New pattern – the process and a new pattern!

Hi friends!

How are you this week? Working on any fun new projects?

I have been working to get ready for my classes next week at the AQS show in Lancaster. I had samples to make, step outs of blocks… just a lot to do to be ready! I am so excited to go.

In the meantime, I have been working on getting a new pattern out. It took forever and I thought I would share with you some of the process. Not all of it; that would be boring!

Back in the fall, a friend of mine, Sandra Clemons who is a quilt and fabric designer extraordinaire, asked my if I wanted to use her new line. I had made my Pack it Up bag with her fabric (so cute!) to show at Quilt Market but I had this pattern that I wanted to put out that would work perfectly with her new line.

 

 

The pattern I wanted to use, Sweet Spirals,  can be made with a fabric line that has a border print (or not- a pretty floral or some other print would work too) and it has a spot where you can fussy cut out a motif (or not- just a nice print works too!). This was my first version.

 

Sandra’s line had a wonderful border print and a fabric where I could fussy cut out these unicorns.

A win-win!

 

In November I started making the quilt.

I had the directions started- mostly written on paper but not done. But off I went cutting and hoping I had figured everything out correctly. I forgot to take a picture of my fabric stack before I started but I posted a picture of my first block center hoping I would have the quilt done by Jan 15th when the fabric was due to arrive in stores. 

 

I didn’t. Here it is March 15th so only 2 months later that I planned!

Creating a pattern is more than just designing blocks and making the quilt. It is thinking about where each fabric will go, deciding about how to press the blocks so they lay flat and the seams mesh nicely, figuring about how to write something that makes sense …. you don’t want people reading your pattern thinking-what?????

 

And there were the other quilts that end up taking precedence. I actually made 6 other quilts before I could get back to this one. And then, I had the quilt ready but the photos weren’t done and the pattern had to be finished. And edited. And re-written and then edited again…

The pattern is now finally ready for prime time and the quilt is done. Here is the original quilt I made using a different line.

 

Here is the twin version in Believe.

 

I love the secondary pattern that merges when the blocks come together. 

And I love that, due to color placement, the pinwheels in each quilt look different from each other. 

AND I just LOVE the unicorns in the border print.

 

So, do you like the quilt and the fabric? I hope so!

As a pattern launch special, the pattern will be $2 off until March 25th with the code sweet2. 

 

Thanks for listening about my new pattern Sweet Spirals. I think it turned out great. I hope you like it!

happy quilting!

Kate