Category: Quiltmaker Magazine

QUILTMAKER'S BLOG TOUR - 100 DESIGNER BLOCKS VOL. 16

11/17/2017

Block # 1553 Crossroad Pyramids

Hello my quilting friends and welcome to another stop on The Quilting Company's Quiltmaker 100 Block Road Rally Blog Tour! I'm glad you have managed to travel this far and come visit my blog. I hope you're not too dusty from your travels. Here's my block, Crossroad Pyramids. I’m very excited to have a block featured in Volume 16 of Quiltmakers 100 Block Challenge!

I'm also excited to tell you that you can become the proud owner of your very own copy of this wonderful resource courtesy of the folks at Quiltmaker. I hope you're as excited as I am. Please read to the end to find out how you can get your copy. This offer has ended. Congratulations to Renee A.!

The inspiration for this block is fairly obvious, it’s the pyramids of Giza found in Egypt. I’ve always have been fascinated with Egypt ever since the King Tutankhamun exhibit came through the United states when I was a kid.

As usual I turned to my trusty EQ quilt design software to get things started and the block below on the left is what I came up with. Then I took another look at the block and I wondered what would happen if I used striped fabric in the place of the medium value. The block below on the right is the result. I rotated the stripe so that they all met in the middle. Now that things were moving along nicely it was time to pick out some fabrics to use.

I dug out a bunch of directional and striped fabrics from my stash to audition for the block. It was important to consider the scale of the printed fabric in relation to the size of the finished unit. The block wouldn't look the way I intended if the texture of the print is too large to fit into the finished unit.

To help me make that decision I had to cut an audition window from a piece of white paper at the finished size. Since this was going to be a 12” block the unit's the finished size would be 1 ½” x 1 ½”. Here are the contestants for the block as seen through the audition window.

As you can see some of the other choices would have worked out well others not so well. I decided to use the brown stripe for the block. If you use a stripe it’s important to starch the heck out of the fabric before cutting into it. This will help you to control the bias. If working on the bias freaks you out then try to find a stripe that is printed on the diagonal. That way the sides of the square will be on the straight grain when you cut your units out.

Let’s talk some more about scale. I knew that I would need to make up a baby quilt for a shower this past July. I decided to use this block, made at a larger size, for the quilt. My idea was that the block would be enlarged to 40” x 40”, which gave me a finished unit size of 5” x 5” for the square containing the stripe. Let’s go back and see what these fabrics would look like in a 5” square unit. I cut both a 5” and 1 ½” square so that you could see the difference between the two at the same time.

I decided to use the pink wavy stripe for the baby quilt. Even though it’s not a true linear image I thought it would make a funky quilt for a bay to stare at. I even did a mock up of the quilt in EQ before making the quilt. Here they both are; the EQ representation and the finished quilt.

Alright now that we have gone over all the choices for the stripe and I’ve shown you the finished quilt, let’s talk about turning this into a rectangular quilt. If you add a row of Flying Geese across opposite ends of the quilt/block we end up with a lovely rectangular design. It’s just that easy!

Now let’s travel a little farther down the road and see what else we can do with this design. Here is the design using a palette of purple tonals and blenders from the EQ library. The first design, starting on the left, uses just three values. If we add some gradient values of purple, for the wings of the geese, to the palette we can get a gradient affect starting with dark valued center and lighter values when we get to the outer edges. The last example shows the reverse gradient.

Alright, you have traveled with me this far, how about one more variation of what you can do with this block. Here’s a four block quilt shown in the purple palette. One has the three valued block and the other uses the gradient block option. Both quilts have sahing to set off the blocks.

Well, I hope you found this blog interesting. For a chance to win a copy of Quiltmakers 100 Block Challenge Volume 15, please leave me a comment below. Let me know how you feel about working with fabric cut on the bias or what you think of my post. I always try to respond to comments but there are so many during the blog tour that I don’t always accomplish my goal. So please forgive me in advance.

I’d also appreciate it if you would visit my Facebook page and click like. Also, please consider signing up for my email list. I promise that the email list is for my use only. I send out emails when I have something exciting to share with you, like a new blog post or a free pattern. This promotion will run until midnight on Tuesday, November 21, then I will pick a name at random and announce the winner. Thank you for visiting!

Happy Quilting, Janice

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FREE PATTERN FRIDAY - OCTOBER 2017 - WHIRLPOOLS

10/20/2017

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Hello Quilting Friends,

Here is the next offering for my special give away, Free Pattern Friday. I am offering this pattern for free and it will be available until I post the next one. Then it's gone! So make sure you get your copy.

You may also want to sign up for my mailing list. That way you’ll never miss an update to my blog. I promise never to sell your name to anyone. I will only ever use it to let you know about what’s going on at my website.

Here is this month’s free pattern, Whirlpools. This design was originally published in Quiltmaker magazine for May/June 2016. Click on either of the images below if you would like to read about how this design was developed.

