Monday, July 2, 2018

Intersection: Quilting Modern Quilts Blog Series

This is the 2nd of 6 quilts that I'm sharing as part of a series this summer, which explores ways to quilt modern, more minimalistic quilts (than what I usually make). To read a detailed introduction to the blog series, click here. Quilts featured so far: Electrify. Read to the end for a giveaway!

I was going to save this quilt until the end, but it has the same roots as the last quilt. It is one of my favorites of the group, mostly because it came out exactly as I envisioned and all the cool quilting I challenged myself with. This is Intersection.


The four cross design comes straight from the roof of an old house in Quakertown, NJ (the same roof as Electrify - you can read more about that here). I was completely taken with this design, which is a gorgeous, traditional layout of crosses.

I liked the idea of using a short, somewhat squat version of the Greek cross because it seems more unexpected and unusual. When designing this quilt, I thought it would be interesting to let part of the design disappear off the quilt, and after playing around, it seemed even more appropriate to include 2 different groupings of crosses.

Cirrus Solids used: Amazon (teal), Clementine (orange), Limestone (white), and Shamrock (green backing - see picture further down this post).

Since negative, or blank, space suddenly became a huge part of this design, a bright, bold color fit the bill. Plus, one common question I get about modern quilts is, "don't they have white backgrounds?" Just sometimes. :) Anyway, since I love cool range colors (blue/purple mostly), teal was an attractive choice. And lo and behold, dark orange is complementary to teal (directly across from it on the color wheel). Add some white to let it breathe. Let the orange be the exception.

Cirrus Solids by Cloud9 Fabrics were the fabrics that I really wanted to use for this quilt. They have a beautiful crossweave, which makes it a little difficult to photograph but also makes it shimmer in person. It's hard to convey the exact colors here. I've been working with Cirrus Solids for a long time and I always appreciate the wide range of colors, softness, and solidity. Thank you to Cloud9 for providing the fabrics for me to try out this design.


The quilting itself tested me. When I look at the quilt, I see a circular motif surrounding the outline of the crosses. The key to making this kind of minimalist quilt have an impact is quilting the negative space in an unusual way (that's how I go about it, at least). Once the idea popped into my head, there was no getting it out.

The quilt is quite large (59" across by 67" down), so the large pebble paths were the most intimidating part.  I have loved creating paths like this for a long time, but these are by far the largest I've quilted. I marked them with white chalk (it wasn't an exact science) and then simply filled them in with pebbles of all sizes. I really love the point where they meet (below).

Contrast in size and shape of the quilting can often make the quilt. I used the same color and weight of thread (a beautiful, glow-y turquoise Aurifil 2810, 40 weight) for both the pebble paths and background, and changing scale in the negative space really makes the difference.


I wanted the orange crosses to relate to the large pebble swathes, so I quilted a different pebble configuration there, in Aurifil 2240. Just now, I'm realizing that I used the same free motion motif (swirls) in the white crosses here and the background of the other quilt (with Aurifil 2024). Sometimes I surprise myself. :) I really enjoy using the opposite of the piecing design to quilt (curvy vs. angular, for example).


The final test was the matched binding. This quilt really didn't want a frame; it seemed to float. I actually save the matched binding for one of the last steps of finishing the entire quilt series, but it was easier than expected. It matches up just enough for me (I'm not interested in perfectionism, even if this one does go to a quilt show. That's just what I like. The quilt feels more human to me. :) ).



This quilt was a test of my quilting skills but I truly enjoyed every step. Isn't that what it's all about?

Thank you to Cloud9 Fabrics for sponsoring the fabric, The Warm Company for Warm and Natural batting, and Aurifil Thread for the threads. All opinions about materials are my own, honest ones.


Please note: some people have emailed me about releasing patterns of the quilts. While I'm flattered, sharing the measurements and methods are no longer in my plans, as I explained in the introduction post. If you derive a quilt from my design and share it publicly, I would greatly appreciate a link to my website and a caption noting that you were inspired by this design. This also goes for quilt shows. Thank you!


-----------------------------------------
Giveaway 

And today's giveaway is a fat quarter bundle of summery Kona Solids by Robert Kaufman (which I used to make samples and practice quilting) and a 2 pack of white chalk pencils, so you can practice your own marking!


Giveaway details: Runs from July 2 until July 9 at 12 am EST. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter  - this helps me when tallying votes. Once you comment on the blog, please be advised that it will not appear right away (I have to approve comments due to insane amounts of spam). You can still comment and not be entered in the giveaway if you so desire (just don't use Rafflecopter below). If you won a previous giveaway from this blog series, you cannot win again.

 Also, I will not be responding directly to all blog comments at this time due to volume and issues with Blogger (unfortunately). Sorry, U.S. entrants only, please. I will email the winner and if there is no response within 2 days or winner is not located in the U.S., I will randomly choose another winner.


a Rafflecopter giveaway



 

59 comments:

  1. I think I would make a marigold and magenta quilt!

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  2. I love how you also continued the design to the edge with the binding, Jess. The quilting really brings it to life!

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  3. My colors would be purple and green, with gray for the neutral. :) Beautiful job on that quilt!!

