Stunning Quilt Made with Bright Fabric and an Original Design!

Quilter’s Name: Jan Bryant from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin

Name of Pattern: Original Design using EQ8

Featured Date: 08-28-24

Hi, my name is Jan Bryant and I live in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. I recently made a project using a Kaffe Fassett fat quarter bundle. I had decided to try my hand at paper piecing using the leftover fabric.

Since I was little, my mom taught me to sew and when I went to college my parents bought a sewing machine for me, but before I could use it, my dad had me take it apart and reassemble it, figuring it would last if I could service the machine. I still have that old Singer. I have always had a need to make things with fabric. Anyway, I began quilting in 1992. My husband died and I took his flannel shirts, cut squares, and made a quilt top. That definitely helped the grieving process. I didn’t have a clue about quilting but a girlfriend saw what I had done and she showed me how to turn pieces of fabric into wonderful, warm ideas. Since that fateful day, I’ve gone on to design quilts, teach quilting, dye, and paint fabric. I had never tackled paper piecing. The idea was too daunting, but that same girlfriend from all those years ago convinced me to try. The result is the quilt you see and I’m hooked on the process.  Fortunately, I’ve since married a wonderful man who understands my need to create with fabric is a priority in my life. 

To start, I used EQ8 to design a quarter of the block, then multiplied by four, bought news print paper, made a prototype and refined that. Then I dyed fabric a very pale blue for the background. Once the blocks were completed, I decided to separate them with sashing it didn’t want it to overwhelm the blocks so I sewed a thin strip of scrap between two background strips.

To quilt the layers, I used a very old Nustyle long arm and a variegated red thread. The project was fun; I learned lots and will definitely try paper piecing again.

Thanks so much for featuring my quilt. 

Jan

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