Spellbound Quilt Top (aka a punch in the face!)

A few months ago I was approached by the Fat Quarter Shop and asked if I'd be interested in participating in an upcoming quilt along, using a soon be released It's Sew Emma pattern called Spellbound. I was instantly drawn to the design (it's such an interesting and graphic quilt) and very quickly said yes. The version featured in the pattern was made using Maven by Basic Grey, a really gorgeous neutral collection, and it was very tempting to make my version using a similar neutral palette. But I thought it would be fun to choose a completely different palette to show how versatile this pattern is - so I went with a bunch of solids in colours inspired by sunset.

The Spellbound pattern actually uses a couple of jelly rolls (a background solid jelly roll and a print jelly roll) in addition to a few half yards of prints. But because I really wanted to use the fabrics pictured above, I decided I'd just make the jelly rolls myself. For the 'background' I used two different blue fabrics - Kona Solid in Midnight and Bella Solid in Night Sky (the two fabrics on the far left). And for the print jelly roll, I cut two strips each from the pile of warm coloured solids on the right (all of these are Cotton Couture). As this pattern involves sewing a lot of bias edges, I starched each of my fabrics well before I cut them (and I would recommend doing this - even if you use a jelly roll to make it!!) 

This quilt came together really quickly - it took around 15 hours to piece the whole thing, and it's not a small quilt (it finishes at 64.5" x 80.5"). The pattern recommends using the Creative Grids 90  degree double strip ruler. I really love Creative Grids rulers - I have several and they really do make cutting so easy. But for this quilt I actually used my 6.5" Bloc Loc Half Square Triangle ruler for the cutting, and it worked perfectly. Regardless of what ruler you choose to use, the blocks are big (16.5") so it really does come together fast!

This quilt is SO far out of my comfort zone colour-wise, and I have to admit I wasn't sure if I liked it while I was making it - there were many moments when I thought perhaps I should have used a more subtle palette. But since finishing it a few weeks ago, it has really grown on me and I've decided I actually really love it! I've decided to call a Punch in the Face - sort of in jest, but also kind of seriously, as it really does pack a punch with all the saturated colour in there. I think what saves it from being TOO much is the lighter yellows and pinks in there - they help balance out the deeper, more saturated colours. 

My 6 year old daughter is completely in love with it, so it is destined to be a new quilt for her bed once I decide how to quilt it. Although it would be a super fun quilt to do some straight line free motion quilting on (maybe with some ribbon candy in some of the strips), I think a simple diagonal cross hatch might be the way to go. There is so much going on in terms of colour, I think simple might be best ;o). I'll be sure to share the finished product once I get a chance to quilt it - hopefully in the next month or two, as I'm being pestered by the small one about when she'll get to snuggle under it!!

I'll be back in the near future with a few works in progress I'd like to share. I'm working on four different projects at the moment, three of which are English Paper Pieced and I plan on sharing a few of my tips for EPP. And since they will be super long term projects (I'm totally embracing slow sewing this year!) I thought it might keep me motivated to share updates once a month or so :o) 

I hope you are all having a great week!

xx Jess