The Hourglass Quilt

The latest issue of Modern Patchwork went on sale on December 26th, and the quilt on the cover is made using Painter's Palette Solids! Talk about a nice Christmas present--we love seeing our fabric in magazines! We talked with designer Lisa Swenson Ruble to find out more about the quilt. 

Q. Where did the idea for this quilt come from?

LR: I wanted to work with an hourglass shape and started playing around in Illustrator, working on creating a design. The diamonds appeared as I played with color placement! I actually didn't intend for this quilt to get so large--I was designing using 2-1/2" width strips, and after I had created the top half the quilt, I copied and pasted it (since the design is symmetrical) and suddenly it was 92" long!

Q. Tell us about the color palette you chose. 
LR: This is, hands down, my favorite and go-to palette. I am a teal person. I wear teal, I decorate my house with it... My husband cracks up because my boys describe their room as teal as opposed to turquoise--I guess I've just trained them! The Teal and Gulfstream fabrics (the two darker teals) work so well together as the value changes, and then I chose Pale Aqua to add a much lighter value. The orange--Clementine--provides a wonderful pop of color to contrast with the teals. 
I love working with these solids--they sew really well and they're smooth and almost silky. These strips were handled a lot as I created and joined rows, and the fabric didn't fray! 

Q. What was it like assembling this quilt? 
LR: It required a lot of focus. Each horizontal pieced row is 80" long. I was determined not to make a mistake and have to pick out an 80" long seam! You know that saying, measure twice, cut once? My version of it for this quilt was check twice, pin once. Every single time I pinned two rows together, I checked it against my original design at least twice before sitting down to sew. 
The sewing itself was easy and monotonous--just lots of long, straight strips. But to see the quilt coming together as I joined more rows was so much fun! 

Q. Tell us about the quilting.
LR: Diane Oakes quilted this for me. My idea was to do straight line quilting that would enhance the design and add texture without distracting. She helped me pick out different thread colors to blend with each fabric. She did a great job! 

Q. What is your favorite part about the quilt?
LR: I love the dimension created by the different values and the striped piecing. I see so much depth in it! As others have seen this quilt, I've been really interested by how everyone focuses something different: diamonds, the hourglass, a hexagon...

See the entire range of Painter's Palette Solids here.
Read more about the quilt here on Lisa's blog.
Find Modern Patchwork magazine here (digital or print versions!) or look for it at your local quilt shop.

Everything You Need to Know for A Snow Family Christmas Medallion Quilt

If you've been following along with our Medallion Quilt, we've compiled the information you need to make the quilt here in one handy post! 

Required Yardage and Cutting:

Fat Quarter Navy allover snowman print:

(1) 12-1/2” square

3/4 yard Stripe:

(4) 6-1/2“ x 12-1/2” fussy cut strips

1/2 yard green holly:

(4) 3-1/2” x 24-1/2” strips

(4) 4-1/2” squares

(8) holly leaves

3/4 yard red check:

(8) 1-1/2” x 4-1/2” strips

(8) 1-1/2” x 6-1/2” strips

(4) 3-1/2” squares

(8) 2-1/2” x 8-1/2” strips

(8) 2-1/2” x 12-1/2” strips

(12) berries

7/8 yard white solid:

(4) 6-1/2” x 30-1/2” strips

1/2 yard red text:

(32) 2-1/2” squares

(12) ornaments

1/4 yard navy check:

(8) ornaments

1/4 yard green check:

(8) ornaments

1/2 yard gray check:

(16) 2-1/2” x 4-1/2” pieces

(16) 2-1/2” squares

(1) 3-1/2” x 13” piece for cutting fusible ornament stems

1 yard blue text print:

(4) 6-1/2" x 30-1/2" lengthwise strips

1/2 yard binding (red check)

(6) 2-1/2” x 42” strips for binding

Make the quilt here: 

The links below will guide you through the assembly process for the quilt.

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

Day 6

See the entire A Snow Family Christmas collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.

From our house to yours...

Wishing you and yours a happy, healthy holiday season!

Warm wishes from your friends at Paintbrush Studio

A Snow Family Christmas Medallion Quilt - Day 6

It wouldn't be the holiday season without a quilting project! 

Follow along as we use Judy Hansen's A Snow Family Christmas collection to make a medallion quilt perfect for winter! We'll start with a center square and add easy borders to create a 54" square quilt. Follow along as work toward the final quilt reveal.

Woo hoo! It's time to finish the quilt! This is quick and easy because you've already constructed the sections to do so! 

Cutting:
From the navy text print:
(4) 6-1/2" x 30-1/2" lengthwise strips

Assemble the Quilt:
Step 1: Sew each ornament applique row to a 6-1/2" x 30-1/2" navy text print strip.

