My passion for quilting is quickly taking over my life and my spare time. I recently had the opportunity to review a new book entitled SEASIDE HOME by Susanne Woods and, oh, my! I'm excited to tell you it is fabulous! I'm an interior designer living on the Gulf Coast of Florida and I was instantly drawn to the title, SEASIDE HOME! Yes, it was a craft book but there surely must be something inside that could relate to decorating the interior of a home! And I wasn't disappointed!
My husband and I lived in England for 3 years with the Air Force and the first craft listed in the book is by Jenny Arnott. It's a Beach Hut Pillow reminiscent of the seashore changing huts we saw on the beaches of the North Sea! It brought back so many memories for me that I think that will be my first project. You can learn more about Jenny and the pillow at jennyarnott.blogspot.com
All of the 25 projects in the book have easy instructions and templates that you can use in your designs! I can't wait to get started! In fact, I may just have to go out and purchase SEASIDE HOME to have in my library! Enjoy!
Friday, April 13, 2012
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
TEA LEAVES
This is a photo of my quilt, TEA LEAVES that I created from two bali pops and a few yards of 2 other fabrics. I just love the colors and design of it and would like to develop a pattern and put it out there. Why not? I could use some help in this area! Happy Quilting
PUTTING PATTERNS TOGETHER IN QUILTS!
As an interior designer, I am skilled in selecting fabrics with different patterns to come together in a pleasing combination for your home! As I started quilting, this skill has easily transported itself into selecting fabrics for a pleasing quilt. This is illustrated today on the Clotilde website, www.clotilde.com. When you go to this site, they have a new section featuring a trio of quilt fabrics. I wish I was adept at transporting these pictures into this blog, but sadly I am not. However, you can go to Clotilde and look at the 4 sets of 3 fabrics that they've put together.
In each set, there is one statement print. This is the largest pattern from which you will pull the colors and patterns for the other two fabrics. My favorite is the Sugar and Spice trio of cuts. The statement print is a medium floral design. The first complementary fabric is a blue background with red polka dots! The dots repeat the circular design of the flowers and the blue pulls from the print. The second complementary fabric is a blue and white stripe of varying widths, again a great choice! Note that the dominant color of all three fabrics together is blue, and the accent colors are white and red. In design, I always suggest that at least half to 2/3 of a room should be all one color or shades of one color, in this case, blue. The other third of the room is made of accent colors, in this case, red and white. If you follow this guide when selecting your fabrics for you next quilt, you can't go wrong! Two thirds of your quilt should be all one color or shades of the same color and the remaining third, the accent colors.
Happy Quilting!
In each set, there is one statement print. This is the largest pattern from which you will pull the colors and patterns for the other two fabrics. My favorite is the Sugar and Spice trio of cuts. The statement print is a medium floral design. The first complementary fabric is a blue background with red polka dots! The dots repeat the circular design of the flowers and the blue pulls from the print. The second complementary fabric is a blue and white stripe of varying widths, again a great choice! Note that the dominant color of all three fabrics together is blue, and the accent colors are white and red. In design, I always suggest that at least half to 2/3 of a room should be all one color or shades of one color, in this case, blue. The other third of the room is made of accent colors, in this case, red and white. If you follow this guide when selecting your fabrics for you next quilt, you can't go wrong! Two thirds of your quilt should be all one color or shades of the same color and the remaining third, the accent colors.
Happy Quilting!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
World War II Quilts
A group of quilters from Silver Thread Quilt Guild in Fort Walton Beach, Fl and from Flying Needles in Niceville, FL visited the Wiregrass Museum of Art in Dothan, Al on March 24, 2012. The purpose of the visit was to view a selection of World War II Era quilts form the private collection of Sue Reich. You can learn more about Sue at www.suereichquilts.com. We were met by Sherry Burkhalter who owns a quilt shop in Headland, Al and is a friend of Sue's. Sherry talked to us about the significance of each quilt and the reasons why quilts were made during that time, not unlike the quilts that are being made now through Quilts of Valor and other groups.
