Happy Christmas

Mirrored Sunset is a wall hanging from the strata section of Improvising Tradition.  It illustrates just how versatile strata can be.  In this project I used strata as the background for a Hawaiian applique, inspired by mid century starburst mirrors.  The depth of the strata comes from the Oakshott cottons.  I've used them before, and these shot cotton fabrics are just gorgeous in person.  The different colored threads woven as the warp and weft create an amazing shimmer.  I chose my fabrics from the Oakshott Ruby bundle.

photo by Joe Hancock

In these colors, it strikes me as very Christmassy - almost like a snowflake.  Happy holidays this week everyone!

 

Autumnal Improv Remix

The minute I wrapped up the Improv Table Runner for my friend, I started thinking about making another one.  While I didn't have enough Oakshott scraps leftover to make another runner, I did have just enough to make a quilted pillow.

 

The pillows is made with the same techniques and materials as the runner.  I even quilted it the same way.   I just made each piece a bit smaller, of course, and I backed it with a self lining envelope closure and added brown binding.

 

The quilted pillow cover is about 15 x 27, and I found a down pillow form at a home furnishings store that makes it super squishy and cozy.  We're really enjoying our autumnal décor this month.

Autumnal Table Runner

I made this improv table runner as a wedding gift for a good friend.  I wanted to use some gorgeous Oakshott scraps in fall colors, and that inspired me to divide the runner with a strip of brown, evoking a tree branch.

 

The improv technique I used is a variation on slice and insert, and it creates some wonderful abstract shapes.  My younger son informs me that "Abstract is when you get to make whatever you want - kind of like scribbles, but it is artwork." That's not too far off, and I'm a fan.

The blocks of color made it fun to quilt. I emphasized the divide between the colors by quilting the cream in swirls and the tan in elongated meandering ripples.  I did a simple rectangular spiral in each of the colored inserts.

I made a pieced binding to continue the background colors in the runner. It makes the binding sort of disappear, leaving the focus on the fall colors.

I was very tempted to keep the runner for myself, which I'm told is the sign of a good gift.  I hope it will see many happy years in my friend's home.

My First Maquette

I first heard the term maquette, or an exploratory, small scale version of an intended larger piece, on Jacquie's blog.  (One of many, many invaluable tips I've gleaned from her!)  I was intrigued by the technique but honestly too impatient to give it a try. I usually just dive head first into a new design, with almost no preliminary plans or calculations.  As you might imagine, this can occasionally lead to regret later on. Still, it is how I work most often, and usually I find complications to be opportunities to improvise.

There are certain designs which require a bit more forethought, however.  This piece of art, Light House by an Australian artist with an etsy shop called pool pony, was the inspiration for my first attempt at making a maquette.  I could see that making the curves and intersecting lines match up would be a challenge, as well as the way the colors seem to overlap.  I still improvised the piecing, but through the process of making the maquette, I learned so much. 

For example, when I make a larger version, there are different ways I'd like to arrange the colors to play up some overlap and create the illusion of transparency.  I will also change the proportions of some of the shapes, and I'd like to expand the design to include some repetition of the shapes.  I may change the way I cut the curves too, but I will definitely hope to use Oakshott cottons again.  The subtlety of the colors is just perfect for creating transparency.

A piece like this is quite a challenge to make improvisationally, and it is just the type of design that really benefits from a maquette.

On the Line

This wall hanging is my second pattern for Oakshott fabrics, using the Impressions fat eighth bundle. (You can find the first pattern, Spring Quarter, here.)  Marmalade Fabrics has just a couple of Impressions bundles left in stock.  Choose you favorite eight colors from the bundle to create the quilt.

This 36 x 25 quilt was inspired by sheets hanging out to dry - the way the light shining through changes the colors as the sheets overlap, the layers and shapes that appear when some sheets are in front of others hanging behind them. 

 

The layers and depth in the quilt are easy to create with the lovely shimmer of Oakshott shot cottons and my detailed pattern with digital illustrations.  I'm pleased to make it a free downloadable PDF.  You can find the free pattern here.

The pattern is written so that you may choose your own colors and fabrics for each section of the quilt.  Play around with colors to create transparency by changing colors where the shapes overlap, as I did with the blue and yellow rectangles.  For those who might want to recreate the quilt as shown, here is a color guide.

As always, I would love to see your On the Line quilt.  You are welcome to add photos to the teaginny designs flickr group, or tag me on Instagram @teaginny.



And for those still reading, leave a comment for a chance to win this fabric stack which includes all the fabrics required to make your own On the Line quilt top.  I will choose a winner randomly on Friday. Giveaway now closed.

Spring Quarter

I am excited to be able to share this quilt with you at last.  I made Spring Quarter using a fat eighth stack of Oakshott Impressions.  The colors are just lovely, each woven with a white thread.  The way the fabrics are woven gives them shimmer and depth.  I can't say enough about them really, and the fact that Oakshott is a family business that produces quality fabric in an ethical way makes me extra proud to work with them on a few patterns.

Spring Quarter is a beginner-friendly pattern made of quarter log cabin blocks.  You may recognize the pattern from a baby quilt I made earlier which is available here.  These colors change it so much!  I chose a spiral pattern for the quilting, which contrasts with all the sharp angles.

 

I'm happy to share the pattern for this simple quilt.  It includes instructions to make the quilt in two sizes: the 34 x 34 baby quilt/wall hanging shown here, as well as a 50 x 65 throw sized version.  The step by step instructions include digital illustrations.  You can download the free pattern here.

 

One more piece of good news is that you can now purchase Oakshott fabrics from Marmalade Fabrics.  Tammy has the Impressions fat eighth bundle as well as some other really gorgeous color ways.  The one called Water is calling to me.
As always, I would love to see what you make.  Add your own Spring Quarter photos or anything else you've made from teaginny patterns or tutorials to the Flickr group.  It's a small group now, so your work will be front and center!