Hi friends!
Today is my day on the Piece and Quilt with Precuts blog hop. When Christa was asking designers if they wanted to be part of her new book’s blog hop, I just had to sign up.
I mean really, it’s about precut quilt pieces!
We all know that I just love precuts.
We each had to pick a quilt to play with and I chose Squiggles. This quilt uses 10″ precut quilt pieces. So I was starting to look around for a really fun 10″ square pack when my good friend Sandra Clemons offered some fat quarters from her new line In Bloom for Michael Miller. Well of course I jumped at the chance to use her fabric again. I love it! It is a fun mix of florals, geometrics and butterflies.
Since I was using fat quarters, I had to figure out how many precut quilt pieces I needed. I decided on 20. I could have made the quilt with only 13, but I liked using 20 for the variety. I cut 8 squares 5″ x 5″ from each fat quarter. That gave me 160 squares; I had 6 left over but I did not know at first which ones I would not use so I made them all into blocks.
And if you want to make the quilt a little bit bigger, 20 fat quarters precut quilt pieces could give you more blocks! Or make a fun scrappy binding.
Once I had the blocks, I started laying out the quilt. I tried a scrappy layout like the original quilt, but… well, it didn’t work for me. I kept trying to match things up! I love scrappy quilts but I have hard time being scrappy! So, I just keep moving the blocks around until I had a design I liked.
Once the blocks were all made and the top put together, it was onto quilting.
For those of you who know me, I don’t usually quilt my quilts. I usually work with an amazing long arm quilter, Crystal Zagnoli, who always makes my quilts look so good!
But, the book says: Piece AND Quilt. So I was going to quilt it myself!
Christa suggested using a neutral thread like a light grey or taupe as it blends well with most prints. I thought, hmmm… I could start with that but maybe I would branch out.
Maybe a blue or pink variegated thread? That might be fun. But in the end I decided to go with a more neutral thread. My neutral? A light green!
Green is a neutral? Well, it can be depending on your fabric. I actually use a lot of light green in various shades to quilt. I love that it blends but adds a little pizazz!
And it was onto to the quilting! First I had to decide if I was going to use the quilting design Christa used on her quilt or another one she had in the book. She recommended these wavy lines made by gently moving the quilt. Squiggly lines.
After some debate I thought, why not? It really works for the quilt. So then I had to get the machine ready.
And then I was onto the quilting!
Here it is time for true confessions. First: after quilting the first few squiggly lines to secure the quilt, I was not sure I liked it. Second: not all of my quilting looks groovy. I have a few bobbles- places where the quilt and I were not in sync or where the machine was not feeding smoothly or where the quilt fell off the back of my table and the weight of the quilt made the stitches jump… the gloves cover one “oops” spot in the photo above!
But I kept going and in the end, I LOVED IT!
Yes, I could rip out a few stitches here and there to fix things but nope. I am letting it go.
And I did it. All by myself.
Squiggles – the Play
(Quilters are looking at the quilting on the quilt. Each one leans over and points to different spots.)
Quilter 1- Kate
Do you like it?
Quilter 2
I think it looks great! You did a good job.
Quilter 1- Kate
Thank you.
(Quilter Kate does not point out all the mistakes and just pats herself on the back.)
For the binding I could have used the leftovers from my fat quarters precut quilt pieces but instead, I picked 2 fabrics and used 1 strip from the teal and the rest from the dark blue. The teal strip I cut into 2 pieces and just pieced it into the binding in 2 places. Just for fun.
So that is my Squiggles quilt. Like it? I really do.
And the book has some other really great quilts that you will get to see over the whole blog hop. And in the book, for each quilt, Christa gives you a quilting design idea. So you don’t have to think one up on your own. And trust me, if I can quilt my own quilt, so can you!
Want to purchase a physical copy of her book?
Click here to use my Amazon affiliate link or here to go to Christa’s website and get a signed copy.
Here is the whole blog hop schedule for you so you don’t miss a single quilt!
