Tinkering Finish, Big News, and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  The Scrappy Improv Quilting blog hop is still going strong, so definitely check out the posts from Monday and Wednesday!  But today, I'm thrilled to get to share my latest finish with you, and I've officially named it Tinkering, since the blocks first reminded me of Tinker Toys.

Can I just tell you how much I love these colors?  They're so deep and rich, but the pops of aqua and coral add just a little touch of the unexpected.

I did something a little different with the back of this quilt.  I didn't have a lot of this gorgeous Katarina Roccella floral fabric left and I didn't want to waste even a tiny bit of it, so I decided to make a Great Big Granny backing to make the most of some of my leftovers.

I have tons going on right now (more on that in a minute), so a quick meander was a quick way to finish this one.  Just look at those luscious prints; there are some oldies but goodies in there!

And Kona Cerise makes a fantastic frame for it.  I've been working on the Tinkering pattern for awhile, and it is all ready and listed in my Etsy shop.  It's fun and easy, and even though it's fairly simple, the design is striking.  Check it out HERE!

Now for the other thing that has been dividing my time these days.  I've been scheming behind the scenes for awhile, and this week, I signed a contract with Fox Chapel/Landauer Publishing for book number three!  This one is going in a completely different direction from my first two, and though I can't tell you about it just yet, I know you're going to love it.  It will release in late spring 2023 (yes, the book process is loooonngg)!  But just know that some of my sewing is behind the scenes these days.

Before we get to the party, take a look at some of the projects linked up last week!  Gretchen's Little Corner shared this cute quilt-

Julie's Quilts and Costumes linked up these two quilts, and they just glow!

Take a look at this puff quilt by Marie at Octopus Patchwork.  So cool!

Okay, y'all!  It's time to party!

And remember that NTT will be posted on Thursday mornings, instead of Wednesday evenings for the duration of my Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour!

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!  :)

Chapel Window and Winter Frost

We're moving right along with the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour, friends!  In fact, today marks the halfway point.  We're finishing up one section with today's first quilt, and then heading right into the next one.  

Chapel Window is a striking little quilt, and it's the final mini in the Simple Shapes section.  Even though it's made with simple building blocks, they make a big impact.  That's one of the best things about the scrappy improv technique.  It can be used with even the most basic blocks to give them real wow factor.  When designing this one, I set out to create a quilt that looked like stained glass, so I pulled out all of my bright solid scraps and put them against a black background to mimic that look. Using the most vibrant scraps give the illusion of light coming through the window.  And because chapels are traditionally smaller and simpler than more grand cathedrals, the windows are less ornate. 

This quilt is definitely one of the most densely quilted minis in the entire book.  Chapel Window is entirely quilted with organic lines that follow the blocks.  I used Aurifil 50 wt. in Dove Grey on all of the improv sections, because it has the uncanny ability to blend well in to every color, and of course I used black thread in the background to keep the black nice and dark.

I pulled this orange Amy Butler Lotus Dot fabric from my stash for the backing, and I do like it, but honestly, if I had it to do again I think I would have chosen solid black for the backing as well.  I knew for sure that the binding needed to be black, which keeps the focus on the "stained glass."

Kris at Sew Sunshine made the Chapel Window quilt for the blog hop, and I'm excited for you to see her version of it!

Now, we get to move into a completely new section of the book- Seasonal Sensations!  The mini quilts in this section are perfect for adding a little pop of seasonal cheer to your home, and we're kicking off this section with the Winter Frost quilt.

I don't know about you, but sometimes when I'm pulling scraps for projects, my white and cream scraps get neglected.  I have to make a conscious effort to use them up!  Well, Winter Frost is the perfect place to show them off.  This giant snowflake uses improv sections made from white, cream, and even some metallic silver scraps to give it an icy look (some are reading as gray in the photos, but in person, they really shimmer).  I also decided to use a crosshatch fabric in the background rather than a solid, which adds extra texture to the quilt.

Winter Frost is quilted with a giant spiral with lines "swooping" out from the center, which gives the design so much movement.

