My First Quilt with Ange Wilson

It's time for another My First Quilt interview! This month Ange Wilson of Gnome Angel shares the story of her first quilt.

In her own words, Ange is "a self-confessed fussy cutter, lover of patchwork and a proud fabric fondler. I design quilt patterns (specialising in traditional patchwork and samplers), host a podcast (Fussy Cutters Club) and run the annual 100 Days 100 Blocks event. I can talk for hours... sometimes it's even all about fabric!"

You can connect with Ange at her website, her shop, and on Instagram. 

And now, here is Ange's first quilt!

What year did you make your first quilt? What prompted you to make it?

2011. My Nana was moving into a care facility and so she gifted me her Janome sewing machine (which I still have). I don't know why she did it, but it changed my life forever. I grew up in the tropics of Australia and so quilts weren't really a "thing". However, for as long as I can remember I've been fascinated by them in American culture. I used to love seeing them in film, in books, on the internet. I was just enamoured with the idea of being able to make something and have that thing be passed down through the family. To be able to still be a part of your family for generations. It's an amazing concept to me and still gives me comfort to know that if anything were to happen to me my son would have a hug from his Mum in quilt form whenever he wanted it. 

What techniques were used in that first quilt? Did you quilt it yourself?

It was super simple squares and rectangles. Super basic. Ha! No. I'm not a quilter, I'm a patchworker. I haven't quilted any of my quilts. My bestie, Raylee of Sunflower Quilting quilts all my creations. 

Who taught you to make the quilt?

The pattern I brought had basic instructions and then I winged it. It was shocking. I used a 1/2" seam! I had no idea. I ended up making another quilt after it before someone recommended I take a beginners class at our Local Quilt Shop. It was a game changer. 

Are the colours you chose for your first quilt ones you would still choose today?

Probably... I still use a lot of blue and green, but I think I'd likely fussy cut the prints if I was to do it over and be more conscious of tonal differences in the fabrics I used.

Did you fall in love with quilting right away? Or was there a gap between making the first quilt and the next one?

I was in love before I started. After my 3rd quilt I challenged myself to make a quilt top a month for 1 year. The rest they say is history...

Where is the quilt now?

In my cupboard. My Nana passed and she wanted me to have it back, so I have it here. I'll pass it on to my kiddo when I go and pray that he finds someone he loves to pass it on to. 

Is there anything you wish you could go back and tell yourself as you made that first quilt?

Nope. I think I'd just smile knowingly and tell myself I'm about to go on an amazing adventure. 

Anything else you want to share about your first quilt?

My quilt photography has gotten a LOT better since I made this quilt! LOL

Thanks for sharing your first quilt with us, Ange!

Sparkler Baby Quilt in Modern Vintage: Treasured

I'm part of a FB group for quilt pattern designers, where invitations are sometimes posted asking if anyone wants to take part in a blog hop sharing projects with a new fabric line. When Rachel Rossi posted her invitation for the Modern Vintage: Treasured blog hop, I quickly jumped on board. This beautiful collection blends nostalgic charm with a fresh, modern palette and I knew these fabrics would be perfect for a new Sparkler baby quilt!

I love how the quilt top turned out! Yes, it's only a top at this point. It's way too hot in my sewing room lately to be quilting anything, plus my parents and Aiden are visiting, so we've been busy hiking, searching for sea glass, and watching for whales (they've all been hiding, though).

For all my other Sparkler quilts, the sashing has been a neutral colour, but this time I decided to use the gorgeous Etched Glass print in dark teal. The Etched Glass is my favourite print in Modern Vintage: Treasured, so I used it in the sashing and for two of the blocks, in Earth and Terracotta.

The Treasured Poppies print is beautiful in both Natural and Turquoise, but it's definitely a larger scale print than I normally use. I'm a blenders and basics kind of girl. I love looking at these larger prints, though, so it's fun to incorporate them into a quilt sometimes!

I used the Loopy Lace print in Natural for the secondary sparklers, the ones that kind of recede into the background when you look at the quilt as a whole. It's a great basic print! There's a bit of pattern and colour, but it's all low-volume and perfect for playing a supporting role in the quilt.

I'm looking forward to getting this one quilted, whenever it cools down in the sewing room. I always used to say we didn't need air conditioning in Newfoundland, except for maybe 2 or 3 days a year, but that has been changing in recent years. Now we seem to have more and more hot days each summer, which is a struggle for this girl who does not enjoy the heat.

I also find it seems to get windier every year, which can make it hard to get quilt pictures, especially when it's only a quilt top. Without the added weight of the batting and backing, a flimsy quilt top billows and blows in even the slightest breeze. Paul came to my rescue this time and made a form to hold the quilt top. He taped together panels from a dishwasher box to make it large enough for the quilt, then added a handle to make it easier to hold. I pinned the quilt top to the cardboard and we headed out to a local trail. Even though it was quite windy, this worked like a charm! It might not be pretty, but it works 😊

If you'd like to make your own Sparkler quilt, the pattern is available in my shop.

