Creative Play Challenge No. 2 – Nature/Organic; Kawandi Style Quilt

I’ve partially adopted a more sustainable lifestyle since moving back to a rural area almost 20 years ago. Reduce, reuse, recycle has always been the name of the game out here in the country. And historically, quilting began as a way to upcycle or recycle and reuse bits of fabric from other projects or purposes.

I decided to add a new skill to my quilty toolbox and chose to make a Kawandi style quilt. (Check out the hashtag #Kawandi…it’s super inspirational!)

It’s an interesting technique where you hand stitch pieces on a foundation starting from the outside and working your way towards the center. Kinda like a reverse log cabin block.

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My Mini Quilt Design Process

In today’s post, I’ll be sharing my creative process behind the making of a mini quilt for Curated Quilts’ Paper Pieced Mini Quilts Challenge. 

Curated Quilts frequently hosts mini quilt challenges for inclusion in their quarterly journal. (Link to the original call for submissions and to the Issue 22 of the CQ Journal.)

The final piece was to be a square quilt, 10″ x 10″ up to 16″ x 16″, made in the inspirational color palette (shown below). A theme of SYMMETRY was also provided. 

Printable Quilt Project Planner

My Quilt Project Planner makes the perfectionist in me do cartwheels! These pages keep you organized during your quilt making adventures!

“Power of Seasons” Collaboration

Last year, I participated in three (3) collaborations with some amazing quilt artists. I may be addicted hahaha.

Introducing, the “Power of Seasons” pattern series; another creative collaboration I initiated.

These four (4) 16″ x 26″ season panels are the result of a creative collaboration between Catalina Barceló Maimó, Cristina De Miranda, Julia Wachs, and myself.

We invite you to explore the seasons with our foundation paper pieced (FPP) design series.

Mini Art Quilts Workbook

Back in January, I decided to make a fabric postcard every week throughout the year. I’ve been sending them out on Monday of each week to one of 52 lucky recipients across the US (and a few internationally). 

Making postcards is a fun & relaxing break for me from my bigger long-term projects and it puts a smile on people’s faces. Check out my 52 Weeks of Postcards blog post for photos of the postcards I’ve been sending!

So, as I am wont to do, I started a SECRET project 9 months ago and it is finally coming to life! 

Introducing “Mini Art Quilts; 54 Mini Blocks to Foundation Paper Piece”…

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Quilted Scarf Trio

I took a much needed break from writing new quilt patterns the past month. In the past year, I’ve written 12 quilt patterns and self-published 9 of those 12. (Stay tuned…three of those are pending publication in physical or digital magazines, woo hoo!)

While crocheting my always-“freezing”-cold sister a scarf with pockets, I had the bright idea to expedite the process by making her a quilted scarf. Which brings me to today…the release day for my Quilted Scarf Trio pattern. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

52 Weeks of Postcards

“52 Weeks of Postcards” 2021

The background story:

In early January 2021, I decided to make a fabric postcard every week this year and send them on Monday of each week to one of 52 lucky recipients across the US (and a few internationally!)

Check out the hashtag  #RachelleHandmadePostcards2021 on Instagram @rachelle_handmade. Making postcards is a fun & relaxing break for me from my bigger long-term quilty projects…and it puts a smile on people’s faces. 

I’ll be updating the gallery on this page as I send out the postcards throughout the year. I hope you enjoy following my year long adventure!

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The Shear Quilt Pattern

Introducing the SHEAR Quilt Pattern! Shear is a big block quilt made entirely of half square triangles (HSTs). The quilt blocks finish at 16″ square, so the quilt comes together quickly. Shear comes in SEVEN sizes: Crib (36″ Sq.), Lap (36″x54″), Throw (54″ Sq.), Large Throw (72″ Sq.), Twin (72″x90″), Queen (90″x108″), and King (108″ sq.).Skill level required: Confident Beginner Techniques: Making half square triangles using the 2 at a time and 8 at a time methods. Optional cutting labels are included in the pattern to help you stay organized as you work thru each step. A confident beginner quilter with a couple quilts under their belt should be able to tackle this project.