Some bigger chunks of metallic silver scraps work perfectly for the backing, and the binding is Cloud 9 Glimmer Solids in Silver.  It really does sparkle in person!  This little quilt is the perfect pick-me-up if you're fighting the winder doldrums, or if you're feeling a holiday hangover.

Leanne at Devoted Quilter made her own version of the Winter Frost quilt, and her background choice really looks amazing.  Don't miss it!

See you next Monday for the next two quilts, and check out the full schedule below!

Signed copies of Scrappy Improv Quilting are available in my Etsy shop HERE, or ask about it at your local quilt shop.  It is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other major booksellers.  
And shop owners, you can get it from any of the major distributors- Checker, Brewer, United Notions, and EE Schenck.  I hope you'll consider adding it to your library or carrying it in your shop!  :) 

Scrappy Improv Quilting Blog Tour Schedule-

8/31- Intro, Single Block Beauties, and Simple Shapes

9/7- Seasonal Sensations, Standards With a Twist 

9/13- Summer Blossom- Lori @ Crossquilt
           Up, Up, and Away- Sandra @ mmm quilts

9/15- Flutter- Rose @ Something Rosemade
           Botanics- Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts

9/20- Face the Sun- Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts
           Full Spectrum- Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal

9/22- Prismatic- Anja @ Anja Quilts
           Downpour- Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting

9/27- Funkytown- Vasudha @ Storied Quilts
           Cherub Wings- Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

9/29- Chapel Window- Kris @ Sew Sunshine
           Winter Frost- Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

10/4- Heartstruck- Rebecca Grace @ Rebecca Grace Quilting
           Star Spangled- Christine @ Triangles & Squares

10/6- Birds of a Feather- Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts
           Fall Foliage- Susan @ Quilt Fabrication

10/11- Ornamental- Gail @ Quilting Gail
            Churn, Churn, Churn- Cynthia @ Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

10/13- Sunset Crossing- Kate @ Katie Mae Quilts
             Positivity- Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts

10/18- All Dressed Up- Linda @ Flourishing Palms
             Shockwave- Anne-Marie @ Stories From the Sewing Room

10/20- Sweet Bee (a bonus thank-you pattern), Finishing, and Wrap-Up (here!) 

Funkytown and Cherub Wings

We're moving right along with the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog hop, y'all, and today's quilts are lots of fun.  Yes, I say that a lot, but really- they are!  First up today is Funkytown, and this one combines scrappy improv solid scraps, and print fabrics all in one awesome quilt.

Though it seems like there is a lot going on, the subdued Kona Cloud background keeps all of those prints in check so it's really not too much!  I almost went with solid black and gray for the roofs and streets, but I'm so glad I didn't.  The prints are subtle and add to the charm of the quilt.  Because there is so much print mixing in this quilt, I did decide to quilt it with an allover stipple.  It's pretty dense so it adds lots of crinkly texture, but it doesn't add to the busy pattern.

I had this pretty teal and aqua polkadot in my stash, and it works well on the back, and I had just enough of the gray street print leftover for the binding.

Scrappy Improv Quilting gives several tips on how to size up these patterns if you want to make a bigger quilt, and Vasudha at Storied Quilts did exactly that.  She made a baby quilt from the Funkytown pattern!

The second quilt being featured today is Cherub Wings, and this one is just so sweet.  Imagine how beautiful it would be to give a newborn angel wings by photographing him/her laying on this quilt!  Or think of how precious it would be in softer colored scraps, hanging in a nursery.  There are so many possilities!

I gave definition to the wings in this quilt by quilting feathers and leaving them noticeably puffier than the scrappy background.  Quilting these feathers definitely took some planning, but I promise it's not as difficult as it looks.  A dense stipple in the background is a nice contrast to the wings and allows them to pop out.

When using lots of different colored scraps, I really love a crisp black and white fabric on the back, and this print is actually an oldie but goodie from IKEA.  I wanted the binding to disappear into the quilt, so a scrappy binding was the way to go.  It just blends right into the improv!

Michelle at From Bolt to Beauty is the second stop on the blog hop for today, so head over there and see her version of the Cherub Wings quilt!

See you on Wednesday for the next two quilts, and check out the full schedule below!

