I am always happy to hop along and the Winter Blues Hop hosted by Carla Henton of Creatin’ in the Sticks is no exception.
I received the fabrics from Love Crafts* and signed up for the blog hop around the same time. You can read about the Windham fat quarters here. They really were the perfect inspiration for this blog hop.
The Blue Mountains are part of the Appalacian Trail and run diagonally through Pennsylvania. There is a wonderful spot, Hawk Mountain, that I have visited many times. Hawk Mountain is in Now, they are much more rolling hills than peaks, but they were my Blue Mountains, and I love them.
Half Rectangles (HRTs) were calling my name and I started to play with this simple idea of mountains. I had seen a few other mountainy quilts, but went with an idea of only using HRTs but I needed to then add some different angles and used what appear to be isosceles triangles (although I didn’t measure them to see if that’s what they are) The collection of Windham blues is just fabulous for this project; they have such a wintry feel to them.
I designed it in Electric Quilt 8.* Now, as I made it, I got myself in a bit of trouble. Fat Quarters are only so big and I tried using my TriRecs ruler – misremembering the block size. In the end, I made templates from EQ8 and found that worked much better. I did paper piecing with freezer paper* – perfect!
The only problem is that there were two instances of the HRTs and two of a smaller isocoles triangle used to make some different points. I worked through it and love this little quilt. You can see them right next to each other. So, while it was easy to draw in EQ, it was a little harder to execute in real life!
I quilted straight lines in the mountains for emphasis. I didn’t think the sky needed anything. Two different threads were used to quilt: 50 wt Mettler #9812 (variegated evening blue) and 40 wt Sulky, #1222 (baby blue) along with 60 wt. Superior Bottom line #635 (medium blue). I love when the threads just work and these did a fabulous job.
I often use these triangles and an extra piece in the middle for hanging a quilt.he binding was done by machine. This really makes finishing simple! [Note some asked: The extra piece I use when the quilt is bigger than 12″. You can use one nail or two nails to hang.]
I hope you enjoyed my excursion to the My Blue Mountains. The templates are available in my store (above) for free. They give you a placement guide; do ask me if you have trouble with it.
My Blue Mountains
20″ x 20″
Windham Fabrics, Titan Line 2017
Machine pieced/quilted
Piecing Thread: Aurifil 50 wt white
Quilting Threads: 50 wt Mettler #9812
40 wt Sulky #1222
60 wt Superior Bottom line #635
Batting: Quilter’s Dream Select*
Part of the fun of a blog hop is seeing what people have created. Here’s the list for the week, please play along and visit as many as you can. Below this you will see my usual what is coming up on the blog/and who I am linking to.
Monday, January 20th
Just Let Me Quilt
Bumbleberry Stitches
QuiltFabrication
Mary Mack Made Mine
VROOMANS QUILTS
Just Because Quilts
Kathleen McMusing
Den syende himmel
Beaquilter
Tuesday, January 21st
Quilted Delights
Kathy’s Kwilts and More
Farm Quilter
Homespun Hannah’s Blog
Elizabeth Coughlin Designs
Quilting & Learning: What a Combo
Life in the Scrapatch
PamelaQuilts
Home Sewn By Us
Wednesday, January 22nd
Little Bunny Quilts
For the love of geese
The Joyful Quilter
Ms P Designs USA
Quilt Schmilt
Karen’s Korner
Made By Marney
Podunk Pretties
Sunshine in the Attic
Thursday, January 23rd
Websterquilt
Songbird Designs
Cynthia’s Creating Ark
Storied Quilts
Patchwork Breeze
Seams To Be Sew
HeARTsCreations
Becky’s quilts and adventures
DesertSky Quilting
Friday, January 24th
MooseStashQuilting
Selina Quilts
LimeLeaves Design
Karrin’s Crazy World
Sew Many Yarns
Domestic Felicity
DayBrook Designs
Creatin’ in the Sticks
Coming Up:
Tutorial on Converting Picture to Mosaic in EQ8 (1/22)
Swap Mob Bag
2019 Monthly Color Block Quilt Finish (1/31)
Linking Up:
What I Made Monday
Midweek Makers #211
Free Motion Mavericks
Finished or Not Friday
TGIFF
Can I Get a Whoop Whoop
Show Me Something…Blue
I really love your Blue Mountains!! I grew up surrounded by the Sierra Nevada Mountains and I definitely miss them. I would love to have your pattern so I could have my mountains no matter where home is!!
Thank you! They were fun to make and I will add your name to a list. Hopefully today or tomorrow I’ll get it done!
