Red Pepper Quilts

The Labyrinth Quilt and Quilt Pattern!

2012-01-27T23:34:00.000+11:00

They say to strike while the iron is hot, and so I did. Just like that a new quilt and quilt pattern has emerged from this week's creative burst! I think it may be something to do with the relaxed holiday mood, but rest assured that is soon to come to an end.

The new quilt and pattern has been called the Labyrinth Quilt Pattern,

a name which requires no further explanation.

I have really enjoyed working with these boldly graphic and colorful prints (especially the larger scale dots and circles) and have been pleasantly surprised by the overall balance of the colors.

Whilst piecing blocks I was itching to introduce several more colors (particularly green!) but showed restrained and kept myself to the bundle of fabrics as gifted.

I have quilted the Labyrinth Quilt with minimal straight lines, although this doesn't represent minimum time and effort. With 48 stitching lines each 65 inches long that would amount to 3120 inches or almost 80 meters of slow stitching and quilt wrangling. I like the numbers thing!

And more stripey binding. This time a grey stripe from Sarah Fielke's fabric collection "From Little Things."

To create your own Labyrinth Quilt you can find the quilt pattern in my Etsy Store. The pattern is comprehensive and includes step by step tutorials, including photographic images for piecing and pressing seam allowances for all of the patchwork units and sashings that make up this quilt.

The listing for the Labyrinth Quilt Pattern (pdf file) can be found in my Etsy Store: HERE.

Or, if you do not have a Etsy Account you can purchase your pattern directly from my blog here:

I have also listed the finished quilt in my Etsy Store. If you are interested in purchasing the quilt you can find the listing here : Labyrinth Quilt

Thank you for stopping by! I am stepping away from the sewing machine this weekend; the knitting needles are calling!

Rita

RPQ Admin

2012-01-26T12:49:00.001+11:00

Just a few things that need a mention today.

1. I have received numerous email inquiries regarding the black/white stripe fabric I so often use for quilt binding here at RPQ:

It is certainly no secret and I am happy to share with you that this fabric is a print by the Japanese manufacturer Lecien. The fabric selvedge doesn't provide much more information that just that:

I have lucky to find this stripe fabric at my local fabric store (GJ Discount Fabrics) as well as at times at Purlsoho, or at various Etsy Stores (search Supplies for "lecien stripe"). There are several substitute fabrics including Robert Kaufman Clown Stripe which is a wider stripe but more readily available.

2. My lastest quilt pattern ~ Quilter's Palette Quilt Pattern (pdf format) is now also available from both The Fat Quarter Shop and Pink Chalk Fabrics as an instant download pattern:

and

Good news!

And last ~ Wishing all of my fellow Aussie readers, at home and abroad, a wonderful day

as we celebrate everything that's great about Australia.

Happy Australia Day!
Rita

[workinprogress]

2012-01-24T21:12:00.000+11:00

Summer is in full swing in Melbourne and this week's warm weather is keeping me close to home, air conditioner, and sewing machine. Alas, a new quilt is in progress and it is starting to look like it might be another productive week.

Emma from Ballarat Patchwork very kindly and gratuitously sent me a FQ bundle of the same yummy fabrics that were featured as a giveaway earlier this month:

This bundle has been sitting on my cutting table for the last few weeks. Each time I have caught a glimpse of this bundle an imprint was made in my mind, and slowly a quilt design evolved. I have learned to be patient in this process, and trust that a suitable plan, or quilt design, will come to me. Eventually.

This block is based on a traditional Rolling Stone Block, however I have jazzed it up a little by varying the width of some of the components and by reconsidering the traditional fabric placement.

More blocks are being made and a layout is yet to be considered.

These same fabrics are still available as a FQ bundle from Ballarat Patchwork: RPQ Fat Quarter Bundle.

Happy Stitching,
Rita

Sunday Stash #126

2012-01-22T10:39:00.001+11:00

Brrr! by Laurie Wisbrun for Robert Kaufman!

