Here it is... My finished Cathedral Window Quilt My journey started by trying a few different techniques till I found one I liked. This folding technique seemed the best way for me!! After making my 'sample'.... I realized I could make this a 'Quilt-as-you-go'! You will need: 72 - 10" squares 72 - 4 7/8" squares of batting 72 - 3" feature(window) squares This will make a 40"x 45" quilt My 'windows' are Paris Flea Market by 3 Sisters for Moda That's a winning start right there!! My sisters..Tannis, Me, and Larissa I began with a 10" block of fabric... This will be my back and frames for each 'window'... Next find the center and fold the four corners in... Making an envelope-like square and press... Center the batting in the square.... Fold the corners in, sandwiching the batting Zigzag from corner to corner tacking raw edges down, both ways You could use a decorative stitch as long as it catches the seams (this will be the front..smooth side will be the back) The Zigzag will be seen on the back of the finished quilt I also pressed the corners to the center to create a stitch line to joing the blocks together Repeat....72 times!! Begin sewing your rows.... Sew 2 blocks together with smooth sides together along edge of batting The flaps will fold over to seamed raw edge side I sewed 8 blocks to make a row sewing along fold lines, pinning at the intersections Sew 3 rows together to make 1st section I found it easier to make this in 3 sections of 3 rows each Press the flaps so they meet with 4 points to the center It makes it easier if you baste the corners together Place a 3 inch square of feature fabric in the center... fold the bias edge over... making sure to catch the raw edges of the 3" square and begin to straight stitch this curve till you get to the corner Needle down is an assest in making this quilt!! Pivot and stitch down the next side... I stitched the top of one row .... all the way down then turned and stitched the other half coming back Continue to work back and forth.... On the ends, Fold the 3" feature square in half, placing fold to the outside edge and straight stitch down Quilted as you go!! Finish all 3 sections.... Join and finish last row of windows in the same manner!! All outside edges are finished so there is no need to bind... (unless you want to!!) Voila!! (Like my French, Monic?) If I have left something out or you have any questions, just ask!! Christa
When making a quilt label, is it appropriate to include the name of the person who designed the pattern? And is it necessary to contact the designer of…
Cathedral Window Tutorial. I hope the instructions make sense, and that you enjoy making this blanket as much as I did. My advice...start small.
I have been on a total paper piecing kick as of late! In all honesty, I was kind of avoiding this quilting technique as it seemed a little strange (and possibly like I was cheating) to use paper templates to stitch blocks together. But it is really fun! (If not a little time consuming.) The end results are stunning and the technique ensures nice crisp edges. Plus you can create really intricate designs that would otherwise be a real challenge to quilt. I had visions of a quilt with butterflies and was thrilled when I stumbled upon Lillyella's paper pieced butterfly patterns. Having never attempted paper piecing, I thought this would be a fun project to tackle. Since I'm a newbie paper piecer, I followed some recommendations from 3 and 3 Quarters on using larger scraps of fabrics to make my life easier. This was a great tip and one I would encourage anyone to follow if trying paper piecing for the first time. Essentially, you attach your fabric to the back of the paper pattern and then stitch on the printed side of the paper following the stitch lines. Each piece is marked with a letter and numbers. The first piece you start with is always #1, which I glued down to ensure it didn't shift on me. Once my first piece of fabric was in place, I then folded back the paper along the line separating section #1 and #2, leaving a 1/4
It’s a project that fits me perfectly. I mean, I love all the projects I engage in but this one . . . This one, this making of small squares for a so-called fusion quilt, is a perfect match. It com…
This is where I share my photos of the quilts that I have made. Many of the quilts are inspired by my travels. Others are my version of someone else's patters.
Good morning! Remember this project? Yep that’s right, it’s still lying around! Here’s an update on my crochet fusion quilt!
I’m so excited to finally present the tutorial for my High Tea Crochet Quilt! However, it’s still a work in progress. Right now it guides you through the sewing and crocheting of the sq…
Learning how to tie a quilt is a great way to give some hand quilted charm to your projects. Continue reading for 6 fun ways to try it out!
Make a sophisticated, neutral quilt using the Stars Hollow quilt pattern. This classic design plays on negative space to create traditional sawtooth stars.