Hi Kathleen. Your Blue Mountains is beautiful! I live in the Rocky Mountains in British Columbia and couldn’t imagine living any where else (although I have lived in almost every other province in Canada). I’d love to have your pattern templates and I’m sure most of the readers would as well. Thank you for a very enjoyable post Carol
I am so glad you enjoyed it and I’ll add your name to the list. I spent some time in the midwest where there were no mountains; definitely prefer seeing them! I long to see BC…maybe one day I can convince hubby.
Hi Kathleen. I think you would enjoy BC. Right now my mountain view is gone. We live on a golf course and there is a river nearby. The snow and fog are socked in but it’s still pretty Carol
Love those soft blues and then the darker one has lovely contrast. Super lines, and the hanging tab in the centre is a great idea. If the templates can be sent by email, yes please, as I live way down in NZ. Our Central Plateau about 2 hours north of us, ski fields in winter, tramping in summer, and we lived near a lake that had a huge mountain on the other side of the water. Perfect to hold all those memories.
The extra tab is great for things that are a little bigger than 12 inches and would sag in the middle. Of course, then two nails are required, but one will work most of the time.
I have no idea how long it takes to get there, but I am pleased to do it, hopefully in the mail before the end of the week.
This quilt almost shows the nature around here where I live at the west coast of Norway. Such beautiful blues. I love that quilt.
Thank you Turid. I love that it looks like the nature around you.
So lovely! I love visiting the Blue Mountains!
Thanks, Lee!
I love your Blue Mountains and would love to have the templates. It makes me feel like I need to get out and visit the hills.
I am so glad you enjoyed it and added you to the list!
Hi Kathleen, I grew up in Wilmington DE and visiting and hiking up Hawk Mountain was a regular event for our family. I even got a Hawk Mountain patch to sew on my jacket after I did the whole hike by myself.I have wonderful memories watching the migrating hawks! I’d love your set of templates so I can make this little quilt for my brother and sister.
I don’t know that I ever knew that! I love that we both share that wonderful place (I think I received a girl scout badge there). I always loved going there, more as an adult than as a child – maybe one too many field trips. Happy to add your name to the list.
this is lovely!
Thanks, Bea!
Your Blue Mountain quilt is gorgeous, and so serene!
Thank you, I love it for that reason too!
Such a pretty palette of blues! I go often to the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC and love them!
I would love to see those mountains one day.
This is beautiful! Such a neat idea.
Thank you, Leah!
Makes me long for a winter vacation!
It makes me feel that way too, and I don’t ski or love the winter!
Makes a great memory reminder! Love your mountain quilting!!!
I thought simple would work for the quilting and think it raises your eyes to the sky!
What a sweet little quilt, Kathleen. I looked at your sketch in EQ8 and wondered how you would piece that…and then you showed us. Cleverly done!
Yeah, it was a little tricky, only because those reversals don’t come so easy to me! It was why I didn’t get the templates together for the post, but I will!
Hi Kathleen! Oh, I can definitely see My Blue Mountains from the picture you shared. And I absolutely agree that these fabrics were the perfect choice. I’ve been wanting to make something with HRTs but just haven’t found the impetus to push me. Thanks for the shove – I’ll have to ponder this for a bit but it is really lovely! ~smile~ Roseanne
HRTs are harder for me than I would like, there’s always a little confusion about the fact that pieces are really different (direction of the angle) but I did get it figured out. I need a good Rectangle ruler….or just always use my templates from EQ….pretty easy but I am a stubborn learner.
I live not far from Blue Mountain and Hawk Mountain. I love to go hawk watching and it’s where I saw my first golden eagle.
I need to get better at identifying birds but any eagle siting is a win in my book! In Alaska, they were like crows. I do see them more frequently in New England than I ever have, and that is a lovely thing.
Great finish. You are so fortunate to live near mountains. In my area we have limestone bluffs and deep hollows.
I do love mountains and the ocean. I am fortunate to live near both.
I think this little quilt is lovely. I liked reading about your process and how EQ8 helped you.
Thanks, Nancy. I love EQ8 – I would never draw things out by hand so it is my way to design!
Great way to use the blue fabrics! I love the mini with those mountain peaks. Tell me a bit about the hanging tab in the backing – I use the two corner triangles, but haven’t done the middle tab. Does it support the quilt better, I assume?
I added a note to the blog, but I use that hanging tab (which should be sewn down) when the quilt is bigger than 12”. You can still use one nail or make a tiny opening in the tab. Or use 2 nails. It just helps the bigger ones not sag. This one is 20” so I wouldn’t be happy with just the triangles.
I love your blue mountains. I’m a Rockies woman myself, and the shades of blue looking out across a valley in northern Arizona is very like your quilt. I’ve not see a quilt hanger done that way, with the middle piece, and I like it!
The mountains are just gorgeous and though nothing like the Rockies, they were a familiar site in PA! The tab does help if the quilt is larger than 12″.
