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!
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??
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!
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!
I’m so excited to check something off of my bucket list! I’ve been wanting to teach at Empty Spools Seminars in Asilomar, CA for as long as I’ve been a quilter and 2026 will finally be the year, whoo hoo!!
Normally when I travel and teach I give a one hour lecture and 1-2 days of machine quilting workshops. I love it, but all we have time for in that short period of time is to quilt out a bunch of practice samples. I also discuss how students can apply what they’ve learned to an actual quilt but of course, they’ll need to go home and do that on their own time.
Well, I’m bursting with excitement to let you know that my week long workshop at Empty Spools takes it to the next level. In this class, you’ll get to bring in a real, basted quilt (or 2) and learn how to actually quilt it all week in class! We will go through a series of exercises to get you comfortable with the process and then I’ll guide you step-by-step to quilt and finish your own quilt. Won’t that be fun??
Take a look below at the schedule for the week. Click on the image to enlarge it if needed:
I will be teaching this in-depth workshop, called “Quilt That Quilt!” during Session 1 which runs from Sunday, March 1 through Friday, March 6 of 2026. This gives you plenty of time to gather supplies and make arrangements for your visit. Registration includes alls meals and you can either stay on campus, or make your own accommodations.
Click the image below to enlarge for details on costs:
This workshop/retreat is a chance for you to go through the entire process of making a quilt from start to finish. Once you sign up, I’ll be in touch with students so that they can prepare a quilt of their choice so it’s all ready to quilt once they arrive to class next year. I can’t wait to see what quilts students choose to make, and I’m so excited to help them experience the joy of making their own quilts.
This is a big event and commitment but I promise its worth it to set aside the time and money to attend. Do you have any questions? Please leave them in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them ASAP!
This week for 99 Machine Quilting Designs we are learning to quilt Triangle Texture, a design that’s great for modern OR traditional quilts! Watch below and let me know what you think!
Get the Surplus Strips Quilt Pattern or Kit I recently combined 2 motifs – boxes and triangles on the gray version of my Surplus Strips quilt! You can now grab the kit to make this quilt with the gray or white background, or grab the pattern and choose your own colors. It’s fun to make and fun to quilt!
If you’d like to choose your own adventure, grab the Surplus Strips quilt pattern and then rummage through your stash for the perfect colors to make it your own. It’s the perfect design for using up leftover (surplus) precut strips!!
Below are 2 versions I made a few years ago and it looks great no matter what!
Starting in January of 2025, I’m excited to share an entire year’s worth of machine quilting tutorials over on my Christa Quilts YouTube Channel. This is something I’ve been wanting to do ever since I wrote my book, 99 Machine Quilting Designs. With the help of my tech savvy college kids, I’m finally making this dream a reality. Click the video below for a sneak peek of what’s to come!
Grab Your Quilting Textbook to Follow Along!
Although the entire series will be free to watch, I highly recommend getting my book to follow along. It’s the perfect textbook for independent study as you practice your machine quilting skills. It’s available as an instant PDF download which you can save to your computer for quick and easy reference!
We filmed about half of the series over the summer and the kids have spent the last few months editing them together so they are ready to go starting on the first week of January. That will take us through until about the summertime. Then, over the winter we’ve been working on the other half of the series which will run through the end of 2025 and a bit into 2026. I’m very pleased with how everything is looking so far and I’m excited to share it all with you!
Here’s a bit of what my studio looks like when we are in the thick of it:
My kids did a great job hanging the quilts that served as my backdrop for each episode.
Making these videos has been a fun family affair. I hope you enjoy them!!
Bonus Machine Quilting Tutorials on “Real” Quilts
Throughout the year as I make more quilts, I’ll share bonus videos showing how I apply many of these motifs to an actual quilt. Here’s just one example from a previous quilt I made called Swanky Spirals. This is the quilt shown behind me in the preview video above.
Now I need your help. I’d love to know your biggest stumbling blocks when it comes to domestic machine quilting. Please leave a comment below letting me know any particular issues you have. I’ll incorporate these into the series as much as possible. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel to join the fun!
