A Criss Cross Diamond Quilt in Fleet & Flourish : :

I'm so excited to have finally photographed a new quilt to share today! I actually have four completely finished quilts folded and waiting for pictures. I decided to start with this happy, colorful version of my Criss Cross Diamond Quilt pattern that I teach in my Craftsy class, Quick Quilt as You Go!



This one was made using my Fleet & Flourish collection strike-offs and a rainbow of coordinating AGF Pure Element solids and blenders for my International Quilt Market space in Houston this past October!

I think the colors look so pretty against the Winter white landscape!



This is the third Criss Cross Diamond quilt I've made now. It's a super fun and quick pattern, plus I love that by simply changing the size of the patchwork, strips, and block size you can create such a new overall look! The color-blocking made such a beautiful effect and really highlighted my colorful Fleet & Flourish collection. I hope you like it as much as I do!



With this QAYG pattern, once you finish making and sew together all of the quilt blocks, you attach the quilt back using very minimal quilting for an extremely quick finish. I used a pale blue Aurifil 50wt and secured the layers by sewing 1/4" from each of the seams that were created when I sewed my blocks together. Easy peasy!



For the binding I chose AGF Prisma Element in Solar Quartz, a beautiful sunny yellow to make the Empire yellow solid I used throughout my quilt really shine!



I especially love this bright yellow combined with the reds & purples in my Fleet & Flourish collection! I'm working on a new quilt right now using this same color combination, so be sure to keep an eye out for it!

Thanks so much for stopping by today! I wish you all a wonderful, creative start to your week!!

♡ Maureen

By Trees & Water : :

Today I continue with sharing my Criss Cross Diamond Quilt photographed right here in beautiful Potter County!



The fabrics I chose for my Craftsy class version, Pat Bravo's unique Artisan fabric collection for Art Gallery Fabrics, had us heading into the woods. The rustic palette with shades of turmeric, raw sienna, burnt umber, deep denim blues and pine looked stunning surrounded by all the trees and water. It was so beautiful!





The pattern is a repetitive block, quilt as you go style, that is the final quilt I teach in my new Craftsy class, Quick Quilt As You Go! Using a combination of easy strip piecing for quick patchwork and my method of QAYG makes this complicated looking pattern so fast and simple, it's really amazing!

I actually timed myself making this quilt, just to get an idea of how fast it truly is. After all of my cutting was complete, including the batting squares you'll need and the patchwork strips that you'll create for the criss cross part of the design, each block took me between three to four minutes each. That's without rushing, just casually sewing while watching something on Netflix, as I do. That means that this twenty block quilt top, that finishes at about 52" x 65," took me less than an hour and a half to make!



If you're following me on Instagram you can click on either my hashtag for this quilt, #crisscrossdiamondquilt, the class hashtag #QuickQuiltAsYouGo, or look back through the blog to see the other versions I've shared of this pattern. They all look completely different, just from fabric selection. My very favroite part of this pattern is the patchwork criss cross that runs throughout the quilt. Next I plan to add four strips of patchwork with smaller diamonds forming at the corners. I can't wait to get started and sharing that one!



To finish I used more Artisan for my quilt backing, Betoken in Sparks. It's such a wonderful, earthy coffee shade of brown that I love, especially against the November landscape.



For the binding I used my own Wild & Free fabric print, Woven Path. I love a good stripey binding and this denim & white print worked perfectly to frame this one out!



I have two more QAYG quilts left to share! These aren't from my Craftsy class, although if you happen to take the class you'd learn how to make these as well! One is another in April Rhodes' Bound fabrics and one is in Modern Quilt Unlimited magazine on stands now!



While I was away at Quilt Market my husband ripped up the carpet in my sewing room and while it's been a ton of work putting it all back together, it's forced me to get rid of so much that I don't need. That's a very good thing! I'll be working on an Instagram destash I plan to have later this afternoon, around 1 pm EST. If you're interested, be sure to follow me @maureencracknell! Have a great day!!

