Quilty Randomness

I'm still here. Still sewing. You just wouldn't know it by my lack of blog posts lately. Today I just want to catch up a little with what I'm making.

Right now I'm playing with this group of mostly Amy Butler fabrics. I've had them pulled aside for awhile and am so happy to finally be cutting into them. Aren't they luscious?

Here is what's taking shape on my design wall . . . a new variation of my Cascade pattern. Hopefully I'll be ready to sew it together this weekend at our guild sew day.

Yesterday I sent this wall hanging off to my longarm quilter. The queen size quilt is also finished as is the massive pieced back. You can read more about that here. Don't think I'll piece a back that big again anytime soon. It felt like making an entire second queen sized quilt. ugg. It will be sent off for quilting soon too. I'll post about both quilts when they are completed.

I've also been making bee blocks. In January these beautiful blue blocks were made for Elizabeth/OPQuilt. I can't show the entire block because she's creating a pattern from the design. It will be very graphic and bold.

This week I finished up February's blocks for Cindy/LiveAColorfulLife. She's making a sweet quilt for her newest granddaughter Ella. My stash doesn't contain much novelty fabric for kids so I bought this cute panel fabric. The images were a bit too big for the block size but with some careful cropping I think I managed to make it work. The pattern is Books for Baby found in Patchwork Please by Ayumi Takahashi. It's a really cute pattern.

That's about it for now. Lots of plans . . . not enough time.
Hope all your sewing plans are moving forward.

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Quilty Goodness

I didn't go to QuiltCon this year. Didn't get the chance to be there in person for the quilty good news . .

The Denver Metro Modern Quilt Guild, Twisted Sisters, won an award at QuiltCon.
We took third place in the group category. WaHoo!!! Way to go DMMQG!

Twisted Sisters plays off the game Twister with several members, myself included, making circle blocks. A huge credit goes to Stephanie Ruyle @spontaneousthreads, Christina Perrigo @ccpquilt, and Wendy Bermingham @wendybzquilting for the inspiration and a great finish. Thanks to them we had an amazing quilt. Thank you ladies!!!  Well done.

I know you've probably seen this one already but I wanted to share it here on my blog too. This is my quilty journal after all. My place for recording what I'm making. You can see all the winning entries here.

Did you go to QuiltCon? If so, what were your impressions? I'm planning on Savannah next February. Hope to see you there.

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Pieced Quilt Backings

Do you like a pieced quilt backing? I think some of them are absolutely amazing. They can easily rival the front for attention.

As a matter of fact, my friend Cindy of Live a Colorful Life used the leftovers from the quilt (below right) to make the fabulous quilt back (below left). You can see this graphic quilt at QuiltCon 2016 if you're going. She entered the back. Isn't that great?

I have seldom made a pieced back. Once I've gotten to the finishing stage, (sadly something that doesn't happen often enough) I'm usually ready for the quickest, easiest back possible. Sometimes even piecing a couple of widths of fabric can seem like pain. In my humble opinion, wide quilt back fabrics that don't need any piecing at all are a wonderful quilting invention.

With my two leafy green checkerboard tops nearly finished, I started looking for backing fabrics. I have a large enough piece of fabric for the smaller wall hanging, but nothing big enough for the queen sized bed quilt. So I searched a lot of online shops looking for just the right backing. I admit to being pretty darn picky about my backing fabrics. It has to continue the look of the front in terms of both coloring and feel. And of course the price needs to be right too. Backing a quilt can be a costly addition to the overall project.

Then I reminded myself of my 2016 goal to use my stash. I didn't really think I had enough green leaf prints leftover to back both quilts but figured it was worth a try. I also had some extra blocks leftover that could be used.

The big question was how to determine if I had enough fabric. The first thing I did was to get out all the large pieces of leftover leafy fabrics, then I measured them and put them on my design wall. Next I turned to the computer.

Graph paper would work just as well, but more and more now I use the computer. It's quick and easy to try different options without redrawing everything. I drew up basic shapes in the size of my fabric chunks and played around with layouts. Here's a few of the arrangements.