My Color Weave Quilt along kicks off Monday, Sept 16th and I’m doing something a little a little different this time around. I’ll be sharing everything via email rather than here on my blog. Lately I’ve been rethinking my social media strategy and looking at numbers. Because I get higher engagement via my direct newsletter, this will be an experiment to see if that format works best for a quilt along. Keep reading below to see how you can join in the fun….
Now, not to confuse things, but this is my blog post you are reading right now. You may get this delivered to you via email if you’ve signed up for that. But that’s a totally different system than my regular, weekly email newsletter. So if you aren’t sure if you are on that list, you can sign up here. This link will take you to my free patterns page which automatically signs you up for my emails. Got it??
Everyone already on my email list will automatically get the Quilt Along emails, and the best thing about it is that it’s free and you don’t even have to make the quilt! I will share tips and tricks for making the entire quilt from start to finish, including basting, machine quilting AND binding. These are techniques that will apply to any quilt you make. I really love empowering others to actually finish their quilts and reduce their UFO piles!
And while supplies last, I’ve put together kits made from precut strips of my Dazzle Dots fabric line. This includes the beautiful rainbow colors as well as both the light and dark grey strips. This is everything you’ll need for the quilt top – including the binding.
I’ve been sitting on a feeling for awhile that I need to change up a little bit of what I’ve been doing. I will still be doing all the fun things: designing, writing, traveling & teaching, but I’m starting to make space to work on some more “experimental” ideas.
A current “What If?” Idea in progress…
A few years ago I started getting an itch to explore new concepts and ideas in my quilting work. As a full time professional quilter, that can cause somewhat of a conflict because most everything I currently make is for commercial consumption. Meaning that I have to sell what I make or design in order to pay the bills. It’s a fun job for sure, but it often times leaves little space for trying out new ideas that may not be financially viable. It’s the old adage, that “if you find something that works, don’t fix what isn’t broken!”
A couple of times this has pulled me into a direction I’d rather not go in and I have to course correct. I can also be slow to change because I’m not a boat rocker. All this is to say I’ve finally decided to prioritize the “what if?” ideas.
I like where this is going, although I’m not quite sure what to name it yet….
The biggest issue I’ve had to navigate is how to actually carve out the time in my already busy schedule to make this happen. And without any external deadlines, the exploratory concepts keep getting pushed to the side because I can do them at “any time,” right?? So to actually make time and space for what I want to do, I’ve decided to make 2 tweaks in my routine.
First of all, I’m going to post less on social media. My accounts aren’t going away, but rather than being a slave to the algorithms, I’ll post what I want, when I want! There may be periods of time when things are more quiet, and other times where I may want to share a boat load of new ideas! Along the way I may even write longer blog post like this one.
This has been fun to work on for a few minutes each day, and I’m already getting ideas on how to machine quilt it while I piece.
The second thing I’m doing is actually getting back to what first got me noticed in the quilting industry in the first place: participating in quilt shows again. I do love sharing my work publicly, and I don’t enter my quilts to win ribbons (although it’s a nice bonus when they do)!
However, having that external deadline of finishing something for a show really motivates me to explore, experiment and push the boundaries a little bit. I’ve come to accept that fact that it’s hard for me to make a quilt “just because.” For me, each quilt needs to serve a purpose. So I’ve given myself permission to use those external deadlines as a catalyst to keep me sewing, exploring and just playing. It feels very refreshing to make what I want to make and share what I want to share!
I’m at a pause point with this design, so now I’m thinking through what comes next….
So… I’ll continue to document my process of both my commercial work and my experimental work. I’ll continue to share both my successes and lessons learned along the way. But it will be more random and less scheduled.
Have YOU ever had an a-ha moment, or a strong feeling when you know it’s time to pivot? Let’s definitely continue this conversation in the comments, and I’m sending hugs to everyone who’s continuing to support me on this journey!!
I recently returned from my trip teaching – and judging – at Pacific International Quilt Festival, which took place in Santa Clara California in July of 2024. The quilts of course were amazing, and my students were well prepared for success!
