How Should I Quilt It?

(Hey there! I learned that my old blog delivery service stopped working, so I signed up for a new one. You'll still be getting my blog posts emailed - it may look different though!)

I've been waiting to get that fixed up to tell you about something special I cooked up! For the past two years I've been chipping away at this little project: 

I recorded my talk about how I decide on quilting designs!! I categorized all the ways I look at a quilt top to come up with quilting ideas, and then showed examples of those ideas in action. I also made a worksheet to guide you to come up with your own quilting ideas! The talk is How Should I Quilt It? and it's available through Creative Spark and using my link will get you $5 off through the end of August.  I would love to hear what you think!

Here's a video to show a little bit more about the talk: 

I'd love to know how you like using the worksheet!

Oh, also, while email delivery was down you might have missed news of the free quilt along with Quilting Daily!

That's all for today loves! 

The Harmony and Light Quilt Along!

 Hey folks, quick update here! 

I made this lovely quilt! It's called "Harmony and Light" and the pattern is in this month's Quiltmaker magazine. But if you don't subscribe, no problem - because it's available for free through the Quilting Daily Quilt Along!

The Quilt Along runs through October. When you sign up you can download the pattern as well as see videos of every step in the process, including how I quilted it! 

You don't need a specialty ruler, just the printable templates that I'll show you how to use with your regular quilting ruler. I made the quilt using Saguaro fabric and Starlight Metallics. It requires quarter yards of each fabric, and fat quarters work too, so if you got a fat quarter bundle of Saguaro a while back, this would be a great use for it! 

I look forward to seeing the quilts you make with this pattern!

Things I made with Saguaro fabric

Coming back to the blog after the Year Everything Changed, I see I forgot to post about some things I made. I am so proud of these quilts with my lovely new fabric, how did I miss this?? I remember writing about them, but now I remember that was in my newsletter. (Sign up using the link at the bottom of my website if you want to get on it!) 

Well, my new fabric line Saguaro came out - I think I mentioned that in one of my posts! This is the flagship pattern, also called Saguaro. These cactus only grow in a narrow slice of the Southwest, where I happened to grow up. If you see a Saguaro with arms, it's at least 80 (!) years old! I love this tribute to the land I know so well. The quilt is out touring quilt shops and I can't wait until it's home!

I worked harder perfecting this pattern than any I've ever done. The Saguaro quilt pattern is available as a digital download, or as a printed pattern carried by quilt shops.  I've really loved seeing the finished Saguaro quilts people have made. In prints or solids, it's striking and lovely!

Next up, this simple beauty called Cactus Flower. It's a sweet table runner that is english paper pieced. The digital pattern includes a link to a printable file to cut out your own pieces, or you can buy them from PaperPieces.com. I've been considering making kits for this one. It's satisfying to sew, and I'd like to make a single flower as a pillow for our couch!

Now for those who like a little challenge, here is a diamond-block based quilt called Painted Desert. The template is included with the pattern. This quilt is touring too!! Come home baby I miss you!!

The digital Painted Desert pattern is here. I really like how I quilted this one. It was not complicated or time consuming but it packs a nice punch of texture and variety. 

Finally, here is a quick quilt with a twist, using a layer cake (10" squares). It's called Thunderclap. I really had a great time quilting this one too. I love the energy it has. The digital pattern for Thunderclap is in my shop as well! 

OK now I feel better that I gave these quilts their moments! Have you made any of these quilts? 

More Quilting Joy (even when it's late)

Well that title says it all. It's what I want to put out there in the world. More quilting joy!

I realize didn't even share my new book that released in October! I don't know what to say about how I missed this one, I'm filing it under "Last Year Was Bonkers". 

Free-Motion Combinations is all about how you can get more free-motion designs into the same piece. 

It's got so many of the lessons I've learned about HOW you make it all work together. I wish I had had this book to learn from 10 years ago! I think I would have tried new things sooner and my quilting would have gotten better a lot faster. 

I teach you how to make these specific designs, but more importantly, I share the concepts behind them so you can use my approaches in your own way!

