This quilt has 365 blocks and was made as part of Kathryn Kerr’s 365 Challenge Sample Quilt. This is one of those quilts where the blocks are the start not the quilting. I just used a simple e2e design called Deco Vine and some simple custom quilting in the four corner blocks and the centre medallion.
This is one of my own quilts. It started with these twelve 10.5 inch blocks that I made as part of the 2015 BOM program at QuiltEssential Co Inc. Each year the owner, Ingrid Machtemes, picks 3 different colour schemes and comes up with 12 unique designs for the blocks.
Then the fun happens…..coming up with a creative design to incorporate these 12 blocks into a finished top. Months before we had even finished piecing all the blocks, I already had this design idea floating around in my head. I wanted to have lots of negative space for quilting. I knew I wanted to quilt a detailed centre medallion but other than that, I had no idea how I was going to quilt it until I got it on the longarm and starting playing.
Here is the finished quilt:
My inspiration for the quilting came from some of the designs in the 12 blocks. I wish I had kept track of how long it took me to do the longarm work because it was substantial. I am really happy with the finished product.
Close up of the centre medallion and some of the long arm work:
I like using pieced backings on my quilts. I think it makes for a more attractive back that gives you the option to flip it over so you have two quilts in one.
This one block wonder was a full commission quilt for my massage therapist. She gave me this pillow sham to use as my colour inspiration and left the rest up to me.
I used two layers of batting(80/20 and wool) to give extra warmth and loft to the quilt. It was quilted with a floral and loop design called Clematis and a custom feather in the border.
For a OBW, it is very common to use a piece of the original fabric (usually in the border) to show what was used to create the unique hexagons. I used one of my fabrics as the border. For the second fabric, I fussy cut the repeating image of the swiss chard and appliquéd it to a section of plain hexagons. I put a scrap piece of wool batting on the back of the quilt top to trapunto the chard. I then used two layers of batting and dense quilting in the light purple background to give even more dimension to the chard.
I used 6 different fabrics to piece together the backing. I wanted to give Pat the flexibility to flip the quilt over and show the back if she was in the mood for a change. It has a similar colour palette to the front with the introduction of a green.
Batik Beauty 109″ x 109″
I donated this kingsize Batik quilt to be used at a silent auction fundraiser for The Bockman Foundation. It is a non-profit charity that helps people with spinal cord injuries. I got a email informing me that the quilt sold for $600. I then found out that the people who bought the quilt re-donated it to another silent auction fundraiser for a family with 3 kids that just lost their father. I couldn’t be happier. I hope that my quilt brings at least another $600 for that family.
I just did a free hand edge to edge swirl design in the body and some custom quilting in the set in triangles and border.
Dog House Quilting 