This guy is hot off the quilt pattern presses. But why call this a great blue quilt?
(And what’s with that name, you might ask?)
Of course, Lord Stanley is a Great Blue Heron. I met this guy on the beach over a year ago. He was hanging around the fishermen and didn’t mind a bit that I got close to him. That’s when I started sketching a heron quilt.
To understand this “blue” thing, you gotta know a bit about my family. We used to live in Pensacola (twice). My husband, a former Marine fighter pilot of F/A-18 Hornets, introduced me to air shows and the Blue Angels thirty years ago. The “Blues” do a beach air show every year on Pensacola Beach- the best air show EVER. So the beach and the Blues are a thing for us.
Do you get the feeling this could be like the six degrees of Kevin Bacon? See It’s a Bear Out There.
Enter Lord Stanley. Last year while I was creating this beach bird quilt using BOTH beautiful sides of one feather focus fabric, the St. Louis Blues hockey team were in the playoffs for the coveted prize…the Stanley Cup.
When the Saint Louis Blues WON and I needed a name for this guy, well…”Lord Stanley” stuck!
The traditional prized cup now known as the Stanley Cup was purchased in 1893 by Canada’s governor-general Lord Stanley of Preston.
Now anytime my family sees a Great Blue Heron, they tell me they’ve seen Lord Stanley!
Use both sides of one focus fabric for Lord Stanley (bird body), his throat details (reverse), the borders (reverse), and the binding! Make an easy, scrappy background beach scene for this guy and he’ll be right at home, wherever he’s hanging.
Firstly, this quilt features a window scene. Fused strips are used to make window panes. Easy, right? On the sill is a tropical bouquet of flowers in a woven vase. Beyond the window frame is a dark trim (stop border). Beyond that is the “wallpaper” and, finally, the binding.
Tropical Sunset was designed for Hoffman California Fabrics using “Meet Me in Paradise”.
Therefore, you begin with your window scene, add the panes, one strip for the window sill, and three borders. Your window is ready for you to arrange your own bouquet!
How do you use both beautiful sides of fabric?
Basically, the RIGHT side of a tropical floral focus fabric is used to make the bouquet. The technique is a simple Broderie Perse. Notice the lighter woven vase? It’s made from the REVERSE of the same fabric. You’ll use the full-size template to make the vase shape.
The Tropical Paradise quilt pattern includes instructions for making your own background panel. Furthermore, as in every pattern, I’ll teach you how to audition BOTH sides of fabrics.
Moreover, consider the possibilities for your own window view! You might like a country meadow out the window with a vase of sunflowers on the sill. You can customize your quilt by the fabrics your choose!
Discover the nuances of value as you learn to use BOTH beautiful sides of fabric!
Below is PHOEBEE, made using Hoffman California Fabrics “Electric Garden”.
Another quilt designed for Hoffman using Floral Rhapsody!
You only need to use both beautiful sides of only THREE fabrics for VariLovable Star– shown below using Hoffman California Fabrics Floral Rhapsody.
VariLovable Star is made using one block and three fabrics. Therefore, you’ll start with a small Variable Star block and use the reverse of the fabric for the background “light” pieces. Then you nestle that star by using it as the center of the next largest star. The center star and the largest, outer star are matching. The quilt is bound with the fabric of the third (orange) star. This quilt goes together quickly and really makes a statement…or you might say, splash!
Varilovable Star using Hoffman California Fabrics!
Years ago a sweet lady named Betty gave her opinion about using white in quilts. That soft-spoken piece of quilting advise has stuck with me like a whisper in my ear.
Using white in quilts can be more controversial than one might think.
Shades of White
I would venture to say that most quilters (or anyone buying paint for their home) knows that white isn’t necessarily white. There’s off-white, cream, cotton, paper, snow, shadow, vanilla, milk, white wash, cloud…the lists of whites goes on and one!
Quilters know they can use a fabric that isn’t actually white but it could “read” as white. One example of fabrics that use varying shades of white within themselves are “white on white” fabrics. Here is one example – which I LOVE – because this white on white has flamingos on it!
White on White Flamingo Fabric
The definition of white from the dictionary is “the achromatic color of maximum lightness’.
White is the color that is perceived by the eye when exposed to all the visible wavelengths of light. Off-white colors can vary in hue, saturation and intensity.
So how does the definition of white relate to quilting?
According to Betty, one should never use pure white in a quilt. She believed it was too harsh on the eye. Now, does this mean that Betty never made a white-white quilt? I don’t know. I have definitely made quilts with bright white fabrics in them.