If you prefer learning from videos, I put some of those same "aha!" lessons in my new online class, Finding your Flow. 

I recorded this class for Quiltcon Together and it got great reviews. I love the work my students have sent me after taking this class. Your feedback makes my day!

On the horizon I am working on a class about how I look at a quilt top to decide how to quilt it. If you have questions I can answer in this class I would love to hear them because I'll start recording next week!

Happy stitching all!

Scrappy Quarter Cabins rides again

You know who still knows how to blog? This girl! But here's something you might not know about blogging: a week after I hit publish all these spam comments begin to show up on my posts. Comments  with links about joining the illuminati, or dish washer repair in Dubai, or how to wear a wig, or how to get your husband back. Sometimes the same comment 10 times. Yikes. I don't want that garbage all over my blog, so I set my comments to be "moderated" starting 3 days after publishing. And then those spammy spammers don't get to advertise on the blog, but also my readers' nice normal thoughtful comments also don't show unless I go to the blogger site to read and approve them. Which I forgot to do. For almost whole year. And there were so many incredibly sweet comments in there, that I just found today and if you're one of the people who left them, I'm not actually a jerk, I just forgot to check my comments! I'll be responding now that I know they're there!

Anyway, just popping in with a little news about a class I recorded called Scrappy Quarter Cabins. Here's the story: A while ago I wrote a tutorial on this blog about how to make scrappy quarter log cabin blocks. The tutorial was just on making the blocks, which was enough for some of you to make lovely quilts. I then taught the class in person once, just before the pandemic, which was wonderful, and then after I figured out how to teach online, I started teaching it live for quilt guilds on Zoom. I gave the participants a printable pattern for how to finish up a throw size quilt and it worked great! It was so fun to see their finished quilts in my email afterward!

As I continued to teach, I decided there were some things I could record to make online teaching to guilds easier/more efficient/more effective. And then I decided it could be a class available to individuals to watch too! 

And that's where I stared to make things complicated. While no one would expect to see me finish an entire quilt in a 3 hour class, it is possible to see that in a recorded class. So I really should show the entire finished quilt, I figured. Which means I need to make one as I record. And I should really show how to quilt it too, right, since I teach domestic machine quilting? Of course! And that's how I started recording in February and didn't finish until April the day before we moved. 

So then my life became about all the happy transitions happening, and the videos waited patiently for me to find more time. Which I will never find, because I keep getting too many good ideas and wow are there a lot of kids in this house. 

Luckily, I am happy to say I figured out that I can't do it all (without even having a crisis first!) and brought in help in the form of a former nurse an all around super hero in my quilt guild named Erin. She took the videos, made them look and sound spiffy, and now we can all breathe a sigh of relief that THAT project got finished!

If you'd like to check out the free tutorial, click here. If you'd like the killer videos and pattern and quilting suggestions, click here! Happy stitching everyone. And oh my gosh leave your comments before the weekend is over or I might not see them until 2023!!! 

Sonoran Star (free pattern) and a summer wedding...

 Happy summer everyone!

I am back with the sweetest of news: I have a free quilt pattern and *love* is in the air!

First things first: my husband and I tied the knot earlier this month and we are officially a blended family with four kids! It absolutely could not have gone better and living together after four years of dating, I feel like the luckiest lady every day.

I feel like I want you to celebrate with us so here's our dance playlist on Spotify for when you need a musical energy boost! And our DJ also made a short video of the big day, which was so nice of him.

OK but this IS a quilting blog so let's get to the quilting...

Saguaro fabric is getting out in the world, hooray! I did a fun Facebook Live with local quilt shop Montavilla Sewing Center about the background of this collection. (They are a great place to call and order yardage from if you need some Saguaro in your life!). 

And there's a free pattern to share! Maywood Studio and I have collaborated on this baby size quilt pattern that uses a charm pack.  I named it Sonoran Star and you can download the free pattern here: Sonoran Star Free Quilt Pattern

Also Missouri Star Quilt Company recently used this pattern and fabric for a tutorial video! You can check that out here: Sonoran Star Tutorial

There are still some precuts in the shop if you didn't get in on my preorder. Every fabric order will be sent with one of my little Saguaro fabric stickers!

