Fabric – Page 2 – Artquiltmaker Blog

Pantone Project Fabric Selection #1 Attempt

Friend Julie has already started selecting fabrics and making blocks. I have just started with the most recent postcard she sent (Pantone #350, a VERY dark, almost black, green). I am behind and I have no excuse except I am quilting the Tarts, I finished Pies & Points and the Diagonal 9 Patch and I am working on clearing my to do list.

I needed a break while I was quilting the Tarts, so I started looking at fabrics.

When I receive the postcard, I sometimes get an idea of the fabric I want to use. For this VERY dark, almost black, green I thought immediately of the Tula Tiny Dots and Stripes. On a break I got the striped fabric out, confident I would have one selected and compared the postcard with the fabric.

Bleah! Not dark enough.

No problem, what about the dots?

Better. Maybe a good enough option, but still not dark enough.

This was depressing and I started thinking about the greens I have. If I have a green this dark, it will be buried in a project box or at the bottom of some “old fabric” box, because the last time I may have used such a fabric was when I took the Mary Mashuta class on pushed neutrals. I also have a Tula solid that might work.

I put Pantone #350 aside for awhile. I had to file papers before I could climb up into the depths of my fabric closet to get at the old neutrals, so I took out the Pantone #14-1911, Candy Pink postcard. I knew there was a pink solid around that would be perfect.

Wrong again. This is a great example of making visual decisions visually. Again, the pink might be good enough, but if you look at Julie’s selections, they are perfect matches. Sigh. More climbing up into the closet. I really don’t want to buy fabric for this project if I can avoid it.

I need to go file papers.

Tiny Beasts and New True Colors

It was a good mail day on Saturday, though DH had to get up from his nap to answer the mail lady’s knock.

Last October I pre-ordered some Tiny Beasts and new True Colors fabrics by Tula Pink. They arrived on Saturday.

The stripes and dots are great. I think the Tiny Beasts were kind of an indulgence. I need to figure how to use them right away.

The colors are great, though.

There has been some reporting in the La Pass group that there isn’t enough of one of the fabrics. With this delivery I have plenty.

Pink Door Parade

Pink Door order - Dec 2021 — Pink Door order – Dec 2021

Pink Door was having a sale. I took the opportunity to pick up a few things I needed for my La Pass project, few gifts and some things I had been eyeing for awhile.

The idea was that you place your order and they hold it until the sale is over then send it. That meant that I received a giant box of quilt gifts right before Christmas. Some of the items were gifts. I’ll have to save a couple, because the box didn’t arrive in time. It is okay, because I forgot that I bought them for the recipients!

One of the things I bought, which was not on my mind, was the Marti Michell Magic Mirror**. Total impulse buy, but I think I can use it when I am selecting fabric for fussy cutting for my La Pass project. I could have really used this when I made the Peacock. It is a recommended tool for One Block Wonder quilts.

I also bought more glue pens – not the refills, but the actual pens. I have one, but wanted one for my travel bag and one on my cutting table as well. I got a lot of refills with the pens, so I am in good shape there.

I am excited about also excited about the long handbag zippers that were on sale. I am sure I can use them for future bags. I got some mesh that will go with the fabrics I use for Mom’s bags.

As you can see I also got some fabric and some Tula Project pouches. It was fun to be able to shop for what I wanted for once.

**I use affiliate links and may be paid for your purchase of an item when you click on an item link in my post. There is no additional cost to you for clicking or purchasing items I recommend. I appreciate your clicks and purchases as it helps support this blog.

Digital Printing or …?

I am using some Windham digitally printed fabric for the exterior of my UCAB. I am finding it to be kind of delicate.

I bought pieces at two different stores, so I am pretty sure the problem lies with the printing process and not the storage at or the transportation of the fabric to the stores.

First, I found that the holes were very noticeable after I ripped out some stitching. Sometimes this happens, but they were still visible even after I rubbed the fabric down.

As usual, I did wash the fabric in hot water with Retayne before I used it.

I also noticed that this fabric gets runs – not color runs, but like runs in stockings – if I am not careful. This happens when fabric is ripped. In this case I don’t know (and don’t remember) how the fabric was separated from the bolt.

I needed some more of the fabric and when I got the second half yard I noticed some flaws.

I don’t know that much about the process of printing on fabric. I only have a few experiences with my printer and with buying from Spoonflower.

