Early last spring I made a red and white Churn Dash quilt as a challenge from a quilt retreat out of pretty traditional quilting fabrics. Â I really enjoyed making it and liked the finished product. All summer I wanted to try the same block with a modern feel. Finally this fall I picked the fabrics and went for it. And here is the Modern Churn Dash quilt.
This quilt has been on a journey.
The quilt was nearly finished with the binding machine sewed  to the front of the quilt, and I was planning to hand sew the back before the Sewing Summit.
Well that didn't happen. I just showed the quilt with the binding unfinished. Sigh. (Picture thanks to Trish.)
So I took the quilt with me on our recent road trip to a couple of the National Parks in southern Utah. Â (I'm so grateful that I don't get carsick. Â I love all that time for hand sewing!) Â I thought while we were there I would snap a quick picture by the side of the road to change things up from all the pictures I usually take at my backyard fence. My husband realized what I was doing and convinced me that since we literally at Bryce Canyon National Park, for crying out loud, we should use that one-of-a-kind landscape as a backdrop.
I'm glad he talked me into it.  He even climbed out onto a ledge to get a good shot (at his own insistence. I was trying not to freak out.) So there we were with all kinds of tourists walking past us, my husband on the edge of the canyon holding up a quilt while I took a bunch of pictures.  Our kids hid from embarrassment while we did it. But it's a pretty awesome shot.
Here's what Bryce Canyon looks like without quilts in the way. It's pretty amazing.
So is my husband. He even figured out how to make children's clothing out of plastic bags once.
To make this quilt I figured out a quick method to put two blocks together at the same time with next to no fabric waste.  I finally put it all in a pattern which is now available here or on etsy.
Also linking up to Sew and Tell, Tea Rose Home, and Quilt Story
Elizabeth D. says
OMG, what a cool finished quilt shot, Amy!! I love the churn dash block, and I think you used some great fabrics to really make it shine 🙂
Anne says
Fantastic!
Kristine says
I love this quilt! for some reason ( not really sure why ) the churn dash block is one of my favs!!! great work!
Happy Cottage Quilter says
Amy, I love this quilt. The color combination is gorgeous! Takes a traditional quilt pattern to new heights 🙂
Michele says
Beautiful quilt and beautiful scenery. Great combination.
Katy Cameron says
ROFL, love the backdrop! I can't comment about the things in pretty scenery though, I have a bear that clambers into all my holiday shots...<br /><br />I'm hoping to get a big road trip together for next autumn to coincide with Sewing Summit, and the national parks in south Utah, and Nevada are on my list of things to try and hit while I'm there :o)
notes of sincerity says
Oh Amy. I loved seeing this gorgeous quilt in person at The Sewing Summit, but that picture taken over the canyon is absolutely stunning!! <br />Have a nice day. :o)<br />love ya, Trish
Cindy says
Beautiful quilt, Amy! I am going to have to visit that park someday-gorgeous! So nice of your hubby to do that for you and such beautiful pictures- thanks for sharing!!:)
bhafer says
Gorgeous both the quilt and the park. My husband said "well you don't see that everyday."
Sarah Craig says
What a beautiful rendition of a classic quilt! I love it in the modern fabrics and now want to make one of my own!! Nice work!!!
Kristen says
Beautiful quilt and beautiful backdrop...I haven't been to Bryce in ages but it is one of my favorite places!
Sandra says
Aren't we lucky to live in such a "Pretty, Great State". Love the giant churn dashes, very cheery.<br />Come see my entries: #29 miniature reproduction quilt and #31 antique 1850 Star quilt
Jolanda says
Love both of your churn dash quilts.<br />Beautiful fabrics:)
randi says
oh wow! this is so pretty! and you really picked a great place to take the photos. 🙂
Nedra says
That IS the most awesome background for a photoshoot. Bryce is my favorite National Park.<br />Nice job on the Churndash.
Janine says
I love this quilt. The colors are so pretty. Guess I'll be buying another patter from you! Bryce canyon is SO beautiful. We;ve beent here twice already and I'd love to go back.
snippetsandyarns says
I love this quilt! Your husband was right to insist on that shot - it is Amazing!!<br /><br />~ meagan
Amy Sp says
What a fabulous quilt!
Heather says
Great quilt! Bryce canyon is amazing, thanks for sharing pictures. I love that you took them of your quilt there 🙂
Kristen says
Awesome! I loove the the shot!! Beatiful quilt too!
Sew Create It - Jane says
Amazing quilt...great colours! And amazing pictures WOW...what a backdrop!!
Mitzi says
What a great quilt, love it! Beautiful! Love the scenery but I have to say the picture of your husband out on the ledge makes my stomach hurt. ha!
Carol in CA says
Amy..beautiful quilt and scenery! I was just at Bryce Canyon a couple of weeks ago! Would have LOVED to run into you and your quilt there! Great job!
