MQG Modern Classics

In celebration of the Modern Quilt Guild's 10th anniversary, they are re-releasing some of the Quilt of the Month patterns in a new updated color palette.  They are calling the quilts MQG Modern Classics.

Members of the MQG are invited to join in the fun by making any Quilt of the Month pattern previously released from 2014 through 2019.  That means there are 72 patterns from which to choose. And, if you enter your quilt, you have the chance to have your quilt juried into QuiltCon Together 2021.

I am using four of the seven Moda Bella Solids in the palette for the pattern I have picked out to make.

• Mustard (9900-213)
• Nautical Blue (9900-236)
• Natural (9900-12)
• Dusk (9900-116)

And, fortunately, I already had the matching Aurifil for each Moda Bella solid.

• Aurifil 2310 Light Beige pairs with Natural
• Aurifil 2370 Delft Blue pairs with Dusk
• Aurifil 2783 Medium Delft Blue pairs with Nautical Blue
• Aurifil 5022 Mustard pairs with, you guessed it, Mustard

Here are the Moda Bella Solid swatches included in the 2020 color palette.  The four I am using are below.  

Three additional Moda Bella Solids are also included in the 2020 color palette:  Violet, Capri and Petunia.

I have had two quilts chosen by the Modern Quilt Guild as Quilts of the Month, Positively Transparent and Atypical Angles.  My philosophy is...if you find a good wall on which to photograph quilts, use it multiple times.  

Positively Transparent + August 2017

Atypical Angles + July 2018

To access the Quilt of the Month patterns, once you are logged in to the MQG website, go to the tab "For MQG Members" and from the drop-down choose "Patterns, Webinars and Articles".   From there, once you are on the Resources page, on the the right side bar, you can "Filter by Type"  and simply choose "Quilts of the Month".

The deadline for entering a MQG classic quilt is the same for other quilts entered into QuiltCon Together, November 30, 2020 at midnight.  You can check out the rules at Submit a Quilt.  I'm hoping to get the quilt I am making completed by the end of September.  

Elephant Baby Quilt Inspired by Fabric

When the Mom-to-be opens your present at the baby shower and cries, you know you did ok!  I didn't ask too many questions about the nursery ahead of time.  But she mentioned she was decorating in gray and white with elephants.  I remembered a fabric I had which was leftover from making this baby quilt and thought it might work.  After all, this fabric from the Zoology collection by Michael Miller included gray, white and elephants.

Zoology in Sea by Michael Miller

I had the idea of enlarging the elephant and including the bird (which I knew she also liked) and adding some rain clouds for a minimalist design.  I was already thinking about the quilting at this point.

I used a circle template and drew two clouds with a flat bottoms.  Are those cumulus clouds?  I'm not sure.

Clouds with angled straight line quilting to represent rain

Planning to applique the quilt top at a Sew-In day with my local modern quilt guild, I prepared the elephant, bird and two clouds ahead of time.  I chose an almost white background, Modern Background Paper XOXO.

Guild members suggested I add a third cloud and have it going off the edge of the quilt.  You wouldn't believe, the fabric for the third cloud, V & Co Ombre Dots in aquatic blue,  was on the free-for-all table at the sew-in.

I managed to finish all of the satin stitch machine applique at the sew-in and here's the top on my design wall back at home.

Free Ride quilt top

Here's a closer look at the elephant and bird.

Elephant and bird appliqued to background fabric

Now that the quilt top was done,  it was on to the quilting.  And guess what...more walking foot quilting!

I'll show you the finished quilt and then explain how I went about quilting it which is very similar to how I quilted Witco's Daisies.

Free Ride baby quilt with an elephant, bird and clouds

I first quilted the horizontal lines below the elephant to establish the ground. The lines are about 3/4" apart and were marked with the Creative Grids Yardstick ruler and my favorite Clover hera marker.  I decided that 3/4" spacing might be too dense and quilted the 'sky' with lines about an inch apart.

I quilted the lines of the sky at an angle to represent rain. I started quilting from the top.  When I reached the horizontal line, I stitched right on top of my previous quilting line, made a U-turn and ended at the top again.  I didn't mark every single line with the hera marker, just every other one.  I just eyeballed it and quilted between the two lines on the return pass.

Every other quilting line marked with the hera marker

The only time I used a making pen was to mark the distance where I needed to stop and pivot for the return quilting line.  Can you see the blue dots on the horizontal line?  And yes, I quilted right over the applique which I also did on Witco's Daisies.

Straight line quilting with a walking foot on Free Ride

The label was handwritten with a permanent marker.  The process is explained in this blog post.  Just ignore the Great Aunt part, I'm feeling a little ancient!  Part of the label was stitched in with the machine binding. The only part which was hand stitched was the right side.

Handwritten quilt label and stitched mainly by machine

I didn't think it would be that noticeable and stitched over the previous quilting lines to attach the label.   Can you see the lines?  The 2nd and 6th horizontal lines are where I machine stitched on the label.

From the front where I machine stitched the label

And since this was for a boy and fairly light and would probably go through many washings, I attached the binding by machine.