Best Mid Century Modern Quilt: Retro Living by Tami Graeber
For the record I am NOT a certified quilt judge, but I’ve had many years experience entering my own work into quilt shows. I’ve also volunteered numerous hours in judging rooms as a scribe or quilt handler, and I’ve judged several shows (both in person and online) when the occasion arrises. I’ve also served on the jury of large shows and I’ve sat on committees that help formulate rules for their particular shows. So before we get into sharing what that’s like, let me define a few terms for you.
First of all, what’s a jury? This is a select group of quilters who are chosen for their knowledge of quilting, and/or design. This group pre-screens all of the quilts that are submitted for entry to a show, and they determine which quilts will be accepted for exhibit into that show. A quilter who wishes to submit a quilt to a large, juried show will submit photos of their quilts along with an entry fee. The requirements are usually 2 photos – a clear image showing the full quilt, plus another detailed photo showing a small section of the quilt to show techniques and workmanship.
Judges and Scribes at Breakfast on Judging Day
Not all quilt shows are “juried” but most large international shows are. This is because of the sheer volume of quilts submitted. There are usually many more quilts entered into a well known show, compared to how much space is available to showcase them. So it’s simply a numbers game. The jury is “blind” meaning the jurors do not have any information on who made each quilt. They may or may not be able to read the artist statement but that’s it.
A scribe is someone who records the judges’ comments during evaluation of each quilt. The scribe is usually given a separate sheet of paper with the name of each quilt and the judging criteria, along with room for comments. The judge will then evaluate each quilt according to the criteria which is set by show. A handler is literally someone who helps handle each quilt as they are being judged. Quilts are usually judged together as a group by category. That means each quilt is evaluated relative to all of the quilts in the same category.
Best Handwork, Modern: Katzen Krankenhaus by Katherine M. Dossman
There can be 1 or more judges at the show and shows are usually judged one of two ways: with the quilts by category laid out flat on a table, one on top of another. Or the quilts can be hung on the show floor first, and the judge(s) walk around the show looking at each quilt by category. Each show is different and the judges are given instructions on how to judge. Some shows require their judges to be certified, but most large, international shows do not. Many shows invite some of the teaching staff to also serve as judges due to their expertise in their particular field. And usually the shows hire different judges each year for variety.
Just like a jury, the judges do not know whose quilt they are evaluating at any given time. They may be able to read the artist’s statement but they are evaluating the quilt on its own merits. When more than one judge is involved, the judges can discuss each quilt together to decide on the final evaluation of each.
My judging partner Mel Beach and I hanging out during the “meet the teacher” event.
So here’s how it worked at PIQF. There were 4 of us judging, and we were divided up into two teams of two, along with one scribe for each team. At this particular show there were 4 main categories (Traditional, Innovative, Modern, and Wall) so it worked out nicely for each team to judge half of the quilts. We all met for a working breakfast on the morning of judging day, and were given instructions by the show organizer. The instructions included how to evaluate each quilt along with the numbers of ribbons and prizes that would be awarded in each category. In addition, each of the 4 judges got to select our own judges’ choice for a special ribbon.
At this show, the quilts were hung on the show floor and we were given a map along with a binder for each team that had all of the evaluation sheets for each quilt we were judging. So we walked around the show floor looking at each quilt one at a time. They had numerous special exhibits for display only, so these were not a part of our evaluations.
My judges’ choice ribbon: The Chairs by Deborah Ryan
First we looked at each category we were judging to get an overall impression of the quilts. The scribe helped us note which particular quilts stood out and started writing down some of our preliminary comments. We discussed and evaluated each quilt as a team and then took our time in deciding which quilts would be awarded.
After the winners were chosen, we went back and looked at each quilt we had awarded to ensure we were happy with our choices and that we followed the judging criteria. Once that was done, we turned in our results to the show organizers so that they could begin moving the “Best Of” quilts to the front of the room and then begin pinning ribbons onto the winning quilts.
Below, I’ve made a short video showing all of the quilts entered into the Modern Category, which I helped judge. Can you see how it’s difficult to choose the winners? I could have awarded them all!!
