QuiltCon 2024 ++ My Favorites

I'm back from QuiltCon 2024 and had such a blast!  This was my first time not teaching at QuiltCon in 5-6 years so I had plenty of time to catch up with friends, take my time through the quilt show, and do a little shopping.  

It was very interesting seeing quilts in person that I had only seen as small pictures on my phone and computer.  I loved some more in real life and some did not strike me as much.  There were some absolutely enormous quilts that took me by surprise because in my mind they were much smaller.

So here are my "Cheryl's Choice" quilts.  The information about the quilt and its maker are in the pictures right below the quilt pictures.  Did any of my favorites match yours?

I'm going to start with my friend (and QuiltCon housemate) Yvonne's quilt.  It is absolutely stunning and worthy of its Best Machine Quilting Award.  I am happy to have a picture of Yvonne and I together in front of her Cloudy Night Sky quilt.

The next quilt is Shadow by Scott Culley.  I first saw this quilt from just a few feet away and could not tell what it was.  As I stepped back and took a picture the face emerged.  So cool.

 

Next up is FISH by Marianne Knops.  I just smiled when I saw this quilt.  So fun and bright.

Next up is Quilter's Workout by Tania Tanti.  The binding she used was sparkly like used for a child's dance costume.  I think that I need more sparkle in my life.

Next is Into the Wind by my good friend Michelle Bartholomew.  The piecing is so impressive!

I am including It's a Trap because of its fun design and wonderful piecing.  Plus it had a bonus that when you used a flash, a secret part of the quilt glowed adding another dimension.  The photo with the flash was taken by Yvonne Fuchs.

I have to include the Greenville Modern Quilt Guild's charity quilt.  I really liked the design and quilting (note - I was not involved in the design or creation of the guild quilt).

And finally, I picked for my Best of Show, I picked Live Stream (What lies beyond the physical world) by Emilie Trahan.  It had everything for me, a stunning design, improv that I would love to be able to do, great quilting, and bright colors.

If you attended QuiltCon, what was your favorite?

Board and Batten ++ Ruby Star Society Version

I have a quilt finish to share with you today :) I released the Board and Batten quilt pattern in late 2022 and hosted a quilt along for the pattern in the beginning of 2023. I made a quilt top during the quilt along, but due to the craziness of getting ready for my book launch, I never quilted or finished it.

I am happy to report that the Ruby Star Society version of Board and Batten is officially complete and has already been snuggled with (the cats really seem to like to shed on it).

If you are interested, you can grab a copy of Board and Batten in my pattern shop (digital and print) and on Etsy.  ** The pattern is on sale for $2.22 off in my pattern shop through Feb 20th, no coupon needed **

Fabric Choices

For this version of Board and Batten, I used some charm packs of Honey by Alexia Abegg for Ruby Star Society along with Kona Cotton in Pepper.

The binding choice was a happy accident, I had originally planned on using a navy solid or print, but when the quilt top was hanging on my banister, I happened to have my leftover Fabric C from my Malted Mystery quilt next to it.  It looked perfect and I had just enough.

For the backing, I went with a yellow herringbone Joel Dewberry print that complimented the design and colors (and I happen to have a bunch of yardage of).

Quilting Design

Because this is a simpler pieced design, I wanted to keep the quilting more simple too, but I really did not want light thread on the navy sections or darker thread on the lighter prints so I came up with some free motion back and forth lines quilting the dark and light sections separately.  

The quilting did take some quilt rotating as I quilted each part, but I was able to quilt continuously from one side to the other (yeah for no thread burying!).

Here is the quilt back to see the quilting more easily.  If you would like me to do a tutorial on this design, I would be happy to do so, please let me know.  

For my first version of the quilt, I used an "ele" quilting design that you can find here.

Pattern Sale

If you want to make your own Board and Batten, you can get a copy in my pattern shop (digital and print) and on Etsy.  

In honor of my quilt finish and QuiltCon starting on the 22nd (so 2/22), I am offering $2.22 off the digital and print versions of Board & Batten in my shop (note this coupon code is only good for my shop, not in Etsy).

Get your copy of Board & Batten:

My Pattern Shop - Digital Version

Etsy - Digital Version

My Pattern Shop - Printed Version

About the Pattern

Board and Batten is a super fun and quick pattern based on half square triangles to make a modern herringbone-like design. 

The pattern is perfect for your pre-cuts or scraps you have in your sewing room being charm pack, layer cake, fat quarter bundle, and scrap friendly.  Board and Batten contains instructions for baby, throw, twin, and queen sizes.

If you love half square triangles (HST), then this quilt is for you! 

Once you make a Board and Batten quilt of your own, you can share it via social media using the hashtag #BoardandBattenQuilt and #BoardandBattenQAL during the quilt along.

Quilt Along

There was a quilt along for this pattern in early 2023, you can see all of the 35+ versions of Board and Batten here.

 

 

Just Two Charm Pack Quilts Book - Quilt Top

 

I am so excited to be seeing all of the different Just Two Charm Pack Quilts book quilts coming together.  So many quilters are making more than one!  Check out the Facebook Group where most of the pictures are being shared.

Meadow Mist Designs Facebook Group

In this post:

1.  Today's instructions...Quilt Top

2.  How to link up your quilt tops / quilts for the parade

3.  Link to Previous Instructions

1. Today's instructions...Quilt Top

For this part of the quilt along, each quilt in the book has the same assignment, finish your quilt top (and finish the quilt also if you would like).

