If you're not familiar with Upscale Plaid, it's one of our newer patterns in the shop. There are 7 sizes, 5 layouts, and the construction method is just so fun. If you haven't seen the other Upscale Plaid quilts that I've made, be sure to check those out here. Otherwise, let's dive in!
This version uses shades of green and gray with a little pop of cedar. It feels earthy, neutral and quite frankly, I love it. :)
The fabrics are:
We have quilt kits to make this exact quilt (including binding and backing) in the shop!
If you've played around with Upscale Plaid on PreQuilt, then you know that certain colors within this quilt interact with each other. Because of this, I jumped around from Kona to Art Gallery Fabrics for the various shades that I needed for this quilt. I'm not afraid to mix fabric manufacturers, if necessary. I love Kona and AGF, but they do have a different feel to them. Again, I haven't let that stop me before...sometimes its necessary to get the exact shade that you're looking for.
If you followed along with the Quilt Along, then you've already seen this quilt come to life. It's really fun to watch the progression of strip piecing paired with simple sewing of squares and rectangles. The quilt top assembly is very straight forward and easy with a clever twist. I think you'll enjoy putting it together!
I finished this quilt top about a week before QuiltCon in February. We sent it off for it's beauty treatment with Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting, then she brought the quilt to QuiltCon for us to display it in our booth. For this quilt, I wanted a pantograph that felt edge-y and geometric with lots of movement and texture. We ended up going with "Vista" by Leisha Farnsworth using a medium gray thread.
For the backing, I used one of my favorite fabrics, Festoon Umber by Katarina Rocella for Art Gallery Fabrics. It's from her Botanist collection, which we actually used to make a Nightingale quilt about a year ago (seen here). It gives a nice contrast to the front of the quilt, which is a little bit unexpected, but overall, I like that it adds a floral element to the quilt. Ya'll know that I love florals!
For the binding, I used Backroads Three by Bonnie Christine for Art Gallery Fabrics. This is a re-coloring of one of her older stripe prints called Backroads Umber, which I have used on many MANY quilt bindings. This version, however, is a dark forest green color that reads almost charcoal with a hint of pigment. It's a good one!
Don't forget, you can add on this backing and binding to the quilt kits in our shop!
Thanks for reading about this quilt. I hope that you love it as much as I do. :)
Happy sewing!
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LINKS:
]]>I tend to make a "warm" and "cool" sample of each of my quilt patterns. The cover quilt falls in the warm category (which you can read about here) and this quilt definitely feels a little more cool. I've talked about this before, but I don't typically gravitate towards greens and teals. And if I do sew with green, I prefer a very specific tone/shade... like this Nightingale quilt using AGF Forest Night as a background. (swoon!)
For this quilt, I used one of Art Gallery Fabrics' new solids (by Suzy Quilts) called Hemlock for the background. It's a mix between a teal and hunter green that I find so beautiful and almost chameleon-like.
Have you ever noticed how colors can change when their paired with other colors? On it's own, Hemlock looks way more green in real life, but once it's paired with other shades of true greens, it seems to lean more blue. It's fascinating what happens once it's all sewn together!
Here's a look at the fabrics used in this quilt. I love the pop of peach thrown in and how it warms up the palette just a smidge.
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All fabrics are Art Gallery PURE Solids:
We have kits for this exact quilt in the shop!
We're also super excited to offer acrylic templates as well! This pattern uses three different kinds of curves, so there are 6 total templates. The PDF and paper copy includes those templates, but if you'd like something a little more sturdy that you can use over and over again...definitely check out the acrylic!
Overall, this quilt has a little bit of a different feel than the cover quilt. We dive into color theory for this quilt inside of Curve College but you can definitely get a taste of what I mean when you play around with this quilt via the digital coloring pages on PreQuilt. In a nutshell, it's important to think about the "value" of your fabrics, or the relative lightness and darkness of the shade. This value is what really stands out as "contrast" in your quilt.
In this Hemlock sample, my Accent fabrics (golden browns) are of a similar value as my Background fabric (teal). This causes my Orange Peel" fabrics (greens and peaches) to really pop out to the forefront of the quilt, making them the focal point of the entire design.
In the Cover sample, seen here, the Accent fabrics are a similar value as the orange peels. They're different shades of color, but the values are similar, making them read similarly within the design. Notice how these two samples look slightly different because of that? Pretty cool, isn't it?
I made the Square Throw size of this pattern, so it measures 61" x 61". I decided to send it off to Ashley of Henhouse Quilting for longarm quilting. I quilted the cover quilt myself, which is also the same size, and 61" square is just on the cusp of my personal maximum DIY quilting size, haha. So it was nice to send this one off!
We went with a pantograph called "Pearl" by Leisha Farnsworth, which was a nice compliment to the curvy shapes in the pattern. The thread is a light peach to match the peach fabric in the quilt and I LOVE that extra addition of color to the quilt!
For the binding, I matched the Cornerstone fabric (AGF Forest Night) and I love the frame that it gives for the entire quilt! I used a Pearl Cotton 8 weight thread for a "big stitch" binding. I opted for a peach color to match the quilting thread. The backing is an AGF print by Katarina Roccella called Blossoming Nebule. We have kits that include backing and binding fabric in the shop as well!
I hope you love this quilt as much as I do. It was such a fun make! Thanks for reading!
Happy Quilting!
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LINKS:
]]>You might remember seeing this quilt last fall when we launched our brand new online course, Curve College. Well, as promised, we are finally releasing it as a "stand-alone" pattern in the shop! Rest assured, we'll be opening Curve College again in April 2024 (keep reading for details!), but if you're looking to make this pattern on your own, then this is for you. :)
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QUILT SIZES
First let's talk about sizes. You know me, I always like to include as many quilt sizes as possible in Lo & Behold Patterns. This pattern is no different. There are SEVEN different sizes, ranging from a pillow size all the way up to a bed size (which is a mix between and Full and Queen size).
Personally, I'm loving the Table Runner size...this is our first time adding this size/layout to a pattern! I think it's fun. :)
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CHOOSING FABRICS
This pattern has five main color groups: Accent, Orange Peel, Background, Border and Cornerstone.
The cover quilt is the Square Throw using Robert Kaufman Kona© solids.
For the Backing, I used Kona Ballerina and for the binding, I used Kona Wasabi.
We have kits to make this exact quilt in our shop!
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This is probably one of my most intricate patterns. But don't let that scare you! The instructions walk you through every step thoroughly and clearly. The diagrams in this pattern are top notch, if I do say so myself. Not to mention each of the curves have ample margins for trimming that means that you make everything oversized, then trim it down so that you can avoid wonkiness and keep your points. I don't know about you, but I love me some wiggle room!
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Speaking of curves, Retro Blossoms includes three different kinds of curves: drunkard's path units, orange peels and half circles. There are printable templates included within the pattern (the Paper copy of the pattern includes templates that are already printed) OR you can opt to purchase a set of acrylic templates.
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Ya'll. These template rulers are a GAME CHANGER when it comes to cutting out pieces for this quilt. Don't get me wrong, you don't need them for the pattern...I actually cut everything for the cover quilt using the paper templates included in the pattern. But the acrylic options makes things so much quicker and potentially more efficient and accurate. The set includes 6 different acrylic templates, which creates all three of your curved units within Retro Blossoms. The best part? You can reuse them again and again for future projects; AND...we just rewrote one of my older patterns, Shades of Citrus, so that you can use these templates for that pattern as well. Woot woot!
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If you're looking for further guidance around working with curves, Curve College, our intermediate online course, will open for enrollment early April! This comprehensive class is an incredible program that walks you through everything from cutting curves (three different ways) to sewing and trimming tips. We also share additional curved templates and projects so that you can go on an confidently create various curved piecing projects with ease. This lifetime access course includes thorough video instructions, a comprehensive workbook and access to a community where you can share progress and ask questions. It's a great place to be and we hope you'll join us soon! Be sure to get on the waitlist and read more about Curve College here.
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But back to the cover quilt! Believe it or not, this pattern is a "mix and match" style pattern. Similar to Nightingale and Mosaic Star, each block will like slightly different based on how you pair your fabrics. It's a fun little component to creating this pattern!
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I decided to quilt this quilt myself using one of my favorite quilting patterns. First, I pin basted my quilt top together with my batting (100% Cotton) and backing (Kona Ballerina). Then I quilted vertical and horizontal lines that are about 1.5" apart. Once those were finished, I quilted diagonal lines to go through each intersection. I'm obsessed with the texture that this creates!
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I used Aurifil Wine (5003) 50 weight thread on the top of the quilt and a 50 weight cream color thread (Aurifil 2026) on the back of the quilt. I love how it provides texture and a little bit of color, but it doesn't draw too much attention to itself.
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For the binding, I used Kona Wasabi to match the Cornerstones. I hand-quilted the binding with an 8 weight black thread to provide a little bit of an accent. All in all, I'm thrilled with how it turned out!
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Be sure to grab the Retro Blossoms quilt pattern in our shop (printed or PDF) and checkout our quilt kits as well! I cannot wait to see what you create with the pattern!
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Upscale Plaid quilt pattern can be found as a PDF instant download or printed copy in our shop!
Since my first two Upscale Plaid quilts had darker background and more contrasting colors, I wanted this one to feel different. I always try to make different variations of the pattern to show how it will look with various fabric choices. This version came from a desire to use more neutrals and low contrast fabrics. Something about it feels so soft and soothing. The purples are a given (they're my favorite!), but then the little hint of blue as an accent is so fun and a little unexpected.
I'm calling this Upscale Plaid version "Winter Blush." The fabrics are:
We have kits (including backing and binding) to make this exact quilt in our shop!
You'll notice that there are quite a few fabrics in this quilt...10 to be exact. This pattern is a little unique in the sense that there are three main groups of fabrics and you really want to think about how all of the fabrics interact with each other. There is a transparency effect with Upscale Plaid that is really unique, but it can be a little intimidating when you're starting with a blank slate. With that in mind, we have a "Choosing Fabrics" blog post that will help you get a game plan for your quilt. We also have several different Upscale Plaid kits for sale in the shop.
This pattern uses strip piecing...this is always one of my favorite steps to photograph!
I wanted to use a different layout for this quilt than what I created previously. If you're unfamiliar, Upscale Plaid includes FIVE different layout options and seven different sizes! The Cover layout (1) is probably my favorite, but really they all serve a purpose.
Layouts 2 and 3 are symmetrical, if you're someone who doesn't love off-set designs. Layout 4 and 5 really look great on a bed, but I like how they are symmetrical but still off-centered a little bit. With this quilt, I decided to go with Layout 3. Keep in mind that you can choose any of the 5 layouts for your quilt! The pattern instructions are like magic. ;)
Something that I kept thinking about for this quilt was how much it'd make a great picnic quilt. Maybe not THIS exact version with all the light fabrics (not the best combo with dirt) but the layout would be SO cute with a picnic basket in the center. I also think it'd be a cool tree-skirt layout with the hole for the tree in the center of the quilt. So many possibilities!
Sara of Stitch Lab did the quilting for this quilt. We went with a light pink thread to match the background and a pantograph called Retrograde by Karlee Porter. Since there was so much negative space in the middle of the quilt, I wanted a design that wasn't too simple and something that held enough interest to be by itself on a large cut of fabric...if that makes sense. This motif had just the right amount of detail and structure that it offers a little extra visual interest to the middle part of the quilt. I'm really happy with it!
The backing is called Eidelweiss Seven, which is by Amy Sinibaldi for Art Gallery Fabrics. We have this as an optional add-on to the kit in our shop. Side note, this backing is a re-coloring of her original Eidelweiss Ode backing that she created several years ago. It's exactly the same except blue and I love both designs so so much. If you want to see it in action on the back of my Cover Granny Patch quilt, click here.
For the binding, I used AGF Mauvelous, to not compete with anything. It's subtle and I really love it! I machine stitched the binding, which I have a tutorial for here.
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoyed reading about this quilt. We are hosting a Quilt Along for Upscale Plaid at the moment and if you haven't already, we'd love to have you join us! You can find more details here.
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]]>It’s hard to believe that QuiltCon 2024 in Raleigh, North Carolina is just about a month away! After meeting so many of you last year, we’re excited to be back with a booth this year in our home state of North Carolina!
We had so much fun making this blog post. Fun fact: 3 out of the 4 Lo & Behold team members have lived in Raleigh at one point! We thought we would share some of our favorite places with you to make it feel a little more like home while you’re here.
First, a little bit about the state. We love a good map around here and if you aren't familiar with North Carolina (NC), see below! We're considered a "mid-Atlantic" state and one thing we love about living here is that we have the coast on the eastern part of the state, about a 2.5 hour drive from Raleigh and the mountains on the western part of the state, about a 3.5 hour drive. In NC we often debate which is better, the beach or the mountains. We feel very lucky that we get to choose from both within our own state. It's a great place to be!
Raleigh is the capital of North Carolina and located in the center part of the state. Fun fact: in 2021, Brittany and Peter moved from Raleigh to Black Mountain, which is where you'll currently find their studio. You can visit the studio occasionally during certain dates throughout the year, which you can find more information about that here.
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Generally, North Carolina is considered to have four distinct seasons, though they're all relatively mild. We can all agree that fall and spring could stand to be a little longer than they are, but for the most part, there aren't too many "extremes" in our weather compared to some other places to live. Keep in mind, if you are visiting other parts of the state, on average, the mountains are usually ~10 degrees colder than Raleigh and the beach is usually ~10 degrees warmer than Raleigh.
Photo above shows the Knitted Star quilt pattern.
Let's move on to recommendations, shall we?
Use this link to open up all of the food recommendations in Google Maps on your phone! (our favorites are pinned in purple!)
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Let’s start with food! Raleigh is full of great restaurants with lots of local cuisine. All of these restaurants are walking distance from the Raleigh Convention Center! We think Raleigh is a very safe city to walk, but feel free to grab an Uber/Lyft or scooter around town. Raleigh is home to several colleges and universities, beautiful museums, and lots of history. Enjoy the scenery on your way to eat!
Coffee/Breakfast:
Raleigh Raw: Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, this is a new to us juice, smoothie, coffee, soup and poke bowl restaurant! It’s on our list to try at QuiltCon this year…maybe we will see you there?
Lunch & Dinner:
Dessert:
Bars:
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Raleigh is also home to several wonderful (and FREE) museums. Check out the North Carolina Museum of History or North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences for a break from quilt viewing. These are just a few blocks away from the Raleigh Convention Center & are an easy walk. You can learn just a little bit more about this great state we call home!
