Circling back to the contemporary quilts

A cheesy title for this blog post I know, but when I looked at my favourites from the contemporary quilts category, all but one featured circles so it just had to be done.

This first one though could potentially be debated about it being a quilt at all, it wouldn’t be one to snuggle up under now would it? But the thought process, colour choice and pure skill in creating this aren’t in doubt.

RANDOM CIRCLES, DEBORAH COLLINS

The non-circle quilt in this post instead uses triangles to make squares and pinwheels in a beautifully chaotic way, and in a way that Chris English does so well. I love the mash of colours and patterns, all the while there’s a very distinct overall theme.

CHOOSE QUILTING, CHRISTOPHER ENGLISH

More circles in this quilt, and more structure too - though some of the misshapen circles do have an element of Pacman to them, but also a touch of Orla Kiely, don’t you think?

SPINNING TRADITION, DAISY ASCHEHOUG

I love the thin width of the quilting of this one too, and that it’s horizontal not vertical, small details really do make the difference.

The final quilt is for me one that has a cheery and summery look - that’s definitely down to the colours and patterns used. It’s also a design that the more you look at the more you see, are they diagonal rows of circles or a circle on top of four others, or something else.

FLOATING BROKEN CIRCLES, CARINA ENVOLDSEN-HARRIS

Either way, it definitely deserves its place in my favourites from this category - which do you like best?

A quilty update - June 2026

It was only March when I set out my quilt plans for this year, and to be honest it seems like yesterday - but one of the things I want to do more consistently this year is my quilty updates, even if there isn’t that much to share.

I’m being harsh on myself, there are some quilt updates to share but while last year’s stretch project took over a bit, I’m finding that without that structure I’m not quite so productive. I’m sure I’ll work it out, but hopefully when the weather’s not so warm!

So how am I doing?

1. The teal flying geese

2. The jeans and pyjamas

3. My floral fancy

The update for all of these is there is no update, so that was easy!

4. My English Paper Piecing (EPP) blue diamonds

There is progress of sorts on this one, albeit small. It’s become my project to take to my monthly Monday evening sewing group, and so it has had an outing and a small update. I’ve even moved it into an organised bag so I don’t need to think about getting it all together before I head out, the issue has been life - and I’ve only managed two out of five of the monthly meetings, but then again this was always going to be a slow burn project.

5. Scrappy houses charity quilts

I have completed my first village quilt, and I’ve almost got enough houses for the second one, so that’s real progress. I’m really pleased with how it’s turned out, especially as these are all pieces of fabric that were leftover from other projects (mostly the stretch project) and might have been deemed on the small side for keeping. And I’m sure whoever the recipient is won’t mind about that one bit.

6. Wonderland meets Moda

7. Word Star

Again, there is no update on these.

A couple of bonus quilty updates

1. My mystery block of the month quilt has been playing heavily on my mind, but now the quilt top is finally finished. After I joined the monthly blocks together and added the sashing between those blocks, I spent some time pondering the borders - or specifically how wide they should be.

I wanted them wide enough to add some width to the quilt so I can use it on a double bed, but not so wide that it looked silly. In the end I settled on increasing each border by an inch, and ahead of adding the final border I did the sensible thing and took it to my patchwork group for confirmation and reassurance, and the use of the floor in the village hall to check it out once and for all.

So the quilt top is now done - yay! Now it needs basting, quilting and binding which for the size of the quilt is no small job.

2 The second bonus quilty update is another quilt, but not one made by me. Mum decided to use up some of her charm packs and make a quilt to donate to Project Linus, which I’ll take along with me when I donate mine.

Isn’t it bright and cheery - I love it (but will still donate it, honest)

So there has been quilty progress against my long list, and none of it has been a chore - I just need to work out how to do more with my sewing time, and to make time for more sewing time!

New to my craft room in May

Like last month there’s been some essential spend. This month it was the turn of my ‘take to’ machine, somehow just as I was packing up at patchwork group I caught the shank, which holds the presser feet in place, and part of it fell off. It’s a consumable part, so after a quick email with my sewing machine man a new one was put in the post - but at least this replacement only cost me a fiver!

Thankfully it was right at the end of the sewing session as the machine is pretty much useless without it - it’s photographed in the second image below, right in the centre of the Le Crueset manual, which in case you’re wondering why I’m keeping that it’s because I think the printed pages will be good for cards at some point!

I actually don’t have much new stuff this month, but as it’s my birthday month I am including two of my birthday presents, the first of which is these 12wt Aurifil threads, the Foundation pack, with its beautiful jewel like colours and which will be great for hand sewing and embellishing some appliqué I have in mind.

The fabric on the left was a total bargain and an unexpected purchase. In Newark last week and looking to get a new citronella candle for the garden I spotted a clearance sale in the fabric department of one of the larger shops, well I had to take a look. This fabric was marked down to £3 a metre and so I thought I’d have 3 metres and see how much was left on the roll, as I didn’t think it would be much. They measured it out, and I thought they were being quite generous as they did and as luck would have it there was exactly three metres left. When I got home and remeasured it, because I was curious there was just over 3.6 metres, so a total bargain.

MOH bought me these rainbow plant dyed materials for my birthday and they are as gorgeous as the threads above, which is just as well as my plan was (and still is) to use these together somehow, I’m just not sure quite how yet. I decided to treat myself to a couple of Aurifil storage cases for my threads as they make things so much easier to find, and while I was there I added a spool of ‘dove grey’ thread which Jo Avery recommends for appliqué - and that’s a big clue as to where my head is going with this rainbow project!

It was all going so well, then at my sewing group I left with two books, a pattern and two small pieces of material with a donation to the group funds - it’s dangerous when they’re clearing out their stash!

So that’s another month in my craft room, check out my previous updates for earlier additions, and remember to let me know below what you’ve added to your craft supplies this month.