Kisses Askew is Finished!

Here's my latest quilt and pattern: Kisses Askew. It's a 36" x 36" baby quilt...or wall quilt, depending on your fabrics. I like how the solid white strips brighten it up. And you know I can't resist interesting novelty fabrics. See Minnie Mouse in Photo #3. And I love the 3 big red polka dots. Happy quilting!

Improved String Quilt Block

I've been playing around with ways to jazz up the classic string quilt block.

 My first X spanned 5 strips, but it was too big. I like this X better, spanning 3 strips.

 I'll make 9 blocks, and use them for a baby quilt, 36" x 36."

Stay tuned.

It's time to celebrate our son's 27th birthday. We're going out to dinner in this cold weather. It's 6 degrees, just like the day he was born. Then later tonight I'll make a chocolate cake with yellow frosting. It's a family tradition for the birthday person to pick a color for the frosting. Yellow is easy. Some years the request was forest camo. Haha!

(The photo is from Google! Unfortunately his cake won't be as pretty.)

Happy Birthday, David!

Snow Quilts!

"Let it Snow" by Linda Rotz Miller.

Inspired by the snowstorm outside, here are 7 snow-themed quilts to enjoy!

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"Snowman" quilt by A E Nathan featured on Quilt Inspiration. 69" x 81."

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"Snow Days in Teals" by Rose Ann Cook from Texas. Featured on Knot-y Girl's Stitchery Club.

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"Snow Flake" by Margaret Conner Kean, 1930, Louisiana. Featured on the Quilt Index Blog.

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"Blizzard in Blue" by the Pointless Quilter in California.

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"Star Flakes" (two quilts) by Linda Guedel.

New Front Page for Color Mashup

The cover photo for "Color Mashup" was bothering me. The photo was taken in my quilt studio and I had to brighten it. That make the yellow look ikky.

So, I just went outside and took this photo of the quilt on the snow, and I like it much better. 

Plus, the angle is more pleasing. I like that blue flower in the lower right corner near the snow.

Okay, on to the next quilt. It's on my wall now: "Kisses" I think, because it has a lot of X's on it. 

We'll see.

Color Mashup Quilt is Finished

I interrupted my quilt projects to make a wildly colorful quilt for my niece Amelia. She's 16 and lives in northern Vermont where winters are pretty long. As you may have guessed, she likes color. Who doesn't?

Want to see the pattern?

Center Medallion Selvage Quilt

This beautiful center medallion selvage quilt is the creation of Becca of Bryan House Quilts. She named it "Lucky" for the nice 4-leaf clover designs. She used lots of small selvages pieced together; this is a selvage string quilt! I love the flying geese, the herringbone border at the top and the bottom, the gorgeous quilting, and she even made selvage binding! Wonderful job, Becca! 

Log Cabin by Sarah Turnage

This quilt was pieced by Sarah Turnage and quilted by Mary Thompson and Aurelia Forester. It was featured on Sherri Lynn Wood's Dainty Time blog. She tells about a conversation she had with Eli Leon about the design of this quilt. I wish I was there when Sarah decided to put that solid brown stripe near the top. I'm curious about that. What a bold exciting quilt!

I feel a new log cabin quilt coming on. That's what happens when I'm not already quilting. It's a vicious cycle! 

Russian Alphabet Quilt!

Yes, a Russian alphabet quilt! Made by beachwalker in Massachusetts, and featured on Wet Canvas.

Diana Sharkey's Selvage Quilt

This stunning selvage quilt is the creation of Diane Sharkey of New York. 

A clean, simple design. If you're undecided about whether to save colored selvages without writing or color windows, here's your answer.  Nice work, Diane! 

Modern Art, Antique Quilts

This quilt was featured on ArtFixDaily. In the article Laura Fisher (NYC Americana dealer) says that collectors are looking for quilts with innovative design and visual impact. Modern art in a vintage quilt.

 I can't imagine how this quilt went together, can you? Look at those tiny serrated edges. I'm not going there!

Tea Time Chandelier!

Isn't this clever? It's from Anthropologie. It has 18 teacups, utensils, a teapot, and 7 lights.

I can picture this in the beaver's house in The Chronicles of Narnia, or in a Hobbit house.

Very Orange Quilt

This quilt was made by Debbie Grifka of EschHouseQuilts. She calls it "Sedimentary" and you can read her post about making it here. Doesn't it remind you of The Stacks quilt? I love her bold color! And using strips of different widths is a cool idea too.