 

Working with the chunks, I realized I actually did have enough fabric to back both quilts. And the more I played the more excited I got about the back of the bed quilt having a design of it's own. The idea that I can flip the quilt over for a second look is quite appealing. That idea led to a more designed look for the back like this drawing below.

Today, I started cutting the pieces. The only thing I hadn't considered was the amount of white I'd need. More than I thought, so I did have to buy a little more white on white print from my local shop. But buying 1 yard is way better than buying multiple yards for the entire backing.

I'm going with the layout you see below. It uses up all the extra blocks and most of the large chunks with enough leftover for the wall quilt. The wall quilt will also be pieced but more simply with four big chunks.

I feels so good to know I'm using my stash and saving money in the process. I'll be sending these two quilts to a longarmer, so money saved on backing just means more put toward the quilting. I like that!

I also like visits from my helper. Now if only she would actually do more than sit on whatever I'm working on. I think she knows her eyes match the quilt.

Do you like pieced quilts backs? Have you ever done one? Craftsy has a good class by Elizabeth Hartman called Creative Quilt Backs just in case you'd like to learn more. She walks you through different ways you can approach piecing your backing and best of all it's free.

Thanks for stopping by. I'm linking up with Sew Cute Tuesday.

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2016 Planner Cover

A couple of my 2016 goals, sew from my stash and use a planner to help me  accomplish more, were the focus of my sewing earlier this week.

True confessions . . . I've never really used a planner before. I buy them. Every year. I just don't keep up with using them. This year I decided it was time to truly use one . . . for real.  To actually have a day-to-day plan to help me stay on task. To get more done. So I bought the Quilter's Planner by Late Night Quilter.

Admittedly I got off to a very bad start as far as January is concerned. But with February here, it's time to get in gear. I chose these fabrics. Modern leafy prints that tie in nicely to my blog name and identity. All from my stash. I even found a zipper in my stash so the only thing I needed to buy was the fusible fleece and elastic. So far so good at working from my stash.

Motivating to sew non-quilty things is usually a struggle for me. I think it has to do with following directions. Silly isn't it? After all, I write directions for quilt patterns so following directions for other things shouldn't be that big a deal. I used this tutorial by Amanda of What the Bobbin that was resized specifically for this planner.

I customized the inside front and back pockets to hold three business cards. One pocket for me in the front, two pockets in the back for my daughter and husband's cards. You never know when someone might be interested in jewelry, graphic design or fine art.

One thing that didn't work out quite right was where the elastic fell. I followed the directions but wish the elastic was set just a little farther in. It doesn't catch the pages to hold them open very well without adjusting the planner. I'm disappointed with this part.

I also made a couple of ribbon markers from paper clips. Aren't they cute? I think I'll make a couple more of these. They work better than the ribbon marker the pattern called for. I need to move it into the center so it doesn't pull when I open the planner to different pages. Right idea, wrong position to work.

Now that I have such a pretty cover, I have no excuse for not using my planner.

It also has a zip pocket on the front. Nice for holding extra pencils and miscellaneous items.

I'm thrilled to have this done and excited to put it to good use. I can honestly say that having a written plan for this week helped me stay on task. Yeah!!!

How about you . . . do you like to sew non-quilty things? Do you use a planner? I'd love a tip or two on how you make it work. I can use all the help I can get to stick with my planner goal.   : )

Linking up with WIP Wednesday,  Let's Bee Social,  Needle and Thread Thursday,  Really Random Thursday and Finish it up Friday.

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Which Comes First; the Fabric or the Design?

Toward the end of 2015, I went through most of my stash sorting and trying to purge. To say the least, it was therapeutic to actually handle all my fabric. It made me realize just how many quilts I should get started on. But where to begin. Should I start with the fabric and come up with a design specific to that fabric? Or should I come up with a design first and then choose fabric that works? I've been considering this 'fabric first vs design first' question for awhile now.