In this blog I want to discuss value some more. I want to talk about why it’s important to have the right combination of fabrics values for your quilt design. By taking the extra time to find the right fabric values for your design you will be able to make a quilt that has the right amount of contrast between the light, medium and dark fabrics so that the finished design has the good visual movement.

If the values are too close between adjoining patch work pieces then the design will be washed out. You will lose part of the visual element that would have created the movement within your design. For the Whirlpools quilt design you need three values of Blue; light, medium and dark plus a green and a white accent. All three of the blue fabrics come in contact with each other therefore good contrast is very important.

In the sample below we have the original block with the correct amount of contrast between the three blues. There is enough definition for you to see the visual movement that I desired. You can see new elements come to life when the blocks are joined and rotated.

Now let’s make the medium blue a bit lighter in value than it is and see what happens when we look at the quilt. As I see it, the loss of contrast between the medium and light blue patch work pieces affects the motif that is created at the center of four blocks when they are joined. As you can see the element isn’t as defined as it was when the medium blue was a deeper value. We also lose the dynamic between the medium blue and the green accent fabric.

If we make the medium blue even lighter, we completely lose the element where the four blocks join and therefore the reason for having a medium value in the first place. The same is true in relation to the pairing of the medium blue with the green accent. You almost can’t tell the light blue from the medium.

Here is a comparison of the three examples as you would see them in the finished quilt. This should drive home the importance of good value contrast.

There are tools that will help you to discern the value of a fabric. You need a color filter and a gray scale value card. The color filters come in green and red. You use the red filter when working with cool colors and the green when you are working with warm colors. Since most of us work with a combination of the two, you will probably want to have both filters.

As you look at the fabric through the filter you place the value card near the fabric and move it around the values until you find the one that matches yours. The great thing about working with these tools is that eventually you will start to discern the value of the fabric without the red or green filter. I have these tools available at my ETSY shop for purchase. Click here to visit my shop.

I hope you’re excited and feeling inspired by my post and the pattern I have offered you. I can’t wait to see what your version will look like! Please send me a photo of it when you have completed yours. And don’t forget to leave a comment. You can find the link for this pattern below.

Please share this pattern with your friends by giving them the link so that they can visit my website and download it themselves. I've worked hard to give you this gift, so I kindly ask that you do not copy this pattern in hard copy or as a digital file.

I hope you have a happy day full of quilting! Namaste my quilting friend, Janice

whirlpools_tile_5_directions_rev_3.pdf
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Quiltmaker's 100 Block Challenge Volume 13

5/2/2016

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Check back here on Friday May 6, 2016. On that day I will reveal my block and I will tell you how you can win a free copy of Quiltmaker's 100 Block Challenge Volume 13

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New Design, Whirlpools, in Quiltmaker Magazine May/June 2016

4/3/2016

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I have a new design in the May/June 2016 issue of Quiltmaker Magazine. The folks at Quiltmaker named the design Whirlpools. I think it’s a perfect name for the design because the rotation of the blocks creates the illusion of swirling water when you see it used in the quilt. I had given it the name Spinning Squash Blossoms, but I like their name better. Once again, Janice Roy of Bridgeport, Connecticut did the beautiful quilting. The lovely fabrics in this design are all from a few different Stonehenge collections by Northcott. After April 15, Quiltmaker will be offering this design in a kit and also the backing fabric sold separately.

The design for this quilt began with a sketch I made in my graph pad. For many of my recent designs I have been exploring 4 way rotational symmetry using blocks that have diagonal symmetry. That means that the block reflects as a mirror of the design along the diagonal division of a square. You can see this in the butterfly block below on the left.
When you place an object around a center point and rotate that object a set amount with each placement you have rotational symmetry. You can see this in the sample on the right below. Floor tiles use 4 way rotational symmetry and they are the inspiration for my design journey.

Below, on the left, you can see my original sketch for this design. As you can see from the final design on the right, this creation went through many iterations before I settled on the final manifestation of the design.

I’ll do my best to walk you through the development of this design. First I created a mockup of the original design in my Electric Quilt (EQ) design software. Even though the original block was designed with a strong diagonal element to the design, the block had no symmetry. To create symmetry I had to flip the block design to mirror itself. The horizontal and vertical red lines are the lines of symmetry.

After getting a look at the whole design using this block I knew I needed to tweak the block to make it simpler. I tried to isolate the elements that I liked in the original design that I liked. Below is a sample of the path this block design took. The first block is the original block design. I have colored the elements that I kept in grey tones so that you can see them within the original block. For the next iteration of the block, I drew a diagonal line through the center unit of the 5 patch block. I did this to continue the diagonal line that already was developing through the block design. I shaded the resulting triangle in the lighter grey tone. My next idea was to color the block in reverse tones along the diagonal. Therefore the elements that are white on one side are now black on the other side and vice versa with the black elements.

