flowers for the window

Sep14

As you know, I am a big fan of Elizabeth Hartman and here playful quilt designs and clearly written patterns. This time I have been working with her Greenhouse Quilt pattern. I have made only a small quilt to cover the (ugly) shutter box over the window in the spare room.

greenhouse for window 1 - skalabara quilts

Since I have made some new cushion covers for the spare room and also got some new curtains, the old shutter cover would look a bit funny. It was in black and white with birds sitting on a branch – all in applique. Well, it matched the old curtains.

The Greenhouse Quilt pattern is written straight forward and is easy to follow. The “worst” part was to decide on a color palette. I used the same fabrics as for the cushions – so this was easy – various hues from Kona Solids by Robert Kaufmann. Here photos of the flowers in detail :

greenhouse for window detail 2 - skalabara quilts

greenhouse for window detail 1 - skalabara quilts

I added a sleeve on the back to hang the quilt on a curtain pole. I have sewn the top part of the sleeve with the binding, the lower part of the sleeve is finished by hand.

greenhouse for window back 3 - skalabara quilts

Once more wavy quilting with the walking foot – the “easy” free-motion quilting version. I have added binding in the same fabric as used for the background. The backing fabric is calico from IKEA – a good price/quality purchase.

greenhouse for window back 2 - skalabara quilts

I have followed the small Greenhouse Quilt pattern version to piece the flowers, but made some adjustments to the size of the quilt – added more fabric to the left and right of the flowers and less fabric on the top and bottom of the flowers.

greenhouse for window 3 - skalabara quilts

And the quilt “in action” :

greenhouse in window - skalabara quilts

quilt size : 16″ x 54″ / block sizes vary : 6″ x 11″ – 15″

wadding : Quilters Dream Request – very thin

quilting thread : Mettler Quilting Cotton col. nat 4

Linking with :

Modern Patch Monday @ Modern Cologne Quilters
Let’s Bee Social @ Sew Fresh Quilts
Midweek Makers @ Quilt Fabrication
Needle and Thread Thursday @ My Quilt Infatuation

Happy quilting! barbora flower small skalabara quilts

neutrals with a colour touch

Aug4

Since we have changed the couch upholstery fabric from burgundy to a neutral beige/grey shade, I have made some new cushion covers for the lounge. Up to now I have hardly worked with neutrals (because I think they are boring). But maybe now was the right time for some change.

I wasn’t sure about the neutral colours, but I was lucky to find some beautiful Bella Solids in Flax and Etching Slates in my local store.

cushion cover hourglass 2x 1 - skalabara quilts

cushion cover hourglass 2x 2 - skalabara quilts

These two shades were the base for the cushion covers. As I made the hourglass blocks, I thought that I should add some colours to them. Only neutral colors didn’t feel right. So I got out my Kona Cotton Collection fabrics and started to look for some eye-catching colours.

cushion cover hourglass 1 - skalabara quilts

cushion cover hourglass 3 - skalabara quilts

I made two cushion cover designs – one entirely with hourglass blocks and the other with adding borders to the hourglass blocks in the center. Quilted and sewn them together to make two cushion covers that are quilted on both sides.

cushion cover hourglass 4 - skalabara quilts

cushion cover hourglass 2 - skalabara quilts

Closure is with zipper on the bottom:

cushion cover hourglass zipper - skalabara quilts

Quilted with Gütermann Sulky Cotton 30 thread using the walking foot in straight lines copying the hourglass block pattern.

cushion cover hourglass detail 1 - skalabara quilts

Happy quilting, barbora flower small skalabara quilts

the little cockatoo

Jun15

Earlier this year we have painted the living room and when I took down the pictures from the walls, I decided that not all of them are going back. Reading a magazine I came over some wonderful bird photos by Leila Jeffreys. I thought this was a perfect idea how to re-decorate a lounge wall! I bought 2 cockatoo photos on Etsy, got them printed and framed. When I was looking for other paper piecing blocks, I found the matching motif : cockatoo paper piecing block by Quiet Play .

cockatoo cushion cover - skalabara quilts Both the front with the cockatoo block as well as the back of the cushion cover are quilted using the walking foot and Gütermann Sulky Cotton 30 thread.

cockatoo cushion cover back- skalabara quilts Size : 16″ x 16″ / 40 x 40 cm – a standard inlet cushion size. Quilting details of the cockatoo and the cushion cover backing :

cockatoo cushion cover detail quilting - skalabara quilts

cockatoo cushion cover back quilting - skalabara quilts I have finished this cushion cover with a zipper on the bottom :

cockatoo cushion cover zipper- skalabara quilts

Happy quilting,

barbora flower small skalabara quilts

unicorn cushion cover

May25

Paper piecing is the next adventure on my quilting journey. I have made a few small projects some time ago with this technique and I was not really keen on it. But when I wanted to make a cushion cover with a unicorn block, there was no way around, but to start once more with paper piecing.

unicorn cushion cover for kate 1 - skalabara

The cushion cover is for Kate and I have used the same fabrics as for the previous cushion covers and the Magenta and Golden Flowers Quilt. The background fabric is magenta from the linen texture collection by Makower UK and the prints are diverse fabrics from Kaffe Fassett Collective.

unicorn cushion cover for kate detail - skalabara quilts

The pattern is from Unicornharts shop at Craftsy.

I have quilted the unicorn cushion cover using the walking foot and Gutermann Sulky Cotton No. 30 thread in straight lines, both on the front as well as on the back.

unicorn cushion cover for kate back - skalabara quilts

unicorn cushion cover for kate - skalabara quilts

Size : 20″ x 20″ / 50 x 50 cm – for a standard inlet cushion size

By the time I have made the unicorn paper pieced block I started to like this sewing technique and I got confident with it. So I knew that I shall continue with paper piecing. The next project was already on my list … – more in my next post.

Happy quilting,

barbora flower small skalabara quilts

cushion covers for kate

May17

Last year I have made a quilt with Kaffe Fassett fabrics – see here. This quilt was donated, as a few more of my quilts to the Easy Horse Care Rescue Center. All procedures go to this charity organisation that takes care of abandoned horses and donkeys not only in our area, but also through entire Spain. Please take a moment and visit the website.

I had some flower panels left on the shelf and I thought it would be a good idea to make some matching cushion covers for Kate, as she has acquired the Magenta and Golden Flowers Quilt.

cushion covers for kate - skalabara

All the cushion covers I have made up till now, did not have a quilted back. But I have decided, that a nicely quilted front needs also a nicely quilted back. So from now on I am quilting both sides of the cushion covers.

cushion covers for kate front and back - skalabara

Using my favorite walking foot and Gutermann Sulky Cotton No. 30 thread I have quilted the cushion covers in straight lines :

17 cu kaffe detail 1

17 cu kaffe 2

As both sides of the cushion covers are quilted, I have inserted the zipper on the bottom of the cushion cover. I have found this great tutorial at VENI VIDI VICKY Quilts website – here a big thank you Vicky for sharing – and followed the instructions :

cushion covers for kate zipper 1 - skalabara