Iceberg, a nautical inspired quilt

I can FINALLY reveal my nautical inspired challenge project; it’s been so hard to keep it a secret! You can vote for me on the Family Ever After blog here (please do and I will love you forever).

You can never cross the ocean, unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore

Wise words anon, wise words. And with that, I set sail.

Introducing the Iceberg quilt
Introducing the Iceberg quilt

Once the excitement of actually getting into Sewvivor was over, then came the realisation that I would actually have to turn around a nautical inspired quilt in less than two weeks! Like a true sailor, I swore loudly, before diving into my blue scraps. I had so many ideas, but they weren’t… quite right. I searched and googled and I pinned and still nothing. Nada. The brain bank was dry. Until I looked back over my sketch book and found this geometric iceberg I drew a little while back.

A page from my art journal
A page from my art journal 

That was it! Originally it was for a mini (and it still might be), but in true Sewvivor style, I upsized and went for it. To make the iceberg, I first drew up the image in Adobe Illustrator, printed it over several A3 pages and stuck it all back together again before cutting up each section. Once all that had been done, I foundation pieced the sections together, sewed the sections together and appliquéd it on to the background. Phew! I’m not scared of those cray cray Y seams, that’s for sure!

I used a shot cotton for the water/background. It is so soft and gives it a subtle texture. I knew exactly what sky fabric I wanted, but had less than a fat 1/4. Poo. But I put a call out if anyone had some and my very own mermaid, Penny Poppleton came to my rescue. So a big shout out and thank you x!

It was feeling a little lonesome out there on the still, dark and icy water so I added a wee paper boat, making it’s way around the iceberg. What a perfect texty fabric print to have on hand! You can grab your own here from Polka Dot Tea. I like to think that he has all the time in the world, there is no rush and he is on his own schedule… What adventures will he have on his way? You know the stories will be wild and incredible.

I quilted for what felt like forever! Starting with a wavy, organic straight line quilting all over the background to create some lovely gentle waves. Then some geometric triangles over the iceberg and some swirling stippling for the sky. This is probably the densest quilt I have ever done. Stressful on a timeframe, that’s for sure!

Icecaps in the Australian summer
Icecaps in the Australian summer
Close up of the piecing and quilting
Close up of the piecing and quilting

Quilt Label

Quilt name: Iceberg

Made for: Sewvivor quilter’s edition competition 2014

Finished size: 42 x 70 inches

Fabrics used: Lizzy House Constellations, blue shot cotton (from Spotlight), Newspaper print by Kei and assorted blue and white scraps from my stash.

Pattern: Original design by Crystal McGann

Quilting details: Straight, organic, wavy lines with a walking foot on the water using a Guttermann  navy cotton thread. FMQ with in a triangular design echoing the triangles in the ‘berg with a light blue/grey Guttermann thread for the bottom and a cream for the top. Light blue Guttermann thread in a medium sized stippling pattern for the sky.

Vote 1 Iceberg
Vote 1 Iceberg

Voting details:

You can vote for me (and your other favourites) on the Family Ever After blog here.

Voting closes Wednesday August 13, at midnight EST.
FYI, the competitors are allowed to use patterns. Contestants are allowed to recruit from their blogs, social media, family, and friends. One vote per device is allowed. The public vote counts as 50%. The other 50% of the vote comes from our “tribal council” aka Judges. The Top 10 will be revealed next Monday, August 18.

34 thoughts on “Iceberg, a nautical inspired quilt

  1. Love this technique and I love your photographic styling (quilts not bad either *wink*) – it’s really great and I’m so happy that you’re representing the green and gold! You’re gonna go far!!!

  2. This is phenomenal! I live the design and the photoshoot and most of all the paper boat. This is so well done!! Congrats!!!

  3. The iceberg looks scary but the boat is too cute. I love your take on the theme and what a great design. Good luck!

  4. Crystal this is AMAZING! I love it so much!

  5. WHAT!?!?!? THIS BLOWS MY MIND!!!! I love it! More than LOVE it- what a creative masterpiece!!! Nice work lady!!

  6. Stunning! I’m so in love with this quilt! Fantastic job on the quilting, and i love all your photo’s!

  7. It is beautiful, I just love love love the last shot on the crisp white! The quilting is amazing, even more so because it was done in less than 2 weeks, so awesome!

  8. Love the inspiration and the finished quilt!

  9. Your quilt blew me away, I think it’s just amazing! Congratulations, what an awesome idea to bring into reality 🙂

  10. This quilt is gorgeous! I love the colours and the composition! What a great photo shoot location too.

  11. Holy crap, this is amazing. LOVE t!

  12. I like it when people use their own patterns the best. This is a huge achievement in a short amount of time.

  13. I have such a huge quilt crush on this piece. Amazing job. I love it so much.

  14. HOLY HECK! Definitely happy to send that fabric, it is absolutely perfect. Just BRILLIANT!

  15. this is so fabulous – love the story behind it and that paper boat is genius – fantastic backdrop for the photos too – good luck !

  16. This quilt is fantastic! I love the colors, and the design, and basically everything!

  17. I love it Crystal! Well done!!!

  18. This is spectacular and my favourite of all the entrants’ by a long shot. Both the quilt, and the write-up are beautiful.

  19. double triple WOW… this is amazing!

  20. Sorry if this commented twice!

    Your quilt stopped me in my tracks. I love how you played with the colors in the iceberg, and this is such a great take on the nautical theme. Amazing job.

  21. this turned out so great! I actually started my first attempt project with something very similar (not an iceberg, but triangles), but failed miserably! You did such a good job. I love all the whites of the top of the ice berg, and the quilting is great too! good luck!

  22. Holy Mackerel!! This is fabulous! Very inspiring. I am going over to vote, now!XX!

  23. This is so amazing! I love the dimension that you were able to create with the iceberg! And that little boat is the cherry on the cake! Great job!

  24. This is unlike anything I have ever seen! So so good!

  25. Love this quilt, you’ve done an amazing job and definitely got my vote. I’d love to be able to piece random geo shapes like you’ve done for your ice berg.

  26. You got my vote…but man – that competition is fierce. Every item had something special about it. Good luck!

  27. absolutely beautiful

  28. I absolutely, unconditionally totally LOVE your iceberg quilt! It’s inventive and so evocative. I feel positively chilly looking at it! Beautiful work Crystal.

  29. I am so obsessed with this quilt! Amazing!!

  30. I love this! Loved it when I first saw it on instagram, too. Your backdrop reminds me of a recent quilt photo shoot of mine 🙂 It’s actually posted in the small quilt category of the BQF.

    1. Thanks Tara, I love a good graffiti background!

  31. […] have been chosen to have my Iceberg quilt shown at the Quiltcon Show. You know, the one from Sewvivor? I have no idea what category it is entered under, I will find out when I get there i suppose. […]

  32. […] My Iceberg quilt was accepted for […]

  33. […] My Iceberg quilt was accepted for […]

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