Cotton & Color – Blog

What kind of quilt would you like to share with us?
The appliqué  ‘The 9 Cats’ (Les 9 Minouchats)

Why and for whom did you make it?
I made it for myself, because I adore cats and find their small faces very cute.

When did you start working on it and how long did it take to finish?
I started 2015 and it took me about 2-3 moths to finish.

Which detail do you like most about it?
All the different expressions in the faces of the cats (smiling, pouting…)

Which fabrics did you use for it?
Many different ones. I always tried to get the tone of the furs right.

How long have you been making patchwork?
about 7 years

Which experience during that time moved you the most?
My participation in “Vancouver Celebrates Pi Day 2015”

Any advice for beginners?
Do not hesitate to join a patchwork club. Patchwork veterans are ready to share their knowledge and experience.

For whom and why did you make this beautiful quilt?
For the children at Isaac’s House in Uganda (www.isaacshouse.org). I support a young girl in this small orphanage, which was founded by a friend of mine. I wanted the children to have something special made just for them. Something nice and colorful and which they could relate to.

When did you start and how long did it take for you to finish it?
I started “collecting” fabric and ideas in 2013 and it was delivered to the orphanage in November, 2015.

What do you like best about this quilt?
I liked that I could capture the African spirit with the carefully chosen bold colors and appropriate themes. It was something completely different for me but I enjoyed the challenge of designing and creating this quilt!

Which fabrics did you use?
Only cottons.

Since when are you into Patchwork and Quilting and what got you into it?
I was inspired while visiting a patchwork fair in Virginia, USA.

Which experience during your time as a quilter moved you the most?
Designing and creating a quilt to welcome my first grandchild

Any tips you want to give to beginners?
Be proud of your work and try not to worry about little mistakes…

For whom and why did you make it?
I made it for myself because it’s not a traditional Christmas motif.

When did you start and how long did it take for you to finish it?
I started the quilt in the end of April 2016 and I finished it in the end of June – 3 months in total.

What do you like best about this quilt?
the colours

Which fabrics did you use?
All fabrics are from Cotton & Color

Since when are you into Patchwork and Quilting and what got you into it?
I started with quilting 20 years ago, after taking part in a course.

Which experience as a quilter motivated you the most?
To work on one quilt over a long period of time while starting new projects on the side.

Any tips you want to give to beginners?
Good materials are a must. You invest a lot of time into a quilt, so also investing into quality always pays off!

For whom and why did you make it?
I made it for myself, it was an experiment.

When did you start and how long did it take for you to finish it?
I started this project in fall 2010 and, after several attempts, finished in spring 2013.

What do you like best about this quilt?
The replication of the original picture in general, the quilted boats and the applications.

Which fabrics did you use?
exclusively patchwork fabrics

Since when are you into Patchwork and Quilting and what got you into it?
In 1994 I became aware of patchwork through the fashion magazine “Burda”. Since then I have been quilting regularly.

Any tips you want to give to beginners?
A lot of desire, love, patience and a critical look for exact sewing are very important. You also have to undo something to get a good result.

Who did you make this quilt for?
One for me and one for my friends.

When did you start and how long did it take for you to finish it?
It took me about a year, because I found various imperfections which I had to correct.

What do you like best about this quilt?
the colors

Which fabrics did you use?
various batik fabrics

Since when are you into Patchwork and Quilting and what got you into it?
I am passionate about patchwork since about 5 years. The beautiful fabrics and colorful combinations inspire me again and again.

Which experience during your time as a quilter moved you the most?
I had to discover my limits.

Any tips you want to give to beginners?
Precision and undo, undo, undo, when you’re not 100% satisfied.

Why did you make this quilt?
I wanted a Christmas quilt that was not in the typical green and red colors. So I chose the Frivol Box from Moda, because I like this collection and the pattern. I fell in love with the tin box too!

How long did it take to finish the quilt?
It took me about two and a half months to finish.

What did you like best about making this quilt?
I love piecing, but I really struggle with the quilting. My machine is tiny and makes it difficult to handle large quilts.
I made no big mistakes while I assembled the pieces, but the disaster started, when I was quilting: I basted the quilt with safety pins. First I quilted without marking. It was soo bad, that I had to undo it. I decided to mark with the safety pins on the quilt. A difficult task! At the end the quilt turned out not perfectly square.
The nice part: I learned a lot & you can hardly see the mistakes!

Have you got a blog?
Yes, I regularly keep my readers up to date on my patchwork-blog: La Tassa Torta

What fabrics did you use?
I chose fabrics from Sweetwater ‘The cookie exchange’. It has a modern look and is not too ‘christmassy’ in a classical way.