Category: My Quilts

Sisterhood of Scraps

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Today is my mom’s birthday or as we all called her, Gammy, you know like the Grammy’s. We all won the biggest award by having her in our lives. She was so creative and taught us all to work with our hands. In honor of my mom’s birthday, January 6th is the best day to announce the debut of Sisterhood of Scraps.

Sisterhood of Scraps is a follow-up book to Oh Scrap, but this one is bigger and better because some of my friends have come along for the journey.  Laurie Simpson, Susan Ache, Barbara Brackman, Sandy Klop, Kim Brackett and Sheryl Johnson all helped make this book happen.  Each of these talented women said YES when I asked them if they wanted to take on the challenge.

They weren’t scared!!
I paired with each person to make a quilt incorporating a certain shape. I would do the same shape but neither of us knew anything else. No other rules or limitations and I hope these quilts inspire you to join the Sisterhood of Scraps.

First up is Laurie Simpson of Minick & SImpson.  Laurie has a very classic and timeless style and this quilt did not disappoint. The challenge for Laurie was 4 patches and 9 patches. Remember that was the only rule.  There are so many secondary patterns in this quilt that I can look at it over and over and see different patterns created by the lights and darks throughout. The stacked brick border sends your eye back into the quilt. The quilting pattern is what I call a baptist fan. The curved shape of the quilting compliments the linear piecing.

This is my version of 4 patches and 9 patches.  I don’t know how most people go about making a scrap quilt but most of the time I just start sewing shapes. It is my therapy, mindless sewing at the end of the day while binge-watching my favorite show.

This quilt is bits and pieces from a couple of other quilts I have made. I call it Friendship Starter because it reminded me of the Amish Friendship bread recipe. Friendship bread you create the starter,  keep adding to it and wait patiently until it is time to make bread all the while the starter is shared with others to cultivate their recipe.

SIDE NOTE: I did pass along all the little four patch starters.

Susan Ache of @yardgrl60 Has created just the perfect pop of color using a red background for her LeMoyne stars surrounded by Log Cabins. The quilt is brand new but has that wonderful soft vintage feel as if it had been around for decades. A red binding finished it off beautifully.

Log Cabin was our shape in common. I made a log cabin on point with different centers, half dark and half light to create a woven pattern. If you have followed me you know I love using a combination of different Moda fabric designers’ fabrics. It just makes me happy and I think of each of them as I touch each piece. I love the quilting on this quilt. A floral design was quilted on the light section and simple straight lines in the dark. This also helps create an optical illusion on how the blocks were even pieced. All I need now is an actual log cabin house to go with the quilt. This is a great scrap buster for sure!!

I will give you a minute or two to catch your breath from this quilt.

Ok, got it?

Do you need to scroll up to see the picture again?

This quilt is even more spectacular in person.

Sandy Klop of American Jane is the creator of this quilt. Forever Friends is Sandy’s quilt. I look at this quilt and think about how each fabric tells a story and what was Sandy thinking about as she worked on this. The shape that Sandy and I both went with was a 1 patch square.

When I made my quilt and knew that my sister on the project was Sandy I knew I had to use reds and that my quilt had to be bright and vibrant just like Sandy’s personality and friendship is to me.
One main difference is her squares are uber small and mine and big and funky.

My quilt is named Ketchup and Mustard and is perfect for a picnic quilt.

( thank you Tammy Vonderschmitt for the quilt name.)

It is hard to have just one favorite quilt from the book,
just like it would be hard to have a favorite child but this quilt Half Square Hashtags from Sheryl Johnson will be the first one I reproduce.
I have always been a fan of Sheryl and her shop Temecula Quilts but had not met her in person until we started working on this book. The challenge I gave Sheryl was make something with half-square triangles, yes that was all I said and she created this beauty.

Part friendship quilt and part signatures from people that have influenced my life is the inspiration for my sister quilt to Sheryl’s, INFLUENCERS. I was able to get signatures some of my teachers, designers, friends, family even the president of Quilts, inc and Moda fabrics. I got signatures from new friends at quilting events and hope to travel some with this quilt, so if I see you I will most likely pull out a pen and ask you for your signature. Thanks for your influence.

Kim Brackett hit it out of the part with her DIVERGENCE quilt. So much pattern,

color and movement throughout the quilt without a single set in-seam.

My kind of quilt looks hard but it is easy.

