Curved Piecing with Patricia Belyea

I am in the midst of taking Patricia Belyea's class called Creativity & Complex Curves.  I've been wanting to take this class, which has been an immersive, in-person week long class but is now virtual due to the pandemic, so this actually works better for me. 

I have completed two projects so far, but I'm also getting some great inspiration for things I'd like to do after the class is over.

Complex Curves Class Project - 38" square

Kaleidoscope Mini Quilt

I just love miniature quilts and can't get enough of looking at them online.  I recently picked up a miniature quilt book, Teeny-Tiny Quilts by Donna Lynn Thomas, and got a lot of good tips for working at a small scale.  I've also been attracted to the kaleidoscope quilts and made one years ago using foundation paper piecing.  That quilt is still one of my favorites and I keep it on display.

The new color strategy with kaleidoscope quilts is wonderful, adopting a mandala theme, so I tackled another.  This one I decided to do on a very small scale and using English paper piecing.  English paper piecing is not new to me, having made two throw-sized quilts in recent years, a traditional hexagon and stars quilt and the more complicated La Passacaglia quilt made popular by Willyne Hammerstein with her first in the Millefiori series.

This quilt is roughly 19 x 19 inches, so definitely in the miniature quilt category.  English Paper Piecing has always been good for getting all of those tips lined up just right and on such a small scale it fit the bill.

I used supima cotton fabrics for the solids (light blue, med/dark blue, and dark brown) because I loved the sheen, but I won't do that again, especially at such a small scale.  The fabric is very prone to fraying, with lots of super fine threads (which is what gives it the sheen), but I don't think it adds enough to the finish product to be worth the hassle.

MegaPixel Quilt for Nils

We had a graduation this year; Nils, our adopted son from Germany graduated from Rollins College so, in keeping with tradition, I made a quilt for him.  I found the MegaPixel pattern and set out to find appropriate fabrics; nothing too feminine, but keeping with what I think are his preferred colors.  I think I got it right; he really seemed to like it.

MegaPixel Quilt

I know his mother liked it, as we got a picture of it on one of their beds as soon as she returned to Germany!

Farmer's Wife Quilt - Finished

I finally finished the Farmer’s Wife quilt and it is on the guest room bed!  I looked back and it took over 4 years from start to finish, but as is often said, “It’s the journey, not the destination.”  It has been a journey, and yet, I'm enjoying the destination. 

Farmer's Wife Quilt - Finished!

Blue and White Sampler Quilt Top Complete

Another milestone in the Blue & White Sampler quilt project!  I completed the majority of the quilt top a while back, but just couldn't be sure how to finish it off.  Take a look and read on for more on my indecision.

Blue and White Sampler quilt top finished

Modern Quilt for Nick

I had a hard time deciding what type of quilt to make for Nick, who graduated from college last week.  He has many interests and majored in Mathematics, so I think part of my struggle was narrowing down a topic.  In the end, I went with a modern approach (much admired by me, but never tackled, until now).

Graduation Quilt for Nick

Blue & White Sampler - More Four Inch Blocks Complete

I have completed more of the four inch blocks for my Blue & White Sampler quilt, so I'm sharing a whopping 11 blocks with you here.  A while back I shared with you another 5 four inch blocks, so these will make for a total of sixteen!  But, I'm not done, yet; I still have 6 more four inch blocks to make.

Four Inch Blocks - Blue & White Sampler Quilt

DIY Quilt Labels

Most of the quilts I make are for gifts, so I always put a label in them.  And since they are gifts, the labels need to be custom.  For this reason, I've never gone the route of having labels made in bulk.  Here are a few tips to get you started on making your own custom quilt labels!

Quilt Labels

La Passacaglia - Quilt Complete (Named "Rondeau")

I'm so pleased to have completed my La Passacaglia quilt based on the design on the cover of Willyne Hammerstein's book Millefiori Quilts, an ingenious pentagon-based pattern.  I made mine using English Paper Piecing and, while she states that any method of assembly is fine, I cannot imagine trying to do this any other way.  All of those pieces coming together at a variety of angles would be a disaster for me if I tried to do this using other methods.