Signed copies of Scrappy Improv Quilting are available in my Etsy shop HERE, or ask about it at your local quilt shop.  It is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other major booksellers.  
And shop owners, you can get it from any of the major distributors- Checker, Brewer, United Notions, and EE Schenck.  I hope you'll consider adding it to your library or carrying it in your shop!  :) 

Scrappy Improv Quilting Blog Tour Schedule-

8/31- Intro, Single Block Beauties, and Simple Shapes

9/7- Seasonal Sensations, Standards With a Twist 

9/13- Summer Blossom- Lori @ Crossquilt
           Up, Up, and Away- Sandra @ mmm quilts

9/15- Flutter- Rose @ Something Rosemade
           Botanics- Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts

9/20- Face the Sun- Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts
           Full Spectrum- Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal

9/22- Prismatic- Anja @ Anja Quilts
           Downpour- Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting

9/27- Funkytown- Vasudha @ Storied Quilts
           Cherub Wings- Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

9/29- Chapel Window- Kris @ Sew Sunshine
           Winter Frost- Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

10/4- Heartstruck- Rebecca Grace @ Rebecca Grace Quilting
           Star Spangled- Christine @ Triangles & Squares

10/6- Birds of a Feather- Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts
           Fall Foliage- Susan @ Quilt Fabrication

10/11- Ornamental- Gail @ Quilting Gail
            Churn, Churn, Churn- Cynthia @ Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

10/13- Sunset Crossing- Kate @ Katie Mae Quilts
             Positivity- Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts

10/18- All Dressed Up- Linda @ Flourishing Palms
             Shockwave- Anne-Marie @ Stories From the Sewing Room

10/20- Sweet Bee (a bonus thank-you pattern), Finishing, and Wrap-Up (here!) 

NTT- Tinkering

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  Don't forget that the blog hop celebrating the release of my new book, Scrappy Improv Quilting is happening right now.  If you missed the posts from this week, you can see them HERE and HERE.

Other than lots of social media stuff (because three blog posts plus four IG posts in a week is a LOT for me), I've been spending quite a bit of time in my studio working with the fabrics that I teased last week. I finished up this fun quilt top.

I really love this color palette.  The jewel tones are deep and rich, but the addition of the coral and aqua keep the quilt from being too dark.  And even though the pattern is simple, it has a lot of movement.   I'm calling this quilt Tinkering, because the block shape reminds me of old-school Tinker Toys (pattern coming!).

At last week's party, Rita at Quiltpiecer shared this beautiful quilt.  There's something so classic about red and white quilts!

I love this cheerful quilt top by DonnaleeQ-

And Sandra Healy Designs shared a cute Halloween table runner-

Okay, friends!  Let's get our party going!

And remember that NTT will be posted on Thursdays, instead of Wednesday evenings for the duration of my Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour!

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!  :)

Prismatic and Downpour

It's time to continue the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour, and today, we're jumping into a brand new section of the book.  The Simple Shapes section contains five quilts, and all of these quilts are created with simple blocks that are repeated to make truly fantastic quilts.

The Prismatic quilt is first up today, and I used my teal, blue, and cool purple scraps in this one.  My inspiration for this mini came from prisms that hang from chandeliers or in a window and catch the light.  Though this quilt is made with flying geese, one of the most basic quilt building blocks, making them with scrappy improv, and arranging them in an interesting way give this quilt lots of pizzazz.  

Unlike most of the other quilts in the book, Prismatic is quilted with an allover design with white thread that blends with the background.  I wanted to add to the hanging design, and the very, VERY dense, wavy vertical lines definitely do that.

The backings of mini quilts are fantastic for using up chunks of scraps that are a little bigger.  I added this dark purple chunk to the triangle fat quarter for the backing of the Prismatic quilt, and finished it off with a Kona Navy binding.

Anja Quilts made the Prismatic quilt for the blog tour, so head over there and show her some quilty love!

Downpour is the second quilt being featured today, and this quilt is a wonderful place to feature a few of your favorite aqua and teal scraps.  If you're feeling apprehensive about choosing scraps for your project, don't worry!  Each project in Scrappy Improv Quilting has Color Notes to help you out!

