Sister's Choice Quilts

My interests are quilting, reading, cooking, family, decorating, and matters of style. I post regular quilting tutorials and book reviews of current fiction.

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Shiloh: More Than Half Way There

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Now isn't this a pretty thing?  This is the center section of my Shiloh quilt!  I am so excited to have gotten these blocks together over the weekend.  In fact, I was so excited to share it with you all that I took a picture before I even pressed the top.  I love the colors of this quilt, and especially like the way the lighter fabrics in some of the blocks make your eye dance around the surface of the quilt.  And the blacks too…blacks always make your eye move around to find more blacks.

The fabrics of this quilt really evolved since the begining of the project.  I  started out with some very nice Civil War Reproduction fabrics and particularly liked one fabric that was rust colored.  On a whim, I started rummaging around in my stash to see if I had any more fabrics similar to it to add to the quilt, and discovered I had a layer cake of a collection by Barbara Brackman called Arnold's Attic.  This line was full of gorgeous rusts, browns and greens. Immediately I started switching out many of the fabrics I had initially selected, keeping some, but adding substantially from the Arnold's Attic layer cake.  I used everything in the layer cake except some tourquoisey blues, that were fabulous, but just not for this project.

I started to cut up the layer cake into the sizes I needed for the quilt top and was surprised to see how far they went.   Surprisingly (or maybe not), the addition of this layer cake completely changed the original look of the quilt I had started to make!  You think a layer cake isn't all that much fabric, but this proved to me just how far they go towards making a complete, full sized quilt top.  As I said, I had many other fabric scraps that I used as well, but I bet if I had had two layer cakes of Arnold's Attic, I could have make the entire top with just those alone.

And what you see above isn't all that I was able to do with that layer cake.  There was plenty to use for the outer flying geese border as well!

 
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Yes, that is Open Gate Quilt's Fit to be Geese ruler.  I can't tell you how much I love that tool.  Even if your quilt instructions tell you to make the flying geese units using a different method, you can use this tool for perfect results.  You just need to know the finished size of the flying geese unit you need for your project, and the Fit to be Geese ruler instructions tell you what size to cut your "sky" and "geese" units.  Cut and construct your flying geese, then use the ruler to cut them down to the perfect size.  You will never in your life have a wonky flying goose again.  Each unit is perfect, and most importantly, is the exact same size as all the others!

So this week I will be making flying geese for my border for Shiloh, but hope to crank out more Hill Country Basket blocks too.

54 responses to “Shiloh: More Than Half Way There”

  1. I’m in love with your Shiloh! The colors are perfect. I also use the Fit to Be Geese ruler now whenever I need geese. Have a great day!

  2. I’m in love with your Shiloh! The colors are perfect. I also use the Fit to Be Geese ruler now whenever I need geese. Have a great day!

  3. This is a really lovely Fall quilt Nicole! I love your Civil War reproduction fabrics. I am still a bit scared of flying geese so I will have to deliberately choose a project with lots of them to break the fear factor!

  4. This is a really lovely Fall quilt Nicole! I love your Civil War reproduction fabrics. I am still a bit scared of flying geese so I will have to deliberately choose a project with lots of them to break the fear factor!

  5. The colors of your quilt would definitely fit the colors of the trees right now where I live. It’s almost as if the leaves decided to change overnight! I wish you sewing time this week so you can show us your beautiful flying geese.

  6. The colors of your quilt would definitely fit the colors of the trees right now where I live. It’s almost as if the leaves decided to change overnight! I wish you sewing time this week so you can show us your beautiful flying geese.

  7. WOW! What a glorious quilt Shiloh has turned out to be!!!! Aren’t you over the moon pleased with it? I love the many colors, fabrics, and the perfect placement of each one in the quilt top. How large will Shiloh be?
    No sewing for me this weekend but AMIL and I made another batch of salsa. Yum!
    Hugs!

  8. WOW! What a glorious quilt Shiloh has turned out to be!!!! Aren’t you over the moon pleased with it? I love the many colors, fabrics, and the perfect placement of each one in the quilt top. How large will Shiloh be?
    No sewing for me this weekend but AMIL and I made another batch of salsa. Yum!
    Hugs!

  11. Looks like a change of view in projects was just what you needed. Looks great. I’m going to have to get those rulers. Everyone raves about them.

  12. Looks like a change of view in projects was just what you needed. Looks great. I’m going to have to get those rulers. Everyone raves about them.

  13. Your quilt looks great!! I really like the colors! I’m going to have to check out that ruler also. I need help with those geese sometimes.

  14. Your quilt looks great!! I really like the colors! I’m going to have to check out that ruler also. I need help with those geese sometimes.

