Tiger Squares Quilt

Earlier this week, I finished up this purple and yellow quilt for a friend. I don’t know why, but I sure did struggle with it.

1. Who is it for?
JC

2. Why did you choose these fabrics?
We were looking for more geometric fabric designs that are more modern and not too floral-y. I gravitate toward pink and flowery when I’m left to my own devices, so it was a challenge.

3. Why did you choose this design?
This is another quilt based off of the Lemon Squares quilt, with a little bit of Elizabeth Hartman’s Small Plates from A Practical Guide to Patchwork.

4. How long did it take?
Months. Dare I count?

5. Was it difficult to make?
It was an easy quilt made difficult by a lot of fretting.

6. What did you learn from this quilt?
This was my largest quilt so far, even though it’s smaller than a twin. At 73″ x 67″ this is about the largest quilt I can fit through my sewing machine (if I want to maintain my sanity), so that’s good to know. That’s why it was basic, straight-line quilting all the way.

7. What music did you listen to while you worked on it?
Lots of Justin Timberlake.

8. What would you improve, if you could?
I like it, but I might’ve changed the layout a bit.

9. What makes you happiest when you think of this?
My friend finally has her LSU quilt to wrap up in, just in time for fall!

Low Volume Baby

The last few stitches coming into place, the last few threads to be cut, the first trip through the sudsy, cool, gently whirring washing machine. I love those moments that take a quilt from being a bunch of cloth joined together to being its own entity. Something that will live a life that–if it’s going to a new home–you may never know about. It may be trampled, bundled, and spilled upon–if it’s lucky. But as its creator, I’ve hoped for a good way to catalog and chronicle its development. So I’ve come up with a little questionnaire for myself that I can fill out when I finish a quilt so those quiet moments of its construction aren’t lost.

1. Who is it for?

My college roommate/friend since elementary school who just had an adorable baby girl.

2. Why did you choose these fabrics?

I’ve been hoping to make a low volume quilt for awhile and this was the perfect chance to use a mixture of fabrics I’ve admired to make a piece that was just the right amount of girly. It has some Pearl Bracelets, Prince Charming, Architextures, and Salt Water, not to mention several others. I’m usually nervous about mixing colors and prints, but I loved working with this variety of fabrics.

3. Why did you choose this design?
Even though it’s simple, I’d never tried a patchwork design and I hoped that the simplicity of patchwork would complement the variety of the fabrics. I really enjoyed the process of chain-piecing and making the ninepatch. Something about this, even as simple as it is, says “hey, I’m a quilt!”

4. How long did it take?
A couple of weeks. It could have been finished in a day or two if I had been really focused (clearly I wasn’t!).

5. Was it difficult to make?

It was easy, but being different than anything I’d done before, it still took some concentration. It was a great stress-buster!

6. What did you learn from this quilt?

One thing I learned was that I like muted colors more than I think I do. I usually go for bold colors, but they’re harder to design with (for me), since they demand so much attention. I also took full advantage of chain-piecing, and I’ve been all about that technique ever since!

7. What music did you listen to while you worked on it?

The Great Gatsby soundtrack. (And some other things that have faded with memory.)

8. What would you improve, if you could?

I’m really pleased with this one as it is. I’m always quick to critique my quilts (or anything I do), but I’m happy to leave this one alone. Well, except for the photos I took. It was gloomy outside, so these aren’t the best.

9. What makes you happiest when you think of this quilt?

The thought of baby Lily all wrapped up in it!