Friday August 18
Kathy Bruckman Blog: Kathy’s Kwilts and More IG: @kathyskwiltsandmore
Kate Colleran Blog: Seams Like a Dream IG: @seamslikeadreamquilts
Sharon Parcel Blog: Yellow Cat Quilt Designs IG: @punkydoodle53
Saturday August 19
Sandy Maxfield Blog: Sandy Star Designs IG: @sandystardesigns
Joanne Harris Blog: Quilts by Joanne IG: @turtlequilterjo
Teresa Mairal-Barreu Blog Sewn Up: IG: @teresadownunder
Monday August 21
Nancy Scott Blog: Masterpiece Quilting IG: @masterpiecequilting
Jenny Wilding Cardon Blog: Stitch This! IG: @martingaletpp
Lorinda Davis Blog: Laurel Poppy & Pine IG: @laurelpoppyandpine
Tuesday August 22
Sherry Shish Blog: Powered by Quilting IG: @poweredbyquilting
Michelle Bartholomew Blog: Michelle Bartholomew IG: @michellebartholomew
Allison Dutton Blog: Allison Sews IG: @allisonsews
Wednesday August 23
Lissa LaGreca Blog: Lovingly Lissa IG: @lovinglylissa
Sherri Noel Blog: Rebecca Mae Designs IG: @rebeccamaedesigns
Sandra Healy Blog: Sandra Healy Designs IG: @sandrahealydesigns
Thursday August 24
Laura Piland Blog: Slice of Pi Quilts IG: @sliceofpiquilts
Cheryl Brickey Blog: Meadow Mist Designs IG: @meadowmistdesigns
Jen Frost Blog: Faith and Fabric IG: @faithandfabric
Friday August 25
Jessee Maloney Blog: Art School Dropout IG: @jessee_artschooldropout
Jessica Caldwell Blog: Desert Bloom Quilting IG: @desertbloomquilting
Anjeanette Klinder Blog: Anjeanette Klinder IG: @anjeanetteklinder
Saturday August 26
Terri Vanden Bosch Blog: Meanderings Along Lizard Creek IG: @lizardcreekquilter
Suzy Webster Blog: Webster Quilt IG: @websterquilt
Katie Joy Church Blog: Wild Prairie Studio IG: @katie_joyquilts
Monday August 28
Pam Cobb Blog: The Stitch TV Show IG: @thestitchtvshow
Jen Rosin Blog: A Dream and a Stitch: IG: @adreamandastitch
Rashida Khanbhai Blog: No. 3 Quilt Studio IG: @no3quiltstudio
Tuesday August 29
Lynn Kline Blog: Monkey Needle IG: @monkeyneedle
Kathy Bruckman Blog: Kathy’s Kwilts and More IG: @kathyskwiltsandmore
Wednesday Aug 30
Jen Shaffer Blog: Patterns by Jen IG: @patternsbyjen
Sandra Starley Blog: Textile Time Travels IG: @textiletimetravels
happy quilting!
Kate
I love your quilt and the way you laid it out. It is very pretty.
What a great quilt!
I love the quilting!!!
I love your fabric choice for the squiggles quilt! Grest job! This noik has so many good ideas! I think I may have to purchase it if I don’t win! Thanks for the giveaway!
What a nice way to make Christa’s design! Thank you for sharing also the behind the scenes tips! ?
Love your rendition of this pattern! Gorgeous fabric and the rainbow look just glows.
What a wonderful quilt! The green thread is genius 🙂 Who would have thunk!!!??
Great quilt! I love those fabrics.
I hate to share this but I have 3 quilts that need quilting but I’ve been too scared to attempt it. This is giving me more courage than I’ve ever had. Fingers crossed!
I really like your layout design!! It is such colorful fun enhanced by your cute quilting! This project is definitely going on my to do list!!
I can’t bring myself to be totally scrappy either. lol I love your quilt and the gentle strips of colour. And pale green thread is totally neutral. 🙂 Thank you for a well written post. I like hearing the thought process.
Kate, it’s beautiful! Never have I thought of using lime green …pizzaz indeed!
Fortunately I learned to walking foot quilt those squiggley lines and more from Christa’s book
“Machine quilting with Style” I’m so happy YOU quilted this quilt…it was fun wasn’t it?
Thankyou for sharing.
Your quilt is gorgeous, and the book looks fantastic!
I like both the quilt and the quilting. Thanks.
Your fabric choices & layout are so pretty. Finished quilt is delightful!
Love those colors and your layout. Fantastic job!
