Quilts & Fashion Statements!

Last night during Quilt-Cam two beautiful Easy Street quilts came in to the mail queue that I just have to share with you!

The ladies were so gracious to send me photos…and they knocked my socks off!

Not only were their quilts beautiful, but they included THEMSELVES in their photos, and it was so fun to see a bit of their personalities come to life in the fabrics they chose to put in their quilts -

And on THEMSELVES!

Now I’m not making fun of anyone – I’ve witnessed this phenomenon time and time again as I go through various parts of the country teaching classes from coast to coast.  It’s not a localized thing, I think with quilters it’s GLOBAL!

We are just very in-tune to our projects, to how the colors in that project effect us,  and for whatever reason our brain says –we unknowingly dress to match our projects!

I did this last night…I was wearing an apple green t-shirt while sewing green triangles onto my plaid 4 patches.  Was it intentional? Nope! But it happens none-the less!

Sandy writes:

My quilty friend Julie and I have finished our Easy Street quilts.  We took them to our guild meeting on Friday and everyone loved them.

There are several more guild members making the quilt but we were the first finished.   We were both in your Cathedral Stars workshop last fall in Shepherdsville, KY.

We loved your patterns and Quilt Cam.

Sandy in Kentucky

Julie and her Easy Street!

AWESOME!!!

Please note Julie’s sweater!  Julie is a lover of blue, at least in this photo!  And she may not have thought of it while getting dressed, but somewhere in her subconscious was this voice that told her what to wear!

I’m also tickled to note that easy street is in some of the most popular colors for spring, not that I really keep track of that kind of thing – I just sew with what I feel like!  But look:

Pantone’s Spring colors!

Btw, did you know you can take ANY Photograph and get a palette pulled from that photo?  Click HERE to try the Color Palette Generator!

Let’s look at Sandy’s quilt!

Great colors and awesome border!

And of course, Sandy’s purse and outfit fit the theme too!

Holy Moly, look at that border!!  Sandy explains further:

Bonnie,  thanks for the complements on our quilts.  The border on my quilt was a piece I picked up at the local quilt shop in the clearance section.  I had the fabric for a couple of years. 

I had all my East Street put together and was not sure what I was going to use for a border when I remembered that piece was sitting in my stash. 

The colors I used were dark brown,  white and brown shirtings, red, mustard, blues that were more teal in color and the inner border was civil war orange. 

Thanks again for all your great tips and ideas. 

Sandy in KY

I love the way this girl thinks!  Sometimes the fabric you need has been in the stash for a long long time ---just waiting for the right project, so don’t forget to shop there--  This border is BEAUTIFUL on this quilt!  And yes, her quilt goes right along with the chosen spring 2013 colors too! 
 
I just love color.  Color has a direct effect on my mood and my thought processes.  Color is music for the eyes.  I love trying different things and getting out of my box and going completely another direction as far as color is concerned.  Always something new to try, always a new adventure…Quilts do not have to match the couch, and yes you can quilt with colors that you can not wear!
 
In fact, the two color graphics in this post are from Pantone and I love their statement about color:
 

“Color is life. Live it.
Color is essential to your life. The colors you love are deep and vital affirmations of who you are. Bringing those colors into your day and your environment is the ultimate form of self-expression.”

 
Isn’t this exactly what we are doing as we quilt?  We bring COLOR into our day!
 
And don’t forget to accessorize your quilt making with  matching attire to set your mood for your creative time!
 
((And I am so happy that I have this extra day home!  I don’t leave for Georgia until TOMORROW!?  Oh goodness – what am I going to do with this day?!))

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More Show & Tell from Portland!

These ladies were die-hard quilters!

Not only did several of them start another one, two or three UFOs in my classes over the weekend – but they brought show and tell to show me what else they’d been working on!

There were quite a few previous mysteries –several Orca Bays and even Easy Streets!

I do believe Easy Street gets the prize as the one people have finished the quickest ----so many of you stayed right along with me as the clues were given. 

It’s really amazing to me that even when quilts are pieced from the same color families, and placed side by side, how different they can look!  And you are going to have to forgive me again if I’ve forgotten any names – I try, that name retention is a huge challenge with me!  And I really don’t stop to take notes with every photograph I take.

Carol’s Chunky Churn Dash!

Carol’s Easy Alley! (It’s narrower than Easy Street!)

Blue Ridge Beauty from Adventures with Leaders & Enders

Mary’s Roll Roll Cotton Boll from String Fling

Mary’s Cheddar Bow Ties
((Found in Free Patterns tab above))

Mary’s Easy Street!
((I think she could call this Easy Cul De Sac because it is one row narrower and one row shorter!))