The quilt just makes me happy!

Remember we did not see each other’s quilts until far along in the process. Trapezoid shapes. Geez, what did I do to myself?

You can never have to many holiday quilt so I went with classic Christmas colors, but wanted to create a spinning effect by making the backgrounds between the stars half darks and half lights. Then I thought it would be a super cool bed quilt with

the star set on point so filled it with background fabrics to float.

Barbara Brackman, the queen of quilting has graciously included one of her antique quilts in this book.  Barbara and I did sisterhood quilts a little different. She sent me pictures of several antique quilts and I knew the Orange one was it.  To tell you what a small world it is, I had saved a picture of this quilt and it was on my “to make in sometime life” list of quilts and had no idea

it was Barbara’s quilt.

Barbara reproduced her own quilt as a mini and yes the pattern is also in the book.

This quilt was probably the hardest to decide upon. Since I had seen Barbara’s quilt and it was on my must-make list, how could I think of anything else but the wonderfully faded orange and the black and white stripes and tickings? Seriously how can you mess with perfection? So I started with the graphic black and whites but went with dots instead of stripes, added tickings and vintage-inspired lights. Okay, half the fabric was decided upon. The other half of the quilt is Jen Kingwell’s Lollies fabrics. These fabrics are 8 fabrics in one so it was a breeze to get a scrappy look with a limited amount of fabrics. While not messing with the greatness of Barbara’s quilt, I think my Pot of Gold quilt gives lots of options when looking at color and fabric differently. I will still be making the Orange version. ( thanks to Sarah Huecthmann for piecing the top for me)

I am going to have some guest posts from some of the contributors over the next 2 weeks, and there will be prizes!!   Books are in stores now.  #sisterhoodofscraps

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GAMMY

I get my laugh, my humor,

my snark, my patience

and so much more from my mom.

I know she would love all the quilts and brag to everyone she met.

Happy Birthday Mom and thanks for nurturing and encouraging all things creative in me.

 

Enjoy,

 

Lissa

Stars and Stripes Quilt-along

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Recently Julia Davis of @redrainbootshandmade hosted a
Stars and Stripes Quilt along featuring the
Stars and Stripes pattern from Camille Roskelley of Thimbleblossoms.

I had already made one of these quilts but there is nothing like a quilt-along to encourage you to jump in on another project.
Several people in my family have hinted that they want their own flag quilt and I have a fairly large family!

My daughter (only girl with 4 brothers) got wind that I was making another one
of Camille’s quilts and she decided
she wanted to make one as a gift.
I couldnt believe this and I didnt dare want to pass up the opportunity of JIllian making a quilt.
She hasn’t made a quilt since she was in fourth grade.
She did win a prize at the Dallas Quilt Show for her sunflower nine patch quilt.
She seems to think it was a participation ribbon and all the kids got one.
I dont remember it like that at all!!

Jillian lives about an hour away from me but comes to town often, so we took this project on.
She had a deadline!!
She was on a mission!!

Great photo props in the country!

A little photo op in the country with a lady bug landing on one of the quilts…
GOOD LUCK!!

JIllian showing off the quilt she made that will be gifted this week.

I always joke that it is just as fast to make 2 quilts as it is to make 1,
so while she was sewing away I was cutting and cutting and cutting.

She thought she would never finish which was quite humorous.
What she didnt know was that I was sewing another set of flags after she went home.
I found the perfect shade of green (jillian’s favorite color)
and a yummy green fireside/snuggles fabric for the back.

Sent both quilt tops off to the quilter  (Red Velvet Quilts) in time to finish before the fourth of July.

I have made several flag quilts in my lifetime but I have never made 3 from the same pattern, really 2 and helped with the third.

But I am hooked on this quilt and will probably make many more. Remember that big family I mentioned?

Wishing everyone a wonderful Independence Day!

-Modalissa

June, so it must be time for….

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It is June so it must be time for
PUMPKINS!??!!

If you follow me, you know I love Orange so  the new fabric line ALL HALLOW’S EVE by Fig Tree and Co is possibly my favorite line of 2019. I begged Joanna of Fig Tree and Co. to let me test one of her new patterns. I didn’t really beg.

This could be considered another one of my “secret sewing” projects since I was working on it in February, at a
retreat by the ocean!

Life is rough, but a girl has got to do what a girl has to do!

