Remember those crazy first months of the year when we had a whole bunch of quilts accepted by American Patchwork and Quilting and I was sewing like a crazy fool?? Well, first came the Halloween Hoopla quilt that was in last month’s magazine. Now it’s our Christmas quilt. Here it is…
You can find it in the December 2021 issue of American Patchwork and Quilting.
This one was fun to make and was actually pretty quick to make.
These are the clips from the magazine.
…and these are the clips from my house. I love the magazine pictures but I love my home pictures even more. Here it is hanging off of my porch.
Blog readers have told me that they like hearing the back story on what inspired me to design a quilt. I’ll tell you a big about that…
I started out wanting to make a wedding quilt. I was looking for something I could could some taupe type colors with. I had a lot of scraps that were 2 1/2″ so was thinking I should design something that would use them up. I’ve done three different quilts in similar styles so was looking for something different. I love stars so I thought what about a giant star. I started playing in EQ and there was nothing I could do that would work. My idea was to make it checkerboard so I could use those 2 1/2″ strips.
Look left middle. See how the white triangle edge gets lost in the background fabric? I just did not like it. Checkerboard was out.
I left the design sit and just designed a different quilt. This one…
Which was remade in Halloween colors and was published in last month’s American Patchwork and quilting.
But that star design was still nagging on me. I thought it still had potential but the coloring had to someone change. I came up with this…
Oh…that I liked. There was a clear definition between the star and the background. I liked how there were background fabrics within the star. Hmm. I let that design sit thinking I was done with it.
That’s about the time I decided I like the idea of making the quilt look Christmasy. I changed the colors and again let it sit. I did really like the black background. I thought about submitting it. I was working on it over naptime and then the childcare kids woke up. The design stayed on the computer. After childcare I opened the mail and in it was a magazine of a trip around the world quilt. That’s when it hit me to see if I could a trip around the world in the center of my quilt.
Back to EQ…YEP, that was it. I loved it.
I submitted it and they took the design right away.
Then I contacted Moda and asked for backing fabric and background fabric. I started sewing 2 1/2″ strips together and had the pieces all together while I waited for the fabric to arrive.
Once it was here, I had the quilt sewn together right away. I probably should have sent it to Carla and have her to the longarming. I can imagine she’d have done some amazing work in the black sections…but I was in a hurry chasing a deadline. I hated to drag Carla into the mess. So I stippled it. It’s simple but okay.
For fabrics I pulled most anything that was red, green, or yellow from my 2 1/2″ bucket. There are a couple busy white prints too.
It was tricky trying to figure out how to construct the trip around the world section but once I thought up the “how to”, it was easy to do. They provide good instructions to do it.
Kelli did the math to make the border work. She thought she had it but then didn’t. It was tricky to get the border to work. We ended up making the blocks close to the corners a little bit closer to the corner block than the other spacing is. We did that so you didn’t end up with a funky measurement for the black section in the border. I think it’s totally okay.
It is bound in the same black Bella solid as the background fabric.
The quilt could easily be made up in patriotic fabric. It could done in the light Christmas colors. You can skip the “around the world” and make the center all random. It would be pretty in fall colors or your favorite sports team colors. There are so many options!
It was stripped pieced so it really did together quickly.
Moda provided us with the Grunge Polka dot backing fabric. What a treat that it comes in the 108″ wide backing. This girl was happy to get the fabric. Not piecing a backing…YES please!!
So there you have it. That’s our latest published quilt.
If you make it, I’d love to see your version!! Happy quilting everyone!!
Some pictures:
Used with permission from American Patchwork & Quilting magazine. ©2021 Meredith Corporation. All rights reserved.
congratulations
Wow! Fantastic quilt Jo!
Wow wow wow Jo
Love this , I love stars and always seem to gravitate towards them. I thought the background was navy on my computer and love it as a night sky. I am sorry but the magazine is not sold in the UK so will miss out on your patterns unless you add them to your list sometime?
Qu: when you are joining 2 1/2 ” strips to alternate stitching one way then reverse the next? or just keep adding them one after another?
Thank you for sharing the pics, I must agree I love your pics more.
If you ever want a magazine couldn’t someone just get one for you and mail it to you? Just curious because I would do that as I’m sure many others would as well.