Your blue mountains are so stunning in this quilt and I love that idea of the tab. I’ve done the corner thing, but I’ll have to try this. Such a gorgeous view in your photo! Thank you for sharing the details on making your mountains!
It is truly a beautiful spot. It was fun how it all came together. I added a note in the blog but I use the tab when it is a bit bigger than 12” so the quilt doesn’t sag. You can still use one nail or hook or two (or make a little slit in the tab). It works.
You had your creative hat on again! So glad you were able to find a method that worked well for you, nicely done.
Thank goodness it worked! I was pleased in the end although there are a few tweeks I would make if I were to do it again!
Kathleen these mountains are beautiful. I love the blues and the quilting. Thanks for sharing the pieces you use on the back to hanging. I have one I need to hang, as soon as I get it to lay flat!!
You are welcome! The triangles are so easy but I add the center piece if it is bigger than 12” to help it lay flat (it should be tacked down which I don’t think it is in the picture). Since I don’t know where this will live, I added these so it is easy. Good luck on your finish.
Lovely! I like the soft tone of your blue choices. Thanks for sharing!
You are so welcome!
I love your mountains! Perfect fabrics and great design! I also like your quilting to accentuate the peaks–I’m about to do something really similar on a project I’m working on and yours tells me it’s going to work 🙂
I do triangles in the corners of quilts to hang but never thought to add a center piece to help with some of the weight–great idea!
Oh, I can’t wait to see your version! Yes, the tab is a help and I really don’t like the longer tubes. It should be tacked down, which it wasn’t in the picture!
Love your mountains wall hanging! The design is so peaceful and the colors and quilting so lovely!
Thank you for describing the process from design to application. It’s always interesting to see how one goes from drawing to stitching. Love your winter mountains and the HSRs. Thanks for joining the Winter Blues Blog Hop!
And thank you for hosting! I always get good responses from people when I do that! Already I have another post in the works with the HRTs – some techniques to point to, etc.
Beautiful design and quilt! I love blue quilts!
Thank you, Karrin!
Lovely blue mountain quilt. Thanks for sharing in the hop … 🙂 Pat
You are so welcome, Pat!
What a pretty blue quilt. I love the mountains. Thank you for the hanging sleeve information also.
Glad you found the hanging sleeve info helpful as well as enjoying the quilt!
Your blue mountains are beautiful. I would love the templates.
Thank you and I’ll add you to the list.
This is beautiful. Speaks of winter in the mountains. My trip through the Blue Ridge was in autumn (several years ago), and it was gorgeous. I would love to have the pattern, so please add me to the list. Thinking it would be great in a seasonal set.
Hope to finish the pieces tomorrow; a little software glitch but I think I got it under control. I like your idea of a seasonal set – will definitely keep it in mind.
Thanks for inviting me along to visit your blue mountains. The view is spectacular. Wonderful job.
Glad you enjoyed the visit!
I love the mountains & your Blue Mountains hanging is super! We live very close to the Rocky Mountains in Southwestern Alberta; Pincher Creek to be exact & very close to Castle Mountain Ski Hill. I would love your templates to create a hanging for our ski loving family. Thanks for sharing your project & creativity with all of us.
It must be a beautiful part of the world. I’ll definitely add you to the list!
Beautiful! Like you said, those fabrics are perfect for this project. I would love the template. Thank you for sharing your talent with us!
Those pieces are the bomb! I have never seen the smokies…should add it to the list!
Blue Mountain is beautiful! Reminds me of the Great Smokies we love to visit in Tennessee! I really like the corner and center pieces for hanging!
Those pieces are the bomb! I have never seen the smokies…should add it to the list!
Thank you for sharing that photo! What a great place to spend a few hours!
Indeed. I would really love to be there during high migration season. I don’t think I ever have.
That’s a great design and I love the fabrics. You did a wonderful job and paper piecing is perfect for all those sharp points.
This is so pretty! It’s a great project for bringing the mountains home.
Thanks MaryEllen, it is a nice way to remember them! I do need to back to Hawk Mountain again!
Love your Blue Mountains! Great job!
Love the corner pieces on the back for hanging. I’ll remember this neat trick ;-D
You are so welcome. The triangles are really an awesome trick.
Your Winter Blues Mountain quilt is lovely and the blue fabrics you selected are perfect. Thank you for hopping.
Thank you, Sherry. I always enjoy the hops!
Like I said on IG, this is just wonderful Kathleen! I just LOVE it. Good for you (here’s my pat on your back) for working through those isosceles triangles areas! You can do so much with triangles can’t you? I love how you quilted this, and one day I hope to walk parts of the Appalachian Trail. I’ve driven through some of the eastern mountain ranges that I-75 and I-95 go through, and some of those vantage points – ahh!
