Right before Christmas, when I should have been finishing up all of the projects I had already started, I walked into Gathering Fabric, the cute little quilt shop in Woodinville, and purchased a kit! So what's so strange about that? Quilters are infamous for having anywhere between ten and 20 projects in the works at any given time...but I never buy kits. Never. They are too restrictive! I like to make my own quilts - in other words, sew outside of the lines and when you buy a kit, cute as it may be, you have to follow the pattern exactly or you'll run out of fabric. So I bought a kit, and it was right before Christmas and I had a million other things to do...but I couldn't help myself. When I walked in the door of Gathering Fabric, I was gobsmacked by just how darling the shop was...it had been a while since I'd been there. It's small and cozy and there isn't a ginormous selection of fabrics but what it lacks in size and selection it makes up for in creativity and style...it's a real quilt shop! For you Seattle folks, if you haven't been there lately, please pop in - Susan, the owner, will welcome you with a smile and you'll be surprised at all of the wonderful things her shop has to offer.
See? I told you it was cute! For the last several months our quilt group has been making gift blocks...so when I saw this the light bulb in my head burned a bit brighter! Another way to use a gift block in a quilt - and so easy! (Click here to see my gift block tutorial.)
This was a gift for my niece Gabby, who got married last March. Since she is a newlywed, she doesn't have a lot of Christmas decorations and this is something she can pull out every year. The gift block in the center is not pieced, it's machine appliqued on! I suppose it was easier that way but you could easily piece it, which is what I'll do when I make another one...yes, it's already in the works! Christmas is over but now it's time to get going on gifts for next Christmas! The quilt measure 48-inches square, perfect to hang on a wall, or to cover cold toes on a winter's night.
This is made with Riley Blake fabric and the pattern is by Riley Blake Designs, it's called Wrapped Up In You. Perfect, no?
Merry Christmas Gabby and Mike!