The Kona Fog background in this mini pairs well with the aqua and teal scraps to create a rainy look.  The photo isn't showing the subtlety of the color very well.  It's not exactly gray, but not really a shade of blue either.  It's sort of a blue-green-gray, and really a perfect match for a dreary day.  It's a complete coincidence that these two quilts are right next to each other in the book, but this quilt is also quilted with dense, wavy vertical lines to add to the dripping effect.

I've had two chunks of this aqua fabric for a long time, and I pieced them together for the back. I love how the back side is so fresh and bright.  And the darker turquoise crosshatch binding finishes the quilt off really nicely.

Nancy at Grace and Peace Quilting has made her own version of the Downpour quilt.  Head over there to check it out!

Next Monday I'll be sharing two more quilts from the book, so be sure to come back to see them!  And you can check out the full blog tour schedule below!

Signed copies of Scrappy Improv Quilting are available in my Etsy shop HERE, or ask about it at your local quilt shop.  It is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other major booksellers.  
And shop owners, you can get it from any of the major distributors- Checker, Brewer, United Notions, and EE Schenck.  I hope you'll consider adding it to your library or carrying it in your shop!  :) 

Scrappy Improv Quilting Blog Tour Schedule-

8/31- Intro, Single Block Beauties, and Simple Shapes

9/7- Seasonal Sensations, Standards With a Twist 

9/13- Summer Blossom- Lori @ Crossquilt
           Up, Up, and Away- Sandra @ mmm quilts

9/15- Flutter- Rose @ Something Rosemade
           Botanics- Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts

9/20- Face the Sun- Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts
           Full Spectrum- Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal

9/22- Prismatic- Anja @ Anja Quilts
           Downpour- Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting

9/27- Funkytown- Vasudha @ Storied Quilts
           Cherub Wings- Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

9/29- Chapel Window- Kris @ Sew Sunshine
           Winter Frost- Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

10/4- Heartstruck- Rebecca Grace @ Rebecca Grace Quilting
           Star Spangled- Christine @ Triangles & Squares

10/6- Birds of a Feather- Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts
           Fall Foliage- Susan @ Quilt Fabrication

10/11- Ornamental- Gail @ Quilting Gail
            Churn, Churn, Churn- Cynthia @ Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

10/13- Sunset Crossing- Kate @ Katie Mae Quilts
             Positivity- Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts

10/18- All Dressed Up- Linda @ Flourishing Palms
             Shockwave- Anne-Marie @ Stories From the Sewing Room

10/20- Sweet Bee (a bonus thank-you pattern), Finishing, and Wrap-Up (here!) 

Face the Sun and Full Spectrum

It's day three of the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour, and today we're finishing up the Single Block Beauties section with a couple of my favorite minis from the book.  In fact, when my publisher required a few different quilt options to be sent in advance for cover photography, both of these were included in the mix.

For the background of the Face the Sun quilt, I pieced my green scraps to create lots of texture.  Including the lighter and darker scraps gives lots of depth, and allows the solid sunflower to really pop.  It really looks like a single bloom standing in a field of sun and shadow.

Because they're small, mini quilts are a great place to add detailed quilting, and I had so much fun doing that on this quilt. In fact, if you're looking for a great place to practice some new free-motion designs, mini quilts are just perfect!  The center of the sunflower is Kona Chestnut, and I knew it needed pebbles to give the illusion of seeds.  Kona Sunflower and Corn Yellow were used for the main part of the flower, and I used the quilting lines to give lots of definition to the petals.  The improv background is stippled, which gives some texture, but doesn't compete with the sunflower itself.

I really wanted the binding to disappear on this one, so creating it with scraps of green allows the binding to blend right into the background.  I pulled this sunny, diagonal yellow and white stripe from my stash for the backing, and the quilting shows up so well against it.  

Laura at Slice of Pi Quilts made her own version of the Face the Sun quilt, and you definitely don't want to miss it! 

Today's second quilt is my cover girl!  Y'all know I love a rainbow.  They're just so much fun, and the interesting block design and crisp Kona White backdrop in the Full Spectrum quilt show off the rainbow beautifully.

