Finish Things Up

Today is most certainly a finish it up day for me.

My little quilt for the Kaffe Mini Swap is due to be shipped next week and I'm happy to say it's finished. Wahoo!!!  It will be in the mail the first part of next week along with a few little extras. Be on the look out partner. Believe it or not but this is my first swap. I can't wait to see what I get.

The block is based on my Drunkard's Path QAL concept. I just love how it looks in an alternative colorway. It's making me think a full sized quilt with different prints and background colors would be really fun. Hmmm . . . a new use for Kaffe and Amy Butler prints perhaps?

My other finish was this table runner made as a wedding present.
The front is low volume creams and gray strips. The couple's gift registry is mostly neutrals. White dishes. Silver serving pieces. A touch of wood. I thought the low volume would be a nice neutral to go with all their tableware.

After piecing the strips, I trimmed a narrow section off one side and then inserted it into the middle offsetting the strips a little to add movement. It finishes at about 14 inches. Not knowing the size of their table I went with a 72" length. Hopefully it will work well.

I wanted to embroider their names and wedding date on it but realized after the fact that this is better done in the early stages. That takes planning ahead which I didn't do. Instead I simply wrote their names and date on the end of the runner. It's understated which is what I wanted so it's more like a subtle personal message.

I opted for a double sided runner and used fall fabrics for the back to represent their fall wedding.

So these are my Friday finishes. Linking up with Finish it Up Friday at CrazyMomQuilts.

Just a reminder it's not too late to comment on on my Pin Cushion Party post for a chance to win a charm pack of Amanda Jean's fun new fabric line Good Neighbors.
I'll choose a winner Sunday the 27th.

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Mid October Already!!!

Say it isn't so . . . mid October and I haven't posted once this month. Time just seems to slip away like the leaves are slipping from the trees and the warm temps are fading. My last post was for the Around the World Blog Hop. If you'd like to learn a little more about me and my process check it out. My daughter also posted for the same hop and she'd love to have you take a look and even start following her as she begins to build her blog, Emily Claire Studio.

Today I thought I'd post about a wall hanging/table runner I made awhile back that's in the fall issue of Stitch Magazine. The theme was contrast and you can't get higher contrast than pure black and white. The idea had been floating around in my sketchbook and this particular theme seemed like the perfect excuse to make it up and submit the concept. Thankfully the nice people at Stitch agreed.

I have a real passion for colorful large scale prints. Fabrics by Kaffe Fassett and Amy Butler being at the top of the list. But some of my designs are much better suited for solids. Point/Counterpoint was one such project. I considered several color combinations and even prints as I played around with the early designs, but in the end I chose pure black and white because I wanted to make a very bold graphic statement.

While a good deal of my work is based on blocks and I have lots of fun exploring all the possibilities with blocks, the other side of my design process explores things like line, shape, scale and contrast. Studies in abstract composition lie at the heart of these explorations and they often work best in solids.

My biggest challenge when working with solids is the machine quilting. You may know that the quilting part is not what I enjoy and solids really beg to be quilted well. Deciding how to quilt an all solid quilt can be a struggle. All that space available to create great texture. I thought about pebbles to contrast with the lines but in the end simple straight lines seemed to be all that was needed. More lines might have been nice but then again minimal is minimal right?

The design produced a lot of leftover half square triangle pieces so I put them to use in a small pillow as part of the final submission. There are so many great arrangements you can make with HSTs that I do think you could play with them for a year and never exhaust the possibilites. Especially when fabric options are thrown into the mix. Here's what I included with my submission. Which one is your favorite?

I'm linking this solids post up with Sew Solid Sunday at Esch House Quilts. Hop over to see Debbie's latest all solid design and get a little inspiration.

The Submission Process and A Modern Holiday Table Runner

Do you ever have an idea tucked away that you just never get around to trying?
I have!  Lots . . . can I say LOTS of ideas. Probably more ideas than I'll ever have time to make.

This table runner is the result of playing with one of those ideas. I have always wanted to make a quilt using a drunkard's block arranged into full circles where the main color is in the background rather than the circles.

A small table runner seemed the perfect choice when Stitch Magazine put out a call for submissions to their 2014 Gifts issue. Something bright and cheery without being overly Christmas. Something that emphasized the circle theme.

For those of you who haven't tried submitting to a magazine, I though I'd share what my typical submission is like. If it's not a project that has already been made, then I usually start with some design ideas and fabric choices. In the case of Stitch, they have a color palette and theme for each issue so this is obviously taken into consideration.

I use Adobe Illustrator for most of my design work. I'm not an expert by any means and am pretty sure I do most things the hard way, but I get by without getting myself into too many binds. In this case, I designed using solid colors and then took a photo of proposed fabrics to include in the submission. Here's what my submission looked like.

You can see that I included a brief description of the project, along with the basic techniques and materials needed. Another thing you might notice is that I included a photo comp of the table runner in use.  I had the benefit of my husband's graphic design capabilities. He "placed" my runner onto a table and added some candles. And he did a great job if I do say so myself. But please don't be intimidated by this because it's not something I usually include in a submission. Couldn't do it myself if I had to. It just seemed like a nice touch so we went for it. Don't forget you're trying to sell your idea after all.

