Spilling Secrets..........Bridges & Tunnels

Finally time to spill the beans on this one and it couldn't have come at a better time, as there is just so much I have to tell you.

I'd like to introduce you to Bridges & Tunnels, the quilt that I created for Modern Quilts Unlimited Winter issue...hitting newsstands soon. 



I received my subscription copy in the mail Wednesday evening and was so giddy that I stood out in the cold just so I could find my quilt...and there it was on page 46.  Eeeee!  look, my name - right there in black and white.


And here it is, Bridges & Tunnels in all it's cozy splendor.



This quilt was a labor of love...
                     cutting
                     piecing
                     seam-ripping (I'll get to that later)
                     piecing again
                     then quilting
...this quilt has been through alot. 


While I had created the pattern a long time ago, I had intentions of distributing it myself (like MAZED and INDEX); but an opportunity presented itself and I jumped at the chance.  The fabric selection process was super simple, as there was a particular color story that the Editor was seeking.  Moda Fabrics was kind enough to send me Malka Dubrawsky's new "Simple Marks" summer collection to use for the quilt. 




I spent time deciding which prints I would use where and then started cutting.  That of course was the stressful part for me.  While I knew that my pattern was accurate, just the thought that one wrong slice of my rotary cutter would waste the fabric (fabric that I didn't have more of) was stressful.  What helped of course was knowing that in a few days, I had a 12-hour St. Louis MQG Sew-In scheduled; which meant lots and lots of time to start piecing, and if I played my cards right maybe I'd finish the quilt top. 

Near the end of our Sew-In, right on schedule I cut my final thread and breathed a huge sigh of relief, the entire top was pieced...Whew!  Only when I laid it out on the floor to snap some photos did my smile turn to a frown.  Somehow when I was sewing row to row, I flipped a few and ended up with a design that was different, interesting; but certainly not acceptable for a magazine submission. 




Annie, my Sew-In Saturday table-mate eased me off the cliff and helped me figure out what I did wrong.  We carefully #'d the rows (see the pink post-its) so I wouldn't make the same mistake a second time. 

I spent the following day ripping out multiple seams (the width of the quilt) and realigning the rows into their proper order.  I finished it off with some simple vertical straight-line quilting then took it to my parent's house to snap a quick photo before boxing it up and shipping it to Modern Quilts Unlimited magazine, hoping that it got there safe and sound.




I haven't seen my quilt since October; but look forward to being reunited with it at QuiltCon...more on that later :-)

In the meantime, I do hope that you check out the magazine and all the other wonderful patterns, articles and yummy fabrics featured.  And don't forget to see the DASHED quilt, designed by my friend, Mary Claire.

Definately let me know your thoughts on Bridges & Tunnels; and of course if you make your own version, please send me a photo.


Happy Thursday!!