Too much laughing or too much wine or a combination of both made me make a few different diversions from
the orginal pattern. I love it just the same!

The pattern is Fig Tree, stock #FT1465 and is headed to stores now. Fabric is shipping to stores also.

The quilt is off to the quilter and I can’t wait to show it off completed.
The quilt will then be added to Moda’s trunk show program where it will go on tour to some quilt shops.

I can’t begin to tell you how much I love Antler Quilt Design’s ruler for this project.
This is the mini simple folded corner ruler that makes cutting the corners a breeze.

Here is a representation of the range of fabrics in the line courtesy of Moda Fabrics! 
If you are an orange collector like me you will want to stock up on these prints, Seriously!!

Can you say BOOO-tiful?

And if All Hallow’s Eve was not great enough, I have been hoarding a bundle of Christmas Figs! I have got to try the greens and oranges together! Enough about my Fig Tree crush!!

Do you have an all time favorite fabric line? How about an all time favorite fabric designer?

pieceful quilting,

-modalissa

Secret Sewing

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I love the phrase “secret sewing”. My whole life is based on secret sewing. I get to work ahead on many of the lines that Moda produces. I get to try out new products. I get to use products I thought I would never need like the Shape Cut ruler by June Tailor. While doing some of my secret market sewing, more on that later, I remembered that one of the girls in the office swears by her Shape Cut ruler. I am a pretty fast and accurate cutter so I did not see the need to have to fit my rotary cutter into a little sliver just to make a cut. Never say never! I tried it and I loved it!

Why did I love it? One of my secret sewing projects was to make a quilt to be displayed in the Moda Quilt Market booth. It had lots of strips sets and I do like to layer and cut which can lead to your ruler slipping and sliding.

I laid out the strips right sides together and butted the seams next to each other. Then shifted the strip sets so all the seams were not on top of each other. This is where the Shape Cut ruler came in so handy. The weight and size of the ruler kept all my layers together and I did not have to move the ruler. Yeah!!

My pieces were all ready to go to the machine and sew and sew and sew!

Now that Quilt Market is over and Bonnie & Camille have introduced their next line of fabric, Early Bird, I can show my “not a secret any more sewing.”

Hide & Seek Pattern # TB 234 by Thimbleblossoms

Fabric will arrive in stores October 2019. It will be here before you know it.

Thanks for listening to my secret sewing story and my new love, of the Shape Cut ruler. Yes I did have to give Janet back her ruler but I am now a proud owner of my own!!

Positively Patriotic

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Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting® magazine. ©2019 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved. 

Here is my latest project featured in the June issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.
Didn’t APQ do a fantastic job photo styling my quilt?

My heart goes pitter patter over anything red white and blue.

Magazines are on the newstands April 5th so in the meantime if you want to gather your fabrics, I used

some of my very favorite Bella Solids

Royal 9900-19,   2 1/4 yds
9900-200,           3 5/8 yds
Cherry 9900-230       2 yds

I am in love and honored to be featured in this issue alongside some other greatness including Susan Ache, Diane Harris, Jessica Dayon, Jo Kramer and Kelli Hanken, Tara Lynn Baisden, Victoria Findlay Wolfe and Heidi Staples. To find out more about this issue, follow American Patchwork & Quilting’s social media.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/allpeoplequilt

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/allpeoplequilt

Twitter: @allpeoplequilt

Instagram: @allpeoplequilt

My only problem is I wonder if they will let me borrow that truck for my summer picnic.

Enjoy!

-modalissa

 

WINNER, WINNER

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Thank you so much to everyone that stopped by on the Splendid Sampler Block hop.
I just returned from Market and seeing the finished Splendid Sampler quilts, I am inspired to put some of my blocks together and work towards finishing my quilt. As of now it sits in the pile of UFO projects!!
WINNERS LISTED BELOW
Have all been contacted and look forward to getting your prizes to you.
Kathy Aho says:

A couple of years ago I would have said a 12 inch block is my favorite size. And then I joined the Splendid Sampler 1 last year and even though it was challenging some of the time, I grew to love the 6 inch blocks. I learned how to bring my sewing super-speedy-ness down and my quilting techniques up. This is a good thing for a lead foot like me. Thank you Lissa, Pat, Jane, and all the designers each for all you do for the Splendid Sampler fans. We appreciate you.

