The Big Book of Civil War Quilts (New Release)

Hello all! Today I have the pleasure of sharing with you a new book Martingale has just released called The Big Book of Civil War Quilts.

 It's really a big book! 58 patterns! You heard me right, 58! You could make a quilt a week and still be making them this time next year and beyond!

The quilts in this wonderful book come from a variety of your favorite designers, in sizes large and small... Basically if you love Civil War or traditional quilts, there's something in here for you!

I was blessed enough to have two of my very own quilts in this book.

 This is Beloved and it's one of my personal favorite quilts ever. I made it almost entirely out of my stash (everything but the borders, binding, and backing) and you can really have fun with color combinations. I paired up some crazy fabrics together and the results are better than I anticipated.

I actually made this quilt for my Hubby (hence the name) and it has such a comfy cozy feel to it.

This second quilt is a mini called Woven Stars that I hand quilted. I actually began as a hand quilter and miss it so, but the long arming has slowly (but surely) taken over my life! This little gem was just enough to play with my favorite rich fabrics and get a little bit of hand quilting in without committing to a large project.

Again, you can find both of these quilts and many many more in The Big Book of Civil War Quilts. I think the timing is just perfect because the weather is starting to change here, the air is a little crisper and cooler, it's time to dust off the crockpot, and pull out my quilts for Fall.

If you'd like to see more quilts featured in this book as well as have a chance to win your own copy of the book, head on over to Martingale's blog to enter! Just click here. 

So, I think I need a new quilt for my bed and I have a ginormous stash of reproduction fabrics just sitting there... Now to decide on a pattern... I think that's the hardest part!

Machine Quilting: Scrappy Wedding Stars

I absolutely adore the colors in this quilt. It's just so rich and cozy feeling which will be perfect for the newlyweds receiving this quilt!

 This quilt is so scrappy that it's almost too much to take in at first. I really had to study this quilt to see what was going on. I love the arrangement of the stars and the different scaling as they're placed across the quilt. Since that was a constant I focused on the stars and chose to quilt them different than the rest of the quilt.

 The stars alternated feathers and back & forth lines in the center, but I continued the back & forth lines in the outer points too.

The rest of the quilt was filled with curls, they're one of my new favorite fillers! Knowing this quilt was made as a wedding gift, I try really hard not to make the quilting too girly or too manly. I try to find that happy medium that both people can enjoy.

Thanks, Barb! It was fun to discover your stash while working along this quilt. (That's so fun for me with scrappy quilts, discovering fabrics that I have, fabrics I've never seen before, fabrics I didn't know I needed but now I want...)

Blue Stars

Suzanne brought me this quilt. It was one of those "I'm sick to death of looking at this quilt, please take it and make it pretty so I want to look at it again" type quilts. You know what it's like when you've been staring at and man-handling a large quilt that never seems to end? Well, Suzanne hit that wall and I was glad to take this quilt off her hands for a bit.

 This quilt has a funny story too. Suzanne's hubby has been asking for years for a blue quilt. She worked on this quilt for what seemed like forever and when she was done her hubby saw it and asked, "Oh, who is that for?" She's like, "You silly!". Guys, you gotta love them! Well, this quilt proved trickier than Suzanne was bargaining for. It was an online tutorial that seemed super easy and fun, but the pressing instructions weren't the greatest. Okay they were downright dreadful and when she started to piece together this monster of a quilt it just added to the headaches. She had to work on it in little bits until it was finished - hence another reason why she was sick to death of looking at it.

 Knowing the pressing issue, there were some bulky seams that needed tamed so we opted for a simple overall design where I could work in and around those areas without harm to quilt, quilt plan, and my machine (thank you!). Again, Suzanne lives super close to Lake Erie like I do so with all of the blues she chose the wave design to quilt this monster. It not only helped to soften all of the harsh lines and contrast in the quilt, but also tied in with the blue theme.