When asked if I would like to pre-view Laurie's yet to be released fabric collection Brrr! I had no hesitation in accepting this offer, after all I have previously enjoyed working with Laurie's earlier collections including Urban Circus, Tufted Tweets and Pickups and Pooches.

How fun are these prints? The colors are Wintery and perhaps a little Christmas-ey, and those Polar Bear prints are just plain adorable! The range comes in two distinct colorways, a green (pictured above) and blue palette:

Brrr! by Laurie Wisbrun is due to start shipping in June this year, and what with time passing by so quickly, June will be upon us more quickly than anticipated.

Can someone please tell me what happened to most of January?

Enjoy Sunday!
Rita

A Quilter's Palette Quilt Pattern

2012-01-18T12:15:00.002+11:00

First I must thank you for all of your comments regarding my growing fabric mountain created during flurries of creativity, and I am ever so glad to hear that I am not alone in being at risk of being buried in an avalanche of fabric!

And I am also happy to announce that I have finished the quilt that I have been working on for the last week or so. I have had to tie myself to my chair behind the sewing machine and laptop this week, stitching away to finish this quilt and then write up a new quilt pattern!

The new quilt pattern is called A Quilter's Palette!

I have thoroughly enjoyed working with these colorful fabrics, some of which I have had in my fabric stash for quite some time. Fabrics aren't just for storing though and I am glad to have been able to use some of these special prints in this way.

The Quilter's Palette Quilt has been quilted in my signature style of straight quilting lines stitched with walking foot, one slow stitch at a time.

Similarly, it is bound with one of my favorite binding fabrics, a black/white stripe.

If you are interested in creating your own Quilter's Palette Quilt you can find the quilt pattern in my Etsy Store. The pattern is comprehensive and includes a fabric selection guide, and step by step tutorials, including photographic images for piecing and pressing seam allowances for all of the patchwork units that make up this quilt.

The listing for the Quilter's Palette Quilt Pattern (pdf file) can be found in my Etsy Store: HERE.

Alternatively, if you do not have a Etsy Account you can purchase your pattern directly from my blog here: RPQ Quilt Patterns.

I have also listed the finished quilt in my Etsy Store. ~~If you are interested in purchasing the quilt you can find the listing here~~: Quilter's Palette Quilt~ SOLD

Thank you for stopping by,

Rita

A Cascade of Color

2012-01-17T11:25:00.000+11:00

Touching base today to let you know that I am still behind the sewing machine. More blocks have been made, and I may even have started piecing the blocks into a quilt top ...

I have been in fabric heaven piecing these blocks! The patchwork blocks you see here are made using many of my all time favorite designer fabrics, some salvaged from the scrap bin, others cut from stash.

Meanwhile a huge pile of fabric needs returned to stash. Do you return fabric to stash as you go? Or like me in a creative frenzy, allow that pile of fabric to turn into a fabric mountain ready to collapse?

Rita

Sunday Stash #125

2012-01-15T11:36:00.000+11:00

Introducing a new fabric type to my rapidly growing fabric stash:

Loulouthi Velveteen by Anna Maria Horner

100% Cotton Velveteen! Now, I'll confess right up that I've not worked with velveteen before so I can't tell you (yet) what it is like to work with. What I can tell you though that it is low pile fibers feel velvety plush and luxuriously soft. The colors are rich and saturated.

The weight of this velveteen collection feels perfect for home decor, bags and accessories, pillows/cushion, and of course I wouldn't hesitate piecing it into a quilt! It is supple and super soft and even a little fancy.

Favorite prints:

From left bottom left to top right: Coreopsis in Marine, Clippings in Lichen,

In the Clearing in Jade, Summer Totem in Emerald,

Zap Zig in Aztec, Clippings in Amethyst.

Loulouti Velveteen available from:

Hawthorne Threads

Fabric Worm

Sew Modern

Enjoy Sunday!

