Black and Coral Flowers

Sometimes I go into a quilt shop and see some fabrics that I just need to bring home, even with no project in mind. These fabrics were one of those (many) times I've done just that! Although the colors look a little washed out in these photos, it is really a pretty, rich coral color!

Table Runner

Matching set?

 I originally bought 4 fat quarters and in the course of making the table runner, found out that I didn't have enough to finish it the way I wanted, so the next time I was in the city, I picked up one more coordinating fat quarter and finished the table runner, plus a set of potholders and a few sets of coasters.

Potholders

These are such pretty fabrics, I think I should have bought yardage and made a full-size quilt from them!

Fabric Coasters

Fabric Coasters

Do you purchase just what you need or are you drawn in to purchase fabric, just because it's pretty?

--Ann

 

Baby Boy Chevron Quilt done

Here's the finished product from the navy, grey and light blue chevrons. I just love the Minky on the back of these quilts!

I hope this baby will love the quilt!

 

--Ann

The Making of a Baby Quilt

I find inspiration for my quilts from all over the place. Sometimes they start with a pile of fabrics I like. Sometimes they start with a sketch. And sometimes I get a customer that starts me off with a paint color.

This baby quilt started with a paint chip - Sherwin Williams Sleepy Blue. The nursery color scheme is navy, grey, baby blue and white.

A range of blue, grey and navy fabrics.

The first thing I do is go through my fabrics on hand to see if I have anything. If not, I get to have a trip to the fabric store to look for something that will work. Then between a few online conversations with my customer, we decide on which fabrics to include and which we won't.

Then, it's a little cutting and a little sewing and blocks start going up on my design wall to be played with. I love this part where I'm playing with color and fabric placement and trying to find a design that will be just the right combination.

Blue & Navy Chevrons

Blue, Grey and Navy Chevrons

A couple different chevron layouts

You will have to wait to see what this quilt finally looks like! In the meantime, I'm having fun in my sewing room!
--Ann

Row by Row house blocks

A long time ago, in a place far away, I quilted with a lovely group of ladies in Beaumont. Alberta, that is, not Texas! Before we moved south to Calgary, we started an exchange of row by row quilts. Each of us started a quilt with a row of blocks, passed our blocks on to the next person on the list and they were to add a row. Unfortunately, the quilts stalled on their journey around the group and finally, 8 or 9 years after they were started, I got my quilt top back! And now, after sitting in my UFO pile for a few years, it's time to finish it.

The theme for my row by row quilt was houses. I love that this quilt has pieces of my friend's creativity and look forward to finishing it. I have some lovely earthy prints to border it with and am thinking of adding some flying geese blocks to the top. I also am thinking of putting "Home Sweet Home" somewhere on it as well - not quite sure where that will turn up, but I'll think of something!

Have you had a project with an extremely long shelf life? What do you need to motivate you to get it finished?

--Ann

Little Hexagons

Just a few more of these done last night!

-Ann