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Churn Echoes for The Quilter’s Planner 2019

photo taken by Kitty Wilkin @nightquilter for The Quilter's Planner 2019 @thequiltersplanner

Having a quilt pattern in the 2019 Quilter’s Planner is surreal.  I have been an avid user of this planner for the last 2 years, admiring the patterns, beautiful photography, and colorful imagery…not to mention the perfect planning tool for everything!   And now, my pattern will be part of that…for an entire year!!

Without further ado

I present

Churn Echoes

Churn Echoes
photo taken by Kitty Wilkin @nightquilter for The Quilter’s Planner 2019 @thequiltersplanner

The inspiration for this quilt pattern started with a rainbow of fabrics.  So many pretty colors in so many different collections!

Alison Glass Fabric Selection
© 2018 Penguin Feats

This selection of Alison Glass fabrics is part of a much larger collection I have been gathering for a few years now.  The bright saturated colors with the low volume text prints were the perfect mix for my new pattern.

Churn Echoes
© 2018 Penguin Feats

The low volume text print also presented an opportunity to match the background with a saturated solid block.  A favorite classic block with an echo that gives you two churn dashes in one block.  Assemble these blocks into rainbow bands and you have ripples of color.  The pattern includes directions to create a single color low volume background as well.

Churn Echoes
© 2018 Penguin Feats

Of course you can create your own Churn Echoes quilt with the fabrics you like.   There are so many possibilities with this pattern.

photo taken by Kitty Wilkin @nightquilter for The Quilter’s Planner 2019 @thequiltersplanner

Pre-order your Quilter’s Planner today and choose between two different covers!  There are 13 patterns in the magazine that comes with your planner…and when you order your planner you will get a bonus pattern to download from your confirmation email!!order your Quilter's Planner today

Here is the list of fabulous designer and makers with projects in the 2019 Quilter’s Planner .  Visit these fabulous designers and makers to see their projects!

Monday, July 23 Cheryl Brickey Meadow Mist Designs @meadowmistdesigns
Wednesday, July 25 Kitty Wilkin Night Quilter @nightquilter
Friday, July 27 Karie Jewell Two Kwik Quilters @karie_twokwikquilters

Monday, July 30 Mandy Leins Mandalei Quilts @mandaleiquilts
Wednesday, August 1 Megan Fisher @ayragon
Friday, August 3 Andrea Tsang Jackson 3rd Story Workshop @3rdstoryworkshop

Monday, August 6 Trinia Braughton Penguin Feats @penquinfeats
Wednesday, August 8 Lee Monroe May Chappell @maychappell
Friday, August 10  Karen Lewis Karen Lewis Textiles @karenlewistextiles

Monday, August 13 Isabelle Selak South Bay Bella Studio @southbaybella
Wednesday, August 15 Sylvia Schaefer Flying Parrot Quilts @flyingparrotquilts
Friday, August 17 Yvonne Fuchs Quilting Jetgirl @quiltingjetgirl

Monday, August 20 Kate Colleran Seams Like a Dream @seamslikeadreamquilts
Wednesday, August 22 Shannon Fraser Shannon Fraser Designs @shannonfraserdesigns
Friday, August 24 Kerry Goulder Kid Giddy @kidgiddy

Monday, August 27 Kitty Wilkin Night Quilter @nightquilter

photo taken by Kitty Wilkin @nightquilter for The Quilter’s Planner 2019 @thequiltersplanner

 

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2019 Quilter’s Planner…

Pre-orders for the 2019 Quilter’s Planner opened up this past weekend and I have some exciting news to share with this release…

Quilter's Planner Pre-Order

Yes, that is my name on the cover of The Quilter’s Planner Magazine!

2019 Quilter's Planner Magazine

 

Sitting on this news has not been easy.  And look who the featured designer is…Pre-order the 2019 Quilter's Planner today

This year you can choose between 2 different covers designed by Camille Roskelley!   I love that navy…but the orange peel is speaking to me…this will be a tough decision.

I just might order one of each and decide later which one to keep and which one to gift.

