I've Moved

...but you guys didn't seem to move with me.
I have a brand new, beautiful website and I'm super excited about it, but I'm a wee bit lonely because I found out that all my wonderful followers here at blogger didn't have their feeds forwarded to my new site.
Anyway, I'm so glad to have the opportunity to welcome you all to my new space on the web.
All my patterns have been updated and are available there as downloadables and there are links to my shop and flickr and much, much more.
Even more importantly, I'm hosting a giveaway in my new space right now.
Mosey on over there, comment, and be entered to win a copy of this pattern:

My Klee's Trees pattern is ready to go and, along with the giveaway, I'm announcing a sew-along for this project starting the first week in June.
See, I told you, fun stuff.
So, click over to http://stitchindye.com/blog and, while you're there, subscribe to receive email updates from the blog. That way, we'll never be parted again.

What I'm Working on Wednesday

Truth be told, what I'm working on today doesn't make for great visuals.
I'm writing the pattern for this:

and unless you're someone who would find a screenshot of a word document interesting there's not much to see...yet.
Even this photo is not exactly what I had planned. I took it with my phone. I usually don't post those pictures here as I have a lovely DSLR to take really(hopefully) good pictures with. It's battery was dead though and I wanted to post, so here you have it.
I am super eager to get this pattern out because: a. I think you all will like it and b. I want to do the sew-along. The first reason is my community-based, good citizen reason. The second one is closer to the truth.
So, I'm tentatively setting the end of April for the pattern release and mid-May for the sew-along.
In the meantime, this Wednesday, I'm writing...and designing the next quilt!

What I'm Working on Wednesday

New fabrics for my shop.

I especially love this pattern. It's one of that I created for my next commercial collection for Moda, but this one is obviously hand patterned and dyed and each hexagon is larger in scale than it will be in the commercial version.
I'm also working on new color ways for existing patterns like this one:

And new lengths for a few much loved patterns.

Due to a custom order, I recently ordered some blank yardage that 60" wide instead of the traditional 44" wide and am wondering if other folks would be interested in single yard pieces that are extra wide? Feel free to pipe in here and give me some feedback.
I  haven't forgotten about my monthly pattern and am making good progress on my Klee's Trees quilt. Hopefully I'll have the remaining 8 blocks done by week's end and will be ready to start writing the pattern as well quilting the top.
In the meantime, here's a progress shot to give you a hint of how it's coming together.

I know there are different schools of thought about whether you should post images of work in progress, especially when it has a commercial purpose, but I'm only human and I get excited about what I'm working on and I want to share that excitement.
I don't think that diminishes other people's interest in making the quilt when the pattern becomes available, do you?

Hungry Eyes

That's the way I used to describe my need to be visually inspired. I honestly felt like my eyes were hungry in the way my stomach would be if I hadn't eaten.
When I first discovered online places like Flickr, I felt like that unquenched need had a place to turn to be satiated. And this, despite the fact that it might take a bit of searching to find images that spoke to me personally.
As an artist and designer, I think Pinterest does an even better job of meeting that need. Maybe it has to do with the way it is organized. Maybe it's because you  curate what you see, but I find myself turning to it on a daily basis, pinning images, and reviewing those images when the creative well is a little dry.
Today, I thought I'd share 5 images from my Inspirations Board, that's 5 out of 1,307 pins. These are not my 5 favorites, though I love each one. The board is packed with favorites, so I couldn't possibly pick 5. These are just a sampling, somewhat randomly selected, but all very beautiful. I hope they inspire you too. I've linked each image which hopefully will guide you to the original maker.

This is a knitted blanket design by Kristin Kapur. I love many of her designs and it's easy to see how this inspired this:

Next up is a print by one of my all time favorite artists/designer, Anni Albers.

Though this is a screen print, I can definitely see it re-interpreted as a quilt, couldn't you?

I find myself returning often to this image of crocheted blankets. I love thinking about ways to re-envision this concept in fabric rather than yarn.

Here's a rug design that would make an amazing quilt!

