Bubbles the baby whale quilt is quite photogenic, most of the time!
This goofy (or is it mischievous) little smile reveals the character of Bubbles the baby whale quilt, made with both beautiful sides of fabric.
Bubbles Quilt Pattern is made with both beautiful sides of “Paint Pots” by Kaffe Fassett.
So how does this Marine hide behind these 36 inch square quilts for photo sessions? Very strategically.
First, he starts with a very low, very small, foldable beach chair and positions himself as follows. He tucks his toes into the sand, as close to the chair as possible. Next, he removes the camo boonie cover (i.e. floppy hat) from his head and secures it on his knee.
Then, my husband positions his fingers in the two outermost prairie points on the back of the quilt. See Prairie Point Hanging Method and learn more on YouTube.
After a nod to the photographer (me), he simultaneously drops his head and lifts the quilt, holding it taut and level. Mind you, he can only lift the quilt high enough to avoid the sand, but not reveal his toes, legs or anything else!
Before I share the outtake of Bubbles, the baby whale, take a look at some of these great shots he allowed me to take:
Fiona Quilt Pattern made with both beautiful sides of a Kaffe Fassett floral on a scrappy background.
Sally Quilt Pattern is made with both beautiful sides of Philip Jacobs fabric for Kaffe Fassett Collective.
One month earlier, “watercolor on a whim” wasn’t even a thought in my head.
First, the “watercolor on a whim” theme started as a spring break trip with my daughter, Paige. As often happens with Paige, our trip soon became packed with more things to do than hours in the day (unless there is no sleeping allowed). Therefore, Paige is actually responsible for the “paint brush to fabric” idea – completely. It’s ALL her fault! Blame it all on her.
That said, I’m so glad she made me do it! Here’s how watercolor on a whim happened:
We traveled to Pawhuska, Oklahoma to visit the hometown of Ree Drummond, known as The Pioneer Woman. Now, Paige and I might not know the “in’s” and “out’s” of Ree”s cooking shows and cookbooks, but we are HUGE fans and experts (it is known) of her merchandise! We love everything about it…and it’s kinda, sorta dangerous, in a MUST HAVE ALL PIONEER WOMAN way!
For instance, Paige and I love Ree’s flowers, the graphic design, and the colors. We love the way everything goes together and NOTHING is matchy-matchy. It’s also cool that we can afford at least one piece of most of her merchandise. We cherish that there are no apologies for All Things Pretty when it comes to The Pioneer Woman! (Kinda like “life’s too short for ugly fabric”. Right, sweet quilters?)
Above all, thanks to Ree, there’s always a bright spot in going to Walmart!
Most importantly, we have learned that if you see something you like, grab it immediately. It’s sure to be gone the next time you’re there. Not a bad thing for the bottom line, either – theirs’s…not mine.
Moreover, we love Ree’s business model (what we’ve observed, anyway), her style, her writing, her, well…everything! Especially after reading her two FANTASTIC books which provide a “best friend” look into her life, we are certain that we are “forever friends”! Ree actually states this in her book (and I’m pretty sure she was talking about Paige and me- just kidding – you can be one, too, if you read her book!).
Therefore, considering our shared love of three-tiered white prairie skirts from The Limited (me), ballet (Paige), West Side Story (Paige WAS Maria), and Gone with the Wind (me), Paige and I think Ree loves us, too! She just doesn’t know it yet. (Again, just kidding – not stalkers.)
Watercolor on a whim links back to Pawhuska.
Back to Pawhuska. The Mercantile is fabulous. The food (of course) is, too. The people are friendly. Overall, it’s a wonderful place to visit. The Tall Grass Prairie Preserve is definitely worth the drive just outside of town. I highly recommend a visit! I do recommend checking the lodge tour schedule before you go.
Below, the quilt made with BOTH beautiful sides of Ree’s fabric using my Dazzling Kate pattern is pictured in front of the Merc (short for Mercantile by us “besties”). See my blog post HERE about the quilt pattern. However, this quilt resides in my own kitchen!
Windy (but cute) outtake below:
But what does one do “after hours” in Pawhuska? To summarize, when you’re with Paige, you create! That’s how watercolor flowers on a whim went from paint brush to fabric.
Firstly, we took acrylics, oils, and watercolors and all the supplies we could think up. The darling “Pioneer Woman meets Joanna Gains” cottage where we stayed had great lighting. We covered their beautiful table with a protective table cloth. So we laughed and painted each night until well past our bedtimes.
Paige painting at the cottage.
Our messy table! (She made me post this.)
