Double Wedding Ring Challenge

Anyone who knows me as a quilter, knows that I have a problem passing up a challenge. I’m trying to resist them, but I still get sucked in. This time, it was the Double Wedding Ring Challenge from NYC Modern Quilt Guild. I’ve always wanted to make a double wedding ring quilt. Add to that, my 25th wedding anniversary is this coming year. Add to that, a little Kate Spain fabric collection that needed a project. Add to that, an idea sprung into my head. Obviously, I had to do it – and I’m now nine months ahead on a project … that NEVER happens!

The quilt I designed has 25 rings, one for each year. To make the years more distinctive, I ventured from the traditional design and made each ring distinctive. Each is improvisationally pieced using three different Kate Spain fabrics in the same color family. No three combinations are repeated. Then I added ‘I Do’ down the side and our wedding date across the bottom.

Double Wedding Ring ChallengeThe challenge required a minimum of four rings … so, I made a king size quilt! I took the photo on my driveway, standing on a ladder, holding the camera as high as I could. I’m sure the neighbors are wondering about me!

Inside each ring, I quilted something significant that happened during that year of our marriage – new house, kids, dogs. Once those were exhausted – I devolved to family vacations. Some just have symbols or words. Here are the kids – taken with a flash, so they aren’t great:

dwr-nick

 dwrTyler dwrkileyThat’s the project in a nutshell. I’m happy to have the double wedding ring pattern off of my list!

 

 

Classic Modern Quilts – Leave a Light On

So, it’s my turn on the blog tour! The traditional block that I selected was Airship Propeller (also known as Steam Punk, now-a-days!).

I was drawn to the curves in the block. I spent a lot of time sketching and breaking the block into different components. I wanted the quilt to be inspired by the block, not dictated by the block. I almost always start with graph paper – which is pretty ironic given my technology background. But, there is something that I love about pencil and paper when it comes to designing. Here is my original design.

20130313_145708When I showed it to my sister, she said ‘I see a toilet plunger’! Thanks! I was pretty confident that it wouldn’t read that way in the end – so I just laughed it off. Next, onto colors. At first I was thinking of using a complementary scheme. So, I experimented with purple and yellow.

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I liked the colors, but I didn’t think one section came forward more than the other. So, I ditched that idea. The next try was pretty much the final scheme.

20130313_103032The shape reminds me of a simple hanging light. I love the Ty Pennington print for the lamp shade – it’s an older print that came from my stash. The other fabrics were all from Marmalade Fabrics. Here’s the final quilt.

LeaveaLightOn

I had a great time being involved with this project and am so happy to be in such great company with the other nine designers. Some I know personally, some virtually, and I’m looking forward to meeting each of them in person some day!

Of course, I have to end this with the giveaway! Mine will be based on comments. So, here goes. I’m always looking at color trends and trying to see what’s coming and what’s going. I have a quilt designed that will be published in a year or so. To that end, I need to decide on a color scheme … something that will be relevant in a year! I have an idea of what it will be, but I’m always open to new ideas. So, leave a comment suggesting a color scheme: one neutral plus one color (Kona cotton color names would be great!). The winner of the giveaway will be either the person who comes the closest to the color scheme that I have in mind – or the one who suggests one I like better! Bottom-line: the person who suggests the color scheme that I go with will be the winner! You have until the end of the blog tour – this Friday, November 22nd! Good Luck!

Quick Tip Tuesday – Cutting with Templates

Usually I glean these tips from whatever I happen to be working on at the time. Right now I’m making a modern version of a double wedding ring quilt – I’m