I've called it 'Wonky Corners' because I couldn't think of anything else! But if this block has a 'proper' name, please let me know! The effect of this block is achieved by alternating coloured strips with a contrasting fabric. It works up to 12.5" finished. 1. Gather together scraps of fabrics. Varying lengths are good, […]
The Cathedral Window is a perfect example of a portable quilt design because with each block you finish the top, middle and backing for the quilt.
I’m so excited to finally present the tutorial for my High Tea Crochet Quilt! However, it’s still a work in progress. Right now it guides you through the sewing and crocheting of the sq…
The Hugs and Kisses Quilt block is a fun and versatile block! These have also been called "X & O". Get the materials list and start quilting!
Block 51 is a favourite. Not so much that the block is any great shakes but I really like the fabric in the bottom left hand corner. Also there is a button that is from a soldiers uniform. It is a bit battered about and I often wonder why. Over …
Click to see some of my favorite modern quilts from QuiltCon 2023!
Impressionen vom 7. Internat. Quiltfestival Luxembourg, Wilwerwiltz, 5. – 8. Mai 2016
I’m so excited to finally present the tutorial for my High Tea Crochet Quilt! However, it’s still a work in progress. Right now it guides you through the sewing and crocheting of the sq…
When I was in Houston in 2016 my special exhibit was right across the aisle from the beautiful Millefiori exhibit with all the beautiful English paper pieced quilts inspired by Willyne Hammerstein and I became fascinated with English paper piecing. I did a few pieces out of fancy silks but then I began to wonder how
Okay everyone! This long time anticipated crochet quilt tutorial is finally available! (happy jig!) My friend Tiffany of Fanny Lu Designs took the time to put together the most thorough and detailed t
I’m so excited to finally present the tutorial for my High Tea Crochet Quilt! However, it’s still a work in progress. Right now it guides you through the sewing and crocheting of the sq…
Here is how to make a quilt that folds into a quilt. This simple process makes your quilt into a pillow by day and a blanket at night.
"The Dresden Quilt Vase," the first showstopper of my Quilt Project. This stunning hand-built oval vase stands approximately 10 inches tall, with an oval opening measuring approximately 5 x 6 inches. Crafted from layers of colored porcelain clay bound to stoneware, it showcases a mesmerizing fusion of techniques from nerikomi style and quilting. Each vase is a functional piece of art, adorned with a clear food-safe glaze for practicality. The Quilt Project has been a year-long endeavor to perfect this unique technique, inspired by the intriguing relationship between femininity and power. By exploring women's work and the breaking of gender norms, I pay homage to the historical significance of quilting. Quilting, traditionally seen as women's work, has always been far from powerless. It served as a means for building communities, amplifying voices, and even aiding the underground railroad and suffragist movement. Drawing inspiration from this rich tradition, I have meticulously recreated the essence of quilting on this exceptional vase, seamlessly blending the old and the new. The renowned Dresden quilt pattern, dating back to the early 1800s, adorns the vase with its distinct periwinkle blue and pink arrangement. This limited edition vase is a true collector's item, available to only a select few. Each piece is meticulously hand-built and uniquely adorned, ensuring that no two vases are alike. Whether displayed as a standalone work of art or paired with a beautiful bouquet, this hand-built ceramic vase with its periwinkle blue and pink quilt pattern is bound to captivate those who appreciate the beauty of craftsmanship and the allure of limited editions. Embrace the legacy of quilting, elevate your space, and revel in the functional and artistic beauty that this vase brings to your collection.
Experiment with ‘wavy’ rulers to add movement, dimension to quilts...
I just got back from my trip to the Middle East and had a wonderful email from Kathleen Rountree waiting for me in my inbox. She is a fabulous quilter and fellow Linen Lady. She entered one of her linen quilts into the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival in Virginia and received a Judge's Choice award from Anna Hergert. It's always nice to hear when a linen quilt receives a special award or ribbon in a show as these are still "new" in the quilting world. Congratulations Kathleen!!!! Beautiful quilt! Hugs, Cindy :)
Join Julie Plotniko for step 4 of a wholecloth walking foot quilt as she uses SCHMETZ needles and Gütermann thread and a UNIQUE marker to create complex looking border designs that can be stitched with ease. Free pattern and tutorial.
