Tag: Fusible Applique (Page 1 of 3)

A Great Blue Quilt

September 14, 2020 / The Bee

Introducing…Lord Stanley.

This guy is hot off the quilt pattern presses. But why call this a great blue quilt?

(And what’s with that name, you might ask?)

Of course, Lord Stanley is a Great Blue Heron. I met this guy on the beach over a year ago. He was hanging around the fishermen and didn’t mind a bit that I got close to him. That’s when I started sketching a great blue quilt.

To understand this “blue” thing, you gotta know a bit about my family. We used to live in Pensacola (twice). My husband, a former Marine fighter pilot of F/A-18 Hornets, introduced me to air shows and the Blue Angels thirty years ago. The “Blues” do a beach air show every year on Pensacola Beach- the best air show EVER. So the beach and the Blues are a thing for us.

Do you get the feeling this could be like the six degrees of Kevin Bacon? See It’s a Bear Out There.

Enter Lord Stanley. Last year while I was creating this Great Blue Heron quilt using BOTH beautiful sides of BLUE fabric, the St. Louis Blues hockey team were in the playoffs for the coveted prize…the Stanley Cup.

Image of a great blue heron quilt — ***Lord Stanley*** Quilt Pattern and Fabric Kits Available HERE

When the STL Blues WON and I needed a name for this guy, well…”Lord Stanley” stuck!

The traditional prized cup now known as the Stanley Cup was purchased in 1893 by Canada’s governor-general Lord Stanley of Preston.

Now anytime my family sees a Great Blue Heron, they tell me they’ve seen Lord Stanley!

Use both sides of one focus fabric for Lord Stanley (bird body), his throat details (reverse), the borders (reverse), and the binding! Make an easy, scrappy background beach scene for this guy and he’ll be right at home, wherever he’s hanging.

Image of a great blue heron quilt at poolside

SHOP more than 35 designs that use both beautiful sides of fabric in my Etsy shop: Creative Bee Studios.

See more ways to #usebothsides by searching the hashtag on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram or your favorite search engine.

Image of Fiona — Fiona Quilt Patternwww.etsy.com/shop/CreativeBeeStudios #usebothsides

Christmas (Quilts) in July

July 3, 2020 / The Bee

Christmas (Quilts) in July? Yes, it’s a thing! Ours is a craft that requires lead time!

Let’s think of happy days ahead, with family and friends and gifts of joy and comfort. I love the idea of combining two of my favorite things: Christmas and quilts. I hope you’ll enjoy this month to contrast our lovely, warm summer with a taste of the crisp winter to come.

Introducing…Noelle.

Christmas (Quilts) in July Noelle Pattern

Noelle is quilted wall hanging pattern of a cute little pair of ice skates (like you might hang on your front door at Christmas time) with beautiful bouquets of winter flowers spilling out their tops. Her background is snowy white (scrappy) with fun winter-y accent fabrics. Like most #usebothsides quilt patterns, this one is fast and easy!

Go check your stash! I bet you have a Christmas floral in there, just aging for the right quilt! You’ll use your focus fabric for the skates (reverse), bouquets, and the binding!

Years ago I made myself a Christmas jumper out of this beautiful poinsettia fabric. I couldn’t bear to part with that jumper because I loved the fabric. I cut it apart and will use it as my focus fabric in my ice skates quilt!
Nancy

Next pull out your winter motif fabrics! Just five fabrics and two accent strips make up the background. Super fast!

With the Noelle quilt pattern, you’ll learn how to audition both sides of fabrics to pick just the right focus and background fabrics.

The technique for making your bouquets is what I like to call Modern Broderie Perse. (Click HERE for more information about Broderie Perse.) Basically, it’s fusible applique while using your fabric motif as your cutting guide! See, it is fast and easy! And if your fabric has bonus motifs, like pine cones or birds, you can add those to your masterpiece! Quilters at workshops and classes seem to have the best time arranging their bouquets!

The best part is, once you make Noelle, you’ll know the technique for making all the broderie perse #usebothsides patterns!

SHOP more than 35 patterns & fabric kits HERE Creative Bee Studios Etsy Shop.

(This focus fabric is available while supplies last -click the link above.)

Have you made Christmas quilts this year? Join me on Facebook at Creative Bee Studios and share your quilts!

Follow my Christmas Quilts board on Pinterest!

Enjoy your quilting journey, Karla

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Modern Broderie Perse

June 19, 2020 / The Bee

I define Modern Broderie Perse as cutting fusible applique from fabric motifs. Its a faster way to achieve artistry in quilts.

Broderie Perse as a quilting technique has stood the test of time.

While Broderie Perse was popular in the 17th Century in Europe, it most likely originated in India. The fabrics were traditional florals. Birds and vases were also common themes. Sewers would cut the fabric by using the motifs as their templates. Then they turned the stitches and hand-appliqued them to backgrounds. The darker colors were often paired with beige backgrounds.