  15. So much good in the color venture on your quilt. It looks awesome. It also lifted your spirits. Your post was a good plug for the rulers and for layer cakes. I need a better way to do flying geese, and I am glad to know a layer cake can be that adaptive and flexible.

  16. So much good in the color venture on your quilt. It looks awesome. It also lifted your spirits. Your post was a good plug for the rulers and for layer cakes. I need a better way to do flying geese, and I am glad to know a layer cake can be that adaptive and flexible.

  17. What a lovely quilt! You’ve chosen a great combination of colors! Yay for getting so much done! I am such a fan (thanks to your demos) of Fit To Be Geese rulers! Perfectly matched geese every single time is the truth!!!

  18. What a lovely quilt! You’ve chosen a great combination of colors! Yay for getting so much done! I am such a fan (thanks to your demos) of Fit To Be Geese rulers! Perfectly matched geese every single time is the truth!!!

  23. It’s beautiful Nicole! Now I really must get me one of those rulers! I’ve always liked Arnold’s Attic.

  24. It’s beautiful Nicole! Now I really must get me one of those rulers! I’ve always liked Arnold’s Attic.

  25. Perfect colours for this perfect quilt. I love the Arnold’s Attic collection. I have the Open Gate flying geese ruler, but not sure I could attempt something as intricate as “Shiloh”. But, isn’t that what quilting is all about, setting a little challenge for yourself once in awhile?

  26. Perfect colours for this perfect quilt. I love the Arnold’s Attic collection. I have the Open Gate flying geese ruler, but not sure I could attempt something as intricate as “Shiloh”. But, isn’t that what quilting is all about, setting a little challenge for yourself once in awhile?

  27. Love it! Gorgeous color combination. Don’t think I’m smart enough to lay out that quilt as well as you have. I’m glad to see you are excited again, too. Nothing like some success with a beautiful quilt top to pep you up.

  28. Love it! Gorgeous color combination. Don’t think I’m smart enough to lay out that quilt as well as you have. I’m glad to see you are excited again, too. Nothing like some success with a beautiful quilt top to pep you up.

  29. Wow! I can’t believe how this has changed the look of the quilt. I remember looking at the kit when you first bought the pattern. It had a green and burgundy tone if I recall correctly. This gave it a whole new look. I love it. It will be a great fall quilt.

  30. Wow! I can’t believe how this has changed the look of the quilt. I remember looking at the kit when you first bought the pattern. It had a green and burgundy tone if I recall correctly. This gave it a whole new look. I love it. It will be a great fall quilt.

  31. Just perfect! Love the colors. I have that flying geese ruler, and have never used it. Just went to a Monique Dillard lecture, and am inspired to try it now!

  32. Just perfect! Love the colors. I have that flying geese ruler, and have never used it. Just went to a Monique Dillard lecture, and am inspired to try it now!

  37. I remember Arnold’s Attic but never bought any of it, so sad! The blocks look fabulous and I agree about your lights and darks doing the dance 🙂

  38. I remember Arnold’s Attic but never bought any of it, so sad! The blocks look fabulous and I agree about your lights and darks doing the dance 🙂

  39. That quilt is stunning, absolutely stunning! That better be some border you have, it’s got a lot to live up to with those center blocks!

  40. That quilt is stunning, absolutely stunning! That better be some border you have, it’s got a lot to live up to with those center blocks!

  43. Gorgeous!!!!! Absolutely gorgeous!! You are so right about the fabric colors causing your eyes to constantly move around the quilt. That quilt just screams homey goodness!!! Very inspiring, Nicole. 🙂

  44. Gorgeous!!!!! Absolutely gorgeous!! You are so right about the fabric colors causing your eyes to constantly move around the quilt. That quilt just screams homey goodness!!! Very inspiring, Nicole. 🙂

  45. Wowee! Fabulous! Such a pretty quilt for this new season! Thanks for the tip on the layer cakes, too! I love Monique’s ruler, too! I really will go out of my way now to find rulers that will let you make a block or section and then trim down to perfect size – makes things so much more accurate! Her ruler is fun to work with!

  46. Wowee! Fabulous! Such a pretty quilt for this new season! Thanks for the tip on the layer cakes, too! I love Monique’s ruler, too! I really will go out of my way now to find rulers that will let you make a block or section and then trim down to perfect size – makes things so much more accurate! Her ruler is fun to work with!

  47. Love your Shiloh progress! Love Arnold’s Attic too…its one of my faves, especially the blues. Can’t wait to see this one finished 🙂

  48. Love your Shiloh progress! Love Arnold’s Attic too…its one of my faves, especially the blues. Can’t wait to see this one finished 🙂