Arias evolved from simple melodies in the 14th century and became a means to tell a story in a more emotional way, allowing a musicians (and later, vocalists) to display their talent. Arias are mostly associated with opera today. Aria is a good name for this vintage machine singer!
So why call this vintage machine pattern Aria? Take a look at her…she’s definitely a singer!
First, you should know that I haven’t always known what an aria was. And, had my oldest daughter not studied opera, I might still be in the dark. Because she began learning arias in high school, I soon learned the definition. Here she is as a senior at Eastman School of Music, singing “Emily’s Aria” from the opera, Our Town by Ned Rorem.
Here I was in Rochester, NY, on an unusually warm, sunny day, binding her graduation bow-tie quilt made with a fabric line called…wait for it…Our Town!
While the traditionalist might cringe at the thought, fun things are happening with featherweight machines. Tables and inserts, custom carry cases, and bright new paint jobs are indicators that these little work-horses will be around awhile.
As I mentioned HERE, I’d love to someday own a colorful featherweight. Here’s a Tula Pink quilt version until “some day” arrives!
#usebothsides of one focus fabric for the machine, binding, bunting (reverse), and scissors and thimble (both reverse). Choose fun, scrappy background fabrics and accent strips – all the while learning the nuances of value! (Click here for more about value.)
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to share my quilting journey with a group of women whose enthusiasm for quilting was truly inspiring to me.
Inspired Quilters of Warrensburg, Missouri
The Inspired Quilters of Warrensburg, Missouri invited me to speak during their guild meeting. It was a cold, wet, and somewhat icy night. I expected a lower turnout of members due to the weather. That was my first surprise.
One of the interesting things I see when speaking to quilt guilds is the uniqueness of each group.
As quilters notably are, everyone was welcoming and helpful – helping my friend and me carry in 50 quilts, bins of patterns and fabric, and set up the power point.
After the presentation, Nancy and were overwhelmed by the enthusiastic quilters who lined up, waiting to purchase patterns and kits. It’s so fun to see people excited about something you’ve designed – and it is quite humbling.
What I noticed next, while Nancy and I spent the next hour repacking quilts and patterns, was how excited and involved the quilters were in their guild meeting. I was wishing I could sit and watch, especially when it came time for Show and Tell. It seemed like each quilter did more than showed her quilt, she told the story behind her project – who or what it was for, how it came about…the details that make a quilt more than just a quilt.
These quilters truly inspire me – to tell the details, to let people know the stories behind the quilts.
Isn’t that what it’s all about? Whether the quilts we make are for special people in our lives, for hurting people we don’t even know, for veterans and service members to be honored, or even for learning something new alongside friends – it’s the people in the story that make quilting worthwhile.
A heartfelt thanks to the quilters in Warrensburg for sharing their quilting journey with me!
Two simple quilting tools make a big difference in my stitching experience.
While both of these quilting tools are “Barney” purple, their uses are anything but child’s play!
The Cutting Gizmo has it’s place in my studio AND my retreat bag.
First, let’s look at The Cutting Gizmo. If you chain piece, this guy is a must-have! The Cutting Gizmo (click here) is by no means new longevity is in it’s favor. This tool by Gypsy Quilter is the best stationary snipper I have found.
Specifically, The Cutting Gizmo is a weighted cutter with a rubber, non-slip bottom. It is especially wonderful to use when you are making lots of chain-pieced segments for a pieced quilt. Just grab the two fabric pieces and draw them down either side of the gizmo to cut the connecting thread.
This gizmo saves and repetitive movements.
Seriously, think about the time it takes to grab your scissors, re-positioning your hands, snip a thread and put down your scissors.
Instead, you just pop up from your machine, snip, snip, snip and press, press, press! I keep this tool on the end of my ironing board, always.
Secondly, that long thin stick is one of the first quilting tools I ever purchased. So, at about twenty years old, it must be a good “thang”. It’s actually called, That Purple Thang from the Little Foot Quilt Shoppe.
That Purple Thang is more than just a pointy tool.
One end is softly pointed with a slight curve. It’s perfect to send nearer your moving needle than you want to send your fingers. You can control your fabric with the thin tip. The softly squared end is useful, too. One use is for turning a getting neat edges when turning a project right side out. I’ve had other tools made for this purpose, but this is the one I always go back to. I’m not sure why, but unlike other similar tools I’ve owned, I don’t misplace this one! I think it’s the cute name…
Both tools are shown on the Phoebee 2.0 quilt made from both beautiful sides of Hoffman California Fabrics.
