Charming Patchwork

So I finished the 6th and last Project Quilting Challenge of this season:

  Isn't it Charming?  

The challenge was to use 20 or more 5"charm squares only on the front of the project.  I went straight to my Denyse schmidt stash of charm squares.  I have a foot tall stack from the many swaps I have done.  I thought I might make four patches and piece a bag I could use to hold my quilt pin collection.

However time and tiredness just left me no time this week.  So I decided to make a little mini quilt to use as a topper on my 185k sewing machine cabinet.  I love making these in different sizes to decorate with.  

title:  Charming Patchwork

size:  16"x 20"

location:  Lewisville, NC

inspiration:  I love charm squares and can honestly say Im a bit of an adict.  I have an old cd shelf full from swaps I have done.  I pulled out some from my favorite designer Denyse Schmidt.  I wanted to make scrappy four patches using Lori Holt's method.  Then decided I wanted a topper for my vintage sewing machine cabinet.   The backing and binding are also DS prints.  Her fabrics always make me happy and I love decorating with patchwork.

quilted:  I straightline quilted it on my Baby Lock Sofia.

Check out the other Projects here at PersimonDreams and vote for your favorite.

keep dreaming...Colleen

Its time to vote for Accuquit block contest.  I entered my Butterfly High block I made last summer.  You can vote here once a day.

Starlight Garden

2015 Project Quilting Challenge 5:  
My Favorite fabric

title:  Starlight Garden

pattern:  Starlight by Gina Fornecker

made, tied, and quilted by:  Colleen C. Yarnell

size:  56" x 64"

location: Lewisville, NC

inspiration and process: 

When I heard favorite fabric I first went to my Denyse Schmidt shelves.  Yes I said shelves-I'm a little obsessed.  But nothing was inspiring me.  I already decided on the pattern which had been sitting on my cutting table since Gina gave it to me.  It had large stars and squares to showcase larger prints.  So I looked at my other favorites. And pulled out a Melody Miller Cotton & Steele print.  

Aqua with gold dots and flowers along the edge.  

I wanted to use the sparkly part as two of the stars. 

 Then I looked for another favorite to showcase in the larger star and found a fav Amy Butler Soul Blossoms print.  Last I knew what to use in those background squares-my bundle of Anna Marie Horner Pretty Potent!  

I redrafted the pattern so it would use my 8.5" and 16.5" square rulers.  It also brought it down to a nice lap quilt size.

Sofia helped with the cutting of course,

and supervised while I sewed.

I figured out the layout and worked hard to have the directional prints go the same way.  

I then looked for a backing fabric and found another favorite Amy Butler Soul Blossoms fabric.  Im really trying to sew with my stash this year.  I'm always buying favorite fabrics and need to use them!  I have enough of the bak print left to mach a mathing pillowcase.

I decided to tie it as a legacy to the quilts my Grandmother Myers made for me.  

Plus my tied Amy Butler charm square quilt is one of my favorites, so a smaller throw will be nice to cuddle.  

Sofia helped me pin the quilt layers to the floor,

and tie it with a variegated wool yarn.  

A little friend liked the Anna Marie Horner flowers too.

I also quilted an outline inside each of the stars.  

It makes it a little more secure without taking away the puffiness of a tied quilt.

I found another favorite Amy Butler print, one of her Martini Dots which I love to use as binding.  Some have such overly bright unusual colors and they set off the bold prints perfectly!

and of course I bound it with a little help from my friend.

I have already snuggled under it as I couldnt resist sleeping under it last night!

keep dreaming...Colleen

Sofia checking out the stack of fabric and projects at the end of the cutting table.