I’m so excited to share this recent quilt finish featuring a fun pre-cuts friendly pattern. I think this might be one of my favorite finishes in recent months! It also has a memorable mistake in it- more on that at the end of the post. 😉
A while back the folks at the Fat Quarter Shop* reached out to see if I’d like to be a part of the Cake Mix Quilt Along featuring their latest publication: The Cake Mix Quilt Book Volume 1.
This book has patterns for 16 quilts and feature the Moda Cake Mix Recipe Cards in all of the quilt’s construction. There are 8 different sets of “recipe” cards. The book features two different quilt patterns per “recipe.”
The recipe cards are so clever! It was my first exposure to them and I’m a convert! Basically they’re paper-piecing templates created specifically for 10″ x 10″ (Layer Cake) precut squares. They come as a note pad of 45 of the same paper-pieced sheet. As I mentioned there are 8 different recipes with a different combination of sizes of half-square triangles and squares.
I chose to make the Ganache Quilt.
My pattern required the use of Cake Mix Recipe #5 – each page created a set of 4 half-square triangle blocks and 2 four-patch blocks. Using the paper-piecing templates made the blocks – especially the HST’s – come together so quickly and accurately.
There’s obviously some trimming involved but it’s slick and once it’s done, everything is ready to sew together!
For my quilt I pulled together a variety of prints from Riley Blake Designs in this color palette. I used prints from the following collections and basics: Dear Diary, Happiness is Handmade, Ava Rose, and the Riley Blake Kisses (in Red, Raspberry, and Honey). Metalic prints are from the On Trend collection.
When I picked out the fabric, I was thinking of a spectrum/ombre look, but wasn’t really sure how it would turn out. I toyed with bagging the idea because I liked the scrappy, colorful look of the pattern sample in the book.
But as soon as I laid out the blocks I was smitten. Lots of times by that stage I’m still pretty undecided, but this time I loved it!
Once it was sewn together, it turned out even better than I’d hoped!
Big shout out to Melissa from Sew Shabby Quilting who did the quilting on this one. I had her use the Marbled Cake all-over pattern for this one and really love the results.
For the backing I used a solid Riley Blake Confetti Cotton in Riley Mustard. I love the pop of color.
This is a great versatile pattern that comes together so nicely. As are a lot of other patterns in the book. I definitely want to make a few more of them – I especially like the Cake Mix Recipe cards too. No thinking and no measuring and perfectly accurate blocks!
You can find the Cake Mix Quilt Book pattern book here. The Cake Mix Recipe cards are found here.
You can check out the other patterns in the book each week as part of the Cake Mix Quilt Along tour on these sites:
- Monday, November 13 – Ginger Bread Quilt by Melissa of Happy Quilting Melissa
- Monday, November 20 – Sherbert Quilt by Melanie of A Bit of Scrap Stuff
- Monday, November 27 – Fondant Quilt by Sinta of Pink Pincushion
- Monday, December 4 – Taffy Quilt by Sondra of Out of the Blue Quilts
- Monday, December 11 – Crème Brulee Quilt by Sherri of A Quilting Life
- Monday, December 18 – Sundae Quilt by Anorina of Samelia’s Mum
- Monday, January 8 – Marzipan Quilt by Amanda of Jedi Craft Girl
- Monday, January 15 – Parfait Quilt by Charise of Charise Creates
- Monday, January 22 – Banana Split Quilt by Connie of Freemotion by the River
- Monday, January 29 – Ganache Quilt by Amy of Diary of a Quilter
- Monday, February 5 – Fruitcake Quilt by Sharon of Lilabelle Lane
- Monday, February 12 – Meringue Quilt by Erin of Why Not Sew?
- Monday, February 19 – Buttercream Quilt by Sondra of Out of the Blue Quilts
- Monday, February 26 – Tiramisu Quilt by Jennie of Porch Swing Quilts
- Monday, March 5 – Cheesecake Quilt by Anorina of Samelia’s Mum
- Monday, March 12 – Petit Four Quilt by Seema of Hooks, Needles and Brushes
Okay, so here’s my confession on this quilt.
I have an unplanned goof “humility block”. Can you find it? I didn’t even notice until the day after I took the pictures of the quilt for this post!! (Hint: it’s in the top right-hand corner.) All I could do when I saw it was laugh. Last week as I was working on this deadline (which, although I really enjoyed making, I had totally pushed the deadline too close) it was such a crazy week: my husband was out of town, my youngest was sick, my oldest is in the middle of final preparations for her 18-month LDS mission – in other words it was a busy regular-mom-life-filled week.
And so that one, turned-around four-patch block became kind of endearing and a good reminder that I don’t have it all together in my life, and that’s okay. It’s still pretty beautiful.
*This post contains affiliate links – meaning I get a very small percentage of the sale if you purchase something (at no additional charge to you.) This helps support the free content on this site, so thanks for supporting Diary of a Quilter if you choose to shop!
Susan L.
I have made mistakes like that, that I never caught in time too. Sadly, it happens! Your quilt is lovely anyway! Congratulations for getting it done while you were so crazy busy too!
Jenni
I didn’t even notice the humility block but I thinks it endearing!
Barbara Opett
Your quilt came out Beautifully, your one block is a reminder that everything doesn’t have to be perfect. Love your backing too ?
Kathie L
Haven’t we all made a mistake like that! It’s a beautiful quilt. I love the color shading.
Clara Chandler
Love the color choice for the quilt and your review of the Cake Mix papers. I’m tempted to try my hand at sewing one to use a Layer Cake in my collection. Thanks, Amy.
