Friday, August 25, 2017

Windows by Christa Watson


So excited to be part of this blog hop to get the word out on Christa Watson's new book Piece and Quilt with Precuts with Martingale. You can purchase a signed copy from Christa HERE.


You know how books and patterns can say those three dreaded words at the end of a pattern....Quilt As Desired"....well this book teaches you how to look those words in the eye and tell them that you are not scared of them anymore!!!

With excellent cutting and assembly instructions, any of the quilts in this book will be a breeze to put together and then get to my favorite part--I have to say that since I am a long arm quilter--the quilting!! Each quilt has it's own quilting suggestions and instructions on how to do it!!

I chose "Windows" as that was the design featured for today--August 26--my birthday!!



The pattern is written with instructions for using 2 1/2" strip rolls, but since I had just received my second ambassador box from Island Batik, I went with some coordinating fabrics in a stash builder roll. These strips are 5" x WOF.

So I cut a 5 1/2" x 5" rectangle from each of my 8 chosen strips.

Then sub cut those into 2 1/2" x 5 1/2" rectangles--super easy and fast!!


Using the super clear instructions and diagrams I had this put together in no time at all!!

 Do you see those lovely puffy white clouds in the sky--well in just an instant they turned into a small little 1 mile square cloud burst of heavy rain. Then there was this beautiful full double rainbow!!


Trust me it was full and double--I just love living on the hill and seeing these!!! But I digress!! Get back to sewing Terri!


Since I wanted a table runner for the dining room I chose to make 2 A rows. In order to ensure the blocks lined up correctly I put little marks on the sashing so I could pin it together nicely.


I looked through the book if any of the other quilting designs I might like to try--but ended up going with what was suggested--ribbon candy in sashing, ribbon in window space and meandering through rest. I really like how it turned out--but then I will always love a good meander!


From cutting to binding this was a less than 4 hour project!! 



And I LOVE how it looks on the dining table!!!


 If you want to see what others have done from Piece and Quilt with PreCuts click HERE for the list. 

I am giving away an e-copy of Piece and Quilt with PreCuts. Just comment below with your favorite birthday cake flavor--mine is yellow cake with chocolate buttercream frosting. On September 1 I will randomly chose one to receive the copy.

Thank you Christa for letting me be a part of your blog hop!! 

106 comments:

ChristaQuilts said...

Thanks for being part of the hop - this turned out fantastic!

Carol said...

Ooh. I also love yellow with chocolate frosting. But my favorite is probably chocolate cake with toffee.

Anonymous said...

Chocolate, chocolate, chocolate. Cake, frosting and everything in between but I wouldn't turn down any cake or pie or most other desserts. Good thing I have quilting to keep me busy or I'd be baking.. :-)
funnylady93@comcast.net

Anita said...

Chocolate cake with toffee frosting. Love your table runner!

Allison said...

My favorite is also yellow cake with chocolate frosting! It has been my favorite since I was little. Your table runner is beautiful.

CyndyK said...

My favorite is German cholate cake! Thanks for sharing with us. cknapp3626(at)sbcglobal(dot)net

Rozz01 said...

Mom makes a delicious white cake with lemon filling and fluffy white 7 minute frosting.
rozz01 at cox dot net

Kathryn said...

I love banana cake with buttercream icing. Love this quick project.

tac73 said...

For my birthday cake I like carrot cake with cream cheese icing. Love the colors of your table runner.

Silverthimble said...

Birthday cake in our house is angel food cake with an icing made from cool whip and a box of pudding powder. I love the version of this quilt pattern you made!
silverthimble@shaw.ca

Ioleen said...

Fast, easy and super cute table runner. For me it's Black Forest cake.

Katie Joy said...

I don't need a e-copy of the book, since I already have one, but wanted to tell you that your table runner is beautiful!! I love the fabric choices. I thought about making my version of Windows in batiks as well, but then hit my scrap stash instead. Now I am thinking I might try it in batiks in the future. Thanks for sharing!! (P.S. birthday cake at my house is usually any type of pie!!)

