Quilt Reveal: Calamine Lotion Swoon
This has to be one of the quilts that’s been the longest in my “to be finished” pile. I started the Calamine Lotion Swoon back in January 2014 and so it seems only fitting that two years from that post I’m sharing the finished quilt. It’s been finished for a couple of months now, I’ve just been too swamped to put the binding on and then I decided to wait for this anniversary to share it. In some ways I still can’t quite believe it’s finished. I remember so clearly starting the quilt and sharing my first block on Instagram. I was so excited making this quilt.
It was the first time I’d had that wake up in the middle of the night have to make what was in my head. My goal with this quilt was to use big bold patterns and show that you could use them altogether and the quilt would still be cohesive. I wanted to use big punchy colours and a non-traditional background fabric (the background fabric is the black and white text print from Carolyn Friedlander’s Architextures range). I wanted to make a black quilt because no one makes black quilts (pardon my hyperbole).
I called this quilt the Calamine Lotion Swoon because making it scratched an itch I had to make a big arse punchy quilt. And that’s exactly what it is. It’s solids, it’s prints, it’s textures, it’s colour, it’s unexpected and it’s everything I was hoping for when I started it.
It’s funny how a quilt can get under your skin and this one did in the most delicious of ways. I’ve made so many more quilts and projects since I started this quilt and when I was finishing it up I could see how I’ve grown and changed since that first block got into my head. (Not to mention how much I’ve improved in the accuracy department!)
Some times you just have to make the quilt that excites you and has no real purpose other than to allow you to combine pretty fabrics together. The quilt is over 80″ square and makes the perfect size for our bed. I love the weight of it and how I can wrap myself up in the fabrics I love.
It’s backed in one of my all time favourite fabrics from Anna Maria Horner. I think over the course of my sewing I’ve purchased over a bolt of this fabric altogether. There’s just something about that big rose that makes my heart sing. The quilt has been quilted in Aurifil 50wt #2545 and even though it’s a deep purple it was the most perfect thread colour for this quilt. It sinks into the black, it adds a nice shimmer to the backing fabric and it’s the perfect accompaniment to all those busy busy fabrics and colours in the patchwork.
Looking at this quilt makes me nostalgic for the last time I was really excited about doing something. It seems like a long time ago and I desperately want to change that. It’s funny how a quilt can evoke feelings in you just by looking at it. I’m really happy to have this finished and I’m looking forward to years of happy times spent cuddling under this quilt.
Make Your Own Version
Pattern: Click here to purchase paper pattern.
Background Fabric: Click here to purchase background fabric.
Backing Fabric: Click here to purchase backing fabric.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you purchase those items through my links I will earn a very small commission. You will not pay more when buying a product through my link, in fact in some cases I can offer you a better price via an affiliate link. I will not recommend something that I do not use myself. These commissions help me keep being able to provide you with great content for free. Thank you, in advance for your support!
Ok. I am going way out of my reach with this block!! Haha – I think I need to master some more Farmers Wife blocks and get used to tiny piecing again. I wish there were FPP instructions for this!
Hi Beth – the blocks are 18″ so heaps easier than the Farmer’s Wife blocks. You’ll nail this one! Give it a go!
I’ve had the Swoon pattern for ages. I really do need to make it, after seeing yours! Love the dark background, it makes that lovely fabric pop!
This quilt is absolutely beautiful!
The swoon quilt pattern has been on my to do list for some time and now I’m inspired to get started.
Just gorgeous!
That is beautiful backing fabric! Really suits the punchy colours so well. It took me about 2 years to finish a swoon too – wonder if that is the average…
Love the inspiration for the name. And the quilt itself of course!
Angie this is gorgeous! My own Swoon is awaiting binding I have just had the hardest time trying to make up my mind on what to use. I may have to make the smaller block version after seeing this one and I am going to order lots of the backing yardage…my stash has lots of AMH in it too. Can’t wait to see your next itch!
Good Morning from Georgia! I love your creation. I envy your freedom to drive on with a thought. That might sound weird or wrong to a lot of people. We all have our comfort zones. I am always thinking up things and get excited and then I rethink it and decide no that will look crazy to others. I am trying to up my choices lately. I am a learner with the BOM classes so many are sharing. I joined three for this year and am loving it and the challenges it is giving me.
Thank you again for sharing!
Diann from Georgia
Just found your blog in a very roundabout way. This quilt is so beautiful. I love gray, the patterns on the front and the large flower print on the back…..well, pretty much everything!! Looking forward to perusing your blog (and following your updates!).
It is gorgeous! A veru special version of this pattern.
Thanks Phyllis!
Just love your Calamine Lotion Swoon quilt, specially the background fabric. I haven’t seen anything that has jumped out at me like this has and I would really like to make it, so my question to you is – Is there a pattern for it and if so, what is its name. I would also like to buy the background fabric and the backing fabrics and I noticed in the “Disclosures” that you could earn a small commission, so could you please advise me what the process is. Thank you.
Hi Pamela,
The pattern is called Swoon and it’s by Camille Roskelley and you can purchase the paper pattern by clicking here. There is a digital version of the pattern available from Thimbleblossom’s website.
The background fabric is Carolyn Friedlanders’s Architextures for Robert Kaufman and you can purchase some by clicking here. The fabric is no longer in print so you may have some issues tracking down large amounts of it.
The backing fabric is Anna Maria Horner’s LouLouThi Clippings and you can purchase some by clicking here. Again, this is an out-of-print fabric and so tracking some down may be difficult.
If you purchase any of these via the links that I have provided I will earn a small commission from Amazon, it won’t increase your purchase price at all.
Let me know if you’d like any further information and if you do make the quilt I’d love to see it!
Wow this is stunning!!! I love the punchy colour combo on that awesome background!! Awesome job Angie 😀
Thanks Cassie!
This is gorgeous – well done on such a big finish. This’ll be just the ticket to survive a Canberra winter!
It’s proving handy in the Canberra summer too! (Admittedly I’m running the air conditioner to justify being able to use it!) #friendoftheenvironment
Oh man. Beautiful. I would love to make this with the same black, and tula pink fabrics
Wellll come to think of it. Tula Pink uses a lot of big designs that would get lost in the cutting. So maybe something like Strawberry Fields. 😀
Hello! 🙂 It depends, I think a Tula Version would rock. A lot of these prints are really big and I just fussy cut them to make the most of their colour. The piecing isn’t small so you’d get a really good portion of the print on show. I reckon, do it! <3
Oh – great tip!! 😀 ((Any excuse to stash more – eh?)) I already got the PDF off FQS. 😀 😀 😀