That's what I made with Rachel's beautiful fabric, and all of the designers in this hop have made something unique using Modern Vintage: Treasured—from quilts and bags to garments and home decor. Follow along to see all the inspiring ideas AND to win some excellent prizes!

Meet the Designers & Their Projects

Devoted Quilter – Sparkler Baby Quilt (you are here!)

Ember Craft Company – Girl’s Dress

Snapdragon Quilting – Louise Quilt

Around the Bobbin – Essential Tote Bag

@dragonflysquiltingdesginstudio – Pillow Featuring a Panel + Modern Vintage: Treasured

Katie Mae Quilts – Baby Quilt

Quilty Zest – Placemats

Rachel Rossi – This link goes to a blog post with ALL the projects!

 

Find this fabric collection in a store near you: Modern Vintage: Treasured Store Locator

Cross-Stitch Heart

Welcome to another TGIFF party! It's time to celebrate our finishes and this time I have a finish that has been waiting a long time for its turn to come. The actual making didn't take long, but I've been thinking about making this new version of Cross-Stitch Heart for years.

I first made Cross-Stitch Heart for Make Modern magazine back in 2018. When I designed it, I was on a bit of an asymmetry kick, so this is how that original version looked. I gave this quilt to my Nanny for her 80th birthday, and it came back to me this spring after she passed away.

Almost immediately after making that version for Make Modern, I wanted to make another version using a different fabric for each block to emphasize the X shape that gives the quilt its name. Using different pinks makes it look so much more like a heart made of cross stitches.

Then, about a year ago, I decided that when the time came to make a new version, I wanted the heart centered and more prominent. And then a few months ago I realized that a scrappy version would fit perfectly as a Stash Artists pattern, so it made its way into the line of quilts to be made. Now it has finally been made!

In this version, the blocks are bigger, the heart is centered, and the quilt is a 72" square. I enjoyed going through my stash of pink fabrics to select the ones that would become part of the heart. 

I pieced together many pieces of my scraps of Warm and Natural for the batting, using fusible batting tape for the joins for the first time. While the batting tape was easier than zig zag stitching, it was also more expensive, so I'll probably stick with stitching the pieces together in the future.

As you've probably noticed in the pictures already, I quilted it with a loop and heart meander, which is the same motif I used for the first Cross-Stitch Heart quilt. I love having that extra layer of echo between the two quilts. I debated between a teal thread that almost matched the background or a pale pink that would stand out more (both were Aurifil 50 wt). I asked for votes on social media, where the results were as split as my own thoughts. I was going to play it safe with the teal, but at the last moment I switched to the pink. It stands out a bit and I love it!

The back is a solid bright pink, so the pale pink thread stands out on that side, too.

I went with a scrappy pink binding to finish it off.

Cross-Stitch Heart is the new Stash Artists pattern for July, so members can login to their account to access the pattern. If you love stash-friendly and scrappy patterns, too, get on the waitlist to be notified when the Stash Artists doors are open again.

That's my most recent finish, what is yours? Link it up below and be sure to visit some of the other links to celebrate their finishes, too.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

2025 Mid-Year Review

We're halfway through 2025, which means it's time to do a mid-year review to see how I'm doing with my goals so far. 

One thing I've noticed this year is that it's hard to spend time sitting at my computer to write blog posts after spending my mornings sitting at my computer for my work as a virtual assistant. Plus there's all the other computer time that goes into running a small business - pattern writing, writing Etsy listings, social media stuff, email, etc. I have lots of ideas for blog posts, so I'm working on ways to get back into the routine of writing again. It helps to have a deadline for a post, like linking up with Yvonne's Quarter 2 Check-in.

So, how am I doing on my 2025 goals so far?

1. Keep making small quilts

So far this year I've made two small quilts (I count anything baby quilt size or smaller). I made the baby size of Spin & Sparkle.

And this mini quilt for a friend diagnosed with breast cancer (she's doing great now!).

I'm currently working on another baby quilt, with a mini quilt and a couple more baby quilts waiting in the wings. 

2. A Roman Adventure

Yes! It was great to share another QAL and Devotional Journey, this time focusing on the book of Romans while we made our The Fountain quilts (or quilt top, in my case 😆)

What I didn't anticipate at the beginning of the year is that I would decide to stop writing devotions in May. While I enjoyed writing the devotions, especially for the annual QAL and Devotional Journey, they started to be a struggle and I'm now enjoying the break. I still occasionally find myself pondering some verse I read and thinking about how I might write about it, but for the most part I like being able to just think about the verses for my own benefit and not worry about making my thoughts coherent enough for anyone else.

3. WIPS-B-GONE 2025

Not yet, but I've been thinking about it! This annual challenge starts in October, but I start planning it well before then. I've been making notes to myself the past few days as my mind starts working on it while I'm doing other things. If you have WIPs lying around waiting to be finished, sign up for The Bulletin so you won't miss when the WIP busting challenge starts!

