Veronica - Layer Cake Friendly Quilt Pattern

Sometimes, as I am playing in EQ8, shapes will magically align and something extraordinary happens. Such as this pattern - Veronica.

Made with Poetic Bouquet Fabric collection, Veronica finishes at 60" by 84".

 

Cleverly pieced, it comes together in the most elegant way. All you need is a Layer Cake of your choice plus 4 yards of background fabric. No special rulers or fancy dies.

The detailed directions include colored pictures for every step. The clever piecing means you don't have to fiddle with little pieces. Quick for experienced quilters and easy for beginners, Veronica is a win-win.

The pattern is easily adapted to your choice of fabrics. Here is an EQ8 mockup showing Veronica as a Quilt of Valor and also as a two-color quilt.

Veronica was first published in Quilteblad, the Norwegian Quilt Magazine.

The pattern was painstakingly translated from English to Norwegian and the units from yards/inches to metres/centimetres. The editors at Quilteblad are awesome! 

No, I can't read/understand Norwegian. I just read my name, see my pictures and smile till my face hurts :-D  

Veronica is now available as a standalone pattern in my Etsy Shop. On sale for one week only, you can get Veronica for just $9.

But of course, there is a giveaway. Leave me a comment on this post, telling me your favorite book this year, and I will enter you in a contest to win a free PDF copy of the Veronica (or any other pattern from my Etsy shop).  I will announce the two winners when I publish "2025 in Retrospective". 

Giveaway Update - The two winners are #14 (Heather Hamby, please send me an email) and #27 (Bonnie, check your email.)

I will be sharing with Quilting Jetgirl's Favorite Finish and all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar. 

In other news, the T-shirt beast quilt is completed. That will be the first post in 2026. Look at me, planning ahead :-D

Basting the Beast

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it has elements of the season such as reindeer and snowflakes but it isn't so Christmassy that the quilt/decor becomes outdated by January 1.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.

Olivia

Let me introduce you to Olivia.

Olivia likes the outdoors!

She is simple, layer-cake friendly, and suitable for beginners and advanced quilters alike. I used the Buds and Blooms Garden collection to make Olivia.

This is such a beautiful collection with a wide range of values from light yellow, through medium red and orange all the way to deep purple. I love these warm colors. Look for Buds and Blooms Layer Cake in your local quilt store.

Here are some more pictures.

Breezy Day

Glowing Fabrics

Gorgeous Fabrics

To make Olivia, you need one layer cake, one focus fabric and background. I am sure you have a layer cake that is (almost) too pretty to cut up.  Olivia makes sure that your fabric shines while you get a fun and fast quilt in the colors of your choice.

Quilting Detail

Backing, Binding & Label

Finishing at 60" by 84", Olivia is a perfect size for Mercyful Quilts as well as Quilt of Valor. 

Here are a couple of mock-ups in Red, White and Blue. 

Olivia in "Porcelain Blue" Collection with Red (Island Batik Blender) 

Olivia in "Red, White & Blooms" Collection with Blue (Island Batik Blender) 

My detailed instructions show how to distribute the fabrics evenly throughout the quilt, with no two blocks the same.  Olivia is now available in my Etsy Shop. Priced at $10, it is a steal but you can get it for just $8 till December 15, 2023.

Thank you, Paul

I will be by the river, enjoying a picnic with Paul and Olivia. But if you want to win a copy of Olivia quilt pattern, please leave me a comment on this post, mentioning your favorite colors to make this quilt. If you show up as Anonymous, please include your email address. 

I will pick one lucky winner next week. I will be sharing with all my favorite linky parties. See full list on the sidebar.

UPDATE: The two lucky winners are #18 and #39. Emails have been sent.

Varun

I have named him Varun, after the Hindu deity of sea and sky and rain. By now Varun has traveled the width of the country and reached Bernie on the west coast.

Varun  - 60" by 80"

Varun - Green Backing

Each plus block finished at 10" square. 48 blocks were arranged 6 by 8 for a finished quilt measuring 60" by 80". Varun is my contribution to the Positivity QAL and is a Mercyful Quilt. 

Thank you from Mercy Hospital

Mercyful Quilts Update

Wrapped with Kindness (may need tissues)

A Note from Mercy Hospital

Here are the pictures showing the progression from fabrics to flimsy to quilt.

Blues for the Border

Reds for the Main Squares

For the Plus Blocks

I think Varun is one good-looking quilt. Although the reason to make Mercyful Quilts is a somber one, I believe the quilt still needs to be uplifting and life-affirming.

Blue Blocks (see the Christmas lights?)

Red Plus Blocks, Snowballed Corners (Some sparkle is a must)

Finished Flimsy

When I am piecing, I see the fabrics from the wrong side. When I press the blocks/fabrics, the iron covers most of it. It is only when I am quilting that I get to really enjoy the beauty of the fabrics, as the sandwich moves slowly under the needle. 

Walking Foot Quilting

Adding Texture

Red Plaid for Binding

Machine Binding - Swift and Sturdy

All done!!!

As much as I want to get it done, move to binding and then get to the next project, I have willed myself to slow down while quilting. These are handsome fabrics and they look so good together. I should take the time to enjoy them, I tell myself.

On a steep hill

Hello handsome!!!

Best Wishes

Thank you Mauna, my goofy quilt model

One last look...

Go on Varun, Godspeed. Wrap someone in love and provide comfort...I said as I packed him away.

I still have a few triangles left over from snowballing the corners with bright blues. I could just discard these itty bitty pieces. 

Paul: Can you?
Me: Nah!!!

So here is a zippered pouch made from the leftover tiny triangles.  Yeah, I am keeping this :-)

No scrap left behind :-)

Mine!!!

Happiness inside!

On September 5, I will pick out the winners (see the prizes) from all those who entered the Finished Quilt Linky Party. I will then ask Bernie to make sure that those quilts have reached her. If not, then I will pick another till we have five winners.

Speaking of Bernie, did you know she is closing her Needle and Foot Etsy store and offering deep discounts on the clearance sale?

Did I buy anything?
You bet I did.

Here is my haul. I may have bought out some of the items. Sorry, not sorry. 
But hurry and you may still find some beauties at prices that are as good as a steal.

Super cuteness!!!

My floral beauties

Gorgeous Ombre Fabric and some remnants!

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I have completed my RSC blocks for August. Here are my greenish blues.

Greenish Blue - Light

Greenish Blue - Dark

And here are the bluish greens. 

Bluish Green - Light

Bluish Green - Dark

All my Blue Greens

Sharing with Angela's Linky Party and all my other favorites. See full list on the sidebar.

I look forward to your thoughts - be they positive (about the Positivity QAL) or negative (use of negative space) :-)