Detail of  Free Ride with backing and machine binding

Free Ride was folded and wrapped the evening before the shower.  That was close, but it was finished on time!

Free Ride baby quilt folded and ready to be wrapped

Quilt Stats:

• Finished size:  Approx. 40" x 40" (Limited backing fabric determined the size)
• Pattern:  Elephant enlarged from Zoology fabric in an original setting
• Fabrics: Background - XOXO in Silver and White from Modern Background Paper by Zen Chic for Moda; Backing - Zoology in Sea from Michael Miller; Binding - Dot and Square from Mini Mikes from Michael Miller
• Thread: Applique - Mettler and Aurifil; Quilting - Aurifil 2600 Dove Gray
• Quilting design:  Straight line with walking foot
• Batting: 100% Cotton Warm & White by the Warm Company
• Completed: August 2016

Linking up to Finish Up Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Fabric Frenzy Friday and Show Off Saturday.

Rainbow Mini Swap Round Two: Colorful Cats

I am happy to show you Colorful Cats since my swap partner has received her mini quilt pillow cover for the Rainbow Mini Swap Round Two which took place on Instagram.

Colorful Cats pillow cover by Paige Alexander

Two of my swap partner's favorite fabric designers were Bonnie and Camille and Tasha Noel.  At the time I did not have fabrics by either one in my stash but soon remedied that with a a couple of trips to my local quilt shops.  You can read about my fabric selection of reds, pinks and aquas in this blog post.

Since my swap partner was limited on wall space, she requested a pillow cover instead of a mini quilt.  I found the Cat Block pattern by Elizabeth Hartman offered as a free download from Janome. The pillow finished at 20" x 20" which for a perfect size.

I incorporated some fussy cut elements into some of the blocks using fabrics from Hello Darling and Vintage Market with a few other fabrics added.  I used Michael Miller Cotton Couture in Bright White for the background.  Here are the finished blocks on the design wall.  I was still deciding on the arrangement of the cat blocks.

Cat Blocks made from Elizabeth Hartman's pattern

I decided on crosshatch quilting just like Elizabeth used on her pillow.  I marked the initial two quilting lines with a hera marker.

Quilting lines marked with a hera marker

Here is the quilt after the first two lines in each direction were quilted using the walking foot.

After four lines of quilting on Colorful Cats

Now here is where patience is needed.  You just keep quilting, line after line, until it is finally quilted.

Crosshatch quilting on Colorful Cats

I finished the pillow cover with a traditional binding us a Riley Blake dot fabric.

Traditional binding on Colorful Cats

Pillow Stats:

• Finished size:  20" x 20" pillow with envelope backing
• Pattern:  Cat Block and Pillow by Elizabeth Hartman for Janome
• Binding: 3/8" finished straight grain binding finished by machine using a Riley Blake dot
• Fabrics: Hello Darling by Bonnie and Camille for Moda, Vintage Market by Tasha Noel for Riley Blake and others
• Batting: 100% Cotton Warm & White by the Warm Company
• Thread: Aurifil 2024 White for piecing and quilting
• Quilting:  Crosshatch using the edge of the walking foot as a guide

From looking at the Instagram account of my swap partner, I knew she had a cute little kitten.  Rather than making a little something extra for her, I made a stuffed kitty for daughter.  The pattern for the kitty was from a panel by VIP.  I saw the pattern on blog and wish I could give them credit, but I did find the same panel in this Etsy listing.  This also shows the envelope backing for the pillow cover using a print from Vintage Market.

Calico Kitty made from a vintage VIP panel pattern

Although my pillow is missing a few colors from the rainbow, I tried to make something my swap partner would like.  Close to 500 swappers participated in the #RainbowMiniSwapR2 and I had fun participating. Thanks to Kate @katebasti for organizing  and swap mama Sara @supersara20 for helping with the swap.

Linking up to Finish Up Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday, Jenn at A Quarter Inch from the Edge hosting Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday this week, Fabric Frenzy Friday, Whoop, There It Is! and Show Off Saturday.

Sunday Stash #3: Mistletoe Lane

My fabric stash increased this week by winning yet another giveaway, this time by Linda @ A Maidenhair Fern.  I received two Mistletoe Lane charm packs by Bunny Hill Designs for Moda Fabrics.  Here they are atop Kona Cotton in Chinese Red.

Mistletoe Lane mini charm packs

The colors in the collection include red(crimson) and green(sage) along with pink(lotus), light brown(wood smoke) and neutrals.  Some of the delicate prints are below.

Crimson and sage prints from Mistletoe Lane

You can see the entire collection by Moda Fabrics in this PDF document where Mistletoe Lane was introduced back in September 2014 with availability in stores starting January 2015.  I am saving the pinks and browns for a baby quilt I have in mind.

Following Amanda Jeans's simple patchwork dish towel tutorial, I made another set of banded kitchen towels, similar to the ones in my December 18th post.  I could not resist pairing the red and green snowflake prints, alternating the colors, for one towel and the plaid and ice skates for another.

Banded patchwork kitchen towels using mini charm squares

Now I have a little something on hand should I need a small gift.

I am linking up to Sunday Stash #157 to see the other great fabrics added to everyone's stash.