I was only vaguely aware of this quilting technique when I discovered using the reverse side of fabric for my quilt pattern designs. I liked the idea of using fabric motifs as templates for cutting because it would allow each quilt to be unique. Imagine a dozen quilters using the same pattern, each with a different focus fabric. By cutting fusible applique from fabric motifs, each quilt is different in size, value, color, and style.

This is all achieved by using different focus fabric and a Modern Broderie Perse technique! Remember, it’s all about cutting fusible applique from fabric motifs.

So, for example, if your fabric has large flowers, you’ll cut fewer of them for your design. You’ll also space them differently. You’ll audition background fabrics with both sides of your focus fabric. Therefore, chances are your backgrounds will also be unique. You might add additional motifs, like birds or bees, in your quilt – whatever is in your focus fabric!

My classes taught me how adaptable Broderie Perse is – with their unique results!

Modern Broderie Quilts Made in Class — Fabulously different “Grace” quilts made by Heartland Quilters Guild Members!

Grace Quilt Pattern uses the Modern Broderie Perse technique. — **Grace** Quilt Pattern

Vibrant colors and variety of styles make Modern Broderie Perse exciting and fun for today’s quilters.

Merle's Bouquet Quilt made with Modern Broderie Perse — ***Merle’s Bouquet*** Quilt Pattern

See “Kate’s Bouquet” made with Modern Broderie Perse

Shop All Patterns

Enjoy your quilting journey!

Remember “Merle’s Bouquet” Quilt?

April 10, 2020 / The Bee

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Shop more than 30 quilt designs using BOTH sides of fabric @ etsy.com/shop/CreativeBeeStudios

Merle’s vintage watering can was the inspiration for this fun, easy art quilt – learn the nuances of value as you arrange your own bouquet! See more about “Merle’s Bouquet” HERE.

#usebothsides

Meet Pinky…The Baby Octopus Quilt

February 17, 2020 / The Bee

Like most of my patterns, it all starts with the fabric – the focus fabric!

When I saw this darling fish-bone fabric by dear Stella, I immediately imagined a cute octopus – but first, I had to google: Do octopus eat fish? Well, deep water ones do and this little gal has enjoyed her fill!

So, here is Pinky! Keep in mind, if you find a great blue or purple fabric or even the blue/gray fish-bone by dear Stella, you can call him “Inky”!

There are lots of nautical or coastal motifs on the market that would work well for the Pinky quilt pattern!

In case you are new to this concept, these easy quilt patterns are designed to use BOTH sides of fabric to achieve an interesting balance of values. The patterns teach you how to audition BOTH sides of focus fabrics to choose just the right one AND how to audition BOTH sides of your focus fabric with your scrappy background fabrics. In the process, you learn the nuances of value – a great skill to apply to all quilt planning.

The top of Pinky’s body and the binding are made using the front side of the focus fabric and her under-side and bubbles are made using its reverse.

Pinky comes with a full-size paper template and detailed instructions.

Pinky and all her friends are available at my Etsy Shop: Creative Bee Studios.

Want to learn more about using both sides? See information about classes, programs, and workshops HERE.

Follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram where I regularly share quilts from classes and customers!

Next time you are shopping for fabric, at a LQS or in your own stash, turn it over and #usebothsides !

Textures of Christmas Time

December 9, 2019 / The Bee

Do you use quilts in your Christmas decor? How about layering some additional textures among the quilts? Here are a couple ways to explore other techniques and textiles to add to your holiday handmade joy:

The background quilt (laser cut kit) was made a number of years ago, when aqua became a Christmas color! (I love aqua and it’s here to stay in parts of my Christmas/winter decorating!) This was such a fun kit and there were lots of added textures, like the skate strings, buttons, and “pearl” necklaces on the birds!

Add in a little punch needle snowman…

Layered on a snowflake runner (snowflakes cut on Accuquilt)…

…add in a little manger scene made with vinyl and a wool candle wrap for another layer of crafting fun!

Image of Candlelight Wool Wrap and Manger Scene

To make the candle wrap, I just cut strips of muslin on the diagonal and stitched down the middle of them onto a piece of wool. I then threw them in the washer and dryer with a load of towels and they came out nice and fuzzy. I still plan to blanket stitch around the edges of the wool – oh, and it connects in back with a button and a thin hair elastic, sewn to the wool.

I made one several years ago for a friend, using the Accuquilt snowflake:

This Christmas bear quilt was made from a McKenna Ryan kit – but I changed his hat and mitten and made them from an old wool sweater that was in my mother-in-law’s stash.

…and of course, JOY made from BOTH sides of a Hoffman California Fabric panel is keeping in the aqua winter theme.

Image of JOY Quilt Hanging — JOY Quilt Pattern

JOY and all her pals (quilt patterns and focus fabric kits) are found in my Etsy shop: Creative Bee Studios (Click HERE).

Wishing you layers of joy this Christmas season!