Your blue mountains are lovely and I like your quilting.
I really am pleased with how the quilting worked in this piece.
Hi Kathleen, what a lovely quilt. Those fabrics are really perfect for the mountains – and thanks for sharing your quilt hanging idea!
You are so welcome and very glad you enjoyed the quilt.
Hi Kathleen, thank for linking up to Free Motion Mavericks this week. This was a really great blog hop!
Love these mountains!
Thank you!
I love your fabric and the design. Someday I am going to get EQ for myself.
You won’t regret having EQ. I do suggest Kari Schell’s lessons, On Point Quilter. I learned so much from her. Just reading her newsletter and watch a few videos – it may tip you over the edge for a purchase!
I love your little quilt, so pretty! These fabrics were just perfect for it.
It was so much fun to see it come together. It did make me struggle a bit – always humbling.
This is awesome! The line texture is perfect – I use the same method to make hangers on my wallhangings.
Thank you – I love the texture too. That method is fun and easy for wallhangings, and the extra bit helps for the longer ones.
Love your Blue Mountains and your fabric choices for perfect. So pretty.
Thanks, Theresa. I am pretty darn pleased with it.
Very cool. Those fabrics are beautiful! I love your quilt hanging idea. I’ve done the triangles in the corners, but the center piece would be a big bonus in many cases. Thanks for sharing that idea with us! 🙂
I love the fabrics in this, too! I have to watch for more things like this from Windham as they would be perfect in many projects. Oh, yes, that little tab saves you on longer wall hangings!
Love your mountains – what a great idea!
Thanks, Susan.
You have captured the mountains beautifully.
Thank you, Karen.
Hi Kathleen, Love your fabrics! Your quilt has such a great modern tone.
Thank you, I think it does too!
I never would have come up that the construction method you used for your Hop quilt. Mind. Blown!!!
You would have. And believe it is easier to draw one block and rotate and then refine (adding other blocks) as your vision develops. I am not an artist so EQ8 gets me there!
Back in the late 60’s, very ealy 70’s I visited a Girl Scout Friend we had had overnight at our house in Wilmington, Delaware. She invited me to her home as a thank you. A beautiful home in the country. She and her brother climbed Hawk Mtn frequently therefore one of the the things I did while there was to climb Hawk Mtn. Not so much a mountain but an extremely huge vertical rock. As a city girl I was used to walking everywhere on sea level, certainly not vertically. But as much as much as I complain I had a great time, found out I could rock climb to the top and watch all types of large winged hawks. I’m going to try to make this block as a tribute to a very nice person I wish I kept in touch with and a challenge I accomplished in climbing that mountain.
I remember feeling exactly that way about the mountain. I now think I should do a lot more of it as the payoff of the view is well worth it. Templates should be ready shortly. I am having a little trouble with the one program I use to edit the EQ8 blocks, but I will get there.
I love that you showed us your hanging side as well. beautifully done! WV girl here! Love the Mountains!
Aw, thank you! I love doing both – creating and sharing.
Love your mountains. I also live in the mountains near the Appalachian Trail.
Thank you! Where do you live? I grew up in Reading PA and now live in Massachusetts (Boston) and Maine (Portland).
Such a “cool” design! I was just in the Great Smokey Mtns. this past weekend. It mostly looks like a brown carpet all crumpled up. 🙂 But in the spring and summer it is beautiful with all the fifferent shades of green! I would love your templates for these mountains! Thank you!
Thanks so much. I have added you to the list and hope to have it by the end of the week.
Hi Kathleen, love your mountains. I have a friend whose son is a fan of the Colorado Rockies baseball team and we are making a quilt for him. Could you please add me to your list for the template. I think these mountains are exactly what we’re looking for the quilt. Thank you so much.
Happy to do so, I am thinking I will have them by the end of the week, but one of my editing programs is making me unhappy!!!
I live not far from Hawk Rock, so I enjoyed your interpretation. I’d love your templates. Also thank you for the thread specifics I’m a fan of mettle variegateds.
I do love variegated threads and that mettler was perfect. The templates will go out tomorrow!
Beautiful!
Thank you!
What an amazing project. I loved seeing the process at which you did this and the quilting on the mountains is just beautiful. Absolutely loved it!!
Thank you – it was a fun one!
Just beautiful! Aren’t those hanging triangles just the best? The center strip is necessary often!
They sure are! Yes, when they get a little too big the center tab is just the fix!
I love this! the whole thought process and the way you designed it – andof course – any mountains are good in my book – I love the great outdoors~!
Thanks, Alycia! I am glad you enjoyed it and that it transported you to the outdoors
Your soft blue palette is very pleasing and your points are all perfect! The quilting complements the design well.
I enjoyed quilting it and loved the design.