Deft {Pattern Release}

While time at my sewing machine has been scant recently (see what I did there???), I have still been able to keep some quilting activity moving forward on my computer. Today, I’m very happy to release my newest quilt pattern, Deft.

Deft

Many of you may recognize Deft as my response to the Project Quilting prompt of “Follow Your Arrow” from last year.

Deft Center Detail

Deft was designed with the intention of creating a compass quilt, but with purposeful juxtaposition incorporated into the quilt. The center of the quilt is simple and straightforward enough – arrows flowing out from the center pointing in cardinal directions. When you zoom out to examine the composition as a whole, I hope you notice that the arrows turn around.

To be deft is to be quick, skillful, and clever; it implies agility, where a task is performed with smooth, easy, and precise movement. As quilters, we hone and practice our skills with every block we sew and quilt we finish. And sometimes circumstances (a seam that needs ripped, dinner that needs made, laundry that needs folded, and even larger, heavier responsibilities) are at odds with our desire to just keep sewing. The Deft digital quilt pattern is designed for you to show off your skills and create a beautiful reminder that we all find ways to thrive in the pressure cooker of life.

Deft Backing

Quilting

The front cover quilt was quilted in a spiral on my domestic Juki TL-2200 QVP Mini using a walking foot with white 50wt Aurifil thread. I share my tips for starting the spiral quilting in this blog post.

Deft Pattern Details

The Deft digital quilt pattern is really four patterns in one: instructions for the two-color quilt start on page 6, three-color quilt start on page 11, eight-color quilt start on page 16, and color wheel quilt start on page 22. Each colorway is written in three sizes:

• Baby (42″ x 42″)
• Lap (56″ x 56″)
• Throw (70″ x 70″)

Colorways

As much as I love the color wheel version of the Deft pattern (the cover quilt is the color wheel colorway), there were so many other good colorway options for the quilt, I decided to include them all in the pattern! There is a classic two-color quilt, a more traditional compass three-color option, a fun eight-color exploration, and finally there is the color wheel option which is great for helping you hone your color selection skills (and for using up scraps!). Which colorway are you most drawn to?

Thank you!

I would like to thank Cheryl from Meadow Mist Designs for her technical editing, advice, and consultation throughout the pattern writing process.

Pattern Release Sale

The Deft digital quilt pattern is on sale for $10.50 through Sunday, September 20th. Thank you so much for your support; whether through liking a post, leaving a comment, receiving my emails, or purchasing a pattern, it all means a lot to me