Once the project was accepted, I worked with the editor to make final fabric selections. When fabrics were finalized, the piece was made, directions written, process photos taken along the way and then sent off to meet the deadline.

If you'd like to learn more about my runner along with lots of other great gift ideas, pick up a copy of Stitch Gifts 2014. These owl and fox stockings on the cover are just so cute. I have 2 or 3 projects tagged that I would like to make.

It's always a thrill for me to see a project published. And it's always a bit of surprise to see what the publisher does with your project in terms of photography. This one was even included as part of the table of contents page . . . an extra little thrill!

If you are thinking about submitting, do your homework first. Check with the publication to see if they want finished projects or whether proposed projects are acceptable. Sometimes they like to work with you on final fabrics so it's the most current and fitting for their theme. Other times they want to see the finished work including close-ups of any quilting or details.

Also check into your rights. Some magazines return the rights to a project to you after a set period of time so you can republish the idea yourself. Others don't. Be clear on this going in if you think you'd like to create a pattern for sale later.

Most importantly:

• Be patient . . . it can take awhile to hear back.
• Be persistent . . . it can take awhile to be accepted.
• Be timely . . . once you're accepted, by all means carry through and meet their deadlines.

This year has been one of submissions for me and I have been fortunate to have found success with some projects. There have been rejections too. It's all part of the process so just keep trying. If you've been thinking about submitting check out the following submission deadlines.

Submissions for Modern Patchwork Summer 2014 are due this Friday Dec 20th. Go here to learn more.
Submissions for the Stitch Fall 2014 issue are due January 10th. Go here to learn more.
Why not make 2014 the year you give it a try?

Blogger's Quilt Festival Spring 2013

It's that time of year again. Time for the Blogger's Quilt Festival sponsored by Amy's Creative Side. For those of us who don't get to attend Quilt Market, this is such a wonderful way to see all the amazing quilting going on out there. Be sure to hop over to Amy's site and browse through all the linkys.

I had the hardest time deciding what to enter. Lots of things are in the works but not many finished projects. Looking back over this past year I realized one of my favorites was the quilt I made from a layer cake of Moda's Tradewinds fabric line. A very summery quilt that I'm looking forward to using again this summer.

I had never used a precut bundle of fabric before but this line just spoke to me. Fresh, eclectic, a touch of the exotic. I just love the little tea cups. Makes the perfect print for a backyard garden tea party. I bought more tea cup fabric to make napkins. Just need to sew them up.

I used my Cascade pattern for the quilt and made a table runner with the leftovers. The pattern tells you how to use your scraps as you piece the top so the extra blocks are done at the same time. Love the runner just as much as the quilt itself. Very scrappy, yet coordinates well with the quilt. And it looks perfect with my strawberry dishes don't you think?

Designed, made and quilted by me.
Categories:  throw and scrappy.

Grab a cup of tea, sit back and enjoy visiting all the other links. You'll definitely be inspired.  : )

WIP Wednesday

Time for another WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced. Yesterday was my turn on the Let's get Acquainted Blog Hop hosted by Beth at Plum and June and I admitted there that I have many many UFO's piled up. Sadly my family is so used to seeing quilt tops hanging up around the house that they don't even know what a quilted quilt looks like. But not any more! After whipping up a little table runner tutorial for the hop and quilting it and putting it to use already, it seemed time to finish the original table runners that sparked the tutorial.

Fat Quarter Table Runner made with this tutorial.

Original table runners not yet quilted. I'm working on it.

Plus I'd like to get my fall sunflower quilt actually finished. I'm embarrassed to admit that I made this quilt years ago and hang it up in the fall even though it's not yet quilted. And even though it's not so much my style anymore, I still like the fall feeling it brings to the room. So the time has come. The backing is ready. The batting is cut. Basting right now, quilting this afternoon. Fingers crossed.

This quilt is like standing in a field of sunflowers in Kansas. It's busy busy but makes me smile. Now if only I can manage to keep smiling while I quilt it.

Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop

Hello all you bloggers hopping in to visit. Today is my day on Beth's Let's Get Acquainted Blog Hop. I'm so very glad she put this together for newbie bloggers like myself. I've found many inspiring blogs through participating in the hop. Hope you have too.

So welcome to my little corner of blogland. Please take a few minutes to explore some other posts and get to know my style. And be sure to hop over to Kristy's blog at Cotton Addiction today for more quilty goodness. Don't you just love her blog's name? Then on Thursday, stop by and visit Julie at That's Sew Julie and Chelsea at Pins and Bobbins.

Now for a little about me. My name is Anne and I live in sunny Colorado. I'm a graphic designer turned stay-at-home mom who has now become an empty nester turned quilt blogger/pattern designer. I've quilted for at least 15 years, but it's been an on/off affair in the midst of raising kids that resulted in lots of UFO's. Last fall our youngest left for college and it became the perfect time to fully commit to my quilting. So this year I started my blog, decided to finish some of those UFO's and ventured into the world of pattern design.