This line of fabric, called Electric Garden, is bold and soft at the same time. Learn more about using both beautiful sides of fabric HERE.
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What’s a better spot for a creative queen bee than this lovely palace quilt?
Floating Flower Garden
Floating Flower Garden Quilt by Karla Kiefner
First, this quilt began with fat quarter bundles from one fabric line. It was one of those fabric purchases without any planning or direction.
In addition, I was certain I wanted to use both beautiful sides of this fabric line.
How to use both sides for a classic quilt design?
Next, I found a tool for making half-hexagons. Using the Hex and More ruler and lots of 2.5 ” strips, I made lots of half-hexagon pieces.
Add to that, a non-traditional method for making this floating flower garden.
Yet, I still wasn’t sure where this quilt was headed – or if it would work! For months, I arranged and re-arranged the hexagons. In addition to changing the placement of color, I also played with the values by turning some fabrics to their REVERSE side. Read The Tricky Traits of Value.
Design wall to the rescue.
Using a design wall helped me figure this baby out in a number of ways. Most importantly it allowed me to take good photos of this large quilt.
Perfect place for the turn table.
Black and white photos galore!
Just as I instruct students in classes and workshops, always take black and white photos to check your values. Color can fool you – and it tried to fool me with this quilt!
My goal was to create a blended quilt version (see Blended Quilts book) of the classic Grandmother’s Flower Garden. I tried many combinations, but the look really came together when I started to use the reverse side of the fabrics for the outer flower rings.
Each black center and first ring are the front of the fabric. I could have excluded the lightest fabric to make the changes in value more apparent, but again, I was aiming for a more subtle approach.
Using both sides of fabric provides a soft difference to the values and makes a quilt sparkle!
I’m happy to say that this quilt one a coveted ribbon in my guild’s quilt show!
To the tune of “On the Cover of the Rolling Stones”, I feel like singing! At the close of 2018, I happened onto my pattern, “Holly”, featured on the cover of a Hoffman California Fabrics’ catalog!
It began with an email asking if I (along with four or five other designers) would like to try our hand at designing with a new Christmas line of fabric. It’s my understanding that other designers use digital fabric swatches and their computers to design patterns. But since I use BOTH sides of the fabric, I need the real thing!
Click HERE to see the Winter Projects 2019 Catalog by Hoffman California Fabrics.
We had a week for the deadline – but since I needed the fabric shipped to me and then I needed to ship the finished quilt back to California, I had less than that to design and make the quilt!
Frankly, I was in a hurry! Add to the mix that it was Thanksgiving weekend, I was driving six hours on Saturday, attending our daughter’s show, driving four on Sunday, and staying in a hotel (with terribly inadequate lighting) until Tuesday AND, until I could see and audition BOTH sides of the fabric, I had no idea if my idea would work!
Working with both sides of fabric means lots of value-checking. You can’t tell from the front of fabric if the reverse will work. Some fabrics have great reverses and some just don’t. Click HERE for “The Tricky Traits of Value”.
The Christmas tree panel is gorgeous on its own – who would want to cut that apart? I certainly wouldn’t cut it to make another tree. I was also pretty certain that other designers would be designing borders around the whole panel, so mine had to be different.
I started to focus on the fat-quarter panel they sent. I had received a whole box of fabric to choose from and I knew if I wanted to use this panel, I couldn’t just use one fat-quarter of it or even half of them- I needed to use the whole panel. After auditioning many combinations, I decided I could use the panel – BOTH sides of the panel!
So…once again, it all comes down to fabric values. In classes, I have quilters audition many background fabrics and take lots of black and white pictures to see how their background fabrics “play” with their focus fabric. The smaller accents strips are allowed to be a bit “louder”, but the larger pieces need to provide interest as opposed to distraction. So take a look at this picture of the panel. Lots of dark fabric, right? Really pretty fabric…but more darks than lights.
Now look at a close-up of the quilt. Do you recognize those fabrics? …same fat quarters from the panel – just using the other side! Most of the accents strips are made from the front side. The bows, bells, stripes, plaid, and Christmas words make this an exciting background for the Holly wreath. One of the fat-quarters had two stockings printed on it. I used the one on the wreath and I embroidered the second stocking for the quilt label.
See the candy canes made from the reverse stripe?You can see the quilting, the extra stocking as a label, and the prairie point hanging method here.
The wreath is made using fused holly leaf shapes from the Christmas tree panel. Being a digital print, the fabric has a sparkle of light to it, making the wreath sparkle as well.