Hi
I am sew happy , I have a way of receiving the magazine here in the UK, hurrah, I will have the patterns for fall and Christmas arriving soon, oh i cannot wait. Well done Jo, you have so much talent and patience!!!
I like ztar quilts and the trip around the world in the center. I also like the green dominated Christmas quilt best. I’ll have to buy the magazine to get it done. That will be my Chriztmas present to myself.
Jo,
Congratulations! It is a stunning quilt. I love it with the black background.
Jo – that is one beautiful quilt! I received my copy of the magazine but now I have to decide Americana, Fall, Christmas – decisions, decisions.
I hope everyone in your family is feeling better by now. Wishing everyone a happy Fall – my favorite season.
Beautiful quilt!
Congratulations on another winner! I love the trip around the world in the middle of the star, how clever. I cant wait for my magazine to arrive so I can check out the fabrics needed. I may have to see if I have enough Amish black in my textile collection to make this one.
Congratulations on a lovely quilt! I thought of you and Kelli the moment I saw the picture and checking out the designers there were your names! I’m so pleased for you!
Beautiful quilt! I really like the trip around the world in the center, just sets off the outer points. Congratulations on another publication!!
Congratulations, Jo! Your quilt is beautiful.
My subscription started with this issue. No more driving around. Thanks Jo.
I picked up American Patchwork Magazine at Joann’s Fabric a couple days ago and imagine my surprised when i saw your quilt! LOVE IT! So AWESOME!
I received my copy last week and was delighted to see your quilt featured – it’s very striking! Congrats!!!
Beautiful!
I was happy to pick up the magazine at the store and see another quilt by you and Kelli. Thank you for sharing your designs with us!
As soon as I saw this one in my magazine I knew it belonged to you and Kelli. It’s a winner, for sure.
But I also really liked your checkerboard idea and kept looking at it. I finally realized the upper left point of the star that was giving you trouble? It’s not quite like all the other points, the outline row is checkerboard on this one and the others it’s all colored squares. I haven’t pencilled it out, but my eyes and my math brain tell me if you fix that it will work out without a line of light HST pieces forming that edge. After all, the top and bottom of the star should be symmetrical and the bottom works. In case you like it enough to revisit it, I thought i’d mention that. I might even try it out myself, because you’ve had a great idea here.
I don’t usually buy magazines as they are too expensive but I will buy this one just for your quilt. This quilt is stunning. I don’t need another Christmas quilt but I like the darker bright colors against the black fabric. Your quilt glows, it is so pretty. Congratulations on a fabulous quilt.
LOVE it, Jo!! Congratulations on your latest quilt publication and thanks for sharing your design process, too. The sit and wait time is SEW important in designing, isn’t it?!
This is outstanding! Wow. Congrats.
Love it Jo!
What a fabulous quilt! I love it, and the story behind it!
Congratulations! Love hearing the story how it came to be. I always love the process as well as the product.
Beautiful quilt! Just glows! And has so many possibilities colorwise! Love the Trip Around Tge World center!
Wonderful quilt! I love star quilts!
It was a nice surprise to see one of your quilts in the magazine as I was reading it last week! I am glad you share the back story and more pictures. There are never enough in the magazine! :-) You have great ideas Jo, I hope you get to keep designing more and more! K-
Fantastic quilt! Colors really pop out.
Beautiful quilt, Jo! Congratulations!
Wish I had your talent! Love this quilt. Almost reminds me of first quilt I made;a trip with black accents. Never could figure out on point quilts though.
Jo, off topic, but I just finished my first quilt binding totally by machine. Thank you so much for the excellent video!
P.s. love the new quilt!
Yahoo!! Good for you. I love machine binding.
Gorgeous!! The quilting looks great! Love the backing fabric too.
My husband just passed by the computer and saw your quilt and said it was striking. I agree, great job, Jo!
Oh so pretty. I picked up the magazine at the grocery store this week, but didn’t buy it…. I wish I had now.
You are gifted. That quilt is stunning. Itn makes me want to quilt again. Is the magazines on the store stands?
It should be on the newsstands now. I haven’t been out so I haven’t seen it yet.
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