Windows in Solids #2

60 x 70

This is my second Windows quilt. You might be wondering why I made two. I really didn't intend to make two, but after sewing the top together on the first one, I realized it was extremely long. Hmmm, what happened? Two mistakes. The first is I made too many blocks. The second is I sewed 6 x 7 instead of 6 x 5. I ended up seam ripping two rows off and making some more blocks for this one. But two is better than one, right?

For this one I found a light blue backing and fortunately there was enough of the brown solid in the quilt to do the binding. I'm still trying to keep with the theme of using up solids. It's going well.

Even though I've been using up my solid yardage and my scraps, I still have about a half box of strips left and quite a bit of yardage that doesn't really go together. I have one more quilt picked out to make and then I think I will have to get more scrappy. I do like scrappy, to that will be just as fun!

Windows in Solids #1

60 x 70

The pattern is called Windows, and it turned out to be a great way to use up some of the growing pile of Kona Cotton solid strips and scraps that have been collecting in my sewing room. I'm trying to be more intentional about using what I already have instead of always cutting into new fabric, especially now that my stash isn't being replenished quite as easily. 

Since Joann's has closed, finding quilt backs has been a little more challenging but I came across this fun floral print at Hobby Lobby and knew it was just right for this quilt.

 Another finish, a few more scraps used up, and one more quilt added to the shop.

Frog and Toad Go Swimming - The Comeback Quilt

58 x 72

Some quilts begin with a pattern. Others begin with a color palette. And that's how this one started. I knew I wanted to work with shades of blue and green so I started by sewing each block from two alternating colors. Once all the blocks were finished, I arranged them on my design wall, separating each block in a row with five black and white pieces, shifting the next row over by a half block. But...oh, was it ugly.

The colors looked choppy, and instead of flowing across the quilt, they felt random and disconnected. I wish I had saved a picture of that so you could see just how far this quilt has come. Sometimes a quilt just doesn't come together the way you imagine it will.

So I did what every quilter dreads - I grabbed my seam ripper. I carefully took apart every single block so I could mix up the color combinations hoping that would work. Then it was back to the design wall where I cam up with this idea instead.

The colors began to flow naturally from one block to the next, creating the movement I had hoped for from the very beginning. The black and white columns, which had felt harsh before, now framed each section beautifully and gave the quilt a modern, graphic look.

That gave me the idea to quilt it with flowing waves horizontally across the quilt top. I searched for some ideas, but didn't really see anything I liked. So I just tried to quilt some wavy lines that didn't touch each other but came together in some places like ripples. 3 lines per row seemed right. After a few passes, I decided it was just the right fit for the quilt.

I was close to tossing this at the beginning, and I'm so glad I kept going. I think it turned out to be a nice looking quilt. I keep thinking it should be called  "Frog and Toad Go Swimming." So I think I will. 
 

Half Square Triangle Baby Quilt in Orange

32 X 40

I can't seem to get the colors right on my photos today. Does this ever happen to you? And somewhere along the way, I accidentally left out an entire column. The funny part? I didn't notice until the quilt was completely finished and off the longarm! By then, there wasn't much to do except laugh and remind myself that handmade doesn't always mean perfect.

For the backing, I chose a playful polka dot print that brings a little extra personality to the quilt. I always enjoy picking backing fabrics, and this one was too much fun to pass up.

Even one column smaller, I still love how this one turned out. The combination of cedar orange, gray, black, and white gives it a fun, modern feel. I quilted it with soft wavy lines to add movement without taking away from the design.

Half Square Triangle Baby Quilt in Blue

36 x 40

This baby boy quilt is made from half square triangles. I used the AccuQuilt 4" finished triangle die to make fast work of cutting all the fabrics.

One of my favorite parts of this quilt is actually the back. I used a gray print covered in little X's—one of my favorite backing fabrics. It's playful without being loud, and it was the perfect match for the modern feel of the front.

For the quilting, I chose soft, flowing curves. I liked the contrast of organic quilting against all of the sharp angles in the piecing. It adds texture and softness while letting the geometric design stay the star of the quilt. 

