Elegant Embroidered Quilts… a proper introduction

There is a giveaway at the bottom of this post!  Sorry for the abundance of pictures - I wanted to show you all the projects!

Things have been so busy with Market and with some projects I have been doing with Bernina that I didn't get a chance to give my new Craftsy class, Elegant Embroidered Quilts, a proper introduction.  So today I wanted to share some pictures of the projects I made specifically for the class.   I hope you like them!

As many of you know, I am passionate about the technology featured in today's embroidery and sewing machines and what it allows us to create as quilt artists.  (I sew on a Bernina 780 and 580 and both of the machines were running simultaneously in the weeks leading up to the filming of Elegant Embroidered Quilts.)  I'm so thankful to Craftsy for the opportunity to share some of the techniques that I have learned incorporating machine embroidery into my own work.  I hope that students who take this class come away inspired, not only to make these projects, but to use these techniques as a launchpad to add a special touch to other projects they might be working on.

First we'll start off with incorporating embroidery in a simple block in the central focal point of this North Star Pillow.

North Star Pillow in Anna Griffin's Chinoiserie fabrics,
quilted by me using the  Bernina Quilt Frame and some free motion,

We'll learn a technique for finishing pillows using a contrasting buttonhole panel and traditional biding.

And we'll enlarge the blocks and make more to produce the North Star Quilt.

North Star Quilt in Blend's Sardinia line by Jessica Swift, plus Kona solids.

I made the "North Star" a little different from the rest of the stars...

Next up is my Garden Walk Runner.

Garden Walk Runner in my Bella line for Blend Fabrics, plus white Kona cotton.

It is so fun to coordinate the threads for the embroidered flowers with the fabric!

I quilted pebbles behind the flowers and little back-and-forth lines on the sides.

I simply outlined the leaves to accentuate the border print.

We experiment more with embroidery in columns and also try our hands at Kaleidoscope blocks in the Garden Walk Quilt.

Garden Walk Quilt featuring Anna Griffin's Chinoiserie line,
embroidered and pieced by me and quilted
by Cherry Guidry of Cherry Blossoms Quilting Studio.

I used Anna Griffin's Chinoiserie line again for this one, so it coordinated with my North Star Pillow!

Pink, orange, aqua, and green - Chinoiserie!
I love this line!

And then we try one of my favorites - Dresden Plates.  But we layer the Plates on embroidered blocks.  So much fun!  We'll do this on a pillow…

Radiance Pillow in my Bonjour, Mon Ami line for Blend Fabrics.

And then we turn the blocks 45 degrees so they are on point and make a matching quilt.  The set-in triangles are done on contrasting fabric, producing a dynamic, fan-like border.  (And Craftsy is offering a kit for this project!)

Radiance Quilt in my Bonjour, Mon Ami line for Blend Fabrics,
quilted by Jenn Reeve of Honu Quilting.

 I love this quilt.  I know you aren't supposed to have favorites, but this and the Garden Walk quilt both come close.

The embroidery is very delicate - almost lace-like.

By the way, ALL of these patterns and embroidery files are included in the class - six projects and five embroidery motifs!  I cover lots of different techniques in these projects.  If you haven't signed up and are interested here is a link you can use to get 25% off the class.

And if you leave me a comment telling me what you would like to learn in your next class we will have a little giveaway, both of a free class and of fabric scraps from these projects.  I'll draw one random number  from these comments and another from my followers over on Instagram to win BOTH a free class and fabric scraps from a couple of these projects, so please comment and follow me at AMANDAMURPHYDESIGN if you get a chance.  Deadline is Wednesday the 6th of November at midnight.

Happy sewing!
Amanda