warm cool color quilt

Hearts Value Quilt

June 19, 2017 By Katie 10 Comments

I took my finished Heart Value quilt along on retreat. I like to have a quilt with me as a little reminder of home and knew I would have some helpers for photos. I think it was the only time I ventured outside and away from my sewing machine.

This is definitely the largest quilt I’ve ever quilted on the studio’s Berninas. It’s a little shy in width to a King. One of my Facebook readers asked when quilting if I go north to south, and then turn to go south to north? This quilt was too large to continually turn, so I just worked my way out from the middle. I started with a vertical quilting line ½” from the seams and then went back to fill in. It was the first time I’ve used the stitch in the ditch foot that came with my Bernina’s walking foot to tack down the seams. It turned out perfectly.

Oh, all that lovely color.

I combed through my stash to find just the right fabrics for each heart. Again a perfect sample of archiving all your lovely fabrics in one quilt. No matchy-matchy required.

I lack in low volumes except for an insane amount of light pink.

Some Stitching

April 25, 2017 By Katie 5 Comments

My Value Heart Quilt has spent more time in the past couple of weeks being shuffled from one corner of the house to the next, than being stitched.

I’m hearting it though and I thought I’d share a little bit of process before yet another week walks away from me.

Last week I did managed to start this post, and sit long enough to turn one corner of the binding. I don’t know about you, but I always love that moment when you can spread it out and admire even just one bound edge.

Saturday, I spent the most lovely day with the Bainbridge Island MQG and managed to finish all but one side while traveling on the ferries. I usually get out of the car deck and head upstairs to the cabin, but the King size kept me warm and car-bound. I also had a pretty sweet viewing spot to watch rainbows over Puget Sound.

Many scraps ago I bought this Sevenberry print, and I had the most wee bit of it left. When I noticed they reprinted it, I got it in my head that it was the one and only binding fabric that would do. Definitely a ‘treat yourself’ moment for someone that could certainly bind a million scrap quilts from her stash.

I have OBD (over basting disorder) and a similar problem with wonder clips. Some tools once discovered are hard to live without. Using its clever risen dots to align all the binding to the same seam measurement is a game changer. You really only need a few, but I like to see it all clipped back like that and you feel so accomplished when you get to start removing them.

Even width binding!

I’m sure Jefe is seriously happy that we’re now going to be sleeping under a scrappy heart quilt, but I love the brightness and cheerfulness it brings to the room.

I’m hoping to finish it up and snap some photos of it next week for a workshop that focuses on how to optimize the use of color value in your quilts, but in case that doesn’t become reality I’ve listed some class dates. Come get your value on and use up some of those lovely prints in your stash;)

I know some of you Monday-Friday peeps tell me you like a holiday of sewing, so I added one for you.

I know you’d miss all the examples I have to show you how value works, but if you can’t make it here you can still make your own with my Value Quilt Tutorial and some scheduled time with your design wall.

Well, since somebody might have had a little accident and there’s no transmission in the car, there is car hunting in the near future. This will also be the last photo of the bedroom with the Pure Periwinkle in my dream weekend. I think I feel some new pillow covers coming on with the paint transformation, plus I’ve got another quilt quilted and ready for some binding, so out I go to visit my stash.

Hope your future is full of something inspirational.

Happy week Peeps!

:: Hit The Ground Running ::

March 27, 2017 By Katie 6 Comments

Since the beginning of the year I’ve folded, packed, unpacked, shared and refolded quilts a million times and I wanna extend a big heartfelt thanks to all those involved in my workshops and lectures this season. Please know that everything from holding up my quilts, taking a class, teaching me things you know, giving me a hug, to feeding me is all appreciated!

Quilters pretty much rule.

Now I’m looking forward to wrapping up the season by sticking closer to home with the Bainbridge and Tacoma MQGs, and the Stray-Threads Guild in Woodinville this coming month. If you’re around one of these guilds please come visit me;)

Then I’m going on retreat to sew what ever I want!

We’ve been busy in the studio constructing sets of nesting buckets with our practice pieces in the Straight-Line Quilting Workshop. This workshop has really been fun, from spilling all the information in my head out, to seeing everyone’s amazing straight line designs and hearing what they’re going to use their buckets for.

I had to developed myself a little system to keep class samples in check as I unpack and I’m slowly working up to full occupation of the linen closet;)

On the list for the afternoon is categorizing my sample pile for this week’s and April’s Creative Inspiration for Quilt Backs workshop. I’ll be sharing the strategies I use in constructing my own quilt backs and guiding you through making some beautiful backs of your own on the studio’s design walls.

Seattle had like 3 days of sunshine in February and March’s outcome is yet to be determined, but let’s say it’s kind of seems like a tie. So lucky to have a space dedicated solely to my indoor hobby when we’re living in the rainy months.

