Spiraled :: A Tutorial

The original Spiraled is 3 years old and was a happy coincidence created playing with leftover half-square triangles (HSTs) on the design wall. Besides the scrappy spirals, I especially liked how just a few spirals escaped into the barely contrasting border - and even the binding. This was my first try at Angled Matched Binding.

Spiraled, 30"x32"

Since then, I've created 2 more versions. Spiraled Jungle was made a couple of years later when a bundle of Sara Lawson's Jungle Ave. appeared in my mailbox. This time I enhanced the background with a low-volume print, both the border and binding held a bit more contrast, and the spirals were rearranged.

Spiraled Jungle, 32"x34"

And finally, Spiraled Underground, made with just 3 fabrics and finished with a faced binding. It was during the making of this one that I wrote the Big Batch HST tutorial, which just works so good when you want lots of HSTs with the same fabric pairing.

Spiraled Underground, 32"x34"

All this looking back to say . . . I've finally written up a Spiraled tutorial. Based on version 3, it would be super easy to do it scrappy or more controlled. A pretty straight-forward combo of 2" (finished) half-square triangles and squares, it's well-suited to your own personalization. Click here for the tutorial, and have fun!

If you give Spiraled a try, please feel free to add it to my flickr group, Quilting with A Quilter's Table. I'd love to see your take on the design.

2014 Finish-A-Long: Q3 Finishes

Three out of four finishes for me this quarter. I shoulda, coulda, woulda that last one, but I didn't quite make it. OH well. If you missed them, links to project posts are below finish photos.

With the blocks all pieced, it didn't take much to get my next Postcard quilt sewn together and finished.

So here's the completed quilt. I was curious about the pattern as a larger quilt. This one's 1.5 times wider and twice as long as my original. And I'm liking is just as much. 

Duo (click for block tutorial)

On my Q3 list were also 2 table runners inspired by a pattern by Susanne Woods in We Love Color.

Since I was making these runners in custom sizes, there was a fair amount of math figuring out sizes and placements, but they went together really nicely. 

Stone-Stepping

And finally, I really took my time on my latest Spiraled quilt. I was building it on my design wall as the quarter started.

But just in the nick of time, I finished it up.

Spiraled Underground

The last project on my list was another Postcard quilt with blocks made by FAITH Circle. Here's a photo of the completed top, and just yesterday I got it basted, so it shouldn't be long now.

So it could have been much worse. Now to look ahead to the last quarter of the year.

Spiraled Underground

Nearly 3 months ago, I posted my Big Batch HST tutorial, created as I was starting on my latest Spiraled quilt with its massive amount of hst's. Needless to say, it took a while to bring this one to completion, but I kinda gave it a push over last weekend, knowing my 3rd quarter Finish-A-Long report would be pitiful without it.

The objective in making this pattern again, was to see how it looked less scrappy. And I like it! {If you haven't seen the original Spiraled or Spiraled Jungle, click the links. They are basically the same 34"x36" design, with tweaks.} Another reason was that once I got my hands on yardage of the "Underground Route" print from Sara Lawson's Jungle Ave. line, I really wanted to see how it looked as a complete background. Again - I like! I chose the super pink "Word on the Street" text print for the spirals because I wanted them to be bold, and I just plain like it!

Quilting was done very similarly to what I did on my mini Swoon, basically using a few of the spirals as inspiration and then echoing using my walking foot as a guide. Overall, it gives a sort of willy nilly effect, but there was a rhyme and reason, and resulted in great texture, even before a wash. I used my super-sized cone of Aurifil 50wt #2021 (Natural White), which made me ridiculously happy. And then, I hit a stumbling block.

I had planned all along to use the black and white "Dotted Boulevard" as the border, topping it off with some matched binding. And though I was more than pleased with the border, after I'd sewn on a good quarter of the binding, I realized that I wasn't really happy with how the border and binding dots looked side by side. After a day of mulling, I removed the binding I'd stitched on and began auditioning other choices.