If you drove into Raleigh & want to do a little sightseeing or take some #quiltsinthewild pictures, head over to the North Carolina Museum of Art! While living in Raleigh, Brittany took many pictures of her early quilts on the art museum grounds! There are beautiful trails & sculptures to check out if you’re needing a day in nature. On your way back, stop by the Aloft Hotel near NC State University to eat at Gonza! This is our favorite Mexican restaurant…the cheese dip is to die for!
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Music & performing are also important to Raleigh’s local culture! Check out the Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts or Lincoln Theatre to see if any of your favorites are performing. The beautiful North Carolina Symphony will be performing the weekend of QuiltCon & are such a treat to listen to! Add local bluegrass music to your itinerary with the Appalachian Road Show.
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If you're a fan of architecture, you might enjoy visiting Duke University's campus. It's a 30 minute drive from Raleigh and it's the most beautiful college campus! The buildings have an "English gothic" style to them and they're all absolutely stunning. There's even Duke Gardens which is a great place to walk around, take quilt photos and see flowers in the spring. Visit Peter and Brittany's favorite restaurant in Durham (maybe even in the area), JuJu, while you're there!
Dorothea Dix Park is one of our favorite summer time parks as they always have a field full of sunflowers! During the winter, it is one of the best places to see the city skyline & enjoy wide open spaces.
Art to Heart Trail: This 5.9 mile trail connects downtown Raleigh to the North Carolina Museum of Art! Along this trail you’ll see some of our college favorites- Pullen Park, North Carolina State University, Meredith College, and the Martin Marietta Performing Arts Center
Lake Johnson: Near NC State University, this paved trail around Lake Johnson is a favorite amongst students & professionals working in Raleigh! There are 3 miles paved around the lake and 2 miles of unpaved trails!
William B. Umstead State Park: This is one of NC’s most visited parks as it is one of Raleigh’s most peaceful getaways. Explore the 5,000 acres of trails, open space, and lakes within this beautiful park!
Historic Yates Mill County Park: If you’ve packed a few quilts for #quiltsinthewild pictures, be sure to check out this park! The 174 acre park is packed full of hiking trails & is home to the Historic Yates Mill, Wake County’s last remaining gristmill. This mill is fed by Steep Hill Creek & is fully operable!
Agriculture is North Carolina’s number one industry & it is beautifully represented at the North Carolina State Farmer’s Market close to downtown Raleigh. Pick up some local produce or taste the amazing cuisine at the State Farmers Market Restaurant or NC Seafood Restaurant!
If you like basketball, or if your quilty husband or partner joined you, treat them to tickets to our favorite North Carolina State Wolfpack basketball team vs. Boston College on February 24th at PNC Arena! There’s a great chance that they’ll win & a longstanding tradition of the NC State Wolfpack is to see the campus bell tower light up red after a win! You’ll drive right past it on your way back into downtown Raleigh. Fun fact: N.C. State is Peter and Kara's alma mater. Go Pack!
Cary Quilting Company: While Cary Quilting Company will have a booth at QuiltCon, their Quilt Shop just outside of Raleigh in Cary, NC is quite spectacular! Full of beautiful fabrics, quilt samples, and notions this is one of our favorite places to shop when we’re in Raleigh! Fun Fact: Brittany hosted her very first trunk show here!
Bernina World of Sewing: Is a great shop for fabric, classes and sewing machines!
Craft Habit: Is such a unique store that really focuses on a wide array of crafts. While they do have fabric, I wouldn't say that quilting is their focus; but you can definitely find beautiful, modern fabrics. Plus it's really fun to see all of their kits and classes...it's a really great shop with a wide array of crafts and supplies. They'll have a booth at QuiltCon, so I would check to see what their hours are during the event.
Freeman's Creative: Is located in Durham and they carry fabric, yarn and other crafty things. Last time I was in there, they had a really great modern selection of fabric! They'll also have a booth a QuiltCon, so I'm not sure if they'll be open during the event.
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Gretchen Quinn Pottery: Raleigh is home to Gretchen Quinn Pottery & we all know that Brittany loves Gretchen Quinn pottery! Gretchen Quinn’s studio is about a 6 minute drive from the Raleigh Convention Center, so if you’re interested in picking up a few pieces as a souvenir, we recommend contacting her to make an appointment to visit her studio! (We may or may not have some of her pottery for sale in our booth!)
Curate Downtown run by Triangle Pop Up: This shop hosts over 60 local artists from the Raleigh/Durham area! You can find a little bit of everything here! Fun Fact: they host pop-up shops & markets all over Raleigh.This is where Kara got her start in selling her quilted goods before working for Lo & Behold!
The Flourish Market: We love this little boutique for unique gifts. Every item in this boutique has a bigger purpose where you can support women working all over the world. Find everything from clothing to jewelry to baby items! It’s one of our favorites!
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If you want to incorporate a trip to the North Carolina Mountains, which is a part of the Blue Ridge Mountains and also the larger Appalachian Mountain range, that would be a fun itinerary! Check out our "Quilter's Guide to the Blue Ridge Mountains" blog post if that interests you! Highly recommend!
If you're looking to visit the beach during your trip to North Carolina, the Outer Banks are iconic and so very beautiful. Kitty Hawk, Duck, Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke are a few of our favorite places to visit. Beaufort, Wrightsville Beach and Southport are really great coastal towns as well.
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Photo seen above is the Church Window quilt pattern at Kitty Hawk, NC.
We hope you’ll enjoy some of our favorites while you’re visiting Raleigh! While we aren’t able to bring the charm of our local Black Mountain studio, the entire shop will be coming with us to QuiltCon so you can purchase Lo & Behold Quilt Kits, patterns, yardage, notions, and see some of our favorite quilt samples! We’ll see you in booth 310 at QuiltCon soon!!
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Before we get started, did you know that this is our third year creating this list? Be sure to check out our other blog posts below:
The tomato pin cushion better step aside because these wooden pin holders are gorgeous! Made by hand in Montana by Kelli of Valley House Woodworking, these pin holders will elevate anyone’s sewing experience. With two magnets embedded in the bottom to hold your pins in place, you can assure your pins will look pretty & stay where you place them! I especially love that Kelli began woodworking to honor her grandfather & keep his traditions alive. You can find them at one of our favorite online quilting shops, Material Goods!
You know we love pottery and these quilt-y inspired ornaments are adorable! Use these Sawtooth Star Stocking Ornaments or HST Stocking Ornaments as gift tags or tuck them in any quilter's stocking so they can enjoy then on their tree next year!
Speaking of pottery, you know we cannot make this list without including our favorite local potter and her gorgeous mugs! We at Lo & Behold love Gretchen Quinn pottery and Brittany has a collection of over 20 pieces!
(Tip: If you see her work as "sold out" on her website, contact her via Instagram and place an order that way!)
We've shared about these colors chips before and they're worth sharing about again! They're made by Woven Woolly and they make it so much easier to choose a color palette for a quilt. I really love the selection she has..so pick your quilter’s (or your) favorite fabric manufacturer & start designing! My personal favorites are the Kona, Art Gallery Fabrics, and the Peppered Cottons.
Stephanie from Fancy That Design House always has the perfect quilting gifts! She just released this quilting puzzle that would be fun for the entire family. There is nothing better than putting together a puzzle with a loved one on these long dark winter nights!
If you’re not one to put together a puzzle, check out her newest Modern Quilting Coloring Book & pair it with some great colored pencils!
There is just something nostalgic about a key chain. I feel like it’s something I always see, but I never think to purchase for myself. These wooden quilt block key chains (one & two) by Midlife Quilter would be so fun to tuck into your favorite quilter’s stocking or use as a gift tag! Victoria has graciously offered our Lo & Behold Community a discount code for 20% off. Use LOANDBEHOLD20 at checkout on her site!
You may or may not have a baby or toddler in your life right now, but keep this one in mind because it is the sweetest little board book by Wendy Chow of the Weekend Quilter. This would be a sweet addition to a gifted quilt or baby’s first stocking! We love starting little ones with a strong love of quilting & it is so special that each picture is actually pieced & quilted!
Speaking of books, Donna of XOXSew just released her first book called Modern Landscape Quilts . This book is centered around 14 quilt designs that are inspired by the great outdoors and as a mountain lover, so many quilts in this book resonate with me! I have a copy myself and the photography is stunning, not to mention the instructions and diagrams are super clear and helpful.
Earlier this year we debuted stickers & it’s been fun dipping our toes into Lo & Behold “merch”! Stick them on your sewing machine, water bottle, or quilting notebook to show your love for Lo & Behold Patterns!! Our Knitted Star stickers would feel especially festive this time of year ;)
Just a few months ago I partnered with Auriful to debut my Heirloom Thread Collection that coordinates with my new Palette Pick’s bundle! While the thread is gorgeous, the box it comes in is even cuter! It’s so pretty it doesn’t even need wrapping paper & would be perfect for the quilter that literally has everything!
Sarah is a fellow local Black Mountain, NC business owner & we just love her labels! These are the perfect for quilters & for your garment sewing friends! She carries specific labels for holidays, years, places, and different textile artists! We are smitten with the Quilt Block & Made in the Mountains labels!
Want to give the most practical gift to a Lo & Behold Pattern lover? Gift them a membership to Pre-Quilt so they can plan out all of their favorite colors in our quilt patterns! While PreQuilt is free to use for solids, there are lots of advantages to having a PreQuilt subscription. Think: custom saved color palettes, the ability to use prints and save your designs, and more!
If you’re wanting to gift an annual membership, use our code LOANDBEHOLD to get 20% off an annual basic or market membership!
The pattern shown above is our newest pattern, Upscale Plaid.
Our quilt patterns also make great stocking stuffers! We have over 20 patterns to choose from, so there's something for everyone! Unsure of which pattern the lucky recipient already owns? We have gift cards (that can also be used on fabric bundles)!
I was so excited to have the opportunity to make something with the 2024 Color of the Year...Julep! If you aren't familiar, Robert Kaufman releases a limited edition Kona Color every year, and it's always fun to see what colors and tones they add to their already impressive library of 365 solids. This is the third Color of the Year (COTY) quilt that I've made for Robert Kaufman, and I really enjoy this project every time! Here's a look at the two previous Kona COTY quilts:
Which brings us to this year, Julep. The thing that I like about making something with the Color of the Year, is that it's always a fun way to challenge myself with color selections. And I use the word "challenge" in the sense that my goal is always to find a way to make the COTY the star of the show. With the 2020 COTY, Enchanted, I did an ombre fade using various shades of Enchanted. With the 2023 COTY, Crush, I had a lot of fun choosing a similar value color which happened to be a warm/cool combination, which really turned out beautifully. With this COTY, I wanted there to be other colors and shades, but for Julep to really be in the majority of the quilt. I have a few patterns that have a good bit of negative space, but after playing with a few mock-ups, Vintage Lace was the winner!
Julep is a soft minty green that feels bright and vibrant, yet also soft and subtle. I think it really changes based on how much of the fabric you use and also what fabrics you pair it with.
For this Vintage Lace quilt, I made the Throw size of the pattern, which is 72" square. You can find the Vintage Lace quilt pattern here as a PDF or here as a printed copy. The fabrics are:
We have quilt kits for this exact quilt in the shop!
The longarm quilting is by Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting. We used a pantograph called Navy designed by Quilting It. it creates such a beautiful, sparkly texture!
Looking for more Julep inspiration? Here are two different sets of mock-ups using Upscale Plaid, Deco and Vintage Lace.
What do you plan to make with the Color of the Year? I cannot wait to see other projects with Julep in the coming months! Happy Sewing!
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Other Vintage Lace Quilt Blog Posts:
We went with a "Christmas-y" vibe for the cover Upscale Plaid quilt, so I wanted to make another version that would be great year-round. I tend to gravitate towards warm colors, and I sometimes like to step outside my comfort zone and make something that feels a little bit unique to what I would normally make. This quilt feels like "me" but it also stretches the normal Lo & Behold palette a little bit, which I'm here for!
All fabrics are PURE solids by Art Gallery Fabrics:
We have kits for this exact quilt in the shop, found here!
This quilt was pieced and quilted by Sandy of Thai Charm. She did such a beautiful job not only piecing, but quilting the quilt on her longarm quilting machine. She used the pantograph called Paradoxical by Longarm League, which is truly one of my favorite quiting patterns. I think it goes with any design and creates the most gorgeous texture. I also love that the repeat is more of a diagonal repeat...it really adds a lot of movement to the quilt. Which is appreciated with so many vertical and horizontal lines!
For the backing, I went with one of my favorite prints from Bonnie Christine's Wild Forgotten collection. It's called Remember and it has written words that were deleted from a children's dictionary. Its such a sweet print.
The binding is AGF Northern Waters, which is a slightly lighter blue fabric. I wanted something with a similar value to the Background so that it didn't stand out too much. The main part of the quilt is the focal point and I wanted to keep it that way.
I loved styling this quilt. It's so so beautiful draped on a ladder or folded over a chair. Even haphazardly sprawled over the couch is stunning. Some quilts are harder to photograph than others and this one was really easy and fun!
One of my FAVORITE things about Upscale Plaid is that there is a coaster size included in the pattern. It's really more of a mug rug size, finishing at 6.5" square but it's absolutely adorable none-the-less! You should have enough leftovers from the larger sizes to make one or two. I'm absolutely smitten!
Don't forget to grab the pattern while it's 20% off! Discount is automatically applied at checkout and expires Sunday, 12/3 at midnight PST.
Thanks for reading!
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]]>Believe it or not, this design was born out of the quest to create the perfect holiday coaster. Yep, you read that right, haha. Last year, Elizabeth (our fearless Creative Project Manager) and I were brainstorming ideas for a plaid coaster and we landed on an idea that we just HAD to turn into a full size quilt. Over the last few months, we've been tweaking, fine tuning and perfecting the scale and pattern until we created what you see today. Friends, I present to you the newest Lo & Behold pattern, Upscale Plaid!
There are so many things to talk about with this quilt. It's difficult to know where to start! How about the sizes, shall we?
QUILT SIZES
There are seven (you read that right) SEVEN sizes in the Upscale Plaid quilt pattern.
The Coaster, Placemat and Pillow sizes have a special place in my heart, as those were the original layouts. I really love the negative space in those designs and they really do offer the perfect compliment to the larger sizes! One cool thing about the larger sizes is that you have options for various plaid layouts.