You might notice I didn’t have time to take great pictures – and apparently I borrowed my husband’s house shoes that day!
Even the pieced binding is made from the fat-quarter panel!
This is a fun quilt to make and so easy to shop for if you use the two panels! While I have no official timeline, my guess is that these fabrics will be in shops by summer!
If you have Christmas yardage in your stash – you can use it! I wrote this pattern to work with the panels as shown OR using your own choices of fabrics. The same method applies to both – it’s all about the value!
Here’s how Holly look inside the catalog!
I designed Phoebee 2.0 using BOTH sides of Hoffman California Fabrics “Electric Garden” as the focus fabric -it’s available in shops now!
Shop all my patterns at my Etsy Shop: Creative Bee Studios (Click HERE)
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I love nothing better than seeing quilts in nature! You’ve seen “Summer Quilting” (click HERE) to see quilts both poolside and on the beach), so I thought it’d be only fair to share some winter-themed quilts and a few with nature.
First up is a McKenna Ryan quilt pattern. I purchased the kit from Missouri Star Quilt Company several years ago – the year of the bear in our yard (Click HERE to read “It’s a Bear Out There” and see the markings). This bear was supposed to have a red cap and scarf, but I changed it up by using the wool from a sweater which was in my late mother-in-law’s stash. It makes the quilt more special for me and I feel I can keep the quilt on display throughout the winter.
Next is quilt is called Winter Blessings and was kit I purchased from Shabby Fabrics. It was so fast and easy to put together – I highly recommend their kits if that’s what you like. Everything was labeled and organized beautifully. It was kinda like a paint-by-number, only a lot more fun and waaaaay better outcome!
The next photo shows just a bit of a quilt (with a Buttercup bomb) that I made long ago in my second-ever quilt class. It was supposed to be bed-size and I actually thought I would finish it my first day in class! I only got it to the throw-size stage (and not during that class), but it’s a favorite!
Here is my latest version of JOY Quilt Pattern. I used a Hoffman panel for the tree (front side) and gifts (reverse side) on a scrappy, snowy background. See all my patterns in my Etsy Shop HERE.
JOY Quilt Pattern
Snow makes a lovely background for quilt photography.
This is a Bonnie Hunter Mystery Quilt called Grand Illusion.Water Colours
Hope you are enjoying some warm stitching time during these short winter days.
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for fun Christmas cheer!
“Holiday Revue” is our youngest daughter’s current fun Christmas dinner theatre gig at the Myers Dinner Theatre in Hillsboro, Indiana.
Our first stop in the quaint town was a visit to the old-fashioned soda shop!
Everything about the dinner was delicious and the Christmas “variety” show featured every fun Christmas genre: we heard beautiful spiritual music, classic carols, and youthful tunes. Featured guests included Mary and Joseph, Elvis, Santa and Mrs. Claus, Frosty, a cow girl, a giant blue bear, Linus, and a stage full of life-size toys.
And there was lots of audience participation! Yes, that is my husband on stage and dancing to Santa Baby! I got a little hug from Elvis!
The show ended my favorite way- with a wonderful White Christmas finale!
Oh, the weather outside is frightful…
It’s the most wonderful time for quilts! Do you include quilts in your fun Christmas decor?
You might recall JOY, made with Hoffman California Fabrics All Aglow on a scrappy background. The tree, topper, and binding are made from the front of the focus fabric and the gifts are made from the reverse.
Now see JOY made with Hoffman California Fabrics Supernova Seasons panel for the tree, topper, gifts, and binding! It’s a fun Christmas quilt pattern that makes a great gift for a quilter friend, a quick quilt to gift, or to add to your Christmas decor.
Also, learn about Pepita (named after the poor Mexican girl in the Legend of the Poinsettia who had no gift to give the Christ Child on Christmas Eve) HERE.
Silver bells…silver bells…
Yes, I’ve been listening to Hallmark Christmas music the whole way to and from Hillsboro, Indiana!
I love the classic big band sounds of the holidays and Hallmark has a great variety. Sirius XM has Free Listen – so check out the Christmas channels!
And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: Isaiah 11:1
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This is the story of how Phoebee for Hoffman began.
Phoebee, designed for Hoffman California Fabrics, was my first experience designing a pattern for a fabric company. I’d wondered for a few years what it would be like to collaborate with a fabric company. I never dreamed it would be this fun!
Starting on August 3, at 3:47 p.m., I opened two packages of 21 fabrics from Hoffman California Fabrics company.
Fabrics from Hoffman California Fabrics.
