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Wednesday, September 29, 2021

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-
10/4- HeartstruckRebecca Grace @ Rebecca Grace Quilting
           Star SpangledChristine @ Triangles & Squares

10/6- Birds of a FeatherPreeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts
           Fall FoliageSusan @ Quilt Fabrication

10/11- OrnamentalGail @ Quilting Gail
            Churn, Churn, ChurnCynthia @ Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

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

10/18- All Dressed UpLinda @ Flourishing Palms
             ShockwaveAnne-Marie @ Stories From the Sewing Room

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



2 comments:

  1. I have the opposite scrap issue: I never have enough light scraps for quilts that use and equal number of light and dark pieces. We should combine our scraps :-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Two more gorgeous quilts, Kelly! Looking forward to getting my hands on a copy of you new book.

    ReplyDelete

Thanks so much for your comment and for visiting! I read and appreciate every single comment, and I reply to each one as soon as I can. If you don't hear back from me, you might be a no-reply blogger. :)

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