And speaking of precuts, Missouri Star is on a roll - a strip roll! They use a roll of Saguaro in their Lakeview Terrace Quilt, see the video tutorial here. 

So that's all the links I can send you to for now! I'll try to get back later this week with a full roundup of the Saguaro patterns I've published too, as all the patterns are now available digitally in my shop!

 

Free Project: Green Thumb Tea Towels

Hello everyone! I have a great little project to share today. A sweet raw edge, free-motion stitched tea towel featuring some of my favorite things: houseplants!! Using by the yard toweling, this is a quick project to freshen your home!

I am so thrilled to hang these in my new kitchen. The little scraps just make me smile (of course, because I love scraps)

Download the pattern here (I did this video at the request of National Sewing Circle, they will ask for your email address to download the pattern.)

You can see a recording of my demo of how to make the towels here: Watch on Facebook

I'd love to see if you make one! Happy stitching!

Firework: National Quilt Museum free block pattern

 Hello again!

I'm happy to share a pretty little block I designed for the National Quilt Museum's Block of the Month Program. The free pattern is available starting today at: https://quiltmuseum.org/blockofthemonth/. 

The pattern includes a printable wedge template and is complicated but not too complicated. And you know me: I designed it to work with smaller scraps of fabric!

This year the NQM BOM is being done with each block quilted individually, and they will be pieced together at the end. So I also posted a little video of how I quilted mine: https://youtu.be/iub58_roahQ

We recently had a snowstorm in Portland, which only happens once a year or so, and I couldn't resist trying to get a "quilt in the snow" photo. But it was so icy I couldn't make it farther than my front yard! I'm including this questionable photo anyway. 

I have enjoyed seeing how creative the NQM group on Facebook have been with each month's block and I can't wait to see how they approach this one. 

Baby Vista Quilt, Reflected Variation

I recently finished a baby quilt for a special baby!

This quilt was made with half a strip roll of Moongate Fabric following the baby-size version of my pattern Vista. I used the pattern a different way than originally written, though. Below is the original baby quilt layout in the pattern, a mountain-inspired design. 

I switched up which rows I used in this variation, and how I used them. 

I kind of like that you can mix and match the rows in this pattern to get something totally unique. If you'd like to make this version, I've written notes below so you can do it too!

Vista Baby Quilt Reflected Variation

Start the pattern as written, through the "Make Strip Pairs" step. 

Then, rotate each of the top 5 strip pairs, so that the strip that was on the top of each pair is now on the bottom of the pair.

Then, use the instructions in the "Make Rows" section to turn your strip pairs into rows. 

Follow the list below to learn which instructions to follow for each strip pair. (Also shown in illustration below)

Strip set 1 (top): Row A

Strip set 2: Row B

Strip set 3: Row C

Strip set 4: Row B

Strip set 5: Row D

Strip set 6: Row D

Strip set 7: Row B

Strip set 8: Row C

Strip set 9: Row B

Strip set 10 (bottom): Row A

After the Rows are complete, rotate each of the top 5 rows again, so that the original top strip is back on top again and the triangles for these rows are pointing down. Join the rows as in the original pattern. 

I quilted my version with this fluid textural design that I really love right now. It's a variation of the design I teach in my new Pathway Pillow class. I really had fun quilting this and it's already in the hands of the new parents!! I'd love to see your version if you make a Vista Quilt!

Listen in on the Quilt and Tell Podcast!

I had the good fortune of being invited to the Quilt and Tell podcast with Tracy, Ginger and Lori last week. I've been on a few podcasts and the interview was always 1-on-1, but I have to say, I love the sweet format of the group discussion! It felt natural and friendly to chat with them. If you want a little quilty company in a quiet moment, listen in!!

