Spring Pop: Field of Dreams

Need a little floral pop? 

Spring is around the corner...we promise!

Stephanie Sheridan's Wildflower Meadow quilt is featured in the newest issue of McCall's Quilting. This quilt is packed with blooms from Kanvas' Field of Dreams.

"Wildflower Meadow" designed and pieced by Stephanie Sheridan
and machine quilted by Linda Leathersich;
featured in the March/April issue of McCall's Quilting.

What attracted you to the fabric line? Do you have a favorite print?

I loved the all of the flowers with the touch of metallic - sometimes it is fun to just design a pretty quilt with pretty fabrics. My favorite fabric is the focal print - such great detail and colors!

Did you fussy cut flowers for the block centers?

I did! I knew that I wanted both of the hummingbirds (they remind me of my great grandmother) and one of each of the types of flowers. Once I cut out all of the squares I played around with placement on my design wall until I got them the way I wanted them - then I took a picture with my cell phone so that I could keep them in their place as I was making the blocks and assembling the quilt.

How did you choose the coordinates to use around the floral squares?

They pretty much chose themselves ... the two shades of blue and green just seemed perfect for framing the focal squares.

Can you talk about your border choices?

I chose the scattered flowers on black and kept the inner border the same width as the sashing to serve as a bridge between the center of the quilt and the floral mitered outer border - it just helped the whole quilt flow together.

How did the design come about?

I loved this fabric from the first time I saw it and knew that I wanted to create something pretty with it. This quilt uses two construction techniques that are really useful in any quilter's repertoire - partial seams and mitered corners. I hope that quilters will enjoy challenging themselves to make this quilt.

Can you talk about the quilting?

My mom continued the "pretty" theme with the quilting - lots of swirls and feathers, with a beautiful feathered wreath over each of the blocks.

What do you see this being used for?

This quilt is a great throw size. It would be perfect for those cool summer evenings when you are out on the porch swing, or could make a great wall quilt. Heck, I want to use it on the couch tonight to remind me that winter won't last forever here in Pennsylvania!

Click here to see the Field of Dreams collection.

Click here to find this issue McCall's Quilting magazine.

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Feels like Spring: Life in Full Bloom

We're featuring a second quilt showcasing Nancy Halvorsen's Bree collection today. This quilt, designed by Nancy herself, is featured in the March/April issue of McCall's Quilting. The quilt, called "Live Life in Full," is certainly full of whimsical charm! 

Read below to find out what Nancy has to say about her quilt. Read below to learn what Nancy has to say about her quilt.

"Life in Full Bloom" designed by Nancy Halvorsen
and machine quilted by Catherine Timmons;
featured in McCall's Quilting March/April 2018

Can you tell us about the quilt’s message?

I knew this issue would come out in spring, so I was trying to think of something to do with flowers and spring time. I love to come up with positive uplifting messages. I thought “Live life in full bloom” would be a fun, happy idea that I could mix in with the flower blocks.

The flower blocks go well with the style of the text.

I actually designed this block years ago and reworked it for this quilt, adding the white centers to the petals. The white keeps it bright and fresh without detracting from the center block.

I gave the flowers a scrappy look because I love to give things texture—it’s more interesting than just using one fabric. I tried to use as many prints as possible because they’re so fun together.

Photos: McCall's Quilting

Did you have fun making the letters?

Yes! I wanted the letters to look like a garden—lots of different colors. The second “O” in bloom is a flower with a stem. I’ve been doing that type of thing for years—I love to take letters in a word and turn them into what the word is talking about.

What do you like best about this quilt?

I love how bright and cheerful and uplifting it is. To me, it’s a perfect lead-in to spring. Spring always makes me feel happy after slogging through winter.

Can you tell us about the machine quilting?

Catherine Timmons is is so awesome. She does all of my quilting for me. She does the cutest things. Sometimes I will give her direction but this time I just said “do your beautifulness.” And she did.

Click here to see Nancy's entire Bree collection.
Click here to see more of Nancy's work.
Click here to purchase the digital pattern.
Click here to find McCall's Quilting magazine.

