Summer 2009 Issue
| Patterns | |
Washington's Legacy George Washington, first president of the United States, is called the "Father of His Country" because of his central role in founding the new nation, as well as his deep sense of duty, honor, and patriotism. Many things have been named or created in his memory—from bridges, monuments, and universities to Nancy Gere's vintage Americana Old Glory IV fabric designs. The centerpiece of this fabulous reproduction collection is a portrait of Washington himself with an image of the original circa 1777 flag. America's national symbol, the eagle, and a detailed depiction of the Declaration of Independence also serve as dramatic focal points. Stars, stripes, and olive branches in deep reds, blues, and creams tie the line together and commemorate a time of intense growth and independence in American history. INTERMEDIATE |
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Fine Feathered Friends
Runners are wonderful for decorating tables and can be used to create an inviting mood for any dining area. This charming country birdhouse design by Pearl Louise Krush is the perfect accent for either an indoor or outdoor table. It can be assembled quite easily with simple piecing and iron on appliqué, so you'll have it done just in time for the summer season! BEGINNER |
Chloe's Morning Glories Watercolor florals and geometric prints in complementary shades of blue and orange were used to make this dazzling summer quilt. Fabric designer Diana Mancini drew her inspiration for the Chloe collection from architecture and nature—utilizing flowing lines and soft colors in her designs. The result is an exciting mix of fresh and exuberant textures that enhance both the background construction and appliqué motifs on this colorful little wall hanging. BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE
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Treasures of the Sea You can almost hear the sounds of the sea with Ro Gregg's latest collection, Sea Etchings. Ro designed her fabric to look as if Mother Nature herself had painted an underwater ocean landscape. Starfish, seahorses, shells, and coral grace a range of soft watercolor backgrounds in assorted shades of aqua, green, lilac, and blue. The focal fabric is a combination of designs and palettes from some of the individual coordinates, pulling the whole collection together to resemble a sea collage. INTERMEDIATE |
Coral Reef Batik fabrics have become a staple in the quilting world, and they just keep getting better. The colors, designs, and textures are so richly exotic, that it is easy to create lush, dramatic quilts—and Coral Reef is proof. Made up of two simple but very similar blocks, the quilt's overall appeal is the combination of coral, ruby, and green hand-dyed batiks from some of Bali's latest collections including: Ursa Major, Acapulco, Puppet Dance, and Lanai. Princess Mirah, co-founder and designer for Bali Fabrics, attributes her inspiration and artistic ability to her upbringing on the island of Bali, as well as inheriting her grandfather’s interest in art and design. Her batiks are created using a time-honored resist-dyeing technique that has changed little over the years. Princess Mirah incorporates this ancient art form with a modern-day process of drawing, stamping, and dyeing to achieve the color variations and versatility that are so unique. BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE |
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Toadily Fun Frogs and turtles were the inspiration behind Wendy Slotboom's Lily Pond collection, as well as the desire to create fabrics that make you smile. Indeed, bright cheerful colors and whimsical pond critters complement the dynamic quilt design. Wendy's large green paisley motifs originally started out as traditional lily pads, but evolved into something more exciting and abstract when she combined the design elements. The lily pads became even more interesting when they were given "rickrack" edges, the idea for which came from Wendy's antique rickrack collection. Starting out with one conception, then taking it further by exploring other possibilities is toadily fun! INTERMEDIATE |
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An acclaimed illustrator of more than one hundred children's books, Lisa McCue cannot imagine doing anything other than translating words into pictures, and now, fortunately for quilters, pictures into fabric! "Drawing has always come naturally to me," notes Lisa, who has been drawing for as long as she can remember. Animals, in particular, are among her favorite subjects. Bunny's Day Out, her new fabric collection, consists of lovable bunny prints and summer florals on a background of sky blue and daffodil yellow. The panel, which includes five different playful summer scenes, is complemented by matching coordinates such as a pictorial border print, trailing ivy, fields of bright florals, and, of course, lots of bunnies! BEGINNER |
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Hopscotch Capture the essence of summer with cheerful patterns and colors—bright green and yellow florals, scattered pink and red buds, geometrics and dots—all on fresh, clean backgrounds. Designer Barbara Jones, who specializes in whimsical appliqué patterns, designed Bubblegum Basics with her granddaughter in mind. In particular, Barbara tried to bridge the tastes of young girls with those of their mothers and grandmothers. The result is a fabric collection that can be used to create appealing projects that will not only nurture relationships but will also introduce young ladies to the art of quilting. This is an adorable quilt for any little girl's room—especially if she helps to make it! BEGINNER Quilt Kit Ordering Information This Issue's Online Project — Click here to view |
Oriental Blossoms The Japanese word sakura refers to cherry trees and their blossoms, which are signs of good fortune, love, and affection. These were the catalyst for RJR's latest Asian collection featuring cherry blossoms, flying cranes, and flowering trees. Inspired by authentic nineteenth century Japanese kimonos, designer Demetria Zahoudanis created elegant, sophisticated patterns for today's quilters. In Oriental Blossoms, navy blue and teal fabrics were mixed with textures and delicate metallic gold prints. This classic collection—beautifully balanced in design, scale, and color—affords quilters the opportunity to work with large-scale florals that can be used in borders and background areas, as well as fussy cut for appliqué or broderie Perse. So, celebrate summer under the blossoms of Japan—blossoms that are held in the highest regard and cultivated for their beauty. BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE |
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Lavender & Mint Lilac and green were blended together beautifully in this summery quick-pieced quilt. The soft, cool colors have a breezy, tranquil appearance, making the quilt perfect for a porch swing, garden gazebo, or summer cottage. All three fabrics featured are from Benartex's Sand and Surf collection, a line of triple-dyed Bali fabrics that range from pale sand colors to deep blues and greens. The scroll, stripe, ocean spray, and vine prints also work well in landscape projects, with palettes and textures inspired by nature. The Lavender & Mint quilt shown has a simple pieced triangle construction; decorative stitches were used for the quilting. Quick, easy, and versatile, this pattern also provides a wonderful opportunity to mix and match additional earth tones from the collection, or to delve into your fabric stash to create a truly unique scrap quilt. BEGINNER |
Opposites Attract Opposites truly do attract! Take black and white for example: one of the boldest contrasts around is that which exists between light and dark values. When pieced together in one quilt, they form sensational patterns and designs. Add a splash of red, and you can really create intriguing effects! Mark Lipinski's Califon, an exciting mix of large and small geometrics, dots, and swirls, reflects such contrast. This collection imparts a modern look to the classic Log Cabin design and, what's more, gives your mind a rest from making those tough color decisions! BEGINNER/INTERMEDIATE |
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Flower Show - Creative Technique Project Bring summer indoors! Use PhotoMontage software to turn your ordinary digital photographs into works of art, then print them out and fuse them onto pre-stretched artist's canvas for a lovely display. This "no-sew" project goes together quickly and is fun to make. You can even use photos that reflect different times of the year or special events so that your display can be changed with each season or holiday. BEGINNER
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