Perhaps “She’s a cover girl” is showing my age, but I’m too happy to care! I was stunned when I opened my digital copy from Quiltmaker and slowly recognized the cover quilt. I hadn’t the slighted thought that my quilt would be considered as a cover. Therefore, it took several minutes for my brain to catch up with what was clearly my quilt!
The Pattern – Reflections of Love
As you can see, this is a patchwork-pieced quilt of 20 blocks of “X’s” and “O’s”. These 16-inch (finished) hugs and kisses are alternating, creating a secondary pattern of a chain-like design. Surprisingly, this quilt is made from only one pieced block. Only the fabric value placement in the blocks is different.
The Fabric – Reflections of Love
Admittedly, I affectionately named this quilt Reflections of Love because of the fabric I chose. I made the blocks using both beautiful sides of Anna Maria Horner’s “Love Always” fabric collection for FreeSpirit. Having been a fan of Anna Maria’s bold use of color and scale in her fabric designs, I was thrilled when I discovered their beautiful reverse. In my opinion, Anna Maria’s work is bold and unapologetic, which is why I am passionately drawn to it. In addition to the brilliant Love Always fabrics, I chose a light background called Seeds, by Cori Dantini. This background reads as a solid from a distance, but pairs nicely.
The Use of Value – Reflections of Love
Unquestionably, using the reverse side of each beautiful fat quarter in Reflections of Love adds a certain charm to this design. In addition to the softness of the “medium” value, waves of pastel (the reverse) draw your eyes through the quilt. Incorporating that value contrast in this quilt added a subtle difference and sparkle to the quilt.
Quiltmaker Magazine
This Supersize Double Issue of Quiltmaker Magazine is on newsstands now (as of March 26, 2024). Watch for signed copies in my Creative Bee Studios Etsy Shop! Find Quiltmaker in fine shops and bookstores in the United States and selected countries worldwide.
Do you want to know the easiest (yet most dependable) way to do a color value test for BOTH sides of fabric? You’re in the right place!
Treasures at the beach with hazy, natural lighting.
Let’s use the quilt above as an example. It’s call Treasures. This quilt is made with both sides of three fabrics with a soft white background fabric. Let’s pretend your are choosing fabrics for this quilt.
Both sides of each of the printed fabrics need auditioning.
However, not only will you audition both sides of each fabric with itself. You also need to test both sides of each fabric with each other and with your background fabric. Of course, this isn’t difficult. But some methods for a color value test are better than others. Here’s why.
The lighting plays a role.
The lighting conditions where you find the best fabric may be less than fantastical or even realistic. Inside lighting can drastically change the way a fabric looks. However, few fabric shops would be thrilled about us taking their fabric for an outing into natural sunlight.
Treasures displayed with a coastal Christmas theme.
The space you have for testing fabrics makes a difference.
For instance, with some methods you need distance from your fabrics and they need to be hanging vertically on a design wall. Another alternative may be to use a ladder to get high enough so that you can look down to view them on a table or floor. This could be a bit awkward.
Treasures is made with two versions of the Contrary Wife block. This is the “dark” version.
Therefore, while the methods of using a “testing block”, a door “peep hole”, or simply squinting your eyes may work well enough in your home, they aren’t reliable or easy methods to use when you are shopping for fabrics at your local quilt shop.
Perhaps you want to just take a chance, buy the fabric, and test it at home…I’m just gonna say, “Noooooo!” I’ve tested hundreds of fabric values and I still get stumped sometimes! You can quote me on this:
Colors can be tricky, but VALUE tells the truth.
Karla Kiefner
(My workshop students know.)
What’s a quilter to do?
Pull out your phone. You likely keep it with you anyway. It’s your best tool for the color value test. Here’s why:
Limited space is okay when you use your phone camera.
Simply open your optional bolt of fabric enough to turn a neat corner down, revealing both sides of the fabric. Lay it flat on top of the display of bolts in front of you or on a nearby cutting table. Hold your phone above the bolt, centering and leveling it as best you can, extending your arm as high as possible. Now reach up with your other hand (or use your thumb if you are real good at this) to tap the button, taking a picture. Indeed, it make take a time or two to get a level photo, but you’ll soon get the hang of it.
You can crop your photo, if needed.
While it’s not totally necessary, I prefer to crop distractions out of my photos so that I’m not seeing my feet or surrounding fabrics. To do so, use the edit tool that appears when you are looking at your individual photo.
You can adjust for less-than-optimal lighting.
Next, take a look at your photo to see if the colors look similar to what your eyes see in real life. If not, use the edit function again to make the photo closer to what you see. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Each phone camera is different, so you’ll soon learn if you need to lighten your photos or change with coloring, or use your photo as is.
The “light” version of the Contrary Wife block. Notice that the REVERSE is used for the same elements (half-square triangles) in both blocks.
Finally, to do your color value test, change your photo to black and white!
You might have a setting called noir or mono. Choose either of these to remove the color from your photo. Now look at your fabric. For this quilt, you need there to be a significant difference between the RIGHT and the REVERSE sides. Unlike one of the applique patterns, you don’t need to test each element (like flowers) with other elements (like a vase) in your quilt. There simply needs to be a good contrast.
After auditioning the printed fabrics with the color value test, audition them WITH your background fabric.
Oftentimes, when you find a line of fabrics with beautiful REVERSE sides and the contrast you need, you can make quick work of choosing which ones you want in your quilt because the contrast is similar in them all. The three I used in my Treasures were like that.
Lastly, make sure your REVERSE is still a darker value than your background fabric. That’s usually quite easy. Exceptions to that may be if you are usually a digitally printed fabric with an unusually light REVERSE.