Welcome to my third and final installment of posts on the Three Terrific Machine Quilting Techniques.If you joined me for the first two posts on machine quilting yougained an understanding of strai…
Yesterday was devoted to quilting Vintage Tin for the most part, and I managed to get quite a bit done...which is an accomplishment considering the obstacles in my path. Despite the assistance of Sir Helpsalot, I managed to finish up the Filling Station. Yesterday's job was to finish adding siding to the building, outline some of the main structures, and add more texture to the trees. After that, I moved on to the block directly above. For this one, I added some clouds in the sky, more rumples in the dirt, and texture to the trees. After that, I moved to the oil cans at the top of the quilt. This block extends the entire width of the quilt, minus borders. For this one, I did a sort of loop-de-loop pebbling with large circles. (Warning: Technical Quilting Terms ahead) Here's a little closer shot so that you can see it better. Also, I quilted the pieced strip below the embroidered block. For the friendship stars, I did a sort of pinwheel flourish and then a hexagon around the outside of the stars. Also, a sort of cathedral window thingy in the half square triangles. Recently, I pinned a design that is going to make quilting the flying geese borders of this quilt a breeze. It starts at the bottom center of the middle triangle. Then weaves back and forth to the point, then cathedral windows to the left and then the right, which brings you back to the center for the next flying goose. It will allow me to quilt those flying geese borders from one end to the other without cutting thread, assuming no thread breakage...which happens to be a big assumption. If you didn't follow all of that, here's the numbered diagram for how this is done. (I'm sorry I can't give credit to the person who created this diagram originally. I've done an image search for it, and the only things I can find do not identify the creator. Nevertheless, this quilter thanks you.) So there is one more large embroidered block to quilt, and then I'll move to the smaller blocks on the sides. I haven't yet decided what to do in the black sashing. This morning I started stitching Block #2 of Hocuspocusville. It's a good start, but there are still acres to go on this one. We're coming down the home stretch getting ready to take off for Moab on Thursday morning. Today I'm doing laundry since I'll be driving all over the state tomorrow. I need to go down and pick up my quilts from the Oregon State Fair, and I need to pick up our CSA share from the farmers. Erik will be picking up our share while we're gone. I'm hoping to get in one more batch of diced tomatoes on Wednesday morning, and then I'll be packing food and clothes in preparation for an early start on Thursday.
Progressive Detail Quilting by Judi Madsen for iquilt.com/madsen0003
Free pattern: Learn how to quilt feathers on hexagons. 2 Designs included, complete instructions and Hexagon Flower sheets for free motion quilting practice
This design, from my book Shape by Shape, Collection 2, is all about the echoing, making it a really forgiving design. When in doubt, just add more echo lines. The dense quilting is perfect for drawin
Explore gfquilts' 1845 photos on Flickr!
In mid-March, we shot “Quilting Arts TV” Series 1800 at KS Productions in Solon, Ohio. It will start airing on about 400 public television stations across the U.S. in July. This is the fifth series I’ve hosted, and we had some fabulous guests. Here’s a sneak peek. (Note that some of these segments will be held until Series 1900, so you’ll have to wait a bit longer to see them.) Susan Carlson brought along Stevie, the life-sized salt-water crocodile. This piece measures 22 feet long, and it was quite amazing to have on set. Susan also shot a segment on creating a fabric collage spiral quilt to learn the basics of fabric collage. Esterita Austin shared tips for making portrait quilts; on transferring original imagery onto organza using acrylic and Lumiere metallic paints; and on using sheer colored organzas to create still lifes and landscapes. Melissa Averinos teaches how to make a yo-yo fabric brooch; a small piece of abstract wall art; and a hand-painted panel with fabric medium and Inktense color blocks. Quilting Arts magazine editor Vivika DeNegre joined me to talk about how to block a quilt so that it lies – or hangs – nice and flat. Wendy Butler Berns shot three segments: picture image machine appliqué; random pieced borders; and using Texture Magic. Here, she’s getting set up on the Bernina with the help of Andrea Goddard of Bernina: Here are some shots of the set and the equipment: Jane Davila shot segments on SolarFast sun printing with masks and printing with photographic negative designs on transparencies; on block printing; and on Citrasolv image transfers. Grace Errea’s segments are on explaining value, and the 8-value scale she uses; on her “heat-set” machine applique technique; and on randomly pieced backgrounds. Victoria Findlay Wolfe shot two segments: on how to cut precise pieces with a Sizzix machine, then Y-seam piecing on the Hex Flower; and how to beautifully piece free form curves. Here is the Green Room, where guests get their segments organized and wait until it is their turn on set: Rennae Haddidin used an Innova longarm machine in her two segments on creating a beautiful quilted drawstring bag; and on applying a binding to a quilt on the longarm. Joanne Sharpe demonstrates coloring book-style lettering quilts; quilts made from tone-on-tone white printed fabrics painted and colored with Inktense, Caran d'Ache, and Dye-na-Flow; and quilts painted and then free-motion quilted and embellished. Here I am with our fabulous make-up artist, Karen, who makes us all look great! Vivika and assistant editor Kristine Lundblad having a bit of fun on set: Nancy Wick taught how to thread paint and embellish on an Innova longarm quilting machine while creating a sculptured fabric poppy bowl; and how to make a scarf from fibers such as thread, ribbon, or roving. Cathy Vandiford Wiggins shot three segments on quilting leather, including how to use quilted leather panels in sewing projects such as vests, jackets, journal covers and bags; creating scraps of hides for wall art; and how to stabilize a larger piece of leather for quilting.
