Tag: Use Both Beautiful Sides (Page 1 of 2)

It’s a Whale’s Tale

February 24, 2022 /

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Table of contents

It started with a sketch and ended up as whale quilting fabric!

First things first: this sketch was made for punch needle, not whale quilting fabric. But sometimes things have to simmer a while. In other words, ideas need to age like a fine wine or quilt fabric that has yet to find its rightful place!

Surprisingly, Bubbles (and his focus fabric) had already been designed before this tail sketch became part of a fabric. Read about him in Uncork the Bubbles!

image of whale quilt
BUBBLES Quilt Pattern

First, the sketchy whale tail.

image of whale quilting fabric and sketch
Sketches to fabric.

Learn more about how to use Spoonflower at Spoonflower How-To.

The whale tail shown above, with a sand dollar and seashell, are rough sketches made years ago. The first result of the tail sketch is in a tiny frame here surrounded by seashells and a “watercolor” whale.

Punch needle before whale quilting fabric.

Image of punch needle whale
Punch needle whale tail.

Click here to see Redbubble merchandise with the blue whale shown above.

Initially, having numerous designs in my Seashore Friends Fabric Collection on Spoonflower, it had not dawned on me to use the whale tail sketch. However, it didn’t take long to work this tail into an interesting stripe of whale quilting fabric.

Deciding on the elements for the striped design.

Whale Quilting Fabric on Spoonflower
Whale Tail Stripe fabric on Spoonflower.

Putting the whale quilting fabric design all together.

Furthermore, the initial fabric design began with a collection of sand dollars. Next came the sand dollars. Finally, because I was searching for an interesting third element, I remembered the whale tail punch needle.

Lastly, I made sure the directional elements went both North and South, to give more usability to the fabric.

See matching merchandise in my Redbubble shop!

See the Seashore Friends baby quilt that’s made with both beautiful sides of my Spoonflower fabrics!

I hope you’ve enjoyed seeing this fabric’s simmering process!

Enjoy YOUR quilting journey!

image of baby quilt

Seashore Friends Baby Quilt

August 31, 2021 /

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Table of contents

Brand New: Seashore Friends Baby Quilt Pattern!

Create a fun, fast baby quilt using one block, four fabrics, and BOTH beautiful sides!

Firstly, the new Seashore Friends quilt is made with this one block – Rippling 4-Patch.

Image of Reflecting 4-Patch

To start, the Rippling 4-Patch block is made with seven squares and two 4-patch units. You’ll make the swell of the rippling wave “reflect” by using the reverse of each fabric to mimic the sunlight on the crest of the waves.

Use both beautiful sides of four fabrics!

Next, use four fabrics to make the blocks that repeat outward from the center diagonal line.

In this baby quilt you see four fabrics from Seashore Friends Fabric Collection (my own designs), printed by Spoonflower on the exquisite Organic Cotton Sateen. Learn more about Organic Cotton Sateen HERE. This fabric is a delight for quilters and PERFECT for baby!

image of baby quilt
Seashore Friends Quilt Pattern

Gentle rippling waves come to shore in this one-block quilt. Use the reverse side of four fabrics to mimic the sun’s reflection on the crest of the waves. No matter what your fabric motif, the reverse will add an “I Spy” activity for baby.

Seashore Friend Baby Quilt
Image of baby quilt fabric
Seashore Friends Fabric Collection

See the full Seashore Friends Fabric Collection

Furthermore, you can find more baby quilt gift ideas, including matching accessories like bibs, drag-along blankets, even personalizable gifts right in my Etsy shop. Together with my personal touch for customized orders, these print-on-demand items will ship straight to you from the print shop where my artwork is applied.

baby quilt with soft book panel
The Adventures of Bubbles the Baby Whale Soft Book Panel

Stitch up a quick little soft book for your special baby using the fat-quarter panel of Organic Cotton Sateen to go with your baby quilt!

Additionally, see more about The Adventures of Bubbles the Baby Whale soft book DIY panel. Watch on YouTube!

Not a nautical nursery?

Finally, suppose you (or the baby’s parents) aren’t into nautical baby. What to do? Consider other motifs like tractors, frogs, flowers, hearts – anything really, as long as they have beautiful reverse sides that work for your quilt!

image of babyquilt and merchandise
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Enjoy your quilting journey!

Image of magazine

AQ Magazine Review

February 8, 2021 /

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.

As you read on the cover of AQ Magazine, their motto is: Discover, Inspire, Create.

