Fran of Cotton and Joy in one of my favorite quilty friends. When I found out she was working with Riley Blake Designs on her first fabric collection, I immediately started thinking about what I would make with them.
I initially planned on making a Desert Charm quilt, but then I wrote the Chevron Points pattern. The Modern Solids version of Chevron Points is perfect for showing off prints - and I really wanted to show off the prints!
For this baby quilt, I picked four of my favorite prints from the Daybreak collection plus one extra for the accent. The little bees are my favorite. I smile every time I see them!
I quilted my standard straight lines about 3/4" apart. This has become my go-to for when I have to quilt something myself. It's easy and quick.
Because I didn't use all of the prints I originally selected, I pieced them together for the backing. Making pieced backings is my new favorite obsession. It helps keeps the cost down since you aren't buying extra yardage for the back, it helps keep my fabric stash to a minimum since I don't like storing fabric, and it's just fun. :)
I went with my favorite binding option - stripes!
I really really love everything about this quilt. :)
This pattern has been a long time coming and it is finally available in PDF or PRINTED formats in my shop!
I originally designed and wrote this pattern for Make Modern Magazine back in July 2021. In order to release this one as a stand alone pattern, I made a tiny design tweak, added two more sizes, and one design variation. I'm thrilled with the end result!
For my new cover sample, I went with a moody purple/teal/blue range. I'm really loving this color combo right now. I used Cotton Couture solids from Michael Miller Fabrics in: Eggplant, Venus, Mauve, Iris, Powder Blue, Glass, Ocean, Teal, Cadet, Slate, Wedgewood, and Ice Blue. I used Soft White for the background. (I'm selling these fabrics in a kit here if you want to make the same one!)
My favorite thing about this pattern is the combination of light and dark tones of the same color in each column. I think it gives it a fun, playful look. However, sometimes you just want to show off the prints a bit more. So I added a design variation that has the whole chevron one color. Both designs are awesome if I do say so myself!
As usual, I sent my cover sample to Jill of J.Coterie quilting for long arm quilting. She chose a geometric panto that complements the chevrons nicely. I always think she does a great job picking a quilting design and scale for the quilt!
This one is backed and bound with the middle blue color.
Now for the pictures!
DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE PATTERN HERE!
The Scrappy Valley Quilt pattern came from my desire to actually use my fabric scraps. As long as I've been quilting, I've cut my scraps into commonly used sizes and stored them sorted by color in small plastic bins. (Read more about my scrap storage method here!)
After about 6 or 7 years of this, my scrap bins started to get hard to close. I started to realize that at some point I would need to start using the scraps I'd been saving. I set out to put together a block that used the already precut sizes I've been collecting. I wanted to use as many different sizes as I could.
Scrappy Valley was named after one of my most popular patterns, Mountain Valley, because the blocks follow the same layout. The pattern works best when the same color group is used for each section of the block, but the free pattern include yardage if you prefer to make it that way!
Evenflow is available now in my shop in PDF and Printed pattern formats!
Truthfully, Evenflow is one of those patterns that I never meant to write because it is a derivative of another pattern of mine, Rivermill.
If you recall, last year I was a brand ambassador for Michael Miller Fabrics. One of the things Michael Miller does really well is large scale prints. I really wanted to show off this one print they sent, so I quickly drafted an extra large Rivermill block and made this quilt. I honestly thought that would be the end of it.
But then, I had several people ask me for the fabric requirements. I told them to give me a few days, and I write up a quick pattern extension and get back to them. It hit me that I used a completely different HST construction method. My quick pattern extension was turning into a full on pattern.
I sat on it for a while unsure if I wanted to commit to writing this pattern or moving on to one I have saved in my drafts. Quilters continued to ask for it, so here we are! I added a few sizes and made one tiny design change to spruce it up.
I love love love the end result. It makes such a big impact! I stick to solids on my cover quilts, but this pattern is so fun in prints. It shows them off really nicely.
I used Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Solids for my cover quilt in Terracotta Tile, Miami Sunset, Sweet Macadamia, and Snow (background). I don't typically gravitate towards coral/burnt orange type colors, but these spoke to me. I love the end result!