I’ve already took a walk, so now I’m hoping to make it out to the studio so I can get to the quilting on my Value Hearts Quilt.

It’s all basted up, TWICE.

Though I’ve cut it extremely close with batting more than a few times this seemed a little ridiculous. So after putting 50 or more pins I recut some batting, rebasted and I’m ready to roll.

The first lines were lain yesterday and now I’m itching to get back to it. I’ll be adding this to the concept classes closer to summer.

Happy Week Peeps!

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FYI, aren’t these amazing inspiration? @lysaflower Psychedelic Baby block quilt top from Frasier Valley MQG workshop and @carrie_ellens pillow creation from my improv log cabin workshop.

Now doesn’t that just make you want to run with scissors and take a workshop?

@lysaflower psychedelic baby

@carrie_ellens fab pillow from @sewkatiedid improv log cabin workshop

@carrie_ellens improv log cabin pillow

::Warm & Cool Hearts Color Value Quilt::

February 5, 2016 By Katie 20 Comments

I’m not quite sure what happened to January, does anyone know where it went? Apparently time flies faster than I sew.

I spent much of the month happily digging through my stash, cutting and piecing in an attempt to showcase my Warm & Cool Hearts Color Value Quilt LONG before Valentine’s Day and here it is a week and change away.

Lately, I’ve become obsessed with heart shape blocks and appropriately, L-O-V-E best describes my feelings for my new quilt. I haven’t bothered to asked Jefe how he feels about it yet.

Revisiting my Color Value Quilt Tutorial and workshop using the heart shape has been on my bucket list. I’d been asked to place it on the teaching calendar, but adding a new sample to demonstrate how value works in this quilt’s design was necessary to keep teaching the workshop fresh for me.

Certainly the hearts can be a mix of colors (see early morning iPhone photo below), but consolidating them to a single color created a more cohesive and visually appealing shape to my eye. The challenge of finding the perfect tints and tones for each heart slowed the process down, but made it more enjoyable.

It was also a good exercise in ‘seeing’ what color values my stash lacks or is abundant in.

I reached out to quilty friends for an additional here and there square and some light values for the background. I recommend a swap if you find some holes in your stash.

Value is relative, but for the most part I stayed away from what I considered medium values with the exception of the turquoise and mustard blocks.

I spent a great deal of time staring at my design wall and moving things around before piecing them. Keeping the value focused on darks for the hearts and light for the backgrounds was a good exercise in what your mind’s eye thinks works and reality.

This became especially apparent when I stepped away. My view into the studio from the kitchen was an extremely helpful tool for determining whether the value of the background blocks was working for or against my heart blocks. We’ll cover useful tools like this in the workshop.

I didn’t piece the quilt together by rows or columns, but worked by completing each heart block into its background and moved them around for the final layout. I’m not a preplanner or a drawer in general, so this process suited me.

I think the best part of a Color Value Quilt is gazing at all those fabrics I was drawn to for whatever reason in one quilt. Especially those that don’t exist in my stash anymore. I just love print.

Some flannel of course for the back. I’m still trying to stick to my stash when it comes to shopping for backing.

I’ll run this workshop and my Free Motion Fundamentals/Nesting Baskets through March. Reserve your space by simply emailing me at sewkatiedid@gmail.com or calling and I’ll reserve you a spot. (the website is sooooo close to done).

Open Studio dates have also been updated.

The Value Workshop is a great opportunity for cutting into your growing stash and use all those fabrics you love that haven’t found a place in a quilt yet. I’ve dug into my stash and have a load of pre-cut squares for sale to supplement your designs or we can dig through my stash and cut. Keep up on my Instagram and/or Facebook for a major destash of these.

As usual, once finishing a quilt top of a traditional/classic design I’m itching for something improvisational, so look for something of that nature for workshops next month.

Happy week(end) Peeps;)

::Stash Archive Value Quilt::

June 16, 2013 By Katie 25 Comments

I’ve been busy cutting and trading charm squares. The Seattle Modern Quilt Guild conducted a charm square exchange and then I’ve been exchanging with friends to add some print variety to my charm collection for an upcoming Value Quilt Workshop.

We’ve been pulling a single color and cutting 6″ squares for the trade. Red, pink, orange, yellow and purple have been covered. Grey tomorrow. I’ve been destashing some extra sets here and there on my Instagram if you are looking to bulk up on some extra of a certain color.

Some of those charms have made their way into this stash quilt. How delightful to see all the fabrics from my stash and others in a single quilt, no control on color, just value.

Now that I have a few of these value quilts, it’s nice to gaze at them and see the fabrics that have disappeared from my stash. A Value Quilt is really a great tool to archive a fabric stash.

Since it kept growing and growing, finally finishing off queen size I decided that an all over quilt design was the way to go and made a date with Sandie to use her long arm. I’m not even sure what this design is called, but it seemed so fitting.