Here is what the resulting block looked like in a tiled layout with rotational symmetry.

It made for a pretty cool design so I explored it further. I rotated the block and tried a mirrored or flipped symmetry in the layout.

I kind of liked the design a bit and decided to explore it a bit more. So I played with the value placement in the block to see what would develop.

Even though I was fond of the resulting design, I felt that I needed to head in a direction that would result in a simpler block to construct. Below are examples of this direction in the design development. I took the design back to the two tone stage where I use only black and white in the block coloring. I liked how this was starting to look and continued to alter elements in the block design.

I liked what I saw and decided to explore this iteration and add more grey tones to the block design. Eventually I came to the final iteration of the design, the last one on the right below, and I was satisfied.

I hope you were able to follow the path of how my mind works. I hope I didn't confuse you, because I sometimes confuse myself. Thank you for reading my post. I hope you enjoyed it!

Janice

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New Quilt Design, Prairie Sky, in Quiltmaker Magazine January/February 2016

12/7/2015

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I have a new design in the Quiltmaker magazine January/February 2016 issue. The quilt pattern is called Prairie Sky. The folks at Quiltmaker chose the name and I think it matches their fabric choice perfectly. I originally named it the “Owl Eyes” as the block looked like a large pair of eyes staring back at me.

This design started as a doodle that I made while waiting for an appointment. Wherever you go, you should carry a sketch book with you. Try to find a small one that fits in your bag, as you never know when inspiration will catch up to you. I started by filing in the squares on the graph paper to create an interesting pattern. After sketching out a couple of repeats I looked for the base unit and marked with a couple of lines.

After I drafted the design into my Electric Quilt (EQ) program I colored it using only grey and black values for contrast. I next tried rotating the block in different ways to see what the design would look like. I decided I liked the original sketch best. After returning to the original version I toyed with adding different values and the placement of the values. Once I had the values and their placement decided I swapped the grey tones for a color.

Next I added borders to the blocks that supported the scale of the design. Then I went looking through my EQ Stash files for a fun collection to audition in this design. I found a number of current collections that I liked. In my EQ program I replaced the grey values with the new fabric choices. I think this design would look great in any type of fabric. If you make one please send me the images and I’ll post it on my web site.

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New Quilt Design, Rudeneja, in Quiltmaker Magazine September/November 2015 issue

8/14/2015

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Yeah, I’m a cover girl! I have a new design in the September/November issue of Quiltmaker magazine and it’s on the cover. To celebrate, I want to give away a free copy of the issue. Leave a comment at the end of the article and you can win your free copy of this issue of Quiltmaker magazine. And if you haven’t already done so, I’d appreciate it if you could give me a “LIKE” on my Iris Quilts Facebook page. The giveaway ends September 18, 2015. Shortly after that, I’ll announce a winner.

The quilt is named RUDENEJA. It a Lithuanian word used to describe the way the weather feels as it turns to autumn. I’m not of Lithuanian descent but I love autumn. So can relate to the sensation. Looking at the finished quilt, I feel the folks at Quiltmaker gave it the perfect name.

I had the working name of Tile #4 for this design. The reason for that is because last summer and fall I had a great run of inspiration and designed a whole bunch of tiled designs. The best way for me to keep track of them was using numbers. This and all of my other ideas come from time I spend with my graphed sketch pad. It keeps me out of trouble…. most of the time.

I’ve been inspired by the designs found on decorative tiles. The designs typically have a diagonal line of symmetry. When placed in a grid pattern the tiles create a design that looks far more intricate than it actually is. It creates an illusion of many different block units used together to create the final design. Click here to see an earlier blog I posted about tile designs.

As I have done with my other designs, I come up with a block idea and then I sketch it out in a grid pattern to see what it looks like. For this design I started with the block rotated in one direction and then tried it out with the opposite rotation. When I’m happy with the result, I go to my Electric Quilt software to play with it some more. First I try the design out in black and white. Then I start to add dark greys to subtly contrast with the black. Once I see an interesting pattern, I then add lighter grey values to the design to make the design visually pop. About half way through the process I returned the blocks to their original rotation. I realized I liked it best that way.

Once I have a layout and a coloring that I like, I’ll try it in various fabric collections that I find in my Electric Quilt software. Here are a few.

Please take time to leave a comment below for a chance to win a free copy of this issue. Also, remember to visit my Facebook page and give me a “LIKE”, if you please.

