I’ve seen quilters announcing that their quilts were accepted to Curated Quilts over the past few months. I didn’t know what that meant, and I didn’t pay much attention. Then, while I was working at Gotham Quilts the shipment of magazines arrived, and I was smitten. The magazine is very modern, with a clean, clear design aesthetic.
Last week I was flipping through my phone on the train into the city. Curated Quilts came up again, and I clicked through to check out their call for entries. The deadline was April 1, so it was a really short timeframe for me to design and complete a project. The inspiration was triangle, and this is the color palette.
I sketched out some triangle layouts during my train ride. I have a tiny graph paper notebook that is full of ideas and sketches. The stacked triangles spoke to me the most clearly.
The design gave me fits for a few days. How would I figure out the measurements for the triangles? They wouldn’t be equilateral, because that won’t fit into a square the way I want it to. Plus, which ruler would I use? I didn’t measure, but I was pretty sure it wasn’t any of the angles I have on hand.
Once again, it was shower to the rescue. A good steamy shower always unlocks my creativity. I realized I just needed to draw the pattern onto a big piece of paper and make a foundation paper piecing pattern. Duh.
Out comes the big sketchpad. None of my household members like the big sketchpad. It is huge, and their opinions might be solicited. My boys are very supportive of my quilting when it comes to using the quilts. Discussing or participating in quilt making activities is frowned upon.
I was able to do a good fabric pull from my stash. My first one included a few prints, and my Mom encouraged me to make some adjustments.(You can see the Sierpinski’s Triangle my son drew out for me in red ink. He loves that design, but it is a fractal, and would be soooo challenging. Maybe with EPP. Someday.)
This is the final pull. It is mostly solids – the orange is a batik, and the green is an ombré. The plum is a yarn dye.
Sewing it together was ridiculously easy. I did make two mistakes. First, I stitched a piece on the wrong way, so I had to pick it out. Then, I decided I wanted more of a turquoise blue. After the first side was on, I realized I preferred the lighter blue.
I removed the paper, squared up the top, and layered it onto my longarm. I could have done it on my domestic machine, but I just love using the Gammill whenever I can. Also, loading a tiny piece like this takes me about five minutes now. I used a bunch of my Aurifil collection in this piece. What is it about the mini quilts that drives me to change thread colors so often?
I settled on minimal quilting, in straight lines. That says “modern” to me, and Curated Quilts is definitely a modern publication. Much like with my Grow mini, I decided to play with my Aurifil thread collection. I matched up a thread color to each fabric as best I could. Big stitch quilting added the perfect final touch. I like the contrast of the very modern look with the big stitches. This is Wonderfil Eleganza Perle cotton.
The backing is a piece of a metallic print I sneak into a lot of projects. I decided on a faced binding after watching a tutorial by Carole Lyles Shaw. I did mine a little differently, but this was a first for me, and I really like the effect.
Evaluation
I think this is the most modern quilt I have made to date. Unfortunately, it wasn’t chosen for the magazine, but that is okay. I’m a bit disappointed, but I have this lovely quilt, and my son was actually interested in the pattern. He was discussing making a throw sized version. So, I may not have impressed Curated Quilts, but I did impress my son, which is more important to me.
Have you stretched out of your comfort zone for contests?
I love this mini. So neat that your son got into the design process too and, yes, impressing him is worth far more than getting into the magazine. I submitted a mini for the minimal mini quilts and didn’t make it in either.
Thanks! I was surprised by how much I was disappointed not to get in, but a friend of mine pointed out that their aesthetic is a lot of wonky modern stuff, and I have a really hard time with wonky. Maybe they didn’t appreciate how far my quilting line was on the right side!
I think I might try again. I really didn’t know what I was doing first time around!
Oh, I’m definitely trying again. I’m going to wear these girls down.
Atta girl! You go!
I submitted a piece to a Quilting Arts challenge once and didn’t make it in, either, but I had a great time designing the piece and making all the components, so that was okay with me.
I think you had a brilliant idea in using the ombre fabric — maybe they will come back to you with a request for an article with that idea. Or maybe they didn’t realize and you can point it out to them in a different submission, because that is a great idea a lot of people could use and adapt! 🙂
Oh, I like the colors and design! Another time, it might have been accepted, based on what else is in the magazine. Anyway, you DO have a wonderful piece, and I could see a series happening. Best of luck with your next one.
Thanks! I’ve had a fascination with triangles for a while now.
I have been thinking about grabbing a subscription to Curated Quilts but haven’t pulled the trigger. Maybe I should! I have so many visions of triangle quilt designs but I’m never patient enough to do the math or figure out another way! I love paper piecing, maybe I should try that option. I love your triangles. But love the connection with your son even more! Thanks for sharing it.
Thanks, Carrie! Sketch your quilts, and see which ones can be paper pieced. It saved my sanity on this one.
I love your mini!!! I’m interested to see which ones made it in. Mine didn’t make it either and the disappointment is real. However I think my style of what I would pick is different than theirs. *shrugs
I want to see which one were chosen, too.
Congratulations on an amazing quilt. The fact that your son helped is so cool. Sorry you didn’t win but at least you tried!
Thanks! I’ll keep trying until they give in and let me in.
I’ve seen a few people I follow try these out. I love your triangle quilt and I’m surprised it wasn’t chosen. I have always wondered about making my own paper pieced patterns. Now I see that it doesn’t have to be so difficult if you start with geometrics. I am planning on trying out for some of the future projects just to stretch myself. Good for you to give it a go.
Making my own patterns is really easy, as long as I don’t try to get too fancy. It is super rewarding to see my sketch come to life. Give it a try!
Jennifer, it’s so cool! I loved reading your process. And high praise from a son is priceless.
Thanks! Praise from my son is stunning.
Okay the BEST (and you know what I’m going to say) is the end, where you say you impressed your son, and that that is more important. Amen. I LOVE your mini, and am surprised it didn’t get in. I, too, love “the juxtaposition” (I think of Angela Walters now with her faux-snobby air) but the former English teacher in me says hell ya, that IS juxtaposition and to great effect, of the big stitch with the modern aesthetic of the rest of the piece. How lovely that your mom helped out too. 🙂 Okay really? You put this 10″ bitty piece on your Gammill? I wouldn’t have ever contemplated that, but you’ve made me rethink that sentiment…and the faced binding? Anja did it on a couple recent minis, and well, Carole? Gotta check out that accomplished quilter’s tutorial. Oh yes, I have stretched out of the old comfort zone, but just for hops or exchanges. And I, too, have been seeing a lot of Curated Quilts in QBL of a sudden…hmm. (sorry for the epistle…)
I wish I was faux snobby like Angela. I fear I am actual real snobby.
I try everything on my Gammill. The control I have with it even on a small scale beats what I can do on my domestic. I have a better viewing area, too. Do you have a longarm, too?
I took a risk and applied to be an Island Batik Ambassador this year. We have a challenge every month, and it is making think in different ways. I really enjoy it.
Well, I’m sorry to hear that CQ were silly enough not to accept you or Sherry. I started designing for this challenge. and ended up having so much fun, I expanded it to a whole quilt and didn’t enter it at all.
That is great! I need to figure out the logistics of enlarging mine. I see a trip to the copy shop in my future.
It looks like a winner to me Jennifer! I love the crisp lines and the bright color combination. The quilting also really adds a nice addition to the design. I think this could be the start of a fun submissions quilt. Every new submission could be added to the quilt… that would be a real work of art!❤️❤️
That is a cool idea. So far it is just pinned to the wall in my guest bathroom.
It turned out great! Sometimes the oddest colours work so nicely together.
great block