 It wasn't until I was taking this photo that I realized Suzanne had the blocks in diagonal rows matching the fabrics... One of those "too close to the quilt" type situations. You have to understand while I'm working on a quilt I can only focus on about 20" at a time. Large patterns like this are immune to my vision until the end most times.

But isn't it just dreamy? Didn't it turn out awesome? If my memory serves me correctly I think this was quilted with a light blue thread to balance between the white and various blues. The backing was a solid white so a light thread was the way to go. Even though some of the blue fabrics are very dark, even a light blue thread plays better than a white would have. The white on a dark blue would have been like a neon "look at me" sign strewn throughout the quilt.

Suzanne, you did it! I hope hubby loves his quilt and it's come in handy during this frigid winter.

Nancy's Chevron Quilt

Sometimes simple is good. When you do something so simple but so effortlessly, it's just magical. Like this quilt.

 Now you all know (or you should by now if you've been following my blog for awhile) that I LOVE scrappy quilts. Nancy just put together some scraps with no rhyme or reason and came up with this fun quilt. When she got the pieces done she faded the colors and it just made this quilt that much more spectacular! Don't you agree?

 Once she got the top done she was on a search to find more of this "wave" fabric for the border since it reminded her of the lake we live so close to. Luckily she was able to get it but it was a tight squeeze in order to get enough for all four sides, but she did it!

We chose to quilt this simply with all-over waves to play off of the lake theme. You could go crazy with quilting and make this one custom, but Nancy wasn't sure what she was going to do with it, so simple was best. Not every quilt needs custom quilting.

Thanks, Nancy! Your quilts are always fun to work on!

And the winner is...

So sorry for the delay in announcing a winner. Since we last spoke, things got a tad crazy here. This momma-to-be had a great doctor's appointment and it seems Little Miss is eager to make her appearance. She's not "due" for another 4 weeks, yet the doctors think with her progression we won't make it til then, let alone the end of this month. We'll know more later this week at the next appointment to see if she's progressed more or not. :)

And then I somehow picked up a nasty stomach bug that sidelined me the rest of the week and into the weekend. Luckily I had my flu shot and I think that helped curb the effects a bit, but it still wasn't fun and I was basically worthless.

Add on top of that we had another open house here this weekend to try to sell our home. Luckily Ben was a great trooper and was able to handle the majority of it and then some... I swear I can't make this stuff up - Here we are about half an hour from leaving the house and we get a call from the realtor who was supposed to be showing our house... She got in a car accident and can't make it. Our regular realtor was at another showing over an hour away and knew he would be late (hence the other partner opening the showing). So what were we to do? Well, it ended up that I packed up the dogs and wished my hubby luck and he tried his hat at being a realtor until our guy could show up and save the day... It was awkward at best, but I hope Ben did a good job and we get some good news soon. Otherwise I'm not sure how we're going to be able to show this house in the first few weeks Little Miss decides to join us, especially if it's sooner than anticipated!

So, that was basically what happened here since we last spoke and I'm now in that super excited/anxious/panicked/can't wait mode waiting for Little Miss to get here. I had a hunch she may arrive early, but I didn't think she would be this far ahead of schedule!

Speaking of which, I think I have finally hit my mark on being "done" with quilting until after Little Miss arrives. She has been wearing me out and just airing on the side of caution, I think it's best I take it easy and prep for her arrival. Please feel free to contact me about quilting services and I can still take in quilts and get you on the schedule for once I start quilting again, but please know I probably won't be quilting again until after Easter or so - so please plan accordingly if you have deadlines.

And the reason you all (hopefully) have been listening to me babble and ramble on - THE WINNER!!!

The winner of the book is mamajan who wrote:

mamajanFebruary 11, 2016 at 12:06 AM

Lately I have been buying fabrics in coral and navy cause I would love to make a quilt with these colors. This book looks like I could find a beautiful pattern to use. Congrats on being part of it.

Now, I normally don't do this, but I'm making an exception. Mamajan, I don't have an e-mail for you so I can't send you a message. I'm giving you until Wednesday morning (Ohio time)to contact me at rubybluequilts (at) gmail (dot) com with your snail mail address so I can send you this book. Otherwise I will choose another winner and move on down the list. 

