A Quick, Sweet Baby Quilt and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  After the odyssey that was my Rainbow Galaxy quilt, I was so ready to sew something fast and easy, and baby quilts are always perfect for that.  We have a new niece, born a few weeks ago, so this one is for her!

Her mom LOVES purple and green together, so those two colors were a no-brainer, and I threw in a little bit of pink to give it extra sweetness.  I always like to make baby quilts that will grow with the child, so I always choose colors I think will work long past the baby stage.

This is made with a variation on a traditional Antique Tile block, and I published a little tutorial for it a while back.  You can find the block tutorial HERE.  This one will be finished up in short order and sent to my niece via my father-in-law, who is taking a trip to visit them soon!

As usual, last week's party was loaded with quilty eye-candy, like this lovely quilt finish by Rita at Quiltpiecer-

And this beauty by Debra at Robinson Row.  It really is a lovely pattern!  Love seeing different versions!

And finally, this stunner is by Linda at kokaquilts-

Alrighty, friends!  Let's link up!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Rainbow Galaxy Finish and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  In case you can't remember (because it's been awhile), I started the process of sorting and sewing my scraps for this quilt waaayyy back in May.  Needless to say, I'm thrilled to finally wrap this one up, and I could not be happier with the way it turned out.

Part of the reason this one took me as long as it did was because I didn't have a clear plan when I started sewing my scraps, and also because summer is SO busy that I'm usually not able to sew quite as much.  I had several different designs rolling around in my head, and I wanted to be sure I chose the one that maximized the scraps.  This spiral layout fit the bill, and it provided a great canvas for quilting.

The quilting follows the shape of each color section with echoing lines spaced between 1/4-1/2" apart.  I quilted these with free motion (and no marking), so they are organic, which I like.  Each color section is quilted with matching thread, but because the sections are curved, there are places where the color migrates into the gray sections just a little bit.  The result is one giant cluster of swirling lines that adds so much movement and texture!

At 64" x 80" this quilt is about a twin size, and because I knew I would be wrestling it during quilting, I didn't want it any bigger.  Alas, even after putting together a quilt this large, some improv pieces of each color remained, so of course, on the back they went.  This quilt is really double-sided (and the quilting design shows up so well on the back)!

The low volume prints that finish out the back came straight out of my stash, and used them for binding as well.  The scrappy, low volume binding sort of disappears, which is exactly what I wanted.  I briefly considered trying to match the color sections in the binding, but that would've just been insanity, ha!

This Rainbow Galaxy quilt has certainly been a long journey, but worth it!  My scrap jars are completely empty, other than the very few low volume scraps from the backing.  The last time my jars were empty was when I made my Strata Squared quilt, and that's been a couple of years.  I've certainly made scrap projects since then, but not any that completely cleared out the jars.  It makes me feel so good to empty them every now and then!

If you have a mountain of scraps and you don't know how to tackle them, check out my book, Scrappy Improv Quilting (Landauer, 2021).  You can find it in my Etsy shop (link at the top left of the screen), Amazon, or in your favorite quilt shop.  The book walks you through sorting and piecing your scraps, and then there are 22 mini quilt projects to help you get started.  As this quilt shows though, once you learn the scrappy improv technique, there's no limit to what you can create!

Last week's party didn't disappoint (they never do!).  Look at this lovely quilt by Julie's Quilts and Crafts-

This sweet, simple little baby quilt is from Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room-

And finally, even though it's not technically a fall quilt, the warm colors in this quilt from Sew Preeti Quilts have me longing for cooler weather (that will stay!)-

Okay friends!  Are you ready to party?

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Quilt Wrestling and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  I've been diligently working on quilting my Rainbow Galaxy quilt, and though I'm excited about the way it's coming together, the process is a bit tiresome.

I'm using free motion quilting and following the curves of each section with dense organic quilting lines (between 1/4-1/2"), which I hope will create a really cool swirled effect when it's all complete.  So far, I love it, but my neck and shoulders do not appreciate the strain.  This is a twin size quilt after all, so the weight is definitely a factor.  I've been taking plenty of breaks.  I just have three colors left to quilt, and I'm hoping to have it finished and ready for a big reveal next week!

Last week's party had lots of awesome beauties, so check out a few of my faves.  This lovely quilt is by Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting-

Linda at kokaquilts shared this beauty (along with another quilt in her post!)-

This soothing quilt is from Jan at The Colorful Fabriholic-

And finally, I am in love with this thread painting piece by Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl-

Okay!  It's time to get our party going!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

September Sponsor News!

Well friends, we're quickly approaching the middle of another month, which means it's time to fill you in on the latest news and deals happening at my favorite shops around the web.  Let's kick off this month's post with LouLou's Fabric Shop!

There's always something gorgeous at LouLou's!  

Right now, since our weather has cooled off a little bit and I'm itching to sew something for autumn, I have my eye on this week's LouLou bundle.  These warm, cozy fat quarters are just perfect for the season!

If you're a sale shopper (and who isn't?), there are more than 2,000 bolts marked down at LouLou's right now, not to mention sales on bundles, patterns, and kits!  Use the code doublesale to get an additional 20% off sale fabrics!

             

If you've never shopped at Lady Belle Fabric, you're missing out!  They are always getting new fabrics and bundles in the shop.  Check out this new Sweet and Spookier bundle by Art Gallery Fabrics.  So cute!