 

 

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New beginnings

From endings come new beginnings!

This quilt!

For the last three years I have been part of a quilting bee.  A quilting bee of 13 ladies from all over the USA (and now Ireland) who quilt for each other every month and share a love of quilting & sewing.  We have gotten to know each other over the distance and some have managed to meet in person.  As 2017 ended, we decided to disband our hive.  We have managed to stay in touch and share our sewing adventures.  My bucket list includes meeting all of them in person.

July was my month to choose a block.  I sent the background fabric to all my hivemates and in return I asked them to send me the Alpine block.  I also requested any violet scraps in 2 1/2  inch squares to be sent with the blocks.

I was on a mission to make a full size quilt for my cousin Jessica.

Jessica is an amazing young lady!  At 15 she was diagnosed with Hodgkin Lymphoma and began her first fight for remission.  She got there.  She came to visit me in Hawaii with her sister and we had so much fun.  I promised to make her a quilt during that visit over 2 years ago.  After living a nomadic life for a year and buying a house I finally finished that quilt and sent it to her this week.  During the time I was making this quilt, Jessica was fighting for the 2nd time to beat Hodgkin Lymphoma.  At the end of 2017 she beat the disease, again!!  She will turn 18 soon, and I am so happy I finally was able to get this quilt finished and sent to her.

I asked my hivemates to create a block for the back with a message to sew into the quilt.  A lot of love is stitched in this quilt.

A pixelated violet ribbon is centered in the back using the fabric scraps sent by my hivemates.

The pixel blocks start small in the center and double in size as they reach the outside edge of the quilt.

Quilted using Twirls for fluid movement and quilty crinkle.

Endings make way for new beginnings.  A new lease on life.  A new adventure. A new project.

So at the start of 2018, I wish new beginnings for all of you.

 

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RE-building…

20160919_155942

We moved.  Or I should clarify we are moving.

My Soldier retired and decided that Paradise was not the place for him.  The retirement and moving will be in a future post because there are far too many tangents this post could go on.  For now we are living “the in between” time of having left Paradise and finding a new home to settle into.  In April all of our household goods were packed up and put into storage…for up to 1 year.

All my fabric was packed into 19 gallon storage boxes; 27 of them.  I was able to set aside one box to keep with me while I sew during “the in between”.  This has been a limited stash to pull from.  Especially since I had no idea I would not see my fabric for almost a year.  I thought we would be in a house by now unpacking and settling in.  But we still haven’t found the house.  Because it has to be the house for us at this point in our lives.

During “the in between” I have been working on RE-building my stash.  But, I am trying to be conscious of the fabric I have in storage.  I am trying to be careful that I don’t repeat or double up on fabrics I already have.  This is difficult because I cannot see the fabric, but, I know my stash was seriously lacking in certain colors, and basics.

For instance, I know my stash is seriously lacking pink.  I know this because I have been avoiding that color since 1989.  I left pink with the 80’s.  Only recently have I been challenging my self to use the colors I like the least.  Pink was the first.  So I started the #100days100blocks challenge with the idea to use pink with my favorite color; yellow.  And I have been building my pink stash as the challenge progresses.

My stash is also lacking small print coordinating basics.  I love small print fabrics.

When I saw Paintbox Basics by Elizabeth Hartman I knew it would be the perfect addition to my stash.  This fabric collection comes in a near rainbow of colors with small prints that can be so versatile.

Lepidoptera

 

 

And of course, this collection has to be made into the beautiful butterfly quilt using the pattern Lepidoptera by Elizabeth Hartman.  All the colorways in the small print basics will make for some beautiful butterflies.

The range of blue & teal is just so gorgeous.  I cannot wait to start working on my butterflies with this range of color.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The raindrops print in so many colors is my favorite!!

Paintbox Basics Raindrops

What a wonderful addition to my stash…and I cannot wait to get started on a quilt using these beauties.  Of course I bought the 1/2 yard bundle so I will have plenty left to work into other projects.

 

What have you added to your stash recently?

What is missing from your stash?

