Tag: Use Both Sides (Page 3 of 8)

The Marine Behind the Quilts

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes

Sometimes we all need a little help.

Who do you turn to when you need advise, ideas, or help? Friends, family, or neighbors?

I’m going to say, “all of the above”! When I need a little help with my projects, I find that most people are happy to lend a hand, especially my quilter friends.

My next door neighbor has helped me with photo shoots and quilt advise. Another neighbor comes up with pattern names. Several great friends have helped me fold and stuff patterns for orders. There was even a quilter who help me do a photo shoot on the beach! (She was wearing a quilting tee shirt so I struck up a conversation. It turned out we’d met before – we had a blast!)

My Silent Partner when I need a little help.

That being said, when I need a little help I most often turn to my self-acclaimed “silent partner”. My husband, Matt, calls himself this when he names a new quilt pattern (“Phoebee” and “Bubbles” come to mind) or offers business advise. While that’s not exactly how “silent” works, it’s still helpful!

Since I happen to live with the guy, he’s easy to tap for additional help – like holding quilts for photography! While I appreciate the advise and names, holding quilts is where he excels. Except for the occasional tired arms, Matt doesn’t complain or moan or rush me to get the perfect shot. He’s been known to dive for a falling quilt so it doesn’t touch the ground and he’s saved more than one quilt from a crashing wave (see Salty Marine Saves Quilt)!

When you need a little help saving Bubbles
Saving Bubbles

It doesn’t take a Marine to hold up a quilt…but it sure is nice to have one.

During the summer, we visited the Rocky Mountain National Park for our oldest daughter’s quaint wedding at one of the most beautiful natural venues God created, Sprague Lake.

While technically this wedding was “plan b”, it was nothing short of perfect. This was especially so for Paige and Trevor who love national parks and All Things Hiking. After the ceremony, toasts, and celebrations ended, my husband said, “Let’s go get those pictures”.

You see, I’d made a wedding quilt for Paige and Trevor out of National Parks fabrics and the design was “mountains ranges” (name still pending). Matt knew I didn’t want to leave the beautiful mountains without a photo shoot of that quilt first. But I knew he had been in his dress blues since about 6 am that morning. By 3 in the afternoon, he was hot, tired, and uncomfortable.

We found a spot to pull over where there was a rushing creek with mountains in the distance. I noted that the quilt would drag the ground and he said, “Give me the pole”. He proceeded to walk on the small platform on the edge of the bridge. When he was confident he could hold the quilt there, we slid it onto the pole and he held it up while I took about ten minutes of photos and videos.

When you need a little help holding quilts in the mountains.
Matt holding the quilt in the mountains.
Sneak peek in the mountains…

Jack’s turn!

Additionally, I had brought Jack along for the trip! Jack (buck) is made with both camouflage sides of one focus fabric! While you can’t see my Marine, he faithfully helped me by patiently held Jack at a distance for the whole shoot with nary a complaint.

deer quilt in mountains
Jack Quilt Pattern

A few snapshots from the wedding:

image of wedding photo

Note that this blog post would not be possible without the help of my Silent Partner.

Much love to you, deer, I mean, dear!

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Christmas (Quilts) in July

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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. So now there are Christmas (Quilts) in July! I hope you’ll enjoy this month to contrast our lovely, warm summer with a taste of the crisp winter to come.

Introducing…Noelle.

The Noelle is quilted wall hanging pattern is 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!

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! This will get you in the mood for making Christmas (quilts) in July!

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!

Christmas (Quilts) in July

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. Learn more 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!

Finally, you don’t have to wait until winter. Enjoy your Christmas (quilts) in July! SHOP more than 50 patterns & fabric kits Creative Bee Studios Etsy Shop.

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

Modern Broderie Perse

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

Enjoy your quilting journey!

Choose Three Beautiful Fabrics for Your Next Quilt!

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

When you only need to choose three beautiful fabrics, deciding on what to use for your next quilt can be fun and easy!

Sometimes choosing and collecting fabrics for a quilt can be a daunting task. It can even take longer than making the quilt itself. Therefore, to make things easier, use BOTH beautiful sides! Make this quilt with only three beautiful fabrics!

Introducing the NEW VariLovable Star, using Hoffman California Fabrics “Floral Rhapsody” line!

Use three beautiful fabrics in this quilt called VariLovable Star!
VariLovable Star before quilting.

These happy fabrics are a part of Hoffman California Fabrics line called Floral Rhapsody!

Three beautiful fabrics!
Floral Rhapsody by
Hoffman California Fabrics

Firstly, I’ve recently shared a new Dash About quilt, also made using this line by Hoffman. You might recognize this line – and their beautiful reverse sides! For both one-block patterns, you use the reverse of each colorway as the background fabric.

Using both sides of fabric does a lot of the work for you when choosing fabrics.

Secondly, you get the added sparkle of a soft design and hue showing on the background of each block.

Additionally, you can see, the quilt is made of nestled variable star blocks. The smallest and largest stars are made with both sides of the blue fabric. Each larger star is made using the previous star for it’s center. The binding will be the orange of the third star, pulling your eyes from the center star on out to the edges.