I don’t know if the experiences I am having are because it is digitally printed or because of this particular fabric or for some other reason.

I like the fabric and hope this was an anomaly.

Finished: Fabric of the Year 2019

I finally finished FOTY 2019 in June, but I couldn’t get a picture taken because of everything going on here.

My pals helped me hold up the quilt at Sew Day. I am thrilled with how it came out. Adding the grey is definitely a different look than Fabric of the Year 2018 with the black squares. It also, obviously, has a different look than the previous years with no constant color.

I really like the tulip fabric on the back. I don’t use a lot of green, but that emerald – or near emerald color is very appealing. I also really like that print and would like to see the Kaffe Fassett Collective release it in different colorways.

Recent New Fabrics

There is no way I am going to make anywhere near my 100 yard goal this year. As it stands, I’ll be happy to be in the black by December 31.

Last month, I talked about cutting the La Pass pieces wrong. That was my excuse for getting some of the Tula Pink True Colors. I needed a little more of the dahlia (lower left corner), but decided to get some of the others as well. I know they will show up in La Pass as we expand out into the other rosettes.

You see the coneflowers as well, I know. I couldn’t not buy more. I may use a little of in La Pass, but I also want to make more I Spy Pouches from it.

I also bought some of the dripping roses. I saw an Inside Outside Pouch by Aneela Hoey that someone made with the dripping roses. I only had an FQ and that wasn’t enough to cut the two main pieces of the pattern. I cut something else, but that wasn’t what I wanted, so I bought these fabrics and will cut out that pattern soon. I will use it for the thread I am using for La Pass.

The black and white are just extras for the project and I wanted more of the peacocks so I could sub in that fabric when I didn’t like some of the others. My sewing life seems to be all about La Passacaglia right now.

Quilty Box n.3

I received the most recent Quilty Box a few days ago.

I like the boxes – the actual cardboard container – since they are great for mailing things.

I like receiving good mail.

This is, however, the last one I will receive. I decided not to renew for all reasons I talked about in the post about Quilty Box n.1 and Quilty Box n.2. Also, the fabric was cut to make a certain project and that didn’t work for me.

This one had Sew Tites and I can always use Sew Tites!

I also liked the charm pack. I really need to find a scrap project that uses 5 inch squares. I have tons in addition to all of the charm packs I have collected.

Quilty Box n.2

I am on month 2 of my 3 month Quilty Box subscription. Victoria Findlay Wolfe provided this month’s project – a lozenge quilt. I didn’t really get to enjoy this one yet, because of the Workroom Refresh.

I was still excited to receive the box. Everything is such a wreck at our house that a little treat was a good thing. This time I didn’t know what would be in it, so it was a complete surprise. The picture (right) is exactly what I saw when I opened the box. They wrapped it pretty nicely, if simply.

The booklet has a couple of projects inside as well as a Q&A with Victoria Findlay Wolfe.

I didn’t know what to expect in this box. There was another label, some mini fabric bolt cards, a seam ripper, a spool of Aurifil, acrylic templates for the quilt and the booklet. The seam ripper is a serious Havel one. I’ll put it in my La Passacaglia kit.

I like the fabric. The amounts were better this time. I got 1/3 yard cuts and can make the quilt pictured on the front of the booklet, if I add some background.

I don’t need everything in this box, but the overall contents were better. I think I just want to open mail and dream about the contents. I am pretty sure I don’t want to organize it, find a home for it or put it all away.

Quilty Box

I subscribed for 3 months to Quilty Box. Anna Maria Horner’s Bright Eyes fabric line was included in this first box. I wanted to subscribe because of the AMH fabrics. I didn’t buy any Bright Eyes when I was in Oregon & Washington, so getting some in the mail was good.

I was excited to receive the box. I didn’t know exactly what was in it. The picture (right) is exactly what I saw when I opened the box. They wrapped it pretty nicely, if simply.

The booklet has a couple of projects inside as well as a Q&A with Anna Maria Horner.

The fabric, of course, was the main attraction. There were, however, other items in the box as well. The items included a label, a spool of thread, and a needle threader.

I liked the fabric, but I didn’t really like the amounts. They provide the amounts needed to make the quilt on the front of the booklet. I would have liked some more of the poppy fabric and less of the plaid. I have no plans to make the quilt top, so I started using the fabric already.