Then Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs asked the same question as part of her Pattern Writing Series. Today I'd like to look at the question more closely to analyze how I work and why. I'll also share what the other designers in the series have to say. Here's the question Cheryl asked us:

• Do you tend to start with a design and then find fabrics and colors that work or do you tend to start with a color scheme or fabric collection in mind and design a pattern for the fabric?

I'll start with my thoughts . . .
I buy fabrics because I love them. I love the colors. I love the prints. I just love fabric. Cleaning my stash helped me realize a few things. I've always thought of myself as a color person, but in reality I now realize I'm a colorful print person. When I go into a quilt shop, I'm drawn to the prints more than the solids, especially large scale prints like Kaffe Fassett and Amy Butler. In this photo of my studio, only one of the five cubbies is for solids. Two have mostly modern tonal prints. One has neutral prints and one is stuffed with Kaffe Fassett, Amy Butler, and Tula Pink. That's my favorite!!

As you can see, I have a wonderful, colorful stash of fabrics from which to begin a design. And yet when I am creating a pattern I rarely start with the fabric. Why is that? You would think I'd be pulling fabrics right and left. I certainly have enough to play with.

What it comes down to is this. Intention. If my intention is to create a pattern for sale, I want the design to be the primary factor rather than the fabric. I want the quilter to have the freedom to make it with fabrics they love rather than simply copy the fabrics I've used. I want them to 'make it their own' as I say in my patterns.

For this reason, a new pattern usually begins with the design first. I start by exploring composition and structure. I might play with a graphic element like line or a shape. I might play with a traditional block. I might translate something non-quilty I've seen into a design. But the bottom line is the design. It establishes the foundation and structure for the quilt.

As the design takes shape, I introduce color and value and really start playing. How color and value are applied can have an huge effect on the final look of a design. That's the part I like the most . . . exploring all the options and looking at how even small changes in color placement or value can completely change the feel of a design. That's one big reason I share optional ideas in the patterns. Here's an example from my Matrix pattern.

As I'm playing with color, I start to consider the fabrics. Does the design work best with solids? Will it work well with prints? What scale or type of prints work best? Fabric is chosen based on color and value rather than any particular print. Even with a design that uses large scale prints, like the Kaffe prints in my Cascade pattern, it's more about the color, value, and scale than the specific prints.

Sometimes I might have a color scheme in mind. Sometimes I might even have a type of fabric like a large scale print in mind. These things simply influence my choices as I design. For example, if I'm wanting to try a larger scale print, I'll evaluate the size of the pieces used in the blocks. If it's a color scheme, I'll still consider how alternative color schemes will work. In other words, the design still comes first.

Here's what the other designers in the series had to say:

Yvonne of Quilting Jetgirl

80% of the time I start with a design and then find colors / fabrics, but I have also worked to create a design based on fabric bundles or with a particular color scheme in mind.

Christa of ChristaQuilts

I usually start by designing the pattern first. Early in my quiltmaking career I remember hearing “a great pattern works well with any fabrics” and that idea has really stuck with me. I usually design in solid colors to get the basic idea down first, then add print fabrics, or change colors later. When designing, I am always aware of where the lights, mediums, and darks will go to create contrast in the design. I (Anne) might add that I usually start with solids too. I work in Illustrator, so importing actual fabric swatches isn't something I regularly do but it would certainly be helpful. The visual texture of a print can read quite differently than a solid. Having the option of importing fabric swatches is something to consider if you'll be choosing a computer quilting program to design.

Soma of Whims and Fancies

I mostly design patterns first, then decide on suitable colors and prints.

Lorna of Sew Fresh Quilts

Both. I have been known to start with a backing fabric in mind and design a pattern for the front to match the backing. 

Amy of 13 Spools

I constantly try to start with fabric - and I’m pretty horrible at it! Sometimes things end well, but I find I work best when I start with a pattern. When I see the right fabric, I just know it.