The quilts weren't particularly beautiful or finely crafted but the significance of each one was apparent. One quilt from a small town in Texas, featured a quilt block for each soldier or sailor from that town, his unit and whether he was deceased or a POW. My father was a POW in Japan for 42 months so that alone was significant for me. Another quilt was composed of 70 plus military patches and insignia of rank from the US Navy. A seamstress had collected each patch after sewing the new rank onto a sailors uniform and then sewed and quilted them onto fabric to create a quilt! What dedication to her clients!
Afterward we motored to Headland where we were treated to a beautiful lunch and a visit to Sherry Burkhalter's lovely quilt shop, Quilted Creations. Sherry had a connection to our group as she had grown up in Fort Walton Beach and the cutting table in her shop had come from the old TG &Y store on Racetrack Road before it was torn down. She had a beautiful collection of fabrics that were artfully displayed among antique sewing machines and supplies.
We finished our day at The Front Porch Quilt Shoppe in Ozark. Melanie, the owner greeted us with refreshments and we were amazed at the selection of bright and beautiful fabrics that she had. When the ladies arrived home, laden with packages, they all agreed it was a wonderful day.
Learn more about Sherry's shop at www.quiltedcreations.com and Melanie's shop at www.thefrontporchquiltshop.com. Until next time, please quilt your heart out!
The quilts weren't particularly beautiful or finely crafted but the significance of each one was apparent. One quilt from a small town in Texas, featured a quilt block for each soldier or sailor from that town, his unit and whether he was deceased or a POW. My father was a POW in Japan for 42 months so that alone was significant for me. Another quilt was composed of 70 plus military patches and insignia of rank from the US Navy. A seamstress had collected each patch after sewing the new rank onto a sailors uniform and then sewed and quilted them onto fabric to create a quilt! What dedication to her clients!
Afterward we motored to Headland where we were treated to a beautiful lunch and a visit to Sherry Burkhalter's lovely quilt shop, Quilted Creations. Sherry had a connection to our group as she had grown up in Fort Walton Beach and the cutting table in her shop had come from the old TG &Y store on Racetrack Road before it was torn down. She had a beautiful collection of fabrics that were artfully displayed among antique sewing machines and supplies.
We finished our day at The Front Porch Quilt Shoppe in Ozark. Melanie, the owner greeted us with refreshments and we were amazed at the selection of bright and beautiful fabrics that she had. When the ladies arrived home, laden with packages, they all agreed it was a wonderful day.
Learn more about Sherry's shop at www.quiltedcreations.com and Melanie's shop at www.thefrontporchquiltshop.com. Until next time, please quilt your heart out!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Addressing my Passion!
I learned to sew when I was about 8 when my mother taught me how to handsew a red binding on a blue circle to make a red cross cape. The rest is history. Couldn't stop sewing until I started my interior design business in 1984. After that I was too busy to sew anything. And so, in 2010, having moved my business into my home and deciding I was old enough to let things happen and start sewing again, I took a quilting class. And boy did I ever take to quilting like a duck in water!
I am so passionate about quilting, I now have a devoted room in my home to it and a new Viking Sapphire 875. My husband complains I spend too much time in there but I love the creative aspect of it! I've even talked to someone about business cards and a website. I still have my interior design business and I will still continue to serve my clients, but I want to quilt too! I can visualize myself moving into retirement with a quilting business. Not a store, never a store but some other avenue of a business. Can't get the business mind away from me.
So as I blog and sew, I will develop! Until next time!
I am so passionate about quilting, I now have a devoted room in my home to it and a new Viking Sapphire 875. My husband complains I spend too much time in there but I love the creative aspect of it! I've even talked to someone about business cards and a website. I still have my interior design business and I will still continue to serve my clients, but I want to quilt too! I can visualize myself moving into retirement with a quilting business. Not a store, never a store but some other avenue of a business. Can't get the business mind away from me.
So as I blog and sew, I will develop! Until next time!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Tea Leaf Quilts
So I'm an avid quilter now and I decided that I wanted to share what I was learning and sewing so here goes! Don't you just love my name? I'll be in touch! Carol
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