enJOY it

an archived personal and craft blog from Elise Blaha Cripe.

Quilt

Oh man, I am so addicted to making quilts. I have more quilt ideas than there are days in the year. Every single one I make is my favorite. But this one. THIS ONE. This one is the magic one. The favorite that might last forever.

Quilt3

That color scheme? It was totally inspired by a photo of an outfit. A watermelon colored top and an eggplant colored bottom. I was SOLD. Totally sold. I went to Jo-anns and they didn't have any fabrics that came close to the "right" colors that I was looking for. So I stopped by my local quilt store and almost died at their gorgeous solid color cottons. Seriously, so pretty. It took me about five minutes to find the six shades that I knew would capture the magic I was looking for.

Quilt

I turned my fabric into equilateral triangles that were six inches tall and then sewed and sewed until I had strips and sewed some more until I had a 44×60 rectangle. And then, this quilt top sat for over a month as I looked for a back and binding fabric that did it justice. It was tricky work to try and match the perfection of the top colors.

Quilt2

But on Friday, I headed back to the quilt store, this time determined not to leave until I found something that made sense. And really, what made the most sense was keeping it simple. I feared a patterned back or binding might ruin it so I went with a coral and dark red. I think the stitching adds enough pattern and I am happy with the diamond effect.

Quilt4

This weekend was a flurry of activity until finally, a quilt, a gorgeous triangle quilt was born. This quilt will always and forever remind me of autumn 2012. And the circus. Something about the stacked triangles gives off a circus-y vibe to me.

Quilt5

I have just one more "gift quilt" to complete by Christmas and then I can figure out what's next for my little sewing machine. Questions about this quilt? Ask in the comments and I'll answer them there. And be sure to check out this tutorial for a similar quilting how-to.

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56 responses to “my newest quilt.”

  1. Rachel (Two Healthy Plates) Avatar

    The quilt is beautiful – I love the colors! I’m hoping to make one for the first time this winter after the holidays are over.

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  2. karin hope Avatar
    karin hope

    Totally agree, this one is magic! (but you already know I feel that way, I want it 🙂 Great picks for the back and binding, they fit the aesthetic of the triangles amazingly!

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  3. Melissa D Avatar
    Melissa D

    What sewing machine do you have? What would you recommend for a beginner? (I’m crafty, but don’t have a machine yet.)

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  4. Leah Buckley Avatar

    so lovely. I’m also very impressed with your restraint! I love the look of all-solids quilts but every time I try to make one, I end up with a bunch of patterns sneaking in there. I don’t think I’d have been able to resist the lure of a huge pattern on the back, but I love the way this looks so much.

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  5. sarah @ sarah learns Avatar

    ever since i saw your first quilt (of the ones you’ve been doing recently), i have been bugging my husband for a sewing machine! now i want one even more! i’ve been giving in to my crafty side more lately (not sure why i was stifling it for so long…) and i think sewing projects might be next on the list!

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  6. Debie Grace Avatar

    The color scheme! So lovely 😀 And it looks very comfortable!!

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  7. Amanda Avatar

    This is so gorgeous!
    If you don’t mind me asking, how much (yardage) of each color did you pick up? I’m looking to do a similar triangle quilt but I’ve never made one before.

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  8. Amber Lee Avatar

    Love it! Ah solids… So pretty, so many colors. Just wait you my need a color card soon…. And then you’re really in trouble 🙂

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  9. Mindy Avatar
    Mindy

    wowza! you made that quilt on that little sewing machine?? i just took a sewing class & she had us convinced that singer was not that great (singer company does not own singer anymore) and that cheaper machine were not that great. she wasn’t try to sell us one, but… so do you love your machine? i love love love your quilts!!

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  10. Amanda Avatar

    I agree, it makes me think of the circus. The first time I saw a photo, I actually thought, “The Night Circus!” even though it’s not black and white. I love it, Elise!

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  11. Tashia D Avatar

    It’s beautiful! Love the triangles!

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  12. Wendy N Avatar

    It’s gorgeous!! I love the color scheme, great job!

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  13. Sarah Starr Avatar

    Just beautiful Elise, well done! 🙂

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  14. Brandi Avatar

    love it love it love it!! i keep telling my husband that i want to make a quilt and of course he thinks i’ve bumped my head. the way you just dived headfirst into quilting is so inspiring. do you recommend starting out with a rectangular quilt (similar to your first one) for beginners or would you say it’s safe to dive into a triangle one first?

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  15. Kat G. Avatar

    Super cute! I’m sending a link to my MIL, who’s been quilting up a storm.

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  16. Bridie P. Avatar

    This is gorgeous! Great work! I need to get into this whole quilting movement 🙂

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  17. Carla Avatar

    Oh man! This is gorgeous! I’ve been avoiding quilting because the last thing I need is another project. This may have just changed my mind, fab!

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  18. Freckled Fawn Avatar

    beautiful. beautiful.

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  19. Lindsay Overbey Avatar

    It is gorgeous!!! I hope I finish mine sooner than later 🙂 I think I need to cut more triangles to make it bigger. Thanks for sharing what size yours is. ♥

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  20. Karen Avatar
    Karen

    It’s so pretty! I love it!

