Summer Sangria, an X-Plus Quilt

Let me introduce Summer Sangria. It's one of my favorite finishes from this summer and features several large scale prints and a very intense color palette. It was very hard to capture the true colors in photographs.

It's made using the X-Plus block and finishes at 60" x 72".  I added a border by repeating the plus part of the block all around the edge. I usually don't use borders but in this case I liked how it framed the quilt. It was quilted by Cara of Sew Colorado Quilting using the whisper pattern which added a nice swirly feel to the angular blocks.

My daughter and I took it on a little outing recently when we took a girls weekend away. These photos were taken on an evening hike through Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs. Couldn't resist the sangria bottle since it had all the right colors and name on the bottle.

I have always wanted to make an X-Plus quilt. The block was very popular several years ago and I always thought I'd make one using aquas and chartreuse. But this summer I opened a box with fabric I had set aside for a different quilt and they suddenly seemed perfect for the X-Plus block.

In the box was a fat quarter of this Kaffe Fassett fabric purchased many years ago. Reds and corals with a dull gray-green background and very bright chartreuse leaves. It paired well with another Kaffe spot print and Kona seafoam that is a close match to the print background. From my stash I pulled a rusty red/green dot print. These were all in the box.

Also in the box were three other large prints in somewhat similar colors. I had planned to use them in a modern minimal design I came up with years ago. That design no longer held much interest to me. Too simple. Too minimal. I have come to realize that more is more as far as my quilts are concerned. I like to throw in a lot of different prints and often a riot of color. Below are three of the original feature fabrics in the box.

I knew a wider range of fabrics was needed so I turned to my stash. I looked for X prints in the pink, coral, orange color range that varied in value. I looked for reds, oranges and even magentas that worked for the plus signs. Initially I planned on all chartreuse prints for the ends of the plus signs but realized it was better to broaden that color range as well so included yellows, oranges, and greens. For the background I debated on using all the same fabric but decided I preferred more variety there as well. I even used the original seafoam green to add a little more value change in the background. Below shows the lightest and darkest blocks plus one of my favorite blocks on the far right.

The end result couldn't be further from my initial idea. All sparked from a single print that caught my eye. Lots of color and value differences keeps my eye engaged. I think that's why prints appeal to me so much. Prints are my happy place.  : )

Numerous tutorials exist online on how to make the X-Plus block at different sizes. I thought I'd share some links here in case you'd like to make your own. From what I've read, the original block is attributed to Nancy Cabot in 1938.

• For a 7.5" finished block check out this tutorial by Amy of Badskirt. 
• For a 10" finished block check out this tutorial from My Quilt Infatuation. Kelly provides great tips for making a super scrappy X-Plus quilt.
• For a 12.5" finished block check out this tutorial by Christine Barnes. If you're a Kaffe fan you'll love the blocks she made featuring Kaffes prints. They are gorgeous.
• And for a giant 24" finished block check out this tutorial by Karen at CapitolaQuilter. She made a wonderful scrappy quilt that mixes block sizes.

If you'd like to draft your own X-Plus block the thing to remember is it's based on a 5 x 5 grid. Of course you can tweak the breakdown of the 5 x 5 measurements and customize your block to fit your needs.

I wanted a 12" finished block so I used the following measurements. It's not an even division of the 5 x 5 grid but it's so close you wouldn't know.

• X:  cut (4) 5.5" x 5.5" squares. I used the same fabric for all four but you could use a different fabric for each one to make it more scrappy.
• Background (corners of X pieces):  cut (8) 3" x 3" squares
• Center cross:  cut (1) 2.5" x 7.5" AND  (2) 2.5" x 3" pieces
• Outer cross:  cut (4) 2.5" x 3" pieces

You could also play with the measurements within the 5 x 5 grid to create thinner or thicker Xs. Here are some examples of how that might look. The illustration on the far left shows an uneven 5 x 5 grid with larger background corners resulting in narrow X units. The middle illustration shows the normal block with an even 5 x 5 grid. The far right shows another uneven grid but with smaller background corners resulting in wider X units.

You can see the look of the quilt changes when the grid measurements within the block are altered. Even though the X units are wider in the illustration on the right, the X itself gets lost because the background that helps define the shape is smaller. 

I really love how Summer Sangria looks in the guest room. Almost wish I had made it bigger because it looks so good on the bed. Especially with the floral pillows.

The X-Plus block offers so many possibilities I'm tempted to make another one. Maybe I'll make that aqua and chartreuse one I originally envisioned. Or perhaps a totally scrappy version where each X within the block is different. That would be a great way to use lots of scraps.

