hand made – Quilt for Joy by Kathryn

Summer is just around the corner, and this client’s quilt is perfect for the 4th of July!

Long-arm machine quilted swirls on a 4th of July inspired quilt

My client left it up to me to decide which long-arm machine quilting design to finish this quilt with. Because the quilt top has lots of triangle and chevron shapes, I chose a pattern with curves to compliment the straight lines. Swirls fit that description and they also make me think of sparklers on the 4th of July.

Quilted swirls compliment the straight lines in the quilt top

In addition to the red, white, and blue top of this quilt, my client also pieced the quilt back. A pieced back is a great way to use up the scrap fabric from piecing your quilt top, and gives your quilt a unique look on both sides. If you choose to make a pieced back for your next quilt, be sure to make the backing 4 to 6 inches bigger than your quilt top on all sides so it can be mounted properly on the long-arm machine for quilting.

Warmer weather this week, and working on this 4th of July inspired quilt have me in a summer mood!

Do you display seasonal quilts in your home, or quilts that fit your home décor year round?

There are few things cuter than baby quilts, and this one was no exception! My grandma hand embroidered the blocks for this quilt which was a shower gift for my cousin and her husband who are expecting their first baby very soon!

When choosing a quilting design I wanted to be sure that the embroidered blocks were highlighted by the long-arm quilting. I used the long-arm machine to echo each of the embroidered animals and blocks.

To fill in the rest of the quilt, I long-arm quilted larger loops to look like bubbles for a playful look. The bubbles also matched the backing fabric that this quilt had.

This was a fun quilt to add custom quilting to on the long-arm machine and I can’t wait to hold the new baby when he or she arrives!

~ By Kathryn

Tag: hand made

Red, White and Blue

Baby Blocks