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Quiz: What do these two quilts have in common?

The two quilts shown below, made using our fabric, are both featured in the September/October 2017 issue of McCall's Quilting magazine. Beautiful, aren't they? Our question for you--what do they have in common? 

(Scroll down for the answer.)

 

Keep scrolling....

They're both made from the same fabric collection, Zentastic! 

"Dreamcatcher" is a large one-block quilt design using a more muted cool color palette of Zentastic prints.

"Dreamcatcher" quilt designed by Denise Russart;
sewn by Diane Merritt; machine quilted by Ruthie Wasmuth

"Zentabulous" uses a bolder selection of Zentastic prints and features the classic Winding Ways block with the colors reversed in half the blocks. 

"Zentabulous" quilt designed and made by Jean Nolte

Click here to see the Zentastic collection.

Click here to find McCall's Quilting.

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What's in your queue?

Gone are the days of VHS players and tapes. Instead, entertainment comes via DVDs, DVR or through online streaming. What's currently lined up in your queue? Do you have a favorite tv series you love to watch? What about quilting shows? If you're looking for a video series that will spur you into action, consider the quilting videos that will help you sew the Glorieta quilt, offered by McCall's Quilting University. Entertainment and motivation to finished a gorgeous medallion quilt, all wrapped up in one neat online package! 

McCall's Quilting University is hosting the Glorieta Quilt Along featuring our Ribbon Floral collection, and you can still join in! This 12-week quilt along is hosted by contributing editor Laura Stone Roberts, and in addition to the pattern, you'll find video lessons to help you along. (Note: These video lessons are currently free...at some point, that will change--start watching now!)

"Glorieta" Quilt Along quilt; designed by Sarah Maxwell and Dolores Smith of Homestead Hearth;
pieced and quilted by Peg Spradlin

Click here to find information on the Glorieta Quilt Along.
Click here to find the kit for the Glorieta Quilt Along.

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Holiday Preview: Holly and Ivy

It's October, and signs of Christmas are already appearing (Have you heard Christmas carols in stores?!). But there's still plenty of time to sew a quilt for the holidays. Melanie Greseth and Joanie Holton designed the "Holly and Ivy" extra long twin-size quilt for McCall's Quilting. This quilt features our Golden Holiday collection--rich reds, greens and creams with metallic gold accents. 

"Holly and Ivy" designed by Melanie Greseth and Joanie Holton of Tailormade by Design;
pieced by Sue Homan and machine quilted by Sue Krause;
featured in McCall's Quilting November-December 2016

Joanie talked to us about the Holly and Ivy quilt:

What attracted you to the Golden Holiday collection?

It was very rich and yummy as we like to say, with the metallic gold. We thought it would be a really beautiful project to do.

Tell us about your medallion design.

This line seemed to really lend itself to a medallion quilt. We loved the ivy print because it created a background with interest—not just a quieter tonal print.

I typically start designing from the center. This design went through a lot of versions to get the balance to feel right. I wanted that outer star pattern to emerge, but I didn’t want it to be too heavy because the fabric is so rich. Leaving the negative space allows the outer stars to pop as well.

There are so many star blocks—how did you choose which one to use?

I like the feel of the twist in the star. We wanted a star with some movement in it, and this one seemed to fit for me.

You have another motif in the corners as well.

Yes, it’s similar to the holly leaves used in the center. I didn’t want the outer edges of the quilt to fade away—it just kind of finishes the corners.

What’s your favorite print in the collection?

I like the floral print with all its tonal variations. I knew I wanted to use this print when I designed the quilt.

What do you like best about this quilt?

It looks really super complicated but it’s not. We tried to do some fun different types of piecing and add extra interest to the quilt.

Tell us about the machine quilting.

Sue is really great about quilting in the negative space so the center of the quilt truly becomes the focal point.

Click here to see the Golden Holiday collection.
Click here to learn more about Joanie and Melanie.
Click here to find McCall's Quilting magazine.

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