1M
Made to celebrate my girl and her spirit. We call her Death Wish for a reason.
July 2018
Shiver
Did you know a group of sharks is called a Shiver?
Check out the cool video tutorial to make this block. Easy, fun, and only takes minutes to make a single block. But you will want to make your own Shiver.
April 2018
Quilts For Broncos
Quilters around the world did what we do in light of the news following the tragic Humboldt Broncos bus crash. Haus of Stitches organized a quilt block drive. But I made a whole top. And Quilting by Lee volunteered to quilt it. It now lives with a nurse who was called in to tend to the survivors, hopefully providing comfort across the land.
May 2018
Adventure
Ballet Blue
With an abundance of blue fabric... Made for a fundraising donation to Hattori Williamson's Blue Gala, in benefit of Pancreatic Cancer Canada.
Traveller
Indian cottons gifted by a special person, regifted back to her when she need a quilt to get through a rough patch.
Testing, Testing
Two versions of the Lilla Quilt.
Designed in collaboration with Lotta Jansdotter.
Pride Quilt
Started following the shootings the Pulse Nightclub, finished in time for my local Pride Parade.
78'' x 78''
Instructions
Combining the Makers Panel and some of my Tag fabrics this is the perfect bed quilt. No nagging required when the instructions to make the bed are right on the bed!
65'' x 90''
Hopscotch
A totally fun quilt when there are kids around. Makes a twin size or larger, but also perfect for living room floors on cold or rainy days. Showcases fabric from my first collection with Connecting Threads, Tag.
70'' x 88''
Spiral
Designed to showcase my first fabric collection, Tag. A simple yet bold quilt. Pattern available, including bonus quilt layout with leftover blocks from a fat quarter bundle.
60'' x 60''
All the Sundays
A combination of achievement and loves - scraps from writing my 2nd book, A Month of Sundays, with techniques from my first book, Sunday Morning Quilts. Pattern inspired by the traditional blocs: Shoeman's Puzzle and Denyse Schmidt's version of it.
Quilted by Dara Thomasson.
70'' x 70''
Galaxy
Some precision pieced improv quilting. Made with Cloud 9 Cirrus solids.
60'' x 60''
Kawasaki's Theorem 1
Lilla Quilt - Collaboration with Lotta Jansdotter
Pattern Available
In The Sunshine
Forgiveness
March On
Why Not
Inception
Great Grandmother's Geese
Morning Make I
Mighty Lucky Quilt Club
Samsquanch
Prairie Winter Study
Northern Arizona
Pickets
Molehills
Antonio's Quilt
Orange Is For Nerds
A special gift for my son. He loves orange. An adaptation of the Scrapper's Delight pattern from my book, Sunday Morning Quilts.
Quiet Rainbow
A low-volume rainbow, originally made to demonstrate low-volume possibilities when my book A Month of Sundays released. Finally finished almost 3 years later!
Smooch
Kissing lips, or two hearts. Either way, it is all love.
December 2015
Aloha Kakou
An adaptation of Kathy Doughty's Vintage Spin pattern. It comes from her book Adding Layers.
August 2015
Precious
All voile. Which makes this about the softiest, silkiest, lightest quilt ever. Even with the same cotton batting I always use.
Quilted by Andrea Harris from Urban Quiltworks.
April 2015
Values Plus
It started as a way to clean up the scrappy strips that were piling up. It developed into a colourful design and new class. It is an excellent way to teach value, but goes beyond the half square triangle.
April 2015
Glitter Pen
Designed this after seeing a line drawing sketch my then 6 year old daughter made. She was, in turn, inspired by Lisa Congdon. Pattern published in Modern Patchwork Summer 2015.
March 2015
Argyle 2
Argyle I proved popular and I was asked to submit the pattern to Modern Patchwork. But the original was already in the hands of my nephew so I made another version for publication. This is a softer version.
March 2015
QuiltCon Quilt
Although I am totally comfortable with Improv, I wanted to see how it was taught by Denyse Schmidt so I took her class at QuiltCon 2013. I was so in love with the block made in class that I came home and made enough to finish a king size quilt! Backed with fabric I picked up in my other QuiltCon 2013 class from Yoshiko Jinjenzi.
Quilted by Andrea Harris from Urban Quiltworks.
