Finally a First Finish!

Due to quarantine, I have finally managed to finish the quilt top that I started 4 years ago.  And it feels so good to be to this point!

56 inches square

This is my version of the Rail Fence pattern, in only 2 colors.  It truly is a cultural fusion, as I used indigos from South Africa and 1800's reproduction fabrics for the lights/whites.

Here is a closeup of one block, so you can see the fabrics better. 

Due to the narrower width (35 inches) of the indigo fabrics, I had to make smaller blocks.  Instead of the 16 inch blocks in the book, my blocks are 14 inches.

I found this pattern very easy to understand and very easy and fun to make.  Thank you for the wonderful book, Sujata!

There is more information and more photos on my blog post.

Happy quilting!

Sharon

Super Students

Lani brought in her completed top 

from our August Rail Fence class.

I really like the way she combined two different 

alternate layouts to create this "greek key" version.

And she had four extra blocks,

so they will be worked into the quilt's backing.

double click to super size

Jean shared this photo of her completed

Rail Fence quilt top - taken just before

it was taken to the long arm-er for quilting.

Her piano key border was a great choice.

Now to the just-completed Peppermint Pinwheels class.

Geri is using Kona Spring with an assortment

of red and white prints for her Christmas-y version.

Marie is also doing a Christmas version

using a consistent green with a mix of holiday prints.

Martha is using newsprint with lots of colors.

She'll be adding these three to the nine blocks 

she has already sewn together.

Tori went with a striking black/white and brights layout.

(look at the clear cup directly behind her sewing machine -

she puts her spool of thread inside and feeds it up through

the straw hole - and she uses the lidded cup to transport

her thread plus small scissors, seam ripper, etc.)

Alice is using a Paris-themed neutral with multiple brights.

(be sure to see her block collage below)

In the evening class, Connie went for her

favorite super-saturated colors.

SO many interesting prints and textures.

After last week's class,

Linda completely changed her game plan.

Her new Halloween version is fabulous.

Kathy's Ink and Arrow prints are mixed with

a tone-on-tone cream.

In person, this one has a gorgeous stained-glass feel.

Lani went with a mix of patriotic and wintry fabrics,

most with glitter and sparkle.

This collage will enlarge if double-clicked

so you can see Alice's mixed fabric blocks.

They definitely add interest in her quilt top

without being overly-obvious.

And this was an "accident" that could easily

 inspire another layout of this block.

I love moments like this.

* * *

Two terrific classes.

Thank you ladies 

for having so much fun

with Sujata's design.

Quiltdivajulie

Student Work

I am half way through the teaching of four classes

from Sujata's book at one of our local quilt shops.

Geri brought in her finished Rail Fence for show and tell.

(many of the students in that class opted for the pinwheel layout)

This second class features the Peppermint Pinwheel design.

This evening student is using a consistent light background

with multiple bright colors for the alternate blocks.

This evening student LOVES wild saturated colors.

Three of her blocks feature this dark feather design -

I can't wait to see what she brings in next week.

One of the daytime students is making a Christmas version -

her fabrics are fabulous (she's working from fat quarters).

And this daytime student added her own twist on the design.

She's using a consistent background

with one block in the darker blue,

one block in the print blue,

and one using both blues.

She's planning to use this approach throughout 

her 25 block quilt top.

I'm looking forward to our next classes

just to see what else these ladies come up with!

Quiltdivajulie

Variations on a Theme

With Sujata's permission,

I have been teaching from her Cultural Fusion Quilts book

at the newest of our local quilt shops.

Epicenter (above and below) is my recent sample quilt

that helped promote the freeform rail fence class.

Instead of a regular binding, I used facing for this one,

my fifth free form rail fence quilt.

You can read the story behind the facing decision HERE.

* * *

But as all of us who have made Sujata's quilts before know,

there's more than one way to work with her blocks.

Hence the title of this post . . . 

Using the block samples in the book,

I made one version that reminds me of a coins quilt.

32" x 32" - bound with a soft yellow solid.

That same block could be rotated 90 degrees

and become a vertical coins/column-style quilt.