Click on the image below to start the video. It’s about 8 minutes long.
While the volunteers were shuffling a few quilts around, and as the vendors were setting up on the show floor, we once again looked at each quilt and made comments for each and every one. Not every show includes judges’ comments with each quilt, but I really loved that this one did. We tried our best to be very fair and positive, even when giving constructive criticism.
I can tell you that at this show, and most high level shows like this, the work is top notch so most of the comments are very positive. The most common advice we included in our team’s judging was that it could benefit from additional quilting. When a quilt is hung at a show it can become very apparent if the quilting isn’t balanced. The quilt can sag a little or look a little wrinkly in some areas and can be fixed with additional quilting. Since this is my area of expertise, it’s one of the things that often catches my notice.
Best Modern Wall Quilt: Out of the Blue by Linda Branting
I was very pleased to be involved with this show so intimately and I can tell you that getting up close and personal with the quilts like that is very joyful. I will be teaching and judging at another show run by the same group – Mancuso Show Management – next February. If you are in the Virginia area, I’d love for you to join me at the Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival. So stay tuned for more details about that!!
I was recently unpacking from my latest quilty travels and as I was putting my quilts away, I realized I’ve made 5 different versions of the same quilt. How does that even happen?? LOL!! So today I thought it would be fun to share all of them together in one post, plus a few more bonus ideas!!
The original version of Bling shown above was created for a magazine and originally came in one size only. I made it to showcase an earlier fabric line that’s now out of print and wanted to quilt it fairly quickly with a simple wavy walking foot grid design.
As I was designing this quilt I started playing around with different layouts and fabric placement. I love the version below which I call “Trinket Boxes.” I haven’t made it….yet, but it’s still on my “to make” list one day!!
Once the pattern rights reverted back to me, I created a version of my Bling pattern that now includes multiple sizes. This time I made two more versions of Bling to showcase another colorful fabric collection I had designed. I wanted to demonstrate how the same bright fabrics can pop against either a very dark OR very light background as shown below:
With the release of the stand-alone quilt pattern, I also include a few alternate layout ideas. I love how the same design can look so different, just by rotating all the blocks! All of the images below are included in the current version of this pattern.
I was really intrigued by the Hashtags layout above. Next, I wanted to explore how it could look if the colors were a little more unified rather than completely random. So when it was time to release my Black, White & Bright collection, I made a 4th version where all of the hashtags were made from the same fabric in each block. I also went scrappy in for the backgrounds, too.
When people see this version, they can’t believe it’s the exact same pattern!!
Finally, I made a 5th version of Bling to showcase my Stitchy fabric collection. I kept the look of the scrappy backgrounds and even made a video showing how I machine quilted it with fun decorative machine stitches. Click the image below to watch the video:
After making all these quilts, I’m still not tired of this design!!
While supplies last, I have kits available to make the Black White & Bright Hashtags version above, or either of the bright pastel Stitchy versions below.
I love traveling all over the country teaching my machine quilting methods and I pretty much say yes to any group who invites me. Over the next few months I’ll be traversing California at a couple of big shows. Next up is 4 days of workshops at Pacific International Quilt Festival, July 24-27, 2024. As of this writing one of my workshops is full, but there are still a couple spots left in 3 of them.
I’ll be heading back to Road to California for the 3rd time in January. This is one of my favorite shows to go to both as an attendee and as a teacher. Registration opens July 1, 2024, and workshops usually sell out pretty quickly at this show. So take a look at I’ll be teaching below, and plan your schedule accordingly.
3008C – Walking Foot Bootcamp Wednesday, January 22nd 2025 From 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
4005C – Free Motion Bootcamp Thursday, January 23rd 2025 From 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
5005C – Machine Quilting Spirals & Swirls Friday, January 24th 2025 From 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM
6006C – Free Motion Mashup: Combine & Design Saturday, January 25th 2025 From 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM
Will I see you at either of these events? Although I love sharing online via my blog, social media, and YouTube channel, nothing beats taking a class from me live and in person!
Christa Quilts 