Sometimes, it's a simple twist on the tradition that catches my eye. I love the Double Wedding Ring pattern and I think this is a lovely rendition of it, but what really caught my eye and made me think about applying it to my own designs was the use of black rather than a traditional white or cream as the background color. This block is the perfect kind of inspiration because there's something in it that starts me thinking about seeing or doing things in a different way. That's exactly what my eyes are hungry for.

What I'm Working On Wednesday

Last Friday, I featured the beginnings of a quilt inspired by a digital pattern I found on Pinterest.
Since then I've worked on tinting the black and white version to be able to highlight different parts of the pattern. I like finding secondary and tertiary patterns and playing with those.
All that play resulted in this single block:

My plan is for the finished quilt to include 9 blocks and would therefore end up measuring about 64" x 76". 

Because I tend to mentally complete images I can pretty easily imagine the interaction between the different patterns that will be created by just varying the colors and values of the stripe combinations. it's actually very easy to piece. Everything is either a strip or a triangle. No complicated set in seams here.

While I was working on this though, I noticed this:

Do you see it too? Don't sweat it if you don't. But, at some point I noticed a motif that reminded me of another motif that I'd seen and sketched in November of 2012. 

I was in Switzerland and visited the Paul Klee museum in Bern where I saw lots of amazing work, made note of many things, but made several sketches of a motif I decided to call "Klee's Trees".

Since then I've made several attempts to figure out how this pattern/motif could be interpreted in patchwork,

but never quite figured it out until my eye was caught by that pieced section. It took a bit of color tweaking and probably will be adjusted more as I become more familiar with the pattern, but this is what I've come up with:

One of the things I'm discovering is the possibility for play just within each block.

I can vary the color of the strips simply to create a bit of difference.

I can vary the color of the strips to emphasize a section or create a secondary pattern.

Or I can vary the color of the background either part or all to emphasize diamond shape of  the "tree".

I can even play with the values of the strips that make up the tree and background to make the entire image drop back into the background.

I'm sure I'm not done discovering things about this pattern and maybe even finding new patterns that are outgrowths of this one just as it was an outgrowth of the larger block.

I suppose that's why we all do what we do. You just never know what's around the corner and what little inspiration from the past will come back to play a role in your present and maybe even in your future.

Inspiration: The Quick and Dirty Version

I've been thinking about this a lot lately: inspiration, where it comes from, why it's different for every person, and what you really end up doing with all those bits of inspiration you gather in the average day, week, year.
I think about this a lot primarily because I love Pinterest and gain a lot of inspiration from looking at images there.
Having said that, all I have time for today is the quick and dirty version of the discussion. It's the hey, here's a bit of inspiration I found and here's what I'm making of it.
I would, however, love to have a more extensive discussion about the topic, so I'm planning that for next week.
Today?
I have this:

Strips of color all neatly cut and ready for my next quilt pattern.
And this:

The inspiration image, found you know where, but linked to this site, and the beginnings of a quilt I'm calling "A Star for Baby C".
And even this:

The reject block or blocks. Because before you have the aha moment, you have a bunch of "eh, this is not quite it" moments.
The aha moments are a lot more fun. Here's hoping for a bunch of those this weekend!

Sale, sale, sale!!

Hey, do I have your attention?
Would it have been better if I titled this post: Free Cookies!?
Probably.
Anyway, the new pattern, Boyfriend Quilt, is listed and ready and, on sale, this week and next for 10% off.
But, before I give you the discount code, I want to add that EVERYTHING in my store is, in honor of the new pattern release, on sale for 10% off.
Yep, everything.
Want to get in on all that goodness? Apply this code, STITCHINDYE2014, at the time of purchase, anytime between now and March 28, 2014 and you'll receive the discount.

So...what are you waiting for?

It's Almost Here!

I'm going to be away from this space the rest of this week, but I wanted to tell y'all about something exciting and wonderful and...new.
Next Monday, March 17 I'll be adding this to my shop:

It's a PDF pattern for my first in my 12 in 12 series, the Boyfriend Quilt.
I am super proud of how this project turned out and to celebrate next Monday I'm planning a little something here on the pattern release day.
So, stay tuned, come back, and have a terrific week!

