In the Shadow of the Plus in Modern Patchwork

I can finally write about my quilt which is in the current issue of Modern Patchwork! You can get your copy now in major stores and bookstores, or click the link in the sidebar to purchase online.

It started with my fifth design, back on February 10, that I drew in the second #30quiltdesignschallenge2018 I hosted on Instagram this past spring. The design got a ton of interest and likes, and I knew it was a good'un, so I removed it from Instagram. I played with it a bit and came up with the shadowed plus signs floating on a large background plus. I then decided to submit it to Modern Patchwork in early March, and it was accepted!


Almost all of these photos are from mid-April. It feels a bit odd to go back, when I've done a bunch of other stuff since then! I must say that Paintbrush Studio Fabrics solids are glorious to sew with. They have come a long way since we used them in the NQBBH back in 2015. They are smooth, I mean suh-mooth, a lovely hand, with little fraying. I made a test block, and my figurings had worked (yay!), so it was off to the races. Here it was on the design wall on April 9!

Quilting came next, and what a glorious canvas of solids on which to plan! I knew I wanted something with a punch for the turquoise plus signs.

I knew Hobbs Tuscany 100% polyester would be good; I may have done a fist pump when I saw this!

I first encountered this batting at Alma Sue's Quilt Shop in Sarasota, Florida, where you can have your quilt quilted by Amish ladies, who LOVE and use this batting. It's like quilting through butter, and it has wonderful definition. It provides warmth, maybe not as much as wool or cotton, yet is light. I still love my cotton battings, but this one is nudging them over more and more. This batting, along with Hobbs cotton ones, is on sale at a terrific price at Craftsy (affiliate link, here and see below).

This quilt is a quintessential example of my love of a variety of threads, Avril's ability to quilt with anything, and threads working in harmony to create something beautiful. (a little life lesson there, no?!) In the plus blocks I used Essential cotton 50 wt. I was a little unsure of how the variegated thread really showed, but once done, yep, I like it, and it will sink in more once the quilt is washed.

Back and forth horizontal lines with Sulky rayon went in the white background:

How to distinguish between the large grey shadow plus and the white background? I did ruler work lines vertically using Aurifil light grey 50 wt cotton.

You may be thinking, wait a minute, "Those lines aren't vertical; they're horizontal! Look at the roller bars." Look again.  Where's the shadow of the blue small plus blocks? Off to the side, rather than beneath as in the first photo. That's because I loaded the quilt sideways on Avril due to the backing being pieced, and for the best flimsy/backing tension, with no puckering, you want the long seams on the backing parallel to the roller bars. A few times I had to pause and turn my head sideways and go, 'okay oriented correctly back in my mind again. Proceed.' LOL ...which I did, doing a simple jigsaw-shape meander in the China blue shadows, using Isacord polyester. I wanted the small shadows to recede; the aquarius plus blocks are the star. I happily quilted away....

Until it was done and I took it off, stepped back to the bottom edge of the quilt...

I may have done another fist pump.

Binding came next, a flanged one!

I didn't have to worry about it covering up points, which happens due to the flange.

Here it is on my kitchen floor, all done, ready to be shipped off:

I just LOVE the texture a solid backing gives. Wow!

Sorry for the sunshine and shadow lighting here, but I didn't dare lay it outside before shipping it off! You can see the hanging sleeve (my least favourite part of making the quilt) in this photo.

And the label, using my test block:

Discerning eyes may gravitate to the anomaly in the lower edge, centre...see my initials? 👏

I remembered to add my satin mmm! quilts label too!

Here is one last shot. I am unsure as to whether or not I will wash it. I guess it depends on how I will use it, as a throw or as a wallhanging. For now it has a spot on a wall in our living room. I've never hung one this big before!

I have an extra copy of the magazine to give away. I am holding off on the giveaway for 2.5 weeks, in other words, until September 18. Why that particular day? Well that is the 5-year anniversary of my blog. Five years! Seems hard to believe, but the proof is on the sidebar blog archive. I will be holding five giveaways on that day, a copy of this magazine is one. Hope to see you back here then. It's for all my readers around the planet who have supported me. I've developed a bit of an irritation about those who make money off their blogs, through affiliate links, and/or selling fabric, but will 'only ship to US' for example, so I'm not excluding anyone. 😊

Running a blog costs nothing but my time, which yes is valuable, but if I make money, (not much at all, 4% at Craftsy fabric sales, a little more at bluprint depending on signups, 10% at a Connecting Threads), then it is my responsibility to give back to those who have supported me by: paying to run a thumbnail linky party, paying postage to be inclusive, buying a nicer template for the blog or a host, just to name a few examples. So, for those who have read my blog, commented publicly or sent private emails, bought stuff through my links, bought my one (LOL, there should be more by the 18th) pattern in my Craftsy store, sent me words of encouragement, inspired me, and on and on over the past five years, these five prizes I will offer to you.

Selling patterns, however, is a whole 'nother ball of wax, something I am passionate about, which is paying the designer for her time and talent and not stealing her creative ideas. But that's a whole 'nother post!

Guess what? It's the Labour Day long weekend here in Canada and across the river in the US, and both Craftsy (free bluprint 7-day trial and 50% off supplies!) and Connecting Threads (20% off sittewide!) are having some pretty sweet sales. Those are both affiliate links, as is the next one! Just to live up to my 'mmm-abler' title bestowed upon me by my friend Rose at Something Rose Made, I'll let you know that the Hobbs Tuscany polyester I used in this quilt, which quilts like butter, is on sale for a screaming good price...$8.68CA for a 60X60"!

Quilt Stats:
Pattern: original design
Size: 54.5" square
Fabric: Paintbrush Studio solids: white, silver, aquarius and China blue
Batting: Hobbs Tuscany 100% polyester
Backing: Paintbrush Studio aquarius
Quilted: on my Avanté, Avril
Threads:  pieced on my Bernina with Gütermann cotton; quilted with Sulky rayon white, Essential cotton variegated 21221 Ocean Jewels, Isacord polyester 3800, Aurifil light grey 2600
Stitch Count: 159 904

Linking up
Confessions of a Fabric Addict
TGIFF at Anja Quilts
Busy Hands Quilts
Cooking Up Quilts on Monday