them my email so they could send me details on how to submit a calendar entry, but all I got back was crickets….)

Facets Quilt AQS Paducah

Pat Sloan at Paducah with Facets – I love this pic!!

So yes, getting a ribbon for Facets was extra meaningful to me!! And now the best part of this story comes full circle. The lovely and talented Pat Sloan first invited me to be a guest on American Patchwork and Quilting Podcast back in 2014, shortly after attracting her notice with my first Paducah ribbon. Since that chance encounter she’s become a great mentor and friend. After the news of my win, she sent me this adorable picture of herself standing next to the quilt.

Thanks to social media, I felt like part of the action! Maybe one day I’ll get to go to Paducah. 🙂

Facets Machine Quilting

Facets Quilting Detail – photo courtesy of Kathy Mathews.

The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting – Plumb Lines

April 21, 2016April 21, 20164 Comments

Today I get to share with you my personal favorite quilt pattern from The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting – Plumb Lines. This quilt was designed by Angela Walters, and I love how modern it is! Thanks to the beautiful photography by Brent Kane and Martingale, I’m excited to share these quilts with you each week!

Plumb Lines Quilt

Above is my version of Plumb Lines, created in a trendy color scheme of gray and yellow. Both Angela and I used solids for a majority of the quilts in this book, so the machine quilting really shows up. However, I wanted to incorporate a few of Angela’s prints here and there. Below is a detail showing a very subtle yellow plaid, from one of Angela’s earlier fabric lines.

modern machine quilting

This quilt is a great example of modern geometric free motion designs!

Below is Angela’s version of Plumb Lines in a striking combo of teal and peach. We wanted to share as many quilting motifs as possible in our book, to really get your creative juices flowing!

Plumb Lines Quilt

Don’t you just love Angela’s gorgeous filler motifs? They are so fun and easy to do!

Click here to get your autographed copy of The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting.

Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting

The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting – Swirling Butterflies Quilt

April 15, 2016April 11, 20169 Comments

Each week I’m sharing a different quilt design from my new book The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting. Now, although I really prefer modern designs, sometimes it’s fun to mix it up and try something different. This week, meet Swirling Butterflies, a totally doable wholecloth quilt.

Note: all photography credit goes to Brent Kane and Martingale.

Swirling Butterflies Wholecloth Quilt

My version of Swirling Butterflies – just divide and conquer to get the job done!

Although the design looks very complex, it’s easier once you break it down. I only marked the medallion and border. The rest of the background was filled in with what I like to call “improv machine quilting.” For this quilt, I did something I rarely do: used a contrasting Aurifil thread. I tell you, it was scary while I was quilting it, but I’m pleased with the end result.

Detail free-motion_quilting

Detail of free-motion quilting on Swirling Butterflies

I chose to make a black wholecloth version with highly contrasting thread while Angela made her beautiful version more traditional on white fabric with more of a blending thread. Look closely for a few other differences in the details.

Swirling Butterflies Angela Walters

Angela Walters’ version of Swirling Butterflies – isn’t it just stunning?

Click here to purchase an autographed copy of Machine Quilting with Style, signed by us both.

Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting

It’s Release Day for The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting!

April 5, 2016April 1, 20169 Comments

The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting ships today and I am so excited!!! When you purchase it from me or Angela Walters you will get an autographed copy with both of our signatures!

Ultimate_Guide_Cover

All book photography beautifully taken by Brent Kane for Martingale/That Patchwork Place.

I thought it would be fun to share each of the 10 projects from the book, once a week over the next 10 weeks. The concept is simple: Angela and I each made our own versions of the same quilt, with our own choice of fabrics and quilting designs.

I counted, and there are over 50 different machine quilting motifs for you to choose from! Whether you quilt on a sit-down or a domestic, a stand-up long arm, or even if you quilt by check, our book is packed full of machine quilting ideas, plus 10 complete pieced patterns!

Choosing Colors by Christa Watson

My version of Choosing Colors – I love the rainbow colors and textural quilting.

It’s kind of funny, but I was reading through some reviews of my first book recently and one reader said this after going on about how much she loved it, “my only complaint is – I want more patterns and more designs!” Well, that lucky reader’s wish has now been granted with publication of The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting!!

Choosing Colors made by Angela Walters

Angela’s version – she used her whole “quilting toolbox” of motifs and added a scrappy binding!

