Gran Flakes
May 9th, 2012
Last February the Portland Modern Quilt Guild had a very special visitor - Kathy Miller of Michael Miller Fabrics. It was a fun and so very interesting evening, but nothing could top the excitement when Kathy handed out color cards of Michael Miller’s dreamy new Cotton Couture solids to everyone. It was definitely an Oprah handing-out-keys-to-new-cars moment. A color card for you, and a color card for you…
We also learned that Michale Miller Fabrics chose our guild to participate in a block challenge, and the winning blocks would be made into a quilt and displayed in the Michael Miller booth at Quilt Market (next week!). Oh boy, I don’t think Kathy knew what she got herself into. I don’t know how she is going to pick winning blocks - when they are ALL winning blocks. HOLY SQUIRREL NUTS, they’re all so amazing! Edited in: the selected blocks and quilt.
I love how the blocks look against the white brick wall.
Each block could easily be a full size quilt version of itself.
This is my block. I had no idea what to do or what direction to go in… so I went in all directions. I don’t know how I feel about it, kinda meh, but it was fun to drive to the fork in the road and take all the roads at once.
I fell in instant love with the new Cotton Couture. The colors are super saturated eye candy, and the fabric feels like little heavenly clouds of cotton that angels farted out. Poof. So much for any hope of me becoming a Michael Miller copywriter. But seriously, Cotton Couture is so dreamy, and now that I’ve sewn with it - it feels like I’ve flown first class, and I can never go back to coach.
I harvested all my leftover scraps, tiny little flakes of cotton happiness just begging me (in a Kool-aid pitcher man voice) to be used. In a granny kind of way. Fiber filled Gran Flakes. Oh yeah.
I’m seeing the grannies all over, and just loving seeing them. I know there are different methods being used, but I have a thing about bias edges - so I made my sides with 3″ quarter-squares and 2″ half-squares for the corners. The center squares were cut at 1½”. It’s a little over-kill on the sides and corners, but I like having room to square-up and trim. Kinda like wearing an elastic waist-band skirt when going to the Cheesecake Factory for dinner.
Simple sashing and auditioning floss. Mmmm, any excuse to use Cosmo.
Some hand quilting.
Two things I love doing - hand quilting and big stitch embroidery quilting. Edited in: I use two stands of Cosmo floss and a Piecemaker embroidery needle. Even though an embroidery needle feels like a quilting needle from Land of The Giants, I do use the same rocking method to quilt as if it’s thread. It just somehow works.
I love quilting so much, that I get a little sad when I’m just about to finish a quilt.
Bam. Snuck in some Happy Mochi Yum Yum, and I love that it does not even come close to matching or go together.
Posted in Quilty n Crafty, I Heart Oregon |
Farting around with needle & thread and then blogging about it.
Your quilt is gorgeous. I just love the embroidery quilting.
May 9th, 2012I just love your solid granny squares they are fabulous!!!
May 10th, 2012Hahaha, just love your Gran flakes! and your description of the fabric production was priceless. Still smiling! Seriously though, they came out superbly! I can see the draw for the Cotton Couture :D
May 10th, 2012Gorgeous! I love your quilting!!
May 10th, 2012The guild blocks are awesome! I love the finished top.
May 10th, 2012Your Granny Squares are beautiful and the hand quilting is perfect.
Love your quilt and those modern blocks are fab. May have to try that big stitch embroidery on a couple of quilts.
May 10th, 2012Love all the blocks!! The finished quilt is fantastic too. But oh how I love what you did with the scraps, just fabulous!!
May 10th, 2012Wow. All the blocks are incredible, and I love your mini granny’s!
May 10th, 2012Great quilt Monica! Love the Grannie Square and your embroidery. Looks like Sashiko Granny to me!
May 10th, 2012Love your Granny Squares quilt! The colors are beautiful and the quilting is perfect!!
May 10th, 2012{Swoon}!!! It’s Fabulous! You have the best way with colors — and whaddya mean the back doesn’t match — I think they’re fabulous together! Are you going to put anything in those little sashing intersections? Of leave them beautifully plain???
May 10th, 2012I love your granny squares quilt and your choice of quilting it. Beautiful!
May 10th, 2012Love the Granny Squares! Your quilting adds so much to it. I think that I am the only person left on this planet that still hasn’t made any. It is on my list, but I am waiting for the time fairy to show up and grant me a wish!
