Newington

Meet Newington.

A New Finish!

Designed in EQ8 and made with fabrics from Island Batik collections, Newington is a Christmas quilt finishing at 76" by 100" published in "Let's Make it Merry" (A Quilter's World publication). 

Published

On News Stands

I used the Greens from the Everlasting collection and the Reds/Pinks from Everlasting and Hello Sunshine collections. 

Everlasting

Hello Sunshine

EQ8 Original Mock-up

It was a joy to play with these beautiful pinks and greens. While the red/green color palette is definitely evocative of Christmas, the softening of the reds into pinks makes Newington a fitting quilt for both Valentine's Day and Spring.  

Of course, if you are not fan of pinks, here is a different version for you :-)

You are welcome

12" blocks plus a 2" border. The swirling secondary blocks create the rectangle shapes adding movement around the stars - like a celebrity surrounded by a throng of fans.

Basting the Beauty

The batting is Hobbs. I quilted using my walking foot and the squiggly stitch following the 2" grid of the piecing. 

Quilting

A Pistachio Green binding was the perfect finishing touch.

Green Binding

These pictures were taken in February when the snow was packed tight after an unusually cold spell. 

Cozy Inside, Frigid Outside

Location Courtesy - Manveen's Home

Cozy Quilt + Christmas Tree + Snow Outside = Lifestyle Shot

Bundled in sweater, jacket, hat, scarf and gloves I modeled the queen size quilt, while Mari took the outdoor pictures.

Thank you, Mari

Isn't she a beauty?

I'd happily take her to my bed :-D

Crushing on you!

Paint Splatter Backing

And one last look at her.

Warm & Inviting

When you think of holidays, what color palette speaks to you - Red/Green or Blue/White? Let me know in the comments.

In other news, I have completed Rainbow Scrap challenge Purple Blocks for September.  Sharing with Angela's Linky Party.

Purple for September

I wish that your weekend is rejuvenating, allowing you time to recover before that dreadful Monday comes knocking. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

Arboretum

It is absolutely gorgeous weather here in Northern Virginia - sunny, breezy and temps in the 60s and low 70s. To celebrate this delightful day, here is a brand new quilt/pattern - layer cake friendly and on sale! It is 25% off till Sunday, June 7, 2026. 

Thank you, Paul

Arboretum is a layer cake friendly quilt that I made for the Norwegian Quilt Magazine, Quilteblad. 

Arboretum on the Cover

It is the fabrics, Garden Glory - an original collection by Claudia Pfeil for Island Batik, that enchanted me. 

I love every fabric in this collection, no exceptions. So I designed a quilt using all 20 of them. The orange, rust and maroons became the trees, cleverly cut to minimize waste. The greens were used to make the Irish chain blocks. The leftovers became the scrappy border. 

White Background, Brown Tree Trunk

I used a white background and a coffee brown for tree trunks. Arboretum finished at 60" by 80". The size is perfect for Quilts of Valor, large throw, charity quilts, picnics, car rides and TV watching. 

So if you have a layer cake waiting in the wings, the Arboretum Quilt pattern can help you transform those 40 squares into a star.

I am already grateful but sometimes I get lucky :-) See the picture below.

I could write a poem or an essay about the perfect juxtaposition of the Fall colors in Arboretum against the orange and yellow kayaks, but then a picture is worth a thousand words.

The waters are murky and the reflection is shaky but my feeling of triumph is intact. 

Oh Paul, you are my sunshine!

Arboretum Quilt Pattern is available in my Etsy shop. I have included detailed instructions with colored graphics for each step. The clever cutting technique makes piecing a breeze, limits waste and minimizes the number of seams.

Scrappy Border - Pinned in Place

The leftovers are put to good use in a fun scrappy border.  Although I have written the instructions for 10" squares, the pattern can be easily adapted to 2.5" strips. You can also use your stash/scraps. To audition your fabric choices, I have also included a Coloring Sheet.  

With 11 pages of graphics and instructions, it is a steal at $12. But Arboretum Quilt Pattern can be yours for just $9 till Sunday, June 7, 2026.

Giveaway Update

The winner is #10 - Alycia. Email sent.

But if you'd like a copy of the pattern for free, leave me a comment on this post. I will announce the winner on June 7, 2026. If you are Anonymous/No-Reply Blogger, please make sure you include your email so that I can reach you.

Thank you, Wooden Horse

In other news, I am participating in the Sunflower Spice Blog Hop. The blog hop begins June 1 and I'll be posting on June 7. Watch this space.

Here is a peek of the backing.

Mari (The Academic Quilter) usually starts her post with a note about the weather and I tease her about this. How's the weather, professor? Since she has been quiet, I am channeling her vibes in my post today. What/Whom are you thinking about today?