I enjoyed every step of making each of the quilts in the book, and I hope you will, too. Maybe you’ll take an idea from one project and combine it with another to make it your own. As you work through the projects in this book, or even if you apply the quilting motifs to completely different patterns, I’d love to see them! Be sure to share your progress with me in my Facebook group: Quilt with Christa or on instagram @christaquilts and #quiltwithchrista

Stay tuned next week when I share the next pair of quilts from the book, or you can skip the wait, and pick up your signed copy of The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting right now!

Christa Watson and Angela Walters

Angela and I first met at QuiltCon in 2013. We instantly bonded over Machine Quilting.

Angela and I thank you for your patronage from the bottom of our hearts. We couldn’t do what we do without the support of friends like you!!

Facets Quilt Along Winners – And Quilt Alongs Galore!!

April 1, 2016April 1, 20164 Comments

Today’s the day I get to announce winners from those that participated in Facets Quilt Along!! If you are just joining us, you are welcome to go back to the beginning and get the Facets Introduction and Quilt Along schedule.

switchbacks_swirls

For those that are still quilting along, please keep up at your own pace, and don’t forget to share your progress in my Facebook group: Quilt with Christa. Although prizes are being awarded today, I still want to cheer you on and give you a virtual high-5!!

Here’s how the prizes were awarded – each week for 8 weeks, participants worked and shared their progress. For each step they shared, they got an entry into the drawing. At the end, I put all of the names into a bowl, and pulled out 3 random names (low tech, I know, but it works!). Each of these grand prize winners gets a signed copy of one of my books, a jelly roll of their choice and a spool of Aurifil thread from The Precut Store.

Quilt Along Prize Entries

Then I did another bonus drawing from those who had completed all 8 steps of the quilt along! Those two winners won a jelly roll of their choice from The Precut Store. Then, because I couldn’t help myself, I had do do another bonus for two more to win one of my Kona Designer charm packs.

Without further ado – here are the winners, totally chosen at random, with my eyes closed!!

Facets-QAL-Prize-Winners

And finally, because I want everyone to be a winner, everyone who shared their progress with me gets a free PDF pattern of their choice from my Craftsy Pattern Store!

All of the winners need to contact me at christa@christaquilts.com with their shipping address, choice of prizes, and email for PDF pattern download.

FacetsQALbig

Thanks for quilting along with me. Now I have two special announcements to share:
(1) If you would love to try making another complete quilt from start to finish, be sure to check out my 9 Previous Quilt Alongs Here!!

(2) Stay tuned next week as I reveal details for my next Quilt Along!! Here’s just a snippet to get you excited – it’s super simple, super fast, and tons of fun!! Be sure to bookmark BERNINA’s blog We All Sew as that’s where the tutorials will be shared – I can’t wait!

New Quilt Along

My next quilt along will be coming up soon so stay tuned!!

Catch Me on Video! My TQS interview and Quilt-It Demo

March 29, 2016March 28, 20166 Comments

I’m a little reluctant to admit that it’s weird seeing myself on camera, but I’m trying to get used to performing on video. I’m really comfortable teaching and speaking in front of a live audience, but when the camera rolls, there’s that fraction of a second of “deer-in-the-headlights feeling”. However, I’m glad that I’m getting a wee bit of practice because I would like to do some video tutorials/classes in the future. 🙂

While I was at QuiltCon I had the great pleasure of being interviewed by the legendary Alex Anderson of The Quilt Show. We recently met last year at the BERNINA ambassador reunion, and it was so fun to catch up with her again. The interview is only about 5 minutes long but if you’ve never heard me speak before – here’s your chance to see how fast I talk! 🙂

The second video I’m sharing is a 50 minute episode of Quilt It The Longarm Show that is available for purchase from QNNtv. Last summer, I was invited to share tips and tricks on how I machine quilt on a sit-down long arm. (Thanks goodness – otherwise, this could have turned into a comedy show for sure. Nobody wants to see me flounder around on a stand-up long-arm machine, LOL!!)

Click here to watch a 50 second preview of the Quilt It Episode. You can either purchase the episode for $5.99 or enroll in a monthly subscription and get access to their entire line-up of shows!

Yes, I like to match my nails to my quilting – don’t you?? 🙂

The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting Available for Preorder

March 8, 2016March 8, 20167 Comments

Good news! Signed copies of my next book, The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting are now available for preorder! I’ve been hinting about this new book for awhile but wasn’t ready to pre-sell it until now – I wanted to make sure I had all of my ducks in a row first.