I normally don't choose a winner I can't immediately respond to, but there seems to have been some security changes on the blog platforms lately and more than half of the comments were no-reply (which means I can't e-mail you back).

I honestly don't know at the moment how to change the settings, but I will look into it and let you all know so that you can change your settings and have better chances of myself and other bloggers contacting you in the future (if you win something for instance). Thank you to all who entered and I urge you to go find this book and take it home with you because you're going to find several projects you'd like to make!

Now I'm going to do some more baby laundry and finish up these last couple quilts I have and wait for Little Miss to arrive. I'll update you all soon and mamajan - I hope to hear from you soon!

Block-Buster Quilts: I Love Log Cabins

It's time to share a brand new book with you that I'm super excited about! Today I'm going to share with you a new book by Martingale featuring 16 designers (myself included) called Block-Buster Quilts: I Love Log Cabins.

If you're new to the blog, welcome! If you're familiar with my ways, welcome back and please don't mind the life pauses here and there. I'm currently expecting our first child to arrive soon and we're trying to sell our house and move and yeah... Not much quilting happening at the moment. But today I have plenty to share so let's begin!

I have had a log cabin quilt on my quilting bucket list for a long long time. I finally made my first log cabin quilt a couple years ago - you can find Frolic in my second book, Seems Like Scrappy (it's on the cover) and from that moment I was hooked! 

I mean what's not to love? Choosing fabrics and getting prepped is so much fun and the construction goes together so smooth and swift - you have a quilt top before you know it. Not only that, but the color and layout options are endless allowing you to create and imagine and create some more until your heart is content!

As I mentioned, there are 16 quilts in this book - one from each designer. Oh, and before I forget - head on over to Martingale's blog and leave a comment to win! They're giving away 16 copies of this very book next week - one for each designer! Click here to head on over, just leave a comment and you're entered!

Daybreak by Rebecca Silbaugh (that's me!)

The neat thing with compilation books, like this one, is until the book is released or the marketing materials start to arrive, as a designer we usually only know about the quilt we made and/or the quilts our close friends have made too if we chat about that sort of thing. You never know what to expect. 

The quilt above is Daybreak by me! I am in love with wonky blocks and came up with this fun layout to try. This type of layout does give a directional look to the quilt overall, but it has so much dimension that I really want to try it in other color options soon. Maybe. Depending on when Little Miss arrives and how much energy I'll have left. 

If anyone knows me - I usually am not a fan of yellow. However there are exceptions to every rule and one being my sewing room is painted yellow. Knowing this book would be released in the typically most mundane time of year for me (I live in the snow belt in NE Ohio, usually by now the landscape has been several shades of grey for months) I wanted to choose lively colors that would remind me of Spring. And sun. And warmer temperatures. And yeah. That's why I chose these colors. 

I would love to see what colors or fabric lines you would choose to make this quilt out of. You know what - leave me a comment below with what color or fabric scheme you'd make Daybreak out of and I'll choose a winner later this week to receive a copy of I Love Log Cabins! 

Scrappy Courthouse Steps by Lissa Alexander

Well, to be honest I got my books in the mail last week and haven't had a chance to open them until today (we're trying to sell our house so my office and sewing room can't be the usual clutter storm I'm so used to living in - hey, I'm creative and it works). So I opened my books and started to scroll through the pages and had to keep the drool at bay. There are so many beautiful quilts in this book bursting with personality that I want to tear into my stash and make almost all of them. But I can't because I have to keep it clean and tidy... But the second we sell this place and move it's game on! Quilting season will be open as long as Little Miss and I have come to an understanding. I'm hoping the sound of the sewing machines will lull her to sleep. 

Anywho, the first quilt I stumbled across that I want to make is this amazing Scrappy Courthouse Steps by Lissa Alexander. It's simple and fun and fresh but timeless. I see this as a quilt for Little Miss and I to cuddle under in the future and watch movies. 

