My Favorite Omega

[Get the Omega Quilt pattern in the Miss Make Pattern store.]

It’s been a while since I’ve made a quilt that felt like it was truly for my inner self. Not something for work, not because I had to make a pattern sample, not because I thought it would necessarily look cool.

Yes, this is technically a pattern sample, but it’s also a quilt that is totally me, one I did every step of from start to finish, one that had me pulling out some of my oldest, dearest fabric friends. I know I’ll keep it forever.

Ever one to be motivated by travel sewing, I started this quilt with the intent of taking it on an upcoming trip to Scotland. The colors of Scotland are so stunning - the spectrums of auburns & ochres in the hillsides; deep indigo slate of the lochs; pinks and lavenders of tiny flowers everywhere; surprising bright yellows and greens of lichen. I wanted to make a quilt that looked like an extension of the landscape, one that if you threw it out into a field, it might disappear.

I started by pulling out fabric I loved that I thought fit into this color scheme, and I made a pile. Then I separated it into light-ish and dark-ish. Some of my ‘lights’ ended up being pretty close to the same value of some of my ‘darks,’ but I found that as long as they were positioned in the finished quilt next to a fabric that was a lighter light or a darker dark, it didn’t matter.

The final result is a lot higher contrast and brighter than I had originally anticipated (it definitely does not disappear on the ground haha) but I love it regardless. Through the process I came to see it as a quilt you might find draped over the back of an overstuffed armchair in a cozy little cottage. And I’m into that!

Now for the technical details - this is the Large Throw size (60” x 72”), Improv layout, Scrappy. Some of the pieces were from small individual scraps so I followed the full scrappy instructions with those; some were from yardage and FQs so I also did some of the piecing following those instructions. I was actually able to incorporate a couple Ace & Jig swatch packs from several years ago - they were a little bit smaller than they should have been but I squeaked it out! I love how the woven fabrics with different plaid-ish patterns give a gentle nod to the Scottish intent without being too themey.

Instead of using whatever batting I had left over from something else or rushing to Big Box Store and getting something (my usual MO), I took the time to order some Quilter’s Dream Wool. I’m so glad I did with this quilt. The backing is an OG Cotton+Steel Double gauze that is so soft, and together with the wool it’s a heavenly combination. After washing the quilt feels like a lightweight, warm, super soft, cozy cloud.

I did my own free motion quilting - just squiggles, that’s all I can do, really - and then to lean into the cottage feels, I added some faux hand tying after quilting. At the corners, side centers, and centers of each block, I took the yarn in and out through the quilt twice to make a U shape, tied the ends together then trimmed them. Since it’s just faux I didn’t worry about going all the way through all the layers. The reason I didn’t do hand tying only is because most of the Ace & Jig fabrics are pretty loosely woven and I wanted to get some machine quilting over them to help reinforce the seams.

I’m so pleased with how this turned out, I have been taking it around the house everywhere with me like some kind of grownup blankie, and it is the best thing ever to snuggle under at night. Here’s to making more quilts for our inner selves.