Skyline Divide - A Quick and Easy Quilt

I enjoy testing patterns and making samples, and this quilt was no different. I have been testing patterns and making samples for Myra at Busy Hands Quilts for over a year now and I always enjoy working with her. This quilt is a quick and easy pattern; and as usual, Myra sent the fabrics for me to use and I enjoyed working with them. As a matter of fact, I used the same fabrics for a couple of other quilts that I will be able to share soon, so be on the lookout for those.

Say hello to Skyline Divide. Myra wanted a new look to this pattern, so she sent me some wonderful fabrics to use. I love how it looks! This is Myra's image of the quilt and it is soooo much better than the ones I took. (I'll reluctantly share my pictures at the end of this post.)

I love how she makes these quilts come alive with her quilting! 

The Skyline Divide pattern includes 5 size options - Baby, Throw, Twin, Queen, and King. I made the Throw version and it measures 50" x 70". Besides all these sizes, there are two piecing options to the pattern as well - planned and scrappy. The planned version uses yardage and the scrappy version uses 2 1/2" strips, fat quarters, or yardage. As you can tell, I made the scrappy version; and I used 2 1/2" strips.  

This really was a fast and easy quilt! If you are planning to make quilts for Christmas and feel like you might run out of time, this would be a great pattern option. Just look at how this looks different, based on your fabric choices.

Below are pictures of the quilt I made. The first one is in progress and I took it so I could use it as a guide while assembling the columns. 

Below is the completed top. As I said before, Myra certainly does make these quilts come alive with her quilting.  

I am considering the idea of making this pattern using a more controlled color palette. I saw a quilt that Myra posted on her blog a while back that was made by one of her customers. It was made using five fabrics, ranging from white, to gray, to black. She added a yellow border, which really makes the quilt amazing. Check out the picture HERE. 

Stay tuned for more of the quilt tops I've recently made for Myra. In the meantime, be sure to visit her website - Busy Hands Quilts. You just might find the pattern for your next quilt! 

Step Right Up Quilt

I had the honor to test a pattern for Terry Atkinson and I can finally share it with you today. 

I am in love with my version of the Step Right Up quilt and the intended recipient is excited to have it on her bed soon!

I used a light green background and bright pink for the accent/steps. The rest of the strips are from a 2.5" pre-cut package that I have had for a very long time. (Yay! I made a fun quilt AND used stash. That's definitely a win/win situation.)

I had hoped to have it quilted so I could share that today, but it's not quite done yet. Like Terry said in her video, yardwork has been calling because I too have been away from it for quite some time.

This is a fun and easy pattern that will look great and just about any fabric choice. :-)

The pdf version of the pattern is available on Terry's site - Atkinson Designs The paper pattern is available as a pre-order, but it should be ready in a couple of weeks.

I love testing patterns and this certainly was a fun quilt to make. :-)

Mandalynn - Pattern by Busy Hands Quilts

Do you remember this post about my secret sewing project for Myra of Busy Hands Quilts? I showed you a package that had arrived and I was getting ready to sew.

I loved these fabrics when I opened the package and that feeling has never waned. 

Let me introduce you to

Mandalynn

 

This pattern is now available in both print and pdf version at Busy Hands Quilts. 

I know that I've said this before, but I LOVE using Myra's patterns! They are so easy to follow and her illustrations are wonderful. This pattern includes four sizes (throw, twin, queen, and king), so you don't have to do any math. She's done it for you!

Here are a few pictures of Myra's completed quilt. 

Mandalynn
Image from Busy Hands Quilts

Check out that quilting! 

Mandalynn
Image from Busy Hands Quilts

Why is it that it always seems to be windy when I try to take quilt pictures?

As you know, I always like to take pictures of the quilts I make from side angles. 

We all know that sometimes our beds to do not get made properly. I just love this picture Myra shared. I can just picture myself waking up and seeing these bright colors. What a wonderful way to start the day.

Mandalynn
Image from Busy Hands Quilts

You can get your own copy of Mandalynn at Busy Hands Quilts.

While you're there, sign up for her newsletter. 

Check out Myra's Facebook page for more pictures of this beautiful quilt. 

You won't be sorry you did! She is offering a special introductory sale for this pattern thru Sunday, so don't wait too long.

I just have to share one more picture...

