Sundance Quilt: Part 6

This weekend I made my Dresden plate blocks for my latest version of the Sundance quilt, directions for which available through your local BERNINA dealer.

As you can see, these plates flank the sides of the quilt, which is set on point, so the plates are actually applied to large quarter square triangles.

First I cut a 8 plates from each of five fabrics.  You can use the template provided, but if you happen to have Darlene Zimmerman's Easy Dresden Ruler, you can use the 6" mark to cut the plates as well.

Note that I changed some of the fabrics for the plates from the original plan.  I like to sew with pre-washed fabrics and I didn't have enough of some of those already washed so I took a shortcut and opted to switch out some of the fabrics to others from my Topiary line for Blend Fabrics instead!

Chain-piece the ends of the plates - I like to backstitch at each end.

Clip off the excess fabric at the corners, press the seams open, and turn the plate right side out.  Press, centering the seam.

Join the plates, pressing the seams open.  I like to fuse a little piece of Steam-A-Seam tape onto the edges of the Dresden because I find it is a more secure method of securing the plates when I sew.

Remove the tape's paper backing and fuse it down onto the background triangle, being careful not to stretch the triangle's bias edges!  Use the background fabric to align the quarter circle before trimming it away to reduce bulk.

Appliqué the quarter circle.  Pretty simple!

I'll be back after Market to piece the quilt top together.  I'm waiting to quilt this one on a BERNINA long arm - I can't wait!

If you are sewing along be sure to post your progress on Instagram using the hashtags #berninausa #sundancequilt.

Hope you enjoy the last days of summer!
Amanda

Sundance Quilt: Part 5

This month I sewed Part 5 of the Sundance Sampler, available exclusively through Bernina dealers, with my Topiary collection for Blend Fabrics and Aurifil threads.  Part 5 is easy - just appliqué blocks!

I love doing appliqué with Aurifil 28 wt. thread in a variety of colors - it creates a lovely ridge around each motif.  For this project I used colors 2440, 5017, and and 2425.  I still use 50 wt. in the bobbin in a neutral color and lower my thread tension so it doesn't pop to the top.  I set my Bernina 780 to stitch 1329 and adjust the stitch width to 2.1, the length to 2.4 and the tension to 1.5 or 1.75.  (Lots more about appliqué in my upcoming Craftsy class, debuting tomorrow.)

I hope you are having a wonderful summer and get lots of time sewing this week!
Amanda

P.S.  Carrie P is that winner of the Garden Spot giveaway here on this blog.  I have lots of things happening all at once here and have subsequently had a lot of giveaways and am seriously behind on my replies.  I apologize.  I really appreciate all of your participation!

Sundance Quilt: Part 4

This weekend I took the opportunity to make my flying geese blocks for Step 4 of my Sundance quilt pattern, available exclusively through BERNINA dealers.  This time I'm making it in my Topiary collection for Blend Fabrics.  (Last year I made the original using my "Bonjour, Mon Ami" collection.)

The original "Sundance" quilt.

I wanted to make something in a completely different color story this time. I and worked up three different options using Topiary.  I ended up using the one with a pink border.  SKU information for all three options, as well as the original option, can be found here, but the directions are only available though BERNINA.

The fabrics for Flying Geese block (the third Topiary option)

And the finished block!

I entered this quilt into Blogger's Quilt Festival - make sure to stop by because there are some fabulous quilts over there to look at all the great entries!  They are taking viewers choice nominations now and voting starts on the 24th.

Next month will be appliqué!

Happy sewing!
Amanda

Sundance Quilt: Part 3

Hi there!  I hope everyone had a happy Easter.  I was able to squeeze in a little bit of sewing today (right in time for this post) and I hope you were too!

Luckily it was really simple.  I put together the embroidered blocks for my new Sundance quilt (available through your BERNINA dealer) - this time I'm sewing in my Topiary line for Blend Fabrics.  The final quilt will look like this...

The SKUs for this quilt are listed as "Option 3" here, in case you are interested.  I decided to embroider the central block using more pink to draw one's eye.

I got so excited to see them sewn together I forgot to wash out the water-soluble stabilizer before hitting them with an iron.  Whoops!  So there is a little puckering but it will wash out of the final piece.

I can't wait to make the rest of the quilt! And if you're sewing along, I'd love to see yours.  Post to Instagram with the hashtags #berninausa #sundancequilt.

Happy sewing!
Amanda

Sundance Quilt: Part 1

Hi everybody,

Yardage for my Topiary collection from Blend Fabrics arrived just over a week ago and I've been busy planning how I want to use it for my new version of my Sundance quilt that I'm going to sew along with BERNINA fans everywhere.  (Sundance is a quilt I designed for BERNINA that is available exclusively through their dealerships.  If your dealer is in the US they already have access to the directions, and BERNINA is hard at work trying to arrange it to be available through their international dealers as well, so keep asking and stay tuned!)

Here is the original version of the Sundance quilt in my "Bonjour, Mon Ami" collection…

Sundance in (mostly) Bonjour, Mon Ami

And here are the Topiary options I've been playing with…

Sundance in Topiary (Option 1)

Sundance in Topiary (Option 2)

Sundance in Topiary (Option 3)

I think I'm leaning toward Option 1, but what do you all think?  If interested, you can access the SKUs I used for these versions here...

For shops looking to order the Topiary collection please call Blend Fabrics at 1-855-817-0604.  And don't forget to let me know you ordered Topiary so I can add you to my list!

For all of your quilters out there, I will be keeping a list of shops that are stocking all 15 SKUs of the Topiary collection.  I added a special section to the top right sidebar of my blog to start.

Remember, if you are sewing the quilt, to note #berninausa #sundancequilt to share your fabric choices on Instagram!  You don't have to do it in my fabrics - choose whatever strikes your fancy!  (My local shop, Sew Much Fun, in Lowell, NC, is doing this quilt in batiks and I just can't wait to see it!)

Happy quilting!
Amanda

P.S.  I'm sorry, but I can't sell the directions to Sundance to anyone directly as per the terms of my agreement with BERNINA.  I do have another Block-of-the-month called Under the Veranda available also in Topiary.  You can find it here.  If you are a shop you can contact me directly to place a wholesale order for that pattern or order it through any of the major distributors.

"Sundance"… a BERNINA Sampler

Well, the cat was out of the bag at Market and, since they've already announced it over at BERNINA's blog We All Sew, I'm so excited to show you "Sundance"!

"Sundance" - one of my favorite quilts that I have made.

This is a sampler I designed exclusively for BERNINA dealers.  (And I've had to keep it a secret all year - that has been so hard!)  It has a little piecing, a little embroidery (optional), and a little appliqué.  A little bit of everything but nothing too difficult.

The piecing forms a grid pattern when you sew the blocks together.

I set the blocks on point to allow lots of open space for quilting!

And the quilting - I can't wait to sew another version and quilt it on their new long arm launching in the latter half of 2014!  And we will be sharing our designs, from fabric choice all the way through to quilting, through social media and at participating BERNINA dealers.  Seriously, I am SOOOO excited to share this quilt with you all because it incorporates so many of the techniques I have learned through the years sewing on BERNINA machines.

I mirrored some of the fabric motifs in the quilting.

Of course, there HAS to be a Dresden Plate.

This piece was really inspired by the BERNINA 780 and by my Bonjour, Mon Ami collection for Blend Fabrics!

Sundance will be rolling out with the new year.  Check with your local BERNINA dealer to inquire about access to this program.

I hope you will sew along with us!!!
Amanda