Same layout but quite a different look.

I quilted this one with Buttercup Yellow 

using my wavy window blind shadow design.

Another set of step out blocks were laid out

in the quarter log cabin style.

I really like this design and wonder 

how it would evolve with even more blocks.

One day I may even make another one 

just so I can play with the idea.

Backed with a soft floral and bound with a solid.

32" x 32" and quilted along the seam lines 

with an organic wavy line

using Buttercup yellow Glide thread.

Inspired by LeeAnn's quilt in the book,

I took the pinwheel idea a step further.

Instead of keeping the four quadrants together,

I split them up to create this layout.

32" x 32"

Backed with a Tula Pink print and 

bound with a soft purple Moda Marble.

I quilted this one in a wiggly concentric spiral 

from the center out to the edges

using Eggplant Glide thread.

Hopefully these example quilts

demonstrate to the students

that there is more than one way

to work with Sujata's freeform rail fence blocks!

Quiltdivajulie

Sea Glass - A Nursery Quilt

Sea Glass is my fourth freeform Rail Fence quilt

from Sujata's book.

This nursery quilt was created

for our oldest son and his wife.

They both love the beach

so I chose warm sandy tones

and turquoise/teal water colors.

(soothing and comforting for those 

late night rocking chair sessions)

Here's a flat photo of the scrappy quilt back.

(You can double click to enlarge the photo)

Quilted using Max, my APQS George sit down long arm,

Glide thread, Hobbs Tuscany Wool blend,

and Barb Vedder's Baptist Fans stencil.

Gifted during a baby shower,

the quilt was very well received.

P.S.  Our grandson was born nearly 7 weeks early.

Connor is now two weeks old

weighs 3 lbs. 12 ozs.

and seems to be doing well in NICU.

Quiltdivajulie

An Experiment in Size

I recently did an experiment trying some of the Rail Fence blocks at half-size and I thought you might like to see it.

This block is 8 inches finished.  Isn't it cute?

I cut my initial blue and white strips at 3 1/2 inches wide, then sliced with the rotary cutter per the directions and sewed them together, as usual.  Then I cut the sewn strips down to 2 1/2 inches wide, and sub-cut the units at 2 1/2 inches also.  I was worried about my math skills, but it worked great!

This allowed me to use some of the smaller fabrics I had.

And here is what I made with the four smaller blocks that I made:

You can read more about my experiment on my blog:

http://www.indigothreads.blogspot.com/2016/04/aprils-been-busy-month.html

Batik Rail fence quilted

     The Batik Rail Fence that I made with 6" batik strips is all quilted. I have details on my blog of the quilt designs, here
     I have 7 blocks left over and need to come up with some batik combinations to make another one.

Still needs a binding, not going to use a border

Happy Accident is Finished

This is the "front" of Happy Accident.

62" x 62"

And this is the "back" of the quilt.

Quilted by Debbie Voigt.

* * *

I started this one last August 

during a workshop with Sujata in St. Louis.

You can read more about the quilt

and see a few more photos

over on my blog.

CLICK HERE

Batik Rail Fence sewn

     The batik rail fence, using 6 inch strips, is all sewn. I have 5 extra blocks, so would need to make 7 more to make another quilt. The blocks finish at 19". Very fun to make!!

Never Too Miuch of a Good Thing

I love Sujata's take on the Rail Fence.  I've made it four times. Here's the most recent, a bright quilt for a friend who's undergoing treatment for leukemia. She loves bright colors, and we wanted something to bring a smile to her face.

Very bright bright with black-and-white.

When you go over the top, you should just keep going.

I just love these blocks.

Here's the finished flimsy.  The blocks are 16" square, so this quilt will be 42" x 64", a generous lap quilt to keep our friend warm while undergoing chemotherapy.

I kept all the leftover trimmings when I cut the blocks apart, and resewed them into a long, fun strip.

I added our friend's name to the back, and had a lot more fun with fabrics from my stash. It was a quilt made in a week, and it's away being quilted for a quick turnaround. I sure do hope this young lady beats cancer and can enjoy this quilt for a very long time.