How many of you have heard the phrase Keep Calm and Carry On? It started as a British morale poster in World War II — Churchill’s era, soldier on, make the best of things. Quilters, being the resourceful souls they are, have made it their own: Quilt On.
I love that. So I captured it.
Quilt On is the next in a series of free designs to help you get comfortable with fusible appliqué and lettering — and have a little more fun with your stitching while you’re at it. In the last installment, So Sew, we explored couching as a way to add texture and dimension. Missed the first one? So Sew is still available in the shop for just $2 — a small price for a little wordsmithing practice. 👉 https://tourmalinethymequilts.com/product/so-sew-block/
This time, I’ve added background quilting that I am itching to embellish — and I have some ideas I think you’re going to enjoy.
👉 Download your free Quilt On pattern here: https://tourmalinethymequilts.com/product/quilt-on/
With this block, I decided to do something totally different: I quilted first. Rather than tracing the template the way I normally would, I borrowed a trick from foundation piecing. I positioned the paper over my quilt sandwich and held it in place with magnets (pins work too). Then I stitched right through the fabric along the lines — not the letters — using a light lavender thread.
Turns out I stay on the path a lot better when I’m not filming myself doing it. Apparently I’m a little camera shy.
Once the stitching was done, I tore off the paper with just a hint of satisfaction. Then I fused the letters on, using my quilted lines as a guide. A simple blanket stitch secured them. I picked a purple that nearly matched the background so the stitching wouldn’t steal the show.
For the dot on the “i,” I dug a purple square button out of my stash. It was almost like it had been waiting for this project. While I was hunting for it, I also found two adorable butterfly patches that seemed perfect for the piece. I’ve fused them on for now, though I still need to stitch them down properly.
Both the button and the patches had been sitting in my notions drawer for who knows how long. I was glad to finally put them to use. Do you have any of those little finds tucked away, just waiting for the right project?
Want to see how it all came together? Watch the assembly playlist here: 👉 https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQjEQQxiWJAw
I hope you’ll stitch along with me!
Happy Quilting!