February 2015
Argyle 1
After he picked a stack of fabrics and my husband suggested making an argyle quilt I designed and made this for my nephew. It incorporates fabrics from the baby quilt I made him.
January 2015
Caterpillar
A more colourful version of the Sherbet pattern from my book A Month of Sundays. This version is also slightly scaled down for a twin bed. It now lives with my nephew.
January 2015
Ride the Waves
Improv quarter circles plus a stack of pretty fabrics equals a modern update on a traditional pattern.
Take this class with me!
January 2015
Alturas
My first serious foray in hand applique. The start of an obsession. Block pattern is by Carolyn Friedlander, layout is my own.
Vintage French
Our incredible neighbours were moving and on that day he dropped a box labelled Quilting Pieces on my front step. Hidden among the half finished dresses from the 60s with impossibly tiny waists was a vintage quilt top. I washed, basted, and quilted the top and returned it to my old neighbours. So many interesting fabrics in this one!
January 2015
Mod Christmas Tree
The blocks sat, cut, for years. In a fit one day I assembled the top and a week later the whole thing was done and ready for snuggles under out real tree. Now a published pattern in Modern Patchwork Winter 2016.
December 2014
Antlers on Plaid
Mini quilts aren't generally my thing, but I had an idea and wanted to see what could happen. Some say this looks more like the Grinch's hands than antlers. So be it.
December 2014
Equalizer
For years my husband bugged me about making him a quilt that looked like the graphic equalizers of our old stereo equipment. He bugged me so much that when I finally made him the quilt I also wrote a book about it! You Inspire Me To Quilt brings together this pattern and nine others from some great modern designers. Everyone worked with a loved one to create an inspiring and inspired by quilt.
Photo by Kate Inglis.
March 2014
There is Peace in Pattern
As a quilter this pretty much says it all.
November 2014
Mountain Meadow
The dance of light across a mountain meadow. Tiny spots of flowers hidden among the grass. An improvised representation of one of my favourite places in the world.
October 2014
Giant Dresdens
One of the rare commissions, I made this for my cousins to give to their Baba on her 90th birthday. It was a lot of fun to play with a template and take this traditional block to scale it up.
August 2014
Sewing Machine Quilt
I must credit this quilt with breaking me out of a creative slump. With great thanks to students in an Improv class I was teaching at Quilt Canada.
Now available as a pattern for both improvised and precision piecing.
July 2014
Playground
To be honest, I always thought that quilters who made quilts for teachers were a little insane. But after 4 years in our community preschool I didn't hesitate to make a quilt for our retiring teacher. Over 120 current and former students signed blocks. Combined with some Modern Solids II fabrics the quilt came together in a colourful way. Perfect for our energetic teacher.
June 2014
Shimmer Table Runner
Jennifer Sampou is one of the first fabric designers I ever took note of and I am happy to know she is still in my life, even personally now. This table runner showcases the low volume prints (and my love of shells) from her first Shimmer fabric line.
April 2014
Hugs and Kisses
Sometimes you just need to make a quilt that covers your butt when you are sleeping. Bringing in the colours of our wedding I made this anniversary quilt for my husband and I for that exact reason. Technique and full story outline in my book You Inspire Me To Quilt.
Photo by Kate Inglis.
September 2013
Modern Paris
Such subtle contrast in this low volume quilt. It takes advantage of the quiet prints and some fun circle designs that I teach in my Craftsy class on Inset and Applique Circles by Machine. The quilt was a gift to dear friends to mark their wedding and subsequent honeymoon in Paris.
Pattern Published in Quilter's Connection Spring 2014.
February 2014
Compose Yourself
Compose Yourself is a bold, very graphic quilt made to illustrate and play with circle and curve techniques in quilt making. It is the project for my contribution to Lucky Spool's Essential Guide to Modern Quilt Making. This book covers major techniques for all quilters, but especially those interested in modern quilts.
November 2013
One Day
Travel themed, map fabric, low volume love. The block is an original design that I first used to showcase some much brighter fabric. There is a tutorial available. This time it works wonderfully on this baby quilt.
October 2013
Oh Canada
That one time I got it in my head to make an anatomically correct Maple Leaf block and it became a bestselling pattern. The block combines improv piecing, fusible applique, and precision patchwork.
Available as a pattern in print and PDF.
July 2013
Graphic Circle Pillow
Step outs from my Craftsy class Inset And Applique Circles by Machine became this fun pillow that works perfect in our home with with mid century modern style.