Oh also, good news that QuiltCon 2021, next February, will be held online! I think this was a wise decision and I'm glad they made it early. I'm teaching a few classes and giving a lecture during the event. The organizers at the MQG seem to be doing a great job planning ahead to make this a thoughtful and enriching experience. The classes will be recorded, and some in-person sessions available too. You can see the course catalog here. Maybe you'll find one you like! Registration opens next month for MQG members and then in September for non-members. 

If you prefer smaller, real-time classes I am teaching a few classes a month on Zoom, generally limited to 8 students each. I'm having fun teaching this way and my students seem to be enjoying it too. We universally agree that it is very convenient to not have to pack up your machine and all your sewing tools for a class! It's also pretty great that ANYone can join in. So far I've taught students from Ireland, Canada, Singapore and London! What an unexpected joy!

However we do or don't cross paths, I hope you're doing well and getting some time for making these days. 

I guess I'm an editor now

So...some big things went down with Bluprint. Most of you know already but for those who haven't: NBC decided to shut down the craft instruction streaming service. Not only does this make me worried for the many wonderful people I've worked with in my years of making quilting videos with the Denver-based team, it was a big snafu for me. Bluprint is a big chunk of my business income and they own the footage for the 6 video classes that I've poured my heart into making with them. It'll be hard to watch all that disappear. 

The closure felt extra complicated to me when it was announced, because I was less than a week from shooting a class with Bluprint, in my home, about making these improvisational style quilted pillows. They were going to send me equipment and guide me through the lighting and filming over a web conference and then I would send them the footage so they could work their editing magic. After preparing for the class for a month, watching it go down the drain was a big disappointment. 

I spent a day feeling cranky and stuck, and then the next day I decided to just go ahead and shoot the class anyway. The worst thing that would happen would be no one would want to watch it!

So that's what I've been working on for the last few weeks.  I did not have "video editing" on my 2020 bingo card, that's for sure. Life is full of surprises! Not only did I learn how to edit, but my 11 year old daughter was my cameraperson! And she did great. 

So the big news is that the class launched today. I named it "The Pathway Pillow". I've spent a lot of time figuring out where to host the class, writing the pattern and cleaning up the music in the videos. It feels so good to be able to say the class is ready!! I really hope you love it if you decide to join in. And I'm open to suggestions about what sort of class I should record next! I'd like to think the next one might be a little smoother now that we've made it through the first one. If you do check it out, I've created a discount code for 25% off that will be good for the next week: LEMONADE. 

Happy stitching everyone!

Drawing Together

Hello all! Checking in with a few quick updates. Hoping you are healthy and have what you need right now. Life in lockdown is busy and weird and exhausting! First off, I am home from work, like so many of you. And helping my kids with school from home, like so many others are. Creativity is not coming easy but I'm of the mind that that's normal for times like this. I've been through times of less creativity and it always comes back.

I really miss teaching, and have had to cancel several classes. In replacement for that particular joy I've started doing a daily quilt design video. I'm calling this project "Drawing Together". You can see previous days' videos at : https://www.instagram.com/afewscraps/channel/ and I also post them on my Facebook page.

One benefit of being home is I have a little time to focus on my business. I've restocked fabric in my shop for those of you who are looking to buy fabrics right now. What an awkward time to release a first fabric collection, eh?! I've also added my pretty little enamel pins to the store.

Wishing for little moments of peace and color and joy for you!

Splashdown: Free Pattern for charm packs!

When Maywood Studio asked me to design fabric they let me know they usually offered a free pattern to go along with the fabric. They told me I could design it or they could. I decided I wanted to design it, because the whole collection felt like my baby, and this is what I came up with: a baby quilt that can be made with a charm pack!

The quilt measures 40" x 40". I called it Splashdown and it is a tribute to the way astronauts returned safely to earth in early space travel: their capsule would descend through the atmosphere, deploy parachutes and then land in the ocean. In the quilt, the center plus sign indicates the intended landing site, and the outward echoing half-square triangles represent the landing "splash"!

To see a PDF of the pattern, click here. You can then save the file to your computer if you wish.