Winner of the Canton Village Quilt Works Giveaway!

2012-01-12T14:18:00.000+11:00

Thank you once again for your amazing response; with

1080 entries to win this very fine selection of 10 Kaffe Fassett Fat Quarters
sponsored by Canton Village Quilt Works.

Congratulations to Krista from Poppyprint!

Krista, be sure to keep an eye out for this bundle of fat quarters in your mail box.

With thanks to Jackie from Canton Village Quilt Works for another fantastic giveaway.

Rita

Canton Village Quilt Works Giveaway!

2012-01-10T23:09:00.006+11:00

I am excited to be hosting a giveaway on behalf of
Jackie from Canton Village Quilt Works today!

Canton Village Quilt Works

Jackie from Canton Village Quilt Works has kindly offered to give away a

bundle of 10 Fat Quarters of Kaffe Fassett's Paperweight collection to one lucky reader.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

To be in the draw all you have to do is leave a comment on this post (please ensure that an email address is available on your profile - NO EMAIL ADDRESS = NO VALID ENTRY ). International visitors are welcome to enter! Only one comment per person/email address will be eligible to enter the draw.

Kaffe Paperweight in Lime, Yellow, Paprika,

Purple, Teal, Cobalt,Jewel, Gypsy, Pumpkin, Pastel

The draw will take place at 1pm (Australian EDT) on Thursday 12 January 2012, at which time comments to this post will be closed. The winner will be announced here shortly thereafter and will also be contacted by email.

The fabric bundle of 10 Fat Quarters will be shipped directly to the winner from Canton Village Quilt Works. Be sure to also head over and check out the range of fabrics!

Canton Village Quilt Works Links:
Online Store: Canton Village Quilt Works
Newsletter: Subscribe for all the lastest news and store sales.
Blog: Canton Village Quilt Works
Facebook
Podcasts: Itunes
YouTube

Jackie is also offering 15% off any purchase

for the duration of the giveaway with the

COUPON CODE: redpepper15

ENTRY HAS NOW CLOSED

WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY.

Thanks Jackie for a wonderful giveaway!
Rita

Patchworking

2012-01-10T11:27:00.000+11:00

I have my fabric stash organized by color: black/grey, red, pink, orange, green, blue, yellow, white (and then there are those prints that aren't dominant in any of those colors). I really love this arrangement, and enjoy the color spectrum as I work away on my quilts.

Black/White

To kick start 2012 I thought it might be nice to work with my fabric stash, piecing simple patchwork blocks from within each of the stashed colors.

Blue .... Red .... Yellow .... Green ...

and Orange ...

I have also been enjoying collecting the selvages as I delve deep into my fabric stash. It doesn't take much to make me feel quite content.

There are more blocks to be made. I'll keep stitching.

Rita

Sunday Stash #124

2012-01-08T11:55:00.000+11:00

The glorious colors, irrespective of the prints, make this the perfect bundle of RPQ fabric!

Half Moon Modern by MoMo for Moda

Of course, I couldn't resist. A little New Year cheer for myself, although the postman made me wait longer than I thought possible. I hope you agree it was worth the wait ...

Half Moon Modern ~ Scissors, Big Zig Zag (Chevron) and Polka Dot

The prints are graphic, bold and fun, and the colors are sharp, vibrant and saturated. I have been tempted to split the bundle up as the colors easily fall into my color coded stash. However I am not ready yet to give up the nicely bundled eye candy, moving it around my sewing area for viewing, and prodding.

Half Moon Modern by Moda available from:

Pink Chalk Fabric

Fabric Worm

Ballarat Patchwork

Fresh Squeezed Fabrics (Etsy)

Fabric Shoppe (Etsy)

Pink Castle Fabrics (Etsy)

Fashionable Fabrics

Enjoy Sunday!

Rita

Cladonia III

2012-01-06T21:34:00.000+11:00

As soon as my new curtains were up and being admired from afar, I turned to my yarn stash, and without so much as a moment of guilt I started a second knitting project. I don't generally like having two knitting projects on the go (as I tend to forget what I am up to) but happily made an exception. This time.