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!

Image of AQ Magazine Cover
Image of Quilt in AQ Magazine
Image of Quilt and Focus Fabric
Merle’s Bouquet Pattern and Focus Fabric Kit

SHOP more than 50 quilt patterns that use both beautiful sides of fabric!

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Mini Bouquet Quilt

Modern Broderie Perse

June 19, 2020 /

Modern Broderie Perse is the method of cutting fabric motifs from fused fabrics. Its a faster way to achieve artistry in quilts.

Broderie Perse stands the test of time as a specialty quilting technique.

While this technique was popular in the 17th Century in Europe, Broderie Perse 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.

Image of Traditional Broderie Perse

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!

Image of Dash About Quilt

Use Both Beautiful Sides of This New Fabric

May 14, 2020 /

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

Table of contents

Use both beautiful sides of Hoffman California Fabrics “Floral Rhapsody” with the Dash About pattern!

This classic nestled churn dash quilt is getting a whole new look when you use both beautiful sides of three fabrics from the Floral Rhapsody line!

These Hoffman California Fabrics fabrics are whimsical florals in three brilliant colorways. Floral Rhapsody will add a whole lot of sparkle to your quilts when you use BOTH beautiful sides.

First, a look at the original quilt.

Below you see the original Dash About quilt, a nestled churn dash quilt made with three very different styles of fabrics. The first, innermost churn dash is made from a small traditional blue print. It is a mystery fabric, as I inherited it from my mother-in-law and there was no selvage edge. The middle churn dash block is “Raindrops Poppies” by Anna Maria Horner; the super large block is made from an oversized floral backing fabric by Kaffe Fassett. The results make a stunning quilt. For instance, there is added interest by using both sides of varying motif fabrics. Learn more about the original Dash About quilt.

Image of Quilt showing how I use both beautiful sides

Now, take a look at both sides of these fabulous fabrics from Hoffman California Fabrics!

Image of how to use both beautiful sides of Hoffman Fabrics
Splash, Light Bright, and Summer

Now let’s use both beautiful sides of “Floral Rhapsody”!

Do you see the layers of patterns including vines, feathers, flowers, leaves, swirls and more? Can you can see the faintest hint of movement and color on the reverse side? Using the reverse side for the “background” of your churn dash blocks adds a dimension of interest to your quilt. In other words, your eye will hover over the quilt as your brain determines the subtle surprise of using the reverse.

I just love it when a quilt draws me in for more!

Image of Dash About for Hoffman Quilt Pattern, showing another way to use both beautiful sides
Image of Dash About Pattern Cover

Notice the sparkle of this whimsical line? Quilts sparkle with interest when you use both sides. See this quilt in Hoffman California Fabrics Spring Projects Catalog.

In conclusion, you’ll add a little spark to your quilts when you use both beautiful sides!

Learn more about how to use BOTH beautiful sides of your fabrics.

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Image of Octopus Quilt
"Pinky"

Meet Pinky…The Baby Octopus

February 17, 2020 /

The Pinky Quilt Pattern is another fun way to use BOTH beautiful sides of your fabric!

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

Image of Fabric for Octopus Quilt

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!

Meet Pinky the Baby Octopus miniature quilt!

So, here is the Pinky Quilt Pattern! 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 her/him “Inky”!

Image of Octopus Quilt.

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 beautiful 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.

Learn more about auditioning both sides of fabric here: The Tricky Traits of Value

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. Gather up some fun beachy and “water-y” background fabrics and accent strips for a delightful mix.

Image of Pinky Quilt Pattern by Pool

The Pinky Quilt Pattern 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 !

Image of Sally Quilt Pattern
Sally is made with both beautiful sides of a seashell bouquet motif.

Quilts at the Beach

June 17, 2019 /

Give me a good beach quilt in the midst of winter!

Why do I love a good beach quilt? We lived in Pensacola, Florida – twice! The first time (as newlyweds), my husband was a student pilot. The second time, with two little ones, he was a flight instructor. When he left the full-time USMC life, we moved to Missouri. We’ve spent many vacations going back “home” to Pensacola (also home of our favorite: the Blue Angels).

Location, location, location. It’s the key. As you can see in these pics, Sally, Sandy, Fiona, and Bubbles are right at home on the beach!

This weekend we attended a wedding to attend in Baton Rouge, so we decided to grab a couple of beach days on the tail end of the trip. I debated whether I should even bother to take quilts along to photograph…I’m SO glad I DID!