One of the perks of a big block pattern like Evenflow is that is comes together SO FAST. I can cut and piece the entire top in 2-3 hours depending on how many interruptions my kids make. I was done so quickly and still several weeks out from my pattern release. Instead of moving my pattern release up, I chose to make the back extra special.
I made the original Rivermill for the back! I want to make all of my quilts double sided now. It makes sense. I make A LOT of quilts. I have a stack piled up in the closet waiting to give away or to sell. This way, I could still make all the quilts, but I would have less quilts in a pile at the end. Plus, on a bed, you could just flip it over when you want to change things up. #teamdoublesidedquilts
(Both Evenflow and Rivermill are available in my shop!)
Now for pictures!
My latest Michael Miller project has had me working with these sweet, sweet baby prints from their To the Moon and Back collection. I love the soft grays and yellows. When I was pregnant with my oldest daughter, gray and other neutral colors featured heavily in her nursery. I would have LOVED this collection to make her a baby quilt back then.
I wanted to feature the prints in a quilt so I chose my Chevron Points pattern that was published in Make Modern magazine. In the original pattern, each side of the chevrons were a different fabric. In this version, I made each chevron out of one print. I love the simplicity of this version. Writing this pattern in multiple sizes in on my to-do list for next year, and I definitely plan on including this design variation.
I went with a zig zag stitch spaced a little more than an inch apart for quilting. I thought the zig zag would be an appropriate complement to the chevrons. It is quick, easy, and perfect for a baby quilt.
The backing is my favorite print in the collection. These sweet yellow and gray rainbows are just perfect. I used a darker gray polka dot print to bind.
Check out the full collection HERE and the issue of Make Modern that includes the Chevron Points pattern HERE (affiliate link).
For the past week or so, I've been working on this Rivermill quilt with fabric from the Michael Miller line Life is Better on the Farm. The florals and the gingham stole my heart, but the reds, grays, and blacks that make up this collection are pretty perfect too. I paired my prints with the Cotton Couture solids: Brick, Black, and Ginger to round out the number of fabrics I needed for the quilt top.
I knew I wanted to do a mix and match style quilt with these fabrics because they work so well together, and my rivermill pattern is great for mixing and matching fabrics. Wins all around here!
Using the Four at a Time HST method and chain piecing all of my blocks means this quilt comes together pretty quickly! I had it assembled, quilted, and binding completed in less than a week.
For the quilting, I kept it simple using a zig zag stitch spaced about 1.5" apart. I played with the settings on my machine to make the stitch wider and longer. It was a fun way to change things up from my usual straight lines or serpentine stitch. I'll definitely use this again!
For the backing, I used on of the prints from the collection. My favorite detail here is the florals aren't solid. If you look closely, there is a faint gingham print inside the flowers. Seriously, how perfect is that?!
This collection didn't include a striped print so I went with the gray for binding. I know I love my striped bindings, but this one looks pretty good too if I do say so myself!
It's no secret that my favorite thing about partnering with fabric companies like Riley Blake Designs is getting to play with all the beautiful fabrics first. I was thrilled when they sent me the Whimsical Romance by Keera Job to work with. I love the navy blue, mustard yellow, and burgundy red color combination with the pretty floral prints.
I chose to make one of my oldest patterns, Eternally Yours. The thing I like about this pattern is that each print is able to stand alone in the block. It is perfect for showing off a fabric collection. Plus, I haven't made it since I wrote the pattern and it was really fun to revisit! I had forgotten how quick this pattern is to make, but I had the baby size top done in three days (including taking time out to take progress photos along the way!).
I used Riley Blake Confetti Cottons in Denim for the cornerstones, binding, and unifying fabric in each block, and I used Confetti Cottons in Natural for the background. I usually opt for a brighter white, but I like how the softness of this white complements the saturation of the prints. It worked well I think.
For the quilting, I kept it simple with vertical lines spaced about 1.5" apart. It gives the perfect amount of drape and softness. Just perfect!
Enjoy the rest of the photos!
