Batik Stars

Lisa made this striking star quilt entirely out of batik fabrics.  Lisa wondered if we should do custom quilting to make sure the stars pop, but I kind of talked her out of that option, because I thought her fabric choices and placement allowed the stars to stand out with no help from me.

Instead we opted for a simple pantograph  - Ebb and Flow that kept the quilt nice and cozy for a bed quilt.

Ashton's Grad Quilt

This quilt was made by Deanna for her son Ashton's grade 12 graduation that took place this past weekend.   Deanna was inspired by a stack of hand dyed fabric that she made during a workshop when Ashton was a baby.  He attended the workshop with her, and the fabric had been in Deanna's stash for the past 17 years.  She thought it would be a perfect thing for his quilt.

Deanna also loves to personalize the quilts she makes as gifts, and she added the quote from the Dr. Seuss book "Oh, the Places You'll Go!"

Deanna chose the "Ebb & Flow" panto for this quilt, but we flipped to vertical orientation from it's normal horizontal one.  I think it gives a very interesting effect.  She provided a light weight denim for the backing and we used Quilter's Dream Puff batting to keep the quilt a little lighter.  I was a little worried that the denim might cause some issues, but none at all. It had a nice drape to it, and my Innova handled it with ease.  Thread choice can be a bit of a challenge with multi colored quilts with black and white, but my go to So Fine #489 - a very murky green called "Lewis & Clark" played nicely on all the different colors.

A couple of finishes

This is Cheri's third Happy Holidays tree skirt. (I am not wishing that we were into the winter snow just yet, but it would have made for a more fitting picture!)  Cheri has three daughters and has made each of them a tree skirt using the same pattern but with different fabrics to suit their differing tastes.  Check out the others out here and here.

I tried to add a nice balance of straight lines and curls.  A few snowflakes thrown in for fun too.

Quilting for others definitely isn't boring - here is something totally different!  This is Amy's t-shirt quilt that she made for her fiancee. Can you guess who his favorite band is?

Amy chose the Ebb & Flow panto as it has a nice masculine feel and kind of looks like flames. I think her KISS fan is going to be very pleased! 

Introducing...... Quarter Sections

I am very excited to share the latest pattern from Highway 10 Designs.

The idea for this pattern came from two main sources - requests from our quilter friends to come up with a pattern to use up the Fat Quarter stash they have accumulated over the years and an interest in the Fibonacci Sequence (yes a little bit of a math geek here.)  Kind of an odd combination but we are thrilled with the end result.

We designed this pattern to make really good use of your Fat Quarters. (From a standard fat quarter you aren't left with much more than one 3 1/2" square!)  Easy construction makes this one go together really quickly.  Made entirely of squares it is also great for a beginner as there are no triangle points to cut off!

Quarter Sections is available as a PDF download in our Etsy and Craftsy shops and includes Baby, Lap, Twin, Double, Queen & King sizes. Paper copies will be available soon.

Now, I always love to hear some of the stories behind the scenes..... Naming a quilt seems to be one of the most difficult parts of the process for us.  When we had a look at the finished top we we reminded of the bird's eye view of the Canadian Prairies. 

We tossed around many a name, but "Quarter Sections" just seemed to fit. (For our readers from afar who aren't making the connection, you can check out information on our land survey system here.) 

Normally when Kathy and I publish a pattern we leave the photography in her capable hands - she has a gift and enjoys it as your can see everyday on her blog.  This time out we decided that my geographical area was the right back drop, so I said I would give it my best shot.

It took more than a few than a few tries to get it right. Here are some of the highlights.  First time out I was alone, but found a location I thought would work.  Wind wasn't really cooperating but I thought I would take a few shots and get some feedback from Kathy.  

With advice on a better angle to try, blue skies and my wonderful husband along I thought attempt number two would be a piece of cake - not quite.

The weather was not cooperating for days and days so I was beginning to think that would be the best I would do. But then on Friday there was a calm before the next storm, so I headed off alone again, hoping for the best.  The dust from each passing truck took a long time to settle.

But, finally the shot I was searching for!

I think it all turned out okay in the end, but I will be happy to leave the photography up to Kathy next time.  Check out what she has to say about our latest pattern here.

If you would like to see our designs at your local quilt store wholesale inquiries are welcome through email: highway10designs@mymts.net.