Patchwork Easy : :

So often it's just one print in a fabric collection that will inspire the direction I choose to go when starting a new quilt. In this case, it was the gorgeous Wispy Daybreak floral from Leah Duncan's Morning Walk collection for AGF that both influenced each of the fabric choices I made when putting together my latest Monthly Sparks bundle and what would become of them.



As I shared in my last post, my goal this week was to sew, simply. To head straight to the lovely bundle of Summer colors that's been waiting for me and to just begin. I started by laying out each print in a way to imagine them as simple patchwork squares for an easy, fun, relaxing quilt top.  As a way to make this bundle of twelve FQ cuts expand just a little, I started digging through my baskets of scraps and unfinished work. At the very bottom, a stack of sweet pastel colored fabrics, neatly trimmed, completely abandoned, already pieced in little hourglass blocks. Perfect!



To keep things easy and relaxed, I used a 6" ruler to do most of the work as I cut my bundle into a pile of squares for patchwork to alternate with the finished hourglass blocks.



In no time at all I was piecing together the beginnings of a new quilt top. The reward was the sewing. After such a long break it felt so good. The bonus is having something pretty to share that I really love!







Since I'm always trying to sneak at least a little of my Wild & Free collection into each new thing I make, I decided to give this a little 3" Folk Plaid border before adding a final row of patchwork.



My Fletching Chant arrows prints will make the perfect back for this one!



This quilt top feels so very different from my usual style, much more effortless and uncomplicated. I really enjoyed this one and hope you do, too!

♡ Maureen

A Diamond Strings Quilt in Gramercy : :

Last evening, just before the sun was beginning to settle, we finally found a moment to take my new Diamond String quilt out for picture taking! With each newly finished quilt my husband suggests this beautiful waterwheel that he passes often on his runs, but I've been holding out for a quilt that just seemed to fit this special place. A quilt made in a certain style that worked or in a pattern that mimics the shape of it's parts, but as we drove in that direction I decided, for no reason at all, that this quilt was it!



This quilt is made up of a large variety of AGF Pure Element solids and Leah Duncan's Gramery collection, a unique combination of modern geometric and sweet floral prints, with a contrasting palette of strong black and earthy browns paired with happy yellows, blush, and azure. I love it all!


This Diamod Strings quilt design is a quick & simple modified version of my Herringbone QAYG pattern, in rectangle blocks measuring 10" x 18" rather than long quilt as you go panels. After finishing the quilted quilt top I attached the backing by sewing about a 1/2" from each vertical and horizontal seem using a bold Aurifil 50wt in black, a first for me!



For my backing I chose one of my most favorite Gramercy prints, Leah's Brooklyn Bridge in Flare. It's so striking!



I do think my most favorite part of this quilt just might be my binding, a bright Canary yellow Pure Elements solid!


You can find many Gramercy prints still available at Pink Castle Fabrics, Fat Quarter Shop, Stash Fabrics, Llama Fabrics, The Intrepid Thread, and Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory!

♡ Maureen   

A Fabric GIVEAWAY : :

It's Fabric Giveaway Friday!  



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My sponsor the Knotted Thread is run by Jenn, a fabric lover with a passion for sewing! In her shop you'll find both bundles and single cuts of Fat Quarters, Half Yards, Yards, and Yardage, as well as some of Jenn's very own handmade items up or sale!! Designer fabrics include many of our favorites -- Free Spirit, Moda, and Riley Blake Designs just to name a few! 

Be sure visit the Knotted Thread blog to sign up for the new monthly Newsletter, HERE!
  
SHOP  *  BLOG  *  FACEBOOK  *  INSTAGRAM 
 

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We hope you enjoy visiting the Knotted Thread sites!! 

For this week's Fabric Giveaway Friday, the Knotted Thread is offering the winner a beautiful Fat Eighth bundle of Leah Duncan's newest fabric collection for Art Gallery Fabrics, Morning Walk! This bundle will include a fat eighth cut of each of the 20 fabric prints that make up this wonderful new collection!

