Take Flight and a Giveaway!

Well my friends, what began in April is now coming to a close in July.  Though this is the thirteenth week of the Stash Statement blog hop, it feels like the time has slipped by so quickly.  Today's feature quilt is the Take Flight FREE bonus pattern.

I have actually made three different versions of this quilt, but the only one I've kept for myself is the one pictured above (actually the last version I made).  The other two have gone to friends who have lost loved ones.  Since each of these quilts has already had its own post, rather than recap the stories and photos of each quilt, you can visit the original posts to see the quilting, backing, and binding details.  I am including helpful links for you though!  To see the details of the quilt I kept for myself, check out the post HERE.

I love this blue, green, and teal version of the quilt.  It was made for a friend who lost her son as a toddler, and is a precious keepsake in his memory.  This was the second version of this pattern, and you can see the additional pictures for the Will's Wings quilt HERE.

My first version of the quilt is actually the one that graces the pattern cover, and it now belongs to a friend who lost her sister to cancer.  This quilt was actually debuted waaay back in January (see the snow on the foot bridge?), when Stash Statement first became available for preorder!

Though this pattern is not included in the book, when I made it, I knew I had to somehow make it available to my readers.  This pattern is exclusively available as a free bonus with the purchase of Stash Statement.  Since the pattern is written with improv terms from the book, it is intended as a supplement only, and will not ever be available as a stand-alone pattern.

If you purchase a signed copy of the book from my Etsy shop HERE, the pattern will be automatically emailed to you when the book ships.  Unfortunately, I don't have a way of knowing who has purchased books from somewhere else (Amazon, Connecting Threads, quilt shops, etc.) so things become a little trickier.

If you've purchased Stash Statement from another vendor and would like the bonus pattern, when you get it home, just snap a quick photo of yourself with your book and send it to me using the Email Me button on my right sidebar, letting me know where you purchased it.  Then, I'll happily send the pattern to you!

This hop is going out with a bang!  To finish off the blog hop, I am giving away TWO copies of Stash Statement, including the bonus pattern.  One US reader will win a hard copy, and an international reader will win a digital copy of the book.  To enter the giveaway, leave a single comment on this post to let me know your favorite quilt from the book (duplicate entries will be deleted).  Be sure to let me know if you're from the US or an international reader, and remember to leave your email address if you're a no-reply blogger!  I'll announce the winners at NTT on 7/25!

This week, Kelli Fannin at Seriously... I think it needs stitches and Paula at The Sassy Quilter are sharing their own versions of the Take Flight quilt, and each of them put a delightful twist on the pattern with wing and color placement.  You definitely don't want to miss them!

Also, Hilary at by Hilary Jordan has her College Prep project all ready.  You might remember that last week, we had a scheduling mix-up, but she is all ready to go now!

Just in case you missed any of the amazing projects from the hop, here's the full lineup, all in one place.  Debuting my book has been so much fun.  Thanks for all of the book release love, friends!

4/16- Grand Bazaar    Shelley @ Cora's Quilts

                                      Connie @ Freemotion by the River

4/23- Louvered  Lindsey @ Primrose Cottage Quilts 

                            Diann @ Little Penguin Quilts

4/30- Precarious  Jess @ Quilty Habit                       

                              Myra @ Busy Hands Quilts

                                                            

5/7- Beach Retreat  Sarah @ Sarah Goer Quilts                               

                                  Liz @ Savor Every Stitch 

                                                           

5/14- Fire Pit   Alison @ Little Bunny Quilts                                          

                         Preeti @ Sew Preeti Quilts

                                                            

5/21- Detour    Laura @ Slice of Pi Quilts                         

                         Shelley @ The Carpenter's Daughter Who Quilts

                                                            

5/28- Murrina    Yvonne @ Quilting Jetgirl             

                            Leanne @ Devoted Quilter

                                                            

6/4- Scattered    Jayne @ Twiggy and Opal                      

                           Christine @ Triangles and Squares 

                                                            

6/11- Bloom Chicka Boom   Chris @ made by ChrissieD            

                                               Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty

                                                            

6/18- Regatta   Susan @ Quilt Fabrication                             

                          Debbie @ A Quilter's Table    

                                                            

6/25- Catch a Falling Star  Cynthia @ Quilting is More Fun Than Housework        

                                              Anja @ Anja Quilts

                                                            

7/2- College Prep   Hilary @ by Hilary Jordan                 

                                Lori @ Crossquilt

                                                            

7/9- Take Flight (free bonus pattern)  Kelli @ Seriously, I Think It Needs Stitches 

                                                             Paula @ The Sassy Quilter

 

Angelic and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  I've finished up my latest Take Flight quilt (the last one for awhile), and I'm so pleased with it.  To be clear, I love the original version as well, but practice does indeed make perfect, and I'm happier with the feathers on this one.

The wings are a little tricky since they can't really be quilted upside down (it would be difficult to get the angle of the feathers just right).  So the right wing is pretty easy, without too much bulk in the throat of the machine, but when it's time to quilt the left one, almost the entire quilt is bunched up in the throat.  Obviously it's doable, but it does require a little more patience to keep everything smooth and even.  I quilted with one of my favorites; Aurifil 40 wt. Dove #2600.  The soft gray adds just a little extra dimension to the wings, but it blends in so well with the scrappy background too.

The background of this one is quilted with a much denser stipple than the original, which really gives the wings a puffier look.  The spacing between the stippling lines is about a quarter inch.  I don't usually enjoy quilting this densely, but sometimes it's worth it.  This is one of those times for sure.

On the back, I used a combination of this gorgeous bold floral from the Recollection line by Katarina Roccella, with Moda Grunge fabric in Aruba.  The flowers are pixelated, which echoes the chunky background on the front of the quilt, and the quilting shows up so well on the Grunge.

