Cope and Hope in Quilter’s World
I have a new design in the Spring issue of Quilter’s World, on newsstands now. It has a beautiful cover with lovely spring colors.
Make a note to pick it up when you’re at the grocery store or grab it online!
photo courtesy of Quilter’s World.
As the world shut down in the spring of 2020, I thought about quilters staying at home and making quilts to calm their hearts and minds. I couldn’t get the idea of a house quilt out of my head.
In those first months when there was nothing but uncertainty, I pulled a blank muslin doll out of the closet.
I journaled my thoughts right on her flesh with Micron Pigma pens.
When she filled up, I made her a skirt and a mask and gave her hair and a face.
I named her Pandemic Pearl and it seemed like a doll with a name should have a quilt.
That’s how the first little house block was born. I could see it had potential for a bigger quilt so I began to play with EQ8 quilt design software (which I recommend!).
I thought about using rainbow backgrounds but it didn’t please me.
Maybe I could leave a blank space, like a vacant lot, on every block.
I felt like I was finally getting somewhere with this one but it needed something more.
Side note: I really like designing with rectangular blocks!
You can set a quilt 3 x 3 or 5 x 5 and you still get a rectangular quilt, which is more pleasing to me than a square quilt.
I decided on gray sashing to suggest streets, and made the cornerstones in four different colors. These small details all add up for a more interesting quilt.
photo courtesy of Quilter’s World.
Here’s the finished quilt, which I named Cope and Hope. Naming a quilt involves a lot of brainstorming for me, as I like to use something catchy. And there’s no guarantee that a magazine will use my name for the quilt, but in this case, Quilter’s World did.
Cope and Hope was quilted by my friend Julie Lechner. Find her on Instagram @beenquiltin. She always does a beautiful job for me. We decided on a modern edge to edge design called African Samba from Quilts Complete and I think it works well.
The background is a Peppered Cotton from Studio e Fabrics in color 82, Midnight. I love this purply navy blue and I’m on my second bolt. Bright colors just sparkle against it and it has become a favorite neutral I return to again and again.
Don’t let the small size of the patchwork intimidate you. As long as you have dexterity, it is no more difficult to sew across a small patch than a large patch.
Quilted by Julie Lechner @beenquiltin
I conceived this quilt in 2020 and made it in 2021 to be published in 2022. I sometimes struggle with keeping track of what year it is.
Quilt on,
Tags: EQ8, make extraordinary scrap quilts, quilt design, scrap quilts, trunk shows
Marty
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Diane, congratulations! I love this! And the doll! I do subscribe to one quilting magazine, I’ll check. Where I live, boonies, not many quilting magazines are available.
Diane Harris
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Thanks so much, Marty. I too live in the boonies, but it leaves a lot of time for quilting!!
Robin K
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I enjoy making house blocks and am allways looking for a new house pattern. You did a great job here, for that reason alone I am going to buy the magazine. Adding That middle block is like the “town square” or small parks that the homes around it can enjoy. Thank you for designing a quilt I can weave a around when I share with the grandchildren.
Diane Harris
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Hi Robin, you can’t imagine how happy it makes me to know you’ll share it with your grandchildren!! Thank you for your kind words, and best wishes to you!!
June
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Great looking quilt. We learn when you share your process thoughts. Thank you so much!
Diane Harris
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Thank you, June! I appreciate your visit to Stash Bandit. 🙂
Jeanne Prue
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I love your Cope & Hope quilt. Can’t wait to check it out in the magazine! And Pandemic Pearl is about as unique as a doll can get. Thanks so much for always inspiring!
Elizabeth Broussard
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That is a wonderful quilt and that quilting design is perfect for it.
Diane, that is a great pic of you and the masterpiece. Liz in Houston
Diane Harris
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Thank you so much, Liz! I appreciate your kind words. 🙂