Tuesday, August 22, 2017

SWAK quilt


Welcome to my stop on the Piece and Quilt with Precuts blog hop! There have been some pretty great quilts so far and a ton more coming. I was delighted that Christa asked me to join. Have you seen her new book yet? I highly recommend you get yourself a copy ASAP so you can make all of these quilts too! Stay tuned, there just might be a copy up for grabs at the end of this post.


All of the quilts in the book use precuts from charm packs up to fat quarters. As is turns out, I have fat quarters coming out my ears and the SWAK quilt was a great way to show off a few! I picked a bundle of Joel Dewberry's Wander to work with - choosing the prints that would best contrast from both of my background fabrics.


There were still quite a few prints left in the bundle so I used a few to make a scrappy binding and a few more to coordinate the back with the front. This pattern uses only 7 fat quarters to make all those X and O blocks which leaves me with more than enough to make a second quilt. That might be kind of neat - two of the same quilt with different colorways.


Christa has this quilt in the walking foot quilting section of the book but you know me, FMQ is my BFF, so I broke the rules and changed it up. I flipped through other sections of this book and The Ultimate Guide to Free Motion Quilting to get some ideas. In the end, I kept it simple but interesting by densely quilting back and forth in the background sections to flatten those and let the prints pop out a bit. Then the prints got a loose figure eight for a little texture and that was it. I posted a short FMQ video on Instagram if you'd like to see and a time lapse FMQ video as well.


Would you like to try making SWAK or one of the other quilts in the book? Leave me a comment about your favorite - or scariest! - part of free motion quilting. I'll draw a random winner at the end of the hop to win an e-copy of Piece and Quilt with Precuts. **Please make sure you include a way for me to contact you. And for those of you with scary tales to tell below, my advice is to practice, practice, practice!


Be sure to visit Sherry and Michelle to check out their SWAK quilts today and definitely hit up Christa's blog to keep up with the entire hop, win prizes galore (no seriously, so. many. prizes.), and purchase a signed copy.

Thanks for stopping by!

61 comments:

  1. Your SWAK quilt is beautiful! I think the scariest part of free motion quilting for me is deciding on a design. I have finished quilt tops that just sit because I get stuck at this point. My favorite part is when the quilt is totally finished and I can step back and admire the completed work.

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  2. Allison that looks great! FMQ for me is always lots of fun paired with panic. I have challenges maintaining consistent spacing and doing reverse images or shapes. I keep practicing and at the end when you stand back to look it's always better than I think it is during the quilting process. Thank you for sharing!

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  3. I quilt pretty much exclusively with my walking foot so for me the scariest part of FMQ is getting started! I keep saying I will practice it, but then revert back to my old ways. Your quilt is beautiful, and I would enjoy making it! Thanks for the great giveaway!

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  4. I think the scariest part of FMQ for me is making sure that all the stitches are the same length.

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  5. Allison that is a fun quilt! I love the motion you have provided. For me the scariest part is accurate repetition and finding ythe time fot practice, practice.

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  6. This turned out so great! I love how you reversed the light and dark backgrounds and the quilting is divine :-)

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  7. Your quilt turned out great. I always enjoy seeing how people quilt these quilts.

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  8. Your quilt turned out fantastic. I love the colors you've chosen!!

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  9. Your take on this quilt is lovely. The scariest part of free motion quilting to me is just getting started.

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  10. Love the colors in your quilt. The scariest part is decided what quilting design to use. Looking forward to seeing Christa's book since she gives quilting suggestions and how-to's.

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  11. I love your color combination for the SWAK quilt. For me, the FMQ challenge is speed, hand movements while figuring out which direction all at the same time. rozz01 at cox dot net

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  12. I'm still learning so it's not scary but often frustrating.