You can find Morning Walk available in The Knotted Thread's Shop as a Fat Eighth Bundle, a Fat Quarter Bundle, and a half yard bundle here!!

In addition, the Knotted Thread is offering my readers 10% OFF any order from the shop throughout this Giveaway, just use coupon code "Maureen10" at checkout!!

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Enter to win! 

Here's how,

 
1. Simply leave a comment here in this post! (one entry)
2. Visit The Knotted Thread HERE and sign up to receive their new monthly Newsletter! Just let me know that you did by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
3. My followers get a third entry! Just let me know that you do by making a separate comment here to record that entry. (optional extra entry)
4. Help spread the word!! I know that many of you already do, so I thought it would be nice to add that as another way to enter! Whether by Instagram, tweet, facebook, pin, blog, etc... (optional extra entry) 

That’s 4 possible entries! Enter now through Monday, March 23rd!! Winner will be picked at random and I will announce their name at the bottom of this post, here on the blog!

* Note * This giveaway is open to EVERYONE! If you're a "no reply" or anonymous commenter, please remember to include your email address in your comment!

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Thank you to all who entered the Giveaway! From 843 entries, Mr. Random says the lucky winner is...

Comment #230 -- * Amy Harward * Congratulations, I'll be in touch shortly!

Backed & Bound : :

Last night I finished up my new Diamond Strings Quilt in Gramercy, the unique, modern collection by Leah Duncan for Art Gallery Fabrics. I love the way it turned out!



Looking back at this first fabric photo, the start of my newly finished quilt, feels gratifying. I think the pattern I chose showcases the style of this collection well, contemporary and cool!



For the backing I chose one of my Gramercy favorites, Brooklyn Bridge in Flare!



But it's the Canary yellow binding that I love the most!!







I'm hoping to photograph this new Diamond Strings this weekend to share here soon!

♡ Maureen   

Loving the QAYG : :

Yesterday's snow day allowed plenty of time for me to work on my new Diamond Strings in Gramercy quilt as you go. After a few undisturbed afternoon hours at the machine and a few more after the kids were asleep, this morning I'm en route to having turned these beautiful bundles of Leah Duncan's Gramery collection and AGF's Pure Element solids into a newly finished quilt top in record time!





I've mentioned before how fast my Herringbone QAYG pattern is to make. I'm confident I could whip one up from start to finish in a week's sewing time no problem. Well, after seeing how quickly this version made up of 10" x 18" qayg blocks came together, I believe this style is just as quick of a make, if not more so!



This morning I'm still uncertain of which solid to use for my final top row of blocks? I just know I want something light and bright!



Art Gallery Fabrics' Pure Element in Caviar was an easy choice for my bottom row. I love the intensity of the strong black solid and how it anchors the base of this quilt to the ground. I can't wait to see it photographed against all the shiny, white snow!



You can find the Gramercy collection available at Pink Castle Fabrics, Fat Quarter Shop, Stash Fabrics, Llama Fabrics, The Intrepid Thread, and Bobbie Lou's Fabric Factory!

♡ Maureen   

Diamond Strings in Gramercy : :

 

I've had this gorgeous bundle of Gramercy, Leah Duncan's most recent collection for Art Gallery Fabrics, sitting on the shelf for weeks now while I wait for inspiration to strike. I just LOVE this collection! The unique combination of modern geometric and sweet floral prints, with a contrasting palette of strong black and earthy browns paired with happy yellows, blush, and azure won me over immediately. Leah captured her urban inspiration so beautifully in each print, this collection really tells a story!



This weekend when I looked back through all my finished quilt photos to pick a couple to share with AGF's Instagram followers I was reminded of my Diamond Strings Quilt, a quick quilt-as-you-go in Pat Bravo's Rock & Romance that I made for my niece Ceci. I decided right away that this quilt idea would go perfectly with Gramercy!