Cheryl of Meadow Mist Designs 

I typically start my design using just a few solid colors (lights, mediums, and darks) and focus on the design elements first.  Once the design elements and blocks are set, I start playing around with colorations and different fabrics.  This route tends to be the easiest and most natural for me.  

Occasionally, when I am designing for a fabric company, I start my design process with a fabric collection or precut size.  I find this tends to be more difficult for me, but it can produce some interesting results.  Having a design and idea library is sometimes very helpful for me when starting a design based on a fabric collection.  I can go “shopping” in my library to see if I already have a design that might work with some tweaking for the particular fabric collection.

You don’t have to start exclusively going only one direction.  You could start with a design and then as you add fabrics, you could decide to go back and change the design.  My designs very rarely are linear and straight forward, they are usually iterative and go through many changes before I reach the final design.

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As you can see from the designers answers, most start with the design and then choose fabric. As I think about the various ways I design, I can summarize my approach into three different strategies.

1. Design first, then fabrics based on color, value, and scale of print that will best support and enhance the design.
2. Fabrics and design worked simultaneously. This is similar to what Cheryl refers to when shopping her design library for something that works with a given fabric grouping. I will be using this approach a lot as I try to use my stash this year. 
3. Fabric first where the design is dependent upon a particular fabric. For me, quilts that fall into this category are usually because one specific fabric sparked a very specific idea. 

So what about the fabric first approach?
I agree with Cheryl that beginning with the fabric can be more challenging. It seems counterintuitive not to start with the fabric. We're quilters after all. We love fabric. I'm sure we've all fallen hard over a certain line of fabric or perhaps one particular print. Probably more than once . . . maybe even on an ongoing basis. That's why we have the ever growing stash right?

Starting from a fabric first approach just means a different set of criteria. If you're designing a pattern for a fabric manufacturer, then the objective is to sell that fabric line. You will have a specific set colors, values and scales to work with. You'll also have the same limitations if you're working with a bundle or precuts. These limitations can be challenging but they can also produce interesting designs that have a lot of potential as patterns. Think jelly roll or charm pack patterns.  If you're curating a bundle from your stash, you have more control over these variables. You can select a certain color scheme, value range, or use of scale.

Here are a few things I would consider when starting with fabric first.

• Does the design require specific fabrics in order to work?
• If so, will these fabrics still be readily available to the quilter by the time the pattern is published?
• Is the design flexible enough that different fabrics can easily be substituted while still maintaining the integrity of the design?
• Can I demonstrate alternative fabric choices?

These questions are also good to ask if you are submitting a design for publication in a magazine.


Now that I am trying to sew from my stash for 2016, I will definitely be trying to start with the fabric more often so I can use it. In reality though it will be more like the fabric/design simultaneously strategy. I will probably 'shop' my pattern library like Cheryl suggests to see what might work with these groups and branch off from there.

The two photos below are a couple of fabric groupings I recorded while cleaning my stash. I love them but will they become patterns? Both have possibilities but I will need to consider a few of things.

First, both groups include larger scale prints. Nothing wrong with that. I would just find a way to demonstrate that alternative prints can also work. The biggest problem with both these groups is that the primary print is older and therefore not readily available any longer. If I were to design a quilt with these I'd probably not make it into a pattern without considering more current fabrics for the final pattern cover. That might lead to a great variation, another quilt, and a whole new pattern idea.



The grouping above is based on a Carolyn Friedlander print. I am inspired by the grid in this print and have pulled some possible companion pieces. The idea I have is based very specifically on that center fabric. For that reason, I wouldn't make the design into a pattern because of limited fabric availability now. The concept is too specific to be a viable pattern. But who knows where this idea might lead. I'm always open to one quilt evolving into a second quilt and maybe new pattern ideas.

Be open to where your work leads you.

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As Cheryl said, "You don’t have to start exclusively going only one direction."
There is no right or wrong to the process. Hopefully this has given you something to think about. Most likely you'll find that you'll switch back and forth depending on the project. The important thing is to start.

Be sure to check out Cheryl's post this week on Quilt Design and Inspiration.
And Yvonne's post on Design Inspiration.
Both have really good thoughts to help you get started.

