Stash Reduction

I've been using up my stash -- or rather, using up a little bit of my stash. I've also managed to add to it in a big way. Who would've known that when I don't have the energy to sew, I also don't feel like buying fabric. The opposite also happens. As soon as I start thinking about a new project, I want to see what fun fabric collections are new in stores or will soon be in stores.

So I recently splurged on ten Moda layer cake packs. After all, it was "buy nine and get one free". Who could resist? Certainly not me! I really like the flexibility of the 10-inch square. Cut it into strips, squares, or a combination. So it's ironic that two of the quilt tops I've been working on recently were each made from jelly rolls of 2-1/2-inch strips. Here's the first one -- quilt top is finished:

Fabric used: Hello Luscious by Basic Grey -- a jelly roll and some yardage (the light background and the aqua fabric for the triangles)
Design: Based on Thimble Blossom's Rise and Shine quilt (although I made it a bit smaller)

The EQ7 version

And here's the real version (in need of a good pressing!):

I originally intended to finish this and give it to my almost seven-month-old grand niece Pyper. That was until her mother told me they decided to decorate her nursery (in their new home, having just moved back to Utah from Del Rio, TX) in browns, reds and tans. So, now on to plan B. Maybe it will go to baby Rowan, born Dec. 26th instead?

The next top isn't done yet, but I've done all of the cutting so it will be a quick process to sew it up. (Several co-workers and I are escaping to my brother's ranch, where I have a cabin, and we're having a quilting weekend in mid-June. I'm thinking this is one of the projects I'll work on there -- that is, unless I finish it sooner.)

Fabric used: Hometown by Sweetwater -- a jelly roll and some yardage for backing, background, and borders
Design: Daisy Chains by Fig Tree Quilts

I took a class from Joanna Figueroa a couple years ago and this was the project. I couldn't get into the project at the time, but now I'm eager to finish it. Here's how I put it together in Electric Quilt. I only have the light-blue blocks completed, so not much to share in person yet. I'm thinking this will go to my grand nephew Malcolm. He just turned 6 months old. I figure I have until the first birthday to deliver the baby quilt. so I've got lots of time still. (I know that still leaves Thom and Jack, twin boys born last May 10 to my nephew and his wife. I likely won't have their quilts done by their first birthday -- although I did get them designed and have picked out the fabrics. Just a matter of time.)

The EQ7 version

So many quilts -- so little time.

Latest Quilt Top Finish

Yes, very simple. Even somewhat modern. Not my typical quilt style. But it was fun to make.

The image above is from Electric Quilt, but the finished top looks just like this. I imported jpgs of the Zen Chic fabrics (from Comma line) into Electric Quilt. The blocks were simple to make -- but it was a pain to match up the points between the rows.

I think it will be a great boy's baby quilt.


 

Color Scheme Inspiration

I’ve been a Pinterest-aholic lately – thanks in part to the fact that my new iPad can use the newest Pinterest app. (My old one wouldn’t let me download newer apps – but my mother is happily enjoying the old iPad for checking FB, playing games, and listening/watching online programming.)

My latest discovery on Pinterest is the amazing color schemes that are available for inspiration. I tend to get into a color rut in my quilts – since I naturally gravitate towards medium and dark colors in earth tones, reds, and blacks.

But, since I make quilts as gifts, not everyone likes the same colors I do. I love being able to draw color inspiration from new sources.

These are some of my current favorites that I’d love to incorporate into quilts:






This is done using online color picker tools and uploaded photos – and the options are endless. One of the more popular creators of color schemes is design-seeds.com. You can also go there to see the color schemes.

If you have  Electric Quilt,  you can also upload photos and use EQ to do the same thing. This is a sample color scheme I created a while back using EQ and a photo of some pottery I was buying in San Gimignano, Italy.

 

There are many ways these color schemes can inspire -- not just for quilting, but for decorating and more. Enjoy the color scheme inspiration!
Have a great day.
 

Electric Quilt Color Challenge

I love the Electric Quilt challenge for this month. Basically, you import a colorful photo that you love into EQ and use it as the color inspiration for a quilt. What a great way to come up with new color combinations for a quilt.

Here’s one of their examples:

Inspiration:

Quilt:

So I decided to try my hand at it. My inspiration photo was some Tuscan ceramics that I purchased in San Gimignano, Italy. I took this photo just before the store packed up my purchases to ship to me in Utah. I identified the 9 main colors / values from the photo that I wanted to use in a quilt.

And here’s my first pass at a quilt using the colors. I don’t know whether I’ll eventually tweak this and send it to Electric Quilt for their challenge. I just know that I wanted to design a quilt that at first glance looked a lot harder to make than it actually was. So, here’s the first image WITHOUT lines outlining the blocks and patches.

And here’s the one with the outlines. It wouldn’t be hard to piece – but the end result would look very complicated!

I’m considering modifying the orange and rust pieces such that they would be pieced and have value gradations from light to dark / dark to light (or vice versa) to simulate a Tuscan sunset. Who knows?

Regardless, I love the technique of using a photo as inspiration for the color palette of a quilt. It certainly would keep me from getting into a color rut!