Mi Casa by Carrie Nelson

And then I flipped a few more pages and saw this dream of a quilt that I NEED TO MAKE!!! Carrie is known for her eye for color and texture and this quilt is the perfect opportunity to play with both of those things. It's another simple yet fresh concept that allows for maximum scrappiness. And you all know how I love scrappy!

 Seeing Stars by Kimberly Jolly

And what's not to love about a log cabin block with a star in it set in stars? Kimberly did an awesome job with this quilt and I love it. Okay I love them all, but for different reasons. This particular design could work so well for just about anyone by changing the colors and the textures. It could be masculine or patriotic or feminine or whimsical. I'm not sure which fabrics I would choose to make this one in, but the possibilities are endless!

 Log Cabin Chevron by Penny Barnes

And finally this quilt just blew me away when I looked at it. I'm a traditionalist at heart and this is honestly a very traditional block. It's just a modern color palette and layout to take this quilt to the next level. When I see this quilt, immediately I want someone to make it and send it to me to quilt it.  This type of design gets the long-armer in me buzzing and my brain is working overdrive to figure out how I would quilt it. I mean really - how much fun is this - AND it's a log cabin that doesn't look like a log cabin. BONUS!

So what do you think about this new book? Are you in love with log cabins like the designers in this book? Are you a hooked quilter on the road to log cabin recovery or a newbie to the log cabin fever? I'd love to hear what you think!

Don't forget to leave me a comment below to enter for a chance to win a copy of this book - I will probably choose a winner this weekend - and don't forget to head over to enter for another chance to win at Martingale's blog too!

If you're too impatient and you want to get your hands on this book NOW, you're in luck. You can look at your LQS, they should have copies in stock now, or you can purchase a copy from Martingale. The great thing about buying a copy directly from Martingale is you know the actual book will be arriving and be in your hands soon, but you also get an ebook download immediately after your purchase so you can scroll and start to plan your next project right away. Without the wait. How awesome is that?!

Well, that's a bunch of log cabin love to share with you today. Good luck and I can't wait to hear what you think about this latest book.

Scrap Quilt Challenge

Today I have some exciting information for you about a Scrap Quilt Challenge you can join and use up some of those scraps in your stash! This is an exciting group of creative ladies that you can find by visiting the main Challenge page here:  http://www.fabricsnquilts.com/scrapquiltchallenge/ or you can read more about the challenge on their blog here: http://fabricsnquilts.blogspot.com/2015/07/join-us-for-scrap-quilt-challenge-5.html.

Basically all you have to do is create a scrappy quilt within the last year and post the picture to a Flickr group by October 15th! You can see the Flickr group here:  www.flickr.com/groups/scrap-quilt-challenge-5/ and don't forget to use hashtag #SQC5 when posting to Instagram (if you'd like to show off your scrappy creation there too!)

Now, there are minimum requirements and some teeny tiny rules to follow, but I know you all can handle those. Please find them at the links above for the main Challenge information. Oh, and did I mention there were prizes to win?

So, without further ado, my job today is to give you all a scrappy fun block that you could make and turn into a quilt you could enter into this challenge. Now, I didn't get a chance to sew mine up, I sprained my ankle earlier this week and it's my "driving" foot so I'm trying to give it a rest, but I can share with you how to make this none the less.

Plus, I have a great idea to make a bunch of baby quilts using this block and it gives me time to figure out what colors and themes to plan for!

 I came up with this fun scrappy plus type block that finishes at 10" (honestly it's bigger than I usually like to work with, but to get the most scrappy pieces I could, this was the right size)

 So basically, the block is a fun plus in the middle that you'd want to make bold and exciting. Then use a more subtle but coordinating print to frame the plus in the block and surround it all with scrappy HSTs. I would keep the HSTs more subtle too, but there's room to play and be creative!

First you're going to make the 8 HST units. Use whatever technique you'd like (there are several) but if you need a tutorial on how I like to make them, you can view that here. Use the 4 background 3.5" squares and the 4 HST 3.5" squares you picked out. Each HST unit should measure 2.5" when complete.

