in the Quilting Studio, no. 56
One thing that I love about longarm quilting is the way that it puts me in touch with other quilters. Through their patchworks, their fabric choices and their finishing preferences, I get to peak inside their creative world. It’s quite an intimate thing, like reading a blog post that’s suddenly come alive.
When I started longarm quilting in 2018, I got to peak inside the creative world of American quilters from sea to sea. Now that I live in Europe, most of my clients are German or Dutch. In fact, each of today’s quilts comes from our neighbor, Germany. In these many years of longarm quilting I have seen that across borders and across generations, patchwork is a beautiful thing.
Turquoise + Brown Quilt by DiAnna
Let’s start with this puzzle-style quilt by DiAnna.
Does anyone know what this block is called? I have done a Google search, but couldn’t find it. It creates a cool graphic effect, don’t you think? The fabrics are batiks, I believe, which also give the quilt a lovely depth.
DiAnna suggested Flutterbye quilting, which initially surprised me. Once I took at good look at the quilt, I realized that her idea was spot on. The intricate quilting style of Flutterbye in turquoise thread simultaneously compliments and adds a flourish to this patchwork.
Long Leaf quilt by Madeline
I have always loved Carolyn Friedlander’s Long Leaf quilt pattern. It’s such an unusual, elongated shape.
What fun then to see Madeline’s quilt in person! Her limited color palette of cool blues and cream interprets the patchwork beautifully.
This modern quilt was finished with an all-over quilting pattern called Cubism in light blue thread. The Cubism quilting pattern actually creates cube shapes, but on this quilt it reads more as simple lines with changes of direction. I like that the quilting really takes a back seat to Madeline’s very cool quilt.
Mini Coos by Claudia
How about a quilt to celebrate the Highlands? Check out the Scottish tams (hats) in this Mini Coos patchwork pattern!
Coo is the Scottish word for cow (much like the Dutch “koe”), just to clear up any confusion. These highland creatures are set in a soft green patchwork meadow with flower, bees and dragonfly quilting. Aww.
Even though some of the cows are dark, I used a soft green thread, and it blends in well from a distance. I find that a lighter color thread is usualy the way to go, especially if there is a light background color.
Dutchman’s Puzzle by Madeline
Our last quilt today is another beauty by Madeline. It’s the Dutchman’s Puzzle block, featuring a swirl of flying geese triangles.
Madeline’s Dutchman’s Puzzle quilt is a lovely example of modern traditionalism. She’s interpreted a traditional block with modern fabrics and placed random “wrong” fabrics here and there to make the quilt even more visually complicated and interesting. I love it!
To keep things simple, I suggested continuous eight quilting. The soft loops contrast so nicely with the sharp triangles.
I’d be happy to finish your projects with a beautiful quilting texture too. My services are available to those who live throughout the European region. Please be in touch if you have any questions or start the process off by placing your order. I can’t wait to collaborate on YOUR quilt!