Nice job, Debbie! 

Frozen Soap Bubble and Snowflakes

This amazing photo of a frozen soap bubble is by Angela Kelly of Washington.

And who can resist some snowflake close-ups? From CSERC Blogger. 

The last one looks like feathers. Snow is awe-inspiring! And we're seeing plenty of it lately.

Pamela is the Pincushion Winner!

The winner in the pincushion Giveaway is Pamela of the Pamela Quilts blog. 

I visited Pamela's blog and look what I found! She used a knitted hat as a bird nest on her quilt! 

She also has an Etsy shop: Pamela Quilts offering lots of quilts and other goodies.

                              Thank you to all who contributed your thoughts about the quilt patterns! 

                                                     Your pincushion is on the way, Pamela!

Gradient Tights!

These fabulous tights come in lots of beautiful colors. Are you old enough to remember when we wore skirts short enough to really show off tights like these? I am. These tights are hand-dyed by Dani K in Brooklyn, New York. Her Etsy shop is X Silk. 

Vintage Eagles and Pomegranates Quilt

This "Eagles and Pomegranates" hand applique quilt was made in Pennsylvania around 1860. It measures 85" x 85." It's part of the Linda Giesler Carlson and Dr. John V. Carlson Collection of Four-Block quilts at the International Quilt Study Center & Museum in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

I like the fresh modern look of this quilt made with what looks like solid color fabrics. It's a little quirky too: note the path of the pink vine. This quilt was certainly well cared for over the past 150+ years.

Yellow Brick Road Spiral Quilt is Finished!

I just finished making this quilt for my sister Eileen who lives in Michigan. Her birthday was Dec. 28. Yellow has been her favorite color since she was a little girl. I even asked her for some yellows from her stash! Haha. She saw this on Christmas Day and recognized her yellows right away. I'll mail it to her tomorrow.

Want to make a quilt like this? See: Yellow Brick Road. 

There are some good novelty fabrics in this quilt: teacups, bananas, Dr. Seuss illustrations, popcorn, etc. It measures 59" x 75." This is on of my favorites. It goes together easily. 

Gee's Bend Style Quilts

Let's have a quilt show today featuring Gee's Bend quilts and Gee's Bend-style quilts. The first one is from the Auburn website. I like the colors and the illusion of depth in this quilt. 

This colorful string quilt is "Bible Story" by Polly Raymond of Gee's Bend. It's now owned by quilter and collector Bill Volckening. See it on his blog: Willy Wonky Quilts.

The log cabin quilt shown above was featured in an article about Gee's Bend quilts that appeared in Deep South Magazine. 

This yellow and red quilt (above) was featured in the blog: A Home in the Making. Classic retro.

The "Housetop" quilt shown above was made by Rita Mae Pettway of Gee's Bend in 1975.  It was featured on the Plug Projects website.

This quilt by Nancy Pettway is called "Bricklayer Variation," also on the Plug Projects site. It was made in 2003.

Another "Housetop" quilt (above) by Stella Mae Pettway. It was featured on the TrueUp site.

This quilt is not from Gee's Bend, but from fabulous Seattle quilter Nifty Quilts! LeAnn is one of my favorite quiltmakers! Keep an eye on her blog for wonderful inspiration.

And finally, this quilt is by me! When I first saw the Gee's Bend quilts, I made about 28 quilts inspired by them. They are so much fun to make!

Have you tried making a Gee's Bend-style quilt? Maybe in 2014?

Win This Pincushion!

Simply leave a Comment and you'll be entered in a random drawing to win this new handmade pincushion. Pinsies included. Winner will be announced next Friday, Jan. 10. Entries welcomed from anywhere on earth.

Take a look at my quilt patterns and tell me in your Comment which one (or which type) appeals to you. I'm looking for direction for pattern topics in the new year. Easy or challenging, unique or classic, upcycling/scrap? Any thoughts, or just say "Hi!"

Square One - A Good Place to Start

"Square One" is a quick and easy quilt. It's tied with little fuzz balls that add vintage charm. The light prints lend some fresh modern goodness too. 

And of course I've sprinkled some of my favorite novelty prints here and there (eyeglasses, crossword puzzles, bees, calligraphy, etc.) This quilt is definitely fun to make. 

It measures 60" x 78" and took 2 days, start to finish.

See this pattern: Square One. 

See all my patterns: Karen Griska Quilts.

Stay warm, all you Northern hemisphere quilters!