One Orca Bay in progress from String Fling!

Another Orca bay ----with the placement of the blue and red areas reversed!

((Do you see it?))

Both together side-by-side!

Easy Street top ready for quilting – I love that lilac border!

((Come on, Spring – where ARE you?!))

Christmas Lights
((Found in the mystery section in the Free Patterns Tab))

Carolina Christmas from Scraps & Shirttails II

One more Easy Street!

((Don’t they all look so different?!))

One More Orca Bay!

If you come to one of my classes – bring something you’ve made from one of my designs.  It really makes for a fun little break in the afternoon when our energy levels need a pick-me-up!  I love to see your quilts, they keep me SEW INSPIRED!

And yes, this IS being written live this morning, not posted ahead of time ---guess who has a dentist appointment at 7am??  Who else’s dentist even MAKES appointments for 7am?

I had to move this appointment because of the impromptu sewing day I took a couple weeks ago and this was the only slot they had for me.

Oh well, if you’re going to play, you’ve gotta pay, right?

Quilt-Cam tonight, 9pm Eastern! Bring a project, and let’s sew!

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Easy Street to Greensboro, Day 1!

I’m playing with the local gals this weekend!

It all started with a presentation for the Gate City Quilters in Greensboro, NC on Thursday evening.

Yesterday we met for day 1 of an Easy Street workshop….today is day 2!

This quilt has so many units that there is no way to do it in a one day workshop, so I am so glad they invited me for two consecutive days.

Yesterday we started out by adjusting seam allowances with strips for the 4 patches – because these units all need to come out the same size to be able to fit together neatly.  Proper cutting and proper seaming start us off right and set us up for much success!

From there we moved on to the Split triangle units, giving everyone the opportunity to try some new-to-them techniques with the Easy Angle ruler – and the units were turning out so great!

From there we spent the third section of our class time working on flying geese, with three different methods presented.  There is a method that will work for everyone, they just need to try a few different ways to see which way gives each student the best results.

Of course….My heart skipped a beat when I saw this beauty set up on her table:

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Show and Share, Collaboration Celebration Style!

We were so spoiled at Collaboration Celebration, our lunches and dinners were catered!

That saved us so much time – we didn’t have to run outside and try to pick a restaurant and wait for food – we didn’t have to cart our own food in. 

At 12:30pm, Karen came in, rang a bell in our classrooms to call us to meal time – and off we went!

At the end of our lunch as folks were finishing up and just gabbing amongst their tables, we held a little show and share ---you know how I love to see these!

Isn’t this Easy street with a lavender background gorgeous?

Below are several of the quilts that were brought out to inspire!

LOVE what she did for the back! 

She decided not to make the quilt as big as I did, so of course had left over units --- play time opportunity!  This just adds such a neat touch!

Scrappy Trips with a very purple feel too!

Scrappy Trips is found under the free patterns tab at the top of the blog.  Have you made one yet?

Another scrappy trips --- love how the rings do not quite meet up, adding motion!

Another Easy Street!

Those who missed Easy Street, it’s coming up in the NEXT book – stay tuned!

Pat is a prolific quilter and took my classes in Williamsburg last year with Quiltmaker Magazine’s Block Party.  This is her version of Winston Ways –So great to see it here in the city that inspired the name!  Winston Ways was featured in a past issue of Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks by 100 designers, and the full quilt pattern will ALSO be appearing in my next book!

This is Pats Bow-Dacious from Adventures with Leaders & Enders! 

I love how she arranged her blocks in color bands on the diagonal!

This is Crayon Box – another from the free patterns tab and a great use of 2.5” strips!

This one is going to a little girl…the fabrics are all princess themed!

Smith Mountain Morning in gold and blue…isn’t this gorgeous?

Smith Mountain Morning is from my book Scraps & Shirttails II

Dancing 9-Patch is showing up everywhere – perfect kid quilt!

You can find Dancing 9-Patch under the free patterns tab as well!

Geese on a String!

This top is still a top --- but coming along nicely! So fun to see – you will find Geese on a String, guess where?

Under the Free Patterns Tab!

Orca Bay!

I love to see the movement of the strings in this one….it would not be the same quilt without them.

Didn’t she do a fabulous job?  Orca Bay is found in String Fling.

How about THIS Easy Street of a Different Color!

This one brought serious ooh’s and ahh’s from the entire room! WOW!