I know I seem like I am never happy with these boxes. I guess I just need to shop for myself!

Butterfly Effect

LillyElla designer, Nicole, has a new project out, Butterfly Effect. LillyElla is the designer of the Mini Maker Case and also the Undercover Maker Mat. I do like her projects. Pink Door has fabric packs, papers, and acrylic templates.

I need another EPP Project (or any project???) like I need another hole in my head, but I am still very tempted. My friend, Lindsay, is working on Smitten and I love to see the progress she is making. Of course, she takes it with her places and works out in by bits while she is out. I never really go anywhere where that would work. I have the half-hexie project I haven’t worked on in months. Also, I have La Passacaglia papers and templates waiting for me to make into something.

It would be stupid to spend money on this new temptation, but I am still tempted.

New Fabrics

I kind of lost my mind after watching the Free Spirit Facebook Live with Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably.

The top fabric is Brocade Peony. This is a different color way from a similar fabric I bought a couple of years ago. I used it in the 4 Zip Organizer and also in the All Rolled Up Tote as the lining and love the design. I like the Crimson colorway (left) even more. I can’t wait to figure out something fabulous to use it for.

I bought the irises thinking I might make a bag for my aunt. Her birthday is on the 21st and she adores irises. I wasn’t really thinking about time in a logical way and I just don’t think I will have the time to make something before then.

I bought the Feathers on a whim. I only have a yard and will have to think of something that suits the design to make.

FOTY 2018 Finished

I am finally posting about a finished FOTY 2018. I actually finished the binding a month or so ago, but somehow it never made it on to the blog 9as far as I can tell!). I finished the top in July and took it to Colleen shortly thereafter.

Once I got it back, I had to sew the binding and the sleeve. The piece is ready to hang and I can move on to getting FOTY 2019 quilted.

FOTY 2019 Top Finished!

I finally finished FOTY 2019. It seems like it took forever. I starting putting it on the wall on September 11, but I had just torn the ligament in my foot and I just couldn’t work on it.

I started to make some slow progress starting around October 4. I didn’t really start sewing anything until about October 31.

These quilts usually don’t take that long, but like many things in 2020, this piece took more time. I am going to move away from UFOs and make something I haven’t started after working on a few bags and Christmas gifts.

FOTY 2019 OOPS

Fabric of the Year 2019 - mid-November 2 — Fabric of the Year 2019 – mid-November 2

Part of the process is ripping and I had to rip as I was very close to finishing the FOTY 2019 top.

The quilt top started out correct. It is not sewn together completely in the photo (left), but all of the pieces are where I wanted them.

I continued sewing -and it is a lot of sewing to get these Fabric of the Year quilts together- to make chunks.

FOTY 2019 - Letters upside down — FOTY 2019 – Letters upside down

When I had about 12 seams left, I realized that something had happened. I had reversed a section somewhere along the process.

I can tell because the letters (white on red serif print) are upside down. I try to get the directional prints going in the right direction when I make these quilts. They do have a top and a bottom. I was nearly done sewing the quilt together. I could have gotten the quilt done before dinner if I had just continued. The question, however, becomes “will I notice this forever?” In this case, the answer was yes.

One good thing about this type of quilt is that I could rip out that one section, resew it and finish the quilt, which is what I did.

Except that I also tried to figure out where I went wrong. I know that on November 14 that section was oriented correctly. On November 23rd, it wasn’t. Sometime in that 10ish day period, something happened and that chunk was turned upside down.

It is hard to keep these pieces correctly oriented. By ‘correctly oriented’ I mean in the place I want them. Most people wouldn’t notice and in 10 years, I might not notice either. I notice now, however.

It is fixed and the quilt top is on its way to being finished.

FOTY 2019 Nearing Completion

FOTY 2019 - late November 2020 — FOTY 2019 – late November 2020

After sewing all the pairs together, I really started to pick up speed. I spent a few hours on Saturday and a few more on Sunday making progress. I have about 12 more seams to sew before I finish the top. Yay!

It is still large, but I am always amazed at how much smaller pieces end up as the seam allowances disappear.

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
	1	2	3	4	5	6
7	8	9	10	11	12	13
14	15	16	17	18	19	20
21	22	23	24	25	26	27
28	29	30