May 2013
Gum on Concrete
An audience member at a trunk show named this. I ran with it, despite the fact that name does not reflect the prettiness of this quilt. An alternate colourway to the quilt Splash from my book with Amanda Jean Nyberg, Sunday Morning Quilts.
April 2013
Austin Circle Sampler
To celebrate the launch of my Craftsy class, Inset and Applique Circles by Machine, I made up this circle and curves sampler. It incorporates all the techiques taught in the class in a bold, fun pattern. The colours were inspired by a necklace I picked up in Austin, while attending QuiltCon.
Quilted by Andrea Harris at Urban Quiltworks.
March 2013
Girlie Quilt
What started out as a single block finished as this pretty, girlie quilt. It was part of a round robin with my local guild. My simple improv center was added to and added to. A fun little project.
April 2013
Wine Gums
My take on the Gumdrops pattern by Amanda Jean Nyberg from our book Sunday Morning Quilts. I didn't quite make it the way she designed it - that's what I get for not reading the pattern throroughly! - but it worked out all the same.
February 2013
Wink Wink
More improv curves. Just a charm pack and some white with a lot of play on where this could go. A sweet little baby quilt.
October 2012
Dream Big
A relative stranger to me, Jennie Perillo. lost her husband quite suddenly. I was caught up in her grief and wanted to give her something to help. I'm a quilter, so I made a quilt. Dream Big is a saying of hers that helps her on her way forward in her new life. Improvised piecing plus fused applique.
October 2012.
Pretty Thing
A simple, pretty quilt. That's the best kind for babies. One that can be admired and loved and cuddled and washed. Inspired by Malka Dubrawsky's WhirliGig quilt from her book Fresh Quilting. This particular one was made for my niece, only twelve days older than my son.
August 2012
Skittles
If you look closely you can see this is a bright version of Candy Coated, the quilt on the cover of the book Sunday Morning Quilts. I focused on the warm/cool juxtoposition instead of the sweet palette Amanda Jean used. It was also a great way to use up all my strips in the scrap bin.
Quilted by Janet Madyski.
July 2012
Scraps Like Dat
This is an alternate version of the Scrapper's Delight quilt from my book Sunday Morning Quilts co-authored with Amanda Jean Nyberg. I chose to use low-volume scraps in this version. It shows that you can use these fabrics in many different ways.
Quilted by Janet Madyski.
July 2012
Stripes
Inspired by men's shirting, this straighforward but interesting quilt is one of the patterns in A Month of Sundays.
Quilted by Janet Madyski.
Photo by Kate Inglis.
April 2012
Crossword
I may not be very good at them, but I love a good crossword puzzle. I also love a good quilt inspired by crossword puzzles. This pattern is part of my book A Month of Sundays.
Quilted by Angela Walters.
Photo by Kate Inglis.
April 2012
Flags
About the easiest paper piecing you can do. The Maritime signal flags inspired the colours for this particular quilt. Pattern found in my book A Month of Sundays.
Photo by Kate Inglis.
April 2012
Pinwheel
The play on shape and scale is dreamy in this version of the Pinwheel block. Designed to take advantage of your fabric and with straightforward piecing. Pattern available in my book A Month of Sundays.
Quilted by Angela Walters
Photo by Kate Inglis.
April 2012
Sherbet
The colours from my parents' 1964 wedding inspired this combination. The design was brought to life after seeing a random shop window display. Pattern available in my book A Month of Sundays. Check out an alternate colourway in my Caterpillar quilt.
Quilted by Angela Walters.
Photo by Kate Inglis.
April 2012
Beachgrass
Those lovely, soft colours of the beach - sand between your toes, the ocean in front of you, the whisps of grass - came together for this lovely but graphic quilt. Pattern in my book A Month of Sundays.
Quilted by Janet Madyski.
Photo by Kate Inglis.
April 2012
To a T Quilt
Made to showcase the possibility of a single, simple block design. The block is To a T, from the book, Modern Blocks.
March 2012
Kananaskis
Inspired by the mountain rivers for a couple that spent a lot of time on or beside those rivers. Made for my youngest nephew, their second son.
December 2011
Waves
Based on Amanda Jean Nyberg's 36 Patch tutorial. This quilt is a lovely combination of ocean colours and now lives with dear friends at their ocean side home.