When I heard I'd be getting fabric from the Michael Miller line, Blue Muse, I got really excited because they are so beautiful! They sent 5 of the prints, but I was tempted to order the rest of the collection so I could make a throw size Desert Charm with them. I ended up using four prints for the blocks and saved one for the backing.
If you've been around for more than a few minutes, you know how much I love a striped binding. So I obviously made sure I had enough to use bind the quilt with that stripe.
I used this large scale cat print for the backing. I just couldn't cut those cats up and the backing is the perfect way to show them off.
I haven't made a Desert Charm quilt in a while and it was really fun to revisit this pattern. It is one of my favorites for skill building because it has a lot of different pieces within the block.
Enough from me, enjoy some pictures!
So, full disclosure. I have never been particularly drawn to batiks. They are great, just not my style. Then I got a box of batiks from Michael Miller as part of their brand ambassador program.
My first impression was "wow these are beautiful!", but I was still a little unsure of what to make with them. Something mix and match? Something smaller like a quilted tote? In the end, I decided on one of my older patterns: Summer Garden.
I haven't made a Summer Garden quilt in a while, and in my opinion, it really lets these batiks shine! I liked that each print could be the focal point as its own flower. I paired each batik with Cotton Couture from my FQ bundle of new colors (and, seriously, how nicely did THAT work out!).
I made the throw size which is a really generous throw. I did my go-to serpentine stitch spaced about 2" apart to quilt it. This quilt is going to squishy and soft, perfect for the couch, after its been washed. My 4 year old daughter can't wait. She says the fabrics are "very hungry caterpillar" fabrics which she loves!
The Deltille Quilt is here!
After I sent the cover quilt to Jill for long arm quilting, I started my next Deltille almost immediately. Michael Miller Fabrics is coming out with 27 (!) new Cotton Couture colors in August, and they sent me a FQ bundle to play with in May.
I chose nine of the new colors to make a baby sized ombre Deltille. When I was making this one, I was calling it the "mermaid baby Deltille" because of the teals and purples. The colors are so rich in person. Photos really don't do them justice.
Since this was my third quilt, I had gotten pretty quick at making them so this one came together in a snap.
I used a print from the La Vida Loca line for the backing. It wasn't an obvious choice, but I really like how the blues and purples pop when combined with the front.
One of my favorite things I did for this quilt was use the same white for the binding as I did for the sashing. I love the way it takes the design all the way to the edge and frames everything.
The Deltille Quilt is here!
After I made my first sample (the patriotic one), I started playing with my color chips to figure out what to do for my cover quilt. I knew I wanted to make the ombre version for the cover, but didn't have a specific color vision in mind.
And, honestly, I was all over the place with colors for this one. I first tried a blue/teal/purple gradient that was very reminiscent of a mermaid tail. Then I tried a blue/pink/purple gradient that I loved, but ultimately tossed because I thought it might be too similar to my Mountain Valley cover quilt. So then, I switched out the blues for oranges and ultimately landed on these 13 colors that are currently on the cover. I don't usually gravitate towards orange, but I love how it worked in this quilt.
The cover quilt is made with Michael Miller Cotton Couture in Iris, Mauve, Venus, Eggplant, Aubergine, Dusty Rose, Antique, Cameo, Creamsicle, Geranium, Peach, Coral, Clementine, and Soft White. (Kits are available in my shop here).
I, once again, called up Jill at J. Coterie Quilting for long arming. She has become my go-to for cover quilts. I love her eye for pantograph selection and she tends to quilt a bit more densely which I LOVE for my cover samples. She used a panto called Along the Way by Anne Bright. I just adore the texture and the overall feel of this one.
Since I tend keep my cover samples packed away and not use them, I typically use a solid from the front for the backing. It helps to keep costs down, and also shows off the quilting nicely in photos. One of my quilting besties gave me a hard time for never picking a fun back, so this time I splurged on the MOST PERFECT print for the back. It is from the Dear Isla collection by Hope Johnson for Cotton and Steel, and it ties together all the colors on the front so perfectly. I smile every time I look at it.
I take my own photos, and I had a lot of fun taking these pictures. Enjoy!
