Sunny Sampler Quilt in American Quilter Magazine

It's finally time to unveil my Sunny Sampler quilt!  You can find this quilt in the January 2015 Issue of American Quilter magazine.  Not only is this quilt in the issue..... it's ON the issue too.... as in ON THE COVER!!!!!!!!
I am on cloud nine.  Seriously!  I can't tell you how honored I am to have this quilt appearing front and center.  I took tons of photos for the magazine and this is the coolest with the vintage truck modeling the quilt.  Most of these shots were taken at a local berry farm (Mitchells') and the owners were kind enough to let me use the truck and farm as a backdrop for the quilt.
With all the block of the month quilts I love working on, some of you may have noticed I'm becoming a bit of a sampler nerd.  This quilt, Sunny Sampler, follows that theme.  I designed this quilt to showcase the traditional Sunshine block from the Ladies' Art Company in 1897.  The three blocks used in this quilt are all variations based on that Sunshine block.  It makes for a fun mini sampler using 3 quilt block patterns to make 9 total blocks for the quilt.
I enjoyed working with solids for Sunny Sampler.  These solids are American Made Brand cotton solids for Clothworks.  

Below is a close up of the custom quilting I designed along with Kathy Balmert.  She quilted the motifs to relay three different ideas of sunshine radiating within each of the three similar blocks.  In the sashing, there is a wishbone pattern.
If you need a little sunshine to chase away those grey days of winter, consider this Sunny Sampler quilt.  Guaranteed to cheer you up!
Quilt Stats.
Size: 62" x 62"
Design: Sampler of the Sunshine block variations by Me
Fabric:  American Made Brand cotton solids for Clothworks
Piecing:  Me
Quilting: Kathy Balmert

Bella Maiden Quilt Finish - In American Quilter May 2014


Meet my latest quilt, Bella Maiden, that is in AQS' American Quilter magazine for the May 2014 issue.  Isn't she lovely?  Last year, we made Old Maid's Puzzle blocks for the Sisters' Ten BOM.  I really love the look of this block - and I decided I wanted the Old Maid to be featured full size in a quilt.  With all the complimentary triangles that match and mate in this block, it felt extremely fitting that an over sized version of this block should also be composed of triangles.  This time as Half-Square Triangles.
Sisters' Ten Old Maid's Puzzle Blocks
I enjoyed piecing this quilt as each triangle in the overall design is composed of both prints and solids.  The HSTs pair the solids and prints together to add dimension to the quilt.  This line is Bonnie & Camille's latest line, April Showers.  I personally think all of B&C's lines break up very nicely into different color families which I was trying to showcase here.
Funny story about this quilt.  I was working on this quilt in January and February with the awful winter we had this past year.  Michele Duffy, editor-in-chief of American Quilter and a wonderful person to work with, was asking me to take photos of this quilt outside for the issue.  I was in a complete panic!  In the two weeks I had to get the job done, we never crossed into positive digits in terms of the temperature outside.  Not to mention we had several inches of snow on the ground - while I was supposed to get my quilt model to look "springy" for a May issue.  With the subzero temps and swirling snow, I never made it outside with the quilt.
Instead I tried my best to get shots indoors in my home.  The pictures used for this quilt are in my home.  My own home!!!  On the pages of a magazine!  How strange does that feel to see your own home looking all Martha Stewart in the pages of a magazine.  :)  It has that same strange feeling as when you clean your house immaculately for the realtor to come take photos when selling your house.  It almost doesn't look recognizable since there are no legos or nerf guns on the floor.  
Overall, I love this quilt.  It was easy to put together and is quite stunning.  If you are interested in making Bella Maiden, pick up a copy of American Quilter May 2014.  This pattern takes and Old Maid and turns her into a beautiful maiden.  :)
Quilt Stats.
Name: Bella Maiden Quilt Pattern
Size: 64" x 64"
Design: by AnneMarie Chany
Fabric:  April Showers by Bonnie & Camille for Moda
Piecing:  Me
Quilting: LAQ Beany of Quilty Pleasures

Gatekeeper Quilt Finish - in Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts

It's finally time for me to share a finish I am quite proud of!  This quilt, called Gatekeeper, is an easy quilt with lots of spring in her step.  Maybe we can pretend the cold temperatures don't exist wrapped up in this quilt.  It's featured in Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts, Spring 2014 issue, on newsstands now.

This quilt mimics the elegance of an Irish Chain with a little sass on the side to give it a light and modern feel.  I love how the strips at the edges of the quilt extend out into the negative space.  

For once, this truly IS an "easy" quilt.  No triangles or other fussy pieces to play with.  Nope, just simple squares and rectangles.  This whole quilt breaks down into 3 basic blocks, which makes it simple to put together.


These colors come from Michael Miller's Happy Tones remind me of sherbet... they make me happy and hungry.  


The little butterflys that scatter over the quilt top are too cute!  I cannot take credit for those - I sent this quilt to my local longarm quilter, Beany.  She always does such a wonderful job for me.


This quilt design reminds me of a garden gate and trellis.  Spring flowers in full bloom.  This quilt actually came to be just as I envisioned it in my mind.  Design, colors and all.  Sometimes when you submit designs to magazine editors, colorways or designs can change or be tweaked.  My original design is extremely close to this - with the sherbet colors and all.  I usually design all my quilts with solids first, so I can really visualize the blocks and secondary patterns within a quilt.  After those are apparent, I go about choosing fabrics, and often the colorway changes by publication.  Not this time!  

And how appropriate.... here is Gatekeeper seated on a gate. :)

Love these sweet colors.  They seem perfect for any girl.


Quilt Stats.
Name: Gatekeeper
Size: 70" x 70"
Design: by AnneMarie Chany
Fabric:  Happy Tones by Michael Miller
Piecing:  Me
Quilting: LAQ Beany of Quilty Pleasures