Lindsay's T-Shirt Quilt

There’s something special about turning a stack of well-loved T-shirts into a quilt full of memories. Every shirt tells part of a story of mission trips, camps, work places, and milestones that deserve to be remembered instead of sitting in a storage bin.

I’m excited to say I just finished another one of my kids' T-shirt quilts! That means I'm officially halfway through the project—4 quilts down and 4 to go!

While I genuinely enjoy the creative part of the process - planning the layout, balancing the colors, and sewing all the blocks together—the quilting stage is definitely the most challenging for me. These quilts all have cozy minky fleece backs, which make them wonderfully soft but also much more difficult to quilt than a traditional cotton backing.

This one decided to keep me on my toes because the minky backing was just a little too small. If you've ever quilted with minky, you know that "just a little too small" can feel like a lot! It took some extra patience, careful pinning, and more than a few adjustments along the way.

In the end, though, it was worth it.

There's nothing quite like pulling the finished quilt out of the machine, giving it one final inspection, and knowing those memories are now preserved in something that can be used and loved for years to come.

Now it's on to quilt number five!  Ha! Ha!  Just kidding. There's no way I'm making more than a couple a year!
 

Emma's Smiley Face Quilt

56" x 64"

This sweet quilt was a special project with Emma. She started by digging through my 2.5" strip bin and choosing all of her favorite colors. After I cut the pieces for her, she sewed a background piece to each of the colored rectangles. Then she carefully arranged the blocks on the design wall until it was just right.

For the backing, Emma picked a cheerful smiley-face fleece that perfectly matched the fun feel of the quilt and her personality. To complement it, I quilted the entire quilt with wavy yellow lines, adding texture and movement while tying the front and back together beautifully. 

Emma is becoming a great seamstress, and it has been so much fun watching her confidence and skills grow with each project.

Green and Turquoise Squares

54" x 72"

I've been working through my stash of Kona cotton solids this year, and this quilt was a great way to use several shades of teal, aqua, and turquoise. The simple geometric design creates a lot of movement while still being made from straightforward piecing.

I found this print for the back at Hobby Lobby. I sure do miss Joanne's being gone. I'm going to have to find another place to buy fabric. Any suggestions?

 You can find this quilt in my Etsy shop.

Large Rainbow HST Throw

64" x 80"

Isn't she pretty! I've been trying to use more of my stash of Kona solids this year, and this quilt helped make a dent in it. There are enough half-square triangles in this pattern to make at least two quilts, so it definitely kept me busy for a while.

For the backing, I used a teal batik from my stash that I've been saving for just the right project. The colors worked perfectly with the rainbow pinwheels on the front, and the batik adds a nice bit of texture and interest to the back.

The quilting is a simple meander design. With so many colors and fabrics in the quilt top, I wanted the quilting to add texture without competing with the piecing. The meander was the perfect choice to let all those colorful pieces remain the star of the show.

 If you'd like to make this quilt your own, you can find it available in my Etsy shop.

Grid Pop Throw

  58 x 70 

There’s something so satisfying about rediscovering forgotten fabric. This quilt started with an old Moda jelly roll I found tucked away in the back of my closet, one of those bundles you buy because you absolutely love it, then somehow save for “the perfect project” for years. The soft florals, faded corals, buttery yellows, and delicate pinks still felt just as charming as the day I bought them, so I finally decided it was time to turn those strips into something beautiful instead of letting them collect dust.

While I was pulling fabrics together, I came across two different sage green prints hidden in my stash. Together they added the perfect balance to all the warm pinks and reds and gave the quilt that soft cottage garden feel. It always amazes me how a couple unexpected fabrics can completely pull a quilt together.
 

One of my favorite things about using a jelly roll is how effortlessly everything coordinates. Moda collections are wonderful for that — all the prints already speak the same language, so even the scrappiest layouts still feel cohesive. This quilt became the perfect mix of planned and spontaneous sewing, which is honestly my favorite kind of project.