December 2011
Scrap Splatter
Designed in collaboration with my daughter, it was a fun little challenge to use 2 1/2'' square scraps. It ended up as a sweet little baby quilt for a neighbour.
October 2011
Connect the Dots
It started as a challenge on whether the 80s colours of brown, burgundy, and forest green could be modernized. I'm not sure if we did it or not, but it was worth a shot! A mini quilt inspired by a Steve Jobs quote.
"You can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future."
October 2011
Network
You can improvise even with precision piecing! I started with a stack of fabric and the idea to make a whole bunch of half square triangles. Then I improvised with the layout. There are infinite possibilities with half square triangles!
September 2011
Camouflage
A nearly wholecloth quilt. Challenged my usual norms with the use of solids, no wild piecing, and the improvised straightline quilting.
September 2011
The Triangle Quilt
So named by my oldest daughter. Started as some group bee blocks, with instructions for randomly sized flying geese blocks with yellow. Quickly turned into a queen sized quilt for my daughters' bed with the addition of more blocks and more yellow.
September 2011
Kinda Herringbone
Inspired by an organic fabric line called Shades of Grey I designed this quilt for its launch. A little bit of structure and a little bit of improv.
June 2011
Heartening
Some fun improv made to mark my sister's 40th birthday. It was a tough year that year and she needed a bit of extra attention that day. My SIL is also a quilter and we made this one together.
May 2011
2+2=4
One day my daughter handed me a few crayons. The colours stuck in my head, to come out in a moment of dealing with grief. The four patch here is a nod to the - at the time - four pregnancies but only two kids I had.
January 2011
Values Quilt
A test in values. Take two squares of contrasting value, sew together to create two half square triangle blocks, then have a lot of fun in the layout.
Check out my class schedule for information on this quilt.
December 2010
Ornamental Organic
All organic, a challenge I set myself after getting the gorgeous printed fabrics from Daisy Janie. The solids and the batting were organic too. This quilt is made with a layered technique using templates.
Pattern published in Canadian Quilter.
December 2010
Nadine's Bookcase Quilt
There was that one time I was in a book club, but we sort of fell apart when our leader moved across the country. When she had her first baby she contacted me and convinced me to make her a baby quilt. A bookcase quilt seemed highly appropriate.
August 2010
Five
A simple, graphic quilt. Customize the number or make it a letter. Originally made for a cousin's baby. My cousin is 5 days younger than me. This means I am also 5 days smarter, better looking, and funnier than he is! (Oh, the family jokes.)
Free pattern available.
May 2010
Roots
Completely improvised representation of my Baba and Dido's garden. My sister and SIL came together with me to piece this quilt, my husband and bother helped with the finishing. The entire quilt became a comfort quilt as my Dad was dying from lung cancer.
May 2010
Snowman Pillow
In January 2010 I had a lame but spectactular wipeout skiing. It meant no sewing at my machine for a few months. With little in the way of hand sewing experience or skills I managed a couple of small projects. This pillow was one of them. It is completely inspired by the style and optimism of Marisa of Creative Thursday.
February 2010
Black and White Handwork Experiment
Following my epic ski accident I was laid up and looked to handwork for a creative outlet. At the time it really wasn't my thing. This was an attempt to capture my improv tendencies by hand.
January 2010
Gratitude 2
The culmination of a quilt along based on the first Gratitude quilt. The colours were inspired by a suit walking down the street. Pinstripes and a yellow shirt.
January 2010
Footballs of Destiny
Named by my husband, but made for a baby boy. It is made using the reverse applique technique for circles, but with ovals. This technique is taught in my Inset and Applique Circles by Machines class.
December 2009
Gratitude
Originally made for neighbours who designed our basement layout but wouldn't accept payment. They deserved a warm thank-you, hence the name of the quilt. Also designed to be an on-line Quilt Along.
October 2009
Garnet Gals Birthday Quilt
As part of the Red Hat group I was in, The Garnet Gals, we did a birthday block exchange. Everyone chose their block style, often based on their nickname or the block recipient. This is the quilt I put together from my blocks. When I received a block with quite a bit of yellow I decided to make it work together with that yellow and pink fabric.
January 2009
Luck Be a Pink Hat
An online group I belonged to met in person for the first time. One of the things we did was a speed piecing project. Based on a pattern by Maikke Baker in her book Strip Piecing Quilts we assembled the center portion. In our end of the weekend raffle I won the quilt top! I added the borders to take advantage of the scraps and make it a bit bigger.