Share your in-progress pictures with everyone :)

Meadow Mist Designs Facebook Group

Social Media Hashtag #JustTwoCharmPackQuiltsBook

2. Submit your quilt top / quilt to the parade

To be eligible for prizes, submit a picture of your quilt top or finished quilt:

• Send a picture to MMDmysteryquilts@gmail.com
• Deadline Friday March 1st midnight (EST)
• Please let me know if you are outside the US as some of the prizes are US only and some are worldwide

3. Links to previous instructional posts:

• QAL Announcement
• Cutting / Prizes
• Units
• Blocks

Questions?

If you have any questions about the quilt along, schedule, book, etc., you can leave the question in a comment below or reach me at cheryl@meadowmistdesigns.com.

 

 

 

 

Malted Mystery ++ February Instructions

Welcome to the February set of instructions for the Malted Mystery Quilt! 

The Malted Mystery Quilt is a free quilt-along that runs from July 2023 through May 2024 with a set of directions revealed the first Thursday of every month. Be sure to join the Facebook Group to share your progress or share on social media using #MaltedMysteryQuilt.

There is plenty of time to join in on the quilt along, instructions are published monthly. You can find all of the information about the Malted Mystery, including schedule, past instructions, links to the Facebook group, sneak peek, and more in the Main Malted Mystery Quilt Page.

February's instructions continue to build on our medallion style quilt, adding a few more layers.

Easy to Print PDF Instructions

I have set up two ways to get the easy to print pdf mystery quilt file:

1. Direct Download - Malted Mystery Quilt - February - Easy to Print Version
2. Download from my Pattern Shop - Malted Mystery Quilt - February - Free Downloadable PDF

Second Pieced Section 

1. Sew together the following blocks and pieces, pressing the seams open or away from the blocks, to make a side row 8 ½" x 28 ½".

2 flower star blocks 8 ½" x 8 ½"

1 B eight-point block 8 ½" x 8 ½"

4 bg rectangles 1 ½" x 8 ½"

2. Repeat to make a total of 2 side rows.

3. Sew together the following blocks and pieces, pressing the seams open or away from the blocks, to make a top/bottom row 8 ½" x 44 ½".

2 flower star blocks 8 ½" x 8 ½"

1 B eight-point block 8 ½" x 8 ½"

2 C eight-point blocks 8 ½" x 8 ½"

4 bg rectangles 1 ½" x 8 ½"

4. Repeat to make a total of 2 top/bottom rows.

5. Sew a side row 8 ½" x 28 ½" onto either side of the quilt top 28 ½" x 28 ½", pressing the seams open or away from the side rows.

6. Sew a top/bottom row 8 ½" x 44 ½" onto the unit from step 5, pressing the seams open or away from the top/bottom rows.

The quilt top, after the second pieced section is added, should measure 44 ½" x 44 ½".

Second Plain Border Section

The second pieced section of the medallion quilt should measure 44 ½" x 44 ½". If the section is too small or too large, you can alter the size of the plain borders.

FABRIC D BORDER

1. Cut 5 fabric D strips 2" x WOF.

a. Cut 1 strip into 4 quarter fabric D pieces 2" x about 10".

2. Sew a quarter fabric D piece to a full fabric D strip 2" x WOF, and trim to 44 ½".  Repeat to make a second side border. 

3. Sew borders onto the sides of the quilt, pressing seams open or towards the borders.  

4. Sew a quarter fabric D piece to a full fabric D strip 2" x WOF, and trim to 47 ½".  Repeat to make a second top/bottom border. 

5. Sew borders onto the top and bottom of the quilt, pressing seams open or towards the borders.  

The quilt top, after this step, should measure 47 ½" x 47 ½". 

BACKGROUND BORDER

1. Cut 5 bg strips 2 ½" x WOF.

a. Cut 1 strip into 2 bg pieces 2 ½" x 8" and 2 bg pieces 2 ½" x 12".

2. Sew a bg piece 2 ½" x 8" to a full bg strip 2 ½" x WOF, and trim to 47 ½".  Repeat to make a second side border. 

3. Sew borders onto the sides of the quilt, pressing seams open or towards the borders.  

4. Sew a bg piece 2 ½" x 12" to a full bg strip 2 ½" x WOF, and trim to 51 ½".  Repeat to make a second top/bottom border. 

5. Sew borders onto the top and bottom of the quilt, pressing seams open or towards the borders.  

The quilt top, after this step, should measure 51 ½" x 51 ½". 

FABRIC D BORDER

1. Cut 6 fabric D strips 2" x WOF.

a. Cut 2 strips each in half to make 4 fabric D pieces 2" x about 20".

2. Sew a half fabric D piece to a full fabric D strip 2" x WOF, and trim to 51 ½".  Repeat to make a second side border. 

3. Sew borders onto the sides of the quilt, pressing seams open or towards the borders.  

4. Sew a half fabric D piece to a full fabric D strip 2" x WOF, and trim to 54 ½".  Repeat to make a second top/bottom border. 

5. Sew borders onto the top and bottom of the quilt, pressing seams open or towards the borders.

The quilt top, after the second plain border section is added, should measure 54 ½" x 54 ½". 

Many thanks to the generous sponsors of the Malted Mystery Quilt!

Many thanks to our generous sponsors!

Backside Fabrics | Quilting by Anne-Marie | My Sew Quilty Life

Busy Hands Quilts | Quilting Jetgirl | Aurifil

Fat Quarter Shop | Sew Colorado Quilting LLC | Meadow Mist Designs

Any questions? Leave them in a comment below or post them to our Facebook group page. I look forward to seeing everyone's cut fabrics. The next set of instructions will be published on the first Thursday of February, the 1st.