This quilt has been 6 months in the making. I can honestly say that I’ve never worked on one item for such a long period of time. I made this as part of the City Sampler Sew Along, based around Tula Pink’s City Sampler: 100 Modern Quilt Blocks book, which is truly a work of art. Combining 100 different quilt block instructions, as well as Tula’s beautiful hand-drawn artwork throughout the book, and this book is a real quilter’s treasure.
Some of the quilts took about 5 minutes to piece, and some 20 minutes, but I think the hardest part about making each block was definitely in choosing the fabrics. Even for those that decided to use prints in their blocks, I think you needed the correct amount of contrast, light-medium-dark fabrics, in order to get the blocks to show the designs well.
This quilt was quilted for me by LiMa Sews using a star pantograph. I sent her 2 layers of Pellon siliconized polyester batting, which really made the quilting pop. The owner of LiMa sews, Linh, is just wonderful and so easy to work with, plus I got my quilt back in about 2 weeks. I definitely recommend Linh for beautiful and affordable pantograph quilting. I just love the stars, they are beautiful!
I used various cotton solids for my quilt, and a text newsprint background. This is the ‘Gridlock’ layout from the book. I followed the same layout and color scheme that Tula used in her book. The backing fabric is a Laura Gunn textured fabric. I wanted a solid background to show the quilting, but something with a bit of grunge to it. The binding fabric is from the ‘Collage’ line, because it combined newsprint with a purple background.
I can’t wait to see the rest of the finished City Sampler quilts roll in; participants have until January 31st to link up their completed quilts. Everyone has worked so hard, and now it’s time to see the fruits of our labor!
WOW, Sara, this is just a fantastic quilt – Looks so cosy!
OMG! That is amazing! I love the newsprint background. It really adds to the quilt, without taking a way anything from the blocks!
This turned out absolutely lovely. I’m glad that you took the time to work on a project for so long. I’m sure it was worth it.
This is so gorgeous Sara. I hope I can make mine this year; so far I only have one block completed but it’s a start right?
Wow, Sara, I just love your quilt and it is so inspiring. This is the layout I want to use but have so many more blocks to finish first!
It’s finished, and it’s glorious! Very beautiful!
Wow, that is a real cracker! Amazing!!!
Esther
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ipatchandquilt dot wordpress dot com
Beautiful Sara – very striking with that newsprint fabric. Well done. Hope to get mine finished putting together this week.
Sara the newsprint is fantastic. Your finished quilt is so awesome. Love your solids. Love your combos in the individual blocks. I am happy to say that I did finish all my blocks. I am on the hunt for sashing/border fabric. So far no luck, but I will find it.
What a gorgeous quilt! I really like what you chose for a background fabric……………looking forward to seeing the other quilts.
You are a rainbow girl after my own heart! Lovely!
I am generally allergic to solids but 2014 is the year I earnestly try to overcome that — and I think your quilt is delicious. Did you start with a set of solids or just pull some along. I love the text background. I have the book and like how you can work one block at a time and not feel like you’ve got an honest-to-goodness WIP sitting out there that’s just lingering. Great job!
This looks awesome, love the colors that you used.
It’s soooo beautiful!
Your quilt is so beautiful. We have started a QAL in Sweden i October last year, so we have a long way to go. But the blocks are so fun to make even if some of them have many small, tiny pieces.
Wow, your finished quilt is amazing!
I absolutely love the solid/print combo, the complete switch to the way round it normally goes!
Love your quilt! Congratulations!
Looks so amazing! Love the text background; great idea!
Beautiful work, as always, Sara!
Absolutely gorgeous!
Beautiful, just beautiful.
wonderful, well done having it finished, mine I think is going to be a few smaller quilt, have one done using 16 blocks, well not quilted yet
Just stunning!
It’s so pretty, Sara! Your sashing fabric contrasts with the solids beautifully! Love it!
I really love it. Nicely done!
Sara it is gorgeous! I have the book and do plan to make it, but couldn’t join in with the QAL this year. It’s good to know you used the same block colours as Tula and the same layout as I wanted the rainbow effect and thought I was going toh ave to sit down and plan all the blocks out! I only hope mine comes out a tiny bit as good as yours.
That is absolutely amazing! The sashing fabric really sets the blocks off wonderfully…
I am just about to start my own city sampler, having a private QAL with a few friends, and I can only hope mine comes out as well.
Wow this looks really fantastic! You did a great job 🙂 I just got City Sampler for Christmas and I can’t wait to get started on my blocks.
Sara, I love it in solids! Sew beautiful! Nice job!