April 2021 – Two Terriers Studio

When we think of Scenic Roads, it may bring memories of wide-open country spaces, city skyscrapers, or rocky cliffs with an ocean on the horizon. Each of us has a different place we consider scenic or that calls for us when we need space. When I think of scenic roads, the very first vision is that of a particular bridge that leads into one of my family’s long time summer get-away towns. Crossing that span, windows down, arms out of the car, inhaling the salty sea breeze equals summer and time together. It is a blessing.

I was asked by Amanda, of www.artbycritter.com, to test her Scenic Road Quilt pattern and when I learned the back story, I was all in. Her father created a real, wooden barn star, that now hangs on a barn at the corner of Scenic Road and Hubertus Road in Hubertus, Wisconsin. This quilt design was a tribute to his work and a collaboration for them in the form of this quilt. Having grown up in the midwest, and visiting farms of my own extended family, this concept and design rang true for me in many ways. I remember the drives down gravel roads, the barns, the barn stars. I also thought of how fortunate I’ve been to see so many places across the USA and how each is scenic in its own way. Family, special places and horizons meshed into a quilt? Yes, please!

Fabric Selection

For my version of this quilt, I opted for solid fabrics that remind me of the shore. The blues, greens, gray and a hint of pink are all reminiscent of sunsets across a sandy beach. I spent the first 18 years of my life, land-locked in the midwest, but the ocean is where I feel most at home. This quilt design and these colors seemed a perfect union of those two things. I also realized this would be my first-ever, all solid fabric quilt top. I tend to lean toward bright colors and graphic prints, so this was a new scheme. I selected fabric by Art Gallery Fabrics http://artgalleryfabrics.com from their pure elements collection. The drape of this fabric is perfect. So smooth and easy to sew. It makes for a dreamy finish.

Building Blocks

Even the “inside” of a quilt brings beauty. We so readily focus on the finish, but all great quilts start with a precise and solid foundation. I’m the first to admit, I like a quick to finish project. However, I’m slowly learning to enjoy not only the joy of that last stitch in a binding, but the measured and precise steps along the way. It all adds up, so I’m slowing down & enjoying the journey.

A Completed Top at Hillstead

Once my quilt top was complete, I wanted to get it photographed. I was so happy with how it turned out and couldn’t wait to share. Finding a place in New England in the spring became a little challenging, because Mother Nature was delivering the wind. Lots of quilt-whipping wind! My husband helps me with every photo shoot and I was so thankful he had a good grasp on my work as we moved from place to place looking for stillness. This may have been day 2 or 3; the first day sent us home pretty wind-blown; toting a quilt that needed another pressing.

I love this shot taken at the Hillstead Museum. A beautiful home, now a museum, is the first architectural project of Theodate Pope Riddle, the fourth registered female architect in the USA. She is an early proponent of historical preservation and caretaker of the family art collection. I thought it a fitting scene for this project

Quilted

This is a large quilt, so I had it professionally long-arm quilted by my friend, Deb, of Owl Quilt It. I think she did a wonderful job and I really like the edge to edge design that swirls though the straight/geometric blocks. It reminds me of leaves, the wind and if I look just right, an “S”, which is the initial of my first name. I truly try to tie it all together with my projects, from the pattern to the final stitch.

The Finish

Ta-da! It’s all done. I’m thankful for the opportunity to have been included in this pattern tester group and I’m happy to add this to the collection of quilts that will stay with my family. The large blocks, simplicity and accuracy of instructions lead to a quick finish and a quilt I love.

Today, April 17, 2021, the pattern is available for purchase. Amanda has designed a limited edition art print and a sticker that are also available for purchase. Look at her Instagram account (@quiltsbycritter) for the link in her bio for these items. Proceeds from the limited edition print will be donated to @mentalhealthamerica.

I hope all roads lead you to places of joy, health & prosperity. Thanks for being here to see my version of the Scenic Road.

Enjoy & happy quilting!

All photos and content, property of Two Terriers Studio; not to be duplicated or shared without written consent. This is not a sponsored post. (I wish it were!)

I’ve often admired quilt patterns by designer, Modernly Morgan, (www.modernlymorgan.com) so when she asked if I’d test this latest design, it was an easy “YES” from me. Morgan and I both have a love of scrappy quilts, so I was excited about the opportunity to work together. This pattern comes with instructions for three sizes – Baby, Throw and Bed. I made the 60″ square throw size.