A mistake here and there only makes a quilt more personal. Your quilting looks fab.
Your quilt is lovely and so is the quilting!
I usually have a bunch of bobbles in my quilt where everything does not sync. But, hey, it’s a beautiful quilt and I think we’re the only one that notices our flaws. Very nicely done!
what an awesome book!
Love everything about this, the pattern, the fabrics, the quilt design, the binding. Thanks so much for sharing.
Love your organic wavy line quilting! I always forget that I could do this for my quilts, so seeing reminders of how nice it looks and how fun it is – just what I need!
Great quilt!! Thank you for sharing!
What a great quilt! Love the colors. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for the ‘brave’ post–I’ve tackled machine quilting my quilts…and it is so hard not to point out t he ‘bad spots!’ Why do we do that??? 🙂
Like you, I never quilt my projects bit always take them to be quilted; even small baby quilts! Thanks for your sharing and inspiration. I a determined to quilt my own next small quilt. Probably a baby quilt as they never critique the stitching ; )
I love quilt patterns that are flexible enough that you can make them your own. Your fabrics are yummy!
Thanks for inspiring us ! I really like squiggles and might get up the courage to try the machine quilting .
Great job! Love the quilt and the quilting!!!
Congratulations for piecing AND quilting. You’ve done a wonderful job
What fun! It would be such fun to win a copy of the book. Thanks for sharing.
Love your quilt. This book has so many fun ideas! Would to win it. Thanks.
I love the planned yet scrappy look you achieved! Thanks for sharing!
Great job being brave! And for being strong enough to not rip out. Perfection is overrated. 🙂
great book – I love working with precuts
I love your rainbow-like layout. It’s very striking. I am actually quilting a quilt right now with the same kind of wavy lines you used. I love the movement it creates in the quilt!
Beautiful work! And I love your attitude that it’s not perfect but that’s just fine.
Thank you for sharing your quilting experience. I have been thinking of trying to quilt my win quilts, so I really enjoyed reading about your experience as well as seeing your pictures. Your thread and binding choices were clever.
Love the colors you have used for your quilt.
Your quilt looks great. I really love the fabric layout and appreciate you sharing your process.
Love your quilt and all the quilts that are being featured. Colors are fabulous.
Would love the book.
Thanks again for all the inspiration. I’ve yet to do much in the quilting world, but I’m making my way in slowly … ready to finally put the top, batting, and back together and try to machine quilt my first big (twin size) project (2 years isn’t long, right?!). Maybe I’ll try squiggles!
Nice. Bright. Cheery. Love the quilting!
Love your quilt! The wavy lines are great! – I would have left them as is too. 🙂
I haven’t tried wavy quilting lines yet. Yours look great.
Your quilt is beautiful and no one but you will notice if the quilting isn’t perfect.
Wonderful quilt ! I like to think of those little oopses as part of the love of handmade… We are always our own worst critics.
Thank you for sharing.
Love your version of the Squiggles Quilt! Thanks for sharing your journey, you have inspired me!
I think we are our own worst critics. The quilting looks great to me!
Always brave to quilt when out of practice, but yours looks wonderful. I like all the choices!
Your squiggle quilting really looks nice. I love the layout and the squiggles really give it movement. Congrats!!
Love your colorful quilt. And the quilting looks rad too. I need to be braver and just go for it in my quilting – I’m too up tight about making mistakes on my precious pieced pretties!
I love rainbow/brightly colored quilts and yours is just beautiful. Your quilting experience has me thinking about trying to quilt myself too. Thanks so much for sharing this project and review!
Love the setting and congrats on doing your own quilting!
great job! as always, you do such good work!
Love ideas for precuts!
Thanks for giving us more beautiful creations for inspiration!
I love your quilt! I would have not thought of light green as a neutral, but it works really well here. Thanks for the new inspiration!
Your color choices and quilting are awesome!
Your quilt is awesome and you did a wonderful job!!! Thank you!
Love the rainbow.
I like everything about your quilt! I plan to try wavy line quilting on my next quilt since yours turned out so nice.
i love scrappy, and precuts are a great way to save time and stress. What a fun quilt you made with Christa’s pattern.
Oh! I *love* your version of Christa’s Squiggles pattern!!
(I love scrappy quilts, too,… And your layout is * wonderful*!!)
