Another finish; I hand-bound this quilt on the weekend. It’s only a small one – 40” x 35”.
When Anna Maria Horner’s Innocent Crush came out I considered just buying a half yard of all the non-purple fabrics (I don’t like purple) and leave it at that. However, knowing that one has to grow as a quilter, darling, I decided to buy a FQ set of the entire line.
When the fabric arrived I freaked out a bit. How was I going to make all these amazing fabrics play nicely together?
The pinwheels below didn’t last long.
Then came a design closer to the final layout.
With a few adjustments the quilt top ended up like this- the idea being that patchwork rectangles were formed along the diagonal.
It was still kind of an explosion, only in a good way. But it needed something else. More cowbell.
I asked myself What Would Rita Do? You know, Rita from Red Pepper Quilts, the doyenne of modern quilting. Is is often the case, whenever I ask WWRD the answer invariably comes back: add more white.
Right. White. Then I got it in my head to try some appliqué. A simple shape repeated in white to tie the whole thing together.
I auditioned stars.
Bow ties, or reflected hearts, however you choose to look at it.
This one was a winner for a while until I realised it looked like an armada of little swimmers looking for an ovum (I was just pregnant at that stage…). I couldn’t have put a baby on that with a clear conscience.
In the end Anna Maria Horner actually sorta spoke to me because I found the answer in her fabric design.
See the flower surrounded by dots in both the blue and mauve fabrics above? That became my applique motif.
I decided I would zig-zag my shapes to the quilt top before I made the quilt sandwich.
The lady at my local quilt shop put me onto this stuff.
I have no idea what it’s called as the whole conversation was in French and there is no writing on the product’s paper backing. But it is a very light and flexible iron-on glue in a lattice pattern.
I ironed it on the quilt top seams directly beneath where I had fused my appliqué shapes. After it cooled, I peeled off the paper backing and the lattice held my seams down neatly. Then I could twist and turn and appliqué the quilt top with gay abandon, not having to worry about the seams getting all caught up.
Nice and neat. Just try not to iron over it again once it’s applied as it goes gooey.
Only a few more decisions remained. How to quilt it? I wanted to make the rectangles more obvious.
I quilted in a grid pattern highlighting the rectangles. I used white thread on top so it couldn’t be seen on my Kona White appliqué, and a cream colour on the back to blend into the flannel.
I also tossed up appliquéing on another flower motif but in the end decided it might have been overkill.
Lastly, I needed to decide whether I would bind in white to match the appliqué, go with a single Innocent Crush fabric or to do a scrappy binding. The later won and I think I like it most, it adheres to the explosion theme.
That was the Potpourri palette, I still have the Petal palette to use.
(ETA: you can see what I made with these fabrics over here.)
you are awesome
Phew, I’m tired after all of that decision-making! Add more white, eh? I must remember that one.
Loving the crazy baby quilt! The poo and spew will blend right in ;-)
B.
-xo-
Linds, prepare to lose hours of your life to sewing (assuming you catch the bug) – it’s pretty addictive. You’ll do best ordering US quilting fabrics on line, they are terribly expensive here. Of course there are plenty of gorgeous French made fabrics for the grabbing that are much cheaper. I love my local sewing shops, and there is a lady at the Aix markets who sells fabric too. Keep your eyes open, you’ll be amazed where you find it! Don’t worry about speaking French, I find pointing and a credit card are all you need.
I love the quilt. The appliques really make it. And the second color palette will make something gorgeous too.
You’re so talented.
aidan x
I feel like I just entered a whole other sewing realm and realized there are probably billions of sewing blogs I could start to go crazy with. I JUST purchased my first sewing machine two weeks ago and didn’t even realize you could order fabric collections. Wow, I’m so inspired now! I just need to learn how to sew…and speak French so I can get what I need at the sew shop!
Amazing! This is quilt is so unique and I love that you shared your process in how you arrived at your final design. Well done!
Jennifer :)
I like seeing the photos & reading your thoughts on the making of this quilt. Love your ‘quilt tree’ wish I had one growing in my backyard! from Jenny McH (Melbourne)
I love the quilt and the applique! The print that inspired it is my favourite of the collection together with Woodcut. Thank you for giving us a glimpse of your design process, it’s always great to learn how someone arrived at a certain design!
I have to say that I’ve got serious fabric envy! I must admit I wasn’t a big fan of all the collection at the beginning and only liked certain prints, but it has slowly grown on me and now I wish I’d gotten a collection FQ set myself. Usually things that slowly grow on you are the ones you don’t get tired of in the end. Well I bet AMH’s next collection will be just as gorgeous and then I can redeem myself … ;-)
Thanks for sharing your process, very beautiful quilt !
It has been a joy to me to read your creative process. It is very inspiring, too!
And the result is very impressive.
For a line of fabric that has never appealed to me, that quilt is just gorgeous! Love how you did the applique flower, that really makes it. Lots of white sure is the way to go in my opinion too. I think the next pile of fabrics looks promising. Loving the colours of them.
LOVE this quilt!
Pretty as a picture quilt – and I love the white applique flowers.
Love the quilt & it’s process story!
I love the way it turned out. I really love the fabrics from Innocent Crush. And it’s one of several fabric lines recently that seem to be turning me into a purple person after years of really not liking it. I think Innocent Crush is a hard line to work with compared to some that look good no matter what you do with them. But it’s worth the effort!!
I love that it’s so original. Like nothing I have seen before. Nice work.
I love it! I like the flower best also, with the little sperm-y quilt coming in at a close second….you should do that one as a baby shower gift and see if anyone else notices ;-)
What a gorgeous quilt – love following your design process. The applique is perfect!!
Great post Kirsty, it’s really interesting seeing the development of your quilt. I love your applique, and loved the way you used an element from the fabric design. It’s a gorgeous quilt.
Look at all your fabulous points too!!!!!
What a pretty quilt! I love what you have done to it with its appliqued flower! Are you going to name it? Potpourri Innocence? Melange? Bricolage? Just playing around… I love naming quilts!
Oh my!
I think I need a couple of days to process the informations here :))))
what a great post…next time I am in trouble I will ask myself WWTDD…(what would the designer do!)
Wonderful process, amazing result!
Love, Maaike
I loved your quilt evolution, its much more interesting to see the process rather than just the finished quilt!
I’m going to check out Rita’s site now Happy quilting.