GranChris said...

If I could eat it mine would be Carrot Cake with cream Cheese frosting. Love your quilt.

Rachel said...

My favorite birthday cake is a princess cake -- a white cake with a layer of berry (strawberry or raspberry usually) filling, topped with a fluffy whipped cream, and then the whole thing is covered in a dome of marzipan. Mmmm! Thanks for hosting the giveaway!

Barb said...

Ooo, Hariet's Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting!!

Dawn said...

As long as the cake is topped with a delicious buttercream frosting, the cake flavor doesn't really matter :) But, I do love lemon...

rosemaryschild said...

Love the wonderful batiks you used-just beautiful! I love chocolate cake w/chocolate icing-yum! Thank you, Susan

Barb Johnson said...

My favorite cake is German chocolate with caramel pecan icing. The icing makes it hard to write Happy Birthday on it, but I can do without the writing anyway!

Donna said...

The Table runner is very lovely. I
I like cherry or lemon cheesecake for my birthday.
djcutting2(at)gmail(dot)com

Tara A said...

Happy Birthday! My favorite cake is chocolate. Mmmm!

JANET said...

You had me at cake! But my favorite is Chocolate with 7 minute frosting. Yummmm! Then there is white cake, each layer brushed with orange juice, 7 minute frosting, and covered with coconut. Love your runner. Nice colors, too.

Vicky said...

Spice cake with chocolate buttercream frosting.

Nancy said...

I love two equally - chocolate/chocolate, and carrot cake with cream cheese icing!

Anonymous said...

I used to be a chocolate cake girl every time but there are so many flavours it's hard to commit to just one! Currently, I love a good coconut cake with coconut pudding layers and coconut buttercream icing. Yum! Tamara
tamaraferguson(at)hotmail(dot)com

Anonymous said...

HI, my favorite Birthday Cake is German Chocolate!Isn't this Book of Christa's neat!Love the projects you showed+Thank You for sharing on the Book Tour!
msstitcher1214@gmail.com

Diane M said...

Pretty table runner! Happy Birthday. My favorite is chocolate with whipped cream frosting.

Anne D said...

Love your table runner. I love chocolate, coffee and hazelnut together or separate in cakes. Tiramisu is a favourite.

Cat Lady said...

Love the table runner. Growing up, we often celebrated a month's worth of family birthdays at one time. My "cake" choice was, and still is, pumpkin pie. If I need to have a real cake, I want chocolate angel food.

Jr's Family said...

Happy Birthday!! Love your table runner and the colors are beautiful!! My favorite cake is from Nothing Bundt Cakes, white chocolate raspberry is AWESOME!!

@lutzcats said...

FROM SCRATCH: Chocolate cake with chocolate swiss meringue buttercream and a coconut meringue disc (think giant macaron) in the center. lutzcats (at)yahoo (dot ) com

Laura said...

I love lemon cake for my birthday. Happy birthday to you!

pajtr said...

**Happy Birthday, Terri!!**

You made a *beautiful* table runner!
It looks so perfect in that pretty room!
It's amazing how versatile Christa's patterns are!... Everyone is creating something wonderful, and unique to their own style!

I love any cake!... But my children and their families are very partial to ice cream cakes... usually fancy, homemade, with chocolate cake layers. (My birthday was 2 weeks ago, and since I've tried to go "plant-based" eating this summer, they surprised me with a fantastic "gluten and everything else"-free chocolate cake with pecan coconut-milk ice cream!... Oh, SO good!!)
Happy Birthday, Terri!, and, thank you for sharing your process in creating your beautiful runner!
Pat T.

Unknown said...

Your table runner is so pretty. A chocolate cake with chocolate icing is perfect.

Unknown said...

Your table runner turned out great! I love your choice of FMQ stitches. My favorite cake is chocolate with my grandmother's caramel icing (cooked with a candy thermometer). My dad always requested it for his birthday, too!