This was my first foray with wool batting. I like it’s loft. It has little grip on the quilt top like cotton, so it will take some practice like all new things.

I considered serging the edge before applying the binding to help with the shifting, but ended up just going the regular route with little trouble. This Aneela Hoey print was stuck in my head as the binding.

This Alexander Henry Smitten Kitten print has been hiding out in the stash for ages. I picked it up for $6 yard on Ebay ages ago. I’m still stashing the blue color way for another back.

It’s actually a print that I would have happily used solo if the yardage was ample, but it needed some width, so I added the blocks.

With the nights in Seattle still being comfortably cool we’ve already gotten some use out of this quilt.

Happy Father’s Day everyone! I’m going back to bed, because I got up way too early.

::Quilted::

April 19, 2013 By Katie 20 Comments

The Stash Archive Value quilt just needs binding. TGIF!

::Value In, Value Out::

March 27, 2013 By Katie 9 Comments

Funny how my design wall has enlarged, yet I still need more room. My plan is to create four squares on-point for this quilt to take it to my Seeing Value Workshop on Tuesday as a new sample.

This quilt is a long overdue thank you gift.

I’m holding a lot of medium value fabrics in my stash which leads to a blended look. While I like the low contrast I still need to move some stuff around to make the corners of the squares a little more defined. Rectangular would be fun too, maybe just three long ones.

Value Tutorial is here and more examples if you can do without the drive.

Off to Open Quilting Studio for the day! Happy Wednesday.

::Design Wall Play Date::

February 16, 2013 By Katie 10 Comments

I woke up early this morning and finished the last few seams on my Star-Gazer Quilt top. It’s cute, simple and I love the colors. I really need to make it outside for some photos to bring out the baby blue.

But instead I opted to stay indoors and play with that bin of unfinished projects I was telling you about.

The values could use some rearranging, but I love seeing stash in one place. These blocks and eventual quilt will become a gift for someone who helped me out a few years ago. It might get some gray cut in like this. To be decided at a later date.

I only put it up to take it right down, but it was enough to get us reacquainted with one another.

And another kind of triangle is taking shape. I got a bit more of it up before the sun went down. It most definitly needs some more dark crimson to make it shine. I’m curious of its final outcome. It’s already quilted in my mind. This will be a quilt for me! All these favorite fabrics couldn’t possible leave my presence. Because Jefe might likely not go for sleeping under mermaids, it might have to be my couch quilt backed in flannel.

Then for good measure I cut this leftover starburst to bits. It might never turn into a thing, but sometimes when I don’t know what to do with something I think, “why the hell not?” Coin quilt popped into my head, but I just bagged it for now.

I also waxed every square inch of my body that needed less Alaskan in its life and got my brows done. I’m ready for Quiltcon.

Are you?

::Like A Mix Tape::

January 17, 2013 By Katie 15 Comments

This morning as I was pulling out samples for my Seeing Value Class on Saturday I was listening to KUOW. They were covering the closing of Easy Street Records on lower Queen Anne. At age 15 I got a work permit so I could work at my local record store, so their expose brought back a lot of memories.

I don’t remember my first 45, but in my rural Michigan town, taking our allowances and riding our bikes to the pharmacy to buy candy was slowly replaced with picking out something from the top 40. Sadly, dancing to 65 Love Affair sticks in my head (but was better than Jolly Ranchers on my teeth) and that the purchase of my first album “Thriller” came much later.

I figured out the last actual album I bought was Bebel Gilberto’s Tanto Tempo, maybe 9 years ago. Since my marriage and move to Seattle, KEXP and my husband have become my music libraries and I don’t think I have to fill you all in on where my mad cash goes.

So what does this have to do with quilting?

Remember the mix-tape (some of you might not)? The idea was to create a play-list of your favorite songs, and if you were good at it, you could fit all your favorites within the 45 minutes each side of the cassette allowed while creating a flow to the music at the same time.

Really not unlike a value quilt in many ways.

You have a certain amount of space you want to fill or a certain size to your finished quilt. Luck would have it that unlike a cassette you can choose your length.

In the case of a value quilt you have many genres of fabric that you love and you need to create a flow to make all those personalities blend.

The common theme, instead of being music is fabric and when the value of the fabrics is precisely placed a flow is created, just like a good mix-tape.

Sometimes, just like a mix-tape, you forget to hit pause in time or in the quilt’s case, you didn’t step back to check in on how values were blending and you lose the flow. That’s what happened in the middle of this zig-zag and I just decided to leave it.

Of course mix-tapes were made for different people and the design layout of Value quilts can reflect the receiver too. Zig Zags aren’t for everyone, just like Pearl Jam.

