Pattern Roundup, Day 4

Posted in Tutorials and Patterns by StaceyinStitches

It inevitably ends up that, as I am submitting designs for new collections, that not all will make it into a free pattern. If it is a design that I really like, I will occasionally save it for future collections. Other times, I love it so much in its current form, that I SIMPLY CANNOT WAIT. That’s right, I said that in all caps. By now y’all know I am VERY passionate about my quilting.

For those must-make projects, I like to submit them as patterns for AQ Magazine. I have been working with the AQ team for many years now, and the experience has been so positive and fulfilling that I will continue to work with and support the company. My quilts have been published in over a dozen issues, online as web exclusives, used as member exclusive rewards, and turned into kits. The team at AQ are friendly, thoughtful, and just overall fun and wonderful to work with.

You can find these quilts in the paper back-issues or online if you are a member. I highly recommend and AQ membership. They keep all of the back issues online and can access them at any time, as well as receiving the newest issues as they release.

The January 2020 featured a quilt I made using the Tula Pink collection Monkey Wrench. It was a super fun and bright collection that featured monkeys, cockatiels, and frogs (FROGS!!!!) Monkey’s Lunch is super quick and easy to put together. The photographer to AQ Magazine went on a roadtrip for this shot, and I love it!

Monkey’s Lunch – January 2020 Photo courtesy of AQ Magazine

July 2020 featured my quilt Amethyst. This piece was made for the 2014 Hoffman Challenge and was quilted by Joan Nicholson of Maple Leaf Quilters. the quilt finishes 40″ x 40″, a perfect accent wall size. It was inspired by a piece of amethyst, which got me thinking about crystalline structures and how they come together, and this piece was the result.

Amethyst – July 2020 Photo courtesy of AQ Magazine

In the November 2020 issue, you will find one of my absolute favorite quilts of that year; Kaleidoscope. This design has been floating around in my maybe folder for a while now, and when Tula Pink released True colors, I knew I finally found the perfect fabric match for this design. Kaleidoscope is foundation paper pieced and template pieced. It is definitely an advanced project, and oh so stunning! I had it send off and custom quilted by Teresa Silva of Quilting Is My Bliss. She did an absolute stellar job and I couldn’t be happier with the results. Teresa’s quilting is well worth the cross-border shipping.

Kaliedoscope – November 2020 Photo courtesy of AQ Magazine

I kicked off 2021 with Family Hearts. When I came up with the design, I had been thinking a lot about family, and what it means. Now more than ever people are recognizing the importance of family. And Family means different things to different people. Some have the family they were born into, and for others family are the people you have chosen and have chosen you, family through love. I am so fortunate to have both in my life; my family through blood and my family through love. I don’t know where I would be without those people, and the support and love they provide me, and accept from me in return. I wanted to make a non-linear family tree to represent the connections I have with my people, and thought that hearts were the perfect way to do it. I chose a rainbow spectrum of colors, using a combination of Handwork and Sunprints by Alison Glass for the fabrics.

Family Hearts – January 2021 Photo courtesy of AQ Magazine

Starlines came next, and was the featured quilt for the cover of the March 2021 issue! This quilt was a real departure from my usual colorful quilts, and I am so happy with it. Starlines features Linework by Tula Pink, with just a spot of bright color to liven it up. I love the green floral from True Colors and will happily use it in everything I can. I designed this on a very cold and snowy day, and in my minds eye the quilt is a serene winter landscape, with the hope of spring just around the corner. I fussy cut the different motifs from the Linework fabrics, and groups the pops of color from the fabrics together, with the warm spectrum on the left and the cool spectrum on the right. I think my favorite print from the collection is the Lemur.