These quilts and patterns are featured in the Hoffman California Fabrics Spring Projects Catalog.

Designing VariLovable Star Patterns for Hoffman
VariLovable Star using Hoffman California Fabrics

Most importantly, by using both beautiful sides, your eyes discover the soft patterns and colors of the backgrounds of each star. The difference in value causes you the pause and let your eyes linger while you figure out that the background of each star is actually its reverse! The use of the reverse adds a level of interest to the quilt you couldn’t achieve with an unrelated fabric as the background.

Shop more than 50 quilt patterns that use both beautiful sides!

See another “VariLovable Star” quilt.

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Use Both Beautiful Sides of This New Fabric

Estimated reading time: 3 minutes

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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The Quilted Aria – A New Song

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

This little vintage machine quilt is singing a new song!

This vintage machine quilt is getting a makeover! Check out this incredible fabric from RJR! It’s a Digiprint called Arcadia “Secret Garden”. It makes a fabulous focus fabric for this vintage machine quilt pattern!

Why Aria?

Aria ahr-ee-uh: expressive music often heard in opera – she’s a singer!

Image of Fabric

If you are familiar with my designs, you know you’ll use BOTH sides of the fabric. Use the front side for the machine and binding. Use the reverse to make the stork scissors, thimble, and pennants.

As you can see above, this vibrant digital fabric has a hand-painted look of bouquets of flowers, three different birds, and a soft shadow design throughout.

Using BOTH sides of a focus fabric provides a subtle difference in value that makes your quilts sparkle (or in this case, “sing”)!

Image of Focus Fabric Pack

It’s a valuable skill.

In the pattern, you learn how to audition both sides of fabrics to choose your focus fabric for your vintage machine quilt. Next, you’ll audition both sides of your focus fabric with your possible background choices. It’s all about value and what catches your eye first. It’s easy to do, once you know how. Additionally, its a skill you can apply to all your future fabric choices!

Read more about this quilter t-shirt!

In summary, once you’ve learned the nuances of value, you can apply that skill to all your quilt projects.

First, I drew this pattern from my own little machine. Next I drew my favorite “stork” scissors and my late mother-in-law’s thimble. I enjoy using sentimental tools when stitching. As you can see, there’s something special about Aria. This pattern has a piece of my heart in it.

SHOP patterns and kits.

Below is the original quilt and a “Tula” version, which had to be PINK (also available as a focus fabric kit)!

Image of Vintage Machine Quilts

See Popular Vintage Machine Quilt about my opera-singer daughter.

Image of Paige in Our Town

Read the debut of Aria at “Vintage Machine Quilt Pattern

If you like vintage, see both beautiful sides of this focus fabric used to make Merle’s Bouquet! Use an easy modern broderie perse technique to make your bouquet in a vintage watering can.

Are there florals in your stash?

Image of Watering Can Bouquet Quilt
“Merle’s Bouquet”

Pull them out and turn them over! You might be surprised!

WATCH Creative Bee Studios on YouTube!

Have a great day and enjoy your quilting journey!

Read more at Remember “Merle’s Bouquet” Quilt? and see some fun sewing stations in Where We Stitch.

VariLovable Star Digital Pattern

Image of Quilt Top

Use digital downloads for quilt patterns and start auditioning BOTH sides of your fabric TODAY!

You probably know that many of my first designs used full-size paper templates. With more and more requests for digital downloads (especially from friends overseas and in Canada), I’ve started adding digital versions of my patterns to my Etsy shop. You can still get the paper versions, even for those patterns sans large templates. Therefore, if you need to avoid high shipping fees, you now have more options available to #usebothsides!

If you are like me, copying and pasting small papers together to make a large template (24 x 36 inches) is not something you crave. That’s why I decided early on to provide full-size paper templates whenever possible. However, paper templates do limit distribution. I also strive to keep the prices as low as possible without losing value.

But, I have to say, it pains me to fill orders for quilters who pay more for shipping than the patterns themselves (sometimes even double). So, digital downloads are a great option. You might choose one if you want to immediately “shop” your fabrics or have deadlines for your quilt projects.

Image of digital downloads quilt patterns
Made with BOTH sides of only THREE fabrics, this bursting variable star quilt goes together fast!

VariLovable Star digital download is available HERE: My Etsy Shop.

Image of VariLovable Star Digital Download Quilt Pattern

As a result, I have five current digital downloads in my Etsy Shop and more on the way. Some in the future may require a small increase in the template size, but not more than you’d see in a magazine. One example of that will be for Aria (the singer).

Read more about one-block #usebothsides quilt patterns HERE.

In conclusion, you have options! You can still purchase the full-color, full-size paper template patterns. Choose digital downloads for immediate “delivery” with the same high-quality you’ve come to expect.

Visit Creative Bee Studios Etsy Shop HERE to see all your quilt pattern options!

One Block Quilts

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

Classic quilt blocks can make stunning quilts and be fantastically fun to make!

Each of the four quilts shown are one-block quilts.

