Quilts to honor Pioneer Day

A couple weeks ago on July 24 the state of Utah celebrated Pioneer Day in commemoration of the day  in 1847 when Brigham Young and his pioneer company first came into the Salt Lake valley. 

The "Days of '47" are celebrated with a big parade in SLC and smaller parades all over the state, as well as fireworks, and performances by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. 

It is also a state holiday, although unless you work for the state of Utah or the LDS Church, chances are good that it isn't a holiday for you.

Since my birthday happens to fall on Pioneer Day and one of my great-great grandfathers (and wife and family) entered the SLC valley as pioneers only two months after Brigham Young, I've always been enamored by Pioneer Day.  So when I discovered there was a Salt Lake City quilt block, I knew I had to make a quilt (or two or three) using that block to honor Pioneer Day. Here are the three Days of '47 quilts, which are in Triple-Play Scrap Quilting.

The first version I made used Cosmo Cricket fabric called Circa 1934. I chose a dark background for the blocks to show off the unique piecing, as well as complement the graphic nature of the prints. By using the same black cornerstone with cream sashing strips, a secondary shoo-fly design was created where the blocks come together. The pieced border also uses a triangular element from the block which helps to unite the quilt. This coordinated version of the quilt finishes 61.5 x 61.5 inches.

The planned color scheme version of Days of '47 features red, aqua, pink and white fabrics which have been so popular during the past few years. It is the same block, but I added a striped fabric frame with red corner squares around each block and then added aqua sashing. This created a nine-patch where the blocks come together. The finished quilt is 68.5 x 83.75 inches -- so it's perfect for a twin bed.

The make-do scrappy version of Days of '47 was fun to make totally from scraps. I even made use of leftover backing from different quilts for the borders. I love the geometric fabrics for the inner borders -- black and cream stripe and a red and cream check. This quilt measures 63.5 x 63.5 inches.

This is the perfect block to feature a large print in the center square -- or perhaps a fun novelty print for a child's quilt. It lends itself to being very scrappy, or just a little bit scrappy. Either way, I really like the Salt Lake City block.

Have a great day -- and don't worry, be scrappy.

 

Variations on a Theme: Bricks and Cobblestones

I've always been amazed at how fabric choices and the use of value can totally change the look of a quilt.

For example, consider these three variations of one of the quilts in my book, Triple-Play Scrap Quilting.

When I first designed and made the quilt, my intent was to create something very simple that could be the first quilt someone makes. Plus I wanted to make it from precuts -- 10-inch layer cake squares, 5-inch charm squares, and a little yardage. The result was this quilt that is totally based on squares and rectangles. The blocks finish 7-1/2 inches in this version.

It is scrappy because every block is different and it uses all 40 fabrics in the fabric line, But it is still coordinated and easy for a beginner to make fabric decisions. They just need to pair two 10-inch squares (plus use some of the light fabric that is also the inner border). Ta-da! That's how "hard" it is to pick the fabrics.

I next made the same quilt from scraps -- yes, no fat quarters were harmed to make this version. The blocks in this version finish 10 inches.

Since each block uses six different fabrics (plus the black and cream four-patch center), it has a completely different look. It's just as easy to sew up, but there are a few more fabric choices. It is scrappy, however, which means the fabric choices aren't going to be complicated. Just a good mix of lights, mediums, and darks. 

Most people can look at these first two quilts and it isn't hard to see that they are the same design. 

But most are surprised that this version of the quilt using batiks is also the same block pattern. The blocks are also 10 inches, but because the quilt has more blocks it is significantly larger.

This one took some planning because what appears to be the block isn't really the block. While each block only has two batik fabrics plus the cream, there are four blocks with the matching fabrics that come together to form the large batik squares. To keep everything organized I couldn't easily chain piece the blocks and had to do each block in sequence and lay it out on my design floor (no room for a design wall). But I love the result. 

If you haven't seen my book, I hope you'll look at it at Martingale's website. Or better yet, encourage your local quilt shop to order a few copies. There are some great resources available for quilt shops -- including some lesson plans (that include the first quilt above) and two traveling trunk shows they can request.

Have a great day -- and don't worry, be scrappy!

Fun With Kansas Troubles Fabrics

I love all the fabrics designed by Kansas Troubles for Moda. I can mix and match fabrics from various collections and they all work together. I love the warm colors, the interesting light fabrics that work so well for backgrounds, and the gorgeous florals that make great borders and backing.

This is my latest quilt top made from Kansas Troubles fabrics.

I love the "negative space" created by the cream fabric. It will be perfect to show of some great machine quilting.

Have a great day!
 

Home Machine Quilting Show -- 2013

Last week was HMQS -- Home Machine Quilting Show. I went to the show on Friday afternoon. (How great is it that I have a full-time job in the quilting industry and had time off to attend the show!)

I spent most of my time looking at the amazing quilts on display. Now that I'm learning to longarm quilt my own quilts, I have an even greater appreciation for the quilting skills that were on display at HMQS.

This was the best of show quilt -- by Marilyn Badger. Amazing!

Jen Alexander, who quilted many of the quilts in my book, also won several awards for her quilts (some made with her mother) and quilting. This quilt was made by many of the people involved in HMQS (including Jen, who quilted it) over the course of 10 years.