 Now we're going to construct this block in sections. First take the HSTs and some 2.5" background squares to make the corner sections. Press the seam allowances as shown.

 To make the plus, create two ends and the center as shown above. Remember to use all the same coordinating fabrics in these pieces.

Also, follow the pressing instructions I provided and you should have an easy time constructing this block. All of the seams should "nest" well together.

 Construct the block using the sections laid out as shown. Play close attention to the direction of the corner sections as you lay out the block.

And there you have it, a block that should measure 10.5" once constructed (10" finished).

I came up with a few different layouts for this block and they each create a different secondary pattern. The first layout is just the blocks sewn to each other.

 Next I added in some sashing but to keep the scrappy look a little more toned down, I used the same 2.5" cornerstone each time. For this sashing you would need to cut 2.5" x 10.5" strips.

 And to change it up just a bit more (if you're a super scrappy enthusiast) you can make each of the cornerstones a different 2.5" square and it would give the quilt a whole different look.

With the sashing, rather than a secondary diamond, you create a shoo-fly instead. There's no right or wrong with this block, but almost too many options to pick from.

I just can't get enough of the plus blocks around at the moment and I thought this would be a really neat scrappy version to make.

Well, that's my little tutorial, I hope you like the block and I hope you get to participate in the Scrap Quilt Challenge. You're probably making scrappy quilts already and taking pictures, so why not upload a picture, share what you've done and possibly win some prizes while you're at it? And if you just need that swift kick in the rear to get inspired and bust into your stash, the inspiration you'll find on the Flickr page may just be the ticket to get you going!

Thanks for dropping by and have fun quilting scrappy!

Charleston by REVIVE Blog Tour!

Hello and welcome! Are you enjoying the tour so far? I sure hope so. If you have yet to visit the earlier blog stops, you can get to them all quickly with the links at the end of this post. And trust me, you'll want to visit them all!

I will be sharing with you today how to make this Scrappy Disappearing Four Patch. My quilt is still a work in progress, but come on back next week to see my thoughts on attacking the quilting. Then in the following week I will show how to create a striped binding cut on the bias. It's one of my favorite bindings to make!

But first, let's get back to the fabric and the goodies!

If you're an art history buff like me, you'll love this line. If you like Art Deco, you'll love this line. If you like sparkles and metallics - you'll love this line! This collection combines the true essence of the Art Deco movement beginning in the 1920's and captured everything a quilter would love about this period into luscious fabrics. By using designs and colors that touch on this "Golden Age" of Hollywood filled with extravagance, these fabrics are the perfect balance of glitter and gold. The colors are so rich and vibrant and they work hand-in-hand with the metallic sheen that graces most of the line. Some fabrics are more subtle and some are a bit more bold, but together it's just magic!

So would you like to win some of this beautiful fabric? The good news is - YOU CAN!!!

Three lucky winners will win the Grand Prize - this 28 FQ Bundle featuring each fabric in the line. To win this bundle, head on over to the SewTimeless blog here and enter the Rafflecopter. Winners will be drawn 7/27.

Otherwise, stay tuned for my own little giveaway here! And let's make that quilt!

 Here's what you'll need to make this quilt:

8 - 5" squares of each fabric (all 28) in the line (1/4 yard of fabric is more than plenty of each fabric)
4 yards for backing
5/8 yard for binding (or 1 yard for bias cut binding I will show soon)

That's it! This method has minimal waste so you don't need a ton of fabric.

 To begin, cut the 5" squares from each fabric. Separate the fabrics into even piles of lights and darks (14 different fabrics in each pile) - use your best judgement on some of the more "medium" fabrics like gold and coral that could go in either pile.

 Pair up fabrics to create a block. You'll need two of the same dark fabric and two of the same light fabric. Contrast is key!

With certain prints that may be directional, pay close attention to the direction of the print as you sew, stitching both pairs together so they look exactly the same. Press the seams towards the darker fabrics.