In addition, during our creative sessions, my opera singer/computer coder girl and I brainstormed as we painted about how she would “fix” my website. Until now, the WordPress site was solely “designed” by me (which is my own “code” for “hey, it’s running, don’t touch anything!”).
Paint brush to fabric started on paper.
For instance, it was Paige’s idea that a) my water color flowers were any good and b) that we should use them on my new website. This is a sample of what we had to work with.
In addition, these steps were taken: scan the paintings on the printer, vectorize them in Adobe Illustrator, make a repeat pattern design (continues seamlessly in all directions), and export assets so Paige could add them to my website. Therefore, you now know how these flowers came to be here- quite on a whim.
In conclusion, the paint brush to fabric idea “blossomed” when this Watercolor Whimsy design became available on Spoonflower as fabric, wallpaper and more! Click on the photos to go to my Spoonflower shop:
Thank you for taking this trip with me through the process of Watercolor Whimsy and a trip to Pawhuska!
Mini Palette Painting at the Merc!
Please share this and future posts, my blog, and website with your friends and on your social media. Until next time, Enjoy your journey, Karla
Tapping into the adorable smile of Bubbles the baby whale, Bubbles is now featured on fabric and merchandise!
Celebrate summer and vacations and beaches and babies! BUBBLES is a happy fellow with an irresistible smile. Now this popular baby whale is popping up everywhere!
Your next celebration might call for more than making a Bubbles the baby whale quilt with your own two hands (gasp)! Shower that new baby or grandbaby with Bubbles on a pillow! Or splurge with curtains or removable wallpaper!
Find Bubbles the baby whale on clothing, phone cases, shower curtains, tablecloths, and more!
Indulge your senses with Bubbles fabric printed by Spoonflower.
BUBBLES the baby whale quilt is created using a fantastic fabric by Kaffe Fassett: Paint Pots. The Paint Pots fabric is a gala of bright layered circles on a muted gray background. The front side makes the shape of the whale. The reverse side of the same fabric makes his under-belly, blow-hole, and (actual) bubbles. It’s a spree of fun when you use BOTH beautiful sides of fabric!
You learn how to audition both sides of fabric with each of my #usebothsides patterns. In other words, it’s all about VALUE. SHOP more than 45 quilt patterns that use both sides of fabric.
Starfish and seaweed dance across a bubblegum pink background while Bubbles swims to and fro.
In other words, there’s almost a theme for every occasion. Try a broderie perse applique. Or pick up a large, pieced quilt pattern. There’s a bison, deer, several bouquet’s, a bee, a butterfly and much more!
Bubbles Quilt Pattern
In conclusion, Bubbles the baby whale is happy to be part of your next party!
Now that I have exhausted all the synonms of celebration words, I will leave you with this thought:
Quilt shops everywhere are opening boxes of Hoffman California’s beautiful “Meet Me in Paradise” fabric used to make the Tropical Sunset quilt pattern!
Before I started designing patterns, I had no idea how short the window is for designing and making quilts for fabric companies. To get the fabric produced and shipped takes much longer!
Sometimes I’ve had less than a week to open a box of fabric, design and make a quilt, write the pattern, photograph the quilt and ship the quilt from Missouri to California. Whew!
Of course, many quilt designers use digital software to “build” their quilts. Fabric companies have digital swatches to download for designing. They can plan the quilt and insert the fabric without taking a stitch. However, fabric companies don’t make swatches of the REVERSE side. Enter the need for real fabric!
For this design, I used my Ipad and the app called Procreate. This is a great drawing and painting app that’s easy to learn and fun to use. In Procreate, you can also make clippings masks of objects (in this case, the photo of the fabric). That’s how I “drew” the bouquet. Here’s the sketch I send to my representative to “pitch” my quilt idea:
As you can see, there’s quite a difference from the sketch to the actual quilt. Things don’t always work like you picture them in your head, right? Sometimes, they are much better in real life and real fabric!
I love that the “wallpaper” border made from the reverse of one coordinating fabric. If you’ve made a #usebothsides quilt pattern before, you know it’s important to audition both sides of fabric with itself (focus) and with surrounding (background, border) fabrics to know if they will actually have enough contrast. That “wildcard” is what makes getting a box of fabric a whole lot exciting and a little bit scary! This is one line that is PERFECT for using both sides!
See more about Tropical Sunset Quilt Pattern HERE.
As orders for patterns come in, I’ll be sharing links to the shops so you can do some online paradise shopping!
It’s not just about quilting skills, but the older I get the more I cherish my past experiences and embrace the journey I’ve been on. Do you keep proof of where you began?
Many of us, I’m sure, miss our days of guild meetings and live programs. One of the main messages of my programs to quilters was for them to reflect on their past and recognize how far they’ve come – to truly enjoy their quilting journey. In addition to experience and maturity, there are lots of influences in our lives that change our outcomes.
