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Pieces to Treasure - Toweling

Pieces to Treasure - Toweling

Written by: 
Carrie Nelson

We've always loved Jenelle Kent of Pieces to Treasure's creations - from table-runners to bags, and pillows to travel bags.  We had ideas for how to use Moda's toweling, and as pretty and nice as our projects have been, we don't have Jenelle's vision.

PTT Jenelle Rock Pool Toweling

We're excited that Jenelle has new patterns made with her in-shops-now Rock Pool toweling.  If you're not familiar with the collection, there are a few new ideas for these 100% cotton fabrics.  The fifteen hemmed towelings have an 18" finished width instead of the usual 16" finished width.  There are also seven 60" wide towelings that are perfect for quilt backs and borders, tablecloths, duvet covers, foot stools, cotton throws and turkish-style bath towels.  (Note: The patterns will be on the Moda website soon.) 

Jenelle is exploring mixing toweling with regular patchwork cottons, and with trying new techniques. 

Because it's so beautifully soft when washed, a raw-edged, raggy quilt was a good place to start.

PTT Raggy Rail Fence Quilt 1

This is Raggy Rail Fence.  It's made using a raggy technique where the front and back of the quilt are pieced at the same time.  Jenelle chose three 18" wide Rock Pool towelings for the front of the quilt, and three different pieces for the back.

PTT Raggy Rail Fence Quilt 2

I love that the back is smooth - double the fun!  Once the seams are clipped and the quilt has been washed and dried, the toweling fabric "chenilles" beautifully, adding a soft texture to the front.  Jenelle adds a piece of batting in each piece so the quilt is soft, snuggly and warm.  Quickly pieced, Raggy Rail Fence could also be made with a mix of toweling and flannel for a different look.

The second quilt is Starstruck, and it comes with variations.  There are two sizes, and the quilt can be made with a mix of prints and toweling, or with just quilting weight cottons.

PTT Starstruck Prints

This is made entirely with patchwork cottons and at 104" x 104", it's a King-size quilt.  Jenelle backed this with the 60" wide Rock Pool toweling.  Isn't the scale of the stripe perfect with the large-scale floral prints and 24" blocks?  The backing was pieced and washed before quilting.

PTT Starstruck With Toweling 1

Re-sizing the block to 18" finished makes this version of Starstruck finish at 84" square.  Each block mixes prints with fussy-cut toweling squares with striking results that are enhanced by the toweling stripe border. 

PTT Starstruck With Toweling 2

As with the first Starstruck quilt, this one is backed using the 60" wide toweling. 

Using some of Moda's red and white toweling - including a few from her Picnic Point collection - Jenelle has again mixed toweling, quilting cottons and Mochi linen for an Advent calendar.

PTT Advent Calendar Angle

Won't this bring jot and happiness at Christmas?  Those pockets look large enough to be filled with candies and little treats. 

PTT Advent Calendar Buttons

To make this project extra-special, Jenelle designed a pack of twenty-five buttons to number each pocket.

PTT Advent Calendar

Mixing piecing, appliqué and ribbon embellishments, this is a great project for your favorite Christmas scraps.

There is also the beautiful Township runner.  It can be made for the holidays, or for any time of year. 

PTT Township Runner Christmas 1

This pattern includes instructions for using either the 16" or 18" hemmed towelings.  This Christmas version is made with a 16" toweling from Picnic Point. (No. 992 233 or 992 237)

PTT Township Runner Navy 1

Doesn't the navy toweling from Rock Pool give the same runner a different look?

This version was made to work with Jenelle's home so it can be used every day.  For the Township runner, you can start with the toweling and select fabrics to coordinate.  Or pick the fabrics first and find a toweling that works with them. 

There are four sizes of stars in the pattern getting creative is easily done.  Mix sizes, add more, that's entirely up to you.  Made with machine-piecing and machine-appliqué, this runner pattern finishes at 52" long, but can be made shorter or longer to fit your table. 

PTT Springtime Runner

Mixing quilting cottons from Robin Pickens' Abby Rose with a beautiful sea glass and white Rock Pool toweling (992 251), this is Jenelle's Springtime runner.

The toweling is pieced to create the appliqué background in the center, and the cottons are used for the color-graded braid. 

These new patterns from Pieces to Treasure and Jenelle Kent will be available soon... as you can guess, shipping from Australia is a little slower and more complicated than it was a few months ago.   In the meantime, be sure to check out Jenelle's many patterns using toweling.

As Jenelle says, and we can confirm, sewing with Moda toweling is a treat, by hand and my machine.  That is particularly true with Jenelle's toweling.  When toweling is mixed with patchwork cottons, pre-washing is recommended as the toweling usually shrinks a bit more than the more tightly woven cottons.  A walking foot can make sewing through layers of the thicker texture a bit easier, but it's not essential. 

And don't forget, this toweling also makes beautiful towels.  (And napkins.)

TPP Rock Pool Towels

Ask me how I know.

Have a good Tuesday.

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