Starlines – March 2021 Cover Photo courtesy of AQ Magazine

The next quilt released only last month is another personal favorite, Delphinium. This is another design I have been playing with on and off for a while. I have a practice quilt, much smaller and in completely different colors, that I have been slowly working on, but the choices didn’t feel quite right. When I saw the Norma Rose collection by Natalie Barnes, I KNEW it was the perfect collection for Delphinium. Vibrant colors and subtle textures combined with the Ruby and Bee solids from Windham Fabrics, everything about this quilt fells bright and alive. The quilting was a labor of love, and completed by my good friend and expert quilter, Miriam March of Whispering Pines. We spent the better part of the day choosing the quilting and layout placement for each motif. This quilt will be the centerpiece quilt in the living room of my new home (yep, moving once again, and for the final time!)

Delphinium – May 2021 Photo courtesy of AQ Magazine

There are more quilts slated to release in later issues this year, and well into 2022! I cannot wait to show you what I have come up with!

Happy Stitching!

18Jun2015

AQS Pattern Series Launch

Posted in Other by StaceyinStitches

I am so happy to be writing tonight, because I finally get to tell you all about my new online only pattern series with American Quilter Magazine!

We set this up back in November, when I made the Whirlpool quilt, and I have been working away since then on a 5 quilt series. The patterns are downloadable on the American Quilter website, just click here for a direct link. The pattern series will use a variety of techniques, from applique to paper piecing, and will cover a broad range of skill levels.

First in this series is Photobomb.

Photobomb is one of my favorite designs. Originally for the book that never was, AQS liked it a lot and agreed to use it as the first quilt in the series. It combines traditional lone star construction with raw edge applique and an improv layout. I always thought this quilt would look great resized as a baby quilt in rainbow colors, so I might have to make one and see if I am right!

The quilt was inspired by one of my favorite placed to take photos. The walkways are cement square tiles with inlaid rock mosaics spaced out around the center fountain. The fountain has a beautiful carved sunburst, which always appeal to me and my love of stars.

My good friend Joan at Maple Leaf Quilters did an amazing custom job for me. The white areas are all quilted in a freehand paisley, the black borders have a ribbon candy pattern, and the stars segments are filled with orange peel echos. I just love it!

The layout possibilities are endless with Photobomb. The background can be plain solid, or pieced with smaller sashes, the stars can be put anywhere you want, borders can be replaced with facings, the list goes on!

I am going to be offering this quilt as a workshop, so if you or your guild is interested, please feel free to contact me. I have a lot of tips and tricks to share and techniques to teach.

As usual, I want to see what you are making! Tag me on Instagram @staceyinstitches, #photobombquilt, send me an email, or upload your quilt to the Stacey Day Quilts group on Flickr.

Happy Stitching!

15May2015

The Sunshowers Quilt

Posted in Other by StaceyinStitches

Finally!!!

I have been waiting all month ( and some of April too) to share this quilt finish with everyone!

Way back last year I submitted some designs to the Modern Quilt Guild for the Quiltcon Raffle Quilt. The design they chose was superb and perfect to represent modern quilting. Then I got an email asking if i would be interested in repurposing my submission for the Pattern of the Month program. Of course I said yes!

Meet my newest baby, Sunshowers!

Sunshowers is my representation of the rainy days in Vancouver, where the sunbeams break through the clouds and you know that it won’t be raining forever. It starte as a QDAD design, but quickly morphed into something more personal as I worked on it.

Look at all those triangles!

I tweaked the size of the design to make it suitable for a child’s quilt. Then I had all kinds of fun putting it together. I freely admit that pressing is my least favorite part of quilting. Thankfully I was at my parents for a weekend and my mom LOVES pressing, so she did it all for me.

Then when it was all said and done, I loaded it onto the longarm and had at it. I used a lot of the quilting techniques and styles I learned at Quiltcon. I love the varying straight lines, and I threw in some ghost shapes just for fun. I had intended to do just straight line quilting, but I very quickly got bored of it (after about 5 lines). Now I completely understand what Angela Walters mean when she says that she doesn’t fully plan quilting. I changed motifs on a whim, going with what felt right, changing it up when I got bored. Totally works for me. I may never be a Judi Madsen or Marilyn Badger, but “finished is better than perfect!” ( Thanks AW!)