However, the context in which Betty was speaking when she gave me this advice was regarding the thread to choose for quilting a quilt with pure white fabric. She suggested using a warmer white. (I recall being a bit shocked.) She said the use of a softer white in the quilting thread provides a rest for the eye and softens the look of the entire quilt.
This was my mother-in-law’s white button collection.
I remembered Betty’s advice when I used to quilt for customers. I chose an ivory thread, even on pure white quilts. It “read” as white on even the whitest quilts, but it softened their look.
In 2017, when I chose the background fabrics for Phoebee (my first pattern), I wanted to really go wild and use many varying shades of white. While it wasn’t necessarily my goal, I found that the use of varying shades of white provided a subtle interest in my designs. It also made me more “free” in my choices (and a bit of a rebel?). I felt I was challenging myself and eventually my student quilters to try to combine fabrics that don’t “match”. More than 35 patterns later, one of my favorite part of designing patterns is choosing the varying background shades.
I don’t get to see my friend, Betty, very often – especially now. But I think of her often and with admiration. She provided a valuable piece of advise to a novice quilter. You just never know how something you say today can stay with a person more than sixteen years later. Thanks, Betty! (hugs)
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)!
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.
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.
Jack Quilt Pattern
A few snapshots from the wedding:
Note that this blog post would not be possible without the help of my Silent Partner.
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.
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!
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.
Are you an occasional quilter or do you quilt occasionally?
You might be a quilter IF you like to make quilts for special occasions.
Likewise, you might be a quilter if you quilt occasionally!
In my early days of quilting, I thought I needed a reason (sometimes known as an excuse) for spending lots of time, energy, and (let’s face it) money on a quilt. So occasional quilting it was!
I might make quilts for special occasions like these:
Birthdays
Christmas Gifts
Baby Showers
Weddings
Graduations
Activities your kids or grandkids are in (mine included operas, musicals, and dance)
Quilts of Valor
Thank you gifts
Housewarmings
I’m sure each of you could add to this list! The point is, if I needed an excuse to make a new quilt, I could always come up with one!
Mini quilt made for daughter, Jacquelyn, who played Gertrude in Seussical.
In the beginning, I’d see a quilt offered in a class and would decide who or what occasion it was suited for and there was my excuse to take the class. Stage two was thinking of an occasion and searching for a pattern or fabric which best suited that theme for a quilt. As I, let’s say, aged as a quilter, I would think of the occasion and then either adapt a pattern or create my own quilt to suit the day.
“Our Town” fabric is featured in a quilt for my daughter, Paige, who played Emily in the Our Town opera.
I’m guessing that “quilting occasionally” happens for all of us! Life happens and priorities change and shift. Here is my latest example of quilting occasionally – at least on this project:
This project is by Willyne Hammerstein. Learn more HERE.
Stay tuned – the next occasional quilt I’ll share is for our daughter’s wedding – she’s getting married in the mountains in a week! Can you guess what the theme might be?
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.
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!
Fabulously different “Grace” quilts made by Heartland Quilters Guild Members!Grace Quilt Pattern
Vibrant colors and variety of styles make Modern Broderie Perse exciting and fun for today’s quilters.
Discover the beauty of new fabrics in this one-block quilt pattern! Bohemian Blenders by Hoffman explode with color throughout the Treasures quilt pattern!
Hoffman California Fabrics Bohemian Blenders are another new fabric line that explodes with interest and delight – using both sides of three new fabrics that explode in this one-block quilt pattern!
Once again, here is a quilt made with both beautiful sides of Hoffman fabrics in this one-block quilt pattern.
Treasures is shown here using only three new fabrics on “solid” background in this one-block quilt pattern!
Looking forward to quilting this girl soon- then she’ll ship to California!
How does this work?
Specifically, each Contrary Wife block is made with two sets of half-square triangles (made using the reverse sides of the fabric for a lighter value) and five simple squares – and that’s it! The “light” blocks are made using the background fabric squares and the “dark” blocks are made with one of the three prints. Therefore, placement and the use of value (by using the reverse sides) gives the added interest of a secondary pattern.
The three colorways of Bohemian Blenders are Peridot, Palomino, and Multi.
The Hoffman version of this pattern lists the fabric details to make it easier for quilters and shop owners to find these exact fabrics.
See the Hoffman California Spring Projects Catalog HERE!
See the original Treasures quilt below. Learn more about the original Treasures HERE.
To summarize, seashells, sea horses, and coral are the seaside motifs in these fabrics by Dan Morris for QT. Both sides of the three fabrics are combined with a soft white background. There are limited quantities of this complete quilt kit in my Etsy shop (while supplies last).
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!
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.
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.
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.
Now, take a look at both sides of these fabulous fabrics from Hoffman California 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!
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!