What I'm Working on Wednesday: Leftover Edition

When I was a kid I hated leftovers. I called it "old" food and why would I want to eat that.
Now, I'm, hopefully, older and wiser and I realize that: a. said leftover is the remains of what probably was super tasty last night and b. oftentimes the flavor is enhanced by having sat in the refrigerator overnight.
I think the same is true for fabric. As I mentioned in this post, I've wrapped up the initial design process for my next collection. Getting to that point necessitated making quite a bit of fabric, much of which wasn't needed for the samples I sent in to Moda.
So, I'm using some of those leftovers to make this:

It's a modified version of a design I created for my book, Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design, and Inspiration and crafted out of 5" square scraps of my hand dyes and a simple cream colored cotton.

It's simple and quick and very visually tasty.
Perfect for leftovers.

If I could give the world a coke...

Remember that commercial? The premise was that if we could all share a coke and smile together then the world would live in peace and harmony.
Well, I'm a little skeptical about that regarding coke, what with it being filled with sugar and just generally bad for you, but, based on the enthusiasm and number of comments you all left for the giveaway fabric, I think fabric might be the way to bring us all together.

So, on that note, i'm announcing the winner of the fat quarter bundle:

 Maureeneh said...

What wonderful Fabrics-I'd love to Win them

Yay!

Maureeneh, please email me at malka@stitchindye.com with your address and I'll get that bundle in the mail to you.

Wasn't thinking and writing about fabric fun?

Let's do some more.

Yesterday, I sent off the designs for my next fabric collection. I have been working and thinking and working and thinking about these fabrics for quite a while. I'm very happy with this group, but having finished, I'm also strangely feeling a little empty. Not that I don't have plenty of work that I've put on the back burner to finish this project, but I think you understand. it takes a day or so once you're done with something big to refocus on the next project.

All that aside though, I am very excited about these fabrics, both as designs and as jumping off points for other designs.

So, I'm sharing a few images I took yesterday. I would have loved to have taken more, but my deadline awaited.

Outtakes

Titling this post "Outtakes" kind of assumes that there are intakes. In actuality there aren't...yet.
I went to a local park yesterday to take shots of the finished Boyfriend Quilt for the pattern and promotion and because the boyfriend's birthday is coming up next week, so my time with this quilt is getting limited.
Although it was a beautiful day, I just couldn't seem to find the "right" spot to take full view shots. I have some ideas for other locations and plan to try those out this weekend.
Until then, I'm sharing the "outtakes" from the photo shoot with you all.

Right now the quilt is in the dryer. All that nature got it a little dirty.

In shop news: More bundles and scrap packs listed for those who want them!

Have a great weekend!

What I'm Working on Wednesday

What am I working on this Wednesday?
Pretty much the same thing I was working on on Monday.
I did finish binding The Boyfriend Quilt and might have a chance to take some shots of it today, but I'm very much in the thick of things with these:

I'm constantly making and re-making lists of which patterns make the final cut and what color ways I still want to try. It's a good thing I have a deadline because my tendency is to wonder, " what if..." and I need to wrap up the group. I have told myself several times that not every pattern has to make it into this collection. I can always hold on to it and include it in another group down the road. That's the reasonable side of me. The other side? She's not so easily swayed by sensible arguments, but we're coming to the end here, so....
All this patterning and dyeing has yielded a few more bundles and a scrap pack for my store, so check that out if you have a minute.

Be back on Friday!

Patterning Ups and Downs

The other day I was having dinner with some friends and one of them suggested that we all name a highlight from the previous week. Though this may sound a bit awkward and forced, I think a lot about issues relating to gratitude and being present and possibly so do the folks I gravitate towards, so we thought this was a great idea.
We then took turns naming a single event that brightened our week. Several pointed to a particular work achievement and one or two mentioned something relating to relationships or friendship as their personal highlight.
I focused on creating. I'm hot and heavy at work on my next collection for Moda and I've struggled a bit with it. It seemed like lately that just as I'd I test a pattern I'd reject it for some reason. That is until last Thursday.
I can't pretend to say that I know what changed and I realize that that would probably be a good idea, but, in the course of one day, I went from having 3 "for sure" patterns to 7 definites and 2 probablies.
That was a very good day.