I am so happy with how the quilt turned out!! Sunshowers is a free download for Modern Quilt Guild Members though the community forum. Members will have the link emailed to them. For those of you who aren’t, I will be able to have the pattern made available for download in a few months!

I used a selection of Cloud 9 Fabrics beautiful organic solids for Sunshowers. They are so super soft and pretty! And that’s without washing them!

Photo day was super sunny, but super windy! I tried a couple “in the wind” shots, but they almost turned into “gone with the wind” shots. There was also a 100% chance of Toddler, but I didn’t mind =)

Happy Stitching!

10May2015

2015 Gathering of the Guilds

Posted in Finished Quilts, Teaching by StaceyinStitches

Two weeks ago in April I was honored to be one of the featured speakers at the 2015 Gathering of the Guilds in Osoyoos, BC. It was an amazing day, filled with laughing, quilting, shopping, and fun. I got to meet so many amazing people!

The Osoyoos Quilters Guild hosted the annual event, and they did an amazing job. From the charity blocks to the table settings, everything followed the theme of “Black Tie Affair”. Everyone who attended wore black and white, the charity quilt blocks were black bowtie blocks, and each table setting had a handmade basket in black and white filled with yummy treats and healthy snacks. It looked awesome!

I was given a display table right up front. I did not expect it to be so large OR front and center, and had a mini panic attack. Luckily my mom is super awesome (and really should be an event planner) and she helped me pull off a great looking display of patterns, quilts, and little ceramic quails. I am not ashamed to admit I have been coveting those quails for years….

I handed out buttons, cards, and sold patterns in the morning. I talked with lots of quilters from all over the BC Interior, enjoyed a yummy breakfast of homemade muffins and pastries, and met fellow presenter and Canadian Quilters Association Instructor of the Year, Dianne Stevenson of Black Crow Quilts. She is a very talented, very knowledgable, and very inspiring lady. Dianne was the afternoon presenter, and her lecture, “Feed Sacks and Fancy Things” was so interesting I forgot to take pictures. She had some pristine feed sacks that looked brand new with her, as well as a collection of vintage quilts, feed sacks, and even an antique barrel label! Also, we found out that Dianne and her husband BIKED ACROSS CANADA five years ago! She learned a lot about Canada’s history in that trip, and it sounded amazing. I can barely bike to work and it’s only three blocks away…

Me and my display table

I presented my trunk show in the morning. My mom and grandma were in the very front row taking pictures and (silently) cheering me on. I talked about my journey as a third generation quilter, my inspirations, my achievements and my failures (which we all know are just learning experiences). I was able to finally show the quilts from the book that never was and talk about how that experience was a defining point for me as a quilter. I had almost 25 quilts in my trunk show, and as it turns out, all but 2 were made in the last 18 months. There were even quilts that I wasn’t able to show, due to the timing of quilt market, and I realized just how much I actually do.

There is a reason its called a trunk show

At lunch time I went upstairs to visit the merchant’s mall. I was delighted at the number of quilt shops in BC’s Interior, especially the new ones that have opened in the last couple years. It shows that quilting is alive and well in this part of our beautiful province. I picked up some thread to try on the long arm from Peach Tree Quilts (I also cleaned her out of Mochi), and a curated bundle of fat quarters from Heart n’ Sole Quilts just because it was pretty (Bonnie and Camille with Joel Dewberry is a match made in heaven)!

I also stopped by to chat with Barb at Poppins Quilt Parlour. Poppins and I have a long history together, and every time I go in there (which is really maybe twice a year) Barb remembers me every time! Poppins chose my quilt, The Long Road Home, to compete in the Canadian Cottage/Trend Tex Challenge. Each shop could only chose one quilt per category, and mine ended up winning first place. Now I am going to be teaching classes there, and she even had these great little cards announcing the classes in her booth! Star of the West and Sherbert at the beach are the two classe I am teaching. You can find more information under the Calendar tab of the blog =)

The day was amazing, and made a wonderful end to a very, very busy month. Thank you so much Maureen Wood and the Osoyoos Quilters Guild, for having me!