QUILT LAYOUTS
Since we designed the coaster first, (what can I say, I love my coasters!) the first iteration of the pattern was identical to the coaster but sized up. This meant that pieces were quite large and slightly difficult to cut and manage. I actually made two sample throw size quilts that haven't seen the light of day because they weren't *quite* right. We went back to the drawing board and landed on duplicating the repeat of the pattern four times. This means that you can rotate your pieces to create more than one plaid layout. It's truly like magic!
Which size is your favorite? I love the modern, slightly off-set look of the cover quilt (#1) but the other ones really are great options, especially if you are making a bed size. I also think #3 would make a really great picnic quilt! That's actually the layout that I used for my Winter Blush sample, which I'll be sharing about soon!
QUILT DRAPE
If you're making the Queen or King size, these diagrams can really help you visualize how the different layouts look on the top of the bed. My personal favorite is number 2 or 4 for a bed!
CHOOSING FABRICS
We also have printable coloring pages found here, if that's more your speed. :)
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
Here's a look at the fabric requirements for Upscale Plaid. Remember to check out the Choosing Fabrics blog post before you dive in!
COVER QUILT
Let's talk about the cover quilt! Originally, I wanted the cover quilt to be neutral and muted, but with this release landing right around the holidays, we couldn't resist going a more jolly and festive route. These fabrics are all Art Gallery Fabrics PURE Solids:
We have quilt kits for this exact quilt in our shop!
This quilt is all about proportions. Really, the Background is the fabric that you see the most, followed by the A1, B1 and C1 stripes. Then you can throw in a few accents where they "overlap" and it creates such a cohesive look. You almost forget that it's a pieced quilt!
Creating this quilt top is pretty straight-forward. You're sewing squares and rectangles, and most sections of the quilt are strip pieced, which I think you'll love!
I made this quilt top in 2 days! Really, I could've squeezed it into one day, but I wanted to wait for good lighting so that I could snap a photo. :) I'd say this is definitely one of our quicker patterns, so if you want to make one (or five) between now and Christmas, you certainly could!
I did a poll over on Instagram to help me choose a quilt backing. I thought one would be the clear winner but it was pretty evenly split! I ended up going with "Gifted" on the left, as it felt a little more soft and subdued. That said, Fa La La's colors are a perfect match to the front of the quilt, so I really don't think you can go wrong with either!
I sent this quilt to Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting. I wanted a quilting design that felt festive but not overly "Christmas-y". I was on the hunt for a star design for days, then I landed on Mexican Tile #8 by Karlee Porter and it just felt right!
I used AGF Tender Green to bind the quilt, which is one of the accent colors from within the quilt top. Since it's lighter and higher contrast to the backing, I really love how it frames in the quilt and balances out the reds and pinks.
At this point, I had the realization that my new Heirloom thread collection with Aurifil is SUCH a good match for this quilt! The collection has a mix of 12 weight and 50 weight, so you could either stitch by hand or machine with these threads. Since my quilt was longarmed, I thought it'd be fun to incorporate some hand stitches on the binding fabric. I really went back and forth about which one to use, and I even thought about using all of them. I polled Instagram and the darker purple seemed to be the clear winner. However, I really loved the look of the black against the light green.
I tried a "new to me" kind of stitch for this binding and I can't say that I was great at it, haha. I saw Jennifer of Penelope Handmade doing this stitch a few weeks ago in a reel and she made it look so much better than I did! I think I just need to practice; but I will say, I love how it adds an added handmade touch. Something about it feels fresh and different, yet also something that my grandmother would've made. I'll be sure to try it again in the future!
Overall, this is definitely one of my favorite quilt patterns to date. It feels so classic and timeless and the fact that its quick and versatile is the icing on the cake!
Be sure to grab the Upscale Plaid quilt pattern in our shop (printed or PDF) and checkout our quilt kits as well! I cannot wait to see what you create with the pattern!
I'll be back in a few days to share about another Upscale Plaid quilt. :)
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Upscale Plaid uses color to create the illusion that the stripes blend where they intersect, pretty fun right?! Color choices are key in creating this effect so let’s talk through some helpful tips to get you started.
Upscale Plaid’s design is made up of 10 colors:
Now that we've introduced the colors, lets get started in choosing fabrics!
Background (BG), A1, B1 & C1
Do you already have an idea of the colors you would like to use in your quilt? If yes – go ahead and choose your colors for the Background, A1, B1 and C1 first.
Not decided yet? No worries! Here are a few questions to get ideas flowing:
Based on your answers above, decide on your colors for the Background, A1, B1, and C1.
By the way, we've included a "Plan Your Quilt" sheet and Fabric labels in the pattern to help keep your project organized. Its a great way to keep track of the details!
A2, B2, C2
Now that you have the BG, A1, B1 and C1 selected, next choose your colors for A2, B2 and C2. Before deciding though, notice how each set of stripes blend together where they intersect? This is what creates the illusion that the stripes are woven together.
We have created an easy to use formula for selecting the intersecting colors, where "adding" two colors together equals a new color. It may help to imagine what you get when you mix/stir paint colors together!
"Add" each color (A1, B1, C1) to itself and then choose a darker or lighter shade in the same color family to give you A2, B2, C2. In reality adding the same color together would give you the same or a darker color but for our "quilty" purposes you can choose darker or lighter colors for A2, B2 and C2.
A1 + A1 = A2
B1 + B1 = B2
C1 + C1 = C2
A2, B2, C2 Quick Tip: Add a pop of color and a fun twist to your quilt by using a color for A2, B2, and/or C2 that doesn’t follow the above formula, you will still have the illusion of "plaid". In the example above, B1 + B1 (Toasty Walnut) would not equal any shade of blue, BUT, it adds a hint of cool that offsets the warmer colors that we just love!
A3, B3, C3
The last group of colors you'll want to choose are A3, B3 and C3. For this group, again notice how each set of stripes blend together where they intersect. Because two different colored stripes are intersecting here (instead of the same color as we saw with A1, B1 and C1), they produce a third color that is a combination of the two. Its important in achieving the woven effect that A3, B3 and C3 be a combination of the two colors they intersect and also be of a similar value. This group of colors are typically more subdued. In our examples above, for A3 we went a little lighter than A1 while keeping it similar; for B3 because red and green mixed together make brown we went with a subtle shade that has red undertones; and for C3 we went with a value and color that is in between A1 and C1.
A1 + B1 = A3
B1 + C1 = B3
A1 + C1 = C3
IMPORTANT: Its important to follow this formula when choosing the colors for A3, B3, and C3. If the colors contrast too much or are too different here it will “break” the illusion; the stripes will lose their structure and instead appear as individual blocks.
Put all the colors together and you have Upscale Plaid!
Here are a few colorway ideas to get you started:
Ruby Star Society Speckled in: Pale Pink, White Gold, Earth and Wine Time; Robert Kaufman KONA solids in: Rose, Deep Rose, Plum, Melon, Honeysuckle and Med. Pink.
Using Prints
Upscale Plaid also works well with prints and blender fabrics and is a great way to add a bit of texture and movement to your design!
Mock up 1: Art Gallery Fabrics: PRINTS: Florence Collection by Katarina Roccella - Primavera all'Alba, Damasco in Rosaceo, Damasco in Terracotta. PURE Solids - Sweet Macademia, Miami Sunset, Light Grey, Spruce, Nocturnal, Sugar Plum, Crystal Pink.
Mock up 2: Art Gallery Fabrics: PRINTS: Florence Collection by Katarina Roccella - Primavera al Tramonto, Damasco in Rosaceo, Bargello Panna, Damasco in Terracotta. PURE Solids - Miami Sunset, Light Grey, Pacific, Nocturnal, Monet, Peach Sherbet.
TIPS FOR WORKING WITH PRINTS:
1. Blender prints typically have ample background space with a small repeating motif in one or two colors. Because blenders read as a solid they are a great option to add a little texture.
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2. Small to medium scale prints with a heavier density are another great option as they add ample texture and movement.
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3. Non-directional, repeating patterns work best.
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4. Consider using 1-4 prints and solids for the remaining colors. Prints can add quite a bit of texture and movement which works best when there are also solids included to balance them out. The first mockup below uses only 1 high impact print for the background but notice how much movement it creates!
Mockup 1: Art Gallery Fabrics: PRINTS: Duval by Suzy Quilts - Boho Birds Truffle; PURE Solids: Velvet, Weathered Brick, Thistle, Mauvelous, Bougainvillea, Cotton Candy, Pearl, Snapdragon, Sugar Plum.
Mockup 2: Art Gallery Fabrics: PRINTS: Duval by Suzy Quilts - Blocks Haze, Tiny Moon Pearl, Basket Weave Shrimpy; PURE Solids: Driftwood, Haze, Thistle, Raw Gold, Creme de la Creme, Ginger, Sugar Plum.
Fabric Requirements
We're so excited to share that there are SEVEN different sizes included within Upscale Plaid. The Lap, Throw, Queen and King all have 5 different layout options included within the pattern. There are so many possibilities with this pattern!
Testing Colorways
Now that you have some ideas to try out, play with different color combinations to see what you like best!
We’re happy to share that we’ve again partnered with PreQuilt to bring you free online interactive coloring pages. These make it really easy to test out many different fabric color combinations quickly! Digitally plan this quilt and a few other Lo & Behold designs (we're working on getting more uploaded!) with the click of a button. They have a really great free option that allows you to use different brands of solids; or you can upgrade your plan to use prints, save your designs and more! Use the code LOANDBEHOLD for 20% off your annual subscription (either Basic or Market)!
Have fun playing with color and be sure to share! We love seeing what you create! Tag us at #upscaleplaidquilt #loandbeholdpatterns and @loandbeholdstitchery .
Happy Quilting!
Have a question? We're here to help! Email us at hello@loandbeholdstitchery.com .
]]>As you might recall, Getaway uses two fabrics for the quilt top, which really creates an opportunity to make a statement with your quilt. Because there are only two fabrics, you definitely want to be intentional with each one. Getaway is on PreQuilt if you want to play with free digital coloring pages for this pattern!
For this quilt, I wanted to try to use something other than a solid. Really I think that small prints or blenders work really well for this pattern, and for this quilt, I had my heart set on a small stripe. Robert Kaufman has a really nice collection of stripes (you can actually find a few in my latest bundle with Robert Kaufman found here). If you are going to use stripes, I would definitely stick with a smaller stripe. There are some seams in the quilt that break up the continuous lines and if you use a large scale motif, it may appear "chopped up".
This stripe is a cool gray that could arguably be called a "blue". I went with a linen/cotton white fabric for the other fabric in this quilt so that the textures match. I decided to go with an "Americana" theme for this quilt with a darker blue backing and a red binding. The backing is called "For You Affection" by Sharon Holland and the binding is Art Gallery Fabrics Weathered Brick.
We have quilt kits (with optional binding and backing) found here!
I sent this quilt to Hen House Quilting for longarming. We went with the pantograph Clam Glam Sunrise by Karlee Porter. I was drawn to this one because it reminded me of light and fluffy clouds, which felt right for the front of this quilt. Just look at that dreamy texture!! I always love working with Ashley for longarm quilting...she does a beautiful job!
Overall, I love the contrast between the front and back of the quilt. The top is soft and subdued, then you get lots of color and saturation on the binding and backing.
Oh! And did you know that the Getaway quilt pattern includes three different optional layouts? I went with the "City Trip" version but you can also choose one of the other versions as well. This pattern comes together like magic, if I do say so myself; so experimenting with different layouts is really fun to do while you're sewing the quilt top together!
Overall, I think this quilt is really unique to any other quilt that I've made...and I really love it because of that! I was a little unsure how it'd come together with the stripes. It felt like a bit of a risk not knowing how much (or little) the stripes would stand out against the background. But in the end it turned out even better than I imagined and I hope you love it too!
Don't forget: we have a limited amount of quilt kits for this quilt (with optional backing and binding too!) in our shop!
Thanks for reading!
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]]>But that's not all, we're also releasing a coordinating thread collection with Aurifil! Say whattttt?
These two projects have been going on behind the scenes for most of the year, so it feels so good to finally share about them! And given the fact that this is my first collection with Aurifil and my second collection with Robert Kaufman, as always I'm feeling so honored and grateful to partner with two incredible companies within the quilting industry. This is a real *pinch me* moment!
It all started earlier this year when I was brainstorming ideas for a new curated fabric collection. I am obsessed with Robert Kaufman's Kona solids and also the fact that they carry so many different substrates of fabric. Last year, I released my first "Palette Picks" collection and I had the best time curating the colors and textures into one cohesive bundle. You can read more about that bundle here.
So for this bundle, I really wanted to create a similar vibe where there is a nice mixture of textures and also a cohesive color palette that works for a wide variety of quilt patterns and preferences. My first bundle has blues, peaches and purples; so for this one, I went with pinks, greens, golds and neutrals.
I was so excited to add in some stripes for this collection. The stripes were actually what solidified the group for me and gave me a clear direction for the theme of this bundle. They're Essex cotton/linen blends and when I added those in, it instantly felt homey and vintage. Many of my grandmother's quilts were made from scrap fabrics and pieces of clothing, which ended up making the quilts feel like a "scrapbook" of sorts. Adding in these stripes made made me think of her quilts and really how quilters from generations past used various fabrics and textures in their quilts. The browns and charcoals tone down the brighter pinks and teals but they also ground the bundle and give it a sense of depth and antiquity. With that, the word "Heirloom" kept coming to mind as I was finalizing this bundle; hence, the name of the fabric bundle and thread collection. :)
Heirloom celebrates the intersection of traditional and modern sewing. It's dedicated to the rich history of our craft and the legacy that we carry with us as modern makers.
Another thing that was really important to me with this collection was that you can use it as a jumping off point for whatever project you're working on; or if you want to slightly tweak the overall look to create something a little bit different from the entire collection. I spent some time playing around with different groupings and here are a few of my favorites:
Then came the thread! It has been a dream of mine to have a curated Aurifil thread collection and I'm beside myself that it's actually coming to fruition!
With this collection, thinking about the "heirloom" theme, I knew that I wanted to have a mix of different weight threads. The beautiful thing about Aurifil is that they have tons of gorgeous colors AND there are so many different thread weights to choose from. My go-to thread is 50 weight in color 2026, found here, and I use it for literally all of my piecing. It's a really great cream color that isn't too stark and adds just the right amount of warmth.
That said, in choosing thread for this collection, I wanted to match the "Heirloom" fabric bundle but use my two favorite weights: 50 and 12 weight spools. I use 50 weight for piecing and quilting and I've found that it really is the perfect weight to add a subtle texture to a quilt. I used 50 weight Aurifil thread to machine quilt this Granny Patch quilt and also this Mosaic Star quilt.
