Kai - The Quilters' Playcation Adventure Sewalong 2024 Quilt

Kai

70” x 70”

Kai is full of adventure. They live life in a just jump in and see what happens kind of way. If someone asks them to try a new food, they don’t even ask questions, they just open wide. If someone wants to climb a mountain Kai packs the snacks. When the airlines offer a deal and there is money in the bank, Kai hops on a plane. They want to see all the things, meet all the people, try everything. And the one thing that brings them the most joy? Rainbows. Rainbows are experienced the world over and never fail to make you smile.

The 2024 Iteration of the Quilters’ Playcation Adventure Sewalong is now a finished quilt. Well, one of the versions I made. (The other one remains an unquilted quilt top.) For 49 weeks in 2024 I hosted a live session on Instagram where we made an improv block. My theme for the year was Rainbows so each block contained the 6 colours of a rainbow (or any gradient chosen), and half the blocks included an additional background fabric.

Want to catch the replays and make your own? All the tutorials are saved on You Tube.

Unlike previous years, I decided on a size for the blocks at the beginning of the year and planned out this 7 x 7 layout. That way I was alternating the background/no background blocks for a somewhat checkerboard effect. It came out well.

The rainbow on this quilt was made from a selection of pastel colours of Moda Grunge. This textured, not quite solid colour at all made for a lovely rainbow. I liked that it read as rainbow without being overly cliche.

When I started the quilt I bought a meter or so (I can’t remember exactly) of each colour. At the end of the day, I had a lot of the fabric left so I used the remainders to piece the quilt back in a rainbow stripe. Look at me being all coordinated! And while the quilting on the front amounts to great texture, the pattern itself is very visible on the back. I combined spirals and lines in a free motion pattern that I did on a rented long arm. Full credit to Angela Walters and one of her books for the idea. It is pretty densely quilted and feels a bit stiff now but as soon as I wash it the cuddles will come out.

The background fabric I chose is this terrazzo inspired fabric with a creamy base. It had all the rainbow colours in it so it was perfect. Midway through the year I did have to go buy more, thankfully my local quilt shop still had it in stock! Of course, I bought more than I needed that time so it was ready for me to round out the rainbow stripe backing AND use it for the binding. We know how I love a contrast binding, but this quilt asked for something more subtle. Sometimes it is good not to introduce something new when the original is already working.

There is no doubt that I chose rainbows deliberately for the theme. They really do make me happy and never fail to stop me in my tracks. But this is - for me - also a political quilt. I have queer family members, my kids have queer and trans friends, and I want the entire community to know that you are welcome here, and everywhere. It’s just a quilt, I know, but I can use it to share my support, amplify your voice, and wrap everyone in the love and joy they deserve. I can’t give every single queer and trans youth a hug, but know that that is what this quilt intends.

Jewel - And Why I Would Make a Bad Influencer

Jewel

53” x 75” (ish)

She lives her life a little haphazadly. She will come into a room and leave a flurry of herself behind. You are happy she was there, but a tiny bit frustrated by the mess she perpetually leaves behind (literally and figuratively). She sure is a joy! Funny and chatty and she gives the best hugs.

Long before there were influencers, many of us were just called bloggers. In fact, I can remember going to Quilt Market in the early 2010s and feeling the disdain from companies when you told them you were a Blogger. We had a reputation, for sure, that fed the negative stereotype of what we call an Influencer now. But I learned back then that I would suck at the job and this quilt proves it.

Shortly after my first book, Sunday Morning Quilts, came out, I learned that Jennifer Sampou was married to the CEO of CT Publishing, my publisher. After discovering this at Quilt Market I did not hesitate to fan girl with her because she was the first fabric designer that I remember noting. Before her fabric in the late 90s, early 2000s, I only noticed the fabric, not the designer. So there I am gushing about this little daisy print I used on my very first quilt (and many more subsequently) and she tells me she is relaunching as a fabric designer and would love to send me some fabric to play with. And she did!

This was back in 2013. 2013.

I did play with it a little and then put it all in the closet and forgot about it. I found it in the studio move and pulled it out 6 months ago again. So twelve years later I actually used it and finished a quilt with it. Twelve years. This is why I stopped calling myself a Blogger all those years ago and why I can’t accurately call myself an Influencer now.

