Showing posts with label april_showers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label april_showers. Show all posts

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Finished: April Showers Plus Quilt

Yes!  It's finished!



It features fabric from Bonnie & Camille's April Showers line and several low volume prints (including my coveted chicken wire fabric).  The circular quilting compliments (at least I think so!) all of the right angles in the quilt.



Backing is a crossword print I found on clearance!  Yay for cute backings that are awesome!



I was tempted to wait for yardage so that I could get the navy bias stripe for the binding, but the solid navy stole my heart.  Love how it gives an edge to the quilt.

Quilt measures roughly 52" x 60".  Quilting done by my LQS, Cutting Edge Quilts and the quilting design is called "Champagne Bubbles"

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Best, Kate

PS.  Anyone else use PicMonkey?  I love it, but it no longer supports my browser... and I didn't feel like upgrading tonight... please don't steal my pictures :)

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

April Showers: Charm Quilt Progress



One night in December, I'm thumbing my way through Instagram when I notice a post from Amanda of Westwood Acres Fabric.  She was selling her Fall Market Stash, including charm packs of Bonnie & Camille's new spring line: April Showers.  Hmmm it took me roughly two seconds to decide to jump at the chance of grabbing some April Showers.  (The blues are absolutely gorgeous and this line is in my "comfort" color scheme).  I jumped on and grab three sets.  Why three? 

Last month I won a copy of Love Patchwork and Quilting's first issue and on the cover is Holly DeGroot's The Plus Side quilt.  I swooned.  I loved the simplicity and boldness of the pattern.  The quilt was screaming "MAKE ME."  And so I responded, in kind :)

The pattern requires three charm packs (so that you have three matching 5" squares, but you can easily just cut out 3, 5" squares if you choose to do this pattern). The pattern also provides measurements if you choose to use different fabrics for each block background, or if you want to use one consistent block background.  I've been hesitant to join the modern quilting trend of low volume fabrics and didn't feel like it was quite "my style."  However, after seeing this quilt, I felt confident to try a "new thing."  It was my spark!  Don't you just love inspiration?!?

Progress:
I started the quilt on a whim late Friday night (I even "Instagramed" it with the hashtag #measurethreetimes) because I was worried I would cut my precious fabric incorrectly. (After all, they're currently my substitute for children). First I separated out all of the low volume April Showers charms and set them aside. Next comes the process of laying out the low volume backgrounds so that I could get them to "look" random.  Then I played with placement of the April Shower charms, again to make them "look" random.



Then I finally started to piece the blocks together and I am halfway done! 10 more blocks to go and I am enjoying the process.

Thinking this one is my favorite so far.



Howie likes this one more.



So far, I love this pattern!  I would highly recommend it to a beginner or seasoned quilter.  It's a great pattern to show off your fabric and to play with the low-volume trend.  What do you think of low volume fabrics?

Details:
Pattern: The Plus Side (From Love Patchwork and Quilting's Issue One)
Designer: Holly DeGroot
Fabrics: April Showers from Moda's Bonnie & Camille
Low Volume Fabrics: Happy-Go-Lucky from Bonnie & Camille, Waterfront Park from Violet Craft, Nottinghill from Art Gallery, Moda's Surrounded by Love, Chicken Wire from Moda Classics, and Kona White.