While the designs in the center of your quilt often take center stage, your quilt borders deserve some love, too! Here are five of our most popular border design tutorials for you to try.
Make One Up for Every Season And Another to Give to a Quilt Lover! Your favorite combination of fabrics will make an impact in this easy table runner. Choose a charm pack for squares of fabric that already work well together or dig into your stash and coordinate them yourself. This runner is so easy …
Its been awhile since I've shared client quilts, and I have quite a few for you to enjoy. Here are some of my favorites. - Bridget - It was so fun to take this basic pinwheel baby quilt and add lots of detail and textures. The fabrics are so soft and sweet. Love this! Inside the pinwheels I wanted to quilt some petal like designs, which are topped of by adding the line with the three dots. Inspired by another machine quilter. On the back those lines and dots form a chain on point. One of the great parts of quilting is seeing how the design comes together, especially on the back. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the back anymore. I used a cream thread and an 8020 batting on this quilt. I love how the light catches the textures. I finished it off with a free hand back and forth rope design in the inner border and a loose swirl on the outer border. - Jane - After I pinned on Jane's quilt on the machine canvas...before even starting to quilt, I posted a picture on instagram...it was instaloved instantly. Her fabric choices and colors were spot on. Jane's request was lots of detail. As I look at each quilt, I try to figure out something that will enhance the fabrics and blocks...the background was begging to have these oval uneven stone like pebbling everywhere. Yes, on a quilt this size it takes awhile, but it was so work it. The "Spin Cycle" blocks just pop! I also wanted to detail the points and add something to keep it cohesive throughout the quilt. And, it was sure fun to do. The finished result is...perfect...or at least I think so, this is why its one of my favorites. Love how the light enhances the fabrics and quilting. I used a tan perma core thread and an 8020 batting. - Jean - Isn't this quilt amazing?!?!?! I has specific instructions to add a ton of detail to this quilt. The wool batting that Jean provided allows the quilting to pop and prevents the quilt from being stiff. Love the wool!! The hours that this took to even decide what to do were long, and I'd show you my drawing but its not too great...so I'll stick with these pictures. Enjoy! Its quilted with a cream perma core 30 tex thread. Here is a close up of one of the blocks. Do you see the block inside the block?? Yeah, amazing! When figuring out a detailed pattern, I try to use some of the same quilting designs in different parts of the blocks to tie whole design together. You can see that here, with the two blocks together. Love this! The borders. Here are a couple pictures of the back...love to see all that detail together. - Jeanette - This was a fun little wall hanging to quilt. This was Jeanette's first quilt, and she did an awesome job! I wanted to crackle the background to give it some texture, because there is so much wide open space. Then, I added a swirl and feather design to the tree to give it a fancy look. One of my most favorite parts though is this wood grain trunk. I used coordinating thread colors and 8020 batting. -Jeanne- This was another instahit on instagram. By pebbling the background it made the circles and how they are quilted pop. A side view. I used 8020 batting and a white perma core thread throughout. - Jen - Jen made this quilt for her lucky son! To keep it masculine I wanted to add all the lines. The lines in the grey add extra dimension to the chevron. And, who doesn't love this color combo! I used an 8020 batting, grey and cream perma core thread. - Karen - This quilt is made up of a simple quilt block, and was begging for some detail. Thankfully the block allowed this orange peel design to dress it up. I used a 8020 batting, and a cream perma core thread. - LaReen - LaReen made this gorgeous table topper out of one of my favorites fabric lines. She gave it to her mom for Christmas lucky, huh! I wanted to do something simple in the background that would enhance the star. Also, something fancy in the red border to dress up all that space. It turned out lovely. When a client gets their quilt or topper back and says now they need to make one for themselves, its quite a compliment. Thanks, LaReen! I used a 