Happy Quilting, Janice

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New Quilt Design, Hero's Homecoming, in Quiltmaker magazine July/August 2015

6/15/2015

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I have a new design in Quiltmaker Magazine’s July/August 2015 issue. The folks at Quiltmaker named the design a Hero’s Homecoming. I thought this was a great name for the quilt as shown in the magazine as it’s a Red, White & Blue quilt. Before that I was calling it Stormy Sea because of how the final design resembles a Storm at Sea quilt design. The funny thing is that I wasn’t even thinking of Storm at Sea while designing this. It was only after I decided upon the final value shading that I noticed. Once again, Janice Roy of Bridgeport, Connecticut did the beautiful quilting. Click on the underlined text for links to the magazine issue and quilt kit featuring this design.

This design started the way most of mine do; it came to me as I doodled while waiting for an appointment. I can’t stress enough how important it is to carry a sketch book with you everywhere you go. You never know when inspiration will catch up to you. I started by filing in the squares on the graph paper to create an interesting pattern. For me, the pattern started out looking a bit like a stylized dogwood blossom. After sketching out a couple of repeats I looked for the base unit and marked with a couple of lines. Then I sketched it in the corner for reference.

Next I added borders to the blocks that supported the scale of the design. Then I went looking through my EQ Stash files for a fun collection to audition in this design. The collection that caught my eye was one from McKenna Ryan called Acres to Go. In my EQ program I sorted the fabrics in the collection by value and replaced the grey values with the fabrics. I tweaked the fabrics and their placements until I had a look that was pleasing to me. I think this design would look great in any type of fabric. If you make one please send me the images and I’ll post it on my web site.

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Santa Fe Quilt Design in Quiltmaker May/June 2015

3/29/2015

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I have new quilt design in the May/June 2015issue of Quiltmaker magazine. Below, you will find on the left, the cover of the issue featuring a beautiful quilt designed by Bonnie Hunter. At right below is the finished quilt as seen in the issue featuring "Calypso" Batik fabrics from Timeless Treasures. Click on the image for the kit.

This quilt was designed while patiently waiting to set up a new mobile phone contract for me and my family at my local Best Buy Store. It was a long enough process to begin with. Then the computer gremlins of cyber space decided to get involved and the process got even longer. But it was O.K. because I had my sketch book with me. I always bring a sketch pad with me wherever I go.

My favorite sketch book is a 6” x 8.5” spiral bound graph pad. The grid comes in handy since most of the designs for quilting blocks are grid based. I also have a non-gridded sketch pad for general doodling purposes. Almost all of my designs come from time spent exploring ideas in my sketch pad. I should spend more time playing in my sketch book. It’s good for my mind and I recommend it to anyone looking to expand their creative juices.

Below are my initial sketches for the design that I drew while in the store while waiting for the gremlins of cyber space to lose interest in us. I started with the sketch on the left and then I sketched it out as a repeat to see what it would look like. I always start with a black and white version of the idea. When I get to my Electric Quilt (EQ) program I move into the realm of using grey scale values to enhance the design.

Now that I had a design that I liked, I further explored my options using my EQ program. Below you can see my journey through the design process. From one step to the next I would color in different pieces of the block design using different values of grey. Eventually I came to the arrangement of values that I felt best enhanced the design. Next I did a mock of the design using basic colors from the EQ palette.

Finally I looked through my EQ fabric library till I found a collection that I felt would look nice in this design. I found a great collection in my EQ Stash 2014 Download 02 folder. The collection is called Blueprint Basics. It’s designed by Valori Wells for Robert Kaufman fabrics. I was able to parse out two colorways for the design from this one collection. Below are the two looks and their individual blocks.

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Quilts from Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Spring 2015

2/18/2015

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I received a nice surprise in my mail box. I have a design in the spring 2015 Quilts from Quiltmaker’s 100 blocks. My quilt design, Stepping Stone, is on the cover of alongside two other beautiful quilts. Wow, this is exciting! The block used in my quilt was published in Volume 3 of Quiltmaker’s 100 Designer Blocks. You can read more about the block if you click on the image of the block below.

The quilt in the middle was designed by Denise Starck using a block by Susan Nelson. Celine Perkins designed the quilt and block on the left.

Unfortunately, I didn't have time to make this quilt myself. Instead, the quilt was made by Cindy LeBaron and she did a beautiful job!

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Fragments Design in Quiltmaker March/April 2015

2/6/2015

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I have a quilt in Quiltmaker Magazine’s March/April 2015 issue. The design was inspired by a sketch I had made of a carpet I saw once at a flea market years ago. The sketch is not a very pretty sight. It’s fairly old and has seen better days, but I decided to show it to you because of the favorable response to the sketches I posted of my 100 Designer Blocks Vol. 10 posting.

I decided to finally do something with it. This design is the result. The fabric in this quilt is Forest Frolic and Sketch by Timeless Treasures. It was quilted by Janice Roy. She used an adorable forest critter themed pattern to complement the fabric. Isn’t it cute?

Check out the gallery of quilts below to see what the design would look like with other collections. Each one is labeled with the name of the fabrics used. Visit the underlined links for more information. Happy quilting!