I love color and pattern so when the two are combined into gorgeous fabrics I'm definitely addicted.  : )  I'm a huge Kaffe Fassettt fan, love the new modern prints, and have become a true convert to solids. I like working with traditional blocks in a new way and I like going totally modern with more abstract designs. I've got more sketches than I can manage to sew into finished quilts but that's ok because I love the design process.

When it comes to designing a new quilt, my design background takes over and I find myself exploring all kinds of possibilities. With all the exploration and variations I was dreaming up, I decided to start publishing patterns that included those extra options. Patterns are available in my Etsy shop. Each one includes 2 basic quilts plus several optional ideas. You can make several quilts and no two would be the same.

As for a blogging tip, I feel like I'm still figuring it all out but the one thing I'd say is find a QAL or something to participate in. You'll meet lots of nice people and learn/try something new at the same time. And please leave comments. Something I've come to truly appreciate. I love to respond to other quilters and find those little connections we might share. I wish I had known about blogging years ago. The work being done out there is always inspiring, and it definitely motivates me to get more done. But be careful about comparing yourself. Lots of people seem like super sewers who get loads done every week and have a bazillion followers. Another bit of advice . . . be yourself and sew what you love instead of simply copying other quilter's work. Or if you're inspired by their work give them credit. I've realized I just need to be me and do what I love. I need to stick to my own style and continue to develop my own vision. So be yourself.

If you've visited my blog before, you know I have a collection of fruit/veggie dishes along with a fabric collection to match. Each month during the spring/summer/fall I put up one of several quilts I've made with these fruit/veggie fabrics. A couple of years ago I made a series of tablerunners from a simple design I came up with and thought I'd share that with you today. Of course those original tablerunners are still technically UFO's, but this one for fall is finished. Wahoo!!! Thank you Beth for motivating me. One less UFO.

The design works perfectly with whatever fabrics you want to use. It requires just 2 fat quarters and a few strips. Easy peasy. So here goes . . .

Fat Quarter Table Runner
finished size: 15" x 48" (shorter if you prefer)

Fabrics required:
Focus fabrics:  2 fat quarters - 1 each of 2 different fabrics.
Works best if fat quarter is 18" wide but you can adjust later to accommodate a slightly narrower fat.
Narrow accent strip:  3 strips 1 1/2" x 18+"
Wide accent strip: 3 strips 2 /12" x 18+"
NOTE: I've listed the length with a + because it's best to cut your strips a little longer and then cut to size after they are sewn.

Step 1.
Layer the 2 fat quarters face up on your cutting board.
Cut 3 strips 6 1/2" wide across the 18" side for a finished size of 6 1/2" x 18+".
NOTE: if the fat quarters aren't a full 18" wide it's ok as long as you have 17" to work with. You can adjust later.

layer both fat quarters right side up.

18" side of fat quarter runs top to bottom in picture.

Step 2.
Arrange 1 strip of each fabric into a strip set as shown below. Place the focus fabrics on the outside and keep the accent strips in the center. Arrange 3 of these sets using one strip of each fabric for each set. Be sure to keep the same order for all 3 sets. Before sewing read the following if you have directional fabric.

If either of your focus fabrics is a directional print and you want them all to read the same direction, then cut each strip of one set in half so you have 2 strips 9+" long per fabric. Flip the directional fabric around keeping the same order for the strips. Make one full 18+" set and one 9+" half-set per arrangement. This will make more sense when you see the pictures below.

Strip set with pumpkins facing to the left.

Notice that the pumpkin fabric is flipped around in the bottom photo
but the other fabrics remain in the same position.

Step 3.
Sew strip sets together and press all seams to one side.

Step 4.
Cut sets into 4 segments 4 1/2" wide per segment.
NOTE: If your fat quarters were under 18" then just cut your strip sets into 4 equal width segments across the width of your strip set. It just means your finished runner will be somewhat shorter than 48".

Step 5.
Rearrange by flipping every other segment around so that the focus fabrics alternate along the sides. This is the point where the directional issues come into play. If you made the alternate sets all your directional fabric should be facing the same way. If not they will look like this. Absolutely nothing wrong with this but I just want you to be aware of what happens.

This photo shows what happens when you arrange the segments
without flipping your directional fabric.
Note the pumpkins go in 2 different directions.

Step 6.
Sew segments together into pairs and pairs together until runner is finished. Using a pin at the far side of each seam intersection helps to match the points. Otherwise pins aren't really needed unless you're a pinning kind of quilter. Press these seams open to reduce bulk.

TaDah!  Your runner is finished. Quilt it, grab a cup of tea and enjoy your newest creation.

Here's a look at two earlier runners I made. The proportions are slightly different but it's the same concept. This design works nicely with focus fabrics that come in both a dark and a light background. The lemon one is one of my favs.

Here's another one using just 3 fabrics instead of 4. Same basic construction. Just make one of the focus fabrics shorter so that when the accent strip is added on this combined measurement is the same width as the other focus fabric.  This way when segments are flipped the accent strip is staggered down the middle.

Well, that's it for my stop on the hop. Hope you've been inspired by some of what you've seen here today and I really do hope you'll come back again. It's been fun getting to know all of you.

Keep on quilting . . . Anne   : )