Quilting Book Review

It isn't often I add another book to my collection. It is even more rare for me to write a review about one of those books. Today I want to tell you about Step-by-Step Texture Quilting: 65 New Free-Motion & Walking-Foot Designs (affiliate link) by Christina Cameli. I first heard of Christina Cameli when I was still active on Craftsy and Bluprint. There I watched a couple of her classes and enjoyed both. I recently received a little nudge from Sam Hunter of Hunter Design Studio either via social media or from her subscriber list. I looked up this book and placed my order. (Full disclosure: I purchased this book with my own money and received no compensation for writing this review.)

This cover, front and back, makes me want to quilt up some of this texture. I suddenly have more quilting ideas than quilts. That is a good problem to have.

Each design is clearly explained with both line drawings and quilted examples. I can't imagine working up all these samples to photograph. Every design has step-by-step instructions and direction arrows when needed. Perfect for both beginners and beyond.

My favorite thing about this book is the photographic index in the back. I need to be able to see the designs quickly so I can make a selection without paging through the entire book (though sometimes I do anyway because I have quilter's block). This way I can see the design as it would be stitched out and turn to the applicable page. Brilliant!

If you want to see what else Christina has to offer, check out her website. You will get a free pattern for signing up to her email list. She offers free tutorials and you can buy her books, patterns, and fabric. You will also find links to her blog and free YouTube videos of her quilting.

Free-motion Quilting Books in my Library (affiliate links):
Step-by-Step Texture Quilting: 65 New Free-Motion & Walking-Foot Designs - Christina Cameli
Free-Motion Quilting Idea Book: • 155 Mix & Match Designs • Bring 30 Fabulous Blocks to Life • Plus Plans for Sashing, Borders, Motifs & Allover Designs Spiral-bound 
Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: Choose & Use Quilting Designs on Modern Quilts
Beginner’s Guide to Free-Motion Quilting: 50+ Visual Tutorials to Get You Started • Professional-Quality Results on Your Home Machine
Shape by Shape Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: 70+ Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Shape by Shape, Collection 2: Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters - 70+ More Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Graffiti Quilting: A Simple Guide to Complex Designs (no longer available through Amazon but you can buy it directly from the designer)
Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts

Star Struck

I picked up this panel by Anthology Fabrics a couple years ago at a quilt show. It has been waiting around in my collection for me to get up the nerve to quilt it. Since I completed my Dream Big panel I figured I had enough confidence to give it a go.

While I complete expected variance from the package print, I did not expect it to be this different. Granted, it didn't change that I was going to quilt it, it was just kind of surprising how much my panel did not match the package photo.

I decided to let the quilting really show on this one and pulled out a bunch of coordinating colors in Fantastico and Magnifico by Superior Threads. This poly thread has great shine perfect for machine embroidery and sometimes works as a great top thread when machine quilting. Paired with Bottom Line in the bobbin. 

I loaded, basted, and looked at the center of the quilt. I wanted to work from the center out. 

I created some large pebbles and echoed closely around each. I used the dye pattern to guide me and keep everything mostly balanced. 

A couple big swirls mirrored on the top, bottom, and sides got me really moving. My swirls may not be perfect but in the overall view that doesn't matter all that much. 

I created a background for those swirls. 

I squared off with echoes and another large pebble. So simple and really effective. 

I replicated the stripes for the second to last round. This will create a sort of background for the center motifs. I used a wavy echo for the last round trying to add some organic texture to break all those straight lines. 

Here is a view of the back of the quilt. It isn't easy to see the texture on the front but you can really see it here. 

Trimmed and ready for binding and a hanging sleeve. I'm really having fun exploring more quilting and less piecing. Not that I don't want to piece any more, just that I like adding to my quilting toolbox.

Anthology Fabrics Cube-Bori panel (non-affiliate)

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q

Free-motion Quilting Books in my Library (affiliate links):
Free-Motion Quilting Idea Book: • 155 Mix & Match Designs • Bring 30 Fabulous Blocks to Life • Plus Plans for Sashing, Borders, Motifs & Allover Designs Spiral-bound 
Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: Choose & Use Quilting Designs on Modern Quilts
Beginner’s Guide to Free-Motion Quilting: 50+ Visual Tutorials to Get You Started • Professional-Quality Results on Your Home Machine
Shape by Shape Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: 70+ Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Shape by Shape, Collection 2: Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters - 70+ More Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Graffiti Quilting: A Simple Guide to Complex Designs (no longer available through Amazon but you can buy it directly from the designer)
Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts
Step-by-Step Texture Quilting: 65 New Free-Motion & Walking-Foot Designs by Christina Cameli

Dreams Mini-Quilt

Several years ago I used an embroidered alphabet from Urban Threads Embroidery to create a min-quilt for a friend. We share a dark view of the world and joke that now that we are old ladies (neither claims to be a lady, to be sure) all our dreams are dead. I wanted to make sure she remembered me always so I made her a mini-quilt similar to what you see above.

