Tree of Life Modern Quilt Interpretation

If you’ve been with me for a while you know about my wonderful list of Quilts Under Construction. I keep all projects that have progressed from an idea to a potential quilt to a nearly done project on that list. I update the list a few times a year, crossing off and moving things from different parts of the list. It isn’t fancy, just handwritten on a sheet of paper on a clipboard I keep in a drawer. It covers finished Quilt Tops, Quilts Being Quilted, and Blocks. It only enters the list when I’ve decided that some play or an experiment are actually going to be made into a quilt.

The reason I love my list so much is twofold. One, it gives me a direct appreciation for the time I’ve spent creating. It serves as a living memory of all the things I’ve done and can do. History and potential in one. Two, whenever I am blessed with some time, inclination, and less than normal motivation I can consult the list and get inspired. One day I might be in the mood for some easy piecing so I can consult the list and grab one of those projects. Maybe I actually, freakishly, have the desire to baste a quilt so I can see what is ready and has a backing made. Having it on paper means I am not storing it in already busy brain. In other words, I don’t have to open the already packed closet to see what might fall out!

So a few weeks ago I pulled out my list because I had an afternoon and felt like piecing. My tree of life blocks captured my attention. I had 4 blocks and vaguely remembered thinking 5 would be enough for a quilt. No problem! I could make one more block. So I did. This size (18”) is fiddly as you have to make a lot of 2.5” half square triangles but it’s not rocket science. One more block done with ease.

These blocks came in to being, firstly, as a sample for a class I did in conjunction with the Heritage Park Festival of Quilts. I took a quilt from their antique collection and created a modern version. This was one sample, then I made a few more, and now I’ve made 5.

At this point, I could have set the blocks aside but I loved where things were going so I went to the stash (and then the store) for some greens to border the blocks when set on point. My math was off so it is a bit wonky but it works well enough and will be fine with quilting.

Now I can move this set of blocks to the other side of the list for quilt tops. All the satisfaction.

May Morning Make 2022

While May was a busy month for a family it was a relaxing month for Morning Make. Indeed, starting my day with Morning Make meant that I was in a good frame of mind for the rest of a chaos.

These watercolour sketches of quilts are not a new to me effort. I’ve made a few in the past. For me, it’s a great, relaxing activity. Plus, I get to explore traditional quilts without having to sew them. All that precision piecing!

While there are a million resources for quilt blocks in both print and online I turned to this beauty of a book for picking out my patterns: The Encyclopedia of Pieced Quilt Patterns by Barbara Brackman. It’s an absolute classic and was recently reprinted. It pairs, if you like, with the Electric Quilt products, but you can buy the stand alone book. I picked mine up through Quilt Folk, but check your local quilt stores (or ask them to order it for you) or through the big A. Note, the book only contains drawings of the patterns, there are no measurements, piecing instructions, or templates. You need the Block Base software for that.

It was an absolute treat to flip through the book. As you can imagine, it was hard to narrow down a block choice each time! I ended up picking blocks I either always wanted to try or love but will likely never piece myself.

Each painting started with a pencil sketch. Using a good old ruler, a sharp pencil, and with an eraser nearby I translated the single block drawing into a quilt sketch. Sometimes I played with layout, sometimes it was straight grid.

Once the pencil sketch was done I started painting. These are the basic watercolour sets I bought just before the pandemic started. I tried to stick with the colours of the palette itself, so that I wasn’t trying to match colours day over day. I also stuck with 2-3 colours only. This was to force myself to concentrate on the design of the block, not try to create a watercolour quilt like I would sew one. Simplicity is sometimes a challenge for me so this was good practice.

On the first painting of the month I outlined the ‘seam lines’ of the quilt with a black pen. I really thought I would do this to all of them, but ended up not liking the look. I’d done it previously but something about it didn’t feel right this time. I suppose I just wanted a softer look.

It might be a little less ‘finished’? I’m not sure, but I still prefer it with the outline.

My watercolour skills are still very basic - this is essentially just colouring. But there is something about the movement of watercolour that is different than anything else. I am still smitten after my first forays into it over 2 years ago now. Loads to explore!

Tree of Life Vintage Quilt Inspiration

What better way is there to spend a late winter day than immersed in a vintage quilt collection? Back in March I had the opportunity to explore part of Heritage Park’s collection of donated and gathered quilts. It was all in anticipation of the Festival of Quilts, taking place in August. Delayed twice because of Covid it was a special experience. My goal was to identify a quilt to inspire a modern interpretation for a special class at the Festival of Quilts. Let me tell you, it was hard to narrow it down!

In the end I chose this pastel version of the Tree of Life pattern. I took a million pictures then came home to sketch. My goal to was make a straightforward version of the block, one easily made with a rotary cutter and one that lent itself to play. I wanted students to be able to play with colour, fabric, and scale, creating their own modern version of the block.

The first version I made tested the pattern. It was also an opportunity to play with fabric and scale. This particular block finishes at 36” square! I dug into the stash of both purples and the low volume black and whites. I love the combination of warm purples and cool purples. Together they make the block very dynamic.

This size proved popular in the class itself. It’s a great way to get far with a project.

The block itself can be set with a straight set like this or on point. It’s hard to decide what you want until you make the block. For example, I debated making 3 more blocks this size to make a four patch in this straight set, maybe all pointing to the four corners. However, I think I will add another round of black and white patchwork squares to make it a bit bigger and turn it into a baby quilt.

Here’s what it looks like on point, like in the original.

You can see I am having fun playing with fabric. Exploring variations in the colour green and playing with value placement keeps this from being boring. The entire block is made from half square triangles and squares. Super easy to make! But also a bit tedious. So having some excitment with the fabric sure helps. So does a good show in the background (I am currently watching Sex Education on Netflix.)

In the class itself students worked in all sizes and with a wide range of colours. It is always so exciting to see people play!

A huge thank you to Heritage Park, curators and staff there, as well as the Festival of Quilts volunteers for making this happen.

PS Don’t follow those pattern instructions, it contains errors that I fixed later.

Quarantine Quilt 2

Quarantine Quilt 2

45’’ x 54’’

We’re in a Polar Vortex right now. Or, as I call it, proper winter. Perfect time to be finishing a quilt AND to make your children hold it up for you to take a picture before the sun sets.

This is the scrap quilt from Quarantine Quilt 1. In the midst of Morning Make in April 2020 I realized I had a stack of cut triangles and that begged to be used right then and there instead of being relegated to a scrap bin. My one block a day that month became two blocks a day when I started turning those triangles into Sawtooth Stars.

Two quilts for the price of one month.

This quilt finished up as a sweet little baby quilt. It is pretty and cute and soft and exactly what you want a baby quilt to be. And that was before I quilted it! Simple loops in a variegated 50W from Wonderfil give it the perfect texture for a piece that will hopefully get well loved one day.

While I usually go for a higher contrast binding the whisper of the low volume fabrics called for something quieter. I picked the peach crosshatch from Carolyn Friedlander this time. It was a total coincidence that I also had used some of her fabric on the backing. What can I say? She makes good stuff!

Now that this quilt is done and the weather is still frightfully cold I need to get another quilt done so I can sit and bind it while watching the world pass by. Mostly I will dream about babies that family and even friends could have so that I can bestow this sweet quilt upon them. I promise that by the time I give it away it will have a better name.