 If you've paid attention to the direction of the prints, when the block is sewn together they should all run in the same direction as shown. Now, for prints like this floral on the navy that run in just one general direction, I placed them so the base of the print was centered in the block. You could also arrange the block pieces so that both squares are based in the same direction... The choice is up to you, there's no right or wrong here - just preference.

*Note - when sewing these blocks together, always sew the pieces in the same manner. What I mean is - if you sew each piece feeding the dark fabric through on top first, do that for all of the blocks. We are going to be spinning the seams for easier construction later on, and if you don't piece them all the same, you may have some seams going in the wrong direction.

 Stitch the block together and clip the seam in the middle of the block up to, but not through the stitching. This will allow you to spin the seams of the block. Press the seams following the direction of the previous seams.

 Now here's where it gets fun and interesting... Cut the block twice horizontally and twice vertically measuring 1 1/2" from the center seams. It's helpful in this step if you have a small cutting mat you can rotate or a mat designed to rotate like a lazy susan (yes they make them).

 Leave the corner squares and the center block alone. Don't move them an inch! Now, take the center section of each side and move it directly to the space on the opposite side. Don't rotate the pieces as you move them. Here's the best part, the seams are already pressed so each piece should "nest together" beautifully.

Here's where it can get a little tricky, but go slow, breathe and you'll be just fine.

Stitch the rows of the blocks together. Press the seams for the top and bottom rows of the blocks in the same direction as the center seam of that row. Clip the seams in the center row to press each half of the seam allowances in opposite directions of the seams in the adjoining rows.

Then, sew the rows together to create the block clipping the seam allowance at the marked X in the diagram above to complete the rotating seams. I know this may seem like a lot of extra work now, but later on it will be worth it, I promise! You'll have 56 blocks measuring 8 1/2" square at this point.

 So why on Earth did you clip all of those seams and press this way and that way? With rotated seams, you can line up your blocks dark-to-dark and light-to-light without worry of the seams being too bulky. No matter which way you lay out the blocks and rotate them all you like, the seams will match up on all four sides each and every single time. I promise it'll make stitching the top together so smooth! That's the key to this layout, match dark corners together and light corners together. That's it! Lay out the blocks in a 7x8 setting.

Another little tip for you, when I finished all of my blocks I threw them one-by-one into my dryer for a few minutes without heat. Then I pulled them out and started laying them down. I didn't change a thing! The dryer automatically tosses the blocks and mixes them up for a more random look without the work!

From this point I sewed the blocks together in rows pressing the seams in opposing directions from row to row and then sewed the rows together.

And there you have it, a 56" x 64" top ready to be quilted.

 I love how the look of the quilt changes depending on the distance you view it from. Up close you notice the glitz and glam and metallics. A bit further back you see the rich and vibrant fabric colors, but from far away this quilt almost looks "rustic" or "cozy" if I may...

 Now to think of a quilting plan... I have one of the gold prints ready to go for a backing, but I think the quilting needs to fit the Art Deco vibe. Come on back next week to see my thoughts and my quilting plan. Then don't forget I will be sharing how to cut, prep and make bias-cut binding the following week. It'll be wonderful!

But the only thing more wonderful is a chance to win some fabric! Leave a comment below to be entered to win a yard of Charleston fabric (you get to choose the fabric). Tell me in the comment which fabric you'd choose - you can view them here - and don't forget to leave me your e-mail address so I can tell you when you win!

Visit all of the stops on the Blog Tour for more chances to win fabric and to see some amazing projects using this new line of fabric:

Monday, July 20:

Shayla Wolf, Sassafras Lane Designs

Tuesday, July 21:

Leslie Meltzer, 50 Sq Ft Studios

Kim Buffington, Make Something/Dritz

Wednesday, July 22:

Rebecca Silbaugh, Ruby Blue Quilts (that's me)

Thursday, July 23:

Kim Brackett, Magnolia Bay Quilts

Lee Chappell Monroe, May Chappell

Friday, July 24

Jessica VanDenburgh, Sew Many Creations/The Straight Stitch Blog

If you'd like to read more about this new line of fabric, head on over to the SewTimeless blog here. It's really an interesting story! Also, to see more inspiration with this line, and seriously, like you really need another excuse to peruse a bit more on Pinterest, head on over to the mood board for Charleston by REVIVE here!