May 10th, 2012What an awesome mini!!! I’m in love! Question - How many strands of thread do you use when you handquilt? Yours looks perfect!
May 10th, 2012Wow, some amazing blocks, I think I love them all! And I’m totally loving your little granny blocks, the hand quilting is perfect
May 10th, 2012That quilt is awesome, love love it.
May 10th, 2012You know, we are having a new baby soon and it’s room is going to be just those colors. Please feel free to send that lovely little quilt right along to me! :-P~~~~
May 10th, 2012Those blocks are super fabulous- you are a talented bunch there.
May 10th, 2012Love you quilt too. I’m machine quilting a granny square quilt currently and am now wishing I had done some hand stithing on it instead. It’s so big though, I’m certain I wouldn’t have had the patience. Maybe a mini granny square quilt is in my future. LOVE what you did with yours!!!
a few things…
1. quilters are so easy to please! i love that you compared the handing out of color cards to oprah. we don’t need no stinkin’ car or a trip to australia! just give us a color card, and we’re happy!
2. i love your block. i loved it when i first saw it. i think we’re always more critical of our own work, and that’s why you’re “meh” about it. because it’s awesome.
3. i LOVE the quilt top! amazing. the PMQG is a talented group of people!
4. LOVE your granny squares and the handquilting and everything about it.
May 10th, 2012Sigh….I think I am in love.
May 10th, 2012I am using every ounce of restraint to not curse in my comment…So I will just say… My…Goodness!…that is a nice…quilt! The hand quilting is…awesome.
May 10th, 2012It’s great seeing all our blocks from PMQG! They are are so gorgeous (especially yours and mine ~ teehee).
May 10th, 2012I’ve been wanting to make a Granny Squares top and seeing yours makes me want to do it even more! It’s fab!
Dear Zombie, thank you for solving one of lifes great mysteries, angel farts. I can now strike that from my list of questions for God :)
May 10th, 2012Tried Cosmo for the first time last week, OMH! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN FOR THE PAST 30 YEARS!
And last, but certainly not least, everything you stitch is just heavenly, like angel farts.
Ooh, everything about your mini is wonderful. And I think the happy mochi goes very well! You have my address, right? ;)
May 10th, 2012Wow! I can see why they chose your guild. You have an amazing bunch of talent there.
May 10th, 2012Gosh Girl…I got stuck at ‘holy squirrel nuts’…beautiful post tho!
May 10th, 2012i see that your block made it into the quilt and i am soo glad because i love it so much! it is like a mini sampler. i also looove your grannies. i love your hand stitching and i need to get a here marker. i hear they are the best ever!
May 10th, 2012Seriously? Color cards, angel farts and that lovely hand stitching. Imma have to go lie down for a bit, I’m feeling a bit weak in the knees!
May 10th, 2012I love this quilt MSS!! It is super duper slick. And the hand quilting is just the ticket! You are so inspiring!!! xo Pam in Chico
May 10th, 2012“Little heavenly clouds of cotton that angels farted out”! This has to be the quote of the year!
May 10th, 2012Your quilt is gorgeous!
Love your little quilt! Simply love it!
May 10th, 2012Damn, I want to move to Portland and join your group. Inquiring
May 10th, 2012minds want to know how many strands of Cosmo do you use for quilting and what needle size?
That’s beautiful, Monica! I haven’t been a huge fan of the granny square blocks up until now, but you’ve totally changed my mind. I might need a little hand quilting lesson from you at the next all day sew, it’s so pretty! :)
May 10th, 2012Monica, Happy Mochi Yum Yum goes with everything! I love your little granny square quilt. You want to give it to me, right? :)
May 10th, 2012OH my goodness - that is one damn awesome quilt! I love love love love love love love it. Oh did I say I love it? I really do. I’m pinning it right now. I hardly ever sew with solids cause I’m a little intimidated by them but your little gem just might convince me to give them a go. Love you my friend.
May 10th, 2012I LOVE your Kool Aid Granny Square quilt. And the hand quilting is just perfection! I may just have to make a Granny Square in solids now after seeing how great yours looks!
May 10th, 2012That is a rockstar gran in my opinion. Love the new solids, they look great!
May 10th, 2012What totally amazing blocks! Can’t wait to see you…better be in KC!