Aquilter says
Beautiful shot of the Canyon...and of course of the quilt also! Thanks for sharing!
angela says
Holy Cow! Love that quilt, the backdrop, and your awesome husband!<br /><br />Good one 🙂 Oh, and that you took it to SS without the binding done. Love that too.
Vicki says
I love Bryce Canyon! My 2nd son's middle name is even Bryce.... <br /><br />And I love churn dash quilts. Yours is beautiful, love the colors.
adayintheworldaroundme says
The Churn Dash is one of favorite quilt blocks.....and your quilt looks amazing!<br /><br />your friend in stitches<br />Margaret
Barb says
I absolutely adore the pictures.....with or without the quilt, lol. I'll be using this pattern for sure!
Kar says
Love the finished quilt pic at Bryce Canyon! I love how your hubby helps you with the pics. But tell him there are others who also have a hard time dealing with people being so close to the edge of things. I deal with it every time we go hiking. I know how you feel. 🙂
euphoria says
Oh my goodness! Your churn dash quilt is AMAZING!!!
Angela {fussycut} says
LOVE it Amy! And what gorgeous pictures!
aksherry says
love, love, love!!
Mama Said Sew says
The quilt is beautiful Amy! I love the blues and greens together. And your husband is quite a trooper for helping you get sucha great shot. 🙂
Carla says
I am in love! Your quilt is amazing!
amylouwho says
GORGEOUS quilt! and Gorgeous background! I've been meaning to call you all week!!
Mary says
Talk about staging your Quilt. What a GUY! Your kids will talk about it when they are older and laugh at the Memory. I tacked down binding on 5 quilts last spring on our 3600 mile road trip but driving through Zion's I had to just look out the window at all the beauty. We would have gone to Bryce, but it got dark...
Hollie says
That quilt is gorgeous and I love that you photographed it at Brice Canyon. It's one of my favorite places!
Kimberly says
Great quilt and great pics! Great hubby too... let's not forget him! <br /><br />I just popped in to let you know that I pieced my top from the retro Christmas quilt kit I bought from your etsy. It was a great project and I love how it came together! Thanks a bunch... and I blogged it too if you're interested...<br /><br />https://www.mybrownbagstudio.com/2011/10/
sonia says
Wow! What a scenery! Very nice quilt and awesome photo. Congrats!
felicity says
Great backdrop and GREAT quilt! The churn dash is one of my all-time favourite blocks. I love your fresh, modern take on it, Amy. (And I envy your lack of motion sickness.)
Margaret says
love the quilt!<br /><br />Margaret<br />www.quiltsoflove.blogspot.com
Lily says
Hi Amy! I just posted on the Bloggers Quilt Festival and I'm showing my I SPY QUILT from your pattern and charms. Thanks much for the inspiration. This quilt is beautiful and I love your backgrounds:) I cited your blog and etsy shop: <br /><br />https://www.bordeauxbound.com
Kathy says
What a lovely quilt. You are so fortunate that you had it along in the car on your trip to Bryce Canyon. Your husband was very brave to pose so close to the edge.
Bern says
Hi, I just love the quilt colours and love your block choice. I really like churn dash - you can do so much with it. <br /><br />I too would have been nervous about your husband hanging over the edge of the canyon but the photo was terrific!
Sherry says
Love your quilt! I never tire of the churndash block. Awesome job.
Mel says
Beautiful Quilt
Kristie says
Beautiful, Amy! And you have now added Bryce Canyon National Park to my must-see list! Stunning!
ktquilts says
Love a good churn dash!!! Great colors!!!
QuiltNut Creations says
I love churn dash quilts. love the pics from the grand canyon; great idea to take pics there.
Debbie says
Your finished quilt photos pretty much top anything I've seen! ha. what a beautiful quilt too!
Di~ says
Awesome quilt! I just this week discovered machine binding and I'm pretty excited...it turned out awesome, two quilts in one day!
poppyinpink says
Splendid view of quilt and valley..great work!
Pamela says
What a beautiful quilt in beautiful southern Utah. What a fantastic post, you always have the most interesting insights. I love to come and read your blog and quilting adventures.
Leanne says
Churn Dash is one of my favourite blocks, your fabric choices are lovely and it is such a nice quilt. Beautiful photos too.
Kit Lang says
Stunning quilt! And holy smackerals - that shot! Aiyee! ;)<br /><br />Thanks for sharing.
laura says
that shot is GORGEOUS! love the colors in the quilt.
Lil Miss Red T-Shirt says
Pretty! Love the colors.
Eileen says
Lovely quilt and wow didn't Heavenly Father create goregeous things in this wirld...especially in bryce and zions!! Your husbabd is suoer creative too...good laugh and sent that on to my family who may someday need to use it with their little ones! Too funny. Thanks for sharing and have a great day
Aunt Spicy says
AMY!!!!! The BC photos are amazing, that quilt is just lovely (as is everything you make!)! And yes, we must go see LS together one day!