Karen Seitz says:

I’ve never really thought about this until now, but I think pattern aside, I would say 8″ finished. 6″ is more practical (will divide and multiply more different ways), but A little bit larger block makes it easier for my intermediate skills to be successful.

Leslie Fitzgerald says:

I love 8″ blocks. They are easily managed and I don’t need Jack the Ripper companionship very often for them. 6″ blocks…Jack and I are really good friends sharing the work on these SS2 blocks. 😉

On Friday I am headed back down to Quilt Festival for the day. The show floor completely transforms from wholesale companies to retail stores. I have my shopping list ready and want to take pics of more of the quilts on exhibit including the Red and White exhibit. Read more about this here. Giveaway for this book announced on the 10th! Some of the other exhibits that I need to visit are Antique Quilts of the British Isles by Chrisopher Wilson Tate.

This is just one of the quilts on exhibit, It is also the quilt that inspired his newest fabric collection, Regency Sussex which will be in stores April 2019.

For more information, here.

 

I am a big fan of Janet Clare. In this exhibit, My Story so Far, she shares her entire creative process.

Truly inspiring.

She will be at the exhibit so stop by and say hello!

For more information about the Janet Clare exhibit, visit the moda cutting table.

 

Me too!

I will be back here on the 10th to announce the winners of the Red and White books. So many excting things happening!!

I love being a quilter.

 

 

Splendid Sampler II

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Welcome to the last stop on the Splendid Sampler 2 block hop.

I have a story about my quilt block, but first I wanted to tell you about a few behind the scenes details. (excuse my analogies, but it fits)

While I did not birth this Splendid Sampler baby, I was indeed there at conception. A few years ago, I sat with the uber-talented Pat Sloan and Jane Davidson as they talked through this little idea they had. I immediately asked how Moda Fabrics can be involved. We continued to talk through the process from beginning to end, organizing the fabrics, creating Facebook pages, building a website, featuring patterns and inviting creatives to be a part of the journey. We all hit the ground running. Over the next fun months the baby grew and grew, we had our version of morning sickness as we orchestrated picking two color palettes,  dividing the fabrics into sets, shipping them across the world. Whew! Pat and Jane were contacting designers that could tell a story and teach a different technique all in a 6″ block. The baby was birthed, and it grew, bigger than anyone would have expected. It became so much and eventually turned into a book.

Pretty Awesome!
They survived the stretch marks, morning sickness, and delivery.

Well, Jane and Pat decided that they could do this again!!

June 13, 2017, I received the second invite to be a part of another birth…….

Below are swatches of the color palette for Splendid Sampler 2.

Fabrics were cut, folded and mailed.

My block’s name is Big Sun.

I made this block during the Hurricane Harvey.

We were asked to tell our story about Best Quilting Life as we were making our blocks and this is why I named this block,

Big Sun even though it is a little 6″ block.

I couldn’t help but think about how so many people were affected by this storm,
that I wish a Big Sun would come and dry up all the water.

I have been so fortunate to start quilting at a very young age, to have met many people through the process

and eventually found a job in the industry doing what I love.

My quilt block instructions can be found on the Splendid Sampler website, click here for more info.

Splendid Sampler- Big Sun

What I know is quilter’s use their gift of quilting to help others, whether it is making a

quilt for a new baby or comforting those experiencing national disasters.

The life of a quilt lives on long after we are gone, it is a part of the maker, it is part of their story.

Who knows what is in store for Pat and Jane on their journey, but I always hope to be a part of their story and

thank them for including me in the birth of the Splendid Samplers!

Now if you have read all the way to here,
you know I have something good in store for you!
YES, a giveaway!! I have a couple of prizes.

Prize 1

Splendid Sampler 1 book with some fabric goodies!!

Prize 2

Splendid Sampler 2 book with some fabric goodies!!

Leave a comment, letting me know what your favorite size quilt block is and I pick a few winners at random.

I will announce the winners, November 8th.

Be sure and check out all the other great talent that has shared part of their story through the Splendid Sampler projects.