The Yarns:

Madeline Tosh Merino Light

Butter, Antler and Silver Fox

The Pattern:

Cladonia by Kristin Kapur (Again!)

Knitting is my time out, my relaxation, and I make no excuse for having repeated this pattern, Cladonia, for the third time. It is for the most part very easy knitting and purling, increasing stitches at regular intervals with stitch markers as reminders to do so. Perfect holiday knitting.

And the yarn ... so dreamy soft ... makes for the most gorgeous knitted "fabric". Some fierce wet blocking has also nicely removed the irregularities of my left handed knitting idiosyncrasies.

I have followed the pattern verbatim however admit to adding my own stripe study variation by introducing a third color, striping for three rows at regular intervals with the darker yarn which I then also went on to use for the lacy edge (and nicely finished up a leftover skein).

For more pictures and all the details check out my Ravelry page:

There is no shortage of shawls here; just days when the weather is cool enough to wear them.

Rita

A Little Holiday Crafting

2012-01-04T11:44:00.001+11:00

For all the ham, turkey and plum pudding, I couldn't find my knitting groove over the Christmas break. I so tried, and had to grit my teeth as I ripped the lace edge of my knitting project back to the body of the shawl, not once, but twice.

Instead the itch to sew was constant. So shortly after Christmas I gathered together my vintage sheet collection, whipped out the rotary cutter and not long thereafter the sewing machine whirred back into action.

The plan was to make a pair of patchwork curtains for the double window in the upstairs bedroom. Something so simple was soon complicated by a desire to line these curtains with a heavenly lightweight sheer cotton. Several hours was spent (read wasted) contemplating the lining, the layering, hemming, bias binding for edges, nifty ways to suspend the curtains, etc.

However, as soon as I had finished the first fully lined curtain, I didn't like the way it was hanging. The fabric had lost some of it's natural drape (probably because of my lack of experience working with sheer fabric). And so with seam ripper in hand, the patchwork fabric was taken back to it's basic state; just squares sewn together ~ no sheer lining, no pretty Liberty bias binding.

In fact, although both the sides of the curtains have been hemmed, the bottom edge is raw; let's call it organic, natural, edgy.

Once I was happy with the finish (or lack of finish) of the first curtain, the second took no time at all to complete.

I am rather pleased with my decorating efforts and have already measured up another window ready for a similar treatment.

Such happy, carefree sewing; let 2012 commence!
Rita

Goodbye 2011 ...

2011-12-31T11:28:00.000+11:00

Goodbye 2011
... And what a wonderful and creative year it was!

Just a few of my favorites!

To all of my dear readers, 
Wherever you may be,

I wish you all a Happy, Healthy

 and Creative 2012!

Rita

Winner of the Ballarat Patchwork Giveaway!

2011-12-30T19:07:00.002+11:00

As always I am grateful for your enthusiastic response with

1001 entries to win this very fine selection of 25 Fat Quarters sponsored by

Ballarat Patchwork.

Congratulations to Victoria Page of Boutique Uniquely; keep an eye out on your mail box for this delivery of gorgeous fabric!

For those of you who unfortunately missed out on this awesome color bundle, the Red Pepper Quilts Fat Quarter Pack is available for purchase @ Ballarat Patchwork store; including the online store.

Find the Red Pepper Quilts Fat Quarter Pack: HERE.

Thank you Emma for your very generous giveaway! I hope 2012 is another wonderful year for you.

Rita

Ballarat Patchwork and a Giveaway!

2011-12-28T11:56:00.003+11:00

Introducing to you a new and ...

an Australian sponsor:
Ballarat Patchwork!

I really am excited to now have on board a fine selection of
Australian sponsors, and Ballarat Patchwork is no exception.