I also thought that adding in 12 weight spools would be a fun opportunity to add in some hand stitched accents into a project. I recently finished a hand-tied quilt: my Scrappy Cathedral Window quilt found here, and this 12 weight thread is perfect for something like that! You can also do big stitch binding with this thread, similar to what I did with this Nightingale quilt.
My goal for this thread collection was to marry machine quilting and hand stitching in a celebration of both old and new. Since my granny was a big hand quilter and I consider myself more of a machine quilter, this felt like the perfect blend of traditional and modern; a nod to the past, present and future of quilting.
Once I had everything finalized for Heirloom, I was SO excited to make something with it! Over the next several weeks and months, I'll be sharing the 5 quilts that I created with the bundle and also a combo hand stitch/machine quilting project that I'll be starting soon. Stay tuned for more to come!
QUILT SHOPS: The Heirloom thread and fabric bundles are available for quilt shops to purchase directly through Aurifil and Robert Kaufman and most distributors.
Otherwise, you can purchase the bundles directly from us in our shop, found here.
I'll be back in a few weeks to start sharing about each of these quilts! See you then. :)
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Here is how I normally approach creating an ombre quilt:
I've had a few people ask if I use a color wheel or any sort of fancy formula to make sure that my colors look okay together. I do not. I am a firm believer that you can create gorgeous color palettes without the help of some scientific formula. Simply trust your gut and create something that you find beautiful. Here is my process for creating an ombre quilt.....
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This tip might seem obvious, but it's a really good starting point for this process. For certain patterns like Interwoven and Shades of Citrus, your layout might be determined by the pattern. For example, Interwoven has a vertical fading effect, while Shades of Citrus has a sort of meandering/diagonal fading effect. With this knowledge, you can decide how you want those colors to appear within your quilt....ie certain colors at the top/center, etc. All Lo & Behold Patterns come with a coloring page, so take advantage of those! Even if you don't use colored pencils/markers, you can loosely label where you want each color to go. For a pattern like the Ombre Puff quilt, or even Celtic Crossing 2.0, you have free reign on your color layout! Personally, I love having diagonal movement in my quilt, so I try to do this as much as possible. This step happens very closely with the next step, so you might be making both of these decisions around the same time! Find some examples of Ombre layouts below.
On the topic of layouts, it can be SO easy to overthink what colors are beside each other in your quilt. Because of this, laying out your pieces prior to assembling your quilt top is a vital part of the process. Here are some tips for the planning process.
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Working backwards here, I think choosing fabrics is the trickiest for most people. Sometimes indecision comes into play and sometimes it's just hard to know where to start. I know that I can get hung up on decisions about color ALL THE TIME. However, when choosing fabrics for an ombre quilt, those always seem to be the easiest decisions for me. Here are five approaches that you can take:
We have this bundle available in half yards for fat quarters in the shop!
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If you want to turn your swatch card into a magnetic board, check out this blog post!
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This step is really important! Once you choose your fabrics, you'll want to take a step back and look at everything as a whole. Depending on how many colors you are using for your quilt, you may or may not want the ombre effect to be intricate and dense. For example, if you are using solids, you might want a wide range of various solids so that the quilt looks cohesive and "seamless". Play around with adding extra fabrics until your bundle has the look that you want. I generally like to put my fabric in a certain order so that I can see if there are any gaps. For example, start with the darkest shade of one color and arrange those shades so that they fade into the next shade. This generally means that like colors will be next to like colors.
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If you are using prints, or even a mix of solids and prints, then I like to consider the scale of those prints. I try to achieve an even mix of small, medium and large scale prints, just to add interest. This can also help contribute to the ombre look of your quilt.
Using various scales of fabric adds depth and interest so that your eyes have a place to rest. Using fabrics that are all the same scale can make your quilt appear either too busy, or not interesting enough. Keep in mind the finished size of the blocks for what ever you are creating. For the Ombre Puff Quilt, the squares will finish at 3.5", so if you use something that has a lot of negative space, or an enormous print, that might get lost in your square. This isn't necessarily a deal breaker, but it's something that you'll just want to keep in mind. :) I used a few larger scale prints in my Ombre Puff quilt and I actually really like the interest that those prints add.
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In this Triangle Fade quilt, I used a mix of solids and various scale prints. In some of the triangles, you can see a big portion of the fabric, while other triangles show only a smaller portion of what the fabric looks like. There is also a mix of directional fabrics (the stripes) and non-directional fabrics (the flowers or polka dots). With a quilt like Triangle Fade or Ombre Puff, I feel like this really helps add some character to the quilt. For other patterns like Interwoven or Shades of Citrus, using directional fabrics may be distracting. Essentially, if I know that I can rotate my pieces before I sew them together, then I feel comfortable using directional fabrics.
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The last tip is to simply practice. As you choose fabrics for more and more quilts, you'll start to become more and more comfortable with the process. Everyone has different tastes and opinions of what looks beautiful, so I really think it's a matter of practicing that skill and honing in on what you love.
I hope this gives you some insightful tips about what goes into creating an ombre-style quilt. Remember that here is no right or wrong way to create a quilt that you love. Loosen up and have fun with it! If you are looking for a quilt pattern to create an ombre quilt check out the following patterns:
happy quilting!
Brittany
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]]>Fabrics: Lo & Behold Stitchery Palette Picks Bundle; this bundle is officially discontinued so grab it while you can! We're officially "sold out" but it looks like Stash Fabrics, Pearls and Clover, and The Grey Finch Company has it in stock!
Quilting: Echoed Swirl Pantograph by Longarm League, quilted by Stitch Lab Quilting
Backing: Kona Creamsicle
Quilt is for sale; found here
I first discovered a cathedral window quilt on a sampler quilt that my granny made back in the late 1980s. My favorite block on this quilt has always been the mysterious cathedral window block and I told myself years ago that I would one day learn how to make it.
Pictured below is myself and my aunt Kimmy holding the sampler quilt that my granny made...followed by some close-ups of the cathedral window block.
About 2-ish years ago, I set out to make my own cathedral window quilt but quickly became overwhelmed by the process and how much fabric it required. I did a few test blocks here and there but my interest level fizzled out a little bit. So here I am, all this time later, revisiting my dream and making it happen! And not only am I finally checking this quilt off my bucket list, but if it's on YOUR bucket list too, I'm excited to share that we've created a FREE pattern for this quilt!
I'm calling it "Scrappy Windows" because you can customize any portion of this quilt using scraps, precuts, yardage, etc. The free pattern gives you 5 different sizes of an edge-to-edge cathedral window design along with tons of inspiration ideas and simple step-by-step instructions. :)
Click here for the FREE pattern.
We'll be doing a Quilt Along starting August 19th, so signing up for the pattern will automatically sign you up to receive Quilt Along content, which will include a video tutorial! Here's our Quilt Along schedule:
You can make whatever size Scrappy Windows quilt you wish. I'm going to be making a low-volume Baby size (using this kit). I have the weeks split up so that there are three sections; if you are making a larger size, you might want to split it up into more sections.
You'll want to have your fabrics picked out before we start cutting on August 19th, so be sure to check out our "Scrappy Windows" quilt kits in the shop!
I've been thinking about making this quilt for years and I've been slowly practicing various methods, sizes and designs for what I wanted my cathedral window quilt to look like. A few goals on my list included:
You can find the FREE Scrappy Windows pattern here!
FABRIC REQUIREMENTS
Speaking of fabric, let's take a look at the fabric requirements.
Again, a big goal for this pattern was to be able to customize all components of the quilt. You can use fat quarters, precut 5 and 10" squares, or yardage. This means if you want your quilt to be completely scrappy you can do that! Or if you want a traditional 3-color quilt, you can do that too. The possibilities are truly endless!
You'll notice that the Frame fabric is really where you start to see those elevated requirements in the larger sizes. Since this quilt uses a special folding technique, most of the Frame fabric is hidden within your quilt. I really tried to think outside the box and come up with a way that would conserve fabric but it's just the nature of this quilt. You're going to use a lot of fabric, but I'd say it's worth it!
You'll also want to add batting as well. This quilt does have a "weighted" effect, so you could skip batting if you'd like. Personally, I didn't want to feel the bulky seams through the backing, so I opted to add batting. It'll definitely be a wintertime quilt, for sure!
Mock-Ups
The Scrappy Windows pattern includes so many fabulous mock-ups. Look at all of these beautiful possibilities!
Deciding on a Layout
Similar to my Ombre Puff Quilt, I wanted this one to have flow-y ombre layout. I recently designed a bundle that had blues, purples and some blacks and I knew that I wanted those dusty muted tones to be the starting point for this quilt!
Find this exact kit for the Large Throw, Small Throw or Baby size in our shop!
So I positioned the darker plums and pinks in one corner, had them fade to lavenders and light blues with the darker black fabrics in the opposite corner. LOVE. This felt playful and random, yet extremely organized and satisfying.
If you're wanting to create something similar, I have a blog post called "Tips for Creating an Ombre Quilt" that might help!
I combined my Window and Background fabric requirement, so for the Large Throw, I needed at least 24 total fabrics. I found that since I was doing an overall ombre layout, it was helpful to lay out my squares before I started creating my pocket units. So I laid out my Background Squares (all 110 of them) to decide where each would appear within my quilt. This was a big undertaking but so worth it to plan out! Then I added my window pieces at a diagonal to plan those as well. At this point, it feels SO busy and chaotic but remember that there will be the "Frame" fabric to separate everything.
Staying Organized
After about two hours of tweaking this layout, I finally had it figured out! I then picked up each row, careful to keep them all in the same order, labeled each row, keeping the Background rows and Window rows separate. I kept them organized until I was ready to sew my Pockets for each row. I found that this step was crucial, especially for the larger sizes!
This is where the Frame fabric comes into play. After you cut those squares, you'll fold them in half diagonally and use your iron to press a crease. Remember that this is the largest amount of fabric in your quilt, but it's probably the fabric that you see the least once your quilt is constructed. Wild, right?
These squares can get overwhelming, so I recommend splitting up the process and recruiting help if you need it! For the Large Throw, I needed 800+ squares pressed in half like this, so I recruited my hubby Peter to help with the task. :)
Stitch 1/8" around the perimeter of this unit to create what the pattern calls a "pocket". Moving forward, I created all of my Pockets for Row 1, sewed those together, then repeated for the rest of the rows until all of my rows were created. There are more details about this step in the free pattern found here.
Once you have all of your "Pockets" made, sew the pockets together in a certain configuration (again, it's in the pattern) to create rows like this:
Since I made a larger size, I decided to construct my quilt top in sections. So once I had about 4-6 Rows made, I would sew them together and add my Window pieces. Then I sewed my sections together and added those final Window pieces that were in between the sections.
You'll have raw seams underneath this unit, which is slightly different from traditional cathedral window methods, but this just means you'll baste and quilt this quilt like you would any other quilt top.
I found that using these red clips help manage the bulk and weight of my section as I was sewing.
Special Considerations
Here are a couple of sewing machine settings that I found helpful when creating this quilt:
Other tips that I found helpful:
Basting + Batting Tips:
I basted this quilt on my table in two sections. I used curved safety pins in the Background fabric because the Window fabric has all of the extra fabric layers. I used Quilters Dream Select batting, which is a medium loft batting. If you want something lighter than this, you can use Quilters Dream Request batting or no batting at all.
Quilting Methods:
There are a few different ways you can quilt this quilt. If I was making a smaller size, I would've quilted my quilt while I stitched down the Frame fabric. But this would've meant that I couldn't construct the quilt in sections, which I feel is crucial to the larger size, so I basted and quilted after my quilt top was constructed, per usual.
Originally, I was planning to "clasp stitch" quilt, which is basically a zig-zag stitch back and forth in a small area. Some machines have this setting and some machines don't so be sure to check out your sewing machine manual to see if it's an option. I did this as my primary form of quilting for this puff quilt (click for details), and I had the entire Large Throw quilt quilted in just a few hours. It was amazing!
I tried this method for a few rows on this quilt. I hid the clasp stitch underneath the Frames so that it wouldn't be visible.
I also wanted to try "hand tying" this quilt and I actually didn't think I'd like it as much as I did. I stitched a little "x" at the intersection of each of the Frames and it added the cutest little handmade touch. I used a white pearl cotton (#8) thread for this and I stitched at each intersection of the Frames. (This will also be in the video tutorial for the QAL).
I opted to quilt the rest of my quilt with ties. They seem to take the same amount of time as the clasp stitch and I really like the embellishment that they add!
Another quilting option is to hand quilt in the Background section. Again, the Window fabric has all of the extra layers underneath, so I think the Background fabric would be a little easier to hand quilt through.
You could also machine quilt if you'd like, I would just want to make sure that I don't stitch over the Frame portions of the quilt.
Binding
I added my binding to this quilt just like I would any other quilt. The only difference is that I used 2.5" strips, when I usually use 2.25" strips. You also want to make sure that you cover up the Frame intersections as seen below to make sure that your half window is secured within your binding. I decided to hand-stitch my binding to the back of my quilt using 8 weight pearl cotton thread.
I also decided to stitch around the perimeter of the quilt top prior to trimming away the excess batting and backing.
Overall Thoughts
This is truly an heirloom quality quilt which will be used and passed down for generations. It is time-consuming yes, but it's on a completely different level than most of my other quilts. I love how intricate it is and I'm so thrilled to follow in my Granny's footsteps to recreate a quilt that she originally made. This is the fourth quilt to be added to the Lois Quilt Collection, which you can read more about here.
Quilt Along
I hope that you'll join us for the Scrappy Windows Quilt Along! If you already get our newsletters, or if you signed up for the free pattern, then you're signed up and ready to go! If you don't yet get our emails, then you can sign up here and we'll touch base with the Week 1 content on August 19th!
Feel free to save or screenshot the following image and share it to your social media account!
Again, you can find Quilt Kits for this quilt in our shop and the FREE Scrappy Windows pattern here. I cannot wait to see your Cathedral Windows quilts!
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First and foremost, why did we choose Canada for this trip? Good question! About 10 years ago, I was watching the Bachelor (like I do) and everyone travelled to Banff National Park for an episode. They visited several places but the place that stood out to me the most was Lake Louise. Ever since then, I knew that I wanted to travel there one day. And here we are. :)
Peter is typically our trip-planner when we travel. He likes to do research, sneak in some surprises and handle all of the details from the rental car to lodging and everything in between. He started planning this trip late last year and really did a great job investigating everything that we should do. My only stipulation was that I wanted to see Lake Louise but I really had no idea what to expect for the rest of the trip.