Annie O
Beautiful even with the small oopsie! Amazing how you can look right at a block and not notice—been there for sure. I’ve wanted to try the Cake Mix recipes too. So many great blocks.
Melissa Corry
Your quilt is just beautiful!!! I love the color layout you did and the wonderful prints you combined to make it, so pretty!!! And I love the special little reminder in the quilt of all that you manage to juggle and still make deadlines 😉 Hope all goes well as you get ready to send Kathrine off on her mission, so exciting!!! It looks like your trip to CA to see Hamilton was awesome, so wonderful that you could do that right before she goes 😉
Sis
Seeing these work like paper piecing I guess it is possible to use scissors for cutting? I can’t use a rotary cutter due to a shoulder problem so have a die cutter with patchwork dies but sometimes it would be fun to do something different.
Amy
Yes! I don’t see why you couldn’t cut with scissors!
Margaret
You’ve made a stunning quilt, Amy, and I wouldn’t have noticed the goof if you hadn’t pointed it out. As it was, I studied the quilt for awhile before I saw it. Lovely, fun quilt. Winner! Also, I didn’t “get” those Cake Mix precuts before I read your post. Now I do, and they sound great!
Carolyn
Just makes me like you more 🙂 The fabric choices really are gorgeous!
Marie
Quilting lore has it that every quilt should have a ‘humility block’, so I’m thinking that you aced it.That slight imperfection amid all the other perfect blocks is a wonderful reminder of the creative process. Great quilt, and it sounds like you really enjoyed making it, busy schedule and all.
Lynette
This is such a pretty quilt with the color progression. And gosh, I rather like that one wonky patch, going its own way in the world. 😀
Carol Findley
Your one “original” block sold me on the idea of getting the book and the cake mix to make this quilt! I really like the fabrics you used, too! I thoroughly enjoy following your blog.
Alison
I really love that errant 4-patch. Remember, Navajo weavers purposely add a mistake to each piece. The error is required because only the creator (God) is perfect. Humans are not perfect and cannot make a perfect rug (or quilt).
Sarah
This is fabulous. I think your humility block adds character; and honestly, I didn’t even notice it until you said where it was.
Mommaknowsbest
Your best quilt yet! And had you never mentioned it, I would never have noticed the perfectly imperfect block.
Preeti
The quilt is fabulous and bright. I noticed it right away. But thank you for leaving it in. It is like your signature. And I love it. I have made such mistakes more than once and have left them in. I believe it is the divine wish for things to stray just a weensy bit from our intentions.
Tiffany
I love the”humility block!” It gives the quilt the perfect amount of character and its a fabulous reminder for all of us to cut ourselves a little slack. ?
Also – I LOVE the ombre layout! It turned out so amazing .
Cynthia Holmes
I agree with Carolyn. You are an amazing quilt maker and I am always envious. I am just learning and actually trying to make the Christmas tree quilt. I am purposely making one of the blocks different by paper piecing the gnome Santa in the middle. I like your quilt alot with the mistake.
Monica Kostak
Beautiful quilt. I have noticed this before too when i’ve completed piecing-grrrrr. we are our worse critics-and whose to say you wanted to do it like that anyway? 🙂 Have a good day!
stridermarsh
Looking over the other quilts in the tour to date, I find yours to be the most innovative. Love the way you changed the pattern to make it more modern & fresh with the use of ombre & not mixing up colors as in the book quilt. Fantastic flow, inspiring, & I love it!
Nena in Wyoming
Terrific and beautiful! A mistake it is not, it will be a remembrance of your life in a snapshot kind of way that will brings back this time to you in years to come; and you will appreciate the memories so, so much. I know of what I speak….
Karen Seitz
I LOVE the gradation in your quilt! It turned out great. Last week I pulled out my Fig Tree red and cream BOM from last year and discovered that one of the blocks I made in June, probably, had a sub-block turned the wrong way. I’ll be taking that one apart since the blocks are not yet sewn into a quilt top, but I laughed that I just noticed the error.
Vicki
I like the mixed-up scrappy look, but I loooove your rainbow! I am really intrigued by this pattern — so, you buy the book, and some paper piecing templates called “recipe cards,” and a layer cake or yardage, and there you go? Would this be an easy intro to paper piecing? I’m intimidated by the lay-it-here-and-flip-it-over procedure!
Amy
Great questions – yes! You’ve got it. And yes, this would be a good intro to paper piecing – at least getting used to sewing through and removing the paper templates. There’s no “building” on a template – you’re just sewing through the same two layers the whole time, but still, a good way to get used to the idea.
Material Girl Quilts
Love this quilt and am so happy you stuck with the ombre! Also, I didn’t even notice your “oops” until you pointed it out!! It’s beautiful 🙂
Camilla
It is wonderful that you laughed at the mistake, shared it with us, and showed us that mistakes can still turn out beautiful!
Judy Sturm
I was wondering if your “mistake” was deliberate–after all, a lot of modern quilts will have some twist like that!
Nikki Jones
I have a Cake Mix Quilt Book #3 that I have been hesitant to use but now I am inspired and excited to get started! I am so inspired that I bought the Book #5 today and can’t wait to go buy fabric.
Your quilt is beautiful. I look forward to your next newsletter!!
Adrienne
Beautiful quilt, Amy.
Kristal
This is my favorite quilt in all time…forever!!! The pattern and colors are spot on!!!!! And your mistake is hilarious! I LOVE this quilt!!!! Great work!!
Amy
Thank you, Kristal! 🙂