Have you ever made an X-Plus quilt? What colors did you use?

If you've never made one now might be the time. Maybe this post and my Pinterest board or the Instagram tag #xplusquilt will inspire you.

Linking up to Kelly's NTT, Wendy's Peacock Party, and Cheryl's Favorite Monthly Finish.

Hop over and be inspired.

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UFOs and Fruits and Veggies

I'm a collector. I have a collection of fruit and veggies dishes that I bring out for the spring/summer season each year to add a punch of color to my decor.

And I have a huge collection of fruit and veggie fabrics. Here are just a few.

My fruit and veggie stash started years ago when the fabrics first came out. They went so well with my dishes I couldn't resist. Originally I thought I'd make a single quilt from all the different fabrics but I just couldn't see how to combine all the various colors and prints. It finally occurred to me that I could make several themed quilts instead of trying to combine all the prints.

I made a citrus one called Fresh Squeezed. It gets used at the beginning of the summer.

There's a berry one called Fresh Baked. It usually gets used around July 4th. It's the closest thing I have to a red/white/blue quilt.

And there's a salad one called Fresh Tossed. I use this one later in the summer as the veggies ripen.

Along with collecting dishes and fabrics, I also seem to collect UFOs at an unhealthy rate. Over the years there have been other fruit and veggie projects started but never completed. Four table runners plus a tomato quilt have lived in UFO limbo for years. The BoulderMQG UFO challenge for 2019 finally motivated me to finish many of those projects. The first ones finished were the table runners.

Besides the above two short runners, I finally finished this monster runner that uses most of the fruit and veggie fabrics in a sort of rainbow effect. It finished at 106" long. When not in use, I hang it in the shallow shelf unit where even more dishes live. Yes. I know. I have a lot of fruit and veggie dishes.  : )

My tomato quilt, Vine Ripe, was the most recent UFO project to be completed. Cara of Sew Colorado Quilting did the quilting using my favorite quilting pattern Trillium. This one is currently hanging in the hallway.

As part of the guild UFO challenge, I also made an effort to seriously deplete the fruit and veggie stash. I made 8 placemats using the stitch and flip QAYG method. You can read more about various QAYG methods here. Next came a bunch of cloth napkins. My initial plan was to hem the edges but without a serger it was too time consuming to press the edges under so I made double sided napkins instead. It used twice as much fabric (in this case that was a good thing) but they were much quicker to make. Just two pieces approximately 17" x 17" sewn right sides together, turned inside out, and then pressed and top-stitched around the edge. The double thickness feels nice and sturdy. I keep them in this basket near the table so we can just grab a clean one as needed. The placemats stacked below the basket are in use every day too.

The napkins and placemats put a good dent in my stash but there was still quite a bit of fabric left so I made a quilt tablecloth for the deck from some of the smaller scraps. I made 16-patch blocks using three different fabric combinations. Color + color for the inner blocks. Color + green veggie for the middle ring and finally green veggie + a green leafy print for the outer border. It was layered with a large leaf print and quilted without batting. Even without the batting it's a very durable feeling quilt due to all the seams involved in the piecing. The seams do make small things like beer bottles wobble just a little without the batting there for added padding. I'm happy to report that no beers have been spilled to date. Or maybe we haven't had enough to drink yet. I love how it adds color to the deck and sets a festive mood for eating outside.

Even with all these projects, there are still bits and chunks of fabric left. Enough to fill two boxes. You can begin to see just how big my stash was. I still have plans for some potholders, a few more napkins, and an apron.

Do you ever notice how sewing from your stash doesn't seem to make the piles any smaller. I think they replicate overnight when I'm not looking. I think fabric bunnies are involved. How does your stash grow?

Linking up to Cynthia's Oh Scrap linky party.

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Robins, Chickadees and Triangles

Red Red Robin and Chickadees in the Pines are my most recent finishes for the #bouldermqgufos challenge. Both quilts were pieced a couple of years ago but then nothing. No quilting. No finish. The UFO challenge this year has been really good motivation for me to actually finish several projects and I'm so happy to have both of these quilts totally done.

Both quilts are the result of wanting to try a new tool. Do you ever buy a quilting tool and then never use it? The right tools can be so important for accuracy and good results, but in general I don't tend to buy very many tools. I'd rather buy pretty fabric. : )  Every once in awhile though I give in and buy a new tool and most go unused. Especially rulers. So after owning an equilateral ruler for some time I thought I'd give it a try. My friend Elizabeth just posted today about rulers and the essential ones to own. Check out her post here.

