No Prints. No Kidding.

For those of you who haven't heard there's a new quilting book coming out that those of you enamored of modern quilts are going to want to check out. Now, I'm partly saying that because I'm in this new book, but that's not entirely my motivation. First off, there are 15 other terrific, creative designers featured in this book and secondly the book's focus is quilts made exclusively of solid fabrics. And not just any solids, but Kona Cotton solids by Robert Kaufman.

The idea behind this book is actually very simple, but has yielded some powerfully graphic and inspiring quilts. All the designers were asked to submit a proposal for a quilt crafted entirely out of solids. Once approved, we were provided with Kona cottons in the colors we requested and we set about bringing our designs to life.
By limiting the fabric choices to solids within the Kona palette, the editor, Susanne Woods, really set a contemporary tone for this book. Without prints most, if not all, of these quilts seem to rely on core design principles like color and shape.
Mine certainly was steered in that direction by the parameters of the book. While it wouldn't be fair to show the actual quilt so long as the book has yet to be officially released, I feel OK about showing y'all the mock-up I made for my design, The Sweet as Pi Baby Quilt.

Yep, it's round and, don't be fooled, so easy to make.
I've added the badge for the book to right-hand side bar of my blog. It's linked to the C&T site if you'd like to pre-order the book there. If, however, you'd like to purchase or peruse We Love Color via amazon, click here.

The Power of the Flower

Proof positive that eventually everything gets finished.

I don't even know how many months ago I posted a picture of this quilt top, but it wasn't yesterday I'm pretty sure. It's not that the quilting was difficult or even the binding. And, for those of you who don't believe me, I'm telling you, the bias binding on this shaped piece was not particularly complicated. It's just that the top got put on the back burner and was a wee bit forgotten. But, I have plans for this quilt and several more and variations of this quilt and several more, so finish it I must.
For those who are interested in the details, the quilt measures about 47" in the diagonal and was machine pieced and quilted.
This design first appeared as these in last year's Quilting Arts Gifts issue.

New Clothes for...? Me, of course

If you visited here before, you know I can be a pretty selfish seamstress. I have, in the past, the very distant past, made clothes for my girls, but their level of enthusiasm didn't match my degree of effort, so I searched for a more appreciative clientele. And, where did I find said clientele. Well, she stared back at me every morning when I brushed my teeth.
I am always happy to receive the fruits of my stitching labors and today's featured creation is no exception.

This dress is Simplicity 9778, which is a pattern I bought so many years ago. I did a little google search to see if the pattern is still available and apparently it is, but not this version. I guess they re-use pattern numbers. They're not retired like football jerseys. Who knew?
Anyway, I think I originally bought the pattern for my eldest when she was 12 or 13. That would be about 8 years ago, so you can't find it at Joann's. I'm sorry.
You can however find the fabric I made it in. Yep. That's the reissue of Flea Market Fancy by Denyse Schmidt and I picked up my yardage at my local Stitch Lab. They have more, people.
This dress was oh so easy to make and the fit is fabulous. So fabulous that version number 2 is already in the works, this time from some summery blue linen.

Superstar Baby Quilt :: Their Take

If you've stopped by here recently then you just might have seen this quilt. I made it as a free pattern for Moda to help promote my line, a stitch in color. Well, I also teach the pattern at Stitch Lab as a series class and recently had my first opportunity to guide a few students through the making of the quilt.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that I was bowled over by what they made...and I think you will be too.

This is Jane's version. She decided to craft her star out of the Kaffe Fassett stripes available at Stitch Lab. Amazing, huh? Her background print is a simple polka dot of brown on ochre and the binding is a repeat of one of the striped fabrics found in the star.

Great backing choice as well.
I'm not done though showing off student creations. Check out Jean's Superstar Baby Quilt.

She too made the star from the Kaffe Fasset stripes, but her placement of the stripes gives the top a different kind of movement than Jane's.
Guess what she picked for backing.

Could that be the Dali's Lines from very own collection?
There were two other versions of the quilt made in the class, but sadly, I only have pictures of one of them. Not so sadly, actually rather impressively, one of the other versions was also made by Jane, who's motto must be, "Me sleep? Why would I do that?"

So, there you have it. my first time teaching this pattern and I think it went pretty darn well. If you're local or think you might be sometime this summer, check out the schedule of classes at Stitch Lab because I'll be teaching this again.

Something new, but not necessarily blue

I'm working on a new class series for my local and lovely, Stitch Lab, and wanted to present a bit of a teaser for you folks close enough to attend.
The focus of this class series is essentially a block of the month, but rather than present an already established pattern, I've decided to design the blocks myself and for each block to teach a specific, yet simple technique. Also, since I'm a huge fan of the fabric offerings at Stitch Lab, each block will feature a grouping of fabrics available at the Lab.

My first block is constructed out of half-triangle squares and highlights the wonderful and color rich collection of stripes in Kaffe Fasset's collection. I love so many things about these fabrics, their linen-like feel, intensity of color and the way combining them creates secondary and tertiary designs. I love getting more design bang for my piecing buck.
Today's task is to craft the Moda Bella solids I picked out into the second block in the series.
For those of you wondering when all this fun will start, check the July/August schedule when it is published. And, if those months don't work for you, have no fear; I anticipate this being an ongoing offering.

Fields:: A Skirt

When my middle daughter was little she used to mispronounce the word, remember, as mender. I loved it for all the reasons a parent finds their child's quirky takes on things endearing. I still occasionally turn to her and ask, "Mender when...?"
Well, in that spirit, mender when I said I was going to make a skirt just like these, but in my own fabrics?
You mender that? Well, I did, kinda, sorta.

As promised, I did make the skirt using the same pattern with the same modifications and the skirt is made out of my fabric. But, not in my a stitch in color fabric. Rather I used some of my hand dyed and patterned fabric in a new print, Fields. I haven't decided if I'm going to reproduce it in my usual palette or even if I want to add this pattern to my store. I was just playing and making fabric with really no endpoint in mind.

Initially, I thought I'd use the fabric to make a bag, but then I mendered my promise to make a skirt out of my own fabric and a project was born.

In the end I did include a little bit of fabric from my a stitch in color collection. I made the waistband facing in the Pebbles fabric in yellow and orange. No one will see that cute, little addition, but I'll stop every once in a while and mender it's there.

Show and Tell :: Interactive Edition

I've been finishing up a sample for an upcoming class at Stitch Lab and thinking about a new project. This is not exactly the one I mentioned in a previous post, but it is new and big and pretty exciting. In order for me though to see if it has any legs (or arms or any other appendages), I'm going to need your help, dear reader. I'm looking for stories. What kind of stories? Stories associated with quilts. Quilts that mean something to you, that represent a beloved person, that have a story behind them. Ideally these stories aren't about what quilts in general mean to you, but what a specific quilt in your life has meant because it represents or tells a specific story. Capiche? Also ideally, you have an image of this quilt or still own it or at least you know in detail what it looked like. Think NPR"s Story Core project, but in terms of quilts.

Right now, I'm just looking to see what I can gather. So, if you have a story about a quilt that fits this description, please email me a brief synopsis. My email is malka@stitchindye.com.
I have no idea what kind of response I'm going to get or how long it will take to cull through these stories, so don't get sad if I don't respond right away. I do promise to send each one of you an email reply thanking you for your contribution and will have to wait and see before I can let anyone know anything more. If that's good for you, then please send your story my way.

By way of quilt inspiration, I'm sharing this one with you.

If you're local and you'd like to join me in learning how to make this supersize block, click here to find out everything you need to know...and maybe a little more.