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  13. Love the texture your quilting adds. My scariest FMQ? I was custom quilting an extra-long king-sized quilt with a lot of FMQ feathers as filler in the negative space. Loved the quilt when it was finished, but also spent time in therapy for my shoulder. I have a bad shoulder to start with, and wrestling that monster into my throat space just exasperated the problem. Glad to say, I am back to my normal "hurt".

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  14. *Beautiful!* quilt, Allison!
    I love your color and fabric choices!
    I free motion quilt on my vintage (Singer 301) sewing machine... and I love it!
    The "scariest" thing about it for me, is deciding what to do, and then just starting. It always turns out better than I think it will, at the time of doing it!
    Pat T.

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  15. Love your quilt! My favorite part of FMQ is being able to make the machine go where I want it to go, even sideways. And speaking of sideways....I hate ripping out after I have gone too fast. So much to learn. The scariest part is deciding what to do and jumping in to do it!

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  16. The scariest part of FMQ is seeing where I'm going especially on a busy print, and getting stuck in a corner!

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  17. Great quilt. Scariest is coming up with designs.

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  18. LOVE YOUR QUILT! SO PRETTY! THANKS FOR SHARING!
    msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  19. The scariest part for me is choosing a design and worrying that I won't like it once I start. By the time I finish I'm telling myself that once again I should just trust my instincts and it will turn out fine.

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  20. I haven't done much FMQ but the scariest part for me is letting it run away with me and then having to unpick. More practice needed

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  21. I love wavy lines because they are quick and easy and go with just about everything. Freehand feathers seem scary -- or maybe just plain hard.

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  22. I haven't been quilting very long, and my introduction to free-motion was so rushed that I'm not very confident. I try to be thrifty with my sewing supplies so I'm scared to practice (sure don't want to waste/ruin any fabric). Too bad because I have lots of fun ideas! Tamara :)
    tamaraferguson(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  23. I would have to say the scariest part for me is choosing just the right design. I love your quilt!

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  24. FMQ is hard for me and so always scary. I have been practicing to make progress, however.

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  25. The scariest part for me (and I can see many others, too) is deciding on a design and getting started. I always want to try something new, but then get nervous and resort to stippling or a loopy design. It doesn't help that I'm usually trying to get something done at the last minute😊
    I love how your quilt turned out. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  26. Picking a Quilting design is scary for me and then to get even stitches. I am looking forward to even stitches and getting as good as Christa. Thanks for sharing your video.
    djcutting2(at)gmail(dot)com

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  27. I'm getting better at FMQ but the continuing scary part for me is deciding how to quilt whatever I'm working on. Your version of Christa's quilt is beautiful!

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  28. The scariest part of free motion quilting for me is when I try to make swoops and they turn out pointed. I definitely need to practice more. cknapp3626(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

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  29. I'm glad you shared more about your quick FMQ, it made me feel better about my own. I'm always afraid when I try a new pattern out and then decide halfway through a quilt to modify it, but the quilt police never come.

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  30. I am a real novice...so just doing FM quilting is scary! I love to quilt using my walking foot and am very pleased with my results!
    Ohioholman at aol dot com

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  31. I've spent the summer focusing on my free motion quilting, because a few months ago the scariest part about it was that I was terrified I'd ruin my quilts as soon as I started. I'm happy to say that through lots of practice (and Craftsy classes, and YouTube videos) I've overcome that fear! In fact, I entered a quilt that I did some newly-learned FMQ on at the fair this summer and won a blue ribbon! I love the way your S.W.A.K. came out -- it's beautifu!

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  32. I think the scariest part for me is getting started and then what design should I do? I love trying to FMQ and will keep trying and trying, because, after awhile, it starts to be fun!
    yoyopattycakes at Hotmail dot com

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  33. I love FMQ! The scariest part was just getting started. I made a lot of mug rugs and placemats to get my practice in.