Except that I didn't like anything I tried! What to do? Then all at once I knew that to preserve that dotted border 'just so', I'd need to do a faced binding. So I turned again to OPQuilt's tutorial, which had served me well in the past. And yes, that was the look I'd been after.

For backing, I used a single piece of "urban sprawl" by Alexander Henry, one of those random stash purchases that I think was destined for this quilt.

So I'm really pleased with this new version of Spiraled, and I'm already thinking of another version I may need to try. Another day.

W.i.P. Wednesday

Finally I'm feeling that yearning to get sewing again and I know exactly what I need to work on . . .

All the Postcard Blocks from FAITH Circle have been stitched into a quilt top. I have fabric for a simple but special quilt back, and a quilting pattern in mind. So all ready to get going on this one.

My latest Spiraled quilt top is pieced and basted even! Still debating the quilting on this one, but it won't take too long once I get going.

My project for Selfish Sewing Week, a Brookfield Bag, is coming right along and I'm pretty excited to finish it up! After a brief frustration installing the swivel clasp, all the hardware is set in place, and basically I just need to sew the lining in. yay.

So that's where I am. Hoping against hope to have all of these completed in the next week or so and see where October takes me!

Linking up with W.i.P. Wednesday.

Untypical

Between a weekend out of town and returning home with a nasty cold, there hasn't been much time in the studio for several days. The few moments have been spent on those big batch HSTs.

Then, of course, there's this and plenty of it.

Almost ready to start piecing!

Spiraled Jungle on the Ave. and Other Randomness

The Postcard Quilt Along is well under way! 41 members strong, I see new blocks posted every day! Here's an exotic finish by Ellyn/ellyn's place. Aren't those Hawaiian prints perfect as postcards? Here's Ellyn's post about her mini.

If you are into barn quilts, I added more photos to my flickr album here. We were driving home from Eastern Washington last weekend, and hubby saw this one from the freeway.

After stopping for lunch, we hunted it down, plus a few others on "Washington State's First Barn Quilt Trail" There's actually an online map, if you're ever in the area: Barn Quilts of Kittitas County. There are still some we haven't seen yet, so maybe next time.

Did you hear about the Facing East Quilt Along with CityStitches? It's based on a pattern by Carolyn Friedlander in her new book, Savor Each Stitch (also on Amazon). The book is getting rave reviews, and I am happy to say my copy just arrived!

Finally getting to the title of this post! My Spiraled Jungle quilt made it into Sara Lawson's lookbook for her new fabric line, Jungle Ave.! I know this is SO not about me, but I certainly was tickled by it. What a fun and versatile line.

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Oh, and by the way, is it me, or did flickr just get better? I can't even define what the changes are but it sure does seem more user-friendly. I'm glad cuz I miss it being a good place to be.

Spiraled Jungle

It's not every day that unreleased fabric lands on my doorstep. So being able to work with a stack of Jungle Ave. from Sara of Sew Sweetness was a special treat. The colors are so rich, and each print has a magnetism that drew me right in. The fact that they play so well together is just a bonus. So thanks again, Sara!

Of course I stared at it all for several days before deciding to do something I'd been wanting to do for quite some time - create another version of my 'Spiraled' quilt.

Right off, I wanted the low-volume "Underground Route" print to act as a background. I didn't have enough to use it for the whole quilt, so I made it a focal point behind the largest spiral, with American Made Brand solid in Light Cream filling in the remainder of the quilt's background.

Similar to the design of Spiraled, but not quite identical, I 'built' the quilt on my design wall with 2" (finished) half-square triangles and squares. And as before, a few of the spirals escaped into the border and out into the binding. Sometimes that happens.

Speaking of the border, I was in a quandary whether to go subtle like Spiraled, or bolder. Obviously, I let the strong colors of Jungle Ave. sway me, and chose a solid Michael Miller Cotton Couture in Mermaid to frame it all just a bit. For backing, I discovered a fun Brandon Mably "tents" in my stash that seemed to match the mood of the front.

