These applique patterns are now available for free download at Sew, Mama, Sew. Enjoy! If you're interested in a lengthy explanation of how I make machine appliques, you can also check out my earlier article here.
These bags are just simple linen with linen handles threaded through large eyelets. The patchwork strip is Cake Rock Beach. The appliques are made with Kona cotton.
And here's a baby quilt made with the Cake Rock Beach fabric, white Essex linen/cotton blend (the best stuff ever) and more Kona cotton appliques. The Cake Rock Beach fabric is lovely, but it was challenging to quilt with. I really wanted to use the large dot print, but it just took over the top, so I unpieced all the blocks and used the one with the botanical drawings instead. It may not look like it, but that print had to be paintstakingly fussy cut (also for the binding) since the images are pretty far apart. The fabric is gorgeous though and that solid teal from the Net of Jewels line really sets it off. For some reason, I'd gotten the impression from what I'd read online that Net of Jewels was shiny. It isn't. It's really beautiful stuff. It's one of those fabrics that has a different color weave going in one direction (I know there's a proper way to describe this, but it's escaping me now.) Purlsoho has a fat quarter pack of the full series that I'm seriously considering.
The freemotion quilting worked really well with the watery prints!
I usually use Minky on the back of baby quilts, but I just didn't want to introduce a synthetic fabric here. With the Cake Rock Beach prints and the linen blend and all, I decided a white cotton chenille would look better. I put it on the same way I would a Minky back.
love the bags- so very stylish!
Posted by: the pesky bombolino | July 09, 2008 at 09:07 AM
Incredible again! I need to see how you do the minky back. It looks here like you quilted the top, but not the backing? I used chenille on my son's tied quilt and I love how thick and heavy, but soft it is.
Posted by: Wendy | July 09, 2008 at 09:40 AM
Love the bags and the quilt! The appliqués add such charm!
Posted by: jenclair | July 09, 2008 at 10:34 AM
Beautiful! I can't wait to try this. Do you do your own free motion quilting? It's amazing.
Posted by: Cindy | July 09, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Your bags are absolutely beautiful!! That quilt are so very lovely, too! I really love the way you paired the applique over the patchwork. I really like the cake rock beach line and you made beautiful use of it.
Posted by: Julia | July 09, 2008 at 11:04 AM
You are amazing. I wish I had just an ounce of the talent you have!
Posted by: Stefanie | July 09, 2008 at 11:19 AM
oooh! Love these!
Posted by: RachelMM | July 09, 2008 at 03:36 PM
love these fabrics. Love the quilt and applique. wonderful job. You work quick.
Posted by: amy (sew~amy) | July 09, 2008 at 07:37 PM
All right, Elizabeth, even I am beginning to wonder how you do it. I wouldn't have thought it was possible to do that quality of work that fast. Amazing.
Posted by: Susan | July 09, 2008 at 08:43 PM
Oh Elizabeth, your work is just so incredibly exquisite, you really do set the bar so beautifully high! Congratulations - both perfection and inspiration.
Posted by: Lara (thornberry) | July 09, 2008 at 09:23 PM
Oh, wow, I love all of that! Great colors!
Posted by: Lisa Clarke | July 10, 2008 at 10:17 AM
I love the word exquisite to describe your work. I appreciate you sharing your thought process around the quilt. So inspirational! Thanks for the applique info too. I'm eating it up!
Posted by: Jacquie | July 10, 2008 at 05:46 PM
That large blue dot print is the one Cake Rock Beach print I DON'T have yards and yards of - it took over everything I tried it with too....
Posted by: shannon | July 11, 2008 at 01:44 PM
LOVE the colors. Love it all. You're amazing.
Posted by: Adria | July 11, 2008 at 05:26 PM
I just had to respond....your site is amazing! I love everything you've posted. I can't sew...but I've considered learning....and seeing all the uber cool items you've made....makes me want to learn even more! You are very very talented!
Posted by: sonia | July 13, 2008 at 07:05 AM
Your quilts are so beautiful! You are very talented.
Posted by: mary | July 13, 2008 at 03:58 PM
Oh my - I love love LOVE that quilt! Especially the turtle :)
Posted by: Liz | July 15, 2008 at 07:30 PM
Your work is beautiful--the appliques, the stitching, the quilting, everything! Thanks so much for sharing your designs & techniques. They are great!!
Posted by: debra cooper | July 18, 2008 at 06:50 AM
Those appliques are amazing. And that quilt, well, it's gorgeous - I love those fabrics.
Posted by: Lil' d | July 19, 2008 at 09:51 PM
This is the most beautiful quilt ever!! I did a search for baby quilt tutorial, and you came up!
I love your blog, as a beginner quilter, I am totally amazed by your work, I dream of making something like this for my little guy! The recipients of your quilts are quite blessed :)
Posted by: Katie | November 19, 2008 at 04:54 PM
I love the paintbox quilt, especially the solid color swatch piecing you did on the back. You make me want to learn to quilt. I have books that show me how to do it; it's just making myself set aside the time. Then there are clothing disasters lurking in my "learn to sew" past that keep me from attempting it. I'll get there though.
Posted by: madonnaearth | December 16, 2008 at 09:04 AM
so here i am browsing wist and see this great quilt. i follow the link and it is your site. the funny thing about this is that i have the vintage sheet workbasket tutorial printed and sitting on my nightstand from last week! i was planning to make a couple of the workbaskets. now i have to add this to the pile. thank you for sharing!
Posted by: christine | January 21, 2009 at 10:52 AM