Ruby Dancing :: An Improv Curves Quilt inspired by Vintage Modern Quilts tutorial

The most fun day I've ever had sewing was a rainy afternoon, not long after QuiltCon, when I happened upon Vintage Modern Quilts' tutorial on Improv Curves. It was filmed at QuiltCon

Inspired and excited, I busted open a layer cake of Bonnie and Camille's famed line "Ruby" and got to work.After a couple hours and an entire bottle of Ellen's Best Press Starch alternative, I had all the blocks done and a top finished.

I racked my brain and just couldn't decide on the quilting, so the quilt sat and sat. Until one day when I saw a picture Abby Latimer of Latimer Lane Quilting posted of a feathered type of long arm pattern... and instantly I just knew that it would be perfect for my special Ruby quilt.

Off it went and soon enough it came back. I loved it, but couldn't quite decide on a binding, until I realized that the grey in their Vintage Modern line looked great with the grey in Ruby.

I still love this quilt and I really can't wait to make another Improv Curves quilt from a layer cake some day.

Back soon,

Katie

Old World Map Quilt. A Christmas Gift

{ The last two Christmases, I gave my parents the same quilt. The first year, it wasn't finished, but I wrapped it in its backing with the binding tied around it and promised it would be finished soon. It took the whole year, but I finally gave it to them Christmas this past year. And because everything about that quilt seemed to take a while, it's only fitting that I'm posting it now.  I recently went home to work on things and while I was there, I took this quilt off the wall and finally got photos of it so that I'd be able to blog about it! }

My parents looooves maps, especially old antique type ones. And my mom loooooves quilts. So after they finished a fabulous remodel and update of their home,

I googled map quilts and couldn't find anything that I loved, or actually anything at all, so I set off to find a map of the right size and use it as a guide. I found a World map at a teacher's store and used it as a guide for drawing the shapes that would be appliquéd onto the ocean.

I "twilled" along the edges of the continents and used different colors that reminded me of an old antique world map I'd seen once in a coffee shop. Then I embroidered the names of the continents and oceans.

I added a compass.

I quilted it on the latitude and longitude lines. And then went back and added islands by making twilling knots all throughtout the quilt. 

I'm quite pleased with it. I think they like it, too.


Katie

Details:

Quilt Started November 2012
Finished December 2013
Pattern: My own
Appliqued and twilled
Machine Quilted
Fabric: Random pieces?

(It's Black and) White and Red All Over!

So hey, it's me! And I'm crazy excited about this quilt I'm about to show you. It's black and white and red all over... except it's only black and white on one side and red and white on the other.

I made it especially for a local red and white quilt show that is happening in my area, that is being modeled after the big old show that had in NYC some years ago.  The local show was only announced about two months ago, and while that might not be a short deadline to make a little something, it also didn't leave ample time for pondering and wandering and procrastinating.

So I got busy on pinterest and came across this lovely post about an old vintage red and white quilt and I knew immediately that I wanted to model my quilt after it.

I could tell the blocks were a simple snowball and 9-patch, but couldn't find a pattern, so I just worked out the dimensions, did some calculations and got to work. Within a solid weekend (isn) of sewing at my mom's house, I had the top pieced.

(Oh dang, my finger is there on the screen, too. Good blogger.)

And because I loved the orange peel quilting on the antique I had my mind SET on getting orange peel on this quilt. A little googling and I came across the super talented and fabulous Jessica Toye's quilting blog. (If you want something custom quilted, CHOOSE Jessica! She's fabulous to work with!)

After a few emails back and forth we had a plan! And I was more than thrilled to send it to her. And BOY did she work some custom quilting magic.... She took my orange peel idea and made it even more fabulous. (Seriously, go check out the detail pics in her post about my quilt!) I'm so very pleased with it.

And honestly, because of the quilting and the awesome Britten Numbers fabric, I like the back as much as the front.

 (I lifted this picture from Jessica...)

This quilt will be on display for several weeks in May (if you're local and want to see it, contact me and I'll send you the info) and then it's coming back to live at my house. Woohoo!

Details:
Dimensions:
Pattern: Snowball and 9-patch
Fabric: Sandy Gervais (Flirt-related?) solid for the red, Not sure about the white...
Backing: IKEA Britten Numbers
Moda: White jelly roll strips for the binding
Finished: Easter Sunday

P.S. This is my first actual QUILT to finish this year! So...go me! (hashtag "it's April, nothing to brag about")