I made a quilt

A few of you guessed what I was up to.  Some of you knew.  So, yeah, I made a quilt for the craft swap.  And I really, really love this quilt.

It's throw size - I forgot to measure it.  I think it ended up around 50" x 60".  I made the six colored blocks on Monday night.  I was in a piss poor mood and playing with fabric changed my frame of mind completely.  I used the same paper bag method that I learned at Denyse Schmidt's studio in November.  I loaded the bags with 5 solids and 6 prints.  I can't tell you who made the solids, but all the prints are Amy Butler's Midwest Modern that I had in my stash.

I pieced the blocks in about an hour and a half.  I made myself move fast so I wouldn't overthink.  I knew that it would be cohesive because I had loaded the bags with the fabric myself.  I kept going until I got tired.  On Tuesday morning, I got up, looked at them all and started adding the dark green around them to make a rectangle.  I then used large strips of green to make the quilt top bigger.

For the back, I made a small horizontal patchwork strip and sewed it between the orange and darker pink solids.  I couldn't resist putting a piece of this cute little house print in.  It's Japanese and came from Purl.

I quilted it with a green thread that matched the lime solid.  I chalked lines 4" apart and free-motioned loops below each line.  I bound it in the lime solid, using a zig zag stitch.

This block is my favorite.  Something about it just speaks to me.

So there you go.  The craft swap quilt.  I really do love it.  So much.  In the end, though, it went home with someone else.  And I let it go willingly.

If you want to see the rest of the goodies that were swapped, and the very cool piece I ended up with, go visit Caroline's blog.  Everything was fabulous - I would have taken any of it willingly.  Caroline tells the story so so well - play by play, actually.  Plus, she took photos and I didn't.

Have a great weekend.  I think I have one or maybe two more posts in me before I disappear for the holidays.  See you soon.

Comments

[Amanda E Woodward]

I love it so much!!! The green looks fantastic with those bright colors!

[Kim d.]

Now that is a reason to join a Swap, if ever I saw one. Beautiful work.

[Harley]

This is really gorgeous :) I read your post about visiting Denyse's studio, but this post made me go back and re-read it.

I'm a little bit of a quilting virgin, so I was wondering if you would explain the paper bag method? I understand the general concept is to pull out a piece from the bag, and use it, but how do you separate pieces, and how many bags? And in what order do you pull? Thanks! :)

[Sarah Jackson]

Oh, I love love love it. You are an inspiration, my friend. Truly. And a very big person for not keeping it.

[kristen]

just gorgeous.

[Abby]

Love the loops! It's amazing :)

[Carrie]

That is really a beautiful quilt. I love the loops you stitched in free hand. Very nice. Looks like it was a lot of fun to make.

[Dawn]

Love all of the colors together! The loops are great!
And you have an amazingly talented group of ladies to swap with!

[Account Deleted]

you are amazing. This is gorgeous! The colors are such a great balance together. I love the random piecing, random placement. Is that free motion hard? Will you come and teach it to me sometime?

[Molly]

So pretty Erin, you out-did yourself. A beautiful piece of art.

[Dawn]

Erin you are a genius and I would LOVE to have this in my home....I seriously can't stop thinking about it. I LOVE it. It is so modern and it speaks to me so loudly...please make it stop :) Great work Erin

[tiennie]

I really really love this quilt too!

[Heidi]

Love it!

[Amy]

I agree - that block speaks to me as well. It's saying: I'm awesome! The quilt is beautiful.

[Nanette]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Erin K]

This is so beautiful! What a fun quilt. :)

[beki]

i absolutely adore it, erin!

[leslie]

oh my gosh. it turned out lovely. and i love that stripe down the back. and the loops, too. great job ... again!

[kathryn]

beautiful, erin! the colors and the blocks are just amazing!

you've really convinced me to seriously look into taking one of the workshops. i'm a fellow overthinker, and if this is overcoming that trait--well then, sign me up!

[leslie]

i so would have stolen this. although, all of those gifts are SO lovely.
how fun!

[Jen]

Beautiful! Congratulations- I have yet to actually finish one!

[amandajean]

it turned out great! and good for you for letting it go willingly.

[Heather]

I love it! i just found a few blocks in my stash that i love that weren't enough to make a full quilt - i like what you did with yours! Very nice!

Heather

[Pam]

Great job and so speedy! A very generous gift, indeed.

[laura]

holy amazing quilt batman!

[AJ]

Great swap items. Love the quilt. The green really makes the blocks pop.

[TD wool design]

you never disappoint! :)
i knew i would love it before i even saw it!
i would have a hard time parting with it too.

[caroline thornewill]

If I think for one minute that Brenda is not cherishing that quilt like she should, I'm going to break into her house and take it. Really.

[monica]

I love that quilt!!! I totally would have stolen it back for myself :)

[The Knitting Archaeologist]

Gorgeous as usual! Happy Holidays to you and your family:)

[Morgan]

Man oh man oh man!!!!

DANG you are GOOD!

[Elizabeth]

It's fantastic! Really and truly fantastic. And I loved the looped stitching.

[emily]

i am SO getting my new machine before you come. so we can play play play.....

[Tanya]

I love it! It's so unique. Love the blocks in a sea of green. Am inspired!!

Merry Christmas ;)

[Rosalind]

Gorgeous. Lucky lady who received this one!

[anina]

Organic quilting! Wonderful!

[Chara Michele]

It looks fabulous! I am going to have to head over to her blog now to see what you ended up with :)

[jessica]

I'm sure there was lots of yankee swappig for this! It turned out great...I love the bold colors you used...VERY Denise looking!!!

[Tracy]

That is lovely. I adore it, and am inspired by it. Go you!

[Amy]

looks perfect! you have a lucky swap partner indeed!

[Katie]

This is such a neat idea....I'm going to try it.

[Amy @ parkcitygirl]

Beauty of a quilt! Love all your fabrics and the green is a great compliment :)

[Keanalee]

I read this post before bed last night & didn't comment, i have been trying to catch up on my blogs. I dreamt that this quilt was in my house & you kept calling me to send it back & I kept forgetting, so you drove her & got it. Weird, huh?

[Piper]

I always love it when you go into the sewing room! This is one great quilt!

[sulu-design]

It's so cool to see how that workshop has influenced you and your work. And I like how you pushed through a piss poor mood by making such a beautiful quilt. Much better than inhaling a box of caramels. At least in the long run. I must take note.

[Grace]

oh, erin. it's lovely. lovely, lovely, lovely.

[amylouwho]

I love this quilt too! Especially the pink and orange back - Delightful!

I would have had a hard time letting it go too.

[Julie @ Letter9]

ah, nothing better than something pretty to cure a rotten mood. and your pictures do wonders for my own mood, erin. thanks!

[marsha]

How do you paper bag quilt?? I love your quilt!

Marsha

[dorie]

such a pretty quilt! I love how the patchwork portion is "floating"