This one looks so much like mine I could just take it home!   LOVE IT!

So Many Easy Streets!  Each one so beautiful!

More purples!

((Okay, thinking I should have done a separate post on just ALL THE EASY STREETS!))

Scrappy Bargello – all in plaids from recycled shirts!

Easy Street ---Each one just different enough, showing the stash of the maker!

I can hardly wait until the next Collaboration Celebration event, where these quilters will be show & sharing their quilts made while here!

Mickey and I are enjoying our last full day at the cabin – computer time in the morning, a bunch of sewing in a bit --- do you know how nice it is to wake up to eggs and sausage cooking? Mickey was in the kitchen making breakfast when I stumbled down stairs to greet the day.

I have one word to describe this week.  AWESOME!

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Mona’s Easy Street, AKA Sparkling Sea Glass!

Mona sent along an email so excited to tell me what she won with her rendition of Easy Street at her quilt show in Melbourne, Florida this past weekend!

Little did she know that I had already received another email from someone who attended the show, saw the quilt and recognized it right off and sent ME photos to share in Ramona’s excitement behind the scenes.

Deb wrote:

I went to our local (Melbourne, Florida) Quilt Show yesterday and just had to share this with you.

A lady named Mona Collins won 1^st place in the Pieced/Collaborative category for her quilt “Sparkling Sea Glass”.

She also won Best in the First Time Quilt Show entry for this Easy Street quilt!!  Two awards for one quilt!

Enjoy!

Deb in FL 

 

Deb’s picture of Mona’s Quilt!

 

And then Mona’s email came in!

 

Beautiful proud smile!

Our quilt show was the 7th and 8th.  I won two ribbons for my Easy Street "Sparkling Sea Glass".
 
Scott Murkin was the judge for our show, "Timeless Treasures", given by Seaside Piecemakers Guild in Melbourne, FL.  I hope to see you as one of our lecturers/teachers in the near future.  Thanks for everything you do Bonnie. 
 

 
This was my first time ever to enter a quilt show, and Easy Street was only the 2nd quilt I completed (not including quilts for my grandsons), so I was very humbled and happy by the "First Place" ribbon and the "Best of First Time Quilt Show Entry" ribbon.
 
Mona from Melbourne, FL

Thank you to Deb for being on the look out, and to Mona for both sending me photos.  I’m so pleased to see the ribbons hanging on her beautiful quilt!
 
It’s been a great day here at Quilt Villa.
 
Paper work has been completed.  Sewing has been on-going.  A long hike has given me more than the 10,000 steps I needed, and there was “just enough” peanut butter in the jar to go with my sliced apple as a snack.  You know that something must be right if you have JUST ENOUGH.
 
And I think there is a life lesson in there somewhere, don’t you?  Just enough.  Just enough to be happy, to be busy, to be well fed, to be cared for.  I don’t need excess ---just enough is ENOUGH.
 
Have a great Sunday evening, everyone!


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An Afternoon Diversion!

An email in my inbox told me that Monkey has indeed been busy again!

And since I’m busy with “OTHER” things – I thought you might get a kick out of this!

If you haven’t tried Inklingo yet ---and are still working on the multitudes of flying geese that the Easy Street mystery calls for…check this out:

But for the FUNNY part ---Linda’s email to me went like this:

Hi Bonnie,

There is a new video uploading to YouTube right now for flying geese.  As soon as it finishes, I will announce it on the All About Inklingo blog.

 

To celebrate, there is a special sale on the HST needed for Easy Street, but only until Friday at noon.  $15 instead of $20.

 

I hope you are enjoying the prep for Christmas at your house.  It is so mild here it doesn't feel Christmasy yet.

Hugs,

 

Linda & Monkey

Of course what my mind focused right in on was “enjoying the prep”  and “MILD HERE” ---??!?? 

Not so mild HERE!! LOL!

SAVE $5 – LIMITED TIME ONLY!

As a very special treat, we have put one of the Inklingo Half Square Triangle shape collections on sale, so you can use Inklingo for Easy Street. You can save $5.00, but ONLY until Friday, 21 December, 2012, at noon Eastern Time.

HST 00B includes 12 sizes of Half Square Triangles, just what you need for Easy Street. It’s a download, so you can sew your Flying Geese right away and be ready for Bonnie’s next clue.

Normally there is a special sale price when a new Inklingo shape collection is introduced and then never again, but we have made an exception for Bonnie’s Easy Street—but only for 3 days.

To save  $5 for the special sale, click the icon below to go to Inklingo!

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