4. Quilt the cover quilt for These Three and release the pattern

Haven't gotten to this yet.

5. Make my Night Court wall hanging

Haven't gotten to this, either. I can't wait to have it hanging on my sewing room wall, so I better get at it!

6. All the Stash Artists things

I love everything about this membership! So far this year the Stash Artists patterns have been Inner Beauty (below), Summer Dreamin' (which hasn't made it to the blog yet), and Spin & Sparkle. The next one releases on Monday!

Our monthly Sew Together Sessions are always fun. We usually end up talking about books and maybe travel plans, family news, and who knows what else, along with talking about the projects we're actually working on 😊 

7. Go to Quilt Market

Quilt Market is in October, so obviously this hasn't happened yet. It's a possibility, or I may make the choice to go to the H+H Americas show in May instead. 

8. Keep working on the Hexie Rainbow

I've worked on this during all the Stash Artists Sew Together Sessions so far this year! I've worked on it other times, too, but those 2 hour Zoom sessions always see me making good progress. When I posted my goals for the year, I had finished quilting the red ring. Now I'm working on the first line around the yellow ring. Each black ring gets two lines of quilting, on the inside and outside edge of the hexies, and each coloured ring gets four lines of quilting since there are two rows of the coloured hexies. And, of course, each ring is larger than the one before it, so as I work my way out each line of quilting takes longer. Yes, this will probably be on my 2026 goals list, too!

9. Keep doing the strength workouts and get that step count a bit higher

I have consistently done strength workouts from the Nourish Move Love (NML) Youtube channel every Monday-Friday since last September. I started out using 3lb and 5lb dumbbells. Gradually I added in 10lb ones and stopped using the 3lb. Just last month, I started using 15lb dumbbells for some exercises and I rarely use the 5lb ones anymore. It's amazing how good it feels to need to use heavier weights! 

If you're worried about losing strength and mobility as you age, I highly recommend trying the NML workouts. Some of her programs are only 20 minutes long, so they feel much less intimidating than the thought of spending hours at the gym, she's very encouraging, and there are always options to modify the exercises to make them easier. Plus, they're free!

As for getting my step count higher...nope. My daily average for 2024 was about 8,300. So far in 2025 it has been about 7,000. Whomp, whomp, whomp. Sitting at my computer for work has really taken a toll on my movement. It doesn't help that quilting and running a quilt pattern business are both sedentary activities, too. Oh, and so is reading, which is another passion of mine.

I've been trying to ease back into running, which will help. I'm (sort of) following a Couch to 5K program from Runner's World. I say 'sort of' because the program is supposed to take 6 weeks and I've been at it for 7 months and I'm halfway through 😂 You're supposed to run 3 times a week, but I only want to run once a week, so that extended it right there. Then I've had to repeat most of the runs multiple times before I could actually do them. The worst one was when the program jumped from 'run 5 minutes, walk 3 minutes, three times' to 'run 7 minutes, walk 2 minutes, three times.' That was a big increase in running time, with a drop in walking time, and it took me 9 tries before I could check it off! I did accomplish it, though, which felt great. Maybe by the end of 2025 I'll have finished this 6 week program!

Overall, I'm pretty happy with what I've done on my goals so far. And, as always, I have plenty to do to keep me from being bored through the rest of 2025. If you set goals for this year, how are you doing with them?

Quilt The North

Note, this post contains affiliate links, which means I will earn a small commission if you click on the link and make a purchase. This will not affect the price you pay.

I love when my quilty friends do exciting things! I love it even more when I get to be part of the exciting thing, like I do this time. My friend Monika is the designer behind Penny Spool Quilts and today she is launching a subscription box called Quilt The North.

Quilt The North is a quarterly subscription box that will showcase Canadian pattern designers and the region they call home. Each box will include an exclusive pattern from the featured designer for a small project (think mini quilt, cushion, bag, etc), plus all the fabric needed to make it. There will also be a block pattern themed around the designer's region (collect them all to make a Canadian sampler quilt!), plus goodies from the region, from local artists or small businesses.

I'm honoured that Monika has invited me to be the featured designer for this first box and I can't wait to show you the mini quilt pattern that will be in the box! That's a quilty secret I have to keep for a little while yet, though, so the contents of the box will be a surprise when you receive it. My fabric arrived yesterday and now it's calling my name as it waits impatiently for its turn. I have to say, it's a really pretty bundle of fabric!

Pre-sales for Quilt The North box are open today and the first box will ship September 1st. Sign up before July 13th to save 10% off your first payment and get a Maple Leaf block pattern to kickstart your Canada sampler quilt.

You don't have to be Canadian to subscribe to the Quilt The North box and you don't have to live in Canada, either! Quilt The North is for anyone who wants to get to know Canadian pattern designers and learn more about this beautiful country 🍁