Here's a map of where we went and what we did. All in all, we love to move around when we take trips, so we usually split up our time between several different destinations in the area. Over the span of 2 weeks, we spent 10 hours in the car, which it really didn't feel like it! It was such a fun and scenic drive that was split up over many many days. On paper, it was a total of 900 km or 600 miles traveled, but we stopped many times and did various excursions, so I'm sure it ended up being much more than that.
Map courtesy of Google Maps
This was my first time traveling to and staying in Canada. We took a train ride into Canada during our Alaska trip, but other than that, I was excited to experience a new country for the first time. Peter visited the Halifax area when he was younger, but this was his first time to Alberta. We flew into Calgary which was only a 4 hour flight from Atlanta. From there, we rented a car and drove about an hour towards Canmore.
CANMORE
We stayed in Canmore for two days at Basecamp Resorts. Surprisingly, Canmore was a definite favorite stop on our trip. I say "surprisingly" because I just assumed that all of our national park visits would be the favorite, but Canmore was so charming with incredible views all around!
We took it easy during our time here. We mainly just walked around to the different shops and enjoyed the views around town. There is a boardwalk along the creek in town that is beautiful and a great place for birdwatching. Our room was about a 15 minute walk into downtown, which was so convenient. The entire town is very walkable! We also enjoyed some down time at a nearby Nordic spa, (a 45 min drive) Kananaski. Booking a spa day at the start of the trip was such a good move and really set the tone for the rest of the vacation. We loved the Nordic spa in Alaska, so we were excited to find another similar spa experience. I definitely recommend if spas are your thing! Plus the drive there was beautiful!
Where we ate:
- Where the Buffalo Roam - This was our best meal the entire trip!
- Rocky Mountain Bagels
- Rocky Mountain Flatbread
- Lunch at the Nordic Spa (so yummy!)
- Blake - Good food and an even better view (seen below)
We actually stopped for a few hours in Canmore on our way back through at the end of the trip because we loved it so much. It has small town vibes but still lots to do an see.
BANFF
The next stop on our trip was Banff, which is actually only 20? minutes or so from Canmore. Let me start out by saying, Banff is quite the popular destination! We also visited during (likely) their peak travel time in June. It was pretty crowded with lots and lots of traffic and tour buses. That being said if you wake up early, you can certainly beat the crowds! And it was still a great experience staying in Banff for a few days.
Banff was definitely larger and more busy than Canmore. It felt a *bit* more "touristy" but we still felt like we were really able to enjoy our time there.
We stopped at Lake Minnewanka on our way into Banff. We didn't have time to explore here as we wanted, but there seemed to be lots of great hiking trials and picnic areas.
Some favorite places to eat in Banff:
- Three Bears Brewery - Yummy and we ate on their rooftop bar, which had a great view of the mountains and street below.
- Tooloubus - "Cajun" style breakfast - It was good, but I will say, being from the south, their "buttermilk biscuit" wasn't quite what we had in mind, haha. Apparently we have high biscuit standards!
- Beaver Tails is a Canadian restaurant chain that specializes in dessert pastries that are quite delicious. We had it a few times. :)
- Waldhaus for beer and a pretzel - stunning scenery!
What we did:
- Johnson Canyon Lower and Upper Falls to the Inkpots this was such a great hike but a hard one! It took us a few days to recover from the 9+ miles and 2,100+ feet of elevation gain...but it was so unique and definitely worth it.
- Gondola to Sulphur Mountain; this was a bit touristy as well (nothing wrong with that, I just hate crowds, haha) but there were some really great views along with some mountain sheep!
- Marsh Loop - I absolutely LOVED this trail. It was easy, not crowded at all and it was along the river, which was stunning. We did this hike on our way out of town to the next destination and it made me sad to leave Banff!
- Cave & Basin Tour - This was interesting but I wouldn't say it was worth it.
Where we stayed: Moose Hotel and Suites
LAKE LOUISE
I didn't realize this, but Lake Louise is in Banff National Park. This was probably the highlight of the trip for me and the main inspiration behind taking this trip. We splurged and stayed at the Fairmont right on Lake Lousie and we even had a lake view room. There was a nice little nook in front of a huge window and I hardly moved from that seat any time we were in the room. It was such an incredible sight that I honestly had a hard time believing my eyes. And especially to stay somewhere so majestic...was incredible. We got up with the sun so that we could see the changing shadows in the mountains and we stayed up past sunset to see the colors of the sky.
What we did:
-Lake Agnes hike - This was a hike that was right beside Lake Louise. It was nice to walk right out of the hotel and onto the trail. It was pretty strenuous, I'm not going to lie. But we took lots of breaks, didn't rush and did just fine. The cool thing about this trail is that there is a tea house at the end of it dating back to the early 1900s. It's so remote that there's no running water nor electricity, but they do serve tea and sandwiches, which was a MUCH welcomed activity! There are also really stunning views of Lake Louise along the way. Apparently there are a few hikes that fork off of this trail. Honestly, I wish we could've done more but we were still recovering from our big hike in Banff.
I loved seeing the wild Columbine everywhere! These were my favorite in Alaska, and I've seen so many color variations except this one! Bright yellow was a first for me...aren't they pretty?
Our view of Lake Louise on our way back down:
- Ski Lift - There's a ski resort in town that let's you ride the ski lift in the summer time. This was a lot of fun!
See Lake Louise?
- Canoeing on Lake Louise - This was my number one reason for visiting! hah. And it lived up to the hype! The moment that we got into the canoe and started paddling away from the dock, I instantly started crying! To be honest, I don't remember the last time I was moved to literal tears over something like this but it was one of those moments that I had looked forward to for so long... to actually be there in person felt so surreal. And so much more beautiful than what I could've imagined. I literally couldn't believe my eyes.
- Sunrise at Lake Moraine - Lake Moraine is another popular destination in the area that was on my bucket list. Something to note is that they closed down the parking area so now the only way to access the Lake is if you're staying there (apparently there is lodging- that looked quite nice!) or you have to take a shuttle to the lake. This is important to know prior to your trip because booking can fill up fast. We tried to book through our hotel and they had a few availabilities, but they were all during the afternoon and had chances of rain. We really wanted to do the Sunrise shuttle, but they were all booked up. Thankfully, we did a little bit of digging, and found an independent shuttle company that was able to take us for sunrise.
Like Lake Louise, it was hard to believe my eyes! Even when the sun was coming up and the lighting wasn't the best, the blue water seemed to glow. It was truly incredible!
The sun rises pretty early in Canada! We had to wake up at 3 to be at the bus a little before 4. Needless to say, we took a nap when we got back to the room.
Later that day, we went for a walk around Lake Louise. There's an easy pathway beside the lake that has such a lovely view the entire time. Peter also decided to go for a swim...water was in the 40s Fahrenheit but he loves a good cold plunge, hah!
We also braved the awkwardness and grabbed a quilt photo in public. haha. I kept telling Peter, we'll never see any of these people again! ;)
Pattern featured above is Vintage Lace; we have kits for this exact quilt (in 2 sizes) in our shop, found here.
Where we ate:
There really aren't too many restaurants in town but the hotel had a few different ones to choose from, so between that and room service, we didn't really eat beyond the Fairmont dining. Which was pretty good!
Our last day in Lake Louise was our 9th wedding anniversary and we got up early for the sunrise, lingered a bit past checkout and headed to our next destination.
From this point forward, the weather was pretty hit or miss. It rained the entire 2.5 hour drive from Lake Louise to Jasper National Park. We could tell that it was a really scenic drive, but we couldn't see much because of the rain and clouds. The road to Jasper is called the Icefield Parkway and you drive past a glacier, which is pretty cool. (We did that on the way back through.)
Jasper felt MUCH less crowded than Banff and overall had a smaller town vibe. We also saw the most wildlife in Jasper, which was so super exciting. The highlight was a mama grizzly and her two cubs that were on the side of the road near our hotel. We watched them for a solid 30 minutes in complete awe! We also saw an ENORMOUS elk while driving as well.
We stayed at the Fairmont in Jasper, which is a really neat lodge style resort. It's positioned in front of the most beautiful lake with tons of things to do on-site. The lake water was SO crystal clear and turquoise. We went canoeing on it and I literally felt like I was in the Caribbean. It was M.A.G.I.C.A.L. Truly magical.
We also rented bikes to ride around the lake and even had a picnic. The lodge also had a hair salon on site, so I got my annual hair cut there as well. :)
We also took a boat tour of Maligne Lake to see Spirit Island. It was kind of hazy from the wildfire smoke, but still beautiful!
We had one of the best meals of the trip in Jasper. It was actually for our anniversary dinner... a restaurant called Kumama.
Maligne Canyon Loop was a really fascinating hike that went along a river and several canyon areas that had been carved out by water.
Our next stop was Emerald Lake in Yoho National Park. This was another favorite of mine because we stayed in an adorable, lake view cabin. This lake was unlike any of the others as it was a bright, milky turquoise that looked more fake than it did real! There was no wifi in our cabin, and since it was raining for most of our time at Emerald Lake, I did a lot of reading by the fire!
The main lodge at Emerald Lake Lodge was super adorable. It had a sophisticated rustic charm that felt historical but also new. There were two restaurants on-site, so we ate there during our stay.
The quilt pattern featured above is Granny Patch, which can be found in our shop here.
We stopped at Athabasca Falls on the way back. So beautiful!
We then headed back to Calgary but stopped in Canmore for a few hours on the way. We ended up spending one night in Calgary and then taking a red-eye home the next day. We weren't originally planning to leave at midnight, but our flights got cancelled and we figured we might as well try it. We normally have a hard time sleeping the night before a flight, so since we'd be awake, we might as well be traveling, haha. Really though, I think I'll do red-eyes more often! Plus there are less crowds and seats are cheaper.
Overall, it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip, but I would truly love to go back some day. If we went back, I would stay longer at Jasper and Emerald Lake and I'd probably go back to Lake Louise too! It was nice to unplug and explore a new part of the world. I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to do so.
Thanks for following along. Let us know if you have any thoughts or questions about our trip!
]]>Tag us on social media, @loandbeholdstitchery and use the hashtags #LBSscrappyblocks and #loandbeholdpatterns. Can't wait to see what you create!
Looking for other free scrappy projects? Check out the links below!
]]>I try not to play favorites, but Vintage Lace is one of my all time favorite quilt patterns! I designed it back in late 2018 and released it in the shop early 2019. This pattern was a clear point in my design journey where I felt like I was settling into my own style. Through Vintage Lace, I discovered that I loved symmetry, intricacy and thoughtful construction. Vintage Lace is still such a satisfying design and pattern to create and if you haven't tried it yet, I really think you'll enjoy it. Especially if you love half square triangles! And lots of em. ;)
This particular Vintage Lace quilt was the first one we've made since my Warp and Weft Vintage Lace and Homebody Vintage Lace back in 2020. For loving the design so much, it was quite surprising that we didn't have a new sample in over 2 years! This lead me want to create another version, this time using all AGF PURE Solids.
From top to bottom the colors are:
We have kits (found here) to create this exact quilt in the Baby (48" x 48") OR Throw (72" x 72") sizes.
I decided to make the Baby size which is actually the same exact design as the Throw and Bed size. This pattern uses the same number of half square triangles regardless of the size that you are making; the pieces are simply scaled up or down to achieve a smaller or larger design.
One of the things about this pattern that I generally assume is that Color 1 is usually the most saturated color, bringing your focal point to the center of the quilt, then I typically like to have Color 4 as a lighter value to blend nicely into the negative space of the quilt. For this quilt, Color 4 is the bright pink Flamingo fabric, so there's more movement across the design than what the cover has. It's really interesting to see how the design slightly changes based on the values (relative lightness and darkness) of the color placement.
Kara, our Community Manager, did a beautiful job piecing this quilt top! Then we sent it to Ashley of Henhouse Quilting for Long Arm Quilting. We went with a design called Diamond in the Rough by Karlee Porter. Since this is a square quilt with so much symmetry, I typically like to stick with a pantograph that doesn't fee too directional. Meaning the quilting design relatively the same regardless of which direction the quilt is rotated.
For the backing, I used one of my favorite fabrics from Sharon Holland's Willow collection, called Fanfare Jubilant. The binding fabric is from Sharon Holland's Bookish collection, called Between The Lines. I love a good stripe binding but these stripes are unique in the sense that they are printed diagonally. I cut my binding strips from selvedge to selvedge so that meant that the stripes appeared diagonally on my binding as well.
We have the backing and binding listed as an optional add-on for this quilt kit!
We brought this quilt on our recent trip to the Canadian Rockies and got some fun photos in front of Lake Louise. There's nothing quite like taking photos of a quilt in public. It's always quite hilariously awkward, haha!
This trip brought me so much joy. I've never seen such beautiful lakes in all of my life. I'll be writing a blog post about our trip in the coming weeks with more details and photos.
Be sure to grab your copy of the Vintage Lace pattern and check out our new quilt kit for this quilt. Enjoy!
LINKS:
Other Vintage Lace quilts that I've made over the years:
]]>Your seam allowance is arguably one of the most critical parts of piecing a quilt. If you are making any sort of pattern/design that has multiple size pieces, your seam allowance is what allows all of your pieces to fit together like a puzzle. If your seam allowance isn't correct, then things my not fit together as nicely as they should. This tutorial will help you test your seam allowance so that your sewing is as accurate as possible. :)
Pattern featured above is "Getaway" found here.
Your seam allowance is the area that is in between the edge of your fabric and your seam. It will eventually be hidden on the underside of your quilt top and within your quilt. In quilting, there is an assumed standard seam allowance of 1/4". This means that there is 1/4" of fabric in between your seam and the edge of your fabric.
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Good question! A scant 1/4" seam allowance accounts for the width of your thread and the fold of your fabric. Depending on a few different factors, you might need to use a scant 1/4" seam allowance, which is just a teeny tiny bit smaller than 1/4". To read more about a scant 1/4" seam allowance, check out this blog post.
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There are several things that can play into your seam allowance. It's not so much about using the same exact seam allowance for every single project, but it's more about assessing how these factors affect your results and making small changes as needed.
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The patterns featured above are Deco, Interwoven, Knitted Star and Rhythm.
It's always best to test your seam allowance before each project, especially if you are using a new technique or a different kind of fabric/thread that you may not normally use. There are a few variables that can effect your seam allowance with the main one being how many pieces are in your block. Because of this, it's always helpful to test your seam allowance based on the pattern that you are working on. Sewing 10 strips together is a lot different than sewing 3 strips together, remember?