Enjoy the rest of the show:

And this one which was one of my favorites. It represents the Young Women values -- Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue.

Off to Quilt Market, but first...

,,, a quick blog post.

It was so much fun last week when this box was waiting for me when I got home from work.

And this is what was inside.

My book has been previewed on Amazon for a couple months, but now it is officially available.

But  imagine my surprise to see that two "used" copies are available for $140 each.

Do people really fall for this?

 

Triple-Play Scrap Quilting: Officially Available!

My book, Triple-Play Scrap Quilting, is now officially available. Yippee!

So, with the book launch underway, there will be lots of fun activities over the next few weeks, not the least of which is doing a schoolhouse session and a couple book signings at the Spring quilt market in Portland later this week.

I recently had the honor of being the the guest blogger over at Stitch This!, the Martingale / That Patchwork Place blog. I have a little more background to the book here since I can be more verbose on my own blog than I can on Martingale's.

After I left my full-time, high-tech marketing job, I knew that I didn't want to go back to work immediately and that I had earned some well-deserved time in my sewing/quilting studio to work on my quilt to-do list. After making several quilt tops that had been designed by others, I thought to myself -- why not make quilts that I design myself rather than make quilts designed by others? That was June 2011.

I had been collecting yellow, black and white fabrics (which are NOT my typical style, by the way) and sat down with Electric Quilt to design something original for those fabrics. The result is the quilt that is on the cover of the book (which I think is very appropriate!)

It was so much fun making that quilt that I wanted to make it again. I had a jelly roll and some yardage from a Minick and Simpson fabric line and realized I could make the same quilt using those fabrics, but scaled bigger because the strips were wider than the original version of the quilt (which used 2" strips). This was the result. Fewer, but bigger blocks. And a much bigger quilt: 84" X 108".

Then I decided I wanted to use up some scraps and made it a third time but with smaller 1-1/2" strips. This one ended up 54" square.

And VOILA! The concept for my book. Three strategies for making scrappy quilts (1) from fabrics in a limited color scheme, (2) fabrics from the same fabric line, or (3) from scraps.

I ended up making 30 quilts for the book -- 3 each of 10 designs. One set of three didn't make it into the book because of space considerations.Yes, that's 30 quilts in one year. I sent off the quilts to Martingale, along with the draft manuscript, in June 2012. And now, it's almost a year later and the book is a reality! I think that there is a tremendous variety of quilts in the book and that they will (hopefully) appeal to a wide range of quilters.

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Guest on American Patchwork & Quilting Radio

Two exciting announcements.  

First, on Monday, May 13th, I'll be a guest on American Patchwork & Quilting Radio, hosted by Pat Sloan. Such an honor!

And second, today I'm the guest blogger on the Martingale / That Patchwork Place blog Stitch This! Be sure to jump over to Stitch This! to learn more about my book.

I've had the pleasure of getting to know Pat because of my employment with Handi Quilter -- an honor that I most likely wouldn't have had otherwise. I'm looking forward to sharing the story and concept of my book, Triple-Play Scrap Quilting.

Here's all the information you need to know to learn more about the American Patchwork & Radio show:

The show broadcasts live at 4 pm Eastern, 3 pm Central, 2 pm Mountain, and 1 pm Pacific times.

Tune in to listen live via AllPeopleQuilt.com. The interview will be available on demand and via iTunes after the broadcast.

 

Seven Shades of Gray

I’m so intrigued by modern quilts. They aren’t my typical style, but I love them nonetheless. I think what I like the best is the simplicity of design (usually), the pure use of color (often), and the negative space that is crying out for a lot of unique quilting (always).

I think the cover quilt from my book Triple-Play Scrap Quilting (coming out on Tuesday!!!) qualifies as a modern quilt – although I didn’t realize it at the time I designed and made it.

Here’s my next attempt at a modern quilt.



I knew I wanted to use a variety of gray solids – from very dark to very light. Finding the various gradations of gray fabrics was actually the hardest part of this quilt. I wanted cool grays – not warm grays. You’d think the fabric manufacturers would have grays in all 10 standard values – but, alas, they don’t. They have three or four cool grays, and then three or four warm grays, and then a couple purplish grays, etc. So I ended up buying nearly every cool gray I could find the right set of grays for the quilt.



I have also been wanting to make a rainbow quilt – using pure colors in the same order they appear in the rainbow. So I combined the rainbow colors with the grays, and this is the result.

So the quilt center is done. I’m still figuring out what to do with the borders. I think it needs borders, but I need to figure out how to make them work with the rainbow and shades of gray concept. Thinking cap is still on trying to figure it all out.

Have a great day!

 

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.
 

The Grand Beehive

Tonight my mom, sister and I went to the Utah's Beehive exhibit at the Utah Cultural Center in West Valley City. 

I submitted my beehive medallion quilt to the exhibit and they accepted it. So one of the reasons for going to the exhibit was to see my quilt.  

Here it is in all its glory. It had a very prominent place in the exhibit (which wasn't very big). 

 

 

And here's the proof it's by me:

It was fun to see my quilt hanging in the exhibit. There were some interesting beehive items to seem but I wish there had been more on display. It only took about 20 minutes to look at everything.

Have a great day.