Quilted by Bonnie Sproule.
June 2009
Wednesday Night Races
Named for the races at the sailing clubs on Wednesday nights because it reminded me of saling flags. This was my entry for Project Improv. It is a log cabin block, but started with a triangle instead of a square or rectangle.
May 2009
Key Lime Pie
When my sister was pregnant with her first kid we vacationed as a family in Mexico and I was put on key lime pie baking duty. It seemed an appropriate inspiration when I went to make the baby quilt for her and her little one.
May 2009
Your Parents Are Cool
Based on a graphic painted in the nursery I improvised the blocks in this baby quilt for my nephew. Such a great process and finished quilt (which has inspired others).
April 2009
Doll Quilt 1
A very busy variation on a rail fence design.
March 2009
Doll Quilt 2
Everyone loves a half square triangle!
March 2009
Doll Quilt 3
A sweet colour combo for a little quilt.
March 2009
Doll Quilt 4
Appliqued stars for some doll adventures.
March 2009
Doll Quilt 5
Just a spot of improv piecing.
March 2009
Doll Quilt 6
The little birds fabric inspired the final quilt design.
March 2009
Doll Quilt 7
Improv plus a circle. All my design loves in one spot.
March 2009
Doll Quilt 8
Don't tell the other ones, but this might be my favourite of all the doll quilts.
March 2009
Inspired Inspiration
Insomnia and the inspiration of a child's scribble came together in this quilt. In the end, I gave it to a mentor and friend who was struggling with a heart condition at the time. Since then he's had a successful heart transplant! Inspiring indeed.
January 2009
Hippocampe pour Oceane
Playing with half square triangles again. The pink, yellow, and grey combo was perfect for a little girl. I'd never intended to applique anything on the quilt, but when the baby was born and they named her Oceane I felt the need to add a bit from the ocean. The seahorse is hand appliqued on the quilt.
November 2008
Details of the finished quilt here.
Thirty and Three
One of those quilts that I sketched and took years to make. I was waiting for the machine that could do the circle work! My husband gave it to me for my 30th birthday, then it took me three years to actually finish it.
Quilted by Bonnie Sproule
October 2008
350
Have you ever been on a plane flying over farmland? The distinct, yet uneven, landscape of quarters of land is a comfort to a Prairie girl like me. I put that inspiration into this quilt, a giveaway to recognize the 350.org organization. Having worked on sustainability and climate change issues for a decade it was a great way to bring together two passions.
December 2009
Dynamo
I love playing with geometric shapes. This is technique I've used multiple times - combining a circle with a half square triangle - with yet another layout option. It made for a fun and dynamic baby quilt.
December 2008
Solar Soleil
There is so much (self-inflicted) pressure when making a baby quilt for one of your own kids. I did not get this done in time for her arrival, but this is my second daughter's baby quilt. Again, with the half square triangles! And the circles. I was on a circle kick for a while too. I adore this quilt for it's bold nature. It matches my daughter perfectly.
July 2008
Monster I Spy
The one and only I-Spy quilt I've made. I can honestly say that I don't enjoy the novelty prints. But I certainly did enjoy making this for my oldest daughter on his first birthday. It is far from perfect but it is ours and we've played with it for hours with her and the other kids.
June 2007
Tuesday Night Quilt
On Tuesday nights I gathered with my quilting friend and mentor and we played around with green and improv piecing. This was the quilt I ended up making out of those sessions.
May 2007
Butterflies
Sweet and pretty. Between the paper piecing and the borders this isn't my usual kind of quilt. When you have a sweet niece you have to break your own rules a little.
May 2005
Doug's Frog Shirt Quilt
My Father-In-Law had this awful t-shirt he picked up on a tropical vacation. We teased him mercilessly about it. The shirt was legendary, so legendary that it inspired this quilt.
August 2004
New York Beautiful
When your brother proposes on top of the Empire State Building a New York Beauty block seems like the only choice for their wedding quilt. This was only the third quilt I ever made and it is queen sized. It is so well loved that I've already replaced the binding!
June 2001
Movements
This is only the second quilt I ever started. I finished one or two between starting and finishing this! A lot of lessons learned in this quilt about quilting patterns, fabric selection, and patience. Will be a lifelong favourite.
1999