Ultimate_Guide_Cover

My fabulous co-author Angela Walters and I were pondering how we could both sell signed copies of the book directly to our fans, since we won’t be at any public events together until QuiltCon 2017 (and that’s too long for most of you to wait). Jennifer Keltner from Martingale was kind enough to send us labels which we both signed and will add to each of the copies that we sell ourselves. And of course I’m happy to include a personalized message or add your name upon request when you order. 🙂

Here’s another bonus when you buy directly from us – you’ll get the book first! The official release date is April 5th but Amazon’s release date isn’t until April 19th. Now don’t worry – I’m not offended in the least if you’d prefer to buy it somewhere else – do what works for you!! I’m just thrilled that this book was able to follow so quickly on the heels of my first one.

As it gets closer to publication date, I’ll start telling your more about The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting, how the concept came to be, and of course I’ll share projects from the book. For now, pop on over to the Martingale site for sneak peeks of what’s inside!

As always – thanks for your support!!

MQWS Blog Hop Day 5 – Ripples

September 18, 2015September 18, 20157 Comments

Are you enjoying the roundup of quilts from my new book? I’ve shared 5 so far, with 7 more to go! Be sure to order your signed copy of Machine Quilting With Style and I’ll pop it in the mail right away. I can’t wait to see how you make these designs your own. 🙂

Ripples – The Background Story

Ripples 66″ x 88″ by Christa Watson. Photography by Brent Kane.

Who doesn’t love a good Log Cabin design? When it comes to choosing fabrics for a quilt, my philosophy is “more is more.” I mean – why use just one or two fabrics when 20 will do? I had fun picking out tons of aqua and grey fabrics from my stash, and I think this quilt would look stunning in any color combination.

It was so much to choose fabrics and cut strips for this quilt!

Although the structure of the quilt is easily recognizable as a Log Cabin variation, I used a technique I call “Structured Improv” on several quilts in the book. The basic idea is to liberate the piecing by using irregular shapes and fabric widths while constructing the blocks. I sew my blocks slightly oversized, then trim them down, making sure they all fit together in the end.

If you look closely at the wonky log cabin blocks, you will notice that the strip widths vary, and there aren’t always an even number of strips on either side of the block. Also, I didn’t strictly use all lights on one side and darks on the other like you would for a traditional log cabin quilt. This makes the whole design pop, and making these blocks was SO. MUCH. FUN!

I love adding lines of quilting texture with a decorative stitch. It was very a meditative process.

I quilted Ripples completely using the IDF (integrated dual feed)on my BERNINA with a decorative stitch. This is liking having a walking foot built into the machine! Of the 12 quilts in the book, 5 use walking foot quilting exclusively, 4 have extensive free-motion quilting, and the other three combine both techniques in the same quilt. As people buy the book and start sharing their versions with me, it will be so fun to see how the machine quilting designs are used in different ways!

A Bit More

The pieced backing of Ripples – you could make this as scrappy improv front!

I was thrilled when the publisher agreed to included the pieced backing for Ripples as a bonus project in the book! I literally took all of my extra fabric chunks that I pulled for the quilt and used them up on the back. I love back art – don’t you?

Elements That Make This Quilt Modern: Low volume fabrics, on-trend color scheme, improvisational piecing, skewed block assembly, asymmetrical design, transparency, inspired by tradition.

Time to Complete: 47 hours from start to finish including the pieced backing. (It’s big!)

Quilting Inspiration from Melissa Corry

My dear friend Melissa from Happy Quilting is one of those prolific quilters that can bust out a quilt in no time. Can you believe that she made 52 quilts last year? And she loves the quilting part as much as I do – which gives her extra credit in my book. 🙂 She’s pretty great at keeping secrets, too. I didn’t get a chance to see the final reveal until today and it is so good I can hardly stand it. The color combo is fabulous and the arrangement she and her MIL chose is just divine! Be sure to pop on over to Melissa’s blog for some more quilty goodness!

Melissa is a fellow Martingale author who released her first book, Irish Chain Quilts, earlier this year. I had the pleasure of being on Melissa’s blog hop this past summer, and I’m so glad she returned the favor!