One of my favorite shop sections at Lady Belle Fabric is the Last Chance section.  Here, you can score a great deal on a fabric that may be out of print or difficult to find anywhere else.  As the name suggests, when they're gone, they're gone!  

This beautiful bundle may be called Summer in the Cotswolds, but the colors scream autumn to me, and you can find it in the Last Chance section!

              

And last, but certainly not least is Fort Worth Fabric Studio.  Brand new at Fort Worth Fabric Studio is the Slow Stroll collection by Moda.  I just love these pretty colors!  They're perfect for a more romantic take on the fall season.

Another awesome thing at Fort Worth Fabric Studio right now is their new Free Spirit mystery fat quarter bundles.  These are bundles of 20 fat quarters for less than two dollars per FQ!  Some of my very favorite designers are with Free Spirit, so these bundles are sure to contain some real treasures!

By the way, be sure to sign up for Fort Worth Fabric Studio's email list so you'll always be first to know about the latest collections and sales.

             

Okay, y'all!  I have the very best sponsors around, and I hope you'll head off to each of these shops and show them a little love!  Happy shopping!

Backing Complete and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  If you've been following along, you'll remember that after finishing my Rainbow Galaxy quilt top, I still had several chunks of improv left over.  I briefly considered turning them into a second quilt, but almost immediately abandoned that idea in favor of using them on the back.  I was originally going to mix in my multicolored scraps, but then those were SO plentiful that they became the Scrap Confetti quilt I shared last week.  All of that still left me with those leftover single-color improv chunks with no real plan for how to use them.  I came up with a few options and ultimately settled on this-

I had lots of low volume prints in my stash, and since there is so much low volume improv in the top, I thought it would echo the front quite nicely.  I didn't have to purchase a single bit of fabric to put this backing together, which makes me super happy!  I just need to get this one basted, and then I can start on the quilting (and I already have an awesome plan for that!).

If you missed last week's party, it was jam-packed with inspiration!  This sampler beauty is by Rita at Quiltpiecer-

This quilt by Liz at Savor Every Stitch is so bright and cheerful, and I love how the quilting adds so much depth to the design-

This lovely string quilt is by Joyce at heARTS Creations-

This fun, modern little quilt is from Margo at MY Quilts and Crafts- 

And finally, Rebecca Grace Quilting linked up this stunner-

Wow!  Y'all really know how to bring the quilty eye-candy!  I hope you're ready to party!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Scrap Confetti and NTT

 Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  I'm so excited to share my finished Scrap Confetti quilt with you today!  

I just love a scrappy quilt.  And I really love being able to clean out my scrap jars to create something so pretty and fun!  This quilt used ALL of the scraps from my multicolored jar, but you can also see that I've added the few leftover bits from each of my color jars as well.  

When I was piecing my color panels for my Rainbow Galaxy quilt, I had a few pieces left over of each color that I couldn't use, usually because I had too much of a single print.  Well, those bits of solids and single-color scraps work perfectly to break up the busier multicolor prints.  They give the eye a place to rest in the quilt, with the added bonus of completing the full clean-out of my scrap jars.

This quilt has enough going on with the busy piecing, so it didn't need any "extra" with the quilting.  I also wanted it to be an easy-peasy finish, so a nice, easy stipple fit the bill.

I had just enough scrap blocks to add a little pop to the back, and this black and white crosshatch fabric plays so well with the bright scrappy improv. A solid Kona Black binding creates a great frame for all that scrappiness, and gives it a crisp finish. I've decided to name this one Scrap Confetti!

 

If you've ever looked at a quilt like this and thought, "I could never do that," I'm here to tell you you can.  My book, Scrappy Improv Quilting walks you through the technique, step-by-step, and includes 22 mini quilt patterns to help you get started.  Minis are a quick, low-stress way to dip your toe into scrappy improv piecing, and the technique is so versatile, when you feel comfortable, you can move onto bigger projects if you like.  Best of all, scrappy improv piecing is the perfect way to use what you have and really make a dent in those scrap bins!  The book link at the top left of the page will give you more information.  I hope you'll check it out!

Before we party this week, check out a few of my faves from last week's party.  I love the simplicity of this quilt by Margo at MY Quilts and Crafts-

This striking quilt top is by Anne-Marie at Stories From the Sewing Room-

And Rita at Quiltpiecer linked up this beauty.  Love all the green!

Okay, friends!  Let's do this!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)

Switching Gears and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  Well, I still haven't even started the backing for my Rainbow Galaxy quilt yet, but to be fair, I have done a ton of sewing this week.  I planned to include all of my multicolored scraps, along with the few leftovers from each of my color jars, on the back of the Rainbow Galaxy quilt, but when I started sewing, I realized my multicolored scrap jar was FULL.  There were enough scraps to make another good-sized quilt.  So, that's what I did with them-

I still have some leftover pieces of single-color improv that I'm going to use on the back of the Rainbow Galaxy quilt, and now that the multicolor scraps aren't being included there, I need to come up with a new plan for how I'm going to use them.  So for now, I'm going to go ahead and finish this quilt before I get back to that.

Last week's party was filled with awesomeness (as usual).  This fun scrap quilt is from Maggie at Making a Lather-

This quilt from Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting is giving me fall vibes!

Look at this beauty by Sew Preeti Quilts-

This fresh green quilt finish is by Julie's Quilts and Costumes-

And I love this barn quilt by Quilting Gail-

Okay friends!  You know what to do!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)