Our newest Robert Kaufman Bundle is here - Brilliance! These punchy bright and warm FQ bundle includes 24 Kona Cotton Solids and we've made three samples. To catch up on what has been shared so far, read these blogposts:
Today I am sharing our Jawbreaker Quilt in Brilliance! The Jawbreaker Quilt Pattern is a flying geese quilt pattern that includes multiple design options - Meandering Geese, Color Columns and Solid. The Jawbreaker Quilt also includes four different sizes - Baby to Bed size. The pattern showcases an updated take on a traditional flying geese with instructions for how to piece the inside of the geese to create fabric stripes instead of one solid fabric. Here is the cover quilt below for reference:
Now, I love this design so much but years ago I really wanted to make a flying geese quilt but only using FQs and NOT piece the inside geese. I wrote a little tutorial on how hack the Jawbreaker Quilt pattern to use FQs for both the outside and inside of the geese. Scroll to the bottom of this blogpost and you'll find the extra information needed to make this Jawbreaker pattern without the pieced inside geese. I've made multiple other quilts using this hack and it's super simple!
The Brilliance bundle has 24 Kona Cottons in it and we chose to make the Small Throw Jawbreaker in the Meandering Geese which finishes at 56" x 64". The pattern requires 10 FQs for the outside geese and then with the pattern hack, you need an additional 14 FQs for the inside of the geese. 10 plus 14 is 24!!! WOOOO I CAN DO MATH. This was perfect too because I am able to showcase all 24 fabrics in one quilt top!
I separated the FQs into the 10 colors needed for the outside geese and I kept like colors together so there is contrast in the blocks. The outside geese uses the yellows, into golds and into the warmer neutrals. Then, I used the remaining 14 FQs that included all the pinks, corals, reds and blues. Essentially the outside geese snake from upper left to bottom right in a gradient and then the inside geese return by going from the pink from the top right to the lightest blue on the top left.
We paired all of our sections up into columns and worked column by column. The color play is incredibly satisfying and I love love loved photographing this make!
Once all the flying geese were done, we sewed them into their columns. And a fun part of this quilt is you don't press any of the seams until your columns are finished so you can press them opposite directions to get them to nest! I love nested seams, especially with flying geese.
These Kona Cottons SHINE. I love the mixture of saturated and vibrant colors mixed with more warm and muted colors. The contrast in the quilt top is so sparkly. The the Jawbreaker Quilt pattern really plays up color movement and it makes this Brilliance bundle SHIMMER!
Every angle of this quilt gives you a different color perspective. I am thrilled with the results of using Brilliance in the Jawbreaker Quilt pattern.
I sent this quilt to Emily of So Sunny Quilts along with the other Brilliance samples. I have two basic theories with picking a quilting design: 1. You pick something that is opposite of the quilt piecing - aka if it's all straight angular piecing then pick a curved or swirly pantograph. 2. You lean into the overall aesthetic of the quilt top and pick something incredibly similar that sort of adds to that design element. If you have a super scrappy quilt with lots of little piecing, then pick a graffiti like design. For this one, I went with my 1st theory. The piecing is all sharp lines so I wanted a quilt design that wasn't all straight lines or linear but something that had soft edges and an all over design. We chose Chevron Tumblers.
I MEAN COME ON. IT IS SO GOOD. The texture is perfection. I bound this quilt in Kona Astral and backed it in Kona Ballerina.
This entire quilt top is made from a single Brilliance Bundle. Let's look at a few more up close shots on the quilting. It is mesmerizing.