Ballarat Patchwork is run by Emma Jansen. Emma’s background as a textile designer is apparent in the many patterns available from Ballarat patchwork, as well as the wonderful array of fabulous fabrics. Emma is also an amazing quilter, designer, fabricaholic, photographer and collector.

To welcome and introduce RPQ readers to Ballarat Patchwork,
Emma has kindly offered to give away a bundle of 25 Fat Quarters:

Like I said, Emma has a fabulous eye for color and pattern!

To be in the draw all you have to do is leave a comment on this post (please ensure that an email address is available on your profile or is included in your comment - NO EMAIL ADDRESS = NO VALID ENTRY). International visitors are very welcome to enter! Only one comment per person/email address will be eligible to enter the draw.

The draw will take place at 5 pm (AEDT) on Friday 30 December 2011, at which time comments to this post will be closed. The winner will be announced here the same day, and will also be contacted by email.

The 25 Fat Quarters will be shipped directly to the winner by Emma from Ballarat Patchwork.

Quick Links:

Ballarat Patchwork ~ online store.

Scrapbag ~ Blog

Twitter

Facebook

Emma is also offering 25% off all stock as a thank you to all of Ballarat Patchwork's wonderful customers for the friendship and support over the past 9 years.

Sale is on until the end of 2011. Head on over ~ Ballarat Patchwork!

Address and Christmas trading hours for Ballarat Patchwork's Bricks & Mortar Store in Ballarat: Click here. If you happen to be in the Ballarat area over the holidays, you will want to stop by, it's worth a detour!

With thanks to Emma for such a generous giveaway!

ENTRY HAS NOW CLOSED AND WINNER WILL BE ANNOUNCED SHORTLY.

Happy Holidays!

Rita

BTN 2

2011-12-23T14:07:00.000+11:00

Behind The News (BTN) at RPQ ~ Snippets of my everday ...

Follow redpepperquilts on Instagram!

Rita

A Tumble in the Woods ~ A Finished Quilt

2011-12-21T20:48:00.002+11:00

The last quilt for 2011!
A Tumble in the Woods (thank you for naming my quilt Aneela!)

All of Aneela's fabric collections for Moda have been such a pleasure to work with, and combining all three fabric collections ~ Sherbet Pips, Little Apples and A Walk in the Woods ~ was effortless and went without a hiccup.

For the quilt back I have used one of my favorite prints from the Sherbet Pips collection ~ Scooters in Vanilla Ice. The images (above and below) clearly show the quilting grid created by outlining the seam lines, some multiple times.

Zig-zagging along all of the vertical seam lines was more work than envisioned, but contributes to the finished look of the quilt, and compliments the patchwork tumbler blocks. I wouldn't hesitate doing so again.

For the binding fabric I have used a black and white stripe fabric ~ Michael Miller - Clown Stripe, although this one is a little wider than my standard black/white pin stripe fabric. Love it!

I have updated my Etsy Store and you can find the listing for this quilt here:

Red Pepper Quilts @ Etsy

And that concludes my sewing journey for 2011. I am looking forward to spending the next week or so unwinding with family and friends. Of course I will be stopping by here ... (who knows, I may even sew a little something), and have some rather fun things scheduled here for all of my readers to celebrate Christmas/Holidays, and to welcome the New Year!

You won't want to miss out ..

Rita

A Walk in The Woods ~ Quilt Top

2011-12-20T13:12:00.001+11:00

No Mondayitis here. I have made an early start this week, and have not allowed Monday slip by in a blur, as is often the case.

Of course it helps that the school/Summer holidays are now in full swing, and that the teens consider themselves independent, and enjoy a fair amount of freedom; all of which leaves me plenty of time to spend with my fabric stash, rotary cutter, and sewing machine. I am not complaining.

As promised I have cut right into my Fat Eight bundle of A Walk in the Woods by Aneela Hoey (Moda) (See Sunday Stash #123). Unfortunately the tumbler block design only allowed for three such blocks to be cut from each fat eight piece of fabric, however it also meant that I have had to delve back into my fabric stash to add a little extra to the quilt top.