This shot of my design wall doesn't even represent all the possibilities, both accepted and rejected.

It makes me feel excited to have all the pattern possibilities because now I can play with the palette. That part I do have nailed down.

As for the patterns and/or color ways that don't make the final cut:

Look for these to be quilted, crafted into pillow covers, and added to my store.

More Supersizing, More Grandmas

Just in case you thought I was done with re-interpreting the Grandmother's Flower Garden pattern, I present this:

 Truth be told, I don't know when I'll tire of re-imagining this pattern. It's possible that this is true of every traditional block or pattern, but I feel that there are so many possible variations with this one. Maybe because it can be broken down either in hexagons or triangles, maybe because it can feel simultaneously simple and complicated. I don't honestly know, but I have yet to feel that I'm done laying with these shapes.
As for details, this version is a baby quilt measuring about 36" square and crafted out of a variety of solids and a couple of prints including a black and white print to accent the intense colors.
I love rounded corners and have used this little gimmick a lot lately, but I think it softens a quilt and makes it feel just wee bit more playful. Seems appropriate fro a quilt meant for a little one.
As with many of my supersize projects, this can be one of several blocks in a larger quilt or a stand alone baby quilt...like this one.

What I'm Working on Wednesday

Thank goodness the words "what" and Wednesday" both start with a W. Makes coming up with a cute title so much easier. Of course things are really streamlined because I'm actually going to post about what I'm currently working on, but having a snappy title doesn't hurt.
This is what's on my wall lately:

Actually, it's already off my wall, completely pieced, and in the process of being quilted, but that's beside the point.
I'm calling this The Boyfriend Quilt. Guess why? He doesn't read my blog, so no need to worry.
Anyway, it's for him...and you.
I should backtrack a little here.
I love setting up challenges for myself. For instance, my New Year's Resolutions this year included at least two challenges: 12 books in 12 months (not really all that challenging for many, but I sometimes find it hard to make time to read) and 13 half-marathon races in 13 months (13 because a half-marathon is 13.1 miles. BTW- February will mark #4 because I started this challenge last November).
Anyway, you get the picture. Challenges+ Me = Love.
What does this have to do with this quilt? Well, one of my challenges this year was to design 12 quilts in...any guesses? Yep, 12 months. And, I'm not just supposed to be designing these guys, but writing up the patterns.
So far, so good, but this is just pattern #1. I'm thinking it will be ready for release at the end of the month.
That's when things will really start heating up as, according to my little challenge, I should have another ready to release within a month of that.
Oy, why do I come up with these things?!

Drunken Flower

A few weeks ago I was asked to contribute to a very special charity quilt show. Joanna Figueroa of Fig Tree Quilts sent out a call for quilts to be auctioned off to raise funds for the George Mark Children's House. This facility provides housing and services to children with terminal illnesses and their families. How does someone not help such a worthy cause?
The theme of the show is Red and White Quilts and I was excited to take up the challenge. I'm not much of a limited palette kind of person, but I had an inkling as to how I could take this concept and make it my own.

First off, I knew the quilt would need to be small, primarily because of time constraints. But, I also knew that I wasn't going to make a traditional red and white quilt. I'm not really much of a traditional maker.

What I decided to do was to hint at white through the use of low volume fabrics (made me harken back to an article I wrote in April of 2009 for Quilting Arts magazine about designing with low volume fabrics) and to accent the quilt edges with red binding.

Since I'm super fond these days of rounded edges and I think it gives almost any quilt a fresh, fun look, I curved these corners and bound them in a mostly red print from my Simple Marks Autumn collection.
This little quilt is off to California and hopefully will be part of a bigger effort to raise money for an important cause.