♡ Maureen

Fall QAYG : :

I have to start today's post by sending a big, BIG thank you to those of you who have purchased my Craftsy class, Quick Quilt As You GO! Each day I'm feeling more and more enthusiastic about what a special opportunity this is for me, both to share this favorite technique of mine and to interact with those of you who are interested in learning this method of QAYG. The unique Craftsy format allows for me to respond directly to your questions each day and I can't wait to see all of the beautiful projects you're going to make! Be sure to share with me, I'm really looking forward to it!

On Monday, the day my class launched, I received back a box full of all my Craftsy class project samples. With my son's recent bout with Colitis & stay in the hospital, followed by my trip to Houston's Quilt Market last month, I missed the beautiful Fall foliage here in Potter Country altogether. I always look forward to photographing new quilts this time of year and I have plenty that need sharing! Yesterday I posted a quick peek of just three of the Fall palette QAYG quilts that I hope to photograph this week while the weather is so nice. The trees are all bare now, but the light and warmth of these Autumn days is stunning and perfect for venturing out with a stack of quilts, so stay tuned!



After Quilt Market, I packed up & sent back all of my booth samples with the AGF girls who create the amazing collection Look Books. Since my new fabrics come out in December, I'm not expecting to have those samples back to photograph in detail until after the release of Fleet & Flourish, but I do want to mention to all of you who are signing up for my QAYG class that each of the quilts and pillows I created for Quilt Market were made using the same techniques and patterns I teach in my class!









These are all just new variations! If any catch your eye, by all means reach out with your questions! I'm here to help and want to make it easy for those of you taking my class to make all of your quilty project dreams come true!!

Thanks so for stopping by today! ♡ Maureen

Craftsy Class : Criss Cross Diamond Quilt!

Since I made my very first Criss Cross Diamond Quilt I've wanted to share the pattern! It's a repetitive block style quilt that makes a super scrappy, complex looking pattern that's made very simple & super fast using all the quilt as you techniques I teach in my upcoming Craftsy class, along with stack & whack cutting and strip piecing for quick patchwork piecing. I love making this quilt so much that I've made three already!



This one for class is in Pat Bravo's new Artisan collection and Art Gallery Fabrics' Prisma Elements, a unique combination of rustic orange, denim, cream, & turmeric yellow that I really love!



Here's a reminder of my first Criss Cross Diamond Quilt, in Pat's Etno fabrics!





And, here's a peek at the rainbow-order one I'll be debuting at Quilt Market this weekend using my own Fleet & Flourish fabric collection!





I hope you love this pattern as much as I do and that you're excited to make one! I'm so happy to finally share it! Be sure to stop back tomorrow for my Craftsy Class & Fabric Giveaway!!



See you after Quilt Market! ♡ Maureen

A Crisscross Diamond Quilt : :

Each Summer, my big, wonderful family all spend a week together in a house right on the beach somewhere in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We're in Duck again this Summer, and just as I did last year, I brought along a newly finished quilt to photograph and to share while I'm here!





This Crisscross Diamond quilt is my newest quilt-as-you-go style quilt. A repetitive, colorful block pattern made using Pat Bravo's most recent fabric collection, Etno, with Art Gallery Fabric Prisma Elements. I love these colors together!



Measuring in at a large 80" square, the top beach house balcony worked so well for photographing!



We didn't take it down to the beach until the sun was beginning to set, but the light was so pretty!





For the back I used one of my favorite Etno prints, Pat's sketchy floral Stitched Anthomania. The bright aqua Pyramid print binding is the perfect pop of color to frame all my busy patchwork!





I'm so happy with how it turned out, it's a new favorite for sure!





I'm already thinking of ideas for the quilt I'll bring next year. Perhaps something Wild & Free!

♥ Maureen

Almost Finished : :

Yesterday was basting day for my latest quilt-as-you-go make, my giant Crisscross Diamond quilt in Pat Bravo's Etno collection and AGF Prisma Elements! I snapped a few photos just after I finished piecing together my quilt back, before trimming away some of the excess. I like to have just a 2-2.5" overage on all sides. Measuring almost an 80" square, this quilt is big enough as it is!



After I shared a photo on my Instagram and Facebook yesterday I received lots of questions asking both about basting on the floor and spray basting. I don't have a tutorial to link to, but I can share that I always spray baste on my nice, flat living room floor using ThermoWeb's SpraynBond basting spray! Remember this quilt-as-you-go means that my quilt blocks are already sewn to my batting squares.