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  4. DEEP RED+MEDUIM-RED+CREAM! THANKS FOR A SWEET GIVEAWAY!
    msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  5. Kona snow, turquoise and salmon would be my choice in colors. I love the pebble arcs on your quilt.

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  6. I am all about black, white and red right now. :)
    craftyccain@gmail.com

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  7. The contrast in quilting here is very interesting and I love the color choices you made. I'd pick pink, turquoise and white.

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  8. stunning quilt and beautiful quilting.

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  9. I love Blues, so any combination with blues I can get away with I am all over it. I would probably find just the right shades of an aqua and use white and and a dark blue.

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  10. I’d choose black, white, and hot pink.

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  11. My choices...lime green, purple and a light pink.

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  12. Great quilting. I’d like to use a darker teal for a background, then maybe grey and a color pop - some shade of darker red? Trying to get out of my comfort zone!

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  13. love Love Love this quilt, quilting is awesome!

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  14. My preference would be aqua and a medium bright pink...a throwback to the 50's...with accents of white.

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  15. This quilt turned out really great! I hope you enter it into QuiltCon :-)

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  16. Kona cottons are my favorite, too!

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  17. Love your quilt, the quiltng is amazing! I would hope to do mine in aqua, brown & pink! Thank you, Susan

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  18. I love the combination of a warm pink, chocolate brown, and a soft cream. Beautiful quilt Jessica!

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  19. I’m so into pinks right now that I probably would go fuschia & yellow.

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  20. Fun quilt, Jessica! My go-to colors are orange and yellow. Depending on the design, size and what the project is for, I would probably use black or white (or both) as the background. Although recently I've been seeing lots of ideas that make me want to try grey!

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  21. I’m working on using a turquoise,mustard and black right now. Love your quilt!

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  22. aqua and a sea green with a tiny bit of very light grey!

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  23. this is a stunning quilt with a fantastic design! i love kona cottons; seems my favorite colors are coral and aqua and maybe a deep red to go with.

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  24. Your quilt turned out great. The quilting is terrific! I am thinking deep green, medium green and gold would make a great color combo.

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  25. Intersection is beautiful. I love the quilting, seems perfect to me. I especially love the pebble paths and the background quilting to the paths. Is that crosshatching? Sorry, don't know what that is called. I'm just starting free motion.

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  26. I'd use black, slate grey and white. Love the quilting. grinnie1961 at gmail dot com

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  27. Great post. I find reading the detailed process of how you progressed to a finalised design, how you chose colours and quilting patterns so interesting. Loving this series of posts :-)But where's the purple? :-D

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  28. My three colors are salmon, aqua and gray. RuthAnn (via email)

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  29. My colors for a modern quilt would be deep purple, vibrant yellow and light grey. -Denise G (via email)

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  30. Thank you for explaining the process & how you arrived at your decisions when designing this quilt, and also the details about the quilting. Fascinating post, and the final quilt is quite wonderful! Love the color combination, and the 3 colors for the giveaway are also quite nice. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  31. I just love Kona solids. I'd use black, white and watermelon.

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  32. Love your quilt! I might try navy green and grey

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  33. My colors would be a grey background with citrusy green/yellow and orange.

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  34. Purple and a red-orange...not sure about a neutral. It may not need one.
    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  35. I really like purple and orange together. Weird, I know.

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  36. I want to do something in purples and magenta

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  37. My "go to" colors are black, red & gray. Simple quilt designs are calm and give me peace

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  38. i would use black, white, and neon yellow.

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  39. gorgeous way the shape pops with the quilting

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  40. I would use orange, yellow, and a light gray and possibly a splash of red just for fun!

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  41. Mentally playing with all kinds of color combos, when I realize I'm looking at fabrics in magenta and yellow-orange. Yeah! Probably with white...

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  42. Total creativity in colors, pattern & FMQing. Give yourself an A+.

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  43. Black, Orange, Purple. Hard to chose 3. 24Tangent@gmail.com

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  44. I'd use a rich teal with a light tan and some white. Maybe. . .

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  45. I couldn't get the response to work. My favorite solids are goldish/sunshine yellow with lime and purple, kinda like you had in your quilt earlier in June.
    -Roberta W (via email)

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  46. Really enjoying this series! Love the teal choice.

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  47. Love the colors and the quilting!

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  48. Love your quilt. My color choices would be teal and lime with neutrals.

    tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com

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  49. Love this quilt! Thanks for offering the giveaway.

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  50. What a bold, fun quilt! I would use navy blue and lime, with a pinch of orange red as my neutral. (Freddy Moran says that red is a neutral!)

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  51. I'm thinking I should try hot pink and bright orange and charcoal grey. It would be way out of my usual comfort zone!

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  52. I would use citrus green and a certain blue that I don't know how to describe!

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  53. My favorites, aqua, pale yellow, silvery gray.

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  54. Chartreuse and teal with a light gray background!

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  55. I would use coral, light aqua and a dark gray background

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Let's start a conversation! I love comments and I'd be happy to reply to all who have an email address accessible. Thanks for commenting!

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