Wandering Quilt – Lara’s Field Study quilt

Just in case you are not familiar with traveling quilts here is the idea: Each member of your group creates a starter block and usually writes a journal with details, theme and style they would like their quilt to end up. You send your starter block to another member in your group (usually there is a list, and you send it to the next lady on the list), they have a month to add on to your starter block and get your quilt going. Then, they send it to the next woman on the list and so on and so on until your quilt arrives back to you. In the meantime, as your quilt is traveling to each member of your group, their quilts are as well, so you will be adding to their quilts.

We have 10 women in our group. That means that 9 ladies besides me will be working on my quilt and I will be working on 9 different quilts. All themed.

Our group runs January 2017 – October 2017.

View all my ‘Wandering Quilt’ posts here.

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This pattern is now available for sale.

Last week I discussed Lara’s Field Study quilt, which I just loooooove to high heaven.

I was a little nervous that my abstract looking mountains might be a not ‘real’ enough for Lara’s quilt, but she gave me the go ahead.

I designed this pattern in EQ7.  It’s paper pieced and ridiculously easy to put together.  It’s three different 8.5″x12.5″ blocks sewn side by side.  If you are new to paper piecing, but know how to do it, this might be a good one to continue to grow that skill.  There are no tiny little pieces, and only nice straight lines.  It’s won’t give you any headaches, I promise.

This is my second time designing a paper piece pattern in EQ7.  It took me a bit to get the hang of it.  I didn’t find any overly helpful tutorials with all the answers.  I basically had to teach myself which is okay, but usually takes longer.  If you are interested in creating your own paper piecing patterns, you can find out more about EQ7 here.

I’ve had the software for years and have designed many quilts and quilt blocks within it.

Inspiration

When I started on Lara’s quilt, I had just came home from Alberta, Canada.  8 days in the Rockies.  To say I came home with a loving passion for those mountains is an understatement.  We live in the foothills of the Appalachians, and mountains have always been one of my favorites.  But the Rockies, oh my!  They are like a dream too beautiful to be real.

This picture was taken at the sky gondala overlooking Banff.  That’s Mount Cascade to the left.

 

Completion

Now my addition to Lara’s quilt is all sewn up and this quilt top is ready to be shipped to Florida.  Isn’t this one just the prettiest?  I kinda want to keep it.

I’ve also really enjoyed using batik fabrics.  Especially in paper piecing.  Here’s why:  1. batik fabrics have no front or back, so you can’t make one of those irritating mistakes turning your fabric the wrong way.  2.  Batik fabrics look ‘real’.  Right?  They look so right, especially for nature.  Look at those fir trees!  They look like there is leaves all over them.  And finally, 3.  If you want to add something that looks like texture, they are the way to go.

July should bring another ocean themed quilt, so big changes.