mr. monkeysuit

quilt month 12:: color

Today's post will be the final post for quilt month. I know there is a ton of stuff I didn't get to but, all that means is that I will have to do another quilt month next year.

Before I give my quick primer on color I want to thank everyone who has contributed in one way or another to quilt month. Despite the fact that I didn't find the time to post as often I would have liked I've really enjoyed it. I've learned a lot from all of you, found new blogs and I'd like to think I've made a few new friends as well. So thank you, you've all been really great.

There is a ton of information on the web about color and honestly it all gets very complicated. What follows is a simpified list of definitions that can be applied when thinking about combining colors for quilts.

Monochromatic - generally considered to be a peaceful color scheme and uses a single color in different shade. Think of it as taking a slice of the pie above.

Complementary - using direct opposites on the color wheel. e.g blue and orange (more on that in a minute) red and green.

Split Complementary - usually a little easier on the eye. Pick a hue, find its complementary color then use a color on either side of it. For example if you picked the middle orange slice of pie you would match it with the darker and the lighter blue slices of pie (not the middle, primary one).

Analogous - Any three hues that are adjacent to each other on the color wheel. Eg. Little blue, green, light green.

There are a ton of books on Amazon on the subject of color.

Here are some great uses of color by us!

I adore this Kaffe Fassett one from the pesky bombolino.

 

 

Simple Inspiration's beautiful patchwork using just solids.

 

I love these Gwen Marston stars from Laughing Duck.

 

Fabulous color from  ModernJax.

Another one from Simple Inspirationswith great fall colors.  

Sodeste shares her beautiful version of plain spoken. 

And there's this gorgeous picnic blanket from Stitch

 

 

Finally I want to share with you a stitch in dyes'sblog whose use of color is just amazing. Feast your eyes on this lovely creation.

She dyes her own fabric some of which can be purchased in her etsy shop.

I know there are many, many quilting artists whose name did not get a mention here but time is limited at the moment so forgive me for those I've forgotten.

I hope you've all enjoyed quilt month. I'll be back in a week or so when I've caught my breath. Thanks again for all your wonderful contributions. You are the best!

 

Sodeste shares her beautiful version of plain spoken. 

And there's this gorgeous picnic blanket from Stitch

quilt month 11:: ooops

Sorry about that. I didn't mean to take so long.

Today I wanted to talk to you about color, but I don't have time. So I'll show you the quilt I just finished instead.

 

 

Back (early?) next week with some posts about color.

Hope you're having a good week!

quilt month 10:: scraps

There's been a whole lot of quilting going on round here which means there's a whole lot of scraps. But what to do with them ? Well I am sure we can solve the problem.

Today I'm just going to focus on what I've used them for in the past but a quick search on-line provides you with a million choices. Also check out Crazy Mom Quilts for some totally rocking tutorials and JC Handmade is doing a scrap challenge which looks like it will be amazing.

 

Doll quilts, lots of doll quilts.

place mats

 

and some with matching coasters

 

personalized towels

crayon rolls

little cute things

Banners

 

No scrap too small!

I had lots of strips left over from Cissie's quilt so I made a fabric pompom using Molly Chicken's tutorial.

Stuck with lots of tiny squares. I use mine for hair clips. Cissie can never have enough.

Of course, If your scrap bin gets big enough you could always just make another quilt.

I'll be back next week. Have a great weekend!

Banners

 

quilt month 9:: more sentimental quilts

Pink Yarrow shares her most sentimental quilts.

One from Clarkie Neptune

One from Tiger lily Tinkering

There are these cute ones from At The End of This Row plus she has this vintage quilt to share.

And of course I had to mention hers.

 

Back tomorrow with scraps. Happy Wednesday.

quilt month 8:: sentimental quilts

My most sentimental quilts are not ones I have made. And I don't have any heirlooms passed down through generations but I think these maybe the beginning of that tradition. Both of these quilts were made by Claire. Can you tell what a huge influence she is to my quilting?  

The first quilt is one she made for Andy and I when we got married. This was the first quilt she ever made.

 

I had little fabric favor bags filled with jellybeans. She went around after the wedding and collected as many as she could and made them into a quilt. I'm so glad she did.

   

And it has one of my absolute all time favorite fabrics EVER.

 

And yes, for the eagle-eyed amongst you, they are all Liberty fabrics.

The other most sentimental quilt, also made by Claire, was for Floyd when he was born. Seems she likes to mark all our major life landmarks with a quilt.

 

This is the second quilt she ever made. She's got skills, right?

