Framed Quilts Finished

It is no secret that I enjoy making quilts that are pieced simply so that I can spend more time playing with the quilting.  When I saw the "Big Square" quilt in Christina Cameli's first book, First Steps to Free Motion Quilting, I knew I wanted to make at least one.  Well, I made three and can see myself making more.  The difference is that Christina's pattern is for a "Big Square" and I like rectangular quilts.  So I altered her pattern by making the top and bottom borders bigger.  Since it was no longer a square, I started calling these my "Framed Quilts."  The center panels have some really big frames.  These quilts all finish about 40 by 50 inches.

The first quilt was made from a fat quarter of Jungle Party fabric which I saved for this quilt when making animal quilts last year.  I just couldn't bring myself to cut the cute print into four inch strips.

I quilted this on the Bernina Q24 with a spiky spiral which reminds me of claws.  I thought it was a good design for a little boy quilt.  The center panel is quilted with a medium stipple.

The quilting design was so big that it was a bit difficult to fit it around the center panel on the long arm.  It would have been easier for me on my sit down machine.

I bound the quilt in the same blue as the inner border.

It is simple, but I think it turned out really cute.

The second quilt used some cute Riley Blake princess fabric I have used on a couple other projects.  The center is actually a rectangle because I had enough fabric to make it a little bigger.

It was quilted on the Bernina Q24.  I quilted spirals in the center, loops in the inner border, and wild quilting in the border.  This improv style of machine quilting made it really easy to quilt around the framed section on a long arm machine.  I could just use a design that would fit whatever space was there.  It was so much fun to quilt like that!

Instead of a collection of closed designs (like on this table runner), I used open FMQ designs that echoed.  I quilted spirals, flowers, hearts, leaves, paisleys, and anything else I felt like in the moment.  They all played really well together.

The binding is the same blue as the inner border.

I really love this one and hope a little girl will as well.

The third quilt used part of a Snail Trail panel I bought on clearance at my LQS a few years ago.  Other parts of the panel were used in a stripe quilt I made last year.

I also quilted this one on the Bernina Q24 with wild quilting in the large solid border.

The difference is that I quilted spirals in the center of the large flowers, inspired by the flowers in the panel.

The princess quilt had a simple loop in the center of the big flowers.

I really like the spiral flower centers.

I bound the quilt in a darker green.

I didn't piece an inner border because the panel had its own wonky borders.

It is such a bright, cheerful quilt!

All three of these framed quilts will most likely be donated to Primary Children's Hospital at Christmastime this year.  The solid fabrics were purchased earlier this year when a quilt shop nearby was closing.  The solids were by Moda and Riley Blake, but I don't remember the names.

I look forward to playing with the open/echoed wild quilting designs some more.

XX,
Jasmine

P.S.  I will be linking up with some of the fun parties on my sidebar.  Check them out for more quilty inspiration.

Amanda Murphy Class

My mom and I recently took a three day longarm class/workshop from Amanda Murphy at Nuttall's Bernina.  The classroom was amazing and a lot of her quilts were hung around the room.

I loved this free motion quilting sampler.

They also had a lot of her fabric for sale.

And here is a close-up of the quilt on the left, because I told Sandra how awesome it was.  ;)

The first day was about free motion quilting on the Q-series machines.  Here is a peek at some of what I did that day.

The second day was about ruler work and combining it with free motion.

The third day was about using the Q-matic and combining it with free motion quilting. I didn't take any pictures of that.  ;)

It was wonderful taking a class from a Bernina Quilting and Long Arm Spokesperson.  Amanda Murphy was able to give little tips and tricks for doing things on the Q24 which I found helpful.  It was also wonderful spending that time with my sweet mother.

My mom and I bought some of her fabric and patterns, and I'm looking forward to trying some of her techniques on future projects.  

XX,

Jasmine

Quilt of Valor Finished

I am happy to say that I have finished this quilt for the Cotton Stitchers club.  It will be donated to Quilts of Valor.

My original blocks, mentioned in my previous post, were made from scraps.

However, I had to cut into yardage to make enough blocks to finish the top.  I made some more crazy disappearing nine patch blocks and some friendship star blocks, including two reverse star blocks.

The backing and binding were donated by Daines Cotton Shop.  I donated the batting and thread.  I quilted it simply with loops and stars on the Bernina Q24.

Here are close-ups of some of the other blocks that were donated.

The backing was extra wide, so I didn't have to piece it.

It was a great group project, and I hope to make another with my Cotton Stitchers club sometime.  While we have had some service days before, this was our first pieced and quilted quilt.

Quilt Stats #212
Name: Quilt of Valor
Pattern:  Donated 12 inch finished blocks
Fabrics Used:  Various red, white, and blue
Batting:  Warm and White
Size:  About 60 x 72 inches
Date Finished: 2017

Here it is in my living room waiting for me to take to the next meeting.

XX,
Jasmine

P.S.  I will be linking up with some of the fun parties on my sidebar.  Check them out to see more quilty inspiration.

Quilt of Valor in Progress

I attend the free club which is held once a month at my LQS.  At our last meeting there was a block drive and sewing activity for Quilts of Valor.  I made these two 12 inch finished friendship star blocks out of scraps and stash to donate.

At the meeting we sewed several wild disappearing nine patch blocks to use as setting blocks.  I volunteered to finish up the quilt, so I brought all the blocks home.

We want to make the quilt 60 by 72 inches, so I needed more blocks to finish it up.

I will share the completed quilt soon. 

XX,
Jasmine

Halloween Race

I pulled out a ziplock bag with my leftover Halloween fabric and scraps and decided to make another quilt.  I ended up deciding on making a race style quilt made from 4 inch cut strips.  The fabrics were so busy that I decided to lay them out on the design wall and sew each row individually. 

Half of the quilt top is pieced in the following picture.  I would sew a row and trim it to 59.5 inches before sewing rows together into sections.  It took longer than my favorite chunky race quilts, but was worth it to control all the fabric placement. 

This style of quilt perfect for using up the leftover fabric and scraps.  I had some odd size pieces from cutting out the hexagons for my Halloween Hex quilt.  Those odd pieces (including triangles and trapezoids) all worked into the quilt.  The scraps are my favorite part and Cheetah's least favorite part.  I only purchased 3/8 yard for the top and the minky for the backing.  I am amazed that one gallon size ziplock bag had almost enough fabric for this quilt top.  I did add a few solid scraps and almost solid scraps as well. 

I quilted it on the Bernina Q24 with wiggles in each row. 

The quilting was very quick and so much fun. 

The binding is the same as on Halloween Hex.  I love that diagonal stripe. 

The scrappy sections are my favorite part.  I felt so thrifty. 

The minky backing is my boys' favorite part, which is no surprise.  Ha!

I have been wanting to quilt a minky quilt with just wiggles for a long time.  I wish you could feel the awesome texture it gives the minky. 

I am so pleased with how the quilt turned out. 

Quilt Stats #213
Name:  Halloween Race
Pattern:  Scrappy Chunky Race Quilt
Fabrics Used:  Halloween leftovers and scraps
Batting: Hobbs 80/20
Size:  About 59 by 73 inches
Date Finished: 2017

I now have five Halloween quilts and a (smaller) bag of Halloween string scraps.  I'm not sure if I will use them this year or not. 

XX,
Jasmine

P.S.  I will be linking up with some of the fun parties on my sidebar.  Check them out for more quilty inspiration.