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photo shoot at cause creative

photo shoot at cause creative

Polka Dot Chambray Log Cabin Quilt by Salty Oat

Something I've enjoyed doing the past few years is working with local photographers to photograph my work. Through doing this, I've been able to meet other local creative women, have my work photographed in a number of beautiful spaces, and create a high-quality visual archive of my quilts.

My most recent photoshoot took place last February, in the Cause Creative space in Essex, MA. I drove out there with a handful of my quilts and a pair of pillows and handed them over to Ashley Brooks (the owner of Cause Creative), who styled them in her beautiful space, and Jesika Theos, who photographed them. 


Amish Hourglass Quilt by Salty Oat

The resulting images are some of my favorites. Because the space was so large, I was able to bring my larger throw quilts to be photographed---something that's harder for me to do on my own. Among the work I brought that day were an Amish Hourglass Throw Quilt (pictured above); a Chambray Log Cabin Throw Quilt (featured in the beginning and end of this post); and the Minimal Stripes Throw Quilt pictured below.

I also brought along two improvisationally pieced lumbar pillows, made from an assortment of neutral scraps, including treasured hand-printed fabrics from Cotton & Flax and Maze & Vale

Having my work photographed so beautifully in such a warm space meant so much to me, and I hope you enjoy the images as much as I do. If you're interested, you can shop all of the pieces that were photographed that day here

All photos in this post by Jesika Theos

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solid improv throw quilt

solid improv throw quilt

solid improv throw quilt by salty oat

I have a new quilt to share with you today! Pulling entirely from my bin of solid fabric scraps, I pieced this quilt top bit by bit, without a set plan, over the course of a few months. My only guideline was to match up scraps of similar lengths whenever possible. 

solid improv throw quilt by salty oat

I stopped piecing once I reached a size I was happy with, which in this case was approximately 57 inches x 77 inches, an excellent size for a throw quilt.

solid improv throw quilt by salty oat

I selected a wool batting for the quilt's inside, to give it a bit of loft; made a super soft backing from voile and Swiss dot fabrics; and finished the quilt with diagonal quilting lines and a scrappy binding. 

solid improv throw quilt by salty oat

I predict this quilt will be in heavy rotation on our couch this fall and winter!

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sunrise baby quilt

sunrise baby quilt

Sunrise Baby Quilt by Salty Oat

Almost a year after starting this quilt at a Vermont sewing retreat, I finished it (and just in time for the baby boy we're expecting next month!). I've long admired the Sunrise Quilt pattern by Carolyn Friedlander, the paper-piecing pattern which this quilt is made from, and really enjoyed having the chance to finally work with it. 

Sunrise Baby Quilt by Salty Oat

Sunrise Baby Quilt by Salty Oat

The bulk of the quilt's prints are from a jelly roll of Carolyn's Doe fabric collection, which I paired with solids, as well as prints from Maze & Vale, Umbrella Prints, and Cotton & Flax. The white sashing is made from solids and nearly solid prints, all pulled from the scrap bin. 

Back of Sunrise Baby Quilt by Salty Oat

To create the coordinating back, I used a long-hoarded Cotton+Steel print by Alexia Abegg called "Painted Indigo," and two other Carolyn Friedlander prints. To quilt it, I kept things simple and stitched in the ditch (no need to mark!), which created a pretty texture and transferred the sunrise shape to the back of the quilt, which I really love. 

Back Detail of Sunrise Baby Quilt by Salty Oat

The quilt is now hanging in our nursery, ready and waiting for its owner to arrive.

Sunrise Baby Quilt by Salty Oat

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raspberry kiss baby quilt

raspberry kiss baby quilt

Raspberry Kiss Quilt by Salty Oat
At the end of last year, I was commissioned to make a baby quilt for a little boy who was born in January. My only design guideline was that the nursery included aqua bedding, and it would be nice to incorporate that color into the quilt's color palette. 
Raspberry Kiss Quilt by Salty Oat
I decided to use the Raspberry Kiss block for this quilt, as I've had the block on my to-try list for awhile, and I thought it would be a nice way to feature various solids and prints from my stash in a way other than my go-to flying geese designs
Raspberry Kiss Quilt by Salty Oat
I opted to make the larger of the two block sizes outlined in the tutorial (8.5"), and the quilt top came together rather quickly as I listened to quite a few episodes of My Favorite Murder (Have you heard this podcast? It's addicting!)
Back of Raspberry Kiss Quilt by Salty Oat
The backing was pieced from large fabric cuts from my stash, and I included a custom cross-stitch label with the baby's name and birth date. 
Raspberry Kiss Quilt by Salty Oat
It was so nice to try out a new block design and add something new to my repertoire. Do you have any quilt block designs on your to-try list?
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a flying geese quilt for baby ruth

a flying geese quilt for baby ruth

Early last summer, I sent a quilt to Utah-based photographer Mandi Rae for use in her new daughter's nursery. In exchange for the quilt, Mandi used her talents to capture photos of the quilt alongside its new owner, Ruth. 

Photo by Mandi Rae Photography
I based the color palette for the quilt on a few mood boards for the nursery that Mandi shared, and selected a range of peach and sage green prints and solids to work with.
Photo by Mandi Rae PhotographyPhoto by Mandi Rae Photography
I made a flying geese quilt similar to those I've done in the past, but instead arranged the geese so as to create an ombré effect. 
Photo by Mandi Rae Photography
Photo by Mandi Rae Photography
I really enjoyed the challenge of working with a color palette that's new to me, and I especially enjoyed seeing these photos of Ruth with her quilt afterward!
Photo by Mandi Rae Photography

All photos by Mandi Rae Photography

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