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Free quilt pattern: Summer Breeze
Have you ever looked at a friend’s quilt and said, “that is SO you!” That’s exactly what popped in my head when APQS Dealer Sheridan Carter sent me photos of her “Summer Breeze” quilt! Sheridan is classy, refined, talented and always seems to have it “together”— (I’m secretly very jealous). The bright blues from the “layer cake” stack of fabric she used almost match her twinkling eyes; the yellows remind me of her sunny smile, and the greens reflect the lush landscape around her home in Hendersonville, NC. The quilt definitely says “Sheridan”!
A “layer cake” is a stack of coordinating 10-inch fabric squares. It typically includes between 30 and 40 pieces, though you may find repeat fabrics in the stack. If you struggle to choose fabrics, preassembled stacks take out the guesswork and ensure that all the fabrics work well together. However, you may need to add a few more selections to your precut stack to ensure that your blocks are distinct. Sheridan advises, “be sure to maintain contrast between the dark and light fabrics. I didn’t have very much contrast in a couple of my blocks and wish I had!”
If you don’t have a layer cake stack of fabrics handy, Sheridan has included instructions to use standard fabric yardage. In fact, her pattern can either be scrappy or it can be more uniform, using only a handful of fabrics. The center square in each block can also showcase a focus fabric like a novelty print or themed fabric. How about showing off your collection of colorful Kaffe Fassett fabrics?
If your world revolves around fall Pumpkin Spice Lattes, why not create a quilt rich in the deep golds, reds, yellows and even purples of autumn?
How about whipping up a holiday quilt to snuggle under when it’s time to switch your drink to Peppermint Mocha?
Now that we’ve got your creative juices flowing, let’s get to another fun part—the quilting! Sheridan quilted the quilt on an APQS Lenni on a Blissed frame. To keep the quilt square and help stabilize the borders, Sheridan began by stitching in the between the inner border and the interior of the quilt. She changed to the Flip-Flop Foot (a low-profile foot with a slightly beveled underside) for easy visibility.
Next, she quilted a border-to-border free motion design and traveled down the quilt. She thought something swirly with feathers just felt right. Can you see why I say she’s talented? Those freehand feathers are fantastic!
She basted the outer edge of the side borders as she went, using the convenient single stitch button on Lenni to place the stitches exactly where she wanted them. That kept the outer border stable so she could continue to stitch in the ditch between the interior of the quilt and the yellow border as she worked her way down the quilt.
Once the interior was filled and the ditching was completed, she turned her attention to the borders. She rolled back up to the top of the quilt so that she could complete the two borders. Sheridan usually draws out her free motion design for reference; it’s easy to prop the drawing up on the frame so she can keep the quilting consistent.
As the owner of APQS Hendersonville, it’s no wonder that Sheridan’s favorite part is the quilting!
She has the full line of APQS machines available for rent, and offers additional classes to help her students grow their quilting skills and confidence. If leaf peeping takes you anywhere near Asheville, SC, swing just a bit southeast and pop in. You’ll be inspired!