Mandalynn
Image from Busy Hands Quilts

Progress

I've made some progress using the fabrics I showed in my last post. 

This is a pattern test for Tammy Silvers and I am really liking the results. I'll be away from home for a couple of days, which means no sewing for me; but I should have the top put together this weekend. I can't wait to share it with you!

Yummy Fabrics :-)

I'm starting a new pattern test for Tammy Silvers and love the fabrics I'll be using.

You can see a smidgen of the pattern below, but I'll be able to show the whole thing very soon. 

I'm off to make some pretty awesome stars. I'll be back soon with more pictures. :-) 

A Finish and Design Wall Monday

Do you remember these fabrics that I was using for some secret sewing?

I used them to test Tammy Silvers' (Tamarinis) Where My Heart Is pattern.

I finished the top and am very happy with the results. (Someone asked me about the center fabric, but I didn't have the information with me to check. It is Woodland Daisy, a Michael Miller Fabric. 

I had commitments that took me away from home (and my sewing machine), so I couldn't work on this for over a week. I was chomping at the bit because I already knew exactly how I was going to do the quilting and I really wanted to get this done. 

The quilting is very simple and although the pattern suggests that the binding be the dark green, I opted for the orange Dot Grunge. 

The pattern includes instructions for three size options:

Wall Hanging - 22" x 39" 

Large Wall Hanging - 44" x 46" 

Lap Quilt - 44" x 61". 

I made the small wall hanging, but I think I'm not going to use it as a wall hanging, but as a table runner instead. It's a great size, so it can be used as either one!   

As with all of Tammy's patterns, this is well-written and includes really good cutting instructions and awesome diagrams. This will be available in Tammy's shop very soon. I'll let you know when that happens. :-) 

Here's what's on the design wall today!

This is the beginning of my version of Bonnie Hunter's Idaho Square Dance. A couple of friends and I went to Bedford, PA to take a class with Bonnie last year (Aug., 2018) and we had a very productive time. Check out this video that Bonnie made of the workshop. :-)  

I have had all of my log cabin blocks completed for quite some time, but I got sidetracked and put away from Idaho Square Dance blocks. I needed to do something for a demo at Chestnut Ridge Sewing recently and decided these blocks would be perfect. 

I have most, if not all, of the units just about ready to complete the blocks so I decided to put this on the design wall and get busy. I do have other projects that need completed, but this will be my leader/ender project and that means that the blocks will completed in no time at all. 

Bonnie just announced the colors for her new mystery quilt and I really feel like I should make some headway on this quilt before I even consider starting that one.  :-)

What are you creating today?

Check out some quilters eye candy at 

Judy's Small Quilts and Doll Quilts

and

Beth's Monday Making

Secret Sewing

It's been a very busy month for me, but I did get some sewing done. Unfortunately, I can't share most of it with you just yet.

I've used these fabrics for a pattern test for Tammy Silvers of Tamarinis. 

I fell in love with these fabrics and new that they would be perfect for the wall hanging pattern.

Here are a couple of "in progress" photos that I can share.
There are four of these Flying Geese units.  

There are also some Fan units.

I've finished the wall hanging top and Tammy will be releasing the pattern soon. That means that I will be able to share the finished project as soon as I get it quilted and bound.

I'm finishing up a table runner and pattern for a shop and will be able to share that soon too. Stay tuned... 

Project Catch Up Time

I've been quite bad at posting lately, but in my defense, I have been very busy.

In my last post, I shared some sneak peeks of a secret sewing project that I was quilting. It's all done and I can now share it.

Ancient Words - a Rachel Rossi design

I think this is such a unique quilt and was thrilled when I saw the invite to test the pattern. As with most of her patterns, Rachel has provided multiple size options with the pattern; but based on my schedule, I knew that making the baby size was the best choice for me.  

There are a multitude of different layout options with this quilt and I played quite a while before deciding on this one. 

There are special templates used to make this quilt and they are wonderful!

The Shorthand Templates are available in Rachel's shop. (There is a free pattern to go along with the templates and I think it's really neat!)

I love taking photos from a side angle! I think it often shows the quilting so much better, as well as the overall design.

While taking these pictures, my granddaughter thought that the top right looks like a turtle. I didn't see it until after I pulled up the pictures on the computer. 

The quilting design was pretty simple and straight forward. 

