Pizza Box Sampler Quilt finish

I shared back in January about the pizza box challenge we had in one of the guilds I was a part of. Each member of the exchange was given a pizza box. We could chose what to put in the box, either a pattern or fabric or both and as the box was passed around, each person added something to the box following the instructions given.

Blue Sampler Quilt

 I put in a piece of blue fabric that was to be used in each of the blocks with instructions to build a 12.5" block of their choice.

Close up of Blocks

 When I got my box back, I had 8 different blocks made by my quilting friends and a little fabric left over.

Close up of Blocks

 I added 8 more blocks and a border fabric to make this quilt. I love that it includes blocks that are completely different from any I've made and to see the creativity of others.

Close up of Blocks

 It was sent to my friend Marie from Blueberry Hill Quilts (in High River, Alberta) for quilting and she chose a great all-over design that gives a great quilted texture to this piece.

Close up of Blocks

 The flannel back will just get softer with use and washing. This quilt will be a heirloom that will last for many years!

Flannel Backing, Quilting Details

I love working on projects that involve multiple people. What are you working on today?

--Ann

Applique on a Baby Quilt

I've made a lot of quilts based on a 9-patch block, most with the centres and corners with a darker fabric and the 4 sides with a lighter background. This quilt started with the 9-patches made with the light fabric in the centre and corners and the darker fabric on the 4 sides. Combined with a snowball block, the combination gives quite a different look.

Giraffe quilt

The next photo shows what this quilt would look like with the colors reversed. Same fabrics in both.

9-patch & Snowball quilt - SOLD

A while ago I had a customer request a giraffe added to the quilt she ordered. So I bought a small bit of giraffe fabric and traced a giraffe from a coloring book. When I placed it on her quilt, it was just too small and so I made one that was larger. But then I was left with the smaller giraffe.

Giraffe Applique

I've auditioned it on many of my baby quilts since then and it just didn't look good on any of them until I finished this top. I prep my appliques with fusible web (Heat n Bond lite, Steam a Seam 2) so all I needed to do was place the giraffe and set it with my iron and finish with machine blanket stitch. I add some tear away stabilizer to the back while I do the stitching and it helps make the stitches look full and even. You may want to try without - depending on your machine, you could have great results either way.

Minky backing

The backing is a heart embossed Minky fabric, quilted with loopy loops all over.

Another shot of the Minky backing

Because I work a lot with just the fabrics I have on hand, I often run out of coordinating fabric before a quilt is the size I want it. In this case, I had just enough to do the blocks, but not a border. I found this great lighter blue fabric and added a border all around. Again, traditionally I would have used the same tone and intensity or something darker but I really liked the way this turned out.

Giraffe Quilt

Have you tried something that twists the traditional around? Tried a new technique? Or kept something that didn't work for one project and used it in another? 

--Ann