This quilt feels sweet, cheerful, and timeless — and now I’m wondering what other forgotten treasures are hiding in my stash waiting to become something special.

Windows in Sunday Supper

60 x 70

I really enjoyed watching the blocks build on each other as the quilt came together. The layered frames create so much movement and depth, almost like little windows scattered across the quilt top. (Guess that's why it's called Windows by Cluck Cluck Sew. Even though the layout is structured, the scrappy fabric placement keeps it playful and relaxed. I especially love how the darker navy prints ground the softer aquas and creams and give your eye places to rest.

For the backing, I chose a blue crosshatch print that complements the front perfectly without competing with it. It adds just enough texture and color to make the back feel special too. And the binding ended up being one of those happy stash surprises quilters dream about — the perfect print that was not too dark and not too light. It frames the quilt so softly and ties all the colors together in such a balanced way.

 The fabric line is called Sunday Supper. I've had it for years, so don't get your hopes up in finding it!

This quilt feels peaceful to me. The colors are calming, the piecing is satisfying, and every fabric seems to belong exactly where it landed. Projects like this always remind me why I love quilting so much, sometimes all it takes is the right fabric pull, a little stash diving, and a stack of blocks slowly becoming something beautiful.

Off the Rails

60 x 66

This quilt is called Off the Rails by Bonjour Quilts. I found this free pattern which was perfect for using up my leftover gray strips and a couple yards of Kona Cedar I had in the pile of solids. 

I quilted it the same way she did with the wavy lines. She described it as a drunk one legged man coming home at 3 am. I've not done this kind of wave before, so was trying to picture that in my mind as I traveled across the quilt. 

I used the Kona cedar on the back, but it was too short for full coverage. Added this gray print to finish the quilt. 

 The texture give this quilt a great feel. I was worried it would be too much quilting, but it really isn't. Can't wait get this washed and see how it feels then.

A Scrappy Little Quilt

60 x 72

My goal this year is to use up most of the solid fabrics and scraps. This one used a lot of the 2.5-inch strips, about 1/3 of what I have. I did cut them into squares and matched them up with a bunch of the print squares. 

This is not my favorite quilt. Maybe because I don't like red, and that seems to be all I see when I look at it, maybe because it's so busy. I'm not sure. I had the hardest time picking a backing for it. I finally landed on this light-medium orange polka dot. 

Then I spent a lot of time fussing over the binding color. My youngest came to the rescue and suggested this purple. I kept thinking it should be blue, but none of the blues looked good. So thankful she was there to save me!

 With the orange back and purple binding, this quilt is kinda growing on me. Hopefully someone will love the scrappy bright look of it and snatch it up.

A Happy Layer Cake Friendly Quilt

61 x 71

This quilt has been a long time coming. I’ve had this layer cake sitting in my stash for years, just waiting for the right moment—and I finally decided it was time to use it.

The blocks finish at 9 inches, which gives everything a nice, classic feel, and I added 1-inch sashing between each block to keep it clean and structured. I really love how the sashing frames each piece and lets the fabrics stand out without feeling busy.

There’s something so satisfying about finally cutting into fabric you’ve been saving. I think I was waiting for the “right” project, and this ended up being exactly that. It feels good to turn something I’ve held onto for so long into something finished and useful.

It’s now listed in my Etsy shop and ready for its next home. Now if the sun would just come out and shine. I'm ready for some warmer weather!

A Little Scrappy Patchwork Quilt

I've always loved this cute little pattern. It's so clean and simple with the inside border. And it can be made with a layer cake. Scrappy Patchwork Pattern.

54" x 67.5"

I cleaned out my craft closet a few weeks ago. There were a few precuts hiding in there that I wanted to get used up. I've had this yellow and green layer cake for years and I can't remember what it's called. 

I didn't buy a backing fabric or binding for it at the time, but luckily, I found this gray in my backing stack. I used it for the binding as well. 

Find this quilt in my Etsy Shop. 

Find the pattern here.