I couldn't think of an easier way to extend my small collection of A Walk in the Woods than by adding fabrics from the Sherbet Pips and Little Apples collections, both also designed by Aneela Hoey. These fabric collections compliment each other and combine delightfully.

In addition to Aneela's fabric collections (Sherbet Pips, Little Apples, and A Walk in the Woods), I have also used (see above image):

Ta Dot in Dalmation by Michael Miller
Half Moon Scissors in Black and White
Monaluna Organic, Taali, Posies (Red and White)
As well as Kei Honeycomb and Children at Play - Pinwheels in Cream by Sarah Jane.

I am now preparing the quilt backing, and getting myself organized to start quilting.

Thank you for stopping by,
Rita

Sunday Stash #123

2011-12-18T11:03:00.001+11:00

A Walk in The Woods by Aneely Hoey for Moda!

This Fat Eights bundle of A Walk in The Woods has been sitting around my sewing area for about a week or so. It has been moved about and admired from every angle awaiting a photography session, all while I poked and prodded at it to get a better glimpse of the adorable prints.

Aneela!! You've really outdone yourself with this new collection, it is so very sweet! I love the color palette, and the teeny tiny detailed prints on the fabrics including ribbons and bows, toadstools, red riding hood, and the big bad wolf are adorable. (There are even several dot/spot prints!).

A Walk in the Woods pre-cuts are available from and/or yardage coming soon to:

Fat Quarter Shop

Ballarat Patchwork

Pink Castle Fabrics@ Etsy
Yardage coming soon:

Fresh Squeezed Fabrics @ Etsy

Fabric Shoppe @ Etsy

Fresh Fabrics Australia @ Etsy

Fabric Worm

The rotary cutter is poised and ready to cut into this pretty stash!

Enjoy Sunday!
Rita

Crossroads Mark II ~ A Finished Quilt

2011-12-16T12:04:00.000+11:00

Ok. I am back again for the second time this week, channeling my inner Nancy Crow. I hope you will put up with me as I get this Crossroads phase out of my system.

I just had to have another go as this quilting grid, just to make sure it wasn't a fluke that both the piecing with long strips of fabric, and the gridded quilting, had worked out so well the first time around.

The piecing process, in particular the selection of fabric and the color play, was so much harder this time around. I may have spent too much time (over) thinking about the colors and their interactions, rather than just doing; and I think it may show.

The quilting, on the other hand, proved to be no problem. I started the quilting grid by first stitching either side of all horizontal seams, and then the vertical quilting lines were stitched, starting at one of the vertical seam line and slowly working my way out to the quilt edges.

I so wish you would feel the texture created by the quilting grid; the quilt is light and soft, and has a lovely drape which I don't think is conveyed well via the screen.

As usual I have updated my Etsy Store.

You can find the listings for both Crossroads quilts here: Crossroads I and Crossroads II

I am now ready to leave my Crossroads phase behind. For the time being.

Rita

A Stitch in Color Giveaway ~ Winner

2011-12-15T23:18:00.000+11:00

Thank you! --- for all of your entries to win a FQ bundle A Stitch in Color by Malka Dubrawsky ~ sponsored by Moona Fabrics. As always I am grateful for your enthusiastic response with almost 600 entries in just over 24 hours!

Entry #211 was the lucky number today!

Congratulations Bailey; be sure to keep an eye out for the postman as this bundle of fabric will shortly be heading your way!

Thank you to Nicole from Moona Fabrics for kindly sponsoring this generous giveaway!

Rita

Moona Fabrics Giveaway ~ FQ Bundle of A Stitch in Color

2011-12-14T12:36:00.003+11:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

I am hosting several wonderful, wonderful giveaways on behalf of sponsors as we approach the holidays, and I hope you'll join in and cross your fingers to win a little something.

