This quilt is a long time coming, as in years…
Alexander Henry’s Merry Moderns fabric was THE Christmas quilt fabric for me. I just fell hard for it the minute I saw it.
The fabric seemed a perfect merge for an improvisational technique I’d been brainstorming about. A block that was a faster way to produce ‘crazy pieced’ looking fabric. So I started playing with the block construction concept that became what I now call the Split Personality Quilt Block. The method quickly produces multiple blocks allowing you instant playtime with it in endless design concepts.
Fabrics from the stash that would coordinate with a Christmas theme were pulled, auditioned and sewn. Some favorites were eaten up in the process.
And so, all these happy fabrics have been living together as blocks for a few years, waiting for the perfect pattern to show itself.
My friend Laurel showed up at an open studio to finish up an Arkansas Crossroads quilt. I instantly envisioned my blocks in that design and the production began…last year;)
The essex linen in a cross weave black stabilized the scrappiness.
Merging traditional quilt designs with improvisational techniques has really become where my process leads me. I love the secondary designs traditional set blocks create.
When it came to quilting I lived and breathed this quilt for days. For once I didn’t overthink it and went with straight lines that ran off the edge and echoed the ‘Xs’ the secondary design created.
I dreaded the thought that I’d have to add another horizontal and vertical line because my body was done with quilting, but in the end I dismissed the addition. It has the perfect drape and isn’t over quilted into the luscious feel of cardboard.
Here’s a peek at the back. Leftovers and flannel of course.
The binding is the small scale print in the Merry Moderns line. It worked out that some faces landed on the front and back of the quilt’s edge.
You can see more designs and concepts with this block in my Instagram feed and I’ve added this block onto my January calendar as a daytime, nighttime and weekend workshop.
Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and then of course there is spring!
Happy Happy Peeps;)
I really like it. I like that everytime I look at it I find more details. very lovely!
Many greetings from Virginia, ivonne
Thanks Ivonne. The prints are all favorites;)
Looks really good to me!
Thanks Judy!
I love the quilting, it adds dimension, texture and order without detracting from the colorful and lively pieced blocks.
I struggle with the quilting design usually. This one landed it perfectly!
What a fantastic quilt, Katie. Definitely worth all that work and wait :).
Thanks! I love your black and white Christmas Tree pillow;)
Katie,
I LOVE your Christmas quilt!
Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Love, Joan >
Miss seeing you! Come for open studio sometime;)
Well done, Katie. You’re so amazing!
Can’t wait to see you tomorrow and hear all your stories;)
So well done! Well worth the time & energy spent realizing it. Just stunning.
Thanks for always leaving such kind comments.
Love those little faces peeking around the binding.
I wish more of the faces would have shown, but you can only plan so much;)
Such a beautiful quilt Katie. I love the colours and the backing 🙂
Thanks. The flannel is so soft on the back.
This turned out lovely, and the perfect Christmas quilt with that Merry Moderns print scattered about!
I think I might have finally used all of the larger print up;)
I love this quilt! I can’t stop looking at it!! Thank you !!
Thanks! It has sure been nice to lounge under.
Wow! wo! ! wow! Stunning does not have to be complicated. I love the gorgeous print, the improv blocks, the bright, happy colours, the Essex Linen and the traditional setting, the backing and the binding. Oh, and the quilting too. There isn’t a single thing I don’t absolutely love about this quilt.
Wow, what a review. Thanks so much;)
This quilt is just so so so so so so gorgeous!!! It emanates such CHEER – and isn’t that what a Christmas quilt should do? I’m so happy for you that you found the right inspiration for setting your blocks from your friend’s quilt – and the gray-looking black Essex linen sets it all off perfectly. Congratulations, this is truly a heirloom that will bring smiles and cuddles for decades to come.