Muted Me

This may be as close to pastel as I can get...I do love bright, but thought I would try something a little different.

15 1/2" x 44 1/2"

My Peppered Cotton stash included a set of very pretty fat quarters.  I kept them together thinking at some point they would become 'one' with each other.

And they did eventually become one!  Along with a mixture of Shot Cottons and Kona Shadow for the background!

I used EQ7 to create a few different triangle shapes and printed the paper piece templates out.  Paper piecing is especially easy when it's a simple shape like these are. 

These templates will ensure each block will be perfect.  Which was important for when I pieced two of the same blocks together to make a one diamond block.

I wish I had taken 'in progress' pictures, but when the idea for this design came to me, I went in to a frenzy and before I knew it...it was nearly finished!  The only picture I have is a bad picture I posted on Instagram!

I hope to use this same idea for a quilt.  Still working on that idea!  I may make the blocks into one diamond instead of two triangles.  And I was thinking maybe I would try the freezer paper method.  Has anyone tried that?  I found the tutorial from Becca @ Bryan House Quilts.  It looks promising!

I went a little crazy with the quilting.  Straight lines, coordinating threads...you, fun stuff!

A stripe across the back for extra 'oomph'.

I found that while this isn't exactly pastel, I loved working with this color palette.  It was a welcome change and I felt like I stretched myself.  I know that sounds totally ridiculous!  

And to be honest, chartreuse isn't exactly a pastel color!  

Is there a color combination you are afraid to try?  Or want to try?  I would love to use these colors again, maybe with a different background.  No idea what that would be and most likely...it'll be grey!

LINKING:

Sew Cute Tuesday

Let's Bee Social

It's Votin' Time! Blogger's Quilt Festival

What a whirlwind it's been with the Blogger's Quilt Festival!!  I cannot stop looking at all the beautiful quilts entered!  Each year they get better and better!

I have been entering quilts in the festival for a few years and imagine my shock, surprise and gratitude when I saw that my 'Black & White Illusion' quilt had been nominated in the Viewer's Choice Category!  What??!!

Blogger's Fall Quilt Festival ~ 2015 ~ Illusion

LARGE QUILT CATEGORY

I honestly don't know what to say other than Thank You!  Regardless of the outcome, for me it's already a win!  I'm grateful that I'm able to share my journey of quilting.  And grateful for the support from this amazing quilting community!  

I encourage you to check out and vote for your favorite quilts in all the categories!  You have until November 5th to cast your vote!  

Go fill your mind with inspiration...see the eye candy!

Blogger's Quilt Festival ~ Vote Here!!

Fall Flavor

Fall is in the air ~ everywhere!  Along with the leaves changing to brilliant orange, red and yellow, the weather is rapidly changing as well.  Crisp mornings and chilly evenings.  Around here it has been one big rain-fest for days!  One big soggy mushy mess! 

That being said, I wanted to take a photo of this quilt among the quickly changing trees.  I can picture it nestled over a branch and surrounded my fall foliage, but mother nature is not going to allow that anytime soon!

I'm back to my Kaffe Fassett woven stripes!  This time I will finally use the newest of new colors.

With the older woven stripes I seemed to always go with Kona Khaki or a Chocolate brown. These new colors screamed for something more.  Something different.

I thought about it for a second and knew that Kona Storm would be the chosen one.  It's a beautiful deep, dark and rich color and it paired well with the autumn colors of the stripes.

Some of you may recognize this pattern, 'My Guy', which I've used it in several quilts before. I saw it years ago in an issue of American Patchwork & Quilting (June 2009) and it immediately drew me in.  It makes a wonderful masculine quilt and is perfect with woven stripes.  I use the pattern for reference only.  I like to make the blocks bigger or mix sizes.

Plus...it goes together fast!  Who doesn't love a quick quilt?!  

For the quilting I went with straight lines and waves.  Nothing fancy, but it works for this quilt and for me!

I tried to get a good picture of the entire quilt with not much success!  I'm telling you...the weather is not helping at all!

45" x 64 1/2"
Kaffe Fassett Woven Stripes
Kona Storm

Because I had the stripes out...I decided to delve into the 'COOL' side of things!  This one will be much larger.  I'm using Kona Shadow for the background, I've changed the size of the blocks (again) and I'm using two different widths.

When a design/pattern works for me I seem to go back to it time and again.  And, if I'm looking for a 'quicky'...you can bet this one is at the top of the list!  

I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this kind of thinking!  Do you have a 'Go To' design?  The perfect 'Quick Quilt' you like to make?

LINKING:

Let's Bee Social

WIP Wednesday

  Needle & Thread
Fabric Frenzy Friday
Crazy Mom Quilts

Blogger's Fall Quilt Festival ~ 2015 ~ Illusion

It's all an Illusion!  Warning:  Staring too long at this quilt may make you dizzy!

My second entry in the Blogger's Quilt Festival, will be in the LARGE QUILT CATEGORY. Presenting:  The Optical Illusion Quilt.  

A black & white quilt had always been on my bucket list, along with making an optical illusion quilt. The logical choice was to marry both together!    

This is the second time I made this quilt design.  The first, Black + White = Illusion was quite an adventure!  When I decided to make it again (Illusion Number Two), it became quite the misadventure!  I misplaced my original notes and directions.  When I finally found them...I could barely make heads or tails out of it!  

Not letting that stop me, I eventually figured out what I needed to do!  Lot's of black and white, strip piecing, tiny squares...all pieced to perfection!
  

51" x 75"
Kona Cotton

I machine quilted this one using Aurifil White thread in an organic (very) vortex design.  It turned out much better than I thought or hoped it would.  Perfect for this illusion! 

I love how the white shows up on the back.  Black & white...keeping with the theme!

When it came to laying out the blocks on the design wall, it was harder than it looked!  One wrong block and there goes the illusion!  Which in fact was exactly what I did!  It was an easy fix and all ended well!

I'm sure this design will be revisited again one day.  I might even change it up a bit!  For someone who thrives on color, this was totally the opposite of that!  Which is a good thing!  Change it up, step outside the box and push yourself...that is the wonderful thing about designing and quilting!

Stats:
Kona Black & White Fabric
51" x 75"
Aurifil White Thread
Warm & Natural Batting
Machine Quilted

Blogger's Quilt Festival Fall ~ 2015  

Entered in the LARGE QUILT CATEGORY 

Fall Festival Schedule!

October 23-29, 2015 – Linky’s Open & Nominate for Viewer’s Choice

October 29-November 5, 2015 – Vote for favorites in each of the categories

November 6, 2015 – Winners announced