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  34. I love FMQ, too! The hardest part is deciding on the design, but my favorite part is actually doing the quilting. I love seeing the quilt coming together.
    cecilialyoung(at)gmail.com

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  35. You did a great job with your quilting! I can never figure out which design to use for quilting my quilts, and then I'm afraid once I choose a design that it won't be the "best" design...always a challenge!!

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  36. I'm still new to FMQ so the scary part for me is not liking the design I choose and then having to pick it all out. Been there ... don't want to go there again. :-). Your quilt is beautiful.

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  37. The scariest aspect of FMQ is actually getting restarted after suffering much pain & agony the first few times. Relax is not in my nature but I've been working on that so want to get back to FMQ to see how it will go.

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  38. Your quilt has turned out lovely. I consider myself as new to quilting with the sewing machine and to fmq.... But the scariest time is the time ( read days) I keep lokning at the quilt and think " what if..." Or " could I do so."

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  39. Love your quilt & the quilting-very nice! Scariest part of FMQ is just getting started-but I will one day & yes I have been practicing! Thank you, Susan

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  40. Beautiful quilt!!! I am enjoying everyone's version of a pattern from the book each day!! The scariest part of FMQ is ruining a piece and destroying fabric!!

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  41. I am loving this hop and the patterns. I do not do free motion quilting - to afraid of ruining a piece!

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  42. I am hoping to improve my free motion skills. always afraid I'm going to zig when I should zag. Love your colors and placement in your quilt. Awesome!

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  43. I am new to FMQ. but I have been practicing. right now it looks like a second grader learning to do cursive, kinda all over the place and no continuity. LOL
    your quilt is gorgeous.
    quilting dash lady at Comcast dot net

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  44. I truly love everything about free motion quilting. It is my favorite part of the quilt making process. And even though I've been doing it for years, I am still learning new techniques and new fun designs! Thank you for the giveaway! tahoe34@mac.com

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  45. The scariest part for me is getting the quilt to move smoothly

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  46. I love your version of S.W.A.K., it is beautiful. The scariest part of free motion quilting to me is having control so the design looks good.

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  47. Scariest thoughts of FMQ. Breaking a needle, having nests on the back of the quilt, ruining my quilt.

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  48. I love FMQ! I'm always nervous to start, but once I've found a rhythm, it is so much fun! Thanks for the opportunity! ecboeringa@gmail.com

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  49. It's tough to make that first start, but once you're in rhythm, all is good.

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  50. Hi Allison...while using my FMQ foot for the first time my glove got in my way and well it's stitched to the quilt:) Not fun ripping out all those tight stitches. Haven't tried it since.
    I'm hooked on Christa's walking foot quilitng and that pretty much all I use. Thank you for sharing S.W.A.K
    schimmel(dot)db(at)gmail(dot)com

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  51. Lovely version of the quilt pattern.
    The scariest part of FMQ for me? Getting up the courage to even start.

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  52. I mostly SID and do grid work or sometimes a big wavy line with the walking foot. When I try to FMQ my shoulders tighten and rise up to party with my earlobes. My hands grip the quilt top as if it was going to leap off the sewing machine. I hum the Blue Danube Waltz to bring serenity and calm, but it does nothing for me. So discouraging.

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  53. The scariest part of free motion is getting started - reading blogs, google searching, checking out books and finally think I'm ready to jump into free motion quilting!

    Maybe....

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  54. Love this quilt! The scariest part for me is planning out what I'm going to do. Or maybe, moving around the entire quilt. Or...maybe pretty much any part of FMQ... I'm a total newbie!

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  55. Great quilt Allison! I especially love the "border"!

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  56. The scariest part of free motion is the first stitch. Each time gets easier as I give myself permission to not be perfect. That imperfection adds to the interest and story of the quilt.

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  57. I've never done free motion but you make me want to try.

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  58. I don't have a scary FMQ story because I'm too scared to try it.

    hijoffeATgmailDOTcom

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  59. your quilt is great!
    I find it hard to keep my stitches even when I FMQ!

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