Hot tip: the pattern is written for a single charm pack, BUT, if you have four charm packs (or a layer cake - a collection of 10" squares) you could make the pattern four times, for a larger, 80" x 80" quilt! Check out how that might look!

The thing I'm most proud of is making those diagonal geese in the corners easy to piece, without paper piecing. I'm sure other quilters have figured that one out before me, but all the same I was delighted when it turned out!

If you end up using the pattern I'd love to see how it turns out! Those of you who ordered fabric from me should be receiving it this week! Thanks for all the Moongate love!

There were a couple of non-critical errors in the originally published pattern but the link has been updated now. 

All the news that is news!

Hi folks! I just got back from teaching at QuiltCon where I get to connect in person with folks I've taught through my books and online classes. Even though I taught 7 classes and gave a lecture, I came back full of energy. I love hearing about all the successes you've had with free-motion quilting from my classes, or how I helped you feel calmer about the whole thing. It's delightful. We are in this together!

I have a ton of updates for you. First, my new fabric is sooooo close to launching. If you follow me on Instagram you've seen a ton of it. Here are some photos!

Through this weekend only, I'm taking orders for precuts. Because of my well documented aversion to postal tasks, this is a one-time thing, and also I can only handle shipping to the US. As I like to say, I have a day job. But rest assured your local fabric shop can order this from Maywood studio or major distributors! Chat me up to your quilty folk!

To go along with the collection, I designed a bunch of patterns. By some oversight I haven't even showed the full shots of them here yet. Ridiculous! To fix that, allow me to introduce my quartet of quilts:

The photo above is my absolute favorite of the bunch. This pattern is called Hologram. It shows my new Horizon Ombres off in the very best light, with a shimmery glimmery magic. I am so proud of this quilt design. It's made with  a wedge template (you can't stop me with the wedges!) but it's all really simple construction in rows. Do not fear. 

Simple quilting on this one, just enough to reinforce the spirit of the piecing. You can make this with the 1/2 yard ombre bundle in the shop, and if you want you can add on the Hologram paper pattern. 

Next up is Hive Mind. This little lady got to hang at QuiltCon. My goal was designing a pattern that looks like it wasn't made from a pattern.  I think it succeeded! Bonus, this quilt is made from 2 1/2 inch strips, so if you have a couple of strip rolls, don't wait! It's a multisite pattern so you can go big if you want to. Here's a close up of the quilting:

And because Maywood studio said it would be good to design patterns that worked with precuts, I designed this pattern, Vista. It's cleverly designed to use just one strip roll. I love the modern mountains gleaming through, and how it really shows the color range in my collection. There is also a variation in the pattern to make a baby size quilt with half the strip roll, instead of the one large throw. As you can probably guess, this one goes together so quickly. 

I took my time quilting this one and tried rulers for the first time on my sort of new longarm. So satisfied with the results! A little straight line quilting and a lot of FMQ is just right for me.

Finally, one I finished just recently, Bright Journey. I got a great shot of it in the desert while visiting my family. Besides the solid this takes just four different ombres, 1/2 yard each. I love the way the ombres just naturally create sparkle. This twin size pattern is a good choice when you're quilting for folks that traditional quilting patterns aren't quite right for. It's really about the graphic geometrics and color play. All that negative space was dreamy to just quilt without thinking too hard. 

I can't believe I'm sharing so much good stuff in one little post!! Thanks for reading through it all! If you want digital patterns (or actual fabric), check out my shop on my fancy new website: www.christinacameli.com. Paper patterns can be ordered by your local quilt shop, I can't keep up with the post office trips to sell them myself. Tell your quilt shop what you want to buy; they like getting you what you want!

Bonus, for folks in the Pacific Northwest: If you happen to be in Portland March 6th, I will have a Moongate release party at Montavilla Sewing Center in Lake Oswego. Register on their site to get free fabric and be entered into the door prize drawing! They're also offering a discount for all fabric purchases that night to attendees!

Happy stitching everyone!