Entropy Quilt – Pattern Testing

entropy quilt, solids quilt series

Over Christmas break, I had the pleasure of pattern testing for the Entropy Quilt by Squats_and_runningstitches.  Summer created a wonderful pattern for confident beginners.  I wanted to test this out because it used half square triangles.  This is one of my go-to designs for quilts, so it was nice to have something different with the Entropy Quilt pattern.

Selecting the fabric took me a bit.  I wanted to use what was in my stash, but couldn’t pull together the right bundle for the fat quarter version I was doing.  Then I remembered all the scraps I still had from my mural quilt.  My latest series of quilts was born.  A solid series using the leftovers from the mural quilt.  How can I get the most out of that and using my stash.

Fabric Selection

In my stash were some solids that could round out the colors.

entropy quilt, fabric selection in blue, green, and gray

What I realize now, is that more contrast would have been helpful.  Rather than gray, playing more in the green and crossing over to teal.  That would have required more fabric and would have gotten me off track from my goal.  USE WHAT I HAVE.  Don’t get me wrong, I love the final product based on my selection.  Once I started piecing I recognized the need for more contrast.

 

The Quilt Top

Summer’s instructions are easy to read and well organized.  She put some time into how you cut fabric and make blocks.  Piecing took no time.  Trimming is the worst part about half-square triangles but also critical.  Otherwise everything is wonky and incredibly frustrating during piecing.  ALWAYS TRIM YOUR HSTS!  I put on a Netflix show and knocked it out.

Within an afternoon I had the top created.  After pressing the seams I ran outside and put it on the fence.  I thought it was cold then, right now it’s 14 degrees in Indianapolis and feels like 9 degrees.

 

The Finished Quilt

The Fat Quarter Version of the quilt is a little bigger than a yard of fabric.  There wasn’t any wide backs in my stash, but I did have a blue and some leftovers from a T-shirt quilt from 2019.  Once basted I pondered the quilting for a couple of days.  This would look amazing with straight lines, but I wanted to add some softness to it.

So, I decided to free motion quilt it.  With a podcast turned on and headphones in, I was able to quilt this in under an hour.  There were plenty of quilting issues that arose.  Mostly being out of practice since there were not many quilts made at my house in 2020.  After washing it, most of the issues are hidden.

For binding fabric I picked a blue, gray, and white print that was gifted to me as part of IMQG holiday party gift a couple of years ago.  I used a 2″ binding by machine.

I know exactly who this quilt is going to.  However, with COVID rates rising in Indiana, we haven’t seen them.  I really should just mail it at this point.  Who doesn’t love a surprise in the mail?

After Thoughts

My next version will be a bigger, scrappier version.  Others have posted their version under the hashtag #entropyquilt and it had me thinking of additional options.  Buy the pattern, support a small business.

This could be a fun block to make to swap with friends for an even scrappier one.  I’m looking at you Rachael, Holly, Amy, and Katie.  Anyone down?

Look for more solids quilts coming from me.  I’m loving this color palette and have some scraps to use up.

 

A Random Spot for Quilt Inspiration Leads to Something HUGE

Random Spot for Quilt Inspiration, quilt in front of its inspiration

This quilt has been months in the making.  Rarely do I say that, but this one took a while to complete.  In the summer of 2020, we took the boys to Fishers to catch Pokemon.  This is my first time publicly admitting I play Pokemon Go.  While we were out, I ran across this building that was a random spot for quilt inspiration but I loved it.

tiled building in downtown fishers indiana

 

Fabric Selection

We chatted it over and I decided this would be a quilt for our new house.  Ah yes, we sold two houses and bought one together in August 2020.  Before we moved I emailed the wonderful team at Crimson Tate to help me put together a bundle of solids that would match these colors.  We added a darker blue to fit our decor a bit more.  The colors are linked at the bottom of the post.  The team at Crimson Tate delivered and I quickly picked up my bundle in July 2020.  For the backing I wanted to add Heather’s Night Hike to it.  We love the outdoors, so this fit perfectly with us.

solid quilting fabrics

The fabric sat in a bag for months because Porter had to do virtual learning and it sucked all of the creativity out of me.  If you’re a parent that has had a kid home elearning, you may understand.  There wasn’t much left to give at the end of the day.  He went back in October and I was able to get some cutting done.

fabric strips

Piecing

Making the top didn’t take long.  It’s just strips, but the pinning in place took a good bit of time.  I don’t pin many things when I’m piecing, but I knew in order to keep this straight, this would be a crucial step.  Otherwise, this could have been a wonky hot mess!

strips of fabric pinned together

The quilt top turned out huge.  We planned to put it on a queen-sized bed and I knew the five columns wide would work.  It became a beast to maneuver.  I had forgotten how big a queen-sized top can feel.  Luckily I had a plan for pressing and keeping the seams nested as I worked.  As we wrapped up Christmas break, I decided that was a good time to baste this sucker and get finished.  The boys would be elearning again for another two weeks.  If I have it basted I can work in small chunks on quilting this.

quilt top on the driveway

Quilting

While basting I turned on Crime Junkies podcast and got to work.  This almost didn’t fit the space in my living room I had set up to baste.  The fabric had to be STRETCHED for the backing in a few spots along with the batting.  I should make a note not to buy backing fabric until I’ve completed the top.  I bought like 4 yards of Night Hike thinking I would use the leftover solids on the back.  Wrong…I have started on a series of quilts using the scraps from this one.  More on those later.

laying out a quilt, basting a quilt

A random box of solids I had received from a friend saved the day.  That aqua blue had yards and I pivoted my design to make it work.  Then off to the machine it went.  Deeper and deeper into true crime podcasts I got.  If you haven’t listened to Crime Junkies yet, do so.  I adore they are from Indy.  I would quilt in just a few minutes here and there.

quilting at home on a domestic machine

Once quilted I grabbed some Robert Kaufman White and Gray wide back grid I had curtains at my old house and made it into binding.  I couldn’t decide just one color to use, so a white made it soft and works in the color scheme.

binding cut for a quilt

The Finished Quilt

I love the finished product on this quilt.  Before I started sharing any photos I did reach out to Fishers Parks Department about the building.  Ratio Architects is responsible for the design of the building that inspired this quilt.  We had great weather this weekend and we went out to shoot some photos of the quilt with its random spot for quilt inspiration.

quilt by its inspiration, fishers indiana, quilter with quilt

It’s back on the bed and we are snuggling under it at night.  There are more solids quilts coming in the upcoming weeks.


https://www.crimsontate.com/shop/c/p/Free-Spirit-Solid-Essentials-Slate-Grey-x22634409.htm

https://www.crimsontate.com/shop/c/p/Tula-Pink-Solids-Putty-x32443371.htm

https://www.crimsontate.com/shop/c/p/Tula-Pink-Solids-Cerulean-x32443357.htm

https://www.crimsontate.com/shop/c/p/Free-Spirit-Solid-Essentials-Olive-x26877239.htm

https://www.crimsontate.com/shop/c/p/Free-Spirit-Solid-Essentials-Royal-x26877254.htm

https://www.crimsontate.com/shop/c/p/Free-Spirit-Solid-Essentials-Freedom-Blue-x49308832.htm