I was really excited a few weeks back to add the last few border strips to my Daydream sampler quilt in scrappy Christmas colors. I started this project when I was freelancing for Quilter’s World a couple of years back.
Below is designer Carolyn Beam’s original Daydream in Moda fabrics by Corey Yoder.
I wanted a more scrappy look and I had several yards of this great candy cane print.
I teach this one infrequently so it’s a nice opportunity if you want to make a quilt that’s fast, easy and attractive. You can see the supply list here.
Your background can be dark or light—it looks great either way.
Not only will you learn to make this quilt design, we’ll talk a lot about color and contrast, value and scale, texture, mood and more. I love unlocking the secrets to these ideas for quilters!
As you can see, there are myriad options for color choices. I am going to start a new Tango this week in Figo Fabrics that I got at Mangelsen’s in Omaha recently. They are delicious.
This is my original Tango in bright, happy colors on white. I still love this quilt. Okay, here are the details of Friday’s class:
Thank you for reading! If you’ve taken Tango already, feel free to leave a comment with your feedback. Much appreciated!
Quilt on,
Some were purchased, others were pulled from magazines or outdated books. There are articles and ideas galore.
I go through the piles every few years in order to make room for other things. I’ve been making quilts and saving quilt-related “stuff” for almost 40 years.
Some patterns have consistently made the cut. Although I may have had something for a few decades, I’m still interested in making it should the opportunity arise. And who’s to say it won’t? Remember when we were suddenly locked up tight in 2020?
The design is a great little block by Christa Watson and making the blocks is really entertaining.
I decided to omit a few of the seams in the background. I think it looks fine either way and I wanted to speed things up a little and eliminate some bulk.
One person was saying that she’s spending time making each block look nice. She’s arranging and rearranging her patches deliberately to create combinations that please her. (Smart quilter!)
And that’s where it went south. Because another quilter’s response floored me:
Now please understand: I hold no personal malice toward this quilter. But that approach for scrap quilts is absolutely wrong.
You know how some quilts look like scrap vomit? That’s what happens when you don’t plan your scrap quilt.
You must be deliberate about making all those diverse fabrics work together.
You have to consider what elements could bring cohesion to all those varied prints.
It behooves you to audition and to change things up and to rethink one more time, over and over and over.
There were also comments that revealed a quilter’s experience and wisdom, like this one:
I have had to make peace with the extra time and effort it takes to make a good scrappy quilt. It does require a lot more time and effort. But you know what?
Quilt on,
Find the details for the American Patchwork & Quilting 2022 Quilt-Along here.
Does your quilt guild need a great program for ’23 or ’24? I’d love to share my quilts with you. Give me a call and Let’s Talk Quilts!
Small quilts don’t take up a lot of time or space. They quickly satisfy my need to create. They’re fun to use in my home as the seasons come and go. And they make great gifts. What’s not to love?!
I have been making small quilts ever since I started quilting in 1984. That’s 38 years. I have saved most of them, and they became my first trunk show for quilt guilds: One Hundred Small Quilts. I think your quilt guild would love it.
My son was hospitalized in Denver so I went there and spent time with him and his girlfriend, and that was delightful. It is always difficult to see him hit a rough patch but I have the best friends and family and they always support me well.
When I got home from Colorado, I was behind on many things so I scrambled and on Sunday, was beginning to see a light at the end of the tunnel.
If you make quilts, you generate scraps. And you probably also collect fabric. How do you bring these treasures together into a beautiful quilt? Let me show you!
Join me LIVE for my most popular trunk show, open to everyone, everywhere, on Monday, Sept 12, 2022 at 7:30 pm Central.
During the trunk show, we’ll examine quilts in many different styles to see why they work—and sometimes why they don’t. Whether you make traditional or modern or art quilts or a combination of these, you’ll find helpful insights to make your quilts sing.
Discover why some scrap quilts are beautiful and some are a jumbly mess. Learn ways to bring diverse fabrics together. See how auditions make a difference in the final results!
Gather many ideas for starting with what you have and moving forward into glorious scrappy miracles. Leave matchy-matchy behind and embrace a little clash. Create quilts that SPARKLE!
Quilt on!
Two online events are scheduled for August and I’d love to have you join me.
You may have seen my Star Silhouettes quilt on the cover of American Patchwork & Quilting this summer.
It’s based on a simple idea that leads to some pretty interesting quilts—a regular BONANZA of scraps. I’m teaching this concept in person and online soon. There are many quilt patterns to choose from (included), and the sewing is easy.
Join me on Zoom Thursday, August 4 at 10 am for StarQuar Scrap Quilts to learn about this little unit and other helpful concepts for making dynamic scrappy quilts.
The full day class is $65. Get tickets here. Lots and lots of ideas. Your head will swim—in a good way!
I’m happy to be sharing my machine binding technique again! This online workshop happens Saturday, August 27 from 11 to 3 Central. Register right here.
I’ve been using this method for about 25 years and it has stood the test of time. It’s fast, sturdy and beautiful. I think you’ll love it.
We’ll also cover other binding topics to beef up your skills for finishing. Binding doesn’t need to be a job you dread or put off. It can be done quickly and it can look great, too! A great investment of less than $40. Get your tickets to this online class right here.
I can’t wait to meet you!
Quilt on,
Last minute seats available in an online Pine Burr workshop on Friday, July 22 from 9 to 4 Central. A Texas guild is hosting and the class is open to people outside their group.
This is a very old technique that I’ve adapted for the machine. It’s easy and relaxing and the results are stupendous. The full day class is $65.
These blocks are addictive and so much fun to make. I’ll show you several options and plenty of inspiration to get you rolling. Read more and reserve your spot right here.
I’ve wanted to attend the Wolfe Country Quilt Show and Garden Walk for several years but something always came up. This time I planned ahead and my friend Mary and I went to Bennington, Nebraska on Saturday, July 16.
What we found was worth the three hour drive. So many quilts. Abundant flowers and a perfectly overcast day with no rain.
We arrived early to beat the heat and were there for about two and a half hours. We bumped into many quilters and others we knew so the chatting stretched our time a little.