Auditioning fabrics with this color value test is SO easy! It makes choosing fabrics FUN.
Be sure to watch Treasures on YouTube and SUBSCRIBE!
Shop more than 50 quilt patterns that use both beautiful sides of fabric in my Etsy Shop!
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!
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.
Punch needle whale tail.
Click here to see Redbubble merchandise with the blue whale shown above.
Initially, having numerous designs in mySeashore 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.
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.
Obviously, this stuffed animal matches the Bubblesthe Baby Whale character from the original wall quilt, mini table quilt, and soft book panel. Likewise, this little, baby whale is made with both beautiful sides of “Bubbles Geometric” fabric, also designed just for Bubbles!
Of course, you can make Bubbles with both beautiful sides of your favorite fabric! Learn more about How to Use Both SidesHERE.
This stuffed animal sewing project goes together quickly. Here’s how!
First, you will trace the template and cut your fabrics. You only need two “sides” and one “belly” for the body of the whale. Also, you’ll cut two small circles from the template for his eyes, which you will fuse in place.
Next, with a bit of hand-stitching, using an embroidery hoop trick, you’ll quickly have the eyes and mouth in place.
Then, you are ready to sew this guy together, leaving an opening for stuffing.
Finally, after stuffing the baby whale, you’ll hand-stitch the opening closed.
You might call it cheap entertainment, but I like to find useful quilting supplies in unlikely places. I also find it fun to use things for quilting that aren’t meant for that purpose.
It makes a necessary a trip to town a little more exciting.
First, you might wonder why I’d combine an ordinary trip to town with looking for quilting supplies. I guess I’m one of those people who could sport a “I’d rather be quilting” bumper sticker. The reason is because I tend to put some off things (like buying groceries) until I just really HAVE to (we have no food).
Therefore, my (let’s call it creative) mind has come up with a few ways to make these tasks more bearable.
The first one (if I’m at Walmart), is to see if there are any new Pioneer Woman products – that’s a given. (See Watercolor on a Whim about my trip to Pawhuska!)
Next, is that I am always, always, always on the lookout for items that have any useful way to be a part of quilting, sewing, painting, or crafting.
I have three to share with you today!
Big scissors, hair spritzer, and popsicle sticks. And, yes,Bubbles in the background.
Hairitage Continuous Spray Bottle
You can find this item in the hair care products at your local Walmart.
It’s a continuous spritzer, very similar to one I’ve purchased at a quilt shop. This one has a light mist, but it does spray a bit longer with each pull of the trigger. These spritzers work especially well if you use a dry iron but want to mist your fabric for a good press. These also are a great tool for watercolor painting as they don’t leave heavy droplets. The best part is that it was about half the price as the one marketed for quilting. Now I can leave one at my iron AND have one at my painting desk – perfecto!
Whether they were expensive or not, I have always had trouble with steam irons that leak or spit. I have found it’s much nicer to use a dry iron and I control the moisture with a spritzer. No chances for rust spots!
Really Big Scissors
Next up is the very long scissors, found at Harbor Freight. I have no idea what they are meant for, but I use them to cut batting. They work beautifully! If I remember correctly, they were about $8.
Craft Sticks
Lastly, I have a little package of craft sticks (popsicle sticks) that I purchased for less than $2 at Hobby Lobby. I suspect they could also be found at a dollar store or discount store for even less. I chose the wider (about 3/4 inch) ones. There are 40 in the pack so I have plans for the rest of mine!
Use this little guy for projects that need to be turned right side out a pressed. This will help push the fabric outward to make the seam nice and flat. It helps to insure you don’t crease extra fabric while pressing.
Just position the craft stick on the inside on either side of the seam and gently push the seam outward while pressing with a small iron. The rounded edge won’t compromise the seam. This is especially helpful for curved seams.
Which brings to me the next thing I want to share with you, my friends…
Meet Bubbles Cuddle!
This pattern is coming very soon to my Etsy shop! He’s so much fun to make! He’s shown here sporting BOTH beautiful sides of “Bubbles Geometric Medium” fabric printed on Spoonflower’s Organic Cotton Sateen, so he matches the original quilt. Of course, you can make him with BOTH beautiful sides of whatever you want YOUR Bubbles to be!
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.
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!
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.
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!
Use the easy-link, blue SHOP buttons for patterns, fabric, and merchandise atCreative Bee Studios!
Delight in the happy colors of summer as we take a first look at Seashore Friends Pattern Collection One.
Firstly, you’ve seen the main character of this show (the Seashore Friends Pattern Collection), Bubbles. (See Uncork the Bubbles for more Bubbles fun!)
Bubbles is made with both sides of “Paint Pots” by Kaffe Fassett.
Secondly, you know he’s got some beach-loving “supporting characters”, Pinky and Sally.
To begin, each character started from a focus fabric and an idea. This is a case of the fabric driving the quilt!
Each quilt was made using both beautiful sides of the focus fabric. For each character, the fabric sparked the idea for the quilt design.
Pinky is made with both sides of fish bones on pink.
Sally is made with both beautiful sides of a seashell bouquet motif.
Now, you’ll see how these friends take center stage in this new pattern collection.
So, how do you combine these very different characters into one pattern collection?
Granted, that might sound corny, but it’s very true! When you put in lots of hours on an idea (or many ideas), you get connected, right? It happens when making quilts, for sure. Some quilts are hard to give away because of the “soul” we’ve invested in them! (Not to mention time.)
Therefore, it’s the same with pattern collections. Here’s the headline fabric:
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
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!