Nicole from Moona Fabrics has very kindly offered to give

a Fat Quarter bundle of A Stitch in Color by Malka Dubrawsky
for Moda to one lucky reader.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

This giveaway is for 13 Fat Quarters of A Stitch in Color by Malka Dubrawsky as pictured above. I adore these colorful prints and having already had the opportunity to play with a Layer Cake of this collection I cannot wait to get my hands on some yardage in January 2012.

To be in the draw all you have to do is leave a comment on this post (please ensure that an email address is available on your profile or is included in your comment - NO EMAIL ADDRESS = NO VALID ENTRY). International visitors are very welcome to enter! One comment per person/email address will be eligible to enter the draw.

The draw will take place at 9 pm (Australia - EDT) on Thursday 15 December 2011, at which time comments to this post will be closed. The winner will be announced here the same day, and will also be contacted by email.

This bundle of 13 Fat Quarters is ready for shipping and will be shipped directly to the winner by Nicole from Moona Fabrics.

Quick Links:

Nicole is also offering 10% off any purchase over $25.00*
for the duration of the giveaway with the

COUPON CODE: SWEETPEPPERS

INCLUDING pre-orders of A Stitch in Color yardage!

*Coupon valid only for use in www.moonafabrics.com

ENTRY HAS NOW CLOSED

With thanks to Moona Fabrics!
Rita

Crossroads ~ A Finished Quilt

2011-12-13T13:03:00.001+11:00

Warning! A heavy duty picture post follows as well as a small tribute to Robert Kaufman Kona Cottons:

Not everything is always smooth sailing, however this quilt simply unfolded and came together like it was always meant to be. The actual rotary cutting and piecing didn't take all that long, although the same cannot be said for the quilting.

I love the quilting! It has added so much character and texture to the finished quilt. Without it this quilt, although otherwise graphically striking, has no soul, no personality, no zing factor.

And the back: ~ No tucks, no puckering; it's all in the basting. I am still a pin baster, taping the layers to the floor and crawling around on hands and knees to pin, pin, pin. There isn't a whole lot of fun in the process but it consistently produces the best results for me. And so, it will continue.

I really wanted to bind this quilt with a printed fabric, however I quickly came to the conclusion that a black solid fabric was warranted and the only suitable option to frame this quilt.

I have listed this quilt in my Etsy Store: Red Pepper Quilts @ Etsy

You can find the listing here: Crossroads Quilt @ Etsy

Thank you for stopping by,
Rita

Crossroads

2011-12-13T02:11:00.000+11:00

When I am in my "in between projects" phase, and not sure where to start next (and according to my family just a tad annoying ~ Surely not!), I have been known to turn to my collection of quilting books for inspiration.

Crossroads by Nancy Crow

On Sunday I picked up my copy of Crossroads by Nancy Crow; this book accompanied the 2007 exhibit of 25 quilts by Nancy Crow at the Snyderman Gallery in Philadelphia, PA. It is a catalog of beautiful photographs that capture the colors and textures of Nancy's graphic and bold quilts, and also the starting point for my next quilt.

Out with the rotary cutter and ruler, as well as my stash of solid fabrics; all Robert Kaufman Kona Cottons. It wasn't long before numerous strips of fabric were cut in an array of bright and bold colors. Sewing together long narrow strips of fabric hasn't always provided me with much joy, but rather than avoid doing so altogether, the time had come to face the challenge.

And honestly, once I started sewing the strips together ~ first into pairs and then joining pairs of strips together, etc ~ and was overly careful when pressing the strips/seams not to stretch and distort, the whole thing came together quickly and without too much use of the trusty spray starch.

Absolutely everything just fell into place ~ the sewing machine played nice and I was able to enjoy quite some sewing time in order to finish the quilt top. The less pleasant task of basting followed thereafter, and I have even started quilting.

I will leave you with just a snippet of the quilting grid: Crossroads. Although the quilting will take some time to complete, the added texture truly compliments this quilt.

Rita