It’s finally Spring and while some areas are still getting snow, that snow seems to be delightfully partnered with chirping birds and a fair bit of sunshine. This is our second installment of Slice & Stitch for 2020 and we’re incredibly thrilled to be continuing this amazing partnership with our friends at OLFA.
Every other month throughout 2020, we’ll publish a new Slice & Stitch post. With each new installment, one Aurifil Artisan + one OLFA Ambassador will receive the same products with the challenge to make one new project to share with all of you. The twist this year is that we’re sending everyone the Aurifil Color Builders. Since there are only 6 Slice & Stitch posts and 12 Colors Builders, we’ll be featuring 2 Color Builder sets per month. The Aurifil Artisan will receive one and the OLFA Ambassador the other. In addition, our friends at Michael Miller Fabrics have graciously provided coordinating fabric solids from their Cotton Couture line.
So, without further pause… let’s dive in!
MARCH CHALLENGE PARTICIPANTS
Laura Piland AND Pat Sloan
PRODUCTS
OLFA: Chenille Cutter
AURIFIL: Dolomite Color Builder (Laura) & Verona Color Builder (Pat)
MICHAEL MILLER: Cotton Couture Solids in Spring, Lime, Leaf (Laura) & Aulait, Cameo, Antique (Pat)
Laura of Slice of Pi and Pat Sloan are both so incredibly creative and talented! We are loving their projects and just know that you’ll love making them too. We’re excited to showcase Laura’s project here — make sure to click through to her blog for her full tutorial. And don’t miss Pat’s full project over on the OLFA page and on her own website. Enjoy a bit of color inspiration!
I am a huge proponent of trying new things, so I am thrilled to participate in the Slice & Stitch Challenge this month! I received Aurifil’s Dolomite Green Color Builder box (with 50wt spools in colors #2908 Spearmint, #1147 Light Leaf Green, and #2890 Very Dark Grass Green), OLFA’s Chenille Cutter, and three green fat quarters of Michael Miller Cotton Couture solids (Spring, Lime, and Leaf). I’ve never used the OLFA Chenille Cutter before, but I love adding texture to quilts. This is definitely a tool I’ve wanted to try out!
When thinking about what I wanted to make for the challenge, of course I wanted to make a quilt… but I only had three fat quarters! That caused me to think about using the OLFA Chenille Cutter to create something unique.
I immediately started thinking about how to utilize chenille strips within quilt blocks to make the most out of the green fabric. I also knew I would be creating this project in March as spring was just trying to emerge out of winter. This was exactly the inspiration I needed!
Using the coordinating Aurifil 50wt threads for each fabric color, I sewed three green bias strips to the back of solid white squares and rectangles. Then using the OLFA Chenille Cutter, I cut through the top three layers. This caused the green fabrics to peek through the white fabric on top just like the first plants of spring work their way up through that last snowfall of winter. The complete tutorial for the quilt is HERE!
I had just enough green fabric to make a 40” x 40” quilt top. For quilting, I chose the lightest green from the Color Builder box, #2908 Spearmint, and free-motion quilted a medium-sized meander all over the white fabric of the quilt top, but avoiding all of the chenille strips.
After adding binding, I put the quilt in the washer and dryer. The resulting texture was just like I hoped!
The quilt is a happy peek of spring, and the chenille texture is a really fun and unexpected element!
Thank you Aurifil, OLFA, and Michael Miller for the fabric, thread, and tools to make this quilt possible!
Head on over to OLFA’s blog to check out Pat‘s project and don’t miss our next Slice & Stitch Challenge for 2020 coming up in May!
ABOUT LAURA
Website — Facebook — Instagram
The first time Laura remembers sitting at a sewing machine, she was probably 7 or 8. She sewed a tank top and pair of shorts for a 4-H project and hated it. The process was long and frustrating. The final product was not soft or stretchy like store-bought clothes. She swore off all sewing.
Fast forward to her adult years. In 2010, a friend of hers had a baby, and she felt the need to make a quilt. She had a hand-me-down sewing machine from her mom “just in case” she needed to sew something. Once she got started, Laura quickly realized the cheap sewing machine was not going to cut it. She did lots of research and bought a vintage Bernina Record 930. Whenever she had a quilting question, she called her mom, Googled it, then watched a YouTube video. The quilt didn’t turn out too bad, and as they say, the rest is history!
Both of Laura’s grandmothers quilt, as does her mom. Her maternal great grandfather was a Singer sewing machine repairman. Her grandmothers both like to quilt by hand (they piece by machine) and her mother pieces and quilts by machine, but prefers to bind by hand. Laura, however, does everything by machine. If it can’t be done by machine, it most likely won’t get done!
Laura stays at home and homeschools her three young boys. Quilting is to Laura what fishing is to her husband. It keeps her sane. She also loves creating a tangible thing that will provide joy and warmth to others. Most work as a mother and teacher is intangible, so she likes that quilting results in something to show for the work put in.
Laura loves trying new things and rarely makes the same thing twice. Her style is eclectic. She makes modern quilts, traditional quilts, and quilts in-between. She makes large quilts, mini quilts, and all sizes in-between. She occasionally sews other items, but you’ll mostly see her working on a quilt.
I have seen these little devices but didn’t understand what they did. I love Pat’s Pillow! I will have to put this on my bucket list of things to try.
The slicing effect is stunning. I love the cool greens. Very spring like.
This technique is new to me. The finished project is lovely. I will try it sometime when time permits. Thanks!