As much as I love the ombré of solids happening at both the top and bottom of my first Diamond Strings, I'm not sure if the Gramercy color scheme will work just right for this part of the design. I've pulled a large stack of coordinating Pure Elements solids for a few other ideas I'm considering!



In order from top to bottom we have -- Patina Green, Sweet Mint, Tender Green, Fresh Water, Blueberry Zest, Canary, Empire Yellow, Peach Sherbet, Apricot Crepe, Creme de la Creme, Mocchiatto, Mink, Moonstone, and Caviar. These pretties were all pulled from my dwindling stash, but PE's Nocturnal, Quartz Pink, Ocean Waves, Mandarin, Icy Mint, and Spruce will all work perfectly!



My plan is to begin cutting tonight! Between this new quilt-as-you-go plan, my Scrappy Bear Paw blocks, and my Color Spectrum medallion style quilt in the works, I think there's plenty to keep me busy!

Be sure to stop back tomorrow for my weekly fabric giveaway! See you then! ♡ Maureen   

Nature Inspired : :

All throughout September the Goldenrod is in bloom everywhere! While it usually takes the blame for our autumn allergies, this year it's radiant yellow prominence against the deep greenery, blue skies, and browning landscape has me inspired! 





First to pull out what was left of my Sweet as Honey fat quarter bundle for some comfy, quilted pillow making! Made using my favorite pillow pattern found here in issue 8 of Love Patchwork quilting (again), bound in the bright orange Meadow print Gentle Breeze, and backed in my two favorite Sweet as Honey prints - Fly by Day and Rooted Midnight from the Spring Harvest colorway!







Then I was reminded of how much I loved that set of yellow & orange pillows I made for the magazine and gifted to my Aunt, combined with all that pretty Goldrenrod and the vase of yellow Alstroemeria as my inspiration, once again I pulled from my stash a collection of fabrics ranging in color from buttery cream to glowing tangerine, but this time with a new quilt top in mind!







This morning I finished up chain piecing my 7" squares of orange fabrics and now I'm moving onto the yellows! I'm hoping to finish in time to capture this new quilt top with it's inspired golden backdrop! 

Wish me luck!!

♥ Maureen 

An Endless Summer Quilt : :

Today is the first day of the kids Summer vacation, which makes the finishing time of this new quilt pretty perfect! I'm calling it my Endless Summer Quilt and I hope to take it along on all the adventuring we have planned in the weeks ahead!



It's a quilt as you go made using my qayg tutorial for my Herringbone quilt with the little twist of adding each strip straight across rather than on the diagonal. I simply work my way down the panels of cut batting, sewing down one piece of pretty fabric after the other until done!



I used Leah's gorgeous Meadow collection in her Picnic In the Hills colorway and lots of Art Gallery fabrics for this one. Such a pretty & happy assortment of bright orange, coral, peach, yellow, green, blue & Teal!



Yesterday we brought it with us for a quick photo shoot just out of town at my parents house. Now I can't believe this is the first quilt we've photographed in the field behind their house, such a gorgeous spot!



It was sprinkled with bright orange hawkweed, blackberry flowers, and little yellow buttercups that looked like dwarf cinquefoil. What a beautiful backdrop this new quilt made for my tiny cluster of wildflowers!



After our walk and lots of pictures taken in the field, we continued to the treeline. It's been several years since I've been to these woods, what an amazing surprise to discover this tree standing before us. Begging to hold my quilt. It was such a beautiful moment!







From the Meadow prints I used to make this quilt I chose the brightly colored, simple, and lovely print - Gentle Breeze in Red for my quilt binding!



My personal Meadow favorite Summer Grove by Night had to be the back, framed by a narrow strip of AGF's Pure Elements in Coral Reef and Peach Sherbet!



Finishing and sharing this quilt feels so good today, on the first day of our Summer break! I'm hoping it's the first of many. Let the Summer of Quilts begin, I'm ready!



♥  Maureen