Step 2: On your design wall, lay out the quilt center, the four outer border rows, and the four star corner blocks as shown. Sew outer border rows to opposite sides of the quilt center. Sew star corner blocks to both ends of the remaining outer border rows. 

Step 3: Add the top and bottom border rows to complete the quilt!

We wish there was snow to make this photo a little more seasonally festive...ignore the brown leaves! 

Step 4: Layer backing fabric, batting, and quilt top right side up. Baste the layers together and quilt as desired. Use (6) 2-1/4" x 42" red check strips to bind the quilt. Enjoy!

Follow along as we make our Medallion quilt!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

Day 5

See the entire A Snow Family Christmas collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.

A Snow Family Christmas Medallion Quilt - Day 5

It wouldn't be the holiday season without a quilting project! 

Follow along as we use Judy Hansen's A Snow Family Christmas collection to make a medallion quilt perfect for winter! We'll start with a center square and add easy borders to create a 54" square quilt. Follow along as work toward the final quilt reveal.

Today we're making the corner blocks for the outer border. They're star blocks, made with flying geese units for the points. These classic blocks look extra festive in red, green and gray holiday prints!

Cutting:

From the green holly:

(4) 4-1/2" squares

From the gray text print:

(16) 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" pieces

(16) 2-1/2" squares

From the red text print:

 (32) 2-1/2" squares

From the red check:

(8) 2-1/2" x 12-1/2" strips

(8) 2-1/2" x 8-1/2" strips

Step 1: Draw a diagonal line on the wrong side of the 2-1/2" red text squares. If you prefer the text to be facing the same direction on both the red and gray prints in the finished flying geese unit, you'll need to draw the line on (16) of the squares as shown on the left (with top of the text print facing to the right) and the opposite on the remaining (16) squares (with top of the text print facing to the left). This is how you'll position the marked squares on each gray piece to stitch as well. 

Step 2: Matching raw edges, position the left side triangle on (1) 2-1/2" x 4-1/2" gray text piece. Stitch on the drawn line, trim seam allowance to 1/4", and press open. 
Step 3: Position the second marked square on the right edge and repeat. 

Step 4: Here's your finished flying geese unit. Notice how the text print pieces are all facing the same way. Repeat to make a total of (16) flying geese units.

Step 5: Lay out (1) 4-1/2" green holly square, (4) flying geese units, and (4) 2-1/2" gray text print squares into (3) rows as shown. 

Step 6: Sew the pieces into rows and join the rows to complete the star unit. Make (4) star units. 

Step 7: Sew 2-1/2" x 8-1/2" red check pieces to opposite sides of the star unit. Sew 2-1/2" x 12-1/2" red check pieces to the remaining sides to complete the block. Make a total of (4) star blocks. 

Here's your finished block! 

Follow along as we make our Medallion quilt!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

See the entire A Snow Family Christmas collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.

Make your own star with Fabriflair!

We shared a booth with another Kansas City company, Indygo Junction at Quilt Market. Indygo Junction was founded by Amy Barickman and she recently developed a new brand for her pattern company, Fabriflair.  We fell in love with Fabriflair and coordinated efforts with Amy to showcase Paintbrush Studios fabric in Fabriflair projects for the show. 

With Christmas around the corner, it seems like the right time to share their stars and ornaments. Initially Indygo Junction introduced six kits with mat board templates to cover and hand stitch and most recently a sew by machine method was introduced featuring Fabriflair Stabilizer.

Fabriflair Patterns are dimensional fabric projects based off English Paper Piecing. 

The Fabriflair Stabilizer is used in all of our Fabriflair patterns and allows for machine stitching. This also makes it easy to decorate stars with beads, sequins, buttons, and notions for extra dazzle on the tree!  Amy shares information about the stabilizer in this video.

What a fabulous tree topper! 

Make tree toppers & ornaments for friends & family. Endless options - hang as a group or individually, or add a star to a wreath for an accent of color & pattern.  Stitch by hand or use our machine stitch technique for a fast & easy finish....

Stars shown in the metallic gold enhanced coordinates from our Mayfair fabric collection.

There are three sizes in the Tree Topper and Ornament Pattern for big and small trees alike; its also perfect for adding flair to wreaths.

Add new ornament to your tree! The pattern for this ornament is available for free inside the Fabriflair Stabilizer 6 Pack. Choose your fabrics and add beads! 

Ornament shown in Painter's Palette Solids and Pretty Foxy by Ro Gregg.

Want to learn more? 

