SIMPLY SOPHISTICATED DESIGN WITH A TASTE OF THE UNEXPECTED.

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Process Promises & Pattern Give Away

Lunch Boxes, child size 

jill here....A few weeks ago, before introducing our newest pattern, I alluded to our design and fabric selections.  There are so many wonderful positive and negative fabric patterns on the market so finding ways to use them is a fun experiment.  Graphic blacks and whites with saturated colors create kid-friendly quilts.  And the asymmetrical nine patch is perfect for that intersection of transparency.  In this case, the yellow orange and the red orange intersect to create orange. The colors don't have to make accurate sense:  they could be just three fun colors that define the lines for the "gridded" appearance. Just keep in mind the values and their backgrounds.

With Spring slow to arrive, I was in a bug to create a table runner that was fresh and colorful. I discovered several fabrics from a designer that had special meaning.  At International Quilt Market, three years ago, we were given the book Scatter Joy, written and signed by artist Kathy Davis.  Her fabric line is "Happiness" for Free Spirit.  She creates wonderful water color images, often flowers with geometrics and written graphics.  This more stylized floral appealed to me.
Lunch Boxes corners. 
Lunch Boxes "opposite"... really more of a change
 in value, pattern and scale...a nice accompaniment. 

This is the small scale aqua chosen for the background.
It's directional but the pattern is written to
maintain its vertical orientation.


Mocking up choices is a good test to finalize selections.
The yellow green works well but the" intersection" fabric
and the medium value leading into it are too close in value.
This variegated stripe had just the right saturated colors.



Too many strong patterns and saturation
...took away from the emphasis.
Switched again but the light vertical was just too light.
The aqua near solid was a relief to the eye and brought in
more of the darker tones.
The yellow green vertical was again too strong
for the more subtle look I was aiming for.

Final choice:  Small scaled plaid as the vertical with the aqua
as both the intersection and medium value.  Using the aqua in
both places simplifies and reiterates the darker value.



Stitched in the ditch quilting....more later.
Ready for spring...


Into the yard.  'Till next Tuesday....
To win a copy of our newest pattern, Lunch Boxes leave a spring filled comment!  Drawing will be at 5 pm Central Time, Monday, May 20th.

27 comments:

  1. First comment is never a winner, but I will go with it anyway!!

    Today I am having tile laid in my master BR, den/living room and the hall that connects the two. It is a new fresh look for the house and forced me too do a lot of closet spring cleaning.

    Luckily the day is a cloudless beauty, the trees are an incredible green. One can't complain about Spring's eternal wonder.

    Thanks for the giveaway, I would love to have that pattern!

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  2. The rainy spring weather allowed me to work in the sewing room and complete a quilt top and make progress on another UFO. Now, that the weather is nicer, I can get outside and not feel too guilty about my neglected sewing room.

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  3. The red bud trees are an amazing announcement of spring this year ... with all the rain their color is vibrant! In your pattern, the turquoises, aquas, and yes, that zingy small scale lime green plaid are fresh and spring-y, especially against the white background. Good job, you two!

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  4. Loved the explanation, and photos, for the auditioning fabrics for your new pattern. It gave me inspiration on how to use the daisy fabrics, that so remind me of spring, waiting in my stash!

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  5. I am spring cleaning in my sewing room and it is amazing what goodies I am finding. Amazing what you buy and totally forget about. Would love a new pattern to use up some of my stash.

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  6. We have our flowers and garden planted. It is so good to be outside and see all the colors of the season and hear the birds singing about it!

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  7. Oh to be able to whip up this lovely spring pattern and take it on a picnic to celebrate our late in arriving spring in Minnesota! Reclining on the lunch box patterned quilt with a real lunch box chock full of yummy picnic treats and my most recent quilt to be bound - just in case I get inspired to hand sew!

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  8. So fun reading about process.. thanks for sharing that! Spring cleaning everything since we are still unpacking! Yard and garden included...

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  9. It's hard to believe that it is 95 degrees outside after a perfectly wonderful Mother's Day weekend. My petunias and marigolds are planted, a new house flag is flying in the breeze and the deck is getting sealed this weekend! Spring has truly sprung in Iowa! I would love that pattern and can imagine all kinds of great fabric combinations.

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  10. this was a great demo.
    thanks for the chance to win!

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  11. I think Laura Gunn fabrics would be a good choice as well for the new pattern.
    Spring comment? IT has been such a messed up spring, I don't know what to think.

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  12. It helps me so much to see the process you used and your thoughts as you sampled different fabrics for the table runner. I spent the rest of the day pulling Spring out of my stash to make one too! Thank you and winning the pattern to add to the many I always have from you all would be a great way to use these Spring colors!

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  13. Spring is just a great time to get excited about everything new! The colors of spring are so fresh and inspiring. I've enjoyed looking at some of the new fabric collections out there....would be great for this pattern. Thanks for the give away.

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  14. I am in need of some creative inspiration right now, and winning this pattern could do the trick! Pick me! Pick me! :)

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  15. The dafodils and tulips are blooming, the peonies are in bud, and the wisteria is covered in lavender blooms, the heavenly scent wafts thru the neighborhood. Next come the lilacs.

    Love your pattern lunch box!

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  16. Wow. Thanks for the lesson in auditioning fabrics. Such an important step in creating a quilt...and often skipped over. I find myself looking at your quilt patterns more and more. They may seem "simple" at first glance but so interesting that I find myself quickly thinking how I could/would make my own version. Keep 'em coming! Please!

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  17. It's time to spring into action and get some quilts finished. Spring colors and a new quilt pattern would make me very happy, as well as a spring cleaned studio!

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  18. Slinky...well you did say spring filled! :-)

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  19. I usually live in San Diego, but this spring I'm in Cambridge MA and really am enjoying the spring flowers that are appearing all around. I've never seen so many flowering trees and tulips growing in the ground! Thanks for putting my name in the hat for your drawing!

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  20. I've finally been able to keep our windows open through the night and enjoy the fresh air and cool breeze ... and bird song in the morning. Ahhhhh ... inhale ... SPRING!

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  21. The smell of fresh cut grass while I field rebounds playing basketball with my son. Nothing better.

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  22. Love your audition of fabrics and love the pattern. Spring is also most over here, but the flowers have been beautiful and love the bluebirds flying back and forth to their houses.

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  23. Cute table runner! Spring...lilac's are almost ready to bloom and today we watched many birds feeding at our feeders, Orioles, Cardinals, Hummingbirds,Goldfinches. I am in need of a quilty fix soon!!

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  24. Spring colors abound on my audition boards and I loved your auditions. Spring here also means the Skunks are around and the Squirrels are running in the trees. Country living is the time for babies of all kinds.
    MaryD
    www.stitchesonmyneedle.blogspot.com

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  25. Love this pattern. And the fabric just shouts Spring. I am so enjoying Spring with the warmer days and pretty flowers.

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  26. I would love to buy this pattern but I don't see it in your shop. Please help. Would like to make a cute runner for a house warming.

    Thanks!

    Audrey

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your email. Going to try to put it in the shop by the end of today! If it doesn't work, email us and we'll invoice you individually. modernquiltrelish at gmail dot com

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