Commercial Pattern Springboard

Marny....We had the opportunity to attend Heidi Kaisand's retreat.  I had purchased the pattern Hot Shot by Debbie Bowles of Maple Island Quilts some weeks before.  I was intrigued with the asymmetrical six patches and the clever and simple construction method.  It seemed appropriate for sewing in a room full of distracting and cheerful quilters.  I wanted to make it without the borders seen on the pattern.  The edges are finished with a facing rather than a binding for a more contemporary look.


I had a couple of fat quarter bundles of Lonni Rossi fabric in my workroom that seemed perfect to use.  The flat green Kona solid was chosen because it provided a dark, contrasting texture to the other fabrics.  I wanted something to continue the analagous color scheme, but still make the squares stand out enough to seem scattered across the top.  The six patches control the variety of textures, colors and designs.  

   

                                      Ginko Leaves quilted by Connie Keller

Jill....Meanwhile,  at the same retreat, I was struggling with banners for a wedding reception.  I was working with silk and it was too much of a good thing. Lightbulb!  The pattern that Marny was sewing could work very well, using the silk as the 6 patches within patterned cottons.  The following photos illustrate two different uses.  One had different cottons with the same silks in each block.

The other arrangement involved the same cotton fabric background with a variety of random colored silks.

The banners were 2 blocks wide X 4-5 blocks long.  I added a silk border at the top and bottom and finished them by turning them inside out with the backing/batting.  I quilted (by machine) around the silk squares, added curtain rings in the upper corners and hung them with Command hooks.