Check out this DIY tutorial video with Laura from SewVeryEasy:

Watch this video to learn about all the Fabriflair patterns that are available:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uzcv5WA3u4k&t=56s

Purchase the Tree Topper & Ornament Fabriflair pattern here.
Visit the Indygo Junction website here to learn more about their Fabriflair patterns and other products.

A little more about Amy and her creative companies...

With a knack for anticipating popular trends and new talent, Amy’s ability as a collaborative entrepreneur has allowed her to design over 1200 patterns and 80 books. Amy is a passionate collector of vintage sewing materials, which inspire much of her work including her award-winning book, Vintage Notions: An Inspirational Guide to Needlework, Cooking, Sewing, Fashion, & Fun. Most recently Amy introduced her Indygo Essentials apparel pattern line and Fabriflair™ brands, as well as a Vintage Notions line of sewing  & coloring books.Through her videos, blogs, websites and e-newsletters, Amy inspires countless crafters to explore their own creative spirit and experiment with the newest sewing, fabric and crafting techniques. Keep up with Amy as she shares her ideas and inspiration at www.amybarickman.com and www.IndygoJunction.com.

A Snow Family Christmas Medallion Quilt - Day 4

It wouldn't be the holiday season without a quilting project! 

Follow along as we use Judy Hansen's A Snow Family Christmas collection to make a medallion quilt perfect for winter! We'll start with a center square and add easy borders to create a 54" square quilt. Follow along as work toward the final quilt reveal.

Ready for a lot of applique? 

Today we're creating rows of ornaments that will go around the quilt center. 

Cutting: 

From the white solid:

(4) 6-1/2" x 30-1/2" strips

From the gray text print:

(1) 3-1/2" x 14" piece

From the red text print: 

(12) ornaments*

From each of the green check and navy check:

(8) ornaments*

*Follow the step-by-steps below to create the fused ornament shapes. 

Note: Download the ornament shape here.

Today's fabrics:

Step 1: Trace (28) of the template shape onto the paper side of fusible web.  

Step 2: Fuse (12) of the shapes onto the wrong side of the red text fabric and (8) each onto the wrong side of the green check and navy check fabrics. Cut out each shape on the drawn line and remove paper. 

Step 3: Fuse a 3" x 13" piece of fusible to the wrong side of the 3-1/2" x 14" gray text piece. Trim piece to measure 3" x 13". Cut (16) 1/2" x 3" long pieces from the strip. Tip: if you remove the paper backing before cutting, you won't have to peel the paper off each individual piece. But the fusible web will stick slightly to your board, so be aware.

Step 4: Cut the remaining fused strip in half, lengthwise, to make (2) 1-1/2" wide strips. From those strips, cut (12) short  pieces.

Step 5: Here are all your fused pieces for today's rows. Remove paper backings and head over to your ironing board with them and your (4) 6-1/2" x 30-1/2" white strips. 

Step 6: Find the center of the first white strip and position a short gray piece and a red ornament on that center point. The gray piece should touch the top edge of the strip, and the opposite end should be tucked just under the edge of the ornament. Fuse in place. 

Step 7: Position a ruler along the bottom edge of the white strip, approximately 5/8" from the edge. Use it to align the bottom edges of the green and blue ornaments. Lay out all ornaments and eyeball the space between them. Make sure to leave at least 1/2" off space on both short ends. 

Step 8: Add short and long gray pieces to the ornaments, tucking edges under the ornament. Fuse all pieces in place. 

Here's your finished row! Use a decorative stitch to secure appliques in place, or wait until you quilt the finished quilt and secure then. 

Step 9: Make a total of (4) rows. 

Follow along as we make our Medallion quilt!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3

See the entire A Snow Family Christmas collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.

A Snow Family Christmas Medallion Quilt - Day 3

It wouldn't be the holiday season without a quilting project! 

Follow along as we use Judy Hansen's A Snow Family Christmas collection to make a medallion quilt perfect for winter! We'll start with a center square and add easy borders to create a 54" square quilt. Follow along as work toward the final quilt reveal.

Today's addition to the quilt is super easy. It might just be because the second post this week is a lot more involved, so this quick border helps to even things out. 

Cutting:

From the green holly print: 

(4) 3-1/2" x 28-1/2" strips

From the red check:
(4) 3-1/2" squares

Add the second border:

Step 1: Sew 3-1/2" x 28-1/2" green holly strips to opposite sides of the quilt center. 

Step 2: Sew 3-1/2" red check squares to both ends of the remaining green holly strips. 

Step 3: Sew these pieced strips to the top and bottom of the quilt. 

That's it! You're done for today. The next border includes a lot of applique, so get ready! 

Follow along as we make our Medallion quilt!

Day 1

Day 2

Day 4

See the entire A Snow Family Christmas collection here and ask for it at your local quilt shop.