To baste I lay my quilt with the top side down on the floor and I spray the batting side to attach my quilt backing working my way out from the center to the bottom and then from the center to the top.

Today these brand new Fat Quarter Shop exclusive Aurifil Thread Boxes showed up just in time to use for finishing my quilt!



Aurifil's 50 weight thread spools are my very favorite to use for machine piecing and quilting! I'm especially loving this Tart Colorway!!



This spool of aqua will be perfect for piecing and attaching my Etno Pyramids in Aqua binding!



I'm hoping to be back soon with a finished Crisscross Diamond quilt to share!

♡ Maureen

Almost Finished : :

Happy June 1st! After a way too busy May, I was so excited to flip that calendar to June. One last week of busy, or three more "wake-ups" if I'm using Haila's countdown, and then the Summer fun begins. I can't wait! With all the busyness these past few days, I was happy to find just enough time over the weekend to finish up my latest Diamond Strings Quilt!



This is my favorite one yet! I made it much more scrappy and switched up my block design just a little to form yellow diamonds wherever four blocks meet. The warm yellow clusters seem to sparkle and glow amidst the layers of prints and colors. I love it!



This one I finished simply, using a yellow Aurifil stitched close to each seam running top to bottom and left to right, to attach my Crimson Dance quilt back. I love this unique shade of red, especially when paired with these warm honey yellows and denim blues. The lacy, floral pattern is just sweet enough to add some needed femininity to this otherwise pretty gender neutral quilt. To blend in I wound my bobbin thread with a red Aurifil. This is the first time I've used so much of this print and I'm loving it as a quilt back!



For the binding I used one of Art Gallery Fabrics' new Prisma Elements in Sapphire Sparkle. These are my new favorite blenders to use, they're making it into almost all of my projects these days, especially the ones that have a touch of metallic shimmer!



Now that it's all finished, I'm moving right onto my Etno Diamond Criss Cross Quilt. Another quilt as you go! My backing and binding fabrics just arrived a couple of days ago!



This sketch floral Stitched Anthomania print is my favorite from the Etno collection. I can wait to see all five yards of it become a beautiful backed quilt!



Here's to hoping I can get this one completely finished before school's out this Thursday! We shall see!

♡ Maureen

A New QAYG : :

When Pat Bravo's new Etno fabrics arrived at my door, before I could begin to think of a plan, I had to have more! The Dainty Folk colorway in rose pink, soft gray, aqua, and black is a beautiful combination, but seeing them with a punch of Empire Yellow had me wishing for the full collection!



A week later I had the rest and yesterday I finally found the time to begin my Etno quilt, which began with lots of 18 patch rectangle blocks, made up of 3.5" cuts of each gorgeous Etno print!



I didn't start out with a new quilt as you go in mind. I had planned to frame my patchwork with the solids shown in the first photo, sewing my blocks together in an alternating horizontal and vertical pattern until I had a finished quilt top. But as I sewed, as per usual, I changed my mind! I took away the solids, added in Prisma Elements in a similar color scheme, and immediately was loving where this was headed!



I LOVE these colors together!! Jet Onyx, Pagoda Gem, Larimar Sea, Solar Quartz, and Soft Wulfenite --



For this block I basted my 18 patch center, made up of the 3.5" cuts of Ento prints, onto a 14" square piece of 100% cotton batting on the diagonal. Next I stitch and flip the six colors of Prisma Elements cut into 1.25" strips, working my way from the patchwork edge to the end of each of the two corners, and square up my block to a 13.5" square block. Look how pretty!



I'm so happy that I decided to add in these Prisma Elements. These are with out a doubt my new favorite blender!!



After finishing four blocks, my Criss Cross Diamond pattern started to emerge, I'm so excited!!



The plan is to make a total of 36 blocks (you can see a peek of what that will look like right here) for a finished quilt measuring a large 78" square! Let me know if you have any questions about my quick, written instructions above or if you'd like to see a tutorial for this qayg block? I'd be willing to take the time to share one, if you're interested. Just let me know!

♡ Maureen