my Dutch Penny Sampler, a finished quilt
Wow, what a journey it’s been! From my first stitches a year ago to sewing the final zigzag binding over last weekend - the Penny Sampler quilt has punctuated my year 2020 with many bright spots of creativity. Thank you for coming along, whether by joining in the Penny Sampler Pattern Club or reading along here.
Of course I couldn’t resist custom quilting my Penny Sampler. I never really enjoyed the quilting phase before I got a longarm machine, but now I definitely do. It’s engaging to search for motifs that complement the different sampler blocks.
I’ve learned to quilt densely over less important areas, such as the Penny Patchwork sashing I’ve quilted with a grid, and do more open designs on favorite blocks. The Windmill block is shining here like the star it is, thanks to the simple and open asterisk quilting that lets the block almost pop up from the surrounding areas.
I love how this particular Karlee Porter quilting motif suits the Tulip Crown block!
Funny that the very same quilting pattern also complements Pineapple so well.
My biggest challenge was choosing something for the large Hanging Diamonds area at the left of the quilt. Eventually I settled on fluffy cloud quilting. This area doesn't have a lot of piecing, so it presents an opportunity to boost the quilt’s cuddle factor with a large section of open quilting.
Sponsor of the Week
The Confident Stitch
Celebrate this holiday season with The 12 Makes of Christmas!
Every day for 12 days, beginning December 8th and ending December 19th, The Confident Stitch will be revealing a project that is thoughtful, unique, and, best of all, easy! Each ‘make’ is accompanied by an instructional blog post or video along with material recommendations and/or a complete kit that’s great for making or for last-minute gifting.
And, now the finished quilt!
Yesterday was a drizzly day, but I suppose that’s fitting for a Dutch-inspired quilt. You can actually see the color palette of my quilt in the scenery at our local park: bright green grass and dull cloudy skies. But we also have our sunny days, so I’ve added all sorts of blues, pops of sunny yellow and a bit of orange, which is the symbolic color of the Dutch royal house.
Most of my block and fabric choices were somehow informed by what I’ve learned of Dutch culture since moving here a year and a half ago. For example, I framed a cat in the square-in-square block. Did you know that cats are the most popular pets in The Netherlands? Yes, more so even than dogs.
I also sprinkled the quilt liberally with rainy or cloudy fabrics, because it really does rain her a lot. Plus, there’s a few references to sailing and navigation, with map fabric and the central compass block. The Dutch ruled the seas once upon a time, and today they’re quite a major player for worldwide shipping thanks to Rotterdam harbor.
These sort of details probably escape most viewers, but for me they’re part of the fun of quilting! I don’t mind if it all makes sense mostly only to me, haha.
Now - hurray - my third Penny Sampler quilt is complete! She’s bound with simple gingham binding that blends into the edges and backed with grey wideback crosshatch. I’m super satisfied with how it turned out! Hey, maybe someday I’ll even make another?
This weekend I sent out the final installment of our pattern club. If you didn’t receive yours, please let me know and I’ll send you another copy. Thanks again for joining in!
Would you like to sew your own Penny Sampler? There are a variety of blocks included, so yours doesn’t necessarily need to be Dutch-inspired. The skill level is appropriate for an intermediate quilter. No experience with machine paper piecing required, as you’ll receive comprehensive lessons in machine paper piecing, with a detailed video, and expert tips helpful even for those with experience.
The Penny Sampler Pattern Club is still up for grabs through the end of 2020. Those purchasing now will receive all 12 monthly installments, since the club is complete. You could easily pace yourself over a full year or fly through the quilt, depending upon your preference.
Happy quilting, all!