Let’s just say, this pattern is a keeper.

The Making of a Quilt

Cozy Cabin is a modern twist on the traditional log cabin quilt block. The scrappy element is just a bonus, in my opinion. For my version of this quilt, I pulled a fat quarter bundle by Windham Fabrics www.windhamfabrics.com, designed by Amy Gibson, called Meriwether. The variety of florals, plaid, text, and blenders seemed the perfect foundation for this project. It’s bright and has a spring-like feel; just what I needed after a long winter.

I wouldn’t call a fat quarter bundle, “scrap”, in this case, it was “stash”. I purchased this collection a while back and saved it, knowing the right pattern would come along. Enter Cozy Cabin! When I first purchased this bundle, I didn’t have a pattern in mind, so I hadn’t accounted for the backing or binding. I consider myself very lucky that my local quilt shop had bolts of yardage, in stock, when it came time for me to finish the quilt. With the variety of colors and prints, I could have found a different fabric or collection to coordinate, but I’m thankful to have been able to keep the entire quilt in the Meriwether collection.

Half Square Triangles

Squaring up half-square triangles is an act of patience and accuracy. I actually prefer when a pattern has a little “wiggle room” in the measurements so that I can square-up to a perfect size, but I also like not having a lot of waste. This pattern calls for scant 1/4″ seams and as you can see, produces blocks with little waste.

Building the Blocks

Once the HSTs were made, I organized my remaining pieces into sets that would become one quadrant of each block. This step made it easy for me to pick up a set and sew as time permitted, even if I only had a few minutes between other obligations. The accuracy of the pattern made testing it a breeze. I was able to move through the sewing without issue.

This quilt came together so quickly. It’s a combination of the same block, repeated and rotated, throughout the layout. Once the pieces are cut and the HST trimmed, it was a lot of chain piecing for efficiency. I don’t tend to overthink blocks if I’m creating a scrappy look. Loving all the prints and knowing they work together certainly takes some of the worry out of the process for me. I had no doubt it would be cohesive.

I like the rotation of the blocks as it allowed me to think about the placement of pieces with text/font and how it would “read” once completely assembled. Additionally, if this were being made with a truly scrappy style, you could make each block independently with small pieces of fabric and make quite a dent in your scrap stash.

The top is pieced & swirled. This is the kind of cinnamon roll-like swirl that is calorie free! Look at all those delightful colors coming together.

The Finished Top/Front

There is always something fun for me in photographing a completed quilt top. My husband helps me every single time & thankfully, he’s tall and can keep them off the ground. To stand back, and see my effort and time spent creating a quilt, is gratifying. I think about the pattern, the designer, the fabric choice and how it tells a story. Seeing it from a distance also shows the secondary pattern; do you see it? Not just the stars, but the bands, joining the blocks. In our home, quilts are made to be used and loved. Seeing my favorite people enjoying something I’ve made makes it even more special.

Longarm Quilting and Binding

With this being a larger, 60″ square quilt, I opted to have it professionally quilted. When I make baby quilts, I feel more confident quilting them on my domestic machine, but I opt for straight lines and nothing too fancy. There are so many edge to edge designs available and I think this decision is one of the hardest for me to make in the entire process. Once it’s quilted, it is what it is and all the layers and seams are connected. It has to be right. I never want to get this close to the finish line and wing it. I used a 2.5″ straight cut binding and finished it by machine. Lately, I’ve been doing more binding by machine than by hand, because it takes practice and I’m comfortable practicing on quilts I know I intend to keep. Quilts I gift, those are mostly done with hand-stitched binding.

Here’s a closer look at the quilting pantograph. It’s an edge to edge design called Modern Twist.

Fabrics with text, fonts or inspirational messages are among my favorites. I wanted to include a large section of this yellow fabric in the quilt back, as well as using it for the binding. The evenly spaced rows of words almost give the binding a subtle stripe.

I enjoyed making this quilt & 100% plan to keep this one for myself! It’s a pattern I’d recommend and I think when you see the designer’s version and the other sizes and fabrics chosen by the team of testers, you’ll see that it works well in all colors and themes. Take a minute to visit Modernly Morgan on Instagram (@modernlymorgan) or her website, shown above, to purchase your own copy of this pattern. It is being released April 14, 2021.

Enjoy and happy quilting!

All photos and content property of Two Terriers Studio; not to be duplicated or shared without consent. This is not a sponsored post.

Month: April 2021

Scenic Road Quilt