I found it quite easy to use this ruler. There are sooo many design possibilities with equilateral triangles. I definitely foresee more triangle quilts in my future so can safely say this was a worthwhile purchase.

For Chickadees I wanted a modern, clean look to the triangles so I chose mostly solid greens and off whites in a variety of hues. Then I sprinkled in a few fussy cut chickadees from a very old bird print. 

This is my winter family room quilt. I considered throwing in a tiny touch of red for Christmas but decided on a more general winter theme instead. After the holidays are over I strip away the red touches from Christmas and use a simple, white and green palette for a few months. There are even a few chickadees here and there so this quilt fits in quite nicely.

Chickadees was quilted by Karen at The Quilted Moose using an all over tree motif with a few stars and moons in the mix. The motif adds a serene feeling of a quiet walk in the woods under the moonlight. Perfect for a cozy night of reading by the fire on a cold winter evening.

Shortly after piecing Chickadees I started another triangle quilt after buying a fun robin print called Birdland by Alexander Henry. It was an impulse buy. I love birds and the colors just spoke to me. I started with a few fussy cut triangles of the robins and arranged them on top of the pine top. I thought this would help me distribute the robins and also help with color placement. In retrospect I would never do this again because it just meant I had to move all the pieces off the base quilt top. It did help me decide that I wanted a more blurred color placement rather than the green/white contrast of the pine quilt.

I cut the fabric a few triangles at a time by pulling coral/orange/pinkish prints from my stash. Once the robin areas were filled, I cut greens and lighter values to blend out to the edges. By cutting a few at a time I was able to gradually build-out the layout.

Once all the triangles were arranged, I needed to puzzle out the quilt top piecing. Due to the three larger triangles I couldn't piece the whole top in single triangle rows like I did for the pine quilt. First I figured out how to chunk sections so they would come together in wider rows. You can see below how those sections came together. It's not hard. You just need to think it through before you start piecing. Grouping them on the design wall helped me see how they fit together.

Red Red Robin was quilted by Cara at Sew Colorado Quilting using the Trillium motif which is one of my favorite quilting motifs. It features leaves . . . what more can I say.

Red Red Robin is my springtime family room quilt. It's way to hot now to use a quilt inside but it certainly adds a cheery spot of color. I think during the off season I'll keep it in my bedroom where it fits right in with the bird decor.

Have you ever made a quilt with equilateral triangles?
Do you have a favorite specialty quilting ruler you would recommend?
I'd love to hear about them.

Linking up with Kelly at NTT and Wendy at the Peacock Party


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Fleece Backing

Last month I shared the floral quilts I made and gifted to my three sisters-in-law. Instead of regular quilting cotton for the backing, I used a fleece for all three quilts. Today I'd like to share a few tips on using fleece.

I chose LUXE fleece from JoAnns which is their heaviest weight fleece and is supposed to be pill resistant. Since these are new quilts that haven't gone through much wear and tear or washing, I can't speak to the level of pill resistance. Hopefully they will wear well.

LUXE fleece feels heavier and more luxurious than the other types of fleece that JoAnns carries. I found this comparison of the various types of fleece on their website. It is more expensive than the other fleece but when purchased on sale and/or with a coupon it is still quite reasonable.

The main drawback is that the color choices are much more limited. There were several prints available but few solids. Fortunately I was able to find colors that worked well enough for all three quilts.

Another advantage to the fleece was the wider width. They are 59" wide which was just right for my quilts that finished at 42" x 54"  No piecing was necessary.

Because of the weight, I did not use any batting. I thought without batting they would feel lighter but in the end they feel about the same weight as a normal quilt . . . just softer. Lots softer.

The drawback to no batting was some shadowing of the seams. All of the quilts included some light fabrics and all the fleece was relatively dark in comparison. You can see the show-through in the following two photos. I felt like it was more noticeable in the first quilt that had larger blocks.

In the second example, the pieces were smaller and this made the show-through feel less noticeable overall. I think the small piecing and the quilting texture help to minimize the show-through.

If your quilt is full of prints, I wouldn't worry about the show-through of the seams as it will be hidden by the prints. Another option to avoid the show-through would be to use a lightweight lining fabric or batting to eliminate the problem.