Don't forget to comment below to enter to win some fabric! A winner will be chosen this Saturday! And make sure to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway on the SewTimeless blog to enter to win a Fat Quarter Bundle! That's a lot of chances to win! But, if you're not feeling lucky or you just can't wait to get this fabric in your hands, check for Charleston at your LQS. It should be at a store near you already! Thanks for stopping by and have a great day! -Rebecca

Machine Quilting: Purple Dresdens

Nancy also brought me this wonderful Dresden Plate quilt to work on. My instructions were to do whatever - I LOVE it when my instructions are to "do whatever". Especially when what I'm given to work on is a virtual quilter's playground!!!

 Isn't this quilt just gorgeous?! I knew I wanted to quilt a background filler behind the dresdens and then quilt a different design to highlight each plate. A quilt like this deserves a bit more effort than just a simple all over design...

 What I ended up choosing to do was fill the background with pebbles/bubbles. It was the best design to work in and around the points and fill the odd shaped areas. Then I just did a simple pointed loop in each fabric within the plates. Sometimes I would choose a swirl instead for the background, but for this quilt some of the areas were really small that needed to be filled and even with my best quilting, it may look awkward in spots. So bubbles for the win!

I did then switch to a darker thread (I was only using an off-white to this point) and filled the border with straight lines. There's a large floral design in the border fabric and I didn't want to take away from it at all, but I had to tack down the large border. These straight lines have been the answer lately for busy borders like this one.

I like the fact that even though I didn't quilt a single straight line within the center of the quilt, the lines don't feel like a new quilting element. It just finishes off the quilt top and takes a backseat to the rest of the quilt which is where your eyes want to wander anyway.

 The colors and fabrics in this quilt were so interesting and fun to work through.

 I LOVE how this quilt turned out and I may need to make myself a dresden in the future... It's on my quilting bucket list.

Here's how the back of the quilt turned out. You can still see each dresden and each loop without knowing what the front looks like. This quilt could even be used as both a wholecloth (if you display the back) or a regular quilt.

Thank you, Nancy!!! I love working with her scrappy quilts and drooling over her fabric choices! Scrappy quilts are so much fun to quilt and seem to go faster because with each time I advance the section I'm working on, I get to see new fabrics and it keeps the process exciting and new.

Machine Quilting: Scrappy 1930's Stars

Ruth brought this massive quilt to me to finish. It's so cheery and wonderful with the variety of fabrics and the pieced sawtooth border, I couldn't wait to get started.

 Ruth wanted an all over simple pattern with a touch of density to it. We chose these swirls to soften the appearance of the quilt and work within the style of the quilt top.

 Normally I tend to quilt the density of the pattern relative to the size of the quilt and it's components. This one however was quilted a bit denser on request. It doesn't look that dense in the picture above, but those stars are much smaller in real life than they appear here. I'd say most of these lines are about an average of 1/2" or so apart.

 This quilt was so large that it almost didn't fit on my machine! I only had a couple inches of space left on either side of the leader bars - my machine is 12' long! We almost had a hard time getting batting large enough for this quilt. Most manufacturers stop somewhere around 122"-130". This quilt was 99" x 128" in the end... That's big.

 I love the texture and had so much fun looking at all of the fabrics as I worked.

 I haven't played much with these fabric as of late, but I think I need to bust into my stash and make something. This quilt just gives off a light summery vibe.

And I'm happy to report that Ruth posted this picture of the quilt in it's home and it fits perfectly! All of that length was needed to hang just right and tuck under the pillows. It already has that crinkly-loved squish to it!

Thank you, Ruth! Your piecing was spectacular and I had so much fun working on this quilt for you!