So let's do a little experiment, shall we?
Sew two 2.5" strips together.
2.5" plus 2.5" is 5" but because of your seam allowance, your piece should end up measuring smaller than that. If you are using a 1/4" seam allowance, you'll subtract 1/4" from each piece, meaning your unit should then measure 4.5".
With this logic, any time you are testing a seam allowance, you can add up the starting size of your pieces (often referred to as unfinished size), then subtract 1/2" for each seam allowance (since there are two fabrics in the seam, each with 1/4").
Use this equation with any size pieces that you sew together. For each seam allowance, subtract 1/2".
So say you're making a quilt block that has (5) 2.5" strips in it.
(5) x 2.5" is 12.5".
Subtract 1/2" for each seam (there are 4 seams, so you'll be subtracting 2".
So your sewn piece should measure 10.5". If you zoom in, mine is actually just a smidge small on the right, but I call this good enough. :)
It's also best for this experiment to press your seams according to how the quilt pattern instructs you to. Some patterns call for pressing seams to one side to create "nesting seams" while others call for pressing seams open. Remember that this can affect the overall measurement of your pieces so if you plan to press to one side, it's helpful to see how that plays a role.
Make sense?
Again, it's always helpful to test your seam allowance with the same fabric and thread that you are using for a project. It's also the most helpful if you can make a test sample block or at least a portion of the block to make sure your seam allowance is okay. So if you are creating a pattern that uses 1.5" strips, it's best to use 1.5" strips to test your seam allowance.
To measure your finished pieces, place your ruler on the piece so that you're really pressing those pieces flat to get an accurate assessment of what they truly measure.
Don't panic! It's normal to have some trial and error. You'll simply need to make a few adjustments and re-test. Simple as that!
If your blocks are too small...
If your block measures *smaller* than what it should be then your seam allowance was too large. You will need to make your seam allowance smaller. If your machine has the ability to move the needle to the right, that can fix the problem. Take note if you need to swap out your presser foot or needle plate with the new needle position.
If your needle position is stationary and doesn't move, then you'll need to move your fabric to the left to create a smaller seam allowance.
If your blocks are too big...
If your block measures *larger* than what it should be then your seam allowance was too small. You will need to make it larger. You can do this by moving your needle to the left or moving your fabric to the right.
You might find that a 1/4" presser foot is all you need; however, it's important to test this before you get started. If you use a 1/4" seam presser foot, pay attention to your needle position. You may need to adjust it a little to achieve a true 1/4", especially if you discover that your seam allowance needs to be scant. (Again, refer to this blog post if needed). While a 1/4" presser foot is helpful for consistency, it is not the end-all be-all for accuracy. You still might need to make small adjustments. For example, with my 1/4" presser foot, I have to move my needle all the way over to the right. If your sewing machine needle does not move from left to right, then you may not benefit from a 1/4" presser foot. You can find a 1/4" presser foot on Amazon. This is a universal presser foot, so be sure to check and make sure that it will work with your specific machine.
Personally, I stopped using a 1/4" presser foot when I discovered the HP foot that came with my Janome machine. I've been piecing with it ever since. With this foot, I align the edge of my fabric with the right edge of the presser foot. For a scant 1/4" seam, I align the edge of my fabric just inside the right edge of the presser foot. Essentially, there is a "thread width" in between the edge of my fabric and the right edge of the presser foot.
Note that your method of achieving a 1/4" seam allowance my look different than mine depending on the factors previously mentioned. In the fabric shown above, I'm using Art Gallery Fabrics and a Ruby Star Fabrics. Both are a little more thin and silky and after testing, I needed to use a true 1/4" seam allowance. For the Stripe Essex Getaway quilt that I made, those fabrics were all Robert Kaufman Essex Cotton/Linen blend, so they were a little more thick and sturdy. I found that I needed to use a scant 1/4" seam allowance for that quilt.
Create a Landmark
If your needle position doesn't move and/or you have limited presser feet options, you may need to create a landmark on your sewing machine so that you know where to line up your fabric. You can do this with something like masking tape or diagonal seam tape. If you want to create a "ridge" on your machine for the fabric to butt up against, consider taping a stack of index cards or something similar to your machine.
Some machines come with a metal attachment that screws into your needle plate and allows you to line up the edge of your fabric while creating a consistent and perfect 1/4" seam. Look at your sewing machine accessories and see if you have one!
A "finished" measurement means that the piece of fabric is completely "finished" within the quilt and that it has a seam on all sides of the piece. Noting the finished measurement can also be a helpful way to assess your seam allowance. In the example above, each unfinished 2.5" piece should measure 2" finished once you sew your pieces together.
It really depends on the pattern. For some patterns, it really only matters that your seams are consistent. You might be able to get away with using a certain seam allowance and you'll just have a slightly smaller or larger quilt in the end. For example, if you are making a quilt that is entirely made up of squares (like the free Patchwork Squares pattern found here), you can technically use whatever seam allowance you wish to use and it will not make a difference in the end. As long as you are consistent.
For most quilt patterns the blocks may not look right within your quilt if they are not accurate. For example, with Getaway and Interwoven, you really want the blocks to measure accurately, otherwise, the lines created within the quilt will not 100% connect from block to block. In the end, this may not bother you, but it can be pretty noticeable. I try not to stress too much about things being 100% perfect in my quilt, but I do like things to align. Everyone has different levels of perfectionism so feel free to tweak and adjust as you see fit. But remember quilting is meant to be FUN, so no stressing allowed, okay? :)
Pattern featured above is "Interwoven" found here.
Once you master testing and tweaking your seam allowance, you're all set up for success! Knowing when and how to make adjustments to your seam allowance is a skill that take some practice, but I have full confidence that you can do this, my friend! :)
Happy Sewing!
If you've made a quilt or two before, then you're likely familiar with the term "width of fabric" (abbreviated as WOF). This is often a common starting place for cutting instruction for many quilt patterns, so if you haven't encountered it yet, then you will in the future!
Typical quilting cotton WOF is usually around 42"-44". It's stored on what's called a "bolt", which is just a large roll of fabric like you see here.
Fabric is stored on the bolt folded in half with the two selvedges aligning. Often selvedges will be frayed or have a printed label on them.
Let's say you need to cut a 2.5" x WOF strip. This means that your strip will be 2.5" by the WOF (~42" give or take). Quilt patterns will often assume that your usable width of fabric is around 42", so you want to make sure that your fabric is indeed what you're expecting it to be before you start cutting. If it isn't, you might need more fabric than what the pattern tells you you'll need.
One important thing to note is that quilting cotton is a woven fabric, meaning tiny threads are woven together in a horizontal and vertical direction. These two thread directions are referred to as the Warp (lengthwise grain) and Weft (cross grain). If you are cutting straight pieces, you’ll want to cut your pieces so that they are parallel and perpendicular with those warp and weft threads. If the piece is cut slightly crooked from those threads, then the edges of your piece can become stretchy and warped, which can be tricky to work with.
NOTE - if you are sewing curves, certain pieces of clothing or creating biased binding, then you want your cuts to be diagonal across the warp and weft threads. This is called the "bias" and it has more stretch to it than "on-grain" fabric does.
Another important thing to note is that since fabric is folded and stored on a bolt, it isn't always folded perfectly straight. If you've ever cut a WOF strip and the fabric around the fold has a bend to it, this is why.
This means that it's always a good idea to assess the fold of your fabric before you start cutting your WOF strips. This helps ensure that you're cutting WOF strips that are perfectly "on-grain" and straight. There are a variety of ways to do this....you can rip your fabric, you can pull a thread from the selvedge... everyone has their preferred method. For me, I simply refold my fabric if needed and go from there.
I'll be the first to admit that I sometimes don't do this with *every* quilt. Let's face it: for some quilts, it matters more than others. For example, I'm using the Getaway quilt pattern in this tutorial, found here and with this pattern, we're using all WOF strips to subcut more strips. We're using the full WOF piece, so making sure our fabric is square prior to cutting is extremely important. But with a pattern like Nightingale, I'm cutting squares from WOF strips and really, it isn't quite as noticeable if my pieces get just a tiny bit "off". Don't tell the quilt police! But any time you're strip piecing the entire WOF strip, or just using the entire WOF strip for sub-cuts, you'll want to make sure that your piece is square around the fold before you get started.
If you pre-wash your fabric, you'll be doing this anyways, since the fold will no longer be there. But if you don't prewash (like me), then you can iron or "press" your original fold so that it's nice and flat. While you're at it, go ahead and press your entire fabric piece so that it's without folds or creases. If you plan to starch, now is the time to do so.
Then to re-fold your fabric, you'll want to align your two selvedges as perfectly as you can. There are a few ways to do this, but one method that I found helpful is if you lift up your fabric so that you have one selvedge in between your middle and pointer fingers and the other selvedge in between your pointer fingers and thumbs. Lift up on the fabric so that the fold is hanging down in front of you. Note that I am working with 1-5/8 yards, so I have some of the yardage off to one side. This amount will vary based on how much yardage you are working with.
As you are doing this, make sure that the the new fold of fabric is draping without a ripple. Move your fingers around until it looks nice and smooth.
If you look closely, you can see where the old fold was and now where my new, perfectly straight fold is.
If you're working with a larger cut of yardage, you'll likely need to do this process in segments as seen below. You can see the left portion of my yardage is what I just refolded and the right portion of my fabric still needs to be refolded. So for a 1-5/8 yard piece, I refolded and pressed a new crease in three segments. You might need to do more or less segments based on how much fabric you're working with.
Repeat until all of your yardage is refolded and pressed with a new crease.
Now you're *almost* ready to start cutting. I've found that the key to success with this is to fold the fabric "accordion-style" so that it's easy to work with. This is a "back and forth" type of fold that easily allows you to pull fabric from the top of the pile without it being a tangled mess.
To do this, hold all of your fabric up in the air and lay down a small segment, ~9" or so. Move your arms back and forth as you lower the fabric down onto the pile. It doesn't need to be exact or perfect, but having the fabric go back and forth like this just keeps it nice and organized as you are cutting. Plus it helps decrease harsh creases and wrinkles!
Now you're ready to cut!
Moving forward, keep in mind that I am right handed. If you are left handed, you'll likely want to flip the orientation of what you see here. :)
When cutting WOF strips, you are cutting from selvedge to selvedge. I am someone who doesn't like to fold my fabric too much prior to cutting. Many people fold their fabric in half again so that the fold is on top of the selvedges, meaning you cut through 4 layers at a time. You're welcome to do that if you would like. For me, I just like to use my 6" x 24" or 8.5" x 24" ruler and only cut through two layers at once.
First I am going to make a fresh cut. Since I just refolded my fabric and created a new fold that's nice and square with my selvedges, I'm going to use that fold as my guide.
Align a horizontal line in your ruler with the fold of your fabric. Move your ruler over so that you're not cutting away too much fabric. Make sure that you're cutting away enough so that you create a fresh edge on both layers.
Trim off just enough to give you a new clean edge.
Now realign the fold of your fabric with a horizontal line in your ruler. Then align your desired measurement (for me it's 2.5") with the fresh edge of fabric that you just created.
When using a long ruler, you'll want to walk your non-dominant hand up the ruler so that it stays somewhat aligned to where your dominant hand is with the rotary blade.
Repeat for however many strips you need and viola!
Since your fabric is perfectly refolded, your strip should be straight around the fold. What a beautiful sight. :)
The pattern featured above is Getaway, found here in our shop.
To take it a step further, this is what I like to do for sub-cutting.
"Sub cutting" simply refers to a cut that you make after the initial cut. So if you're cutting WOF strips to then cut squares from those strips, you're sub cutting those squares from the WOF strips. So often times the pattern will read:
This means from the initial (1) 2.5" x WOF strip, you'll cut that strip into (4) 2.5" x 10.5" pieces.
To do this, place the strip horizontally so that the selvedge end is on the right and the fold is on the left.
Remember that it's always best to use the lines on your ruler whenever possible. This will give you a more accurate and consistent cut.
I hope you found this tutorial helpful!
Brittany
This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase that item through my link, I may receive a small commission from your purchase at no cost to you. I only recommend products that I know and love!
]]>I'm back to share about another Getaway quilt sample and this one is so good, my friends! This was my first sample to make while testing the pattern. I did NOT follow the pattern for the cover quilt and I must say that I enjoyed having a game-plan rather than just aimlessly sewing strips together. hah. It took me just a 2 days to piece this quilt top, which is WILD. I'm a pretty quick sewer but I think anyone could make this quilt top in a weekend if they wanted to!
Which reminds me, the Getaway Quilt Along starts in one week! Join other quilters from around the world as we make a Getaway quilt top together! Click here for more details!
Back to Speckled! This color-way was one of the mock-ups that Elizabeth put together and I immediately knew that I wanted to make it. Pink and lavender are my current obsession at the moment, so I was really excited about this quilt from the beginning. The two fabrics are Strawberry and Daisy from the Speckled collection by Rashida Hale for Ruby Star Society. We have kits for this quilt in our shop!
If you recall the Cover Getaway quilt is a little bit of a "high contrast" theme in which the two fabrics (Bella Charcoal + Kona Snow) have opposite light and dark values. I wanted to create a few different Getaway samples that explored other ideas for fabric pairings. This sample uses two fabrics that have a similar value, which is a really great alternative to the look of the cover quilt.
I've gotten the question of whether or not prints work well for this pattern. The answer is yes, but it depends! We have some tips in this blog post about choosing fabrics for your Getaway quilt, but Speckled is one of those collections that's PERFECT for this quilt. It's just subtle enough to add interest without being distracting. In fact, any of the Ruby Star Basics (Add it Up, Spark, etc) would be great for this quilt.
I sent this quilt to Ashley of Henhouse Quilting and I told her that I really wanted some movement for this quilt. We landed on Interwoven Dark by Karlee Porter. We used a pink thread that blends in with the light lavender color. I just love the texture that this pantograph adds! I also love that it doesn't feel like a typical vertical/horizontal quilting pattern, but there's a diagonal movement to it, which is really nice.
The binding and backing were last minute decisions. I was actually pretty stumped for both of these, since the colors on the front are so vibrant. I ended up using a black and white print called Dance This Tango by Pat Bravo for Art Gallery Fabrics for the backing. This design is SUCH a fun combination with the Speckled colors! Then for the binding...again, I didn't want something that would compete with the statement piece of the back and also the colors on the front. Originally I thought I'd choose something contrasting, but then I trialed Add it Up Earth and the rest is history. It gives a subtle outline but doesn't blend in totally.
We have kits for the quilt top, backing and binding in our shop!
