As part of my excellent trip to QuiltCon in Nashville last February, I took two classes. One was called “Central Pivot” with Kim Eichler-Messmer, featuring her awesome layering/reverse applique technique. I left class with 3 finished blocks, and made a couple more right after getting home. They sat for a while, but I was finally able to get back to them a couple weeks ago!
I had started back in February with a 40-piece layer cake (i.e. 10″ squares) of Carolyn Friedlander’s Gleaned collection, and each block has 4 layers of fabric. That made it easy to make 9 blocks and a nice 30″ square wall quilt. I also had a jelly roll of 2.5″ strips from the same collection, which made it easy to whip up a coordinating, mixed fabric binding.
(I actually used the whole layer cake and made 10 blocks, but left out my least favorite color/fabric combo!)
The quilting motif echos a couple of the lines formed by the reverse applique. I started with 3/4 circle quilting on most of the top, taking my cue from the yellow 3/4 circle in the center block. At the upper left, I quilted straight lines from the side and top, then turning and following the diagonal back to the top corner. And the middle 3/4 circle has a few radiating lines, like a wheel. All very simple walking foot quilting, but effective I think!
I was really excited to get to take this class with Kim. One of the first ideas I ever had for a self-designed quilt years ago was based on the view of farm fields from the air. I’ve never turned that idea into reality, but Kim has — and I have admired the look and texture of her quilts in this series ever since. (There’s a photo in this post of one of her quilts here in Houston at Quilt Festival 2017.)
Kim’s class was a 3-hour morning session on the final day of QuiltCon and it was the perfect way to end the long weekend. My friend Anna had lucked into a last-minute spot in the class as well, so we sat next to each other having fun with compasses and sewing machine circle attachments.
I pieced together a backing out of yellow/brown scraps because I usually don’t love yellow. But as I said on Instagram, I actually ended up really liking this backing. (Go figure! I think it’s the sheep. They’re so cute!)
The stats:
- Quilt measures 30″ square.
- Top and binding fabrics are all Gleaned by Carolyn Friedlander.
- Backing is a mix of stuff from my stash, including Carolyn Friedlander, Alison Glass, and Cotton+Steel (the sheep).
- Machine quilted straight and curved lines with a walking foot and Aurifil 50 wt white thread.
I’m on the hunt for a good spot to display this one in my house. I like it too much to let it sit on a shelf!
This is awesome!
Thanks Patty!
So those are raw edges? I assume it should hold up fine as a wall hanging? I was wondering how you did this.
Yes, all raw edges. In the class, she actually recommends washing the quilt to make the edges fray a bit, sort of like a chenille effect. It gives it a rough, somewhat ragged look which is cool.
I haven’t decided if I’m going to wash this one or just leave them “fresh” like this. Since my fabrics weren’t pre-washed, I would wash only, no drying, because I don’t want it to crinkle up too much.
Honestly, I think it looks great the way it is. I wouldn’t mess with it.
Yeah, that’s definitely the way I’m leaning right now!