I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

Miracle Fish

Welcome to my stop on the Sunlit Garden Blog Hop. 

I was thrilled when Jennifer Thomas of Curlicue Creations asked whether I would like to join the Sunlit Garden BlogHop.  Of course, I said YES!

Here is my quilt, named Miracle Fish!

Miracle Fish, 60" by 60"

The red and green together is evocative of Christmas, but this collection has vibes of Spring with floral reds and leafy greens. Christmas made me think of Christ and Christ made me think of Fish.

 

EQ8 Mock-Up

Me: What does that Jesus in Fish symbol signify?
Paul: Jesus was the fisher of men.
Me: That sounds painful. No fish wants to be fished or hooked. I thought it is because He multiplied fish to feed people.
Paul: That could be too.
Me: Wasn't He the shepherd? Guiding humanity?
Paul: That He was. Jesus was many things.
Me: That I agree.

This fabric collection can be many things too - bright Spring vibes or Christmas vibes. Many possibilities.

Starting 

Making

The flimsy was just under 60" square. So I used the 60" square Hobbs Silk Blend Batting. 

Silk Blend Batting from Hobbs Tuscany Collection

I quilted in one direction using my walking foot. I used Turquoise Variegated Thread to mimic water.

Quilting Detail

I used 12 out of the 20 fabrics in the collection. The background is Island Batik Solid White, as is the binding. I used Dark Green backing and here are some close-up pictures.

Wavy Stitch Quilting

Labelled

I enjoyed making this quilt.  Why am I calling it Miracle Fish? 

Well, if fish can climb a tree, that is miraculous!

Fish climb a tree

Paul and I went to a children's playground one early morning to take these pictures. The playground furniture provided several fun settings for the photoshoot. The cloudy sky provided the diffused lighting.

Playfully Yours

Matching Tulips!

Cloudy Skies, low temperatures and high winds make for a bitterly cold season. How I wish for a Miracle? Sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

The Sunlit Garden blog Hop continues through March 9, 2025.  Here's the list so you can visit all the blogs this week:

March 3:  Curlicue Creations 

March 4:  Freemotion by the River

March 5:  Sew Preeti Quilts (you are here)

March 6:  Quilting Gail

March 7:  Kathy's Kwilts and More

March 8:  Quilted Delights

March 9:  Sew Cute and Quirky

Also gathered my yellow scraps to play along with the Rainbow Scrap Challenge (RSC) in March. 

Will share with Angela's Linky Party.

Island Batik Yellow Scraps

Good Tidings & Austin

I have two new quilts to share.

Austin was published in Make Modern #60.

Good Tidings was published in Annie's Christmas Pattern Book.

Good Tidings

Both quilts were made using Island Batik Fabrics collection Peppermint Sprinkles. 

Peppermint Sprinkles is a beautiful collection - perfect for Holiday sewing. I love that it has elements of the season such as reindeer and snowflakes but it isn't so Christmassy that the quilt/decor becomes outdated by January 1.  It has year round appeal.

That was my thought process as I designed Good Tidings in EQ8.  A fellow quilter/blogger once said that "Artwork means that art is the result of work". Those who cannot see the process, may think that art/design just comes to us magically :-) 

That is why I often document my progress, showing the steps and the rejects that led to the final design. For Good Tidings, I wanted to capture the cold snowy season (blues) which carries with it the promise of warmth (red). 

First Attempt

My design was well-received but came with a request. 

"Is there something other than red you could use – silvery blue? We’d like to see this with more of a winter feel."

Changing colors/fabrics in EQ8 is easy. 

Revision #1 - All Blue

It was certainly wintry. It lacked the warmth. So I tried two more options.

Revision #2 - A touch of red

Revision #3 - Warm-hearted

Oh yes. This was it. Not only the design was approved, it perfectly conveyed the holiday theme. Come home to the warmth of the season. 

I am so happy!

White Borders, Aqua Binding

Swirling & Whirling

I remember felling dizzy after that photoshoot. Time to lie down for a nap.

Oh yes!

Why yes, I sparkle!

Crushing on you!

And one last picture...

Thank you, Paul

The Peppermint Sprinkles collection is also an ideal choice for Quilts of Valor, which brings me to Austin.

Austin

I wanted a modern take on the Quilt of Valor theme. Using turquoise instead of traditional blue was one way of achieving that objective. A longitudinal design, instead of the usual square blocks, helped get me there. Long borders (only on the sides) and vertical quilting lines emphasize the design. 

Walking Foot Quilting

Quilting with Variegated Thread

Labelled

Love you!

Many thanks to Island Batik, who provided the fabrics for both quilts. Hobbs provided the batting. Paul, the model/photographer, was well-compensated for his efforts. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties including Favorite Finish (September 2024). See full list on the sidebar. As always, I welcome your thoughts.