Sewgirl said...

Happy Birthday! Love your color choices for the runner...turned out great! My favorite birthday cake flavor is chocolate with chocolate frosting!! Thanks for sharing the giveaway.

Subee said...

I would much prefer cheesecake!
Ohioholman at aol dot com

Lucy said...

Happy Birthday!! Love the colors you used! My favorite cake flavor is chocolate with cream cheese frosting!!

Cecilia said...

Happy birthday!🎉 I like cheesecake the best.

tammik said...

Chocolate! Any kind of chocolate always works with a creamy icing!

Kathy E. said...

Chocolate cake with chocolate frosting is my favorite always! I love your modern table runner...just my style!

Stitcher/aka Paula Hedges said...

First and foremost, Happy Birthday! Love your table runner! That is one of my favorite patterns from Christa's new book. And I believe anything made with batiks is going to be beautiful. As a kid, my favorite cake was spice with a cream cheese frosting, but now I'd say dark chocolate with dark chocolate frosting.

Gail said...

Love your table runner ~ those batiks are gorgeous! My favorite birthday cake is devil's food chocolate with chocolate icing. Yum. Happy Birthday to you!

SandyMay said...

I like a spice cake with an apple pecan filling any time of the year, not just on my birthday. Your table runner is so soothing with its soft colors. Thanks for participating in this fun project. swalker (at) aol (dot) com.

Zanymouse said...

I love this so much!

teachpany said...

Lovely. My cake is chocolate cake with a layer of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and more cake, and fudge frosting. My son wants Nestle's Toll House Pie.

Jayne said...

Less than 4 hours for your table runner is very impressive. My cake choice would be chocolate and buttercream

Karaquilts said...

Oh, my favorite birthday cake is from my childhood ~ ~ angel food cake with a fudgy chocolate glaze. Served with peppermint ice cream, of course! I love the finished table runner. Quite lovely.

Lee said...

Love the table runner and the colors you chose! I love coconut cake!

Unknown said...

Has to be chocolate cake with a fluffy cooked frosting/

sam said...

Yellow cake with vanilla buttercream. YUM

Cathy L Wilson said...

German chocolate for me, please! I love how your runner turned out!

Caron said...

angel food with 7 minute frosting. Love the colors!

Sarah J said...

Eep- I love yellow cake with chocolate frosting, but I prefer my frosting a little on the fudgy side! Happy birthday! I love the colors you chose for this runner-- so pretty!

Lisa England said...

Cake with icing isn't really my thing, but I love Ice Cream Cake! Your runner is gorgeous, such great fabric and color choices!

works4me said...

Your runner is lovely, and looks great on the table.
I have always loved black forest cake but only received it once for my birthday. Now, due to severe allergies, my favourite flavour of birthday cake is any one that is safe for me to eat. :)

Donna W said...

Your table runner is fantastic! My favorite birthday cake is white cake with chocolate frosting. But, I guess I would have to admit that I like this anytime. And, I am guessing that Happy Birthday is in order!

LakeMGal said...

Love your runner! My favorite cake is German chocolate with coconut pecan frosting - yum!!!

Gill said...

I love this pattern!
I like lemon drizzle cake

Unknown said...

The pattern is so clean and modern and your take on it is stunning. I like red velvet or spice or white or just cake!!!

Becca said...

yellow cake with chocolate is hard to beat!

Janet Sabol said...

I love to have German chocolate cake with the coconut-pecan frosting. Yumm! Thank you for showing the versatility of the Windows pattern and the way Christa Watson gives ideas for quilting that can easily help you finish a project. I sure hope I win the electronic copy! What a way to get a Christmas gift started & done!

Judi Duncan said...

your table runner is just stunning...could I win that instead?! My fave cake is chocolate...the more chocolate the better!

mumbird3 said...

Chocolate!!! - love your use of batiks - they are my fav fabrics to work with!! You are one speedy seamstress!!!! 4 hours!!! wow!