My initial play paired some cuts from a jelly roll or two with a background fabric. I made some components and did not make more for over a decade. When I rediscovered all of it I found all the fabric too. It wasn’t hard at all to finish off the top. Just a few hours of sewing, really. Then I used a bunch of the fabric to piece a wild backing.

(Funnily enough, I clearly liked some of the fabrics because I have bigger pieces in my stash and know I’ve used some of these same prints multiple times, yet I never touched all of this fabric!)

An invitation came to donate another quilt to a tapahtêyimôkamik elder. After meeting her I knew this particular set would be a perfect fit for her. It also made the choice of the rainbow variegated thread for quilting so much better. I quilted her on a rented long arm.

The binding was made from some leftover pieces of the jellyroll. They are already 2.5” wide afterall! And then I didn’t need to pick anything specific for the frame of the quilt.

I still have a lot of the fat quarters from 2013 left. I don’t know if this will influence you or not to buy Jennifer’s fabric, but I know many of those prints are still available in some stores, not to mention her gorgeous ombres. but it’s safe to say it’s been this long since I got or shared any free fabric!

Quilted Baba Update

Confession: I had a hard time working on this project over the last year. The reasons are many and varied.

First, moving to the studio a year ago meant my Morning Make routine was upended. I only do handwork or writing at home now, for Morning Make. Then, when I arrive at the studio things aren’t always so smooth. At the beginning, my son was coming with me so he could do school online. I didn’t feel comfortable having the machine going while he was doing school so he had a fighting chance at concentration. Then, because the studio is attached to our company offices, I was often pulled into work work stuff. In the end, I struggled to find the dedicated time to work on these blocks.

Second, this is boring and repetitive sewing. Tiny Xs, squared up to 1.5” x 1.5”. There are 100 in each block and the whole quilt requires 81 blocks. A girl can only do so much before it drives her to madness. And, let’s be honest, it’s a short drive these days as I struggle through perimenopause.

All that being said, I have no doubt that I will finish the quilt. It's too important to me not to.

In the last month I’ve pulled it back out. My son is finally back in school full time, so that barrier is removed. I also have my own means of transportation again, which means my mornings are no longer heavily influenced by my husband’s schedule. So I can come in when I want and sew before anyone knows I am here, minimizing the company interruptions in the morning. It’s not perfect, but I am getting more consistency.

One stitch at a time, one stitch at a time.

I usually make 10-20 little squares each day. Then it takes a few hours to put an entire block together, mostly because of all the pressing! One day, when I know I have the time, I will try to make a block from start to finish and time myself. If only to satisfy my curiosity.

The truth is, there is no need to put pressure on myself. This was never going to be a fast project, there is way too much piecing for that to happen! This is about persistence, not patience.

Irie - Experiment to Quilt to Gifted Hug

Irie

51” x 68”

She likes to break the rules, go her own way. One day you see her a certain way, the next you can barely recognize her. It isn’t that she wants to keep you guessing. Rather, she just goes with how she is feeling, how she wants to express herself that day. What you think about it doesn’t matter, how she feels does.

What started as a sample block for an Instagram tutorial now lives in the home of a lovely individual who loves birds, keeps the sage, and shows incredible kindness to strangers. How do you get from one to the next?

I really just cut some fabric to talk about trimming and squaring up blocks when you are doing improv sewing. The block was sewn, the reel posted, and then everything was set aside for the rest of life to live. Shortly thereafter the donation opportunity came up. The block was still out, being bold, and I thought it was a perfect jumping off point for a full quilt. So I raided my solids, picked up a couple more fat quarters to round out the contrast, and made a full quilt. Simple, yet bold.

The bird fabric was an absolutely perfect contrast to the front. It was sweet and pretty and full of details. In the end, the quilt was gifted to an individual who absolutely loves birds. Did we know that when handing out the quilts? Nope. It was like it was meant to be!

Quilted on a rented long arm with a simple back and forth pattern, but done on the diagonal. Bound with one of my favourite solids, this bright coral. It is a great frame to finish off a beauty.