Karen says
Your quilt looks great. I love the design and the colours you have used are perfect.
Sarcastic Quilter says
Aww beautiful and what a proud hubby!
Lucy @ Charm About You says
Such a gorgeous quilt and backdrop!! I love the colours! You have one brave husband 🙂
Jennifer says
That is an absolutely beautiful quilt! I'm so looking forward to getting good enough to make one. I'll have to get a pattern for when that day comes.
Julie Fukuda says
I love take-along work but I am always the driver so don't get much done. The quilt is lovely and the finish shot is fantastic!
quirky granola girl says
oh my goodness! i clicked back to the link of your husband's tutorial and laughed until tears rolled down my cheeks. my husband then read it and took note. he said the tutorial was well-written :)<br /><br />your quilt is beautiful and the orangey reds in the canyon perfectly frame the blues and greens in your quilt. gorgeous shot.
Shannon says
It was so fun seeing this quilt up close and personal at The Sewing Summit! The blues you chose are perfect!<br />Love it! 🙂
jemfl says
Thanks for the canyon pictures-beautiful! My favorite block-making<br />hotpads for gifts with strawberry prints. Keep blogging and sewing-ENJOY!
mascanlon says
Wonderful quilt, I love the contrast of the blocks and the blues are perfect.
Heather says
LOL What we quilters won't do to get a great photo of our quilts! Love it! Your hubby must be a real sweetheart. :o) <br /><br />And a gorgeous quilt it is, too. The churn dash looks amazing in the more modern prints/colors. Great job!
Kate @SwimBikeQuilt says
pretty, pretty.
Lyanna L. says
fantastic quilt and i love the pictures in bryce. Don't you enjoy the southern utah national parks? so gorgeous! =)
Amy Sp says
I really love this quilt! The design looks fancy, even though the blocks seem pretty simple. I'll be bookmarking this one for sure. 🙂
Bente-I like to QuiltBlog says
-what a wonderful quilt and fantastic fotos,thank you so much!<br />For me todays eyecandy!<br />Bente<br />I like to QuiltBlog
Leslie says
this is such a gorgeous shot over the canyon. the quilt is so beautiful
maria says
This must be the best backdrop for a quilt photo that I've ever seen. Love the quilt too.
jeanne e. says
i love the churn dash! yay! i started one for a friend, but i am not convinced of the combinations i chose...but it is such a simple, classic square. i love it. and your quilt is so lovely! (as well as the backdrop for the photoshoot). 🙂
miamihoney says
Stunning! The quilt, the pics...totally awesome 🙂
Heather A says
Love this quilt and love the photo shoot, too! CHOICE!
Chelle says
The quilt looks great, and I love the canyon background to your pictures. I probably would have freaked out too if my husband went on a ledge to get a shot!!
straythreads says
WOW what a background
Carla says
wonderful quilt. Love your blog.
Rebecca says
wow i love your quilt so much! add the canyon and the whole thing is completely breath-taking. (my husband would have insisted on posing on a ledge too. i know what you mean about controlling the freak-out! :o) i've been wanting to do a modern churn dash for a long time, since this is one of my favorite blocks, but i couldn't really envision it. i can't wait to check out your pattern!
Thimbleanna says
Wow! My favorite NP with one of my favorite block patterns -- that's awesome Amy! What a fantastic hubby -- I can just imagine how people were watching you two -- tooooo funny!
Staci says
This quilt is just beautiful. I love the colors so much. And your story was lots of fun. Thanks for sharing.
Pat B says
I also love your quilt - an ols pattern with updated fabrics. Fabulous.
Karen says
That is really cool- using a traditional block with contemporary fabrics. It looks really fresh.
Tina in Boston says
The churn dash is my all-time favorite block. I love what you've done with it. Kudos to your hubby. He sounds amazing and supportive (just like mine :))! That shot of the quilt over the canyon is fabulous!
Sachiko says
Hey Amy! You are just so cute, yeah, why not use the amazing scenery as a back drop! 🙂 I love the colors on the quilt, so fun and refreshing.
Michelle says
I love the fabrics!
Habibti at Home says
My husband and I just took a big road trip around new Mexico, Arizona, and Utah and we really loved Bryce! That was an awesome idea and your husband is the coolest guy EVER! really, what a guy! Awesome photographs.
Maureen T. says
Your quilt is really cool and your photo is breathtaking!!
Martha says
The churn dash is one of my all-time favorites and I love the colors you chose...of course the location where the pictures were taken wasn't bad either. Thanks for sharing with us.
helen says
Just saw the quilt today (by the link). AWESOME!! Quilt and scenery!