 

We painted the same little turtles all around his wall in his nursery. I can't look at this quilt without thinking of Floyd as a little baby.

I had the pleasure of meeting these beautiful babies last week and oh me oh my are they cute. I mean seriously adorable. I got to have a little cuddle with both of them. Miss Rory just stared and stared with her big blue eyes and Mr. Joe fell fast asleep in my arms for a good long while. They are wonderful and Vicki is the most amazing mum.

There is nothing in the whole world like holding a baby. But this train of thought could land me in trouble so lets move on.

Quilt News :: I have some links and pictures from you, for tomorrow's post on sentimental quilts but if you have one you'd like to include let me know.

Amanda sent me an email asking for some advice on how to repair a vintage quilt she found. Please hop on over and give her some help, as I really have no idea. While you are there check out this beauty.

And I want to say thank you to everyone who left a comment for my last quilt. I am always so pleased when I make something you like. 

That's all for today. Have a good one.

quilt month 7:: simple and dense

Not me...though sometimes, maybe.

I am using this quilt I recently made as an example of what I want to discuss.

I love simple quilts but I like them to have something that continues to draw the eye. Whether it is the design of the quilt, the fabric used or the way it has been quilted; something that encourages you to take another look.

 

For this quilt I chose to focus on the fabrics rather than the design. Simplicity in the design, I just used strips, but complexity in the fabrics and in the quilting.

 

It is my personal preference (and again I realize many will disagree) to have both a combination of simplicity and complexity. For example, this fabric (mostly out of print Liberty) has strong, bold prints that would be lost if cut into small pieces.

 

And I opted to quilt very densely in uneven lines; my new favorite quilting stitch (makes a change from concentric squares eh?). The quilting complimented the fabric and design rather than distracting from it.

Dense quilting gives a very different feel to the quilt. Cissie's new quilt, is very sparsely quilted because I wanted a higher loft, cozier, more blankety feeling quilt. But the simplicity of this design made me want to create more of a structured feeling, hence the more intense quilting pattern.

 

I love all kinds of quilts, though clearly if you look back through my quilting posts you can see my preference for rectangles and squares (graph paper is my favorite kind of paper too), but I like quilts to feel simple and balanced. I am not one for too much fuss and sometimes I like to let the fabrics to the talking.

There is such an array of beautiful fabric around these days and the quality is generally very good that it seems a shame not to let it have its moment in the sun.

Quilt News ::

Frogdancer needs some urgent help with her quilt. Scoot on over and give her any advice you can. 

Claire has a link to nettiepete's blog and esty shop which sells super cute stripes quilt kits.

Next week I'll be doing sentimental quilts and scraps.  

quilt month 6:: looks like we're not done yet.

It seems like we are not quite done with vintage quilts. There is a fabulous informative post over at Mama And JackJack on how to clean your vintage finds.

And Claire has two very different styles to share. The hexagons are only an inch across so tiny, so cute.

 

And the bold geometric shapes from Pakistan.

 

Gwensmom recommends estate sales over thrift stores if you are trying to find one. I'd have to agree, I've never found one in a thrift storeand only very occasionally at yard sales but estate sales seem to have the most by far.

I came across this online shop that sells vintage quilts. Great for inspiration but I'll probably be sticking to the estate sales.

And of course there is a group dedicated to vintage quilts over at flickr. There are some absolutely stunning ones in amongst this group.

On a non-vintage quilt note, Amber from Make Baby Stuff is hosting a baby quilt contest so get on over there and enter your favorite.

Back tomorrow...I hope!

Update:: The Giddy Goat has some vintage quilt blocks that she is giving away. Head on over to get in the draw.

quilt month 5:: our favorite vintage quilts.

From gwensmom comes this beautiful one.  

Sandi over at A Legacy of Stitches has so many gorgeous ones to share but I think this is my favorite so far.

And I have to give this quilt by Bumble Beans an honorable mention, seeing as it is so relevant to my recent post. It's not vintage but inspired by Gee's Bend quilts. Beautiful.

There is a whole collection of thrifted vintage quilts over at Mama And JackJack. I think this one is my very favorite. Sarah seems to have a talent for finding great bargains, lucky gal.

The Calico Cat shares a very special vintage quilt, made by her great-grandmother with the most beautiful fabrics. More pictures here.

And last but by no means least, I wanted to show these two quilts by Bella Dia, that I chanced upon last week.

And look at the amazing use of color in this one.

 

Cassi has lots more detailed photos in the original post. I think this has to be the greatest vintage quilt haul to date.

