Play Crafts’ Palette Builder

October 13, 2015October 12, 2015Leave a comment

I recently tried the Palette Builder (tutorial here) at Play Crafts. She’s a super nice person, and I like corresponding with her and reading her blog.

I used a photo from Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens I took last July. I’m in love with this color palette:

From left to right, the Kona Cotton colors are: Black, Hunter Green, Smoke, Steel, Herb and Ballerina.

As the tutorial from Play Crafts explains, the Palette Builder does not pick out particular colors from the photo.

The palette builder actually chooses colors based on how often they appear in the image. That [hot pink] is just a small portion, small enough that it might not register because it appears too infrequently. Fortunately, now that you can easily drag the palette circles around, you can add that [hot pink] to the palette easily yourself.

I wanted to see what would happen if I choose the “hot pink” from the photo:

The pink is now “Valentine.” That captures the feeling for me better, but I’d throw in some Ballerina, too.

I tried some other photos. I’m amazed at the colors I could find in this photo of shoulder pads:

The Kona Cotton colors are: Charcoal, Stone, Mushroom, Sunflower, Honey and Nectarine.

Looking for a calm color palette, let’s go to Sea Island, Georgia:

The colors are: Emerald, Charcoal, Blue Bell, Delft, Evergreen and Graphite.

Color can have such an impact on how we feel. And, I like how all of these colors make me feel.

Feel the color,

Wanda

Subject to Change: Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop

August 31, 2015September 3, 201543 Comments

INTRODUCING a 12″ x 12″ block designed for the 2015 Fabri-Quilt New Block Blog Hop. It’s called SUBJECT TO CHANGE because you can easily move the pieces or change the fabric selection to create a subtle difference in each block.

We received SIX FAT EIGHTHS from Fabri-Quilt, called the Watermelon Summer Bundle, one of each of the following colors:

Coral, Aqua, Turquoise, Chartreuse, Lapis and White

Because I was able to make FIVE (5) [12 1/2 by 12 1/2 unfinished] blocks out of the SIX FAT EIGHTHS, I gave each of the blocks a name, representing each of the hosts of the Blog Hop: Stephanie, Cheryl, Terri Ann and Yvonne:

Once they are assembled you get a cool modern quilt. I turned each block so that the “four patches” were together in the middle:

Let’s Get Started:

TIPS:

You can cut the fat eighths into three strips: (2) 3″ wide by the length of each fat eighth and one (1) strip 2 1/2″ wide by the length of the fat eighth.

That’s it. I took some photos of the assembly of the blocks and marked them with letters. You can see how easy it is to CHANGE.

The Stephanie

The Terri Ann

The Cheryl

The Yvonne

With the scraps I made “fabric slabs” and cut the pieces according to the Cutting Instructions to create The Wanda:

The Wanda

For a pdf version of the block, Subject to Change, click here.

The four-day Blog Hop features more than 60 blogs where you will find free 12 x 12 inch quilt blocks. Today we have these bloggers:

Host – Yvonne @Quilting Jetgirl
Kelly @Quilting it Out
Martha @Once a Wingnut
Irene @Patchwork and Pastry
Cassandra @The (not so) Dramatic Life
Andrea @The Sewing Fools
Bernie @Needle and Foot
Silvia @A Stranger View
Wanda @Wanda’s Life Sampler
Sandra @Musings of a Menopausal Melon
Vicki @Orchid Owl Quilts
Jess @Quilty Habit
Diana @Red Delicious Life
Chelsea @Patch the Giraffe
Margo @Shadow Lane Quilts
Renee @Quilts of a Feather

There is also a giveaway each day on each hosts’ blog. Yvonne is today’s host. Inspired by Fabric blog will also be hosting a giveaway.

And, we are donating our blocks to the hosts who are going to make charity quilts for Project Linus, Meyers Center and Teen Impact.

Subject to Change,

Wanda

Hexagon Applique Tutorial

May 12, 2015June 30, 201513 Comments

In my Random Perfection quilt I used hexagon applique. To avoid the problems I encountered where the fabric came out, you will need to make sure some of the folded fabric comes underneath each stitch line. Also, I didn’t use Aleene’s Fabric Fusion glue which is a permanent glue. That may explain why the folds came out as well.

First I’m going to show you how to make a perfect hexagon applique. Then I’ll show you the “more fabric” way which will result in all the edges staying inside the hexagon applique even without permanent glue.

There is more than one way to make a perfect hexagon for applique and English paper piecing, but I like this method.

A PERFECT HEXAGON APPLIQUE (7/8 inch)

Cut a strip 2 5/8″

Cut across the strip 2 1/2″. The piece is now 2 1/2″ by 2 5/8″.

Add a dap of glue to your paper hexagon (this is 7/8

Add a dab of glue to your paper hexagon (this is a 7/8″ hexagon)

Trim around the edges. There should be at least 3/8″ from the edge of the paper to the edge of the fabric.

Spray regular starch into lid of starch and apply a small amount around the edges of the hexagon with a brush.

Press the hexagon with an iron.

This is a perfect hexagon applique. You can remove the paper and there’s no basting strings to remove.

A BETTER APPROACH FOR THE MODERN HANDCRAFT TECHNIQUE

Use more fabric and don’t trim the fabric into a hexagon. Instead, do this:

Dab a little glue on paper and attach to the fabric. Do not trim into a hexagon shape. Press.

Dab a little glue on the paper and attach to the fabric. Do not trim into a hexagon shape. Press.

LET’S EXPERIMENT

Make a few hexagons with the “more fabric” method and apply them using glue. I used Appli-Glue (it washes out).
Draw lines 7/8″ apart.
Space the hexies 1/4″ apart (1/8″ inch from the hexie edge to the drawn line)