Getaway Quilt Pattern - All the Details!
The Getaway quilt pattern is now available!!
This bold and modern quilt pattern is the perfect quilt to make a statement in any room. I designed it back in March of last year when we were planning our spring Getaway trip to Alaska (which you can read about here). I'm calling this quilt a "sister" pattern to Homecoming because of a few design and inspiration similarities. While they're similar, keep scrolling to see some really fun differences!
We released Homecoming in February of 2020 but I designed it when we were displaced from our home in Summer/Fall of 2019. We had a major water leak/flood while we were away for vacation and it was quite unexpected and stressful. That said, I designed Homecoming while I was dreaming of being back in the comfort of our home. It was the quilt that I wanted to see when we got resettled and it symbolizes warmth, comfort and a sense of belonging. Things that we often take for granted... or at least I did up until that point.
Little did I know that one month after the release, March of 2020, we would all have a different meaning to the word "Homecoming". I won't talk too much about that because we all know how tough that was. But after being so limited and confined for a few years, I don't know about you, but I was itching to get take a getaway. It's funny how your perspective can change based on the circumstance that you find yourself in. In 2019, all I wanted was to be home. In 2020, home was the last place I wanted to be. It was a lesson on contentment and appreciating where ever it is that you find yourself. It might not always be where you choose to be, but it's worth acknowledging, appreciating and maybe even celebrating. We're alive after all. That alone is definitely worth celebrating.
Block-Based Layout
Similar to Homecoming, Getaway is a block-based pattern. During the testing phase, I actually constructed this cover quilt top using strips instead of blocks. Well, if you've ever create a quilt top that has TONS of long strips...then you know it can be a little tricky. Even with using lots of pins, I had a hard time with my quilt becoming distorted and wavy. My longarm quilter (Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting) ever so gently and kindly pointed out that this top had a little extra "fluff" around the edges. Which is just a nice way to say "girl, this quilt is WONKY". hah
Needless to say, I took this to heart when I started writing the pattern a few months ago. More than anything, I want my patterns to be approachable and give excellent results. So I actually did the math both ways: using long strips AND as a block based pattern, just to compare how they would differ on paper. At the end of the day, I weighed the pros and cons and even did a little poll on Instagram and the block-based construction won! One of the definite pros of being block-based is that you can achieve a few different variations of this design. With a simple rotation of your blocks, you have a completely different "look" for your quilt. Really, you can endlessly rotate these blocks to create an infinite number of design layouts, but I landed on these three for the pattern:
I decided to name these three versions based on different types of "getaways" we've taken. There's City Trip, which has the most symmetrical movement. Beach Trip is a little more simple on the top and bottom, which I love, but there is still a little added detail on the left and right edges of the quilt. Then Mountain Trip is what you see on the cover.
Another HUGE pro of this quilt being block-based is that I could include many different sizes in the pattern! We have Crib (which could also serve as a Lap or Small Throw), Throw, Twin, Queen and King. I actually really love the King size of this quilt. You essentially follow the Queen size instructions, then add borders on the left and right edges of the quilt. It adds a little extra something that is so so beautiful.
Fabric Requirements
The Fabric Requirements (and even cutting instructions) are all the same for each version of this quilt. Note that the pattern assumes that your usable Width of Fabric (WOF) is 42".
Choosing Fabrics
We're working on a blog post to help you choose your fabrics that should be ready in a few days! In the meantime, I'm excited to share that Getaway (all variations and sizes) are on PreQuilt if you want to try out some free digital coloring pages! Note that even though the sizes are all the same layout (with the exception of the King size), they're all separated on PreQuilt. This is because PreQuilt is about to roll out a new feature that involves seeing the scale of the prints within the mock-up. So all of the strip sizes in each Getaway version on PreQuilt are all to scale.
While the pattern is designed for two fabrics, you could certainly have fun with this and do your own thing. And don't forget to add extra fabrics and colors to the palette with your binding and backing fabric!
We also have printable coloring pages found here. If you're wanting to play with adding extra colors, this would be a great tool to use!
Difficulty Level
I've labeled this pattern as Intermediate, but I would say that it's ever-so slightly just a tiny bit easier than Homecoming. The reason for that is that Getaway is composed of only two blocks. That's right.... just TWO blocks! The construction is actually pretty straightforward and simple, but you DO need an accurate and consistent seam allowance.
Another thing that is really important with this pattern is to pay attention to the direction that you press your seams. The pattern instructs you how to press your blocks so that everything nests nicely, but you DO have to pay attention to that when you press the seams in your blocks. You also want to make sure that you have your blocks rotated correctly (with nesting seams in mind) just before you sew the entire quilt top together.
"Nesting seams" means that you're pressing seams to one side, which means that the pattern calls for *scant* 1/4" seams. I know this can be a hot-button topic for quilters, but I promise you, they're not bad! If the term "scant" scares you, maybe think about it in terms of doing what you need to do to get your blocks what they need to measure. So many things play a roll in your seam allowance and the finished size of your blocks. I have a scant seam allowance tutorial, found here, but I'll also cover this in the Getaway Quilt Along.
Getaway Quilt Along
Speaking of Quilt Along, it starts next weekend! It's been a while since we've all made something together, so I figured we were past due. :) Click here to find more information about the Quilt Along. I hope you'll join us!
Cover Quilt Details
For the cover quilt, I wanted something that was classic black and white. Very rarely do I use a true black in my quilt, so this is more of a charcoal shade that isn't quite as saturated. In fact, it's Bella Charcoal, which is what I used for my Honey Summer Pop quilt and it's really such a great neutral that I keep coming back to.
The white is Kona Snow...a classic. I really love the high-contrast look of these two fabrics together. It really makes a statement but since both of the fabrics are slightly muted, it doesn't feel too wild and crazy. I would happily put this in my living room!
The backing is Kona Foxglove, a really gorgeous rose pink/ warm purple color. It's a really interesting shade because I don't quite register it as either pink or purple. It's a warm lavendar, I would say, and I use it in TONS of my quilts. It felt like a fun pop of color for the backing. :)
Then the binding is Kona Pickle. Fun, right?? I love how Pickle looks with Foxglove. They're such great additions to the front of the quilt!
We have quilt kits for this exact quilt in our shop!
Sara of Stitch Lab Quilting did the long-arm quilting for this quilt. At that time (Spring, 2022), Longarm League had just released a new pantograph called Best Fronds. I love the beach-y, "getaway" vibes of this panto so it feels like a match made in heaven! We did a light gray thread so that it wasn't too stark on either the Snow or Charcoal. It adds a subtle texture but doesn't feel too contrasting.
I hope you enjoyed reading about Getaway! Don't forget that all patterns (PDF or Paper) are 20% off through Sunday night. No code needed, discount is applied at checkout.
Happy Sewing!
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