Finding just the right fabric

Quilters these days have all kinds of options when it comes to fabric choices.  No longer are we relegated to what the current stores have, along with what is in the scrap bin at home.  We can now use the internet to put together creations as unique as we are!  Also, companies now produce precut fabric lines for ease of sewing.  Charm packs, layer cakes, jelly rolls, dessert rolls, turnovers, honey buns and candy (anyone getting hungry yet) are all different cuts that are used.  And patterns have been made specifically for these precuts - what a way to save time and money on an easy quilt!!!

However, even with the precuts, you still need to find fabric that will work for the borders, binding and backing of your quilt.  I recently finished one quilt top that has been patiently waiting to be sandwiched, since I couldn't find the perfect backing.  Remember this quilt?  It's the Modern Baby Hexagon Quilt made with a Moda Citrus Brights charm pack.

It took me a long time to decide on the backing.  I wanted to make this a unisex baby quilt, since it has pink and purple, but also red blue and green, in it.  But finding something that would work was taking too long!  Rainbow stripes were too bright.  I found a great hexagonal print from Stonehenge by Northcott, but couldn't actually find it for sale anywhere!  Dots were all too boyish or girlish.  Zigzags were, in my opinion, too out there.  Finally, I went back to the basics - the fabric used was Moda Marbles.  Did that come in anything else?  Yes it did!  I have my choice of swirls or dots.

I'm leaning to the blue dot, as I have a great green in my scrap bin for binding.

And now to the second piece of joy for the day:  I was at JoAnns last week for a quick stock up, and ran across this wonderful elephant fabric in the juvenile section.  It is brand new, and I knew that I had to try making a baby boy quilt out of it.  

Isn't that just the most adorable fabric?  The argyle on the left is the backing, and the offset chevron and large elephants are for piecing the top.  I decided to play off of the argyle backing, and make a plaid style top, making stripes out of solids for the plaid portion, and using the chevron and fussy cut elephants and the blocks. That required choosing solids, but the selection at JoAnns was pretty slim.  I was playing around online yesterday, and stumbled onto Pink Chalk Fabrics.  They have preselected fat quarter "stacks", and one was designed for QuiltCon 2013.  And what do you know, the colors are perfect!  Its on its way to me now.

So remember, quilting is meant to be fun.  Don't stress about the right fabric.  It'll come along.  Just spend the time waiting finding more inspiration!

Cyber Quilts

For many quilters, inspiration comes from all over.  Some like to follow patterns in magazines, others choose to purchase patterns.  Some quilters can see a picture of another quilt and replicate it, while some create their own quilts.  Just as in every other artistic branch, design can come from nature, from house and home, or from a dream.  The great thing about the internet is the amount of inspiration allowed to quilters.  Ever hear of pinterest?  You can get lost there.  Seriously, the 10th Mountain Division might be needed to find you at some point.  LOL.

Another great way to have quilty fun online is to join a block of the month or quilt along group.  Over at Sew Fresh Quilts, a quilt group is starting a great project called an Oblongagonalong.  Hexagons can be one of the hardest quilt patterns to sew, because of the inset Y seam, but this great project looks like it will bring me past my fear of anything but straight seams!  Want to join in?  Just click on the Oblongagonalong gadget over on the right sidebar.

Pictures to come.......

Modern Hexagon Baby Quilt, Part 1

For Christmas, I was in a Secret Santa swap, and received this beautiful Citrus Marbles charm pack by Moda.  

I knew as soon as I saw the charm pack exactly what I wanted to make.  I had in my stash a half hexagon template from Missouri Star Quilt Company, and was itching to use it.  I took off to Pinterest to find some inspiration, and spotted an unusual layout on hexagon floor tile.  That’s it!  I started to cut the charms into half hexagons.  The easy way is to line up the smaller edges of the template with the charm square, and cut down the center of the charm.  Then cut off the small triangles on each side.

Once you’ve cut all the charms, start laying out your design.  I have a design wall by Fons & Porter, which is a great tool.  After a few tries, I settled on this pattern.  I love how it flows from light to dark, and light to heavy. 

Turning to my white stash, I realized I only had enough yardage in a thin muslin – off to my local quilt shop!  Thankfully KC Framing and Fabrics had white Kona in stock.  For this design, I needed 9 2.5 by WOF strips.  A jelly roll would have been easier, if I had one on hand.  I cut 90 half hexagons out of the strips, then cut 17 of those in half to form the edges.   

If you're right handed, the easy way to cut a template out of strips is to lay your template on the right hand side of the strip (I always lay the selvage on the right) and cut off the right hand side.

Once you have the right side cut off, flip the entire strip of fabric around so the cut side is on your left.  Now cut each section, flipping the template as you go.

Once everything was cut (finally!!!), I laid out the white half hexagons on the design wall, and stepped back.  For now, I love it.  If I feel the same tomorrow, it's off to the sewing machine!!

Part 2:  Sewing all those hexagons together, the easy way!

Just to show off a couple of projects. :D

This is my first quilt - its called Pinwheels and Prairie Points by Moda Bake Shop.  I used Posy by Aneela Hoey as my fabric.  This went to the beautiful new baby girl that my best friend from high school had in July.

I saw a runner like this in a catalog last year, and made it without the stars, since I didn't know how to applique yet.  I love the antique look of it.

The next two are both baby quilts - and are both unfinished, even though the baby has been born!  I need to get back to these soon.  The blue and white is falling charms by Missouri Star Quilt Co, and the brights is a disappearing 9 patch surrounding panel pictures that were fussy cut, also a pattern from M*.

Open for Business!!!

I didn't think I would ever get to this point, and am surprised that I'm here!  My business registration and NYS Tax ID are all set, business cards are ordered, Etsy is set up.  Wow - now I need to get back to my machine and start whipping out finished projects!

What am I selling?  At home, I can make baby quilts, lap throws, table runners, dresden circle table toppers, tote bags, fabric boxes, coasters, placemats, hot pads, pot holders.  The list is really endless!  Custom orders are always welcome!

I've found a great group of friends online, and am always searching blogs for more information. I can't wait to start creating my own designs and putting tutorials online.

God has given me the talent of quilting, now its up to me to use his blessing to the fullest!