Spring Theme Accuquilt Blog Hop

Welcome to my part of the Spring Theme Accuquilt Blog Hop hosted by SewCalGal {thank you Darlene for all your work coordinating this event}.  I started out thinking I'd make a little table runner, then decided well maybe I'll go a little bigger and make a tablecovering, then it grew very large into a Queen size Bed Quilt for me...believe it or not but I have make numerous quilts but not one for my bed, I had one of those commercial coordinating comforters and all the matching pillows. I'm so glad this challenge came along and inspired me.  What a challenge it was, as life would have it I of course got the flu/headcold this last week and of course I left this project to the last two weeks to do.   I have the accuquilt studio and choose a traditional basket die for my spring theme.  You can read more about the history of basket quilts at this link, I found it very interesting.  http://www.womenfolk.com/quilt_pattern_history/basket_quilts.htm

I used heat and bond to iron onto my fabric, after that I cut into sizes that would fit over the die and layered them up, which is the beauty of this system, cutting multiple layers in no time at all even with the extra heat and bond, cuts right thru it all, so sweet.  After the baskets are cut and you've cut your squares, you just peel the paper off and iron them on.  Of course there was left over, and not  wanting to waste I decided to cut some little flowers with my Big Kick Sizzix and a Tim Holt Die, and again it just cranked right thru licky split, and I arranged those to fill the baskets.

I used a decorative stitch on my sewing machine around the basket and just a straight stitch on the flowers in pink thread, you can also see the quilting on the block below for the basket squares is a basic little frame with a butterfly in each corner. 

I used the Studio die, 3 1/2 " square for making one of the borders....the scarry part of this is I just started cutting and piling and rolling thru and in no time at all I had hundreds of half square trianges to sew together, with tons left over after I used what I need for the border.  This die is awesome, as you can see on the die the pieces are notched make it a breeze to pick up two at at time and just start chain piecing and wow, this is sooo fast.

Here's a view of a corner, as you can see I added four borders.  This was so exciting for me to put together I totally designed the entire quilt from start to finish and was so pleased with how it came together.

A side view of the borders.

I quilted the white squares in a pretty pink thread and a tulip and butterfly quilt design, which just felt like spring to me, I was careful picking the design, I could have quilted baskets but thought that would be too many baskets, and then I thought about a feather design to be traditional but I didn't want the quilting to fight with the basket block and I am happy with how this looks, I think it is balanced, simple and elegant.

Close-up view of the quilting butterfly and where the center of the block comes together.

I hope you can tell from the photo below, I was trying to capture the dimension and texture created.  I used a very thick loft batting, which with the heavier quilting on the plain blocks and the light quilting on the basket square gave the baskets a raised stuffed look, which I find very interesting.  I thought about adding buttonrs or rhinestones to the flowers but decided I wanted to keep it simplier.

Oh, did I mention the fabric is Joel Dewberry's Modern Meadow and the quilt designs are Kim Diamond, thread "so fine", quilted on Gammill Statler Sticher.  I am so happy to have this set on my bed, I can't believe I haven't had a quilt on my own bed, I love it. 

Come back for Pink Saturday and Part 2 to see more photos of this quilt with:  glass flower basket vases, chocolates on handmade pillow cases and a quilted pillow sham.

But don't miss still scheduled today  and tomorrow, stop on over to these blogs.



Thu, April 14th
Just Plain Laine (Laine)

Fri., April 15th
Hollyhock Quilts (Glenna) 
A Quilting Life (Sherry)

Hope you all are enjoying the spring Accuquilt Blog Hop, Hugs Michelle