Next up:: simple and dense - you'll see. Followed by my most sentimental quilts. I have two to share, neither of which I made. I have collected some links of others I've noticed in the group but let me know if you've got a quilt to show or a story to tell.

And look at the amazing use of color in this one.

 

Cassi has lots more detailed photos in the original post. I think this has to be the greatest vintage quilt haul to date.

Next up:: simple and dense - you'll see. Followed by my most sentimental quilts. I have two to share, neither of which I made. I have collected some links of others I've noticed in the group but let me know if you've got a quilt to show or a story to tell.

quilt month 4:: vintage beauties

Today was Floyd's first day back at school so I am really feeling the change of season. I love his school but I miss him when he's not here. As I was putting him to bed last night I asked him if he was exited about school and he said,'yes, but mummy I don't really like leaving the house'. I laughed because he is exactly the same as my husband, who went away on a two-day business trip last week and came home a day early.

We are all very co-dependent and home, with each other, is where we like it best.

 

Moving on. I found this vintage quilt quite recently at an estate sale. They were asking $95 but I got them down to $40. It was all the cash I had on me. I still thought $40 was a lot but it is the nicest one I have seen and I knew what I wanted it for.

 

It is in daily use on our bed. When I found it, it was in pretty bad shape. I washed it five times in a row. Then dried it. And washed it again.

There are some strips of fabric that have worn away but mysteriously there is more fabric beneath it.

I doubt I will bother to repair it.

 

I love all the handmade details, especially the hand quilting.

 

I have promised myself that I'm only going to buy things that we'll use, so I only have two vintage quilts. This one, plus another that I keep in the back of our car and use for picnics.

But this is my favorite.

Have you got any vintage beauties to share? Let me know and I'll post them.

I nearly forgot, on the left side bar is a new book list with all the books you recommended. Thank you for all the great tips, my amazon wish list just about doubled.

quilt month 3:: must have books

It is hard to say so definitively what books a quilter should own. As I have been looking at all the blogs on the blogroll, I realize how many different quilting styles there are. These are the two books I just couldn't be without, I realize people may disagree so I would love for others to share their own most important quilting books.

These two books have shaped not only the way I quilt in terms of technique but also how I think about quilts, their purpose and their artfulness.

The first may seem an obvious choice but I want to explain why I personally think this book is worth mentioning again.

1. Denyse Schmidt Quilts: 30 Colorful Quilt and Patchwork Projects.

Everywhere I look I see the influence of Denyse Schmidt's quilts. Her style has become so ubiquitous that I feel she earns the title, 'the mother of modern quilting'. Off center, wonky lines, crooked log cabin blocks, bold color combinations are all synonymous with Denyse Schmidt quilts. There is a flickr groupjust for her quilts. If any one book in the last decade has changed quilting this is it. She has captured a movement and revolutionized the way quilting is perceived. That is always worth a mention.

This book has all the basic information, tutorials and techniques, lots of clear advice and photos plus a plethora of fabulous projects with great stuff for beginners to get their feet wet .....

and more challenging projects for quilters further along.

This is absolutely my go to book for general quilting advice and I keep it next to my sewing machine. I actually made a special place for it next to my quilting table. I use it that much.

2.  Gee's Bend: The women and Their Quilts

This book, this book. How to begin? Here we go.

 

 

This book or rather this collective of women and their quilts is nothing short of wondrous. If Denyse Schmidt is the mother of modern quilting these women must surely be the grandmother's of modern quilting. They are originators, prophets of quilting. And I am a disciple.

 

When I look through this book I can not help but be amazed at the beauty of these quilts and how far ahead of their time they are. In a period when across the country women were quilting stars, yo-yo's, tiny squares (all of which I also love) the women of Gee's Bend were creating works of modern art.

Bold graphic designs and colors, often mis-shapen, using the fabric available to them, these quilts embody the idea of perfection in imperfection.

 

Even more amazing is the history of the women who made these quilts. There are detailed biographies in the book.

I am especially grateful to my husband for buying me this book and for Claire who first told me about it. It seemed like an extravagance at the time but now I would not part with it.

When I am feeling a lull in my crafting I will often get this book down (for it is kept far above the reach of sticky fingers) and look through it. I love to just stare at the quilts.

They are glorious.

So those are my two must have books. I would love to hear what yours are.

I'll be back on next week and I'll be kicking off with my favorite vintage quilt. If anyone wants to share their favorite vintage quilt let me know and I'll get a little gallery going.

Thanks to everyone who participated in quilt month so far!

Have a lovely weekend.

 

Update : I'm having a terrible time with typepad so I apologise if this post doesn't appear correctly at first.

