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Saffrons Blog

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Saffron Craig's 9 block Bird Tree quilt for Blogger’s Quilt Festival

Saffron Craig - Friday, October 29, 2010

It's the start of Blogger's Quilt Festival from Amy's Creative Side and I thought I'd share this quilt I've just finished making.

Saffron Craig - 9 block Bird Tree quilt for Bloggers Quilt Festival

This quilt started with a sketch in my Moleskin. I made seven blocks in a sort of log cabin feel using the Bird Tree range in purple when the fabrics arrived a few weeks ago. I was just so eager to cut into my new fabrics and have a play. All the blocks were different shapes and sizes, I had no plan for a quilt top, I was merely enjoying making blocks.

Saffron Craig - Bird Tree quilt for Bloggers Quilt Festival

Then I sewed all the blocks together with wide pink borders to make up a quilt top. I let it sit for a few days but didn't really like it, just too much pink. So one day when I was in a reconstructive mood I went crazy with my cutter and cut out each block of the quilt leaving behind only a few centimeters of the pink fabric. It was quite therapeutic actually.

I had the blocks stare at me for another few weeks until I found the time and energy to sew a few together again. Then I realized the quilt would need 9 blocks! What to do? I was so over making this quilt by then I could not make up another few blocks in the same style, then the aha moment occurred, I cut out two identical rectangles of the Tree Garden fabric. One at the top and one at the bottom. I think it added a bit of harmony to the quilt. Certainly saved me from procrastinating and not finishing this quilt.

Are you an experimental quilter? If so you could make this quilt with a 50cm bundle of the Bird Tree fabrics.

Then to my favourite part, the hand-stitching. Sewing the three layers of the quilt together running a needle through the layers, I just love it. I wanted a quick straight line approach for this quilt. I put very wide (7cm) masking tape over the quilt in random zig zag lines and stitched around the outside of the tape. Lovely easy stitching.

Saffron Craig - Bird Tree quilt for Bloggers Quilt Festival - detail

I bound the quilt using 50cm of the Blossom Patch fabric because it forms a nice stripe as a binding.

Saffron Craig - Bird Tree 9 block quilt Bloggers Quilt Festival

I asked my sculptural dolls what they thought. Quietly they said they thought it's all right. Having no arms they can't quite put a finger on something that seemed so familiar?

How about you? Do you like it? I am keeping this one.

I have the same fabrics in another colourway if blue is more your thing.

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diane commented on 08-Nov-2010 02:01 PM

I love this. The fabrics are beautiful, love the combo of purple and yellow/mustard.... and the block pattern is perfect to showcase it.

Becky commented on 05-Nov-2010 11:20 PM

I think this came out beautifully. I'm not that experimental yet but maybe one day I'll try to just "wing" it and hope I come up with something as pretty.

eileen commented on 05-Nov-2010 12:45 PM

love your quilt. fun you changed things in the midst of it and think you did a great job with that. love all the white between the blocks. thanks for sharing and have a great day

Lois Grebowski commented on 05-Nov-2010 12:43 PM

I love the complementary colour scheme! and the idea of the two rectangle blocks on the corners is just perfect!

Cynthia commented on 03-Nov-2010 04:41 AM

Pretty and fun! love the fabrics and colors!

Christine commented on 02-Nov-2010 09:39 AM

Beautiful colors, love it!

dawn commented on 01-Nov-2010 08:42 AM

The purple and yellow colors work well together. Love it!

Lori commented on 01-Nov-2010 08:26 AM

Love the purples! Pretty!!

leslie commented on 01-Nov-2010 07:47 AM

this is stunning. i really love it. those colors are so bright and fun.

Linda commented on 01-Nov-2010 05:30 AM

I love the different blocks used in this. I must remember this--use the same fabric and it always looks good. At least, yours does! Wonderful!

Mama Mel commented on 01-Nov-2010 03:53 AM

Lovely quilt! I love the colors! :)

Jill commented on 01-Nov-2010 12:28 AM

Great color combo!

Michele commented on 31-Oct-2010 01:40 PM

So pretty!

Live a Colorful Life commented on 31-Oct-2010 09:57 AM

Well, I'm completely partial to this line of fabric and I love all the blocks!

Cindy

Jo Anna commented on 31-Oct-2010 09:34 AM

Your quilt is very cute. Great work.

Vicki commented on 31-Oct-2010 08:04 AM

I'm in love with this fabric! The blocks set in white are awesome!

vicki commented on 31-Oct-2010 05:45 AM

I love your fabric colors and designs! This is a great quilt!

Angie commented on 31-Oct-2010 03:06 AM

Wonderful colors and a great way to add the modern quilt look!

Bec commented on 30-Oct-2010 11:10 PM

Oh Saffron its gorgeous!! xx cant wait for your bug range! xx

Karen commented on 30-Oct-2010 10:58 PM

Great quilt and wonderful fabrics. I love your approach to piecing and quilting. So unregulated!!

Sarah Craig commented on 30-Oct-2010 09:06 PM

Lively quilt - so cheerful! Your fabric has such energy, especially in this colorway! I have some of it sitting on my shelf right now just waiting for the perfect pattern to come along! Thanks for sharing!

Kit @ Diva Quilts commented on 30-Oct-2010 08:13 PM

So pretty and cheerful!

Mary Kolb commented on 30-Oct-2010 03:25 PM

Fabulous!

sherry commented on 30-Oct-2010 02:08 PM

I love your color choices. Awesome, fun quilt!

Michelle commented on 30-Oct-2010 01:25 PM

The colors in the quilt caught my eye. Gorgeous! I'm so glad you persevered.

Victoria Paige commented on 30-Oct-2010 12:17 PM

I love your quilt. It is absolutely beautiful! I love how you just sort of happened on the idea for the quilt. It turned out wonderfully.

Allie commented on 30-Oct-2010 11:44 AM

I love this quilt - purple is not one of my favorite colors [by far] but I love it in this quilt. I love the random piecing!

Heather@tripleblessing commented on 30-Oct-2010 11:19 AM

LOVE it! I love the color combinations! :D

debbie commented on 30-Oct-2010 08:24 AM

I love it..i have this fabric bundle and am now even more inspired to start creating!thankyou saffron

Kaye Prince commented on 30-Oct-2010 08:21 AM

This is gorgeous! I just love your fabric designs so much Saffron!

kristen commented on 30-Oct-2010 07:07 AM

I love this quilt! The purple is nice as is the modern looking blocks!

Carol Hansen commented on 30-Oct-2010 06:30 AM

I like it ...... a lot. Very striking.

Candace commented on 30-Oct-2010 03:14 AM

I love your hand quilting on the quilt. It's so refreshing to see something other than machine quilting.

karen commented on 29-Oct-2010 10:04 PM

You have such a flair for fabric design and utilising your fabrics to their best advantage in a quilt. Looking forward to seeing your future designs in fabric and quilt designs.

Becky Moyer commented on 29-Oct-2010 09:58 PM

wow, I'm glad you stuck with this one because it is fabulous. I love purples and this looks fabulous with the pink and yellowy green. I would hold on to that one too!

Elizabeth commented on 29-Oct-2010 09:51 PM

WOW! So beautiful. I love the purples, so cheery and beautiful!!