Another pattern tester used the templates to create her quilting design and as much as I tried, I couldn't come up with anything that I liked better. :-) This isn't the greatest pictures, but I think you can see the quilting pretty well. 

I wasn't sure about my fabric choices during the early stages of constructing this quilt. I was worried that there wasn't enough contrast, but I stayed with it and am glad I did. 

During the time I worried about my fabric choices, I decided that I needed a Plan B, just in case the original fabrics didn't work. I played with some fabric scraps that I had from making a t-shirt quilt and liked how they looked, so I made a bunch more. (After making a few more of the original blocks, I decided that the fabrics would be ok, so I stuck with those for the test.) I have a nice pile of Plan B blocks waiting to be put together. :-)

While I was making the Plan B blocks, I got to thinking that it would look really cool to add a small flange to the inside of the blocks. 

I really liked the result so after I finished the original quilt, I started making these as a leader/ender project. (Yes, the blocks without the flange got set aside, but I will do something with them soon.)

Using all the fabric I had left, I was able to make a decent size wall hanging with the flanged blocks. It's already quilted; and I've machine stitched the binding down and am ready to flip it to the back and stitch it down. I'll take pictures when that's done and share them here. :-) 

Hypersonic - A New Pattern by Rachel Rossi

I've been teasing you with a few pictures of a new pattern that I recently tested for Rachel Rossi, but today I can finally show you the entire quilt. Yay!

I'm very happy to introduce Hypersonic 

Not only is this quilt cool to look at and make, but there's a secret code in the design. The pattern includes instructions to make three sizes (baby, throw, and twin) and you can make it following the exact layout that Rachel has. Or, if you want to step outside your comfort zone a little bit, Rachel has included instructions on how you can create your own variation using the code as the basis of your layout.  

So what's the code? Its the Fibonacci Sequence code and it's pretty cool. The pattern includes a brief explanation of the code and how to incorporate it in the layout of this quilt. I made my sample following the pattern exactly for the twin quilt, but I'm working on another one that is different and it's making me feel a bit like a math whiz. 😄 (I have to say that because I am far from a math whiz!)

This is a fun quilt to make and I was honored to test it. Here's Rachel's blog post about the new pattern, including some really awesome pictures. 

Rachel always captures her quilts in some amazing pictures, and this one above is one of my all-time favorites. 

This pattern is very well-written and easy to follow. I found the cutting instructions easy to follow, even though they look intimidating at first. There is a separate page with cutting instructions for each size, which I really like! I don't always love it when the multiple size options are listed in parenthesis because it is too easy to misread and miss-cut something. 

Another really neat thing about this pattern is the coloring page. Instead of using crayons or colored pencils, I used strips of fabric to get a visual of how my quilt was going to look. 

I did move a few fabrics around to avoid a concentration of certain colors. I REALLY liked doing this.

The curved pieces on this quilt look challenging, but they were very easy. They were appliqued using a technique involving interfacing so you don't have any raw edges. I've used this technique before and love it.  It's easy and precise! Rachel suggests using mono-filament thread to stitch the pieces down, but I used matching thread color. 

Is it sad that all of the fabric (except the backing), and thread for this quilt came from my stash?

I like this quilt so much that I just had to take a bunch of pictures.  

This twin quilt is a decent size - 62" x 90" so I took pictures from the balcony again. I'm not sure how I missed getting my husband in the pictures, but I did. 

I've become quite fond of taking pictures of quilts hanging from a tree limb, so here's another one.  :-) 

And of course I have to take a picture of just about every quilt I make with it hanging on the wood pile.

I decided to quilt this with a swirly design to counteract the linearity of the piecing. I liked the results. 

I machine bound this quilt, using my flange binding technique. I am very pleased with the little splash of color along the edge.

Before I quilted this, a couple of the grandkids wanted to use it as a backdrop of one of their "shows," so of course I obliged. The only problem was that they liked it better hanging upside down.

The girls said that they liked it upside down because it reminds them of melting ice cream and that made them laugh. Yep! I can see that and the discussion quickly moved to the idea of having a snack and of course it had to be ice cream. Yes, I obliged with that too.  😀

Upside down or not, I really like this quilt! 

It's too late to make this long story short, but I enjoyed making this quilt and know you will too. You can purchase the pattern, along with Rachel's other patterns HERE. I know you won't be sorry!