What's on Your Quilting Bucket List?

One of the first quilts I found myself drawn to was a log cabin quilt. As a non-quilter I didn’t know it was a log cabin—I just knew there was something about the variety of lights and darks stacked upon one another that I loved—it was orderly, yet yielded surprising results depending on the setting. So you’d think the first quilt I stitched would have been a log cabin. Somehow, eight years later, I’ve yet to make one. But it’s definitely on my bucket list.

It might surprise you that Moda’s designers have quilting bucket lists, too. But just like you and me, they’re busy with work and deadlines and don’t always find the time to quilt for fun. Although Quilt Market preparations are currently keeping many of them busy, they graciously agreed to share the quilt they’re dreaming of making…someday.

Camille Roskelley (half of the design team Bonnie and Camille): I’ve wanted to make a pickle dish quilt for forever, and Lissa’s pickle dish is making me want to start now! Maybe after Market!

Pat Sloan: “My Quilter’s Bucket List has a Baltimore Album on it…but not just any Baltimore Album. I want to make the Mary Mannakee that hangs in Washington, D.C. at the D.A.R. museum. Why a Baltimore Album? Because when I was learning to appliqué they were all the rage in my area, and can look so different with different fabrics. I might do mine with a grey background, or maybe red…hmmm...  

Laurie Simpson (Minick and Simpson): There are two, really. I’ve always wanted to do a big English paper-pieced quilt and am now halfway done with one that has some English paper piecing and hand piecing: the Mrs. Billings Quilt. Also want to do a quilt in the style of a Welsh Strippie, which is  a basic quilt (much like an Amish quilt or a whole cloth quilt) but with lots and lots of hand quilting. (Here’s an example.)  

Vanessa Christensen: The double wedding ring quilt. As a matter of fact, I have started it and I am one side away from my first "circle." It's been sitting there for 18 months, just staring at me saying “you started me and you know you can do it...why aren't you finishing me?" I started wanting it to be for my king-size bed, now I'm just shooting for a small throw. 

Lisa Bongean (Primitive Gatherings): I would love to make an all-wool crazy quilt with lots of wool appliqués and cool embroidery stitches all over it!!!

Barbara Groves (One half of Me and My Sister Designs): The very first thing that flew into my mind was Montana Cartwheel. It was one of the first quilts that stole my heart as a beginning quilter. You don't see them around so much these days, in fact I haven't seen one in years. But it will always be on my Quilt Bucket List. I want to make mine with batiks someday, when I have lots of time and learn how to paper piece.

Mary Jacobson (the other half of Me and My Sister Designs): The top quilt on my bucket list is a Pickle Dish….or a Drunkard's Path!  Really anything with curves and lots of color!

Janet Clare: I’ve been meaning to make an Irish Chain quilt for years and years. Grey and cream. Classic and timeless. My Mum’s a quilter and I’ve dropped heavy hints to her, too, but still no Irish Chain! (My Mum’s Irish so I have extra reason to want one too.)

Lynne Hagmeier (Kansas Troubles): After designing for Moda for 10 years, I gathered up bits and pieces of the 33 fabric lines to date to make a block from each for a quilt, KTFavorites: 10 Years & Counting. That inspired me to plan for the the Spider Web quilt I’ve always wanted to make for my king-size bed. We're now saving strips from each new line to make a block from each group. After 25 more fabric collections (about 6 years) I'll have my quilt! I chose the Spider Web block so I could use all 40 prints from the different fabric lines in each block. It's not easy to find a block with that many parts/pieces!

Sandy Klop (American Jane): “I recently received my lifetime achievement award. I was the featured artisit at a local nursery where they displayed 100 of my quilts hanging from giant oak trees! So now my bucket list is much shorter. Of course there’s nothing I’d rather do than start a new quilt, but there’s nothing urgent!” Below is a photo of Sandy’s show.

A show of 100 of Sandy Klop's quilts—Her "Lifetime Achievement Award"

So, how about you? What’s on your quilter’s bucket list—any particular pattern you want to stitch or material you’re yearning to work with? Leave a comment and let us know!