Blogger's Quilt Festival: Spring 2010 Edition

>> Friday, May 21, 2010

Picking a quilt for this quilt festival was tough as I've made a lot of quilts I truly love over the past 6 months. Moreover, I've made a lot of quilts that have tested my skills, taught me new tricks, and yielded new ideas.

So what to pick? I selected the quilt that I think represents both what I've learned and where I've learned what I've learned about quilting in the past few years. I've learned a lot about fabric -- designers and manufacturers, color selection and combinations, places to buy it online -- and I've learned most of what I now know from the blog world -- from inspiring images to excellent tutorials.

How does this baby quilt reflect what I've learned?

1. It uses a simple shape (the tumbler) to emphasize both the fabrics used and a sense of movement.

2. I used a tutorial that Amanda Jean (now back and blogging again!) posted on the Moda Bake Shop (a great place to go for ideas and instructions).

3. I used fabric accumulated through the vast network of online fabric shops (including Hawthorne Threads, Above All Fabric, Cotton Candie Fabric, Sew Love Fabrics, and Pink Chalk Fabric ) as well as some picked up in-store based on an online recommendation (for a store near where I used to live but never knew about prior to blog-reading).

4. Speaking of fabric, this quilt showcases fabric by designers & companies I now know well but couldn't have named, identified, or recognized 2 years ago. It includes some Laura Gunn Lantern Bloom, some Sandi Henderson Meadowsweet, some Amy Schimler animals, some Anna Maria Horner Garden Party, some Urban Chiks 1974, some Joel Dewberry, some Erin McMorris Wildwood  as well as some batiks and a fabric from my stash whose provenance is unknown to me.


5. It has a back, a pieced back! An interesting pieced back (which might be my favorite ever). Incorporating a design concept from the front on the back and figuring out a new way to use is something I learned from looking at lots of other people's quilts.

6. Quilting: The quilting is 1/4" offset from each of the vertical seams, another trick I learned from the amazing wealth of quilt images and descriptions available online.

7. And then there are the pictures. Back in the day (the high school and college day, that is), I was very into photography. Mostly of people and sports. But for various reasons, I moved away from darkrooms and film, only to rediscover an interest in photography in the digital age. While I'm far more invested in quilting and crafting, I've started thinking more about how to document the quilts I make. Looking at other people's images -- the ones I like and the ones I'm not so keen on -- has helped me think about how to photograph my quilts. I still have a long way to go, but it's one of the benefits of the interconnected world that it's so easy to scroll around and get ideas for how to do something. I'm itching to play more in Photoshop and Illustrator, and I never thought I'd say that a decade ago.




And with that, head on over to Amy's master site for this quilt festival and check out other people's awesome creations.

30 comments:

myBearpaw May 21, 2010 at 10:31 AM  

This quilt is gorgeous - I love the colour combination! And I am a big fan of Erin McMorris fabric too.

Jessica May 21, 2010 at 12:07 PM  

This quilt is just beautiful.

I think the sign of a really great quilt is when disparate fabrics end up looking like they're part of the same line, which you've definitely achieved here.

Michelle May 21, 2010 at 12:56 PM  

I love the back -- are those chameleons?

Anonymous May 21, 2010 at 4:30 PM  

Excellent! you really have grown in your quilting. I always enjoy coming to your blog... and making your coffee cake...

Sharon

Stephanie May 21, 2010 at 5:28 PM  

What a beautiful and colorful quilt. Thank you for sharing it.

Stephanie
blackcoffeequilts.blogspot.com

Dawn N. May 21, 2010 at 6:05 PM  

I really love this quilt. I might have to try one myself!

Abby and Stephanie May 21, 2010 at 6:23 PM  

Cozy, rich colors. I love the pieced back too.

Lynne (Lily's Quilts) May 22, 2010 at 2:18 AM  

That's a really cool quilt, I love the colours you chose. And you're right about photographing quilts - a good photo makes a huge difference and I haven't quite worked out how to ensure I get that good photo yet.

Marie May 22, 2010 at 2:55 PM  

I liked the rich color combination,
very, very nice quilt

PJ May 22, 2010 at 3:24 PM  

Your quilt is beautiful. You chose excellent colors in making it. Thanks for sharing!

Kathy May 22, 2010 at 4:48 PM  

I love your tumbler baby quilt and am inspired to do the quilting on a tumbler top I have taped to my wall. Additionally, I am inspired by the way you wrote your post telling us how you have grown and developed as a quilter. I'm glad to hear that you are inspired to do more with photography. Me to!

Alexis May 22, 2010 at 5:35 PM  

Beautiful work! I especially like your choice of binding fabric!

Kate May 22, 2010 at 6:54 PM  

Great colours. I think the simple shapes work the best!

Kelli May 22, 2010 at 8:54 PM  

I agree with Kate, The simple shape of these really make it look awesome! Well done on your fabric choices!

QuiltSue May 23, 2010 at 2:49 PM  

The simple shape really shows off the fabrics well I think.

Caron at Michigan Quilts May 23, 2010 at 3:29 PM  

Love your quilt! The fabrics are awesome... they go well together.

Leslie May 24, 2010 at 9:09 AM  

this is a beautiful quilt....i love the pattern and the colors. i have had some of the same experience with fabric and designers...when i started quilting i just used whatever, but now i know what i prefer and actually know the name of the fabric and designer when i see it.

Katie B May 24, 2010 at 2:10 PM  

Wow~!! I love this quilt! I'm really impressed by your ability to mix fabrics.

mjb May 24, 2010 at 4:18 PM  

I think this is really great!

Lisa Klingbeil May 24, 2010 at 8:52 PM  

Okay, I love everything about this quilt, the colors, the fabric selection, the pattern, the backing design. Job well done!

Karen May 25, 2010 at 2:13 AM  

Lovely quilt. I made some table runners using Amanda Jean's tumbler tutorial. The block is very effective. I loved the outcome. I think a huge quilt with this block would be great & no two fabrics the same. Maybe I will just have to start cutting a piece from from fabrics.

Unknown May 25, 2010 at 4:14 PM  

Very nice! Love the color combo.

Vicki May 25, 2010 at 5:21 PM  

Gorgeous! Another quilt I really need to make someday.
I love it when people mix fabric from more than one designer "line." :) The colors look so good together.

quilthexle May 26, 2010 at 2:49 PM  

Lovely design - and great colour combination. Thanks for sharing!

Sew Fresh Fabrics May 27, 2010 at 9:16 PM  

Great quilt, I love the fabric choices and hearing about your process. Really lovely.

Randi May 28, 2010 at 12:37 AM  

Love the quilt and the pieced back is very clever!

Anne at Film and Thread May 30, 2010 at 7:32 AM  

I love the tumbler pattern and enjoyed reading what you learned!

Sandra May 31, 2010 at 10:59 AM  

what a cheery update of a traditional block. Love the orange. I think you'll like my starleysquilt entry-1890 cheddar star.
Come see my antique entries
http://utahquiltappraiser.blogspot.com
http://starleyquilts.blogspot.com

Unknown June 2, 2010 at 11:58 AM  

Love the colors in this quilt...very nice!

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