Quick Column Quilts Blog Tour - Sandy Beach Blotter

So glad you've stopped by for my turn on the blog tour for Nancy Zieman's new book, Quick Column Quilts!  Even with all of the eye candy in this book, finding that perfect project to make took me no time, and it's one that will even have an important purpose!  

Our recent project has been creating my daughter's new beachy bedroom (see post below), and The Dotted Columns Wall Hanging was the perfect size to add a blotter style quilt to the beautiful desk her dad made.

The book's gorgeous version is made with silk dupioni, which illuminates vibrant appliqued circles scattered about in delicate balance with a calm column background.

I made my quilt much more monocromatic and, in keeping with those stand out circles, added a few subtle messages of encouragement too.  The simplicity of arranging the scattered columns (notice how no seams need to line up!) gives artistic latitude to those circles, which kept calling out to me to say something!

With very specific colors that were approved by the teen boss, the base columns were done with sand and wood tones, and pale blues and white solids were used for the circles.

To make the blotter more rigid than a regular quilt, I used stiff interfacing rather than cotton batting, and assembled the columns using the "quilt as you go" technique. 

Deciding on the words to stamp onto the appliqued circles actually took longer than making this entire quilt!  Using some typewriter style font stamps, I gave each circle a little whimsy by not lining all the letters up perfectly.  I fused each circle on before stitching, although Nancy's technique in her book would have worked much nicer for more smoother satin stitching.  To me, they look like bubbles of water on a sandy santuary.

I loved how Nancy's book has so many visual diagrams for cutting and piecing each step of the quiltmaking process for precise results. Even the most beginning sewing student can easily follow along and achieve great one of a kind creations!  

To give a bit of a feminine touch, I finished the border by adding a petite lace edging around a very skinny bias binding.

The result is a functional quilt that finished up super fast which leads to...you guessed it...more time for sewing!  But most of all, she loved it! 

Nancy is hosting a fantastic giveaway including several copies of this book, and all you have to do to be eligible is to leave a comment on her blog post here.  There are 27(!) blogs featuring creations from the Quick Column Quilts book to help inspire you, so please follow along and check out these talented artists and their creations:

Date                  Link

09/04/14         Nancy Zieman
09/05/14         Quilt Taffy and  Simple Simon & Co.
09/06/14         Diary of a Quilter  and Stitchin Jenny
09/07/14         A Woman a Day  and Craizee Corner   
09/08/14         Jina Barney Designz, Lilac Lane Patterns, and Totally Stitchin' 
09/09/14         Esch House Quilts and The Cottage Mama
09/10/14         Designs in Machine Embroidery and Pat Sloan
09/12/14         Happy Valley Primitives, Doohikey Designs, and Quilt in a Day
09/13/14         Quilt Dad and Just Arting Around
09/14/14         Lazy Girl Designs and  Marie-Madeline Studio
09/15/14         Always Expect Moore  and Polka Dot Chair
09/16/14         Amy Lou Who Sews and Riley Blake Designs
09/17/14         Indygo Junction and Amy's Creative Side