I bet you know someone who said they could NEVER quilt, right? My answer (sometimes silently in my head): all you need is a willingness to fail.
For me, to embrace the journey, I try to look at the good, bad, and…yes, ugly! I definitely have those in my collection of quilts! Some great ideas that just don’t quite make the cut. Do you look back at quilts you thought were just grand and laugh as you hide them away? I do. Wow.
But you know what? It’s this way for all things in life, I think. The older I get the more I realize that I could do what I’m doing if I didn’t start somewhere with the desire to learn and a willingness to mess things up!
Recently, I took a bit of my own advice. I pulled out some sample fabrics that I had printed on Spoonflower, framed them in embroidery hoops and hung them on my work wall right over my computer desk. It’s a little painful. These fabrics are absolute rejects. Colors are off, design are just…bad. White lines show the “repeat” was off. They are what they are!
I’m hoping with determination and lots of hard work, I’ll soon have hoops filled with successful designs.
Now I’m in the middle of a fabulous repeat pattern design course and I’m learning to fix all of those things. If you’ve ever been interested in repeat pattern design, I highly recommend following Oksana at Okscania HERE in Spoonflower or also on Pinterest.
Here I share my fails with you my friends. I hope soon I can share some beautiful fabric designs. We will see!
My work wall includes a Spoonflower swatch guide, about 10 clipboards for keeping up with sales, inventory and quilt patterns, clues for Adobe Illustrator, UPC codes for more than 45 patterns and much more! Now the fabric hoops add history and perspective, if not beauty!
These are a couple of ruler pouches made with the fabrics shown above.
See the Merry fabric above? She’s from the red truck quilt pattern. See more about her HERE.
AQ Magazine, also known as American Quilter, features a stunning black and white quilt with a splash of mint green on it’s cover. Get a review of this issue right here.
You’ll likely enjoy the first article in this issue is called, “Give Your Quilt a Bath”! It gives you step by step guidance on how to bathe a quilt that just can’t go into a washing machine. I found the specific instructions (with illustrations) from how to submerse to how to remove the quilt very helpful.
Inside AQ Magazine, you’ll also find seven “irresistible” quilt patterns, some “how-to” articles, and features by contributors. The seven quilt patterns include three “easy”, three “intermediate”, and one “challenging”.
American Quilter is a perk of membership with AQS (American Quilter Society), but is also available on the newsstand. This March 2021 newsstand issue is $6.99.
You’ll find a feature display of MJ Kinman’s “Bourbon Diamonds” which is as interesting as the quilts are beautiful. You might recall the exhibit featured at The National Quilt Museum in Paducah, Kentucky in 2020.
One regular contributor, Gail Garber, discusses the use of color versus contrast with many photo examples.
I hope you find this review of AQ Magazine helpful. Because I’ve found American Quilter to be a high-quality publication, I started with this issue. I can say from a personal standpoint, the company is delightful to work with. I’ll leave a few pics of Merle’s Bouquet here. It was a lot of fun to have her featured in this quality magazine!
Add sparkling borders to turn beautiful Kate into…Dazzling Kate!
First, a short history of how Dazzling Kate came to be: A short four years ago, I began designing quilts using both sides of fabric. Many of the new patterns were based on a 36-inch size wall hanging. The first phase were of a bee, butterfly and dragonfly. The next series of three were bouquets and vases. All of the first six patterns were made using a combination of fusible applique and broderie perse. Click here to learn more about Broderie Perse.
Basically, you take one focus fabric and use both sides of it to gain a difference in value. Sometimes that difference is subtle; sometimes it is stark. It all depends on the style of your quilt and what you are trying to achieve.
For instance, take a look at both sides of this fabric. While the front is very bright, the reverse also has movement and interest. It has a lighter value than the front but still catches your eye.
Front of Kaffe Fassett Collective Japanese Chrysanthemum by Philip Jacobs
Reverse of Kaffe Fassett Collective Japanese Chrysanthemum by Philip Jacobs
What makes Dazzling Kate sparkle is the use of both sides of this one focus fabric!
While the center section remains the same as the original Kate, the borders sparkle around the center with half-square triangles.
Add a “stop” flange to surround the center section using the RIGHT side of the focus fabric. Connect the borders with cornerstones. Even the binding is made with the focus fabric!
Overall, this makes planning this large quilt so easy! Just add interesting “neutrals” and fun accent strips. There’s even a tiny flange attached to the outer edge of the quilt. Dazzling Kate finishes at 60 x 60 inches.
