Cupcake Quilts

Bluebonnet the art collage longhorn – collage lesson #4

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This post is my final collage art quilt lesson on how to make Bluebonnet. This week I will talk about auditioning the background, gluing down Bluebonnet to the background, machine quilting options and binding.

Auditioning Background Fabric – After cutting the excess pattern ease from Bluebonnet (I left a portion around the horns and removed the pattern ease later), I went to my local friendly quilt shop, Cupcake Quilts, in Humble, Texas. One of the nice ladies helped pull down bolts of fabric so I could audition the background. I loved their suggestions and the process. Notice the bright pink, lighter pink bolt and the bright yellow batik bolt. They were interesting choices but not perfect. The light brown that was auditioned was also interesting but not the look I was going for. I did use the light brown for the backing. The next audition background is a light yellow. Still not right. The final choice was perfect … a bright yellow and burnt orange. It really made Bluebonnet pop!

Gluing Down Fabric to Background – After ironing the background lay it right-side up on the foam core board (the glue can bleed through a little and you don’t want glue all over your kitchen table). Place Bluebonnet exactly where you want her on the background. Using FabricFuse, a quick bonding fabric adhesive, place a thin line of glue around the entire outer back-edge of the collage. For instance, lift one of Bluebonnet’s horns … glue along the back edge … then carefully lay the horn back down on the background. Repeat until you have the entire edge of your collage glued down. Follow the pressing/drying directions for the fusible glue and you are finished with your collage art quilt top.

Quilting Options – A Needle and Thread, in Old Town Spring, custom quilted Bluebonnet. Erica pulled out several variegated quilting threads and one stood out! I like how she quilted around the collaged motifs to make them puff out. Erica also outlined the entire image and then quilted a flowery quilting pattern. She is such a pleasure to work with! There are lots of other ways to quilt your collage. I have also seen collages quilted in close vertical lines and close-cross hatching.

Binding and Hanging Bluebonnet Quilt – I chose the red bandana fabric for Bluebonnet’s binding. It just seemed to make sense because of the bandana fabric in the legs and horns. Two and one-half (2-1/2) inch strips are sewn together, folded lengthwise and the raw edge sewn to the front edge of the quilt. Turn the fold edge to the back and hand sew in little stitches. Very traditional and easy. Make a fabric tube and hand sew to the back and you are ready to hang!

As I release new patterns, I will include a series of tips and how-to’s!

As always, if you would like to purchase one of my collage art quilt patterns head over to my Etsy shop for full-size pattern, supply list and detailed instructions. Domestic shipping is free.

Texas/Louisiana Row by Row Quilt … 2015 version is done!

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So today is the official start of the “Row by Row Experience” quilt season. I know … I’ve just lost a bunch of you! So let me explain. I believe the concept started with 20 shops in 2011. This year there are over 3,000 shops participating. I fell in love with the whole notion in 2014. Each year, participating quilt shops from all over the United States, and way beyond … think Canada and Europe … create a free row pattern … and fabrics for the row which you can purchase if you like. But you have to visit the actual shop … which … if you are road tripping this summer anyway … why not! Their website has maps for shop locations and photos of the rows so you can plan your route. I’m pretty picky about the shops I visit. They gotta have a row I wanna actually include in a quilt!

The theme this year is “On the Go” and interpretation by quilt shops is all their show. New this year is a “junior” division for youngsters. Not all shops are participating but this is so cool for youngsters interested in quilting! So eight rows sewed into a quilt makes for an official “Row by Row” quilt. There are also prizes involved if you stitch up 8 rows, quilt it and don’t forget to bind it. It has to be finished! Be the first to bring it into a quilt shop that participates in the project. I’m not so interested in that part. I just love the creativity of the project … and I’m slow!

The great thing about row by row quilts is friends and family that live far will sometimes acquire a row for you! I’ve already made my list of favorite rows and the Houston area has several I am considering to visit.

So let’s chat about this 2015 quilt. My adorable sister, Gretchen, who lives near Victoria, Texas picked up a row. My quilting friend, Michelle, picked up the two lovely rows in Louisiana. Then there was the ever awesome Sally. She and her husband did a row by row road trip and came back with the loveliest of rows. Of course, I put my order in beforehand and wouldn’t have found myself near Bandera, but for Sally!

So on to this just completed row by row for 2015. The theme for 2015 was “water.” Hence, umbrellas, fish, and seagulls, etc. I have a spot for it all picked out! I like to hang my quilts, so I made this one using 5 rows on the front and 3 on the back. Eight horizontal rows just makes for a very long quilt.

Sadly, since I have worked on this quilt for so long, I can’t locate all the photos I took while piecing the rows. Darn! I gotta remember to be more organized when I get around to the 2016 quilt.

So the great thing about this whole project is the skills you acquire while making each row. The row with the seagull and lighthouse from Louisiana was the most challenging. Small fabric pieces on the gull almost made me have to go to confession, but I LOVE how it turned out. Persistence paid off! Basically, each row is a mini-quilt with lots of lessons learned during the piecing. The easiest row was, by far, from Quilter’s Crossing in Tomball which, by the way, has a lovely quilt shop. The umbrellas were all pre-cut with the fusible on the back. Obviously, I did this row first!

Since my favorite long-arm lady moved away … come back soon Kim Norton … I had the lovely Taylor at Cupcake Quilts do an all-over design called “Sailboats.” She used Hobbs batting 80/20 and variegated thread called Signature 99151. I always use our local Personalize It Kingwood, store owner Tracey is awesome, to make my patch on the back.

If you are a quilter and considering participating in the Row by Row Experience … happy travels!