La Passacaglia Quilt - named "Rondeau"

Blue & White Sampler - Starting on Four Inch Blocks

I set aside the Blue & White Sampler project but I never posted the first of my four inch blocks, so here they are.  In case you are wondering, I've been working on the La Pasacaglia Quilt (now being quilted!), the Elephant Splash Baby Quilt (completed and delivered!), and the Pinwheels & Windmills quilt (also, completed and delivered!)

There are five 4-inch blocks, two are improv log-cabin-ish and three are traditional blocks.

Blue & White Sampler - Four Inch Blocks

Paisley Splash Elephant Baby Quilt - for Baby Lively

We learned earlier this year that our nephew and his wife are expecting a child!  It will be the first baby in the next generation on either side of our family, so it's quite an exciting event.  Of course, a baby quilt was in order, and not just one of simple squares of various cute fabrics.  So the search began for patterns and ideas. 

Paisley Splash Elephant Quilt

Pin Wheels and Windmills - Japanese Taupe

I don't even know how long ago I started working on this quilt, but I was inspired by the pictures on the Pink Caramel blog.  The blog post does give much information, but I loved the intertwined windmills, as well as the Japanese taupes.  I can't even say I started working on it with the end goal of making a quilt.  Here's the story of how it came together.

Windmills and French Knots

Blue & White Sampler Quilt - Six Inch Blocks Complete

I have just finished the rest of the six inch quilt blocks for my Blue & White Sampler quilt!  I probably should have posted them in smaller batches, but I'm anxious to keep going.  I previously posted the first eight of the six inch blocks and now here are eleven more.

See each of the blocks below along with an updated layout of all of my Blue & White Sampler blocks so far.

Ashley's T-Shirt Quilt - Davidson College

My niece, Ashley, is graduating from college, so another quilt project has been completed!  I didn't want to give away the surprise, so you haven't seen this one in progress.  It's another custom, stained-glass, two-sided quilt with t-shirts on one side and college themed fabric on the other side, very similar to the UF Sigma Kappa quilt I made for Samantha several years ago.

T-Shirt Quilt

Kiss and Valentine: Blue & White Sampler Quilt Blocks

How appropriate that on the heals of Valentine's Day, I am posting my two latest Quilt Blocks for my Blue & White sampler quilt, Kiss Block and Valentine Block!  I really didn't plan it that way, so it's a nice coincidence.

Quilt Blocks: Valentine and Kiss

Gifts for Friends - Coin Purses and Star Wars Bags

I haven't been posting much lately, but I have been busy!  This year, I made a few small items to give as gifts to some of my co-workers and friends.  It's always tough to come up with good ideas for holiday gifts, but everyone seemed to enjoy receiving something hand made.

Coin Purses in modern batiks

La Pasacaglia Quilt: Three More Rounds

I took stock today of my progress on the La Pasacaglia quilt rounds and realized that I'm quite behind on sharing my latest completed items.  Since my last post, I have three more rounds complete and have officially reached an edge!

La Pasacaglia Quilt

Charms Quilt for Baby Vivian

I've never purchased a charms pack, but have always wanted to try some of the cute, quick projects. The beauty of a charms pack is that you get a wide variety of coordinating fabrics, without having to purchase individual cuts of fabric. When a co-worker had a baby, I decided I'd give it a try.

Verdict? Love it!

Garden Fence and Star Puzzle: Blue & White Sampler Quilt Blocks

I completed two more blocks for my Blue & White Sampler Quilt, Garden Fence and Star Puzzle.

Star Puzzle and Garden Fence Quilt Blocks

Celestial Flora - English Paper Piecing Quilt Complete

The last time I shared progress on my first English Paper Piecing quilt, I had finished the center of the quilt.  Now the quilt is done!  I added a small border with a tiny checkboard theme, as well as a wonderful swirl fabric as a wider border.  I named the quilt "Celestial Flora", since it has a feel that is a cross between flowers and outer space.

Celestial Flora Quilt

The quilting isn't visible in this image, but the center is quilted with double lines at various angles.  The checkerboard elements are quilted with straight lines that go out into the outer border, both on the side and at the borders.  I duplicated the hexagon flowers on each corner and filled in between with medium sized swirl filler.

Needless to day, I'm hooked on English Paper Piecing since I'm now knee-deep into a La Pasacaglia quilt!

Below are some close-up pictures of some of the quilting detail.  The quilting was done with a standard home sewing machine using variegated embroidery thread in the center and monofilament thread on the border.