We brought this quilt with us to the beach for our annual fishing trip with my dad. Naturally, we had to get "Getaway" photos during our "Beach Trip". ;)
Last but not least, I wanted to share about this Scrap Bonus Project that's found within the pattern! Getaway uses a "minimal waste" diagonal- row construction method, which means that you cut block in half and use both halves within the quilt. There are just a few leftovers, however, and I played around with these leftovers to create something that's both useful and beautiful. You can make whatever you'd like with these scraps...mug rug, pillow, wall hanging. The size will vary based on which size quilt you make but it creates a nice little coordinating side project, if I do say so myself. :)
I made a pillow that's about 16 or so inches. I quilted diagonal lines that are about 1/2" apart and finished it in a pillow using a simple envelope sleeve technique. Cute, right?
Thanks for reading!
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]]>Most of us have been there, we love the fabric we picked out, I mean they really do look great next to each other and we're excited to get started. But somehow after all of the cutting, piecing, pressing, and sewing, when we finally see the finished quilt top we're left feeling... well, a little underwhelmed. How is that possible?
If you've ever felt that way I've got a bit of good news for you, Getaway uses just TWO colors. You're starting off in a great place! And if a few tips on choosing colors would be helpful then read on, I've got a few color scheme ideas for you!
A monochromatic color scheme uses just one single focal color along with its tints and shades. Although that may sound, dare I say boring, quite the opposite is true. Monochromatic palettes can create a wide range of colorways that go from calming to bold!
Lets test it out. First choose a focal color. For this example I'm using a midrange pink/purple, Gumdrop, which is outlined in black on the color strip. All of the other colors we choose will be a variation of Gumdrop. Next, choose 3 lighter tints and add them from lightest to darkest to the left of Gumdrop. Then, choose 3 darker shades and add them from lightest to darkest to the right of Gumdrop. This gives us a total of 7 colors to work with.
Couple of notes:
Monochromatic palettes can be: low, medium, or high contrast.
Low contrast: pairs the lightest colors to the left of the palette together to make subtle, soothing combinations.
Medium contrast: use the more vibrant, saturated colors in the middle of the palette to create bright and cheery combinations.
High contrast: uses one color from both the left and right of the palette to create bold, striking colorways.
Another way to create interesting color combinations is by incorporating temperature. Colors are often referred to as "warm" or "cool". This refers to whether a color lies on the red/orange/yellow or "warm" half of the color wheel or on the blue/green/purple "cool" half of the color wheel.
Warm Colors
When pairing the focal color with warm colors it turns into a bit of a chameleon and appears cooler and lighter or darker than it actually is. When Gumdrop is paired with peach it appears to be lighter but when paired with roasted pecan it appears darker. Notice how it also appears cooler than the warm colors its paired with, pretty "cool" right?!
Cool Colors
A similar thing happens when we pair the focal color with cool colors. See how it appears to be lighter when paired with aqua and darker when paired with dark blue? These cooler colors also make Gumdrop feel warmer than it really is!
Test this out with any warm or cool color combos to see how your focal color reacts to those its paired with, temperature really helps create color combinations that pop!
Another great option for creating a two color palette is pairing your focal color with a variation of black or white. To add a richness to your palette, instead of using pure black or pure white, replace them with colors that are a very similar in value but have just a bit of color included. Think dark, rich jewel tones for black or the very lightest, most pale of colors for white. Although the shifts in color are subtle the undertones will add a richness to your color scheme. For these mockups I chose an almost black shade with blue undertones and an almost white tint with yellow undertones, see the difference they make?!
I love a good print and Getaway pairs extremely well with them!
Here are some tips for working with prints:
Stripes are are a fun way to add texture to your quilt top. When using striped fabric it is helpful to:
Ok now that you have a few ideas to play with, test them out to see which combinations you like best! And good news, we're excited to partner with PreQuilt again to bring you FREE digital coloring pages so that you can plan out your quilt making it easy to test out a LOT of different fabrics included pre-loaded solids fabric swatches from 12 different manufacturers.
Have fun with it and we'd love to see what colors you decide on so be sure to share! Use the hashtag #getawayquilt and #loandbeholdpatterns and tag us @loandbeholdstitchery on social media.
Happy Sewing!
This pattern includes FIVE sizes! The smallest size in the pattern is 42" x 56", which I'm calling a "Crib" size but it could easily also be considered a Lap or Small Throw size quilt. We made three different samples of the Crib size in each of the versions, City Trip, Beach Trip and Mountain Trip. In case you missed it, the Getaway quilt pattern includes different design variations. Since the quilt is block-based, you can rotate your blocks for infinite design possibilities, but I highlighted my top three in the pattern and named them after a few popular kinds of "Getaways". These three crib quilts give you a little taste of each!
In addition to each quilt being a different version of the pattern, each quilt in this blog post is also quilted slightly differently. There's one quilt that's all machine quilted, one quilt that's all hand quilted and the last quilt is a mix between the two.
First, let's take a look at our Blueberry Zest sample.
Elizabeth, our Creative Project Manager created this bold and zesty "City Trip" version of the Getaway quilt pattern. She used all Art Gallery Fabrics and the result is the silkiest, snuggliest quilt. The two fabrics on the front are PURE Solids, Blueberry Zest and Atmospheric. The binding is Periwinkle and the backing is Floral Trellis. Together, this quilt has such a lovely blue, classic vibe. We have a complete quilt kit for this very quilt in our shop!
Elizabeth hand-quilted this quilt using Pearl Cotton #5 weight thread. Did you know that they made a 5 weight thread? It's a little thicker than the #8 weight thread that I typically use and let me just say, it's GORGEOUS. If you're looking for super defined stitches with a thicker looking thread, this is the way to go!
The crinkly texture of this quilt is really enhanced by the hand quilting texture, don't you think? I wish you could snuggle this quilt in person, it's just so so good! She followed the lines in the quilt and stitched relatively dense lines throughout the quilt. If you're someone who likes less quilting in your quilt, then this next quilt is for you.
Kara, our Community Manager made this sweet and subtle "Mountain Trip" version of the Getaway quilt pattern as a baby gift for a friend. We went with a soft and sweet pink and purple combination for the front with a little bit of an unexpected surprise for the back.
The two fabrics on the front are Robert Kaufman Kona Petunia and Ballet Slipper. We both immediately agreed that Light Fuchsia from Fabelism's Monarch Grove collection would be the most perfect binding for this quilt. This was a stepping stone for the backing of the quilt, which is also a Fabelism fabric called Sprout Woven in Bronze. We have a quilt kit for this very quilt in our shop!
Kara did a mix of hand quilting and machine quilting for this quilt. I LOVE that she used both techniques as I often forget that you can combine the two and have the best of both worlds. Similar to Elizabeth, she quilted within the strips of the pattern but did only one line of stitching instead of two. It such a sweet combination and a really great way to incorporate a little bit of added texture and detail without having to hand quilt the entire thing (if you don't want to).
But let's say you're looking to machine quilt the entire quilt. Keep scrolling for the Beach Trip version of the Getaway quilt that I created.
I used Robert Kaufman Kona Cedar and Ice Peach for the quilt top, AGF Flamingo as the binding, and a newer Sharon Holland print, Late Bloom for the backing. I wanted this quilt to feel bright and warm and I think it fits the bill perfectly. We have a quilt kit for this exact quilt in our shop!
Whenever I machine quilt, I love to keep it simple. Usually there are some seams within the quilt that I can use as a guide and that's exactly what I did with this quilt. With the blocks and strips being "on-point", I aligned the edge of my walking foot with those diagonal seams and started stitching. Aligning the edge of my foot with the previous lines, I continued to add diagonal lines across my quilt. Then I rotated the quilt and repeated the process for the opposite direction. The lines are about 1/2"-5/8" apart give or take and that really creates my favorite kind of texture. You could certainly modify this idea and space out your lines further if you'd like less density in your quilting.
I went back and forth about the binding for this quilt. With Cedar and Ice Peach feeling a bit more muted, I thought it'd be fun to highlight one of the brighter, more saturated colors from the backing print. All in all, the binding really marries the front and the back, which is always a fun pick for me. :)
I hope this gives you some ideas for your Getaway quilt! Don't forget that all quilt patterns are currently 20% off through Sunday night (6/4) at midnight PST.
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This bold and modern quilt pattern is the perfect quilt to make a statement in any room. I designed it back in March of last year when we were planning our spring Getaway trip to Alaska (which you can read about here). I'm calling this quilt a "sister" pattern to Homecoming because of a few design and inspiration similarities. While they're similar, keep scrolling to see some really fun differences!
We released Homecoming in February of 2020 but I designed it when we were displaced from our home in Summer/Fall of 2019. We had a major water leak/flood while we were away for vacation and it was quite unexpected and stressful. That said, I designed Homecoming while I was dreaming of being back in the comfort of our home. It was the quilt that I wanted to see when we got resettled and it symbolizes warmth, comfort and a sense of belonging. Things that we often take for granted... or at least I did up until that point.
Little did I know that one month after the release, March of 2020, we would all have a different meaning to the word "Homecoming". I won't talk too much about that because we all know how tough that was. But after being so limited and confined for a few years, I don't know about you, but I was itching to get take a getaway. It's funny how your perspective can change based on the circumstance that you find yourself in. In 2019, all I wanted was to be home. In 2020, home was the last place I wanted to be. It was a lesson on contentment and appreciating where ever it is that you find yourself. It might not always be where you choose to be, but it's worth acknowledging, appreciating and maybe even celebrating. We're alive after all. That alone is definitely worth celebrating.
Similar to Homecoming, Getaway is a block-based pattern. During the testing phase, I actually constructed this cover quilt top using strips instead of blocks. Well, if you've ever create a quilt top that has TONS of long strips...then you know it can be a little tricky. Even with using lots of pins, I had a hard time with my quilt becoming distorted and wavy. My longarm quilter (Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting) ever so gently and kindly pointed out that this top had a little extra "fluff" around the edges. Which is just a nice way to say "girl, this quilt is WONKY". hah
Needless to say, I took this to heart when I started writing the pattern a few months ago. More than anything, I want my patterns to be approachable and give excellent results. So I actually did the math both ways: using long strips AND as a block based pattern, just to compare how they would differ on paper. At the end of the day, I weighed the pros and cons and even did a little poll on Instagram and the block-based construction won! One of the definite pros of being block-based is that you can achieve a few different variations of this design. With a simple rotation of your blocks, you have a completely different "look" for your quilt. Really, you can endlessly rotate these blocks to create an infinite number of design layouts, but I landed on these three for the pattern:
I decided to name these three versions based on different types of "getaways" we've taken. There's City Trip, which has the most symmetrical movement. Beach Trip is a little more simple on the top and bottom, which I love, but there is still a little added detail on the left and right edges of the quilt. Then Mountain Trip is what you see on the cover.
Another HUGE pro of this quilt being block-based is that I could include many different sizes in the pattern! We have Crib (which could also serve as a Lap or Small Throw), Throw, Twin, Queen and King. I actually really love the King size of this quilt. You essentially follow the Queen size instructions, then add borders on the left and right edges of the quilt. It adds a little extra something that is so so beautiful.
The Fabric Requirements (and even cutting instructions) are all the same for each version of this quilt. Note that the pattern assumes that your usable Width of Fabric (WOF) is 42".
We're working on a blog post to help you choose your fabrics that should be ready in a few days! In the meantime, I'm excited to share that Getaway (all variations and sizes) are on PreQuilt if you want to try out some free digital coloring pages! Note that even though the sizes are all the same layout (with the exception of the King size), they're all separated on PreQuilt. This is because PreQuilt is about to roll out a new feature that involves seeing the scale of the prints within the mock-up. So all of the strip sizes in each Getaway version on PreQuilt are all to scale.
While the pattern is designed for two fabrics, you could certainly have fun with this and do your own thing. And don't forget to add extra fabrics and colors to the palette with your binding and backing fabric!
We also have printable coloring pages found here. If you're wanting to play with adding extra colors, this would be a great tool to use!
I've labeled this pattern as Intermediate, but I would say that it's ever-so slightly just a tiny bit easier than Homecoming. The reason for that is that Getaway is composed of only two blocks. That's right.... just TWO blocks! The construction is actually pretty straightforward and simple, but you DO need an accurate and consistent seam allowance.
Another thing that is really important with this pattern is to pay attention to the direction that you press your seams. The pattern instructs you how to press your blocks so that everything nests nicely, but you DO have to pay attention to that when you press the seams in your blocks. You also want to make sure that you have your blocks rotated correctly (with nesting seams in mind) just before you sew the entire quilt top together.
"Nesting seams" means that you're pressing seams to one side, which means that the pattern calls for *scant* 1/4" seams. I know this can be a hot-button topic for quilters, but I promise you, they're not bad! If the term "scant" scares you, maybe think about it in terms of doing what you need to do to get your blocks what they need to measure. So many things play a roll in your seam allowance and the finished size of your blocks. I have a scant seam allowance tutorial, found here, but I'll also cover this in the Getaway Quilt Along.
Speaking of Quilt Along, it starts next weekend! It's been a while since we've all made something together, so I figured we were past due. :) Click here to find more information about the Quilt Along. I hope you'll join us!
For the cover quilt, I wanted something that was classic black and white. Very rarely do I use a true black in my quilt, so this is more of a charcoal shade that isn't quite as saturated. In fact, it's Bella Charcoal, which is what I used for my Honey Summer Pop quilt and it's really such a great neutral that I keep coming back to.
The white is Kona Snow...a classic. I really love the high-contrast look of these two fabrics together. It really makes a statement but since both of the fabrics are slightly muted, it doesn't feel too wild and crazy. I would happily put this in my living room!
The backing is Kona Foxglove, a really gorgeous rose pink/ warm purple color. It's a really interesting shade because I don't quite register it as either pink or purple. It's a warm lavendar, I would say, and I use it in TONS of my quilts. It felt like a fun pop of color for the backing. :)
Then the binding is Kona Pickle. Fun, right?? I love how Pickle looks with Foxglove. They're such great additions to the front of the quilt!
We have quilt kits for this exact quilt in our shop!
Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting did the long-arm quilting for this quilt. At that time (Spring, 2022), Longarm League had just released a new pantograph called Best Fronds. I love the beach-y, "getaway" vibes of this panto so it feels like a match made in heaven! We did a light gray thread so that it wasn't too stark on either the Snow or Charcoal. It adds a subtle texture but doesn't feel too contrasting.
I hope you enjoyed reading about Getaway! Don't forget that all patterns (PDF or Paper) are 20% off through Sunday night. No code needed, discount is applied at checkout.