May 10th, 2012I got hooked up with a generous amount of cotton couture to play with and totally agree with you. It is divine! Love all the mod blocks but your granny squares quilt is such a smiley happy thing!
May 10th, 2012Wow!! The mini Grannies & your hand quilting are amazing! Such rich colors.
May 10th, 2012Love the block but the Granny square has me tearing up with envy…the colors, the pattern and the stitching..omg. And color cards, I can hardly stand it!
May 10th, 2012That is just ‘gran’tastic! I am loving all the saturation out there. Except in my backyard.
May 10th, 2012Your quilting is just divine!
GASP !!! Love them ….. all of them …. all of those blocks …. every single one of them ! AND your leftovers made into that hip Granny quilt ….. PERFECTION !!!! ESPECIALLY the BIG STITCH hand quilting with floss !!!! I am SUCH a fan of big stitch quilting …. mostly because I can’t do little stitch quilting …. but also cause I LOVE the way it looks !!!! :)
May 10th, 2012Now I know it’s actually made from angel farts, I’m going to need me some cotton couture :o)
May 10th, 2012Well that was a treat all those yummy pictures….I didn’t want your blog post to end. Love the quilting with floss….it adds so much to this simple block.
Happy Sewing and Happy Mother’s Day
May 11th, 2012Why am I so late to see everything? I love all those wonderful blocks. Love yours, is it in the quilt? Anyway, I’m with you on the granny’s, I made mine with the proper triangles, I can’t help it. Your quilt is darling, I need to finish mine up! xo
May 11th, 2012Well that’s a cute little granny quilt, you know my birthday is while we’re in Sisters for the quilt show, you can just wrap it up and give it to me then :) Your Cotton Couture block is all cozied up next to mine in that quilt. They kind of love each other.
May 11th, 2012I always say the same thing, cuz it’s always true…I..love…it! :) I love the colors. I love the stitching. I love the tinyness. :)
May 11th, 2012Love your granny! and her back side! Do I hear a little snicker?! (ya’know I just had to word it that way!)
May 11th, 2012To quote a friend, “I think I just peed a little bit…” Sheesh! I am in awe… You made my day!
May 11th, 2012Drooling here over all those great blocks! Yours looks terrific. The fiber gran flakes are looking pretty yummy and there’s no way you can convince me that your Yum Yum fabric DOESN’T go with them! Wonderful big stitch quilting!
May 12th, 2012Will someone please hold me while a weep at the beauty of these Granny Flakes?
May 12th, 2012Monica! I love your little gran flakes quilt! The quilting is perfection. And I thought it was so funny that your block is the one my eye was drawn to in the first photos and then to find out it’s yours is too funny to me!
May 12th, 2012I just Love the stitching you have done around those tiny blocks… super cute and so neat. Lots like delicious eye candy!!
May 13th, 2012Love, love your quilting with floss. It really highlights the blocks! Jeana Kimball - the needle making woman - uses longer needles for her hand quilting too and boy she does lovely hand quilting so I think you’re on the right track with your needles.
May 13th, 2012I love that your block is like a quilt sampler in itself!
May 14th, 2012I love your quilting on this. It’s my fave of the moment too! Think I might have to copy cat you. Thanks for the beautiful idea.
May 15th, 2012That little quilt is one of the most fabulous things I’ve seen!
May 22nd, 2012And I love all the modern blocks, including yours!
Love the quilting on this - thank you for sharing how to do it! I love the richness of the colors on yours - so bright and happy!!!!! And - I think you should write for fabric companies - bahahahahaha… you crack me up! I hadn’t heard of that cotton and now I am dying to try it!
May 24th, 2012Oh my goodness. Beautiful. I’m so behind on all things Monica :( It’s so nice to catch up on all of the gorgeous things you’ve been creating! I love this quilt! And Pac Man?! I just died. The new gnoma clauses?! My dead body just exploded. Toilet seat cover head?! Brilliant. It’s all too much. I need to finish my Holiday Happy version 1.0 project so I can get some of the new stuff! I need to go rest now… xoxomf
May 31st, 2012I completely missed this post, I think. Just wanted to say your granny flakes is so utterly adorable and I love that you hand quilted it in floss. It’s so worth it on small projects like that - just takes the sweet factor to 10!
June 27th, 2012Beautiful quilt, and the hand quilting is gorgeous!
June 12th, 2013