Meet Joyful! This new quilt pattern is an extended version of an original design.
If you’ve followed me a while, you’ll know that the JOY quilt pattern was one of my first designs from way back in 2017. (Not that long ago, really.) This new pattern Joyful steps out of the box and expands the original. You might say she transcends her borders…with the use of borders!
As you can see above, an ombre snowflake panel is a bold choice for a focus fabric. The snowflakes are reflected on the wrapped gifts under three! The backgrounds fabrics are bolder for this quilt than for the original because the borders are an added attraction. You’ll learn to audition both sides of fabric so you can confidently choose focus, background, flange and border fabrics. It’s a lot of fun because you’ll KNOW when you’ve got a great combination!
Add a sparkling border to a center that dazzles with Christmas cheer.
Like all my patterns, you learn how to cleverly use both sides of your fabric to make a unique and intriguing quilt. The front of your Christmas focus fabric makes the tree. The reverse makes the gifts under the tree. See the soft “reflection” of the tree on the gift wrapping?
Flange adds more interest!
Add interest to your quilt with two flanges. The first frames the center of the quilt and is made with a stripe (mine was cut on the bias, but you can purchase bias stripe if you prefer).
The second flange pulls your eye through the quilt from the center out to the edge.
For all of the handwork involved, quilting today also involves a lot of technology.
First, we can design our own patterns with software. Secondly, we check our phone apps for backing or binding requirements. Thirdly, you might use your phone camera to take pictures of fabric to match. (Learn how to audition BOTH beautiful sides of fabric using your phone*). Another option is to digitize your own embroidered labels or quilt blocks. We shop online and instantly download quilt patterns. As a result, all this technology can speed up our quilting experience.
Digital quilting technology gives you more options than ever before.
Pinterest, Etsy, designing software, and phone apps are just a few ways quilting technology helps us. With a click of a button you can add a border to that new quilt on EQ8. Add new stitches to your own embroidery design. Download your new favorite pattern online.
My current favorite phone apps are the Robert Kaufman Quilting Calculators, Missouri Star, Etsy, and even Monogram Lite. You can get apps for tablets and Ipads, too!
Digital quilting patterns give you immediate access. Just download and print on your own printer. It’s easy and instantly rewarding!
First, see a whole board of digital patterns from a variety of designers HERE.
In response to numerous requests for instant downloads, I’ve added digital versions of some titles. Many #usebothsides patterns include large paper templates. Therefore, I limit the downloadable versions to ones that fit a regular sheet of paper OR that won’t require monumental enlargements. See more about this at the VariLovable Star Digital Pattern post.
NEW digital quilting patterns added in my Etsy shop: Creative Bee Studios are shown as follows. Click on the photo to link directly to the product.
Check back for new digital download quilt patterns!
Lastly, technology helps us find quilt gift ideas. The digital side of quilting also gives use the tools to create our own works of art. So think about how you use technology in your everyday quilting. Do you create your own designs? Do you get inspiration from Pinterest or shop websites?
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Little Susieis a cute mini art quilt made with both beautiful sides of one focus fabric!
Find a favorite floral fabric and some scrappy background fabrics. Snag yourself an bit of time and make up this mini art quilt TODAY!
Little Susie is a mini art quilt pattern that’s a pint-size of fun!
Similar to other patterns that use both beautiful sides of fabric, Little Susie is a miniature version. She’s the perfect size to hang from a table-top quilt stand. Also, she’s a great way to learn all about using both sides of fabrics in a quick, easy project! You will discover the nuances of value as you learn to audition and choose fabrics. Notice the mason jar is a lighter version of the floral focus fabric? It’s the reverse!
Furthermore, there’s no need to tracing flower shapes onto fusible, because you cut straight from your fabric motif. It’s what I call “modern broderie perse”. Learn more about broderie perse.
Choosing a focus fabric is key.
For this mini art quilt, size is something to consider when you choose your floral focus fabric. The larger the motif, the fewer you need to cut. Likewise, the smaller the print, the more you need to cut.
Check the size of your focus fabric flowers.
Happily, there’s so need to fret over the cutting, because these quilts don’t require perfectly cut blooms. This is a fun, fast way to arrange your own little bouquet of flowers in a pint-size mason jar!
Each #usebothsides patterns teaches you how to audition both sides of your focus fabric and backgrounds fabrics. It’s easy to do and once you know how, you may never look at one side of fabric again!
Get the BONUS: Prairie Point Hanging Method.
Each pattern includes how to use prairie points for fast and easy quilt hanging. Watch (and SUBSCRIBE) on YouTube to learn more!
Need a larger mason jar bouquet quilt? Read about Grace HERE.