Happy Sewing!
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It's been about 2 months since the Granny Patch quilt pattern release and I still have ONE last quilt that I have yet to show you! This was actually a last minute quilt before the pattern release. And I'm so glad we made it happen! I reached out to Sandy of Thai Charm to help me sew this sample together and I just love how it turned out!
In case you missed it, each of my Granny Patch samples were inspired by a certain decade. The cover quilt reminds me of 1960s Pyrex. Then I have a 1970s velvet-inspired quilt. Followed by a super rad 1980s Granny Patch. Then this is my 1990s version. Why 1990s? Good question! Something about it reminds me of my childhood (which was in the 90s). Maybe it's Justin and Britney's iconic matching denim outfits, mixed with my love of all things Barbie and Polly Pocket (remember Polly Pocket??). I really can't put my finger on it, but this has always been a 90s color palette for me. 8 year old Brittany would approve!
The fabrics for the front of this quilt top are Robert Kaufman Kona Solids. The background is Kona Chalkboard...which I would argue is a really cool grey. It's borderline blue and with the addition of the blues and purples in the foreground, it REALLY reads "cooler" than it would if it was by itself. That's the super interesting thing about the Granny Patch Quilt pattern. Since so much of the pattern alternates between the Background and the Foreground fabrics, there is a tight relationship between how these two groups of fabric interact. They all play off each other in a BIG way. Go through and look at the other Granny Patch blog posts to see what I mean!
But back to this quilt! Like I was saying, the Background is Kona Chalkboard. For the Foreground fabrics, we used 12 fat quarters of the following Kona solids:
Geranium
Violet
Pansy
Corsage
White
Lapis
Cornflower
Cloud
Woodrose
Camellia
Brt. Pink
Cerise
This is the Large Throw size, so it measures 56" x 74". Here's a look at the other sizes and fabric requirements.
Again, Sandy of Thai Charm made this quilt happen for me! She pieced the quilt top AND long-arm quilted it and I just can't tell you how thankful I am for her help! She did a beautiful job too, don't you think?
The pantograph is called Crystal Ball by Karlee Porter and I love the "lava lamp" sort of movement that it adds to the quilt. We used a medium gray thread so that it would blend in with the background and not stand out too much on the lighter colors of this quilt.
The backing is called Compass Points and it's from Sharon Holland's "Shine On" collection for Art Gallery Fabrics. I really think this fabric could work for any quilt backing! It ranks pretty high up on the list of my favorite backings. We have 4.5 yards cuts of this fabric in our shop!
For the binding, I used Chalkboard as well. I love the subtle outline that blends in with the Background.
This is such a fun advanced beginner quilt pattern that is fat quarter and 1/4 yard friendly. You'll love mixing and matching these fabrics and creating your very own crochet-inspired quilt. Not to mention there is a video tutorial included in the pattern to share about my process for staying organized and efficient.
Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy making your very own Granny Patch quilt. :)
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I first used this fabric combination back in 2018 when I designed the Interwoven quilt pattern, a staple in the Lo & Behold pattern collection. You might remember that this specific quilt was a gift for my husband, Peter. At the time, we had been married for about 4 years and he was still VERY much full time in the restaurant industry. This quilt was a gift for him, symbolizing the many twists and turns through life. I sometimes look back on that quilt and that specific time in our life and think "little did we know". But that's what life is all about, right? Learning, growing and enjoying the ride.
I wanted something that was somewhat neutral that would seamlessly fit into our VERY neutral home decor. This was the beginning of my low-key obsession with Doeskin and Snow. Doeskin is this gorgeous warm gray....maybe it would be classified as taupe? It's not so warm that it reads as a cream, but it does give a nice balance between the gray and cream world.
There's just enough contrast between Doeskin and Snow to see the design of the quilt; but the two fabrics are similar enough in value that it really creates a calming, neutral quilt. Here are some photos of Interwoven using Doeskin & Snow. I'll always cherish these photos by Lindsey Bess Photography.
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Fun fact that I totally forgot about until I did a deep dive for photos of this quilt...it was juried into the QuiltCon 2019 show! This was our first time attending QuiltCon and it was SO. MUCH. FUN. I highly recommend going if it's ever in your area!
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Soon after I released the Interwoven quilt pattern, I designed Vintage Lace in early 2019. This is probably my favorite pattern to-date, so I was really excited to make a sample for me to keep. At this point in Lo & Behold's journey, I was still working full-time as a nurse and Peter was still doing his own thing. I had written 8 patterns (Vintage Lace was number 9) and I was really enjoying exploring my creative style and figuring out what I loved and didn't love. Well, I loved Peter's quilt so much that I decided to make a Vintage Lace sample that uses the same exact two fabrics: Kona Doeskin & Snow.
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One thing that I love about this pattern is how intricate the design is. It looks much more involved and tricky than it actually is...but there are a TON of half square triangles. Personally I love the repetition of chain piecing and trimming so this quilt was such a delight. Once again, photos are by Lindsey Bess!
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Flash forward a few years to the Deco quilt pattern release in 2021! Deco is one of my top 3 patterns in terms of popularity. I thought it'd be fun to circle back to this fabric combination for a baby quilt sample and it turned out just so lovely. The thing that I love about this combination is that it works for SO many occasions and preferences. It can be masculine, feminine, a baby quilt...if you need to make a gift for someone but you aren't sure what colors they like. It's just a really safe route to go and is a bit fool-proof in my opinion!
Photos are by Brittany Pelegrino photography.
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You can read more about this particular Deco quilt here.
And that brings us to today. I released Mosaic Star back in the fall of 2022 along with my "advanced beginner" course, Triangle School. If you're looking to master patchwork triangles and perfect those points, click through to read more about Triangle School and join the waitlist!
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I really love this pattern as a multi-color quilt, but you know me...there's just something about a two color quilt, ESPECIALLY using this color combo that just pulls at my heart strings. It's so soft and neutral and it has a slightly elevated feel to it.
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This is the Crib size Mosaic Star quilt, which measures 54" square. It would also make a really great "lap" size quilt. We have quilt kits for this one in our shop!
For the backing, I used Kona Lingerie and the binding is Kona Leather, which is the exact same backing and binding combo that I used in my Vintage Lace quilt. Creature of habit, remember?
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The quilting is by Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting. We went with a pantograph called Kaleidoscope by Anne Bright Designs to add some curvy movement to all of the angles in the quilt. I really love the retro flower in the center of the motif...it's subtle and it adds a little something extra to all of the circles and symmetry.
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I wonder what I'll use Doeskin and Snow for next! haha Fun fact, the next Lo & Behold pattern will specifically be a two-color quilt, so maybe that'll be the winner. I'll start sharing about that quilt more in a few weeks. *hint- You might've already seen it! ;)
But if you're looking for more Doeskin & Snow inspiration, here you go!
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Thanks for reading!
Brittany
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I originally had the black and light blue fabrics in the mix, but I later decided to swap out those two fabrics. Here's what they looked like with everything.
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With the Throw size Mosaic Star quilt, there are 12 blocks, which means that you need 12 fat quarters or quarter yards for the foreground fabrics. One cool thing about this pattern is that if you cut carefully and don't waste too much, then you can get away with only using eighth yards or fat eighths instead of FQs/ quarter yards. That's actually what I ended up doing with this quilt, but if you want some extra fabric leftover to go in your stash or have on hand in case you make a mistake, FQs/ quarter yards are the way to go!
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The Mosaic Star pattern uses 3 different patchwork triangles: half square triangles, half rectangle triangles and flying geese. There's also a diamond-in-a-square or "square-in-a-square" block and some other fun skills. It's a great pattern to work through in batches....so you could make all of your half square triangles, all of your flying geese, and so on. Or it's also a fun pattern to just make block-by-block. This gives you a little taste of what your quilt is going to look like as your finish each block, which I find really satisfying. Since I was using these block to film video tutorials, I found myself doing a mix of both!
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Around the time I was making these blocks, I had the itch to get a design wall. This has been on my bucket list for FOREVER, so I was really really excited to make this happen! I ended up getting a 60" x 72" Fons & Porter Instant Flannel Design Wall (click here for an affiliate link), and it works really well! I used command strips to hang it on my wall and I was so giddy with excitement to hang each block up on the wall, one by one. It is SO much better than using the floor!
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For the background, I wanted to use something that didn't feel so stark. Bella Natural felt like the perfect, warm neutral for this project. I love that it gives a little bit of contrast to the other fabrics, but it also fits in with the overall vibe of the quilt.
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We have quilt kits for this exact quilt top in the shop.
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The binding Sketchbook Black Paint from the collection, which is a really great contrasting fabric to frame everything in. If you don't like black, you could also use your leftover scraps from the Foreground.
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The backing is called Sketchbook Kiss Brushstrokes and it's such a lovely pink/purple shade. It's probably my favorite fabric from the collection! We have 4.5 yard cuts of this fabric in the shop as well!
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The quilting is by Ashely of HenHouse Quilting. She suggested this Arches pattern and I immediately said yes! It's such a good contrast to the many different triangle points in this quilt. Plus the fabrics plus this quilting gives me a whole "Saved by the Bell" vibe...I'm not sure why, but I'm here for it!
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Overall, this quilt feels like a summer party. The warm colors and star blocks remind me of little sunshines floating throughout the quilt. It was a fun project to stretch my creativity and branch out and use some fabrics that I wouldn't normally use. I hope you love the quilt as much as I do!
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My aim for this quilt was to be a little more toned down and muted and I think we hit the nail on the head! I actually kind of regret not making this quilt larger, since I love these colors so much...but it was actually really great to have a small quick project. Overall, I really love the end result!
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This quilt was a part of the testing process as I was writing Granny Patch. The baby size is slightly different from the rest in the sense that you'll have some colors repeat in the blocks. According to the pattern, each block has 5 colors, but with the baby there will be at least one block that only has 4. It's not a big deal at all, but if you're someone who wants more variety, you could add an extra quarter yard or FQ to the mix. This means you'll have some waste, which is ultimately why we decided against it in the pattern, but know that it's an option. :) With this quilt, we made it exactly according to the pattern and I think it turned out perfectly!
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Kara (@hollandhomesteaddesigns), our Community Manager pieced the quilt top and I was SO eager and excited to quilt it. I don't know about you, but quilting smaller projects is my FAVORITE. It takes so much less time (and stress) to baste and the quilting process is over soon after it begins. It's a quick win, which always gets me jazzed!
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Fabrics used for this Granny Patch quilt top are all Robert Kaufman Kona solids:
For this quilt, I didn't have any batting that was big enough, so I pieced two smaller batting scraps together using a zigzag stitch. I need to do this more often...my scrap batting bin is overflowing and I need to put it all to good use! Do you do this? I shared an IG Reel of the process and a few of you chimed in and said that you combine batting scraps using fusible table. Smart!
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The last page of the pattern has two bonus quilting ideas. I say "bonus" because I just started adding these to the end of patterns (Mosaic Star is the only other one that has it). Hopefully you find them inspirational and helpful when thinking about how to finish your quilt. The very first idea on the page is this cross-hatch design, which is SO easy to execute with this pattern! Stitch lines diagonally through each corner of the squares and you're done! I also have an IG Reel of this process too.
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The binding is my go-to stripe, AGF Backroads Umber by Bonnie Christine and the backing is another AGF print by Bonnie Christine called Valley View. (This specific color-way appears to be discontinued).
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I used a cream color thread for the front and back of my quilt. The cross-hatch texture is one of my favorites when it comes to quilting. It's so simple and easy, yet SO striking and beautiful. All in all, this quilting only took me a few hours. The baby size Granny Patch would make a great little weekend project!
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Happy Sewing!
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I'm no stranger to a quilt with a dark charcoal background. In fact, I would argue that it's my preferred background color, A- because it's practical, as far as keeping it clean and such; and B- because I think it makes the other fabrics look better. It's practically a science...tones are richer, color are more distinct. If you're curious for examples, here's a list of quilts that I've made in the past with darker backgrounds. Click through to see what I mean!
It's pretty eye-opening to list out these quilts! I knew I liked charcoal, but maybe didn't realize just how much, haha. But needless to say, Granny Patch is another one of those quilts that just looks SO good with a darker background. I think it's something about having background space around each individual piece of Foreground fabric...means that the Background plays SUCH an important role in the over all look of your quilt.
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If you missed our announcement on Wednesday, we are so excited to offer digital coloring pages for the VERY first time. We've partnered with PreQuilt to bring you a FREE digital coloring page experience so that you can plan your quilt with confidence and bring your fabric ideas to life. Through PreQuilt, you can use their pre-loaded solid fabric swatches (hello Kona & AGF), randomize colors, and try new ideas so that you have a quilt plan before you get started. (There's also a paid version if you'd like to save your ideas, upload prints and more!) 🎨 We are so excited to offer this for Granny Patch! Let us know what you think and if you'd like to see it for other patterns as well!
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But back to this 1980s sample! It's a Small Throw, so 56" square, using 9 fat quarters or 1/4 yards. Here's a list of what we used:
Art Gallery Fabrics PURE Solids:
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Caviar is a true black shade, which you may or may not prefer. You could also make this quilt using the same Foreground fabrics, but a lighter Background. Here's what AGF Snow looks like:
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Notice how different this mock-up looks from the Caviar version?? Wild, right?
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We welcomed Elizabeth (@elizabethboltenstudio) to the Lo & Behold team last month as our Creative Project Manager and she specifically wanted to make this sample because it reminded her of a crocheted afghan that her grandmother made. I love that quilting can hold such a special meaning beyond creating the physical quilt. The connection to the past and special memories that it evokes is hands down my favorite part of this craft.
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Elizabeth also free-motion quilted this quilt! If you look at the last page of the pattern, there's a "Bonus: Quilting Ideas" section and she quilted the Orange Peel idea. Impressive, right?? She used a darker thread in the background, so that part really blends in. Then she used a lighter thread in the foreground to outline each foreground square within the block. Free-motion quilting isn't something that I've ventured into quite yet, but I'm always so impressed by folks who free-motion quilt their quilts!
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The backing is Striped Muse by Art Gallery Fabrics. I love that this fabric feels a little abstract and retro. It's fitting! We have 4.5 yard cuts of this fabric in our shop.
The binding is AGF Rock Candy, which is almost like a medium bubble-gum pink. It plays so well with the black background and adds a nice little bit of color on the back of the quilt.
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Overall, the retro vibe of this quilt is SO spot on. The darker background really gives that heirloom afghan vibe. I hope you love it as much as we do!
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