Image of Sandy Quilt on Sand.
It’s Sandy on the beach. 🙂

My favorite name for a beach quilt has to be this: Sandy! Doesn’t she look happy in the sand?

Image of Sally Quilt at Beach
Sally

Sally the seahorse was flying high in the morning light. She’s made with both beautiful sides of one of my all-time favorite KFC fabrics: Shell Bouquet by Philip Jacobs.

Image of Fiona Quilt at Beach
Fiona

Fiona the friendly flamingo helped me spot a friend at the beach:

It’s hard to spot another quilter at the beach. Therefore, when I passed a gal on the walkway who was wearing a MSQS shirt, I HAD to speak to her! It turns out she’s from Missouri, too! She had just bought fabric from the pharmacy (now A & E Fabrics) to make some #usebothsides quilts! See my blog about her guild HERE: Inspired Quilters Inspire

Image of Karla and Cheryl, quilters at the beach.
Cheryl helped me take evening pics. Quilters are so nice!
Image of Bubbles on deck.
Bubbles

My husband came up with the name “Bubbles” for this happy guy! See The Marine Behind the Quilts to learn more about his role (my husband’s, not Bubble’s).

You might wonder how those quilts just seemed to hover in the air above the beach…You can see in this blooper: thanks to his quick reaction, my hubby saved Bubbles from a big one! I thought he hid quite well on that little beach chair behind the one-yard square quilts!

Image of blooper photo.

Patterns for each of these quilts and MANY MORE are available in my Etsy shop: Creative Bee Studios

Read more at Summer Books & Quilts.

Using white in quilts

Monochromatic by Nature

June 2, 2019 /

Even choosing a monochromatic quilt color can be a challenge!

First, you know I like to use nature to help choose a color palette for quilt projects, right? (See Nature’s Color Wheel for more information.) For this color challenge, I decided to take my cues from a beach walk. I didn’t expect to find black seashells on this particular white beach! So, I ended up with a monochromatic theme from nature.

However, I think using a single fabric for a one-color quilt can make the quilt seem “flat”, in regards to interest. (We do strive for flat quilts!) However, when you add more shades of one color, you can add interest to a single-color quilt design.

Its amazing how difficult it can be to choose fabrics for a quilt, especially for a new quilter. I distinctly remember the kind teacher helping me choose fabrics for my first quilt class at The Sewing Basket many years ago. It was for a patriotic quilt, so even though that palette was obvious, I had a lot of fear of choosing the wrong colors!

While, technically, a two-color quilt isn’t monochromatic, we often refer it is as so, especially when the second color is a neutral. If not a neutral, the second color should allow the “focus” color to steal the show.

I found these seashells on the beach and realized that even nature can be monochromatic.

The varying shades of black in these seashells are interesting. Don’t you love the contrasting shades of beige, also found in the shells?

Makes me think of batiks. You?

Generally, I love to mix “whites”. Therefore, finding these light shells with so many shades of white was really fun for me!

Here are two monochromatic quilts of similar colors:

Click picture for link to Amy’s Creative Side.
Click on link for Beech Tree Lane Handmade

Below is a fun use of value in a monochromatic quilt! See The Tricky Traits of Value HERE.

Image of Monochromatic Quilt
Click on picture for link to Craft Paper Scissors pin.

Also, see Sunrise Quilt Colors for more on using nature as your palette guide.

Do you make monochromatic quilts?

How do you choose your quilt palettes?

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Use the easy-link blue SHOP buttons to see more than 40 quilt patterns, new fabric collections, and merchandise to match your quilts!

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Finally, enjoy your quilting journey, Karla

Read more at Shades of White in Quilts.

Image of Bee

Quilting with Etsy

June 25, 2018 /

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Table of contents

If you love to quilt and don’t have enough time, maybe this How To is for you!

Firstly, this “how to” is meant to explain some the of mystery of shopping on Etsy. Secondly, I hope it saves you time, to boot!

If you are like me, sometimes you’d like to wear a button: “I’d rather be quilting”.

Obviously, if you are a quilter, you already know that quilting is time-consuming. Personally, I don’t consider myself productive when I’m doing something like laundry, housework, or even computer-work! Obviously, I know that these are necessary things to do and are valuable. But the way my mind works, do things other than creating beautiful quilts is kind of like buying tires. I just don’t want to do it!

Shopping online can be annoying and even scary.

