Color Mood - December Design Wall

I'm not sure how it is with you, but I often find with me that things have a tendency to flow from one project into the next, taking the influences and hints from the previous train of thought... especially with colors. I don't necessarily think that this is something that I intentionally do, but something that I notice only after the fact. Some time ago, I realized that I seem to work in color clusters, and that one inspiration color that I'm feeling at the time gets carried over.

For instance, there's my "jewel-colors phase"... it all started with "Jeweled Kaleidoscope", which influenced the fabric selection for my bee block quilt, which spilled over into a mini quilt that came to being in an effort to use up all of those yummy scraps. One could possibly argue that "Tiptoe Through the Tulips" belongs in this category as well. Hmmm...

Following close on it's heels was my "purple phase"... this phase is technically ongoing starting with "Whirly Girl" (which I hope to release in spring) that influenced "Home Sweet Home", and lead me right into my "Lovebirds' Remix", which is currently a back burner project until I figure out the final direction it should go... oh, and I almost forgot my purple and orange HST quilt!?!

 

 In an effort to be more controlled with my colors choices and prints, I noticed myself using a lot of Basic Grey grunge fabrics in my "grunge phase"... does "Lovebirds' Garden", "Home Sweet Home", "Apple Of My Eye", and "Contrasting" bring anything to mind?

Often, people mention that they can identify my work because of the bright popping colors, but that kind of leaves my "toned down pastel phase" without explanation. My "Home Sweet Home " quilt seems to be connected to several phases, but my "Summer Smoothie" bee quilt boasts a similar subtle, and subdued color palette. My current "Folk Flower" quilt definately fits in here too!

Let's not forget to mention my "earth tones phase" with my "Penny Sampler", the recently finished "Cascade" quilt top from Victoria Findlay Wolfe's book... and I won't include all the smaller projects that belong in this category.

... AND FINALLY, we make it to my current flavor of the month, the "green/yellow phase", which has the honor of my design wall status for December... perhaps it's sunny brightness is helping battle the dreary greys of winter. In any case, it's easy to see the connection between my latest "Yellow Stars" quilt and my "Brimfield blocks". Just to be on the safe side, I'll through my "Chuck Nohara" project and "Green Smoothie" quilts into the mix.

So, what's your current "color mood"... Do you go though phases and embrace a "color mood" that you carry from project to project, or do you work with a completely new color scheme with each new project?

Read More

Stars, Sprigs, and New Video

The last of my blocks from my bee members have finally come in, which means that now it's my part to finish up and add the rest of applique blocks. I realize that usually you ask your bee members to make something other than a simple star block, but I wanted concentrate on the applique part of this quilt, and let the others take care of the piecing.

My original intent was to do a two color quilt, i.e. yellow and white. But I think the subtleness of the transition between the yellow and chartreuse tones, are enough to give a little contrast, while still leaving the feeling of a two color quilt. To my surprise, I keep grabbing for this soft grey these days in my projects, and I love that it is not so obvious in the blocks.

But, now to move onto the fun part: I've been working on several more YouTube videos, and I've just added the one that you may have been waiting for... the actual How-To video!?! In my previous videos, I talked a lot about set-up, supplies, freezer paper, making templates, which are all pretty foundational to the "doing" part of starch applique.

If you happened to miss it, I will be teaching a class in Hamburg next weekend. Join me if you can. Find all the details here.

Read More