Unknown said...

Yellow or white cake with chocolate (especially fudge) frosting.

Havplenty said...

I love lemon cake and lemon frosting formost. But other cakes can fit the birthday cake slot for me.

tushay3 (at) yahoo (dot) com

Sherry said...

Love the colors you chose. So sweet. My favorite birthday cake flavor is angel food cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. It's a long way to my birthday but now you've got me craving it. Good thing strawberries are still in season around here. I would love to win a copy of Christa's book. I've got my fingers crossed.

Nancy L said...

I love German chocolate with their special icing!!

Bonnie58 said...

Precuts are such fun to work with. Thanks for sharing

Allison said...

This looks like a great book. I love how your quilt turned out.

Jennifer @ Inquiring Quilter said...

Very beautiful, and I love how quick this was to put together!

GranChris said...

Carrot cake with cream cheese frosting.

JANET said...

Love the tablerunner. Great colors!

@lutzcats said...

I need to make 7 table runners, this is going to be one of them!

Michele T said...

Love this pattern and the fabrics are gorgeous!!

Barb said...

I'm on the Island Batik blog hop--darn! I didn't win the book--looks like a good one.
barbkaup(at)(yahoo)(dot)(com)

Cherie's Quilting Journey said...

Wonderful tutorial.

Lori said...

wow a lovely table runner. I love your FMQ

Susan L. said...

What a great runner! Simple, yet striking.

tac73 said...

The colors in this are perfect.

BarefootThunder said...

wonderful runner ;)

Beth said...

Angel food cake is my favorite birthday cake. My mom used to make mine from scratch. Now that I am in charge of my own, I buy it at the grocery store and reflect on how great my mother was.

I love your table runner. Those batiks are gorgeous, and your runner is so serene. My sister-in-law would adore it. It reminds me of sea glass.

Nancy A: rangerer@sbcglobal.net said...

great pattern!

Pamela R said...

Loved colors in your table runner!

Suze said...

Beautiful project. I had to laugh at myself. Windows by Christa. I thought that funny - I had no idea she had a thing to do with the concept of computer windows. I used to be a computer programmer and a system tester. Funnee where your mind is.

Lee said...

Beautiful work!

Brenda said...

I love the runner! beautiful! And what a view you have!

Noreen said...

Love the colors!

Pauline said...

The runner is great - love the design and the fabrics.
Pauline
perry94022 at hotmail dot com

Pamela said...

This is just beautiful!

Cathie said...

Nicely done!

mumbird3 said...

Lovely quilt - the colors are so restful!! mumbird3(at)gmail(dot)com

Kathleen said...

This is a gorgeous quilt. Sure enjoying the ambassadors work!

lisa0116 said...

Beautiful runner! Can't go wrong with batiks..love me some batiks.

Marilyn S said...

Beautiful runner!! thanks for a great tutorial!

Angela Bowling said...

the table runner looks great on your table. The fabrics are amazing.

Connie Kresin Campbell said...

Beautiful tablerunner and the quilting is perfect for the design!

Joan said...

Gorgeous table runner! Love the fabrics!

Peg said...

Spice cake with caramel icing is my favorite. Would love to win your book and/or the batiks.

Paula said...

I love your choice, but strawberries and whipped cream on angelfood cake is my very favorite.

jellybean said...

Chocolate cake chocolate frosting death by chocolate all the way

Sylvia Anderson said...

My favorite cake is Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting. YUMMY!!!

Susan4cats said...

Thank you for the instructions. Love the batiks.

Sandra Walker said...

Visiting from the Island Batik blog hop, such a cute (and holy Dinah, quick!) runner. My favourite birthday cake is chocolate cake with chocolate icing. :-) But pretty much any other flavour or kind like cheesecake even will do ha!

Maria said...

Great project! Thank you!

Linda said...

Hoping your birthday was great!!!

Vicki H said...

We usually have chocolate with chocolate icing. I would really love to have a rhubarb pie.