behind the scenes: the making of the Stone Slice quilt

Stone Slice: a modern, easy quilt pattern inspired by geodes, rocks and crystals. This is the perfect quilt pattern to make a gift for a budding geologist or stone / crystal lover! Instructions come in 3 sizes: mini, throw and queen and is friendly for the beginner quilter. Comes together with fabric strips and half square triangles (HSTs). Pattern by Whole Circle Studio

 

Funny story about how my Stone Slice quilt pattern came to be: I picked up my geode bookend on a cross-country road trip in 2000. My then boyfriend (Jason, now husband), friend (now best friend) and her fiancee (now ex-husband) drove a 1971 Cadillac Eldorado convertible from CT to Vegas for a friend’s wedding. Everyone else flew out to the wedding. Jason bought the car four months earlier specifically for this road trip and spent the entire summer fixing it up so we can drive it to Vegas. SOOOO many stories from this trip! If you ever see me in person, be sure to ask me about it. I’ll be sure to tell you one of our stories from the road trip. It may the one when I was driving—we were in Arkansas and I suddenly couldn’t see over the hood. ⠀


circa 2000: the four of us spent 5 days in this car driving cross country.

Who would have known that the geode I picked up during that trip would be the inspiration for a quilt pattern 18 years later?!?!? Heck, 18 years ago I didn’t even know how to sew!

When staff at Windham Fabrics asked me if I wanted to work with their new basic line called, Bedrock, I knew that the fabric was asking to be a quilt inspired my geode bookend.


curated blues of Bedrock by Windham Fabrics

Once the fabrics were selected, it was on to cutting lots of squares and strips. Labeling is key to staying organized! 



Labeling and organization is key when working with a quilt pattern with lots of pieces.
Sewing fabric strips and half square traingles on my Juki 2010

As the strips were sewn, I numbered and labeled (all of this is included in the pattern) so that sewing them together was a breeze.

I wanted the quilting to emulate the organic layers found inside a geode soI used my walking foot to quilt wavy lines. I used a few different blues and white of Aurifl Cotton 50 wt thread to match the fabric.
Quilting organic wavy lines with my walking foot to emulate the layers of a geode. Quilted on my Juki2010 with Aurifil 50wt cotton thread.

detail of Stone Slice quilt with modern, organic quilted wavy lines with my walking foot to emulate the layers of a geode. Quilted on my Juki2010 with Aurifil 50wt cotton thread. Pattern by Whole CIrcle Studio
detail of Stone Slice quilt with modern, organic quilted wavy lines with my walking foot to emulate the layers of a geode. Quilted on my Juki2010 with Aurifil 50wt cotton thread. Pattern by Whole CIrcle Studio
detail of Stone Slice quilt with modern, organic quilted wavy lines with my walking foot to emulate the layers of a geode. Quilted on my Juki2010 with Aurifil 50wt cotton thread. Pattern by Whole CIrcle Studio

Stone Slice: a modern, easy quilt pattern inspired by geodes, rocks and crystals. This is the perfect quilt pattern to make a gift for a budding geologist or stone / crystal lover! Instructions come in 3 sizes: mini, throw and queen and is friendly for the beginner quilter. Comes together with fabric strips and half square triangles (HSTs). Pattern by Whole Circle Studio
This blue version of Stone Slice is the throw size (60″ x 60″). I give instructions for 3 sizes (wall, throw and queen) in the pattern. I couldn’t resist making a mini (30″ x 30″), colorful version using Sun Print 2018 by Alison Glass. A coloring sheet is included with the pattern so you can customize your color palette to your liking.
selecting a colorful rainbow palette for my Stone Slice mini quilt — a modern quilt pattern. Instructions for 3 sizes: mini / wall, throw and queen size. Coloring sheet and lots of tips included! Pattern by Whole Circle Studio
Making half square triangles with Alison Glass Sun Print 2018 fabric by Andover Fabrics. Pattern: Stone Slice by Whole Circle Studio
Colorful strips of fabric used to construct Stone Slice quilt pattern by Whole Circle Studio
Strips for Stone Slice quilt pattern coming together on my design wall.
Walking foot quilting organic curvy lines.
Stone Slice quilting: constructing and sewing on scrappy matching binding. Pattern: Stone Slice by Whole Circle Studio

Rock Solid! Inspired by geodes and rocks, Stone Slice is an easy to piece quilt comprised of strips and half square triangles. This bold, modern quilt is beginner friendly. and is the perfect gift to make for a rock enthusiast or budding geologist! Instructions are provided for three sizes: Mini, Throw and Queen. Included in this pattern are full color photos along with detailed fabric requirements, tested instructions/diagrams and lots of tips. Use our monochromatic (photo on front cover) or multicolor (photo inside pattern) samples as inspiration or choose your own using the supplied coloring sheet.
Rock Solid! Inspired by geodes and rocks, Stone Slice is an easy to piece quilt comprised of strips and half square triangles. This bold, modern quilt is beginner friendly. and is the perfect gift to make for a rock enthusiast or budding geologist! Instructions are provided for three sizes: Mini, Throw and Queen. Included in this pattern are full color photos along with detailed fabric requirements, tested instructions/diagrams and lots of tips. Use our monochromatic (photo on front cover) or multicolor (photo inside pattern) samples as inspiration or choose your own using the supplied coloring sheet.

Make your own Stone Slice quilt!
Rock Solid! Inspired by geodes and rocks, Stone Slice is an easy to piece quilt comprised of strips and half square triangles. This bold, modern quilt is beginner friendly. and is the perfect gift to make for a rock enthusiast or budding geologist! Instructions are provided for three sizes: Mini, Throw and Queen. Included in this pattern are full color photos along with detailed fabric requirements, tested instructions/diagrams and lots of tips. Use our monochromatic (photo on front cover) or multicolor (photo inside pattern) samples as inspiration or choose your own using the supplied coloring sheet.

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5 Comments

    1. Hi Deb, Thanks so much! I noticed you already found it–I listed all of the Windham Bedrock colors I on the back of the pattern so others could duplicate it if they wish! Happy quilting! Sheri

  1. I love this quilt! I’m making it for my brother who is a geology professor retiring soon. I have two questions:
    1. When you started quilting on the white, did you start in the center or did you start at the white/light blue boundary and work towards the center?
    2. How did you make your binding match the different colors ?

    1. Hi Kelsey, I’d love to see photos of your Stone Slice quilt when you’re ready to share! I love that you’re making it for a geology professoer—how perfect! I typically start my quilting by following a seam, so I basted the quilt well and then started quilting along where the white meets the first blue then quilted towards the middle. I then started working from the inside to outside of the quilt. For the binding, I did a bit of math and carefully pieced my binding and matched it to the quilt top.
      Happy quilting and I can’t wait to see what you’re making!
      Sheri

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