SIMPLY SOPHISTICATED DESIGN WITH A TASTE OF THE UNEXPECTED.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

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.





3 comments:

  1. This is still my favorite quilting website! Looking forward to lots more good things coming up on Tuesdays.

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  2. Another great Tuesday post. I'm looking forward to finishing my other 3 Hot Shot wallhangings that were inspired by your interpretation of this pattern. Thanks for sharing your ideas.

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  3. Love seeing what you're working on! And the description of the banners might get me into gear to use up some of the many yards of Chinese silk I brought back from China in Dec. 2007. I've been thinking that some kind of simple hanging would be nice, and your basic approach may work well for this material.

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