8020 batting and coordinating threads. - Lisa - This was another instahit! Can you believe all of these 1" squares...its king size and there is no border, which means there are 10,368 squares. This is an amazing one! Lisa asked for simple cross hatching, and I love it! 8020 batting and a cream perma core thread was used. This gorgeous spool quilt is one that I think Lisa made with a guild. I saw a few other of my clients names signed next to their spool. I wanted to add some detail to the spool to make them stand out, so I just did a simple echo line outside of each spool in the background. Look at all of that amazing hand embroidered wool work. Lisa, you are amazing! I wanted to add something that would make the wool pop and would dress up the background and open space, this all over swirl feather design does that. 8020 batting was used, with a cream perma core thread. Lisa made this for one of her lucky friends, for her birthday. The colors and fabric choices, make this one of my favorites. Because this quilt has minky on the back I needed to do a loose all over design in the center. This one is super fun to do, and I can add just about anything to it. I thought crackle quilting would enhance the appliques that Lisa did. Love those stems and flowers. 8020 batting was used and coordinating threads. - Maho - Maho always makes amazing quilts and does a fabulous job each time. This is a perfect example, normally I cringe inside when someone brings a quilt with really large borders (because they grow and ripple out of control) , especially when the inside is pieced on the bias...but not Maho! She is excellent at cutting and sewing exactly! Thanks, Maho! This is a quilt that she made for her daughter. She wanted some detail...So, I did an all over pattern in the background...which was the easiest way to get around the ric rac. I thought the lines and feathers would add great texture to the chickens. This quilt is amazing!!! The light catching all the details. Maho's husband came with her to pick this quilt up and was in awe...I've heard he raves about it to some people that we both know. 8020 batting used and a cream perma core thread. - Sandy - These are called the "Shinning Star", and my mom made these three in a long weekend sewing getaway we had last year. Even though the fabrics are the same for two of them, I'm showing them to you because the quilting is a little different in the backgrounds. This is quilting example number 1. This is one she made for my grandma. A close up of the feathers. This has feathers all over it! This is quilting example number 2. She made this one for my aunt Kris. I quilted a very tiny cross hatch in the inside of the feathered circles. Feathered swirls in the star and feathers in the border. Close up view. This is quilting example number 3. This one my mom made for my sister in-law, Brooke. She is the classiest person that I know, so I wanted to keep it as simple and classy as possible. The background has lines, the star is a feather swirl and the border is also feathered, with a back and forth rope design in the inner border. These soft golds went well with Brooke's Christmas décor. Love the light catching the details. Another view. All three stars I used 8020 batting and coordinating threads. - Wendy - I'm sad I didn't keep more pictures of this quilt! This is the first quilt that Wendy has made, and she gave it to her mom. It turned out gorgeous! Love love love, this fabric line. I do want to show you the quilting though. We talked about adding some details to this border to show off all the piecing that she did while sewing...I love how this one turned out! It even awesome on the back, look below. The quilting on the center of the quilt. This quilting on the backside of the border. Fun to see how the pattern comes together. I used an 8020 batting a cream perma core thread from A&E. Lots of beautiful quilts, huh?!?! Which one is your favorite??? Hopefully I can do this more often, its inspiring for everyone to see all these different unique patterns. Hope you enjoyed this, and happy sewing! ~ leisha
These are samples of free motion quilt patterns that can be used in an all over design over the entire surface of a quilt. TAlso the patterns can be combined and used on individual blocks within a quilt. These samples also illustrate the effect of various fabric and thread color combinations
While the designs in the center of your quilt often take center stage, your quilt borders deserve some love, too! Here are five of our most popular border design tutorials for you to try.