Thank you for sharing your creativity!
(Really enjoy reading your writing, too! Your little quilter’s play had me smiling!)
Congratulations on a wonderful quilt… that you made *all by yourself*!!
Pat T.
This looks like a fun quilt to make. Have been holding back on quilting on my sewing machine but ready to take the leap! Thanks for all the inspiration…….
Awesome quilt! I haven’t tried it yet, but I suspected Green thread would really look great it in a quilt and you proved it to me!! Thank you!
I like your quilt. I think you might be stretching it – if you can quilt yours, I can quilt mine. I get tense just thinking about the true meaning of the word quilt. The colors in your quilt are beautiful. I’m glad that Christa does give an idea for quilting thee quilt. I just laugh when the patten says – baste, quilt, and bind. The only one of those that I can do is bind – usually – not great on curved binding. Thanks for a great overview of this pattern and the book in general.
Susan
A great variation and use of color. Not every quilt has to be a masterpiece. But your quilt is the kind that would be used and loved.
I really liked that you were not sure if you would like the squiggly lines quilting. I do that all the time!
Love your quilt and the book looks great. Thanks for sharing.
Your design sparkles with color! Very pretty.
I love the way you arranged the colors. I have got to get brave and try quilting with a walking foot.
When I saw the first photo of a small section of the quilt, I wasn’t sure I would like it, but the full quilt is absolutely GORGEOUS!! Thanks for the great post, I learned a lot.
Very nice. I’d love to win a copy of her book.
Really quilt, and congrats on quilting your own. Nice!
Those In bloom fabrics are certainly sweet. Who wouldn’t want to sew with them. I love when the fabrics can do the talking for the quilt and your lovely design does that.
Honestly I cannot remember when I have given a quilt to someone and they really noticed my unique design decisions (mistakes) or even commented on them. They just loved the quilt as I intended. Our unique design decisions is what makes a handmade quilt a special gift.
tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com
I love the colors and layout of your quilt, and the quilting, too! I quilt exclusively with my walking foot, and have those same things happen. I think when it is all done, no one else but us sees those bobbles! Thanks for the giveaway!
Your color layout gives me inspiration. Great job on the quilting.
Fun colorful quilt! Looks like color placement was probably the hardest part. ;o)
Love your honesty about your quilting mistakes! This is a very pretty quilt!
Beautiful quilt!! And the quilting adds so much, great job!!!
I love it — finished is better than perfect! Thanks for reinforcing the “just go with it” spirit.
I love your layout of the blocks and I especially love your squiggle quilting. Thanks for the opportunity to winner an ecopy of the book.
Needing to learn to continue on and finish.
I love that you persevered with wavy lines. Quilting has definitely taught me that perfection is not only unachievable but highly unnecessary. Figuring that out is quite calming for the soul.
BEAUTIFUL QUILT! Love to win an e-copy!
Great job! I have a hard time doing scrappy too. ?
Love your color placement of your “scrappy” blocks. And yes, sometimes we are our own worst critics in pointing out our inconsistencies to others. Great looking finished project. Thanks for the opportunity to win an “e” copy of the book.
I love everything, from your color lay out, to your neutral green thread (I’m going to give that a try) to your play! Pat yourself on the back again.
Lovingly,
Lissa
Good job of following instructions, the quilt looks fabulous, I want to play…..
I love the way you put your fabrics together in this quilt. It is lovely. I like everything about it, and the quilting looks great!
Beautiful quilt! I like that you used green thread for the quilting.
Looks like a fantastic book and I love your version of the quilt Sqiggles.
Your Squiggles quilt is so pretty using “In Bloom”. Great job!
I do appreciate the color gradation. I couldn’t see the binding choice clearly but I’m sure it looks good up close. I like the look of binding that is not all the same.
Your fabric choices are beautiful. Thanks for sharing your thought process as you selected fabric. Love the quilting too.
Really enjoyed your honest story re quilting – always good to know we’re not alone 😉
Love Christa’s pattern and your fabric choices! Thank you for sharing
I love “Squiggles – The Play.” Good for you, Quilter Kate! It’s so hard to not point out your errors, but in the end, nobody notices them if you don’t! Thanks for hosting the giveaway and sharing how you made your Squiggles quilt!