Image of Red Truck Quilt in Front of Barn — "Merry"

Introducing…Merry!

November 3, 2019 / The Bee

It’s beginning to look (and feel) a lot like winter!

Use BOTH sides of one red Christmas fabric on a snowy bed of winter fabrics.

This little red truck is dashing through a snowy lane.

“Merry” quilt pattern is available in my Etsy shop: HERE

More Christmas patterns:

JOY – Use BOTH sides of ornament fabric, toy motifs, stars, snowflakes, pine motif fabrics…or many other fabrics for this joyful tree. The gifts beneath the tree are made using the reverse side.

Pepita – every year there are many, many poinsettia fabrics on the market – you likely have at least one in your stash – turn it over and see if the reverse would make a beautiful pot for your own poinsettia quilt! Super fun to arrange and goes together quickly! Pepita is named after the little girl in the The Legend of the Poinsettia.

“Holly” is made using BOTH sides of two panels OR BOTH sides of Christmas motif fabrics! This quilt was designed for Hoffman California Fabrics and is featured on the cover of their Winter Projects 2019 catalog!

Have a wonder-filled quilting journey!

Step Inside the Yellow Door Quilt Store

October 10, 2019 / The Bee

In the heart of Indiana is a bright yellow door. Open it to find a cute little quilt shop filled with fun, beautiful fabric!

It’s the Yellow Door Quilt Store!

Located in Nashville, Indiana, south of Indianapolis, the Yellow Door Quilt Store carries unique and mostly bright fabrics – maybe a bit of a modern flare, but something for everyone!

I met the owner, Mary Beth, when I popped in to her booth at the Paducah quilt show – I knew right away her fabrics would work beautifully with my patterns. We hit it off and she now carries many of my designs!

Mary Beth’s fabric lines/books/patterns include: Kaffe Fassett Collective, Marcia Derse, Kathy Doughty, Jane Sasseman, and Alexander Henry and many more.

Here is Flora made with BOTH beautiful sides of a QT Fabrics floral:

It was Mary Beth’s idea that I make a pattern of a sugar skull using both sides of one focus fabric. My first shipment of “Flora” patterns now reside (temporarily) at the Yellow Door Quilt Store! #usebothsides

Image of jSugar Skull Quilt — Flora (flawr-uh)

Visit Mary Beth online HERE or in her quilt store!

Visit my Etsy SHOP to see more BRAND NEW patterns and all the favorites that #usebothsides of beautiful fabric!

Image of Bouquet Quilt — "Kate's Bouquet"

Kate Goes Modern

September 26, 2019 / The Bee

Do you remember the quilt design of a vase and bouquet using Kaffe Fassett fabric? I mean it was only…(counting)…20 #usebothsides patterns ago!

“Kate” was made using both sides of Japanese Chrysanthemum by Philip Jacobs for Kaffe Fassett Collective. Kate’s Bouquet also uses the same fabric (different colorway) and only two other fabrics for this large, striking look!

Shop “Kate” HERE. Kate is a 36 x 36 inch quilt made using only one focus fabric for the vase (reversed), bouquet (broderie perse) and binding on a scrappy background.

Kate’s Bouquet finishes at 64″ x 64″, making her a lovely statement in a home. The negative space gives her a modern appeal. And the best part: you only need three fabrics to make this quilt! Use BOTH beautiful sides of the focus fabric and table fabric and get one fabulous fabric for the background!

Here’s a pic of my friend, Linda’s quilt, she calls “Rose”. Her version has a calm feel about it and goes perfectly in her newly decorated living room.

Just imagine, you could have a background that mimics wall paper or old plaster walls. So many options!

And, of course, there are always fabulous floral fabrics on the market for designing your own bouquet!

Remember, it’s all about value. See The Tricky Traits of Value .

Each pattern comes with tips for auditioning BOTH sides of your fabric AND a full-size paper template* PLUS the Bonus: Prairie Point Hanging Method!

Shop “Kate’s Bouquet” HERE, at my Etsy Shop

Merle’s Bouquet is available NOW in the AQ Magazine, September 2019 Issue! Pick it up on the newsstand, your favorite quilt shop, or my Etsy Shop/CreativeBeeStudios.

Heartland Quilts

August 16, 2019 / The Bee

Watching quilts come to life is tons of fun – especially when each one has a personality of it’s own. That’s what happens when everyone chooses a focus fabric for class.

The Heartland Quilters’ Guild has a “Quilt Away” where they retreat for days of classes, stitching, and fun. It’s a beautiful setting for a quilt retreat. I was excited to kick off their weekend with the Grace Quilt Class.

Take a look at how these “Grace” quilts each take on a unique look – it’s all about the fabric and the “floral” designer (quilter)!

Image of Grace Quilt Pattern — The Grace Quilt Pattern is available in my Etsy Shop. Click the picture for link.

Hope to see these quilters again soon and hear more about how they #usebothsides!

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