One of my favorite parts of the quilt is the binding.  When I make a scrappy quilt with all of the colors, I usually opt for a black or gray binding, but I'm loving the choice of metallic gold!  It's Cloud 9 Glimmer Solids in Champagne, and the photo just doesn't do it justice.  Even though it is in full sun, the sparkle is so much prettier in person.  I'm calling this one Angelic, just to differentiate it from the original Take Flight quilt.

So, let's get right to the highlights from last week's awesome party!  This bright beauty is by Kris at Sew Sunshine-

Shelley at A Pigeon in Pungo shared her fantastic Opal Bracelet mini-

And this stunner, called Cascade, is by Liz at Savor Every Stitch-

Just, wow!  I'm amazed at all of the fabulous eye-candy shared week after week.  So much inspiration.  Let's party, friends!

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.  

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!  :)

Perfectionism

When I teach classes, I stress that I'm not a perfectionist quilter.  Constantly ripping out seams is demoralizing, and can stop quilt progress in its tracks.  I firmly believe that to improve a skill, it's best just to gain experience and practice by forging ahead to get the project finished.  So, I rarely rip out seams, unless I truly can't help it.

On the other hand, practice does make perfect, and when I made the Will's Wings quilt for my friend, the feather detail quilting on the wings turned out so much better the second time around that I couldn't help a remake for keeps.  I'm hoping that the third time's the charm for this pattern and I can't wait to start quilting it!

I also wanted to share a gorgeous version of the Take Flight pattern, made by a friend in my guild who tested the pattern for me.  She made this quilt for a friend in memory of her husband, and the black/gray ombre wings are so striking, and definitely give the quilt a more masculine look.

ps- the Take Flight pattern is an exclusive FREE bonus pattern, only available with the purchase of my brand new book Stash Statement.  You can get a signed copy in my Etsy shop HERE!

Will's Wings and NTT

I finished my latest quilt, made with my Take Flight pattern, and I am SO proud of the way it turned out.

Everything is always better with practice, and in the case of this quilt, that is definitely true.  The most difficult part of this quilt is free-motion quilting the feather pattern on the two wings.  It takes some patience and planning to make sure the two wings are even.  I was more successful this time around.  The feather quilting on the wings is more fluid on this quilt, and the two wings are as even as I think they can reasonably be.

The wings are a nice, crisp Kona White, and I quilted with Aurifil Dove Gray thread.  The Dove Gray isn't so dark that it sticks out, but it adds just enough awesome dimension.

I lucked out and found this fantastic print that pulls in all of the colors of the improv piecing, and with a stripe of Kona Chartreuse to widen it out, it is just perfect.

Even though the blue on the backing fabric is a darker shade, I opted for Kona Royal for the binding.  I thought a navy binding would be too dark against the front, and the Royal still blends really well.

I don't often make handwritten labels anymore (tutorial HERE).  Since getting my custom ribbon labels, it is just so easy to sew one of those into the binding of my quilts.  This quilt called for a special touch though, and my friend requested a particular name for the quilt.  This quilt is for a friend, and has a beautiful purpose.  My last post has the details, and you can read about it HERE.

I delivered the quilt yesterday evening, and my friend absolutely loved it.  It was an honor to make it for her!

Last week's party was amazing!  Check out this beautiful medallion quilt by The Lilac Cat-

This fun quilt is by Something Rosemarie.  Great colors and texture!

And finally, look at these amazing wonky triangles by Sarah at Quilt Moderne.  Love it!

Without further ado, let's get to it!

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.  

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!  :)

A Quilt For Remembering

Several weeks ago, when I posted my first Take Flight quilt, my friend contacted me about making a very special quilt for her in memory of her angel baby, lost suddenly to a flu-like illness at the age of two.

She requested blues, greens, and aquas/teals in the background, because he loved the cartoon Blues Clues, and these colors always remind her of him.

Though this happened many years ago (he would be a teenager today), I know that neither the love a parent feels for a child, nor the pain from this kind of loss ever leaves a momma's heart. When we talked about the quilt, my friend said "My heart needs this quilt," and I am honored to make it for her in memory of her precious boy.

*ps- you can check out more information on my Take Flight pattern HERE.

Preorder!!! and NTT

Happy Needle and Thread Thursday, y'all!  Today, I am delighted to share that you can now preorder my book, Stash Statement, through my Etsy shop and it will be shipped out to you as soon as it is officially released April 16th.

Whether your scraps are strictly modern, traditional, or a mix of both, Stash Statement is a book that will help you find a home for every cherished bit.  Structured improvisation blends the fun of improv piecing, but gives you a pattern to follow, helping you create twelve unique quilts.  If you're new to improv, don't worry!  Stash Statement includes three easy, step-by-step methods for improv piecing.  I promise- it's doable for anyone!

If you choose to purchase Stash Statement directly from me, there are a couple of fun perks!  First, your copy of the book will be signed for you before it ships out.  I am also offering an exclusive bonus digital pattern called Take Flight.  This digital pattern will only be available with the book, and will not be sold as a separate pattern.

 I began planning this book almost two years ago, and it feels like I've had to keep it a secret forever.  Even though the official release is still a couple of months away, I can't tell you how happy I am that I can finally share the quilts with you.  So, hop over to my Etsy shop HERE to see more quilts from the book and reserve your copy!

Okay friends, time to check out last week's amazing party highlights!  Tanya Quilts in CO shared this pretty quilt-

This beautiful, green Wayward Transparency quilt is by Anja Quilts (LOVE all of that green!)-

and this stunning Purple Majesty quilt is by Jess at Quilty Habit-

Thanks again for supporting me, friends!  It's time 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.  

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!  :)