quilting

Constructivist… Wall hanging or cot quilt by Kathreen Ricketson

Throughout February I will be featuring quilts from my book Little Bits Quilting Bee (published by Chronicle late last year). Because designer fabric is often only in print for one season it can be difficult for quilt designers and authors to choose fabrics that will be still available when the book or pattern is published; so to help you out I will be offering advice and alternate fabric choices for many of the quilts in my book. 

Constructivist was inspired by creative kids and their building blocks and was made with Lush by Erin Michael for Moda, sadly I don’t think this fabric is available in online stores anymore – although you might be lucky to find it at your local quilting shop. What I loved about this fabric was that it is a gender neutral and it was a breath of fresh air to find a fabric that doesn’t scream boy or girl. I love that woodsy feel to it, outdoorsy and natural, the green, and blue and brown tones are offset by that occasional pop of colour.

There are woodgrain fabrics available still – they were quite popular last year with several designers (for example Joel Dewberry for Freespirit - if you search on Etsy you will find a few) and, so you could easily find a bunch of woodsy fabrics and combine them with neutrals to recreate this quilt.

If you are looking to use a pre-cut charm pack I made it easy for you by researching current charm pack ranges that would be suitable for this quilt and came up with a few options for you…

• Or some earth tone solids such as Bella solids in warm pastels (try Fig Tree Olive for the background and Buttercup for the binding)
• Or try this more feminine woodsy range for a girl: Little Apples Charm Pack Aneela Hoey for Moda Fabrics (try Pencil leaves for the background and Olive leaves for the binding)
• I also really like Anna Marie Horner’s LouLouThi collection for Free Spirit Fabrics (charm square packs available from etsy store Sunnyside fabrics)

To make this quilt top you’ll need:

• 1 pack (40) charm squares, you’ll also need a solid fabric for the background 1 1/3 yard (1.2 m) should do it. You will also need to get some extra yardage of one of the prints from your charm pack or a darker solid fabric for the binding 3/8 yard (35 cm) will be enough.
• You’ll also need a copy of my book – and they are available in all good book shops and online too.
• As you can see from the close up image above, the quilting on this quilt is done in a whimsical woodgrain pattern, echoing the woodsy feel of the quilt. I used a variegated thread for the quilting to really make it stand out but a grey thread would otherwise suit perfectly.

All images are copyright John Paul Urizar who did a great job on the photography in the book. And special thanks to John Paul’s son who is the lovely model in these photos.

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Sunny Day Mat … a circular quilted play mat by Kathreen Ricketson

Throughout February I will be featuring quilts from my book Little Bits Quilting Bee (published by Chronicle late last year). Because designer fabric is often only in print for one season it can be difficult for quilt designers and authors to choose fabrics that will be still available when the book or pattern is published; so to help you out I will be offering advice and alternate fabric choices for many of the quilts in my book. 

I have some ideas of alternate fabrics that you might like to try:

• I love Salt Air by Cosmo Cricut for Moda Quilts
• Delighted  by The Quilted Fish for Riley Blake Designs (you’ll need 1.5 packs of these) (layer cakes available from Quilt essentials) (pictured below)
• Pair these Layer cake packs with any of the fat quarters from Candy Corn Kona Collection (available at FabricBub) or Creamsicle by Hoffman Fabrics (available from MapleLeafDesigns)

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Crimson Cross … a double bed quilt by Kathreen Ricketson

Throughout February I will be featuring quilts from my book Little Bits Quilting Bee (published by Chronicle late last year). Because designer fabric is often only in print for one season it can be difficult for quilt designers and authors to choose fabrics that will be still available when the book or pattern is published; so to help you out I will be offering advice and alternate fabric choices for many of the quilts in my book. 

This quilt is my version of the classic red cross quilt, the blocks are made using an improv method and then put together so that the gradient of colours runs dark to light from the top left corner to the opposite bottom corner.

For Crimson Cross I used Rouenneries by French General for Moda, which luckily has just been re-released as Rouenneries Deux (available from Sweet girl studio). I love this fabric and am very happy they have re-released it – I hope that they do this for a few of my other fave fabric lines too.

Regarding the Honey Bun pack – these are 1.5 inch wide strips from Moda and were never as popular as the Jelly rolls – and I am not sure where you can get them from now – except by searching on etsy or asking at your local quilt store. Instead of the Honey buns for this quilt (which are mighty convenient) you will have to cut yourself 1.5 inch wide strips from fat quarters or yardage – you’ll need approx 1 yard or 4 fat quarters cut into 1.5 inch wide strips.

• Redwork Renaissance by Chloe’s Closet for Moda would be my second choice for this quilt – simply because of the range of red and white – perfect for this Crimson cross quilt. (Layer cakes available from Southern Fabric) Pictured below
• I quite fancy Tuxedo Collection 10 inch squares by Doodlebug Design for Riley Blake Designs as an alternative fabric for this quilt (you’ll need 2 packs as these only contain 24 squares instead of the usual 40), paired with a bold red fabric for the cross – it would be a graphically stunning quilt.

To make this quilt top you’ll need:

• 1 Honey bun pack (40 strips 1.5″ wide) (or 4 fat quarters), 2 Layer cake packs and 3 fat quarters for a scrappy binding.
• You’ll also need a copy of my book - and they are available in all good book shops and online too.
• I quilted this in a free-style stipple design.

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Lollypop tree … a throw or wall hanging … by Kathreen Ricketson

Throughout February I will be featuring quilts from my book Little Bits Quilting Bee (published by Chronicle late last year). Because designer fabric is often only in print for one season it can be difficult for quilt designers and authors to choose fabrics that will be still available when the book or pattern is published; so to help you out I will be offering advice and alternate fabric choices for many of the quilts in my book. 

Lollypop tree was in part inspired by kids and their drawings and in part by historic applique designs. This quilt has a central panel made up of a bright bold and childlike tree, made up of green branches and leaves, and bold circle ‘lollypops’. It is meant as a fun design that would not look out of place either in a playroom or a in a living space.

For this quilt I used a charm pack of bright solid colours (Kona brights) for the applique in the central panel, and for the wide border design I used a soft floral roll-up mix from Lecien. I have no idea where you can get these Lecien floral packs now, I bought mine at my local quilt shop, however here are some alternate fabrics that I think would be perfect.

Fabric choices:

• Grey Ooh La La by Bunny Hill Designs for Moda – The subtle soft grey floral and checks in this mix would be perfect to create a soft border around a bright central panel. (available at Southern Fabrics) (pictured below)
• Daisy Cottage by Lori Holt of Bee in My Bonnet for Riley Blake Designs – (you’ll need two of these packs as they only contain 25 strips rather than the usual 40) the combination of retro pinks, yellows and greys in this mix would be a delightful combination.
• Bright Kona Cotton Solids or to match the solid fabric charm pack mix that you used for the applique centre – this would certainly be a bright and fun quilt.

To make this quilt top you’ll need:

• 1 Jelly Roll (40 strips), 1 charm pack of solid fabric, panel of cream coloured linen 32 1/2 inch square (83cm) should do it. Plus 1/2 yard (46cm) of neutral blender fabric for the binding.
• You’ll also need a copy of my book - and they are available in all good book shops and online too.
• I quilted this in a free-style stipple design and used a mauve thread so that the quilting would stand out a little – especially on the plain square central panel.

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