Now begin and see where the journey takes you.

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The Evolution of a Quilt

Do you ever have an idea for a quilt and then just never get it started? I'm talking years here. Maybe it's a rough sketch. Maybe it's just in your head. Or maybe you actually start the project and it evolves into something completely different? That's how I feel about my current project. It sat around forever and then evolved. For the better.

The initial idea sat around for years in the form of these leafy fabrics in my stash and this sketch. I don't buy traditional fabrics like this anymore but I still love their leafy goodness. After all, I love all things leafy.   : )

My intention was to make a wall quilt to use in the family room during the winter months when my decor goes mostly white with a touch of green. See my white post for more on that. I planned to use my leafy print collection including these great large scale leaf prints that I've saved just for this project. I love them!

I've also had another idea tucked away that was inspired by a lovely blue and white checkerboard quilt in a home decorating magazine I saw years ago. One of those images that's makes an impression and stays with you. It was so simple. So clean and crisp. I thought one day I'd make a checkerboard quilt with white and one additional color.

Then along came the scrappy trip quilts everyone was making not all that long ago. I learned Bonnie Hunter's clever technique for making these blocks. Love the technique. Love the look. Here are a few blocks made for a baby quilt.

After seeing numerous lovely Scrappy Trip quilts online, I had an aha moment. Why not use this technique to make the checkerboard blocks. Instead of a random placement of leafy prints they would appear somewhat clustered and create movement within the checkerboard look. I liked how it looked.

I started making blocks for the wall hanging and the idea evolved into a quilt for our master bedroom instead. True confessions . . . I call myself a quilter but I don't actually have a quilt on any of the beds in my house. Go figure. I think it's finally about time I make a quilt for a bed. Since leaves play a role in my bedroom decor, this idea was the perfect fit. Here are some of the blocks laid out on the bed. Checkerboard look I feel in love with. Leafy prints I love. Perfect.

I've been making these blocks on and off now for months, mostly at various guild sew days. I need about 68 give or take. Truth be told, I'm really tired of taking the same thing to sew day over and over, month after month.

This past weekend was the last time I'll be doing these at a sew day. Yeah! I spent the day cutting the final batch of strip sets into segments and then unsewing as the tutorial calls for. Here's a batch of them all ready for the next step.

See this post for my tips on how to keep the segments organized so you unsew the correct seams. Believe me . . . it's quite easy to make a mistake.

As I worked on the blocks for my bed quilt I had another aha moment. I should just bust out the wall quilt too. I only needed 9 more blocks plus some strips for the checkered edge. Why not make both? It seems like a no brainer and yet I hadn't seriously considered it once my thinking shifted to making a quilt for the bed.

Now I'm well on my way to having the wall quilt almost done and the bed quilt is getting closer and closer to completion too. All the blocks should be done by the end of the week. Then I just need to sew them into rows. WaHoo!!! It feels like two quilts in one.

Next month I hope to have two finished quilts to share. Two projects that have been on my to do list for way way too long. That's a really good way to start the year.

Do you have projects that you've wanted to make for a long time?
Why not move forward on just one of them this year?

Linking up with a few parties this week. Another of my 2016 goals.
Let's Bee Social, WIP Wednesday and Needle and Thread Thursday.

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Pattern Writing Series

Cheryl over at Meadow Mist Designs just started a new blog series about how to write a quilt pattern. She'll be covering all you need to know over the next several weeks concluding with a free pattern and some great pattern giveaways.

If you've ever thought about writing your own pattern or are just curious about how it's done I hope you'll follow along with Cheryl. It's going to be an excellent series. You can find the posts here.

As part of the event, Cheryl invited 6 other pattern designers, including yours truly, to weigh in on various topics each week. We'll be discussing things like inspiration, design tools and software programs as well as many other topics. Next week I'll be writing a special post for the series on which comes first, the fabric or the design. I hope you'll join me. Hop over now and learn more about the panelists. Meadow Mist Designs.

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