June
14 Alex Veronelli
21 Rebecca Bryan
28 Helen Stubbings

July
5 Wenche Wolff Hatling
12 Susan Ache
19 Lori Kennedy
26 Sharon Burgess

Aug
2 Brenda Ratliff
9 Amy Friend
16 Rachaeldaisy
30 Nadra Ridgeway

Sept
6 Irene Blanck
13 Carl Hentsch
20 Jo Avery
27 Nicole Vos van Avezathe

Oct
4 Jenny Doan
11 Jane Pineapple
18 Carolee McMullin
25 Pat Radio Waves

Enjoy,

-modalissa

Izzy Squared- baby quilt

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The fun of making scrap quilts is that I sew bits and pieces together and let the plan develop as I go. I always ask my quilting friends, “Do you cut out the entire quilt before you get started, or do you cut some pieces and test your color choices before you cut the entire quilt?”

I think I have always done the latter and maybe that is because of my love of scraps quilts.

And because of this I often have some leftovers in quilting, not in cooking. I added more squares and had enough pieces from my Izzy Squared quilt (large version) to make a baby quilt.

  

Thought this would be a good time to talk value which is basically one word for light, medium or dark. If you haven’t read Oh Scrap yet, the book is full of color coordinated quilts that push the envelope a little bit in the study of value and fabric placement.

Don’t get me wrong, I love everything about all of these blocks, they are scraps so by definition anything is acceptable. So i am going to share some value tips from some of the blocks. The best way to study color is to look at things in black and white. Crazy, right?

In the above picture, look at the grayscale block. What do you see? Look how strong the royal blue block stands out. It is definitely considered a dark. The fabric has very little design in it so also reads as a solid. The other fabric in this example is the red corner square in the bottom right corner. Dark and reads as a solid so it is a strong selection.

When I mentioned leftovers sometimes start my quilts, sometimes they help me finish. I was about out of reds for the centers and came across this tiny 4 patch that I trimmed to just the right size for my center square. I love the quirky little block.

 

These two pictures are not side by side so  you may have to scroll back and forth to see the differences. I have shown the grayscale version above. Look at the bottom middle block, notice how the square in the left hand corner disappears?

Here is the color version of the sweet little aqua fabric that is just perfect for this block. It also reads as a solid but would be considered a light. When studying value, you also have to take into consideration the background fabric. This little aqua square is close in value but different enough in color to work.

Shown here is a larger section of the quilt showing the difference in the values of lights and darks makes you eye explore all the colors. I love the block that is just the 5 red squares.

When asked if I have a favorite version of these blocks, it is like asking if I have a favorite child. I love them all for different reasons! I am always surprised how each block turns out!! Love, love, love.

 

Then once your quilt top is complete, the quilting is always the icing on top. Maggi Honeyman quilted this quilt for me with an all over design. When studying color, pattern and values keep in mind that quilting does add another layer of art by defining or minimizing some of your fabric choices.

I used one of Bonnie and Camille’s 108″ wide quilt backs from Moda. (leftovers from another quilt back). The backing is so soft and almost silky feeling which will be yummy once it is washed and wrapped around a little one.

Shown below is the larger version of this color way of Izzy Squared quilt. To read more about it, go here.

Ask for Oh Scrap book at your favorite quilt or specialty store for patterns and more color tips.

Enjoy!

-modalissa

SPLENDID SAMPLER 2

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Today is the beginning of a beautiful quilting journey. If you did not finish your Splendid Sampler quilt, it is not too late to jump in on the second round. The blocks will be 6″ so any combination of Splendid Sampler blocks will work nicely together.

I am sharing my version of block 1 designed by Alex Veronelli! No better person to start us on our Splendid journey than the king of Aurifil thread.

I must admit I did not finish round 1, so I am combining blocks from both series. I am so inspired by the book
and all the creative settings online that
I have gotten my second wind and will be sewing along.
I hope you will also.

A big shout out to all the designers in the quilting community that have contributed their talent and creativity to share their blocks and their stories.

Book 1 shown above, available now. Book 2 already in the works and will be available later this fall.

Thank you to Pat Sloan, Jane Davidson, and Martingale for making it all happen. Also to Moda Fabrics for supplying the beginning round of fabrics.

My version is going to be scrappy since this will be an ongoing project. I would love to hear what your fabric choices are?

I had to show one more pic of my block mainly so I could show my favorite little tape measure. I am obsessed with plastic animal tape measures.
My grandkids can play with them and not break them!

Enough about me, join the FB group to follow along and get your patterns.
If you are not on FB, then follow the Splendid Sampler blog for all the details and patterns.

You are all splendid,

-modalissa