book review :: Nancy Zieman Quick Column Quilts

It's my stop on the blog tour and I am always happy to be a part of any new Nancy Zieman project! Be sure to check out the link at the end for Nancy's post and her awesome giveaway-which includes a new sewing machine!!

I've been feeling overwhelmed these days and when I got the email about this new book I thought, "oh no, how can I get a whole quilt done!?"

Then I looked at the preview of the book. Everything was beautifully illustrated and quick was in the title! So I said yes - I've got a couple of months...

And then we got home from vacation and school started. Oh the chaos!! Cue the sad music. 

I didn't want to just review the book, I wanted to make something (but there really are a lot of great patterns and techniques in there!!)!  so I took the quilt that stood out to me most and tweaked it. A bit. Or more than a bit. But I loved learning a new technique and can see how a quilt top from this pattern would work up very quickly! 

The quilt in the book is the Happy Go Lucky Chevron Column Quilt: 

Since I only have 4 solids in my stash and two of them are white and the other 2 shades of aqua/turquoise (!! shocker!!), I decided to dive into some large Amy Butler Love (and some Belle, Daisy Chain and Soul Blossoms...) scraps instead and use a more solid type print for the skinny pieces that work through the whole quilt.

One of the great things about this pattern in the pieces are big - so they show off nice big prints like these and a queen sized quilt will work up rather quickly! I followed the cutting instructions but only cut about 10 strips and cut the strips sets 1/2 the size to start with since I was going to do a smaller scale project.  

I followed the piecing instructions and then cut my strip sets in half to about 20" long.  

I had omitted the dark print in the chevron sets because I wasn't sure I wanted it to be so prominent in such a small piece - like I said the pieces are large. But then the vertical strips looked out of place. 

 So I decided to sew the strips up without the contrast. And for this project I think it works well.

I quilted the two panels. (19.5" x 21.5") in preparation for using them in a large tote bag.  I love straight line quilting a 1/4" or so on either side of the seam lines.  I think it always looks good! 

I haven't quite had time to finish the lining and the straps but I'm almost there.  And I have now affectionately named it the Go Big, Go Bold or Go Home Bag! 

I'm planning on a more detailed tutorial in another post if any one is interested - plus I need to show you what it looks like once I finish it!!

I loved the technique for stitching the chevrons and quickly piecing the columns. Everything was done in columns with out any finicky bias piecing for every block. I definitely think even I could make this quilt top pretty easily! It was fun to use the pattern in a different way as well-I might actually try reducing the size of the pieces to make a mini quilt. 

Update!!!:: I'm also giving away a copy of the book!  Go here and enter! Ends Saturday 9/20 at midnight!

This fun tour has been going on for a couple of weeks. Check out what the others have created from Nancy's book! And remember to check out this post to enter the giveaway!!

09/04/14 Nancy Zieman
09/05/14 Quilt Taffy and Simple Simon & Co.
09/06/14 Diary of a Quilter and Stitchin Jenny
09/07/14 A Woman a Day
09/08/14 Jina Barney Designz, Lilac Lane Patterns, and Totally Stitchin'
09/09/14 Esch House Quilts and The Cottage Mama
09/10/14 Designs in Machine Embroidery and Pat Sloan
09/12/14 Happy Valley Primitives, Doohikey Designs, and Quilt in a Day
09/13/14 Quilt Dad and Just Arting Around
09/14/14 Lazy Girl Designs and Marie-Madeline Studio
09/15/14 Always Expect Moore and Polka Dot Chair
09/16/14 Amy Lou Who Sews and Riley Blake Designs
09/17/14 Indygo Junction and Amy's Creative Side