So, I get it when quilters who aren’t familiar or comfortable shopping on-line get frustrated. Not only does it take time, it takes time away from what we’d all rather be doing!

Hopefully, this little How To guide to Etsy can save a quilter some time while introducing some fun quilting options.

To keep things simple, I’ll use my own shop for some how-to examples.

Five things to know about how to use Etsy:

  • Etsy is an online global marketplace for all kinds of unique goods. It features handmade items, supplies,  or vintage goods from little shops from all around the world
  • Etsy is easy to use. Simply type the name of the item or shop you are looking for in the search bar at the top of the website. If you don’t get a result you are looking for, try a “key word”, like “quilt patterns”, “bee” or “seahorse quilt pattern.
  • When you find something you like, click on the heart and it becomes one of your Favorites. All of your favorite items and shops are accessible through the simple “Favorites” button.
  • Also, you can to browse a feed that Etsy provides based on your searches and your favorites.
  • *Purchasing on Etsy is easy and safe. The Etsy company handles the monetary transaction completely, so the shop-owner never gets your payment information. For example, when someone places an order in my shop, I only get that person’s name and shipping address so that I can fill their order. That makes Etsy a place where you can shop online at many different boutiques while only providing your payment information to one company.

Etsy reviews and ratings are different!

Image of How To Shop on Etsy
Creative Bee Studios Etsy Shop

Like many companies, the Etsy review system is based on stars. You can rate one, two, three, four, or five stars. Moreover, most people still consider three stars to be good or average; a four is even better; and five is perfect. However, on Etsy, any star rating below a FIVE hurts that shop. Keep that in mind when you are giving reviews on Etsy!

How to consider the content instead of the stars.

You can also easily read reviews to see how other customers like a shop and the goods they’ve received. This is highly motivating for shop owners since they only want top ratings and reviews. You are sure to get good service! In the same fashion, consider that a 4-star rating (which Etsy considers bad) by I customers who states, “I LOVE IT!” is likely a fantastic review by someone who simply doesn’t ever give 5-star reviews.

What can you find on Etsy?

Quilters can shop for all things quilt related. Besides patterns and fabric, look for notions, fusible web, tools and rulers and even Featherweight machines!

How to search in Etsy
Sally the Seahorse Quilt Pattern in Etsy.

Use the Easy-Link SHOP button to get to my Etsy Shop found HERE.

Hope you’ve learned how to have fun on Etsy!

Want to learn more? Click here to learn how to use both beautiful sides of fabric!

SUBSCRIBE to my YouTube Channel HERE!

Enjoy YOUR quilting journey!

Image of Four Grace

Simple Designs for Stunning Quilts

February 26, 2018 /
Image of Grace Quilt Pattern

Introducing…Grace, a simple design for a stunning quilt.  First, take a mason jar shape. Next add a broderie perse bouquet. Finally, construct a fun, scrappy background to make a sweet quilted wall hanging.

You first pick your floral focus fabric for the mason jar (reverse), bouquet, and binding! Add scrappy background fabrics and you’ll be set. 

You’ll discover the nuances of value as you learn to audition BOTH sides of fabric! Each #usebothsides patterns teaches you how to audition your fabrics. Value is the key to success! Learning to measure value is a skill you can apply to all your future quilt projects.

Your focus fabric determines the style of your bouquet. 

I’ve had a large room full of quilters make this design at their annual retreat and the results were, well, stunning! Each quilter had a guide for how to choose both focus and background fabrics before the retreat. They also brought extra fabric for last-minute changes. This pattern is a great classroom or workshop project because the results are incredibly different. Even if two quilters choose the same focus fabric, their background fabrics and bouquet arrangement makes their quilts unique. It truly is a simple design for a stunning quilt.

How do you know if a fabric has a great reverse? You learn through the auditioning process. After looking a few reverse sides, you’ll soon have a good feel for those fabrics you can audition. It’s also a great conversation starter at quilt shops when they see you looking at BOTH sides. Some of my friends say they never look at one side of fabric anymore. In a way, it’s like doubling your stash without losing any space!

 

Learn more about modern Broderie Perse! 

SHOP HERE
Image of Simple Design Stunning Quilt
Image of Four Grace Bouquets
SHOP Creative Bee Studios Quilt Patterns HERE
Image of Kate's Bouquet Simple Design Stunning Quilt
Kate’s Bouquet is another way to use BOTH sides of fabric!https://www.etsy.com/listing/720564306

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