Firstly, from the Variable Star block comes the VariLovable Star Quilt Pattern! You can stitch up this girl from four nestled Variable Star blocks. She’s bursting with color! And, you’ll make her using both beautiful sides of only three fabrics! Because the background for each star is made from it’s own REVERSE, the effect makes the quilt sparkle with interest. Your eye will linger on the quilt.

See the VariLovable Star quilt made using Hoffman California Fabrics!

VariLovable Star Quilt Pattern

Image of one block quilt

Saying a quilt is made with one quilt block might sound a bit boring, but it’s so not true.

The outspoken Quilter
Image of Variable Star block made with both sides of fabric.

Ohio Starburst Quilt Pattern

Secondly, you can stitch up the Ohio Starburst Quilt Pattern with the classic Ohio Star block. Again, the three center blocks are nestled. This means the centermost block becomes the center for the next block and so on. You add borders and cornerstone blocks, too. Ohio Starburst is also made from BOTH beautiful sides of three fabrics.

Image of Ohio Star Quilt Pattern made with classic Ohio Star block
“Ohio Starburst”

Dash About Quilt Pattern

Thirdly, meet Dash About. You’ll have a blast piecing this quilt! Start with a small center Churn Dash block. Next, use that block for the center of the next block. Finally, Dash About is made with both beautiful sides!

Dash About quilt made with one churn dash quilt block
Image of Churn Dash Block

Treasures Quilt Pattern

Finally, make Treasures from two versions of one classic block, the Contrary Wife.

See more about TREASURES HERE!

Treasures Quilt Pattern made with classic block
Treasures

In summary, using BOTH sides of three fabrics with a “solid” background, the use of value and placement provides an interesting secondary pattern in Treasures.

SHOP more than 45 Creative Bee Studios quilt patterns HERE

#usebothsides

Show and Tell Quilts

Show and Tell is one of my favorite reasons for joining quilt guild.

Apparently, lots of guild members across our industry feel the same way! While visiting guilds to do presentations, I love to observe the personality and differences of each guild.

See More Quilt Guild Fun HERE

From participating in community projects, planning retreats, taming snarly budgets, or making group decisions, each guild has its own way of doing things. Even the interaction between members varies from guild to guild. Some are quite reserved, while others’ members are bursting with enthusiasm.

But one thing guilds have in common is Show and Tell.

As a new quilter and guild member, I couldn’t wait to see all the new quilts everyone had made. We used to hold that feature right after our guest speaker. However, some members started leaving our meeting directly after. Consequently, our board decided to move that anticipated time to the end of our meetings!

I recall from my earlier years at guild that very seasoned (perfect) quilters would show quilt after quilt after quilt that they had completed that month. I’m talking LARGE ones, too. And those same quilters would do this month after month. When did they eat? Or sleep?

But, alas, our guild grew and now there is a limit of two quilts at the end of our meetings. I’m sure those fantastic, prolific quilters are still churning out the quilts!

Below is a small Show and Tell segment.

Bootheel Quilters’ Guild of Sikeston, MO had a wonderful class turnout.

Enjoy these class works of art, finished and shared by area quilters at their Show and Tell.

Notice the three Phoebee quilts that look nothing alike! Each quilter adds their own loving touches and personality through fabric choices and placement of the broderie perse elements.

Learn more about Broderie Perse HERE.

Also, shared above is Kate and Belle .

Finally, see the Prairie Point Hanging Method on display! Notice the sweet extra flowers? 🙂

Enjoy your quilting journey!

Introducing…Treasures

Use BOTH beautiful sides of THREE fabrics in a one block quilt pattern…

Rummage your stash to use three random fabrics OR choose a line of fabrics you love. Make the Contrary Wife blocks in this one block quilt pattern by using both sides of three fabrics on a soft white background! Learn to audition BOTH sides (I tell you how) and discover the nuances of value that’ll make your quilts sing!

I used a line of fabric featuring sea life, but you could make this quilt with Christmas, Americana, florals…any theme or colorway you like!

Toss in a sweet background fabric…

It can be solid…or NOT. As long as the values work together (I tell you how), you can choose a background you love!

Image of one block quilt pattern at beach
Treasures at the beach.

to make this ONE BLOCK quilt.

The Contrary Wife quilt block has been, well, around the block a few times! The key to the sparkling nature of this quilt is the use of the reverse sides in each block and the placement of the blocks.

“Treasures” was so named because I’m continually amazed by the effect of using both sides of fabric…it’s like the quiet moment of discovering a precious gem in packed antique store. While I love all kinds of quilts, the ones that really get my juices flowing are the ones I have to linger over a bit…that make me pause…ponder.

Image of Quilt

I hope you like the “Treasures” quilt pattern as much as I. If you like these fabrics, stay tuned to my Etsy shop for fabric kits coming soon!

You can SHOP HERE for all my patterns and focus fabric kits.

*Each pattern comes with the BONUS: Prairie Point Hanging Method.

*All applique patterns have full-size, paper templates.

#usebothsides patterns have been featured in AQ Magazine, Hancock’s of Paducah, Nancy’s Notions, Connecting Threads and quilt shops across America!

Image of Quilt and Magazine
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