I like your layout. I’m happy you decided to leave the bloops. Unless it’s a show quilt, no one else will notice them, especially after it’s washed and nice and crinkly. As Angela Walters (and many others) have said, “Done is better than perfect”.
It is beautiful! I keep telling my daughter the same thing. ” Just keep quilting!” The more you quilt it, the better it looks. Pat yourself on the back again.
Thanks for sharing your thought processes. I love the quilting with the wavy lines.
It’s beautiful! Can’t wait to try this one.
Love the lay-out and right on for quilting it yourself. Christa teaches us to perfectly imperfect!
I am going to rethink what color to use on top thread when quilting. I like the subtle blending. Great job on quilting your top!
I love your layout, and I love that you quilted it yourself when normally you send it off to be quilted. Inspires me to try to quilt my own. I have a lot of UFO`s to quilt!
I love your comments, and also that you didn’t call out the Quilt Police! LOL!
I love the way you laid out the blocks in color waves, great idea!
I love your version of Christa’s design! The colors you chose are beautiful and you did a great job with the quilting! I say ‘Keep it up!’
Wow green… I would never. Now I’m going to have try to use some of my colors besides grey and white for my quilts. Thanks
Your choices are wonderful. I would love to win a copy. I need this book desperately to improve my skills. I will buy it if I don’t win.
Your color choices and layout for this quilt are perfect!!
Kate,
I love your quilt and the fabric you chose.
Your quilting looks great. This has been fun.
I love this quilt. I am a fan of rainbow quilts. And I like how you mixed the fabrics in the same colorway.
Love the quilt and all the quilting.
It’s beautiful! I love the color placement. I, too, love scrappy but have a hard time letting go and being free with the look. (I’m more Type A and organization.)
Great idea to use the light green thread.
This is a beautiful quilt. Love it!!
I like your rainbow quilt creation and you inspire us to quilt it ourselves.
Isn’t this a fun quilt? Mistakes? What mistakes? I’m glad to hear you enjoyed quilting it yourself. I think wavy line quilting is my go to quilting for charity quilts and other quilts I want to finish in a hurry. Love your fabric!!!
Your quilt is great!! I Love that you did your own quilting on it too. I also appreciate that you didn’t have to take out the less than perfect stitches. That frees me up so much when other quilters let it go too!! Lol!
I love your quilt and the fabric is great. The one thing I really notwas how nice your blocks looked, so nice and flat. You are a great piecer too.
Your quilt AND quilting are fantastic!
I love how the squiggly lines turned out. I have a stitch on my machine that does a nice wavy line using the walking foot. I might need to do this on a squiggly in my future.
I like the original quilt and I like yours too. It looks like an entirely different quilt. I’m very interested in trying this so I hope to win the e-book. Thanks for the chance to enter.
I always try to match things up too! So I love your solution with the layout. And good for you for quilting it yourself. Good job!
It looks like a great book, sure do love your quilt.
What wonderful color gradation of your quilt & am loving that quilting-very nice! Thank you for sharing, Susan
So creative! I bought Christa’s Piece & Quilt with Precuts but never would have thought to flip the Squiggles block design this way. I’ll definitely try it. I feel free that you too are encouraging us to embrace our imperfections. I’m quite the perfectionist so this is definitely new for me but the quilting process is so much more enjoyable when I don’t get hung up on every little mishap.
Love the quilt. I like the movement of the colour from one side to the other. I like your quilting, too, and appreciate your honesty. Glad we are all human!
I love the innovative setting you choice for this lovely quilt. It was especially delightful to follow your thought process as you made it. Such as, I machine quilt all of my own quilts and have never been inspired to use the squiggly line. Not so anymore! listening to you as you watched the progression of “feeling” your way thru this design from wary to thrilled made a believer of me. Seriously I have a disappearing 9 patch baby quilt all basted and ready to go. As I woke up I mulled over quilting options. Sitting with my cup of tea reading inspiration hit. Not only am I going to quilt this one with squiggly lines, but I’m going to make this design for my next Cruiser Quilt donation! And head over to Amazon to get a Christa’s book.
So wonderful! What a terrific layout and beautiful fabrics! And I love wavy line quilting — goes with everything and gives the quilt a nice texture.
This is gorgeous! You did such a fantastic job!