She asked me to make another one for another friend of hers and I said yes. I used the alphabet to recreate the design because I didn't know where the embroidery file was. I've also changed embroidery machines so an update was needed. I used a different accompanying font but I think it still works. After stitching, rinsing to remove the water soluble stabilizer, and blocking the piece, I trimmed it and layered for quilting. 

I did the quilting with my Juki TL-2010Q. The swirls and lines are all free-motion quilting. Some are better than others. Just like the days in our lives.

Trimmed and ready for binding. 

I had only a fat-eight of this striped fabric but it seemed perfect for this 12" by 12" mini-quilt. I know my life isn't over and my dreams aren't dead. I do joke that I have my dream job because I dream about work almost every night. Too bad I don't get paid for those hours.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q

Charity Quilting

Blogger has made some changes to the blog drafting tool and I'm trying to give it a go before it becomes the standard. It appears the intent was to make the tool easier to use for those writing their posts on mobile devices. I draft my posts using my desktop computer. I can type faster, pull content faster, and generally get from idea to blog post faster on my desktop than I can with my mobile device. I've been blogging either with a desktop of laptop for almost seven years. Change is hard. I just wish the new tool was as good as the last one. You can learn more about the changes Blogger is making on their blog. 

I've been trying to finish up projects that have been hanging around too long. This little quilt has been quilted and trimmed for months! I finally found some coordinating fabric, made the binding, and got busy. If you want to learn how I machine finish binding, check out my Quilt Binding: Tips and Tricks page. 

This little quilt is destined for the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild. Every time I use one of these I think I should design labels through Spoonflower. One of these days.

This little quilt was made with leftover half-square triangle units from my Good Fortune quilt by Bonnie Hunter. She has loads of free patterns on her blog Quiltville. I finished my version of Good Fortune in January of 2019. 

Dream Big

Part 2

Last week I shared the first part of my Dream Big panel. Above, the order I used for the thread changes. I love that I have so many colors of So Fine! from Superior Threads. Options are good.

As I worked each petal I would decide what to do with the next. I looked at panels quilted by other people and realized I really went middle-of-the-road with the quilting. So many others did some pretty intense quilting. My quilting is light in comparison to some. 

I worked on it for several hours but I had to quit for the day and come back to in the morning.

I finished rather quickly in the morning. I trimmed it and admired it.

The decision to use a double layer of batting was good one. It really helps sections puff up when the quilting isn't too dense.

Bound and hanging sleeve added. I just need a short curtain rod so I can hang it. The more I look at it, the more I like it.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch
Hoffman Fabrics Hoffman Digital Dream Big 43'' Floral Panel (I didn't see a panel in the colors I have, but there are loads of options if you want to try one)
Creative Grids 6.5" x 24.5" Rectangle
Fiskars Rotary Cutter
Fiskars Self Healing Rotary Cutting Mat
BLACK+DECKER Classic Steam Iron
Grabbit Magnetic Pin Cushion
Fiskars 8-inch scissors
Juki TL-2010Q

Free-motion Quilting Books in my Library (affiliate links):
Free-Motion Quilting Idea Book: • 155 Mix & Match Designs • Bring 30 Fabulous Blocks to Life • Plus Plans for Sashing, Borders, Motifs & Allover Designs Spiral-bound 
Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: Choose & Use Quilting Designs on Modern Quilts
Beginner’s Guide to Free-Motion Quilting: 50+ Visual Tutorials to Get You Started • Professional-Quality Results on Your Home Machine
Shape by Shape Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: 70+ Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Shape by Shape, Collection 2: Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters - 70+ More Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Graffiti Quilting: A Simple Guide to Complex Designs (no longer available through Amazon but you can buy it directly from the designer)
Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts

Dream Big

Part 1

I've had this Dream Big panel for a while. I picked it up because it seemed everyone was doing it.