Link up with Sunday Stash and share your stash!

molli_sparkles_sunday_stash_button

 

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It’s a pattern…finally!!

My first pattern!!

Ten Squared is now a pattern…celebration time!!  You can find it in my pattern store on Craftsy.  Find the pattern in my Etsy Store.

It all started with half square triangles (HSTs).  I wanted to make an entire quilt with HSTs.  And this was the product of that exploration.

TenSquared_First

When I started I had no intention of making this into a pattern.  I just wanted to experiment with HSTs. First I started out with a rough sketch of what I wanted to do with the squares and the lines going around them.   Then, I selected 5 colors and chose 2 to 3 different fabrics in each of those 5 colors.   Using those fabrics, I cut 6 inch squares and just made a whole bunch of HSTs using the fabrics I chose.  After I started placing them on my design wall, I saw that I was not going to get the exact image of my sketch because of the grid the HSTs fell on. So I modified it a bit and let the HSTs take me where they would allow.

I really wanted something asymmetrical with some dynamic movement.  The high contrast of the fabrics really plays well with those elements and gives this quilt a serious pop!

So I was asked a few times if I was making a pattern, and this being my first quilt from start to finish I wasn’t sure if I could even sell my own pattern, let alone design it for others to understand.  But, I set out to try to make my first pattern.

I even made a second Ten Squared to see if I could recreate it.  This one was for my husband, and I used 7.5 inch squares.

tensquaredtoo_1
Ten Squared Too

After putting some directions down on paper and trying out a few tests patterns, in extra large and miniature form, I asked a few friends to test the pattern for me.  I received some amazing photo samples of the quilts they made.

This quilt was used from a fat quarter set I sent with the tester…and she did an amazing job.

TenSquaredSunriseSM
Sunrise lap quilt by Alli of @sayonion

A friend who has just started her quilting journey put this beauty together, and it was only her second quilt!

TenSquaredBlueSm
by Deanna at @selgmom

Ten Squared is a PDF pattern only available for download on Craftsy Etsy Store.  This pattern is considered a beginner pattern. There is limited instruction of assembling HSTs.  The finished size of this quilt depends on the size of square you start with.  The pattern includes some fabric requirements and finished measurements for some standard size quilts.  I have included a coloring page with the pattern so you can audition different colors and fabric choices to get your quilt just right for you.

If you make a Ten Squared quilt, please post an image of the project on Craftsy Etsy Storeunder the Finished Project link on the pattern page.  If you share your quilt on social media, be sure to use #tensquaredquilt and tag me @penguinfeats so I can see your quilt!  I would love to see your interpretation of the pattern!

 

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Fly Aweigh for the boyz….

Oh boyz…I finished two quilts this week…YAY!!  I have been so anxious to see them done!!!  And I am so happy with them.

Fly Aweigh Lattice
Fly Aweigh Lattice

I fell in love with this fabric designed by Samantha Walker for Riley Blake Designs called Fly Aweigh!  It just said boyz all over it for me!!  The adorable little planes, choppers, and boats caught my eye!  This with the tiny lobsters and waves make it the perfect fabric set for a little boyz quilt! What would make a better backing for these little quilts than the waves in flannel!!??!!

I was inspired by the Salt Air Lattice Quilt from Ashley at Mommy by Day Crafter by Night.  The simple lines, but complex lattice work seemed like a perfect fit for the Fly Aweigh fabrics.  The only difference is that I really wanted to make something smaller for a toddler.  So, I cut my squares at 6 inches instead of using the 10 inch layer cake in the Salt Air Lattice Quilt.  This allowed me to have the same number of blocks so the design could show and I was able to put a border around it without making it too big.

mosaic

The finished quilts are about 44 inches wide by 50 inches tall.  This a great nap size for a toddler or just a good cuddle blanket to keep warm.  The quilts will go to my nephews…one for a birthday this month and the other in a couple months.

I kept the quilting simple with a wave design that nearly matches the waves in the fabric.  But it gives it a good quilting pattern that is an allover look without distracting from the super cute fabric.