Once again, I quilted the heck out of this one.  Each improv color section is quilted with a petal shape (I'm not really sure what else to call that design), and organic straight lines echo the block shape to fill the background, which creates awesome contrast with the curvy lines in the scrappy sections.  I probably had the most fun in the center with that flower though.  

I used this awesome black and white crosshatch fabric on the backing, and I love the rainbow on the back created by the quilting stitches, and this black and white polkadot frames this mini so well.  Adding black to a rainbow quilt creates sparkle and makes the colors sing.

Be sure to head over to Twiggy and Opal to see Jayne's version of the Full Spectrum quilt.  I really love the background she chose for hers!

Then come back this Wednesday to see the next two quilts!  We'll be starting the Simple Shapes section. Check out the full schedule below!

Signed copies of Scrappy Improv Quilting are available in my Etsy shop HERE, or ask about it at your local quilt shop.  It is also available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and other major booksellers.  
And shop owners, you can get it from any of the major distributors- Checker, Brewer, United Notions, and EE Schenck.  I hope you'll consider adding it to your library or carrying it in your shop!  :) 

Scrappy Improv Quilting Blog Tour Schedule-

8/31- Intro, Single Block Beauties, and Simple Shapes

9/7- Seasonal Sensations, Standards With a Twist 

9/13- Summer Blossom- Lori @ Crossquilt
           Up, Up, and Away- Sandra @ mmm quilts

9/15- Flutter- Rose @ Something Rosemade
           Botanics- Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts

9/20- Face the Sun- Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts
           Full Spectrum- Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal

9/22- Prismatic- Anja @ Anja Quilts
           Downpour- Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting

9/27- Funkytown- Vasudha @ Storied Quilts
           Cherub Wings- Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

9/29- Chapel Window- Kris @ Sew Sunshine
           Winter Frost- Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

10/4- Heartstruck- Rebecca Grace @ Rebecca Grace Quilting
           Star Spangled- Christine @ Triangles & Squares

10/6- Birds of a Feather- Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts
           Fall Foliage- Susan @ Quilt Fabrication

10/11- Ornamental- Gail @ Quilting Gail
            Churn, Churn, Churn- Cynthia @ Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

10/13- Sunset Crossing- Kate @ Katie Mae Quilts
             Positivity- Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts

10/18- All Dressed Up- Linda @ Flourishing Palms
             Shockwave- Anne-Marie @ Stories From the Sewing Room

10/20- Sweet Bee (a bonus thank-you pattern), Finishing, and Wrap-Up (here!) 

NTT- A September Kind of Project

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  In case you missed it, on Monday I started showcasing individual projects from my new book, Scrappy Improv Quilting, and blog tour participants started showing their amazing mini quilts from the book as well.  You can see Monday's post HERE, and yesterday's post HERE.  Each post features two projects and believe me, you don't want to miss out on all of the awesomeness going on!  

That's a whole lot of excitement, but in the meantime I have been sewing quite a bit.  I'm not quite ready to show any real progress yet, but check out this enormous pile of trimmings!

It occurred to me while I was working on this quilt that this color palette is perfect for September.  Most of the colors are dark and rich, and even though they're jewel tones, they feel very fall-ish.  But the addition of the bright coral, melon, and aqua tones still scream summer.  I feel like that when I think about September weather.  It is a little bit cooler and of course all of the pumpkin people really want it to be fall, but there are still enough hot, muggy days to remind us that all of the pumpkins and hay bales and scarecrows everywhere are just wishful thinking (well, here in the South anyway).  

I can't wait to show you more, but for now, let's get into the highlights from last week's party!  This pretty quilt is from Linda at kokaquilts-

This striking quilt is by Leanne at Devoted Quilter-

Look at this pretty finish by Something Rosemade-

I love this graphic floral quilt by Kat at Scrapbox Quilts-

And this quilt by Sandra at mmm...quilts is just so lovely- what a breathtaking photo!

Okay, friends!  It's time to get our party going!  Link up the latest from your sewing studio!  And be sure to come back next Monday for day three of the Scrappy Improv Quilting blog hop!  :) 

And remember that NTT will be posted on Thursdays, instead of Wednesday evenings for the duration of my Scrappy Improv Quilting blog tour!

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!  :)