I won’t even get into low volume, that would be just too metaphoric.
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::Seeing Value Workshop:: $85 Saturday, January 19th from 10am-4pm at the West Seattle Stitch and Sew Studio.

Learn how color value can transform your quilt making design process. Create multiple designs with your newfound knowledge of value and simple half square triangles. All levels of sewists welcome.

::Whole Cloth Quilt Finishing Class:: $85/Tuesdays, January 22nd and 29th at Make*Do*Mend in Ballard. Quilt top, batting, and a backing…baste, quilt, and bind! Learn the essential basics of finishing a quilt without piecing a thing! Create a simple crisp modern baby quilt while learning the process. Quilting designs with a walking foot will be a covered. Walking foot required.

::Crawling Back into Bed::

November 20, 2012 By Katie 18 Comments

Too much going on, but all good. Just wanna crawl back into bed!

When things slow down next week I’ve got some quilts to show ya.

Sunshine today in Seattle!

::Stitch and Flipped Value Quilt::

October 21, 2012 By Katie 15 Comments

Value (the relative lightness or darkness of a color) is used in EVERY quilt, though not always successfully. You can play around all you want with color schemes (analogous, complementary…), and color temperature (warm and cool), but value is still going to be what you need to create design.

I wanted to play with value in a scrappy way that was different from my half-square-triangle Value Quilt Tutorial and thought of stitch and flip triangles as an easy place to start. The technique is one of my favorite in Quilting Modern.

Overall this quilt’s values ended up being very medium to light. The contrast created by the values was in no way extreme. The values created a softer, mellower look.

There are some places in this quilt where there isn’t enough value contrast. Giving myself some distance from the quilt would have been helpful to see that.

In the end though, I can embrace those learning mistakes and see that this quilt is perfect for a baby. And that little yellow rosebud fabric in there…I had those sheets as a kid.

This quilt also made me take a look at my overall stash building. Lights, I am deficient on lights. We all know how to take care of that little problem don’t we?

This little Value Quilt was thrown on the long-arm when I visited Sandie last week to quilt my Modern Charm Squared Quilts. The spiraling pattern was challenging to trace smoothly from the paper pattern I followed.

Sandie told me something she had heard that stuck in my head. “It doesn’t have to be a perfect line, just a pretty line.” All washed and crinkled, be it so.

The backing is from the stash. An older Alexander Henry that is just like sunshine.

The binding, a Cloud 9 flannel that I got from Drygoods here in Seattle.

This Value Quilt has already found a great home. Those babies keep coming.

I’ve now made about a million of these hst with stitch and flip triangles which I call double trouble. I’m not very enthusiastic about them up on the design wall, so I have some create thinking to do this week.

Happy Sunday!

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::Half-Square Triangle Class:: $85/Saturday October 27th from 10am to 4pm at the West Seattle Stitch and Sew Studio.

This versatile quilt block lends itself to endless designs. We’ll cover quilting basics such as picking fabrics, matching seams and create perfect points. We’ll play with a layout that suites your style and you’ll walk away with ideas for a multitude of quilts. All level of sewists welcome.

::Adding Stitch and Flip Triangles to Half Square Triangles::

September 4, 2012 By Katie 18 Comments

I had to take these off the design wall to focus on what really needed to be done.

I started fiddling with the idea of using scraps for half-square triangles with stitch and flip triangles during my Swirling Medallion class. This simple technique from the book lends itself to so many designs.

I went with a small sized square so I could use up even the smallest of favorite scrap fabrics.

They are ideal for chain piecing. Think of it as an ongoing project in between all those others. I simply have added a stack of white squares to my sewing table and as I produce scraps from other projects I add hsts to the mix.

I think on-point might be what I go with and I’ll mess with them more before I teach the Stitch and Flip Triangle class and the Psychedelic Baby Block Class that will cover this technique and more.

It would be fun to play with value a bit more, but the process itself is so gratifying as you watch it grow. Rather addictive I would say and always fun to see those out of print fabrics that you have miniscule amounts of on display in a quilt.

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::Improvisational Strip Piecing Workshop:: $85 Saturday, September 8th, 10am-4pm at Island Quilter on Vashon Island.

An all day workshop to explore the creation of your own quilt designs utilizing improvisational strip piecing. We’ll cover this improvisational patchwork technique while constructing blocks for your own quilt design. All level of sewists welcome. Quilting Modern Book required.

warm cool color quilt

Hearts Value Quilt

Some Stitching

:: Hit The Ground Running ::

::Warm & Cool Hearts Color Value Quilt::

::Stash Archive Value Quilt::

::Quilted::

::Value In, Value Out::

::Design Wall Play Date::

::Like A Mix Tape::

::Crawling Back into Bed::

::Stitch and Flipped Value Quilt::

::Adding Stitch and Flip Triangles to Half Square Triangles::

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