First and foremost, for the next six hours, I auditioned “Phoebee for Hoffman” fabrics trying to get just the right mix of color, contrast, values, and feel that would be worthy of this new line by Hoffman California Fabrics.
Well, Electric Garden rocks! Vibrant color with a soft, contrasting reverse side was just the recipe I needed. I flipped several backgrounds to their reverse as well, so they wouldn’t compete with the bee or flowers. The next step was cutting out Phoebee and her flowers.
I slept on this mix so I could get a fresh look the next morning. Yes!
Immediately, I began fusing and quilting (on my Handiquilter Avante) right away. Next came the prairie point hanging method, binding, label, photos, writing and producing the pattern, and Phoebee was flying to California on Tuesday, August 7th!
My new friend in California let me know Phoebee for Hoffman arrived safely!
Phoebee 2.0 in the Hoffman booth at market!
Phoebee 2.0 pictured in the Projects Catalog
Quilt Market in Houston was a big debute for Phoebee. I was fortunate that several kind quilter souls saw her hanging in the Hoffman California Fabric booth and shared their pics with me on Instagram! Thank you, friends!
In addition to quit shops across America, I am shipping Phoebee 2.0 patterns to a very fun quilt shop in Canada!
See more quilt patterns designed for Hoffman California Fabrics HERE!
Original Phoebee and Phoebee 2.0 quilt patterns are available in my Etsy Shop HERE.
Phoebee Quilt Pattern
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Aria ahr-ee-uh: expressive music often heard in opera. (She’s a singer!)
Aria is a fun little quilt pattern that you can make using both sides of one focus fabric.
Wondering how to choose fabrics for the Aria Quilt Pattern? Think about your florals fabrics. Or, how about feathers? She is a featherweight, after all. You could also use sewing notions motifs. Maybe you want a machine covered in sunflowers! Or consider larger prints like Tula Pink, Kaffe Fassett Collective. The possibilities are endless for making this the cutest little machine you own! So shop your stash. Pull out your fabrics and look at both sides.
The Aria quilt pattern sewing machine and binding are made from the front of the focus fabric. The pennants, little scissors, and thimble are made using the reverse side of the same focus fabric!
In conclusion, I was drawn to this lovely, sweet floral fabric for this machine. It has sweet roses and leaves. Of course, the reverse side passed my audition test, which is all about value.
Choosing backgrounds for this little wall hanging is the most fun. You can really mix it up here!
Wanna jazz things up? Check out this Tula Pink version! LOVE.
Find the Aria quilt pattern and #usebothsides of your fabric! Etsy shop: HERE.
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This happy little ghoul is popping right out her top like a jack-in-the-box!
This little ghoul is named Jacq O’ Lantern. She’s the first mini quilt pattern designed to use both sides of fabric.
Jacq O’ Lantern is sew much fun to make!
First of all, Jacq O’ Lantern is a pint-size lesson about value.
Secondly, when you learn how to make this little ghoul, you’ve already learned the easy tricks for using value! Use theTricky Traits of Value (click here for more info) to make any of the my patterns that use both spooky (or beautiful) sides of fabric!
Jacq O’ Lantern finishes at 12 inches square, perfect for the table-top quilt stands.
Side note: I was never real big on Halloween decorations when our kids were little. We didn’t avoid Halloween, but I just didn’t want to spend money on decorations when we could spend it on Christmas decorations instead. So…why is it I LOVE Halloween fabric so much? It’s a mystery.
Or…maybe it’s not such a mystery! One of my favorite scenes to draw as a kid was a witch on a broomstick. (I only had a couple of drawings I liked to do – over and over. One was a beach scene with a palm tree-are you surprised? ) This witch always had a long chin that jutted out and a big ole wart on her curved nose. Maybe these Halloween fabrics take me back to my childhood or something. Several of my favorite quilts and projects are Halloween themed. I’m sure you seen them before but, well, ’tis the season!
Here are more fun Halloween themed quilts:
Below is Something’s Brewing. The steam and bubbles are made from the reverse!
Lastly, here are some other fun Halloween projects I’ve enjoyed in the past.
Black Kitty Punch Needle
Instant Bargello Quilt
As you might have guessed, there’s a reason for the different spelling of this pattern. In short, our youngest daughter’s name is Jacquelyn. We’ve always had nicknames for her such as JacqJacq, Jacq, Da Jacinator (at the age of two she could “destroy” a room in minutes), Jacqity Jacq (don’t talk back), and, of course, Jacq O’ Lantern.