 

quilt month :: more firsts

Seems like quite a few of us remember our first quilts.

Look at this beauty by Soph. She shares her story about it here. I love the color combination and the wavy quilting.

 

Then there is this beautiful one by Tine of Sodeste . She blogs about it here. Can you believe she didn't quilt again for four years?

Amy from the Calico Cat shares her stunning first piece.

And we have a few more joiners to the blogroll. Of course I'm especially glad my bff has finally got a new camera and can play along.

quilt month 2 :: first quilt

It is always good to start at the beginning.

 

Here is the first quilt I ever made. It is still in daily use on Floyd's bed and I still like it, though of course there are several things I might change. (What is it with me and sizing?)

Claire taught me how to quilt on one of her many trips here about 4 years ago. Floyd was just a baby. I remember very well her showing me how to piece together the top, how to use all the scraps and how to layer the quilt. This is before the days when either of us knew how to bind a quilt so we ended up using what my mum refers to as the pillowcase method. You sew around all three layers while they are inside out, except for a small gap which you turn quilt the right side through then you do the actual quilting.

Like most things, I always do it the most difficult way possible until I learn the correct (and easiest) way. But it worked and it got me hooked.

I've never taken any formal quilting lessons. I've learned everything from books, blogland, occasionally my mum or a friend takes pity on me and shows me where I am going wrong, but most often I learn by trial and error. (I am definitely a kinesthetic learner.) I like it that way. I don't seek perfection in my quilts. As so many quilters these days, I embrace the imperfections as part of the beauty. I love crooked lines, irregular shapes, a bit gone askew here and there.

Years ago, on a trip to Morocco with my Mum, we went out to this remote village where they sold the most beautiful rugs. The salesman said that in each rug there was always a deliberate flaw. The women who worked on the rugs always included that flaw to remind themselves that only God is perfect. I always loved that. None of us are perfect, we can't be.

How wonderfully liberating.

Quilt Month News ::

Pink Yarrow is sharing her first quilt with us today. My favorite fabric is the orange and blue vintage sheet. Great job Melanie, I think you're a natural!

If you're joining in quilt month let me know about your first quilt or quilting experience and I'll post some more links.

Also my next two posts will be about my all time favorite quilting books so please feel free to contribute to that too.

quilt month : 1. I love this quilt

I had every intention of making this quilt then putting it in my etsy shop. Honestly. But as I started making it I realized several things;

i: It has some of my favorite vintage fabric in it that I could probably never replace (the apples)

ii: It has some of my favorite Liberty fabric in it that I could probably never replace (the cricket balls)

iii: I love pink, green and white together and coincidentally Cissie's room has a green theme.

iv: I really messed up the sizing on Cissie's last quilt. This one is a proper twin size, 64" x 87".

(the back)

v: I just love it too much to sell.

vi: And lastly, some things come together so perfectly it is a shame to let them go.

So here is Cissie's new quilt. I love it. Did I mention that yet?

The way the colors and fabrics work so well together, how light, soft and cozy it feels, how much Cissie loves it. All perfect.

Cissie : You sewing mummy?

Me: Yup, I'm nearly finished my blanket.

Cissie (incredulously): That not you're blanket, that my blanket mummy.

Foolish me.

Thanks to everyone who joined Quilt Month. I'll get the blogroll going tomorrow. Just leave a comment if you feel like joining in at any point and I'll add you to the list.

I am super excited to see what we all come up with. I love a pooling of creative ideas. Hurray for Quilt Month!

September is quilt month

Sorry for the long absence but there has been some summer lolling to be taken care of. Floyd starts school on Friday and I am looking forward to getting into a routine....kind of. (I do love these lazy summer days.)

To get myself back into the swing of blogging I am dedicating September as Quilt Month.

I am going to be posting all about quilts and quilting :: vintage quilts, new quilts, my first ever quilt, quilting processes, how I come up with a design for a quilt, favorite quilting tools and techniques.

Sounds like I know a lot doesn't it? Well I am hoping you'll all join in and maybe by the end of this month I actually will know a lot. If you feel like taking part let me know in the comments section of this post and I'll set up a blog roll of joiners on my side bar.

All are welcome, just be sure to dedicate a post this month to quilting. Your most beloved quilt, your grandma's quilt, the burning question you've always wanted to ask about quilting, your quilting disaster, whatever you fancy. Oh, and I won't be posting every day....just when I have something to share.  

I will be back later today with a quilt that I finished during my blog hiatus, I just have to get some good photos.

See you soon!