For quilting, I used Aurifil 50wt #2021 (Natural White) and using my walking foot, quilted one big square spiral, beginning at the tip of the largest patchwork spiral. I had been saving the final Jungle Ave. print - "NeighborHoods" - for the binding, and I really like how it gives a stripey effect without actually being so. And for the final detail, just a touch of Angled Matched Binding for those escaping spirals.

Finishing at 34"x36", my little jungle expedition has come to an end, and what an enjoyable excursion it was.

Linking up with Fabric Tuesday and Finish it Up Friday.

Random

Well it was nice to receive a couple of shout-outs from fellow bloggers last week - from my buddy Katie of Katie Mae Quilts, who talked about using left-over hst's, and mentioned how much she liked how I used them in "Spiraled".

And from Amanda from Material Girl, who shared a bunch of helpful quilting and sewing tips, including my tutorial for matched binding. 

Since these are two of my favorite quilts from this year, it's nice to know others are remembering them fondly. Thanks, Katie and Amanda!

And I keep meaning to report back about trying out "The Binding Tool"! I've used it on my last two quilts, and I like it - with one caveat: I've needed to watch Missouri Star Quilt Company's video both times. Which is fine by me - in the end, this tool really has helped me finish binding easily with very little bulk.

In swap news, Polaroid blocks are just rolling in. 

As of today, there are 72 swappers, I've received packages from 26 of them, for a total of 1304 blocks so far! Here are just some of the blocks I received this week!

1. 32-67, 2. DSC_0293, 3. picture perfect polaroid swap!, 4. *Picture-Perfect* Polaroid Block Swap!, 5. DSC_1936, 6. Picture Perfect Polaroid Blocks, 7. Picture Perfect Polaroid Block Swap, 8. 50 Polaroids for the swap, 9. *Picture-Perfect* Polariod Swap Blocks 2, 10. IMG_1694 1, 11. Polaroid swap, 12. Polaroid Swap Blocks

If you call me crazy, I certainly won't blame you.

Finish-A-Long Second Quarter Finishes

The Finish-A-Long sponsored by Rhonda from Quilter in the Gap has once again been a great motivator. First quarter, I had an awesome 3/3 finish rate. Not quite so high this quarter, but I did finish projects that I really was anxious to finish, so I'm feeling pretty good.

So I had 4 projects on my list this round. First up was Hopscotch. I had half the blocks made, and an appointment with my long-arm quilter. 

I was able to complete the blocks, get this to my quilter and back, and finish this fun quilt up just in time for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival. The pattern is by Camille Roskelley, and I confess I'm as pleased as can be by this new-to-me palette and my first triangle quilt.

Next up was a pile of left-over hst from my Swoon and Sparkle quilts, which I wanted to use to make something for the Festival of Half Square Triangles. 

I was thinking of something with lots of negative space, but once I took the hst to my design wall, I swirled off in an unexpected direction, and came up with Spiraled.

I'm probably as proud of this project as any of late, pleased that I was able to come up with my own interesting design, loving the contrasting palest of gray borders (Pearl by Northcott Colorworks), and succeeding (not without frustration!) some angled matched binding. This mini was downright fun.

Also on my FAL list was pulling my Solstice Star blocks out and finishing them into a quilt.

I really had no plan for them, but in the end went out on a limb, adding lots of solids, and created The Stars of Summer. (Click on the title to see more photo-shoot pictures; go here for a tutorial on the matched binding.)

Last on my list, and I knew it would be a stretch . . . was taking my 4x5 blocks and making a quilt out of them. At the time, I had 12 blocks, and was in the process of receiving blocks from the third round of the 4x5 modern Quilt Bee.

So I got my last 6 . . .

and made 2 more to bring my number of blocks to 20 . . .

I am making great progress on this project, but it's definitely not a quilt yet. Remember this debate? Well, I've made a decision and am currently framing all of these colorful, modern blocks.

So my finish stats are 3/4 for round 2. Not bad, but I need to keep sewing!

I'll be linking my finished projects up to the Finish-A-Long Second Quarter Linky Party!