Cara at Sew Colorado Quilting quilted them for me on her longarm. She was more than willing to give fleece a try which I really appreciated. Here are her tips for using fleece backing:

Do not cut off the selvage because it helps to stabilize the fleece which is stretchy. She said it was a little tricky at first to figure out how tight to roll the fleece without stretching it too much. Don't over stretch.

Choose a quilting motif that doesn't back track on itself. If the motif does back track, try to use thread that matches the backing. Cara used a lighter thread for all my quilts to blend into the quilt top. For the most part this worked beautifully because the thread tends to bury itself into the fleece pile.

In the photo below you can see how the thread color shows up as little spots of lighter color here and there on the back of one of the quilts where the design tracks over itself. This backing was also the darkest of the three and the design motif was different than the other two. I don't think it's terrible but definitely something to be aware of.

The best part about using fleece for the backing is the appearance. In the photo below you might think the thread is a darker blue but it's not. It's actually a light gray that blended well with the quilt top. The thread tends to get buried into the pile of the fleece giving the impression of being embossed. I love how it looks!

For some reason I found one of the quilts a little more of a challenge to bind than the others. I did all machine binding and the edges had a tendency to roll a little. Pressing well with a press cloth (because the fabric is polyester) seemed to help. I think it would have been hard to bind these by hand because of the pile. Not impossible but definitely harder to get down to the actual fabric base with the stitches.

All in all, I couldn't have been more pleased with the results. The quilts are really really soft and cuddly and I absolutely love how the quilting shows up on the back.

I have since done one more quilt with a fleece backing but haven't finished the binding yet. When it's done I'll share it here.

Have you ever used fleece or any other types of backing materials? I'd love to know about your experience.

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Quilts are Blooming

April showers bring May flowers . . . or so they say. It's May 21st and I woke up to snow this morning so anything goes here in Colorado. Snow aside, I have been spending a lot of time in 2019 working with my older floral stash. My April creating brought several blooming quilts to completion in May.

These three were recently finished and gifted to my wonderful sisters-in-law while on a recent road trip to the Midwest. I don't have siblings but consider myself extra blessed that I gained 3 sisters when I married my husband. I love them all and it gave me such pleasure to make personalized quilts for each of them that reflected their individual style.

First up was this simple Irish chain for Jan. She lives in Kansas also known as the sunflower state so my collection of sunflower prints fit perfectly. She loves sunflowers and all things Kansas.

Next up was this half square triangle quilt in lovely lavenders and purples for Nancy in Kansas City. She's going through some tough times right now with her health so I hope these flowers will remind her of better times spent in her garden and of her Mom who often wore lavender and light blue.

Last was this multi-colored Irish chain for Candy. She loves hostas and the colors purple and magenta so the hosta print and the peonies and other purple flowers were a great fit. I even put in a couple of sunflowers as a nod to years spent living in Kansas before their move to Iowa.

It was so much fun to gift each of these wonderful women in my life with a quilt. I hope they will be loved and used and brighten their days with positive energy and warmth. It feels nice knowing that some of my pretty fabrics have been put to good use.

I accumulated more than my fair share of traditional floral fabrics years ago when I did a lot of impressionist style quilts. Below is one of the early impressionist quilts I made for friends. On our trip we got to visit with them in their Iowa home and I took this photo. Not great lighting but I'm happy to know they still enjoy the quilt many years later as a reminder of their time spent living in Colorado.

So far I've completed 4 lap quilts and have fabric cut for 2 more and yet I've barely made a dent in my floral stash. There's even more than what this photo shows . . . Yikes!  I'll be following up with another post soon about the backing and quilting details for these three quilts so stay tuned.

Generally speaking these types of fabrics aren't my style anymore and yet on our recent trip I found myself buying these pretty green florals. I'm not a big fan of butterflies but the ferns and white flowers spoke to me.

I guess there'll be at least one more floral quilt to make. I'm thinking another Irish Chain as I love the simplicity of the design while still allowing room for a mix of prints. I have some fern and ivy prints I may mix in with these new fabrics.

Perhaps there will be more floral quilts in my future but after this one I think I'll be ready to move on. I have plenty of bright Kaffe florals waiting in the wings begging to be used, plus some new modern ideas brewing. Keep an eye on my Instagram account to see what I'm up to @springleafstudios.

I also have a new IG account specifically about color if you're interested. Right now I'm doing the 100 day challenge posting on the color green. It will evolve into other colors as I go along. @springleafcolor

Linking up with Kelly and this week's NTT party.
Also linking up with Cheryl's Favorite Finish Monthly.
Hope you're creating something beautiful in your world.

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