improv slab quilt

I was recently commissioned to make a quilt for a family member, with the only parameters being that it needed to fit on a twin bed and should feature light blue fabrics.

Using the slab technique from Sunday Morning Quilts, I constructed blocks from light blue and aqua fabrics, including vintage prints and men's dress shirts. To keep the quilt from becoming too busy, I alternated the improv blocks with solid white to create a simple layout.

I sent the top off to Lindsay, of Eileen Quilts, for quilting. I selected a hydrangea quilting pattern, which I thought nicely complemented the light-blue color scheme and the vintage floral sheet I used for the backing. Lindsay did a beautiful job, and I've already sent another quilt to her to be quilted.

Interested in commissioning your own quilt? Shoot me a message!

recent inspiration

As I continue to grow my little fabric shop and prepare to add new designers to its shelves, I'm constantly searching for inspiring fabric makers, projects that feature hand-printed fabrics, and tutorials that show you how to print your own designs. Here are a few of my latest and favorite finds:

1. Kate's step-by-step tutorial for how to screenprint on fabric at home is super thorough.

2. Great way to use a fat quarter: Anna's invisible zipper pillows made from gorgeous Skinny Laminx fabrics.

3. Love this interview with Australian fabric designer Leslie of Maze and Vale.

4. Two projects featuring Umbrella Prints Trimmings Packs (there are still a few left in the shop!): wide-mouth zipper pouch by Anna and a gorgeous wall quilt by Ashley.

5. Design Sponge's silkscreen tutorial (They make it look so simple---I want to try this method!)

do. Good Stitches: Churn Dash Quilt

Way back in, oh, you know, JULY, I tasked my fellow members of the Wish Circle of do. Good Stitches with making two churn dash blocks, using solid black and low-volume prints. Six months later, and during my short holiday break, I finally managed to quilt and bind our quilt---my first finish of 2014!

I was obviously on a black + low-volume print kick when we started this project (my houndstooth quilt is further evidence of that). I really love how the black can recede into the background and form a grid when seen from certain angles.

For the back, I used a few cream-and-black prints that had been hanging out in my stash for awhile; it was nice to finally put them to good use.

In addition to donating our group's quilt to Project Linus this weekend, I'll also be donating a small quilt that I made two years ago. The front is a pixelated heart, made from red and pink solid squares, and the back features a Japanese goldfish print.

I'm so happy to finally get both of these quilts off the studio shelf and out to people who can enjoy them! 

houndstooth baby quilt

Happy New Year! Just before the end of the year, I was able to finish up a quilt I'd been working on throughout the fall. While at Quilt Market last spring, I had the pleasure of meeting Vanessa Christenson and snagging her Houndstooth Quilt pattern, which I'd been eyeing for some time.

I made the crib-size version of the pattern, using scrappy low-volume prints and solid black. The piecing took quite some time---which made me thankful that I was making the smallest version!---but I loved seeing the blocks come together to form the houndstooth pattern.

I backed it with an orange crosshatch and a light gray Heather Ross print from her Crafty Chloe line for Hancock Fabrics, and bound it with a dark gray polka dot by Lotta Jansdotter. I'm definitely leaning toward polka dot bindings for all of my future quilts!

I quilted it with my favorite straight lines in light gray thread, and tossed it in the wash to make it crinkly and ready for snuggling.

If you'd like to see a few more photos, I've added this quilt to my Etsy shop.

giveaway day winner!

Thank you so much to everyone who entered last week's fat quarter giveaway---I appreciated each and every comment! The lucky winner is Sandra. Congrats, Sandra! And thank you to everyone for playing along!

P.S. You can still snag your own Hearts in Cherry Blossom fat quarter over in the shop!

giveaway day!

 

For everyone that's visiting today as part of Sew Mama Sew's Giveaway Day, welcome! My name is Caitlin, and I'm a quilter and owner of a small fabric shop specializing in fabrics from independent designers from around the world. A few random things about me:

• I love working on English paper-piecing, especially when I travel, and am excited about an improv hexagon project I started while visiting the Outer Banks over Thanksgiving.
• I recently started designing a few simple embroidery patterns---Joy and Hello---which are available through Spoonflower.
• I'm a member of the Wish Circle of do. Good Stitches, and this Arkansas Traveler quilt we made is one of my favorites.

For today's giveaway, I am offering up a Cherry Blossom Hearts fat quarter by the Australian fabric company Umbrella Prints! This pretty organic cotton fat quarter measures 19" x 27" and is perfect for quilts and crafts projects.

To enter, please visit my Etsy shop, and then leave a comment here telling me your favorite item or the name of an independent fabric designer you'd like to see added to my virtual shelves.

This giveaway is open to everyone and closes December 13 at 8:00 pm EST. A winner will be drawn at random and announced Sunday, December 15th. Good luck!

>>> Giveaway is now closed. Thanks to all who entered! <<<

joy embroidery sampler

As a follow-up to my popular Hello embroidery class in September, I'll be teaching a second class in the Spoonflower Greenhouse on December 14. For this class, we'll be stitching up a holiday-themed sampler I designed, which features French knots and lots of satin stitching.

For more info and to sign up for the class, check out the event page here. In case you can't make the class, or want to stitch up a few samplers for holiday gifts, you can purchase your own here.

P.S. Today's the last day to use the code "THANKS" in my Etsy shop to receive 20% off your purchase!