I found a piece of leftover backing fabric that was wide enough to user and I picked my threads. I wanted to blend the thread with the petals so I pulled seven different thread colors. 

I used a double layer of batting and basted the entire panel before beginning. I don't usually baste, finding I get a better result without basting. 

I started in the middle. 

If you look at all the different versions of this panel, both in color and quilting, you'll see so much variation. I looked at none of those while planning my quilt. I worked color by color, petal by petal, until I was done. 

I tried to use a different quilting motif on each petal. It wasn't easy, and I needed my stack of free-motion quilting books to get some inspiration. I'm breaking this post into two because it's just too many photos. Look for the second part next Wednesday.

Tools and supplies (affiliate links):
Fiskars Micro-Tip Scissors, 5 Inch
Hoffman Fabrics Hoffman Digital Dream Big 43'' Floral Panel (I didn't see a panel in the colors I have, but there are loads of options)

Books in my Library (affiliate links):
Free-Motion Quilting Idea Book: • 155 Mix & Match Designs • Bring 30 Fabulous Blocks to Life • Plus Plans for Sashing, Borders, Motifs & Allover Designs Spiral-bound 
Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: Choose & Use Quilting Designs on Modern Quilts
Beginner’s Guide to Free-Motion Quilting: 50+ Visual Tutorials to Get You Started • Professional-Quality Results on Your Home Machine
Shape by Shape Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters: 70+ Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Shape by Shape, Collection 2: Free-Motion Quilting with Angela Walters - 70+ More Designs for Blocks, Backgrounds & Borders
Graffiti Quilting: A Simple Guide to Complex Designs (no longer available through Amazon but you can buy it directly from the designer)
Quilting Modern: Techniques and Projects for Improvisational Quilts

2017 Quilt Finishes

I wanted to collect my finished objects for the year. I have included only quilt finishes in this post. I've only included projects I pieced and quilted.

January

In January I finished this quilt for a friend. It was a long trek to get it finished, but it was finished. You can learn more about this quilt in a post from January.

February

Hocus Pocus was a quilt I designed, pieced, and quilted in February. It was challenging but I think it turned out great. If I design another medallion quilt I will do things differently but that doesn't diminish my love for this quilt. You can learn more about this quilt in a post from February.

I also finished Vivid Pink in February. This was made using the graphic black and white print from a fabric challenge I thought I would participate in.

March

I finished this fun holiday print quilt in March. I have so many charm packs it is nice to get some of them off the shelves and into a quilt. I call this one Reindeer Games. You can learn more about this quilt in a post from March.

April

This is by far one of my favorite finishes of 2017. I call it you can't take the sky from me. If you are a Firefly fan, or even a Joss Whedon fan, you likely know what this means. You can learn more about this quilt in a post from April.

May
It seems I didn't finish a quilt in May. Perhaps I was too exhausted from the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival.

June

Countdown to Christmas was another finish this year. I'll get these holiday prints out of my studio in finished quilt form and vow to not buy any more. You can learn more about this quilt in a post from June.

July

In July I finished Increased By a quilt I designed using a vintage block to give to one of my high school friends on the occasion of her wedding. This project got in front of everything else for July, but I don't mind. You can learn more about this quilt in a post from July.

I also finished up Pieced Love in July. You can learn more about this quilt in a post from July.

August

In August I put together several of the Row by Row kits I picked up in California in July. They may not quite qualify as a quilt, but I did assemble several rows.

September

Sadly, I did not finish a quilt in September. I did get around to quilting my En Provence, though. You can learn more about this quilt in a post from September.

October

Early in October I finished this fun little quilt called Zombie Jamboree. You can learn more about this quilt in this post from October.

I also finished the Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt from last winter, En Provence. You can find more information in this post from October. Machine-finished binding is my friend.

November

In November, I finished two quilt tops. The first was this one using 1930s reproduction fabrics. You can find more information in this post from November.

The second was this great scrappy quilt I pieced during the Baltimore Modern Quilt Guild annual retreat. You can find more information in this post from November. And this one was finished in December.

December

Quilted and bound in December! You can learn more about this quilt in this post from December.

It seems I blogged about ten or eleven quilt finishes for the year. Still a respectable year. I'll be putting my 2018 list together over the holiday weekend. I'm sure I can be just as productive in 2018. I hope your 2017 was a good year filled with the things you enjoy doing. I hope next year is filled with joy.