Do you have a favorite quilt? Is it always the last quilt you made? For me it’s not always the last one completed. Sometimes I love the last one just because I have completed it. The favorite ones makes you smile every time you see it. It makes your heart happy! To qualify as a favorite it has to meet a few criteria. 1 – I must enjoy making it. 2 – The whole process was rewarding. 3 – I love the end result.

Curvy Cutie started as a log cabin quilt. The Bainbridge Island Quilt Guild had a log cabin mini quilt challenge. I started playing with the idea using some scraps of Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt. Along the way I saw a post on Instagram for Jen Carlton Bailley (Bettycrackerass) showing her curve templates. Inspiration struck at 5 am one morning so I ordered the templates. I remember being excited, like a child waiting for the templates to arrive in the mail. In the mean time another idea hit me for the mini quilt challenge but once the templates arrived I couldn’t wait to start cutting.

The templates arrived and I was off and running. My log cabin block became 1/4 circles and I was in love! Right away I knew I would keep the log cabin inspired blocks to a minimum with the back ground light, yet scrappy. I love the shapes created when the 1/4 circle is light colored with the pattern on the the outer edge.

This is the first quilt I have made that I sketched on paper. I knew where I wanted to go but was not sure of the process to get there. One day at work sitting in a LaZBoy recliner (I was testing it for my job) I started drawing out the quilt blocks. Then I grabbed a piece of graph paper from my desk to get more detailed and precise. You see, I am not precise when it comes to quilting. I am of the mid set you just grab fabric and do it! The curved design needed a thoughtful layout. Work was slow that day so I sketched.

As I played with the layout during work hours I made blocks in the morning and evening. Some were low volume and others used patterned fabric.

The process from start to finish was enjoyable. I was excited to see what each block would add to the design. To me the back ground was just as inspiring as the patterned blocks. I explored using different sized cures along with some plain squares and rectangles. Those are the resting place for your eyes. The spot where you can stop, then move on to take in the other shapes and colors.

The quilting process is all free motion. 9 times out of 10 that’s my go to. Even for staight line quilting. I can move faster and accomplish more when using free motion.

The back is simple using some of my favorite Flea Market Fancy fabrics on the back. I kept the binding simple as well so It doesn’t fight with the body of the quilt but I couldn’t resist throwing in a pop of playful color on the side.

Enjoy the process! Quilt what you love.

Happy sewing! ~Diana