Zipped Up

I'm excited to have a project featured in Benartex's free e-zine, Modern by the Yard. I used Christa Watson's Gridwork collection (yes, I've used this a lot lately--it's so fun!). I wanted to come up with a design that would showcase those big prints in larger chunks, rather than cutting them up small. Here's what I came up with:

Photo by Erin Sutherland Photography

The name came naturally after finishing the design--I think the center looks like a zipper. I played around with several color palettes but really wanted to use the blue and citron to create a bold, spring-like feel. The Arches print (the stripe) was perfect to tie the two side colors together. Visit the e-zine to see some of the other color variations I tried. 

Diane Oakes quilted the quilt. We decided on lines of pebbles in the center blocks and a simple wavy line in the frames. There's so much going on in the fabric, and the pebbles echoed the circular feel in the prints. 

It's hard to see the machine quilting in the background--if you enlarge the photo, you can see it a little better. Diane quilted spiral boxes that would provide texture without overpowering the design. 

Fun fact: Diane told me that she had to quilt the citron using a black light because she couldn't see the thread on the fabric! 

I love this view down the center of the quilt!

Make sure you page through the entire issue of Modern by the Yard--it's FREE! There are four projects and other fun features, including Modern with a Twist and Mix & Match. You'll also find the pattern to make Zipped Up. 

Find the magazine here.

See the entire Gridwork collection here. Ask for it at your local quilt shop, or visit Christa's website to order what you need.