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  21. -Michelle Avatar

    Heya EB – I was reading a couple other blogs written by newly married chicks the other day when it struck me – Paul does not have any of his own decorative elements? I am thinking of the girl who had to hang a couple of framed sports jerseys in her living room bc they were her husband’s and he wanted them up. And the other woman who had some posters of her husband’s favorite comic book characters and a lot of Batman stuff around.
    In fact when my best friend got married (waaaaay back in 1991) she moved in to her husband’s apartment which was already decorated… in STAR TREK. She had to live with it until they bought a house many years later.
    So, Paul doesn’t have anything? And, he is ok with a giant pink and purple quilt for the bed?

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  22. Jessica B Avatar

    It is beautiful!

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  23. elise blaha Avatar

    He does not have much – certainly no jerseys. And so much of our art is stuff I make that is personal to both of us. I would NEVER describe my style as overly feminine and he is happy with what I decide to hang and the colors I bring into the house. This quilt is not for our bed though. It is 44×60 – so really not that big at all and will going on the couch with another blue and green quilt.

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  24. elise blaha Avatar

    I think it depends on what you want. If you want two quilts, start with a square or rectangle one. If you really just want a triangle one, do not waste time on the first one. My very first quilt was cut by hand (not measured) and did not line up perfectly. It was a good one to start on, but if you do not like the look of it, definitely go for triangles. 🙂

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  25. elise blaha Avatar

    Yep. I love my sewing machine SO MUCH. It you look closely though this quilt it FAR from perfect – my lines are a bit crooked and my stitches vary from tiny to longer. I am sure legit quilters (like your teacher) would panic to see my stitching, but for me, it works great! Not trying to win any awards or sell these quilts. 🙂

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  26. elise blaha Avatar

    1/2 yard of each color for the front. 1/2 yard for the binding and 1.5 yards for the back. 🙂

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  27. elise blaha Avatar

    I have a singer esteem II – link at the end of this post.

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  28. Mindy Avatar
    Mindy

    they look pretty perfect to me 🙂 anyways…as a complete beginner i’m not worried about perfection. can’t wait to try!

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  29. Skye Avatar

    I love it! You are so good at quilting! It’s also great to hear that you can do it with an affordable sewing machine. 🙂

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  30. Linda Avatar
    Linda

    So you will have his and hers quilts. I love it

    Like

  31. Mel Avatar

    Several questions:
    — How much thread do you typically go through for a quilt this size (and for a queen-sized quilt as well)?
    — Any tips for binding? Do you hand sew the binding on or use your machine?
    — How much fabric did you use for this particular sized quilt?
    I think that’s all for now! Thanks for letting me pick your brain 🙂

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  32. Katie Avatar

    I’m in love with the triangles and the colors! Inspired!

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  33. Becky B Avatar
    Becky B

    Beautiful quilt! I love the colors, it looks gorgeous.

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  34. kristen Avatar

    Oh man, SO PRETTY!! This is my favorite of yours yet!

    Like

  35. Sarah Avatar
    Sarah

    Having just been gifted an heirloom quilt after the birth of my second daughter, I can totally see this quilt one day being passed down, too. And the recipient, like me, will be stoked. Beautiful!

    Like

  36. Danielle Calvert Avatar

    This is my favorite by far of the quilts you’ve shown us! I absolutely love the colors! I might just have to try to make one next year. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  37. elise blaha Avatar

    hey! about 3.5 spools of 100m thread for these ones. More for a queen size.. maybe 5 spools? I never kept track. I sew the binding on with my machine and then fold it over and stitch it into place by hand (I use a special hand-quilting thread for that and it does not take too much). At the bottom of the post, I linked to a tutorial that will share more details about the binding. Hope it helps. 🙂 elise

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  38. Kendra Avatar

    WOW – love love love it.

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  39. Amy Avatar

    I love, love, love this! I love the colors and the triangles! I want to make a quilt but I’m afraid something like this may be too ambitious for my first try.

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  40. smitha Avatar

    In COMPLETE LOVE with these colors!! LOVE 🙂

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  41. CarlyMaria Avatar

    you continue to inspire! I’m blown away by what you’ve created. I need to remember to stick with more solids. SO beautiful! 🙂

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  42. J3SS1C4 Avatar

    I love the colours and pattern of this one! It turned out really well!

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  43. Laura Avatar
    Laura

    what yardage would be needed to make this as a king with diamonds instead of triangles

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  44. elise blaha Avatar

    I do not know for sure! This quilt was 44×60 and took three yards for the top.

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  45. sophie Avatar

    fantastic colors! can’t wait to see what’s up next.

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  46. Tracy Avatar
    Tracy

    Just beautiful! : )

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  47. Mere Avatar

    I love your quilts so much! It is really inspiring to watch you sew these.

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  48. Amy Avatar
    Amy

    I want to make this quilt! I hope I can find similar colors in our town here. Thanks for all the info!
    Amy

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