More from the Art of Home and Blue Nickel Studios

The very talented Jacquelynne Steves from The Art of Home crafts a beautiful e-magazine 4 times per year, once each season. She recently interviewed me for her next issue which will be published in October. And the best part? It’s completely free! Click here to sign up so you don’t miss a thing! Then hop on over to Jacquelynne’s blog for her stop on the tour. She wrote a very kind book review. 🙂

Jacquelynne is also hosting a sew-along day coming up pretty soon and I’m throwing in a prize for that. So be sure to check it out! Then for some bonus content be sure to check out her roundup of holiday sewing tutorials. 🙂

Scott Hansen from Blue Nickel Studios is not only a talented quilter, he’s a great writer as well. He writes the “I am Gen Q” profiles for the magazine of the same name and recently chose to interview me for the next issue. (You’ll hear more from Gen Q later in the hop.)

I thought it was amazing how he could turn my dry answers into an interesting and witty read! For Scott’s stop on the hop he decided to try out one of the free motion quilting designs from the book and I think he did a fantastic job.

Pop on over to Scott’s blog to check it out – and he has a fun little giveaway, too!

Click here for the complete blog hop schedule.

Click here purchase your autographed copy of Machine Quilting With Style.

Quilting a King on Your Home Machine – Video Workshop by Leah Day

September 10, 2015September 10, 20154 Comments

Leah Day’s blog, The Free Motion Quilting Project was one of the first blogs I began to follow when I found the wonderful community of online quilting back in 2012. Since then, we’ve gotten to know each other better and were able to meet up at spring quilt market earlier this year for some yummy food and great conversation about quilting!

Leah Day is an amazing quilter and one heck of a business woman, too! This is us a quilt market.

Leah has wealth of knowledge about machine quilting on your home machine which she shares on her blog and through her online store with a vast array of machine quilting videos for you to explore and purchase. I love her “can-do” attitude, along with her spunky tell-it-like-it-is personality. 🙂

Today I want to tell you about one of Leah’s newest video series, Quilting a King on a Home Machine. It’s an in-depth workshop of 20 videos along with a complete pattern for Salsa Verde – a very stunning quilt! Leah’s class walks you step-by-step through the entire process of making a king size quilt.

Salsa Verde quilt design by Leah Day 108″ x 108″ – Isn’t it stunning?

Leah’s instructions and diagrams are very clear and easy to understand, and her videos are very well done. The pattern portion of the workshop shows you how to assemble the Salsa Verde quilt, and then the video portion takes you through the steps to get it all quilted. Along with the class, you also have access to Leah though her facebook group at Leah Day Quilting – so you can get 24/7 support whenever you need it!

The entire video series runs for approximately 3 hours, and it’s nicely divided into bite size chunks that you can watch at your convenience.

Tip – baste your quilts well when you are getting ready to machine quilt.

Here’s a listing of the video topics, for Quilting a King on your Home Machine:

Introduction
Basting a King Sized Quilt
Machine and Table Setup
Walking Foot Basics
Managing the Quilt Bulk
Free Motion Quilting Basics
Practice Free Motion Quilting
How to Quilt Square Spiral
How to Quilt Zig-Zag Path
How to Quilt Polka Dot
How to Quilt Wobbly Cosmos
How to Quilt Echo Shell
Marking the Quilt and Planning the Quilting Path
Starting in the Center
Quilting the Inner Spaces
Marking the Inner Border
Quilting Lines in the Inner Border
Quilting Polka Dot Parade in the Inner Border
Quilting the Pieced Border
Quilting the Outer Border

As you can see from the list above, Leah really breaks the process down into manageable steps. You know what they say – how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. We can now change that to, how do you quilt a large quilt? One stitch at a time!

Yes, you can, quilt a king sized quilt on your home sewing machine!

I think my favorite thing about this video series is that Leah shows you how to use both walking foot quilting and free motion quilting in the same quilt for excellent results. I also love the fact that she shows you how to quilt large quilts on your home machine. Here’s an introduction to the video series, from Leah herself:

I always, always, recommend taking courses from as many different quilting instructors as you can, even when they are teaching the same material. Although many of us instructors may overlap on similar subjects, we all have our own approach to teaching and present things in a different way. You never know when something someone says is really going to resonate with you. And the best part is, many of us are friends and love to support each others’ work. After all, the more people we can encourage to machine quilt on their own machines, the more vibrant the quilting industry will continue to be. 🙂

Leah was recently awarded MQX Machine Quilting Teacher of the year, which just goes to show, she really knows her stuff!

I think Leah is super smart to take advantage of teaching online, and it allows her to reach a larger audience while still maintaining her young family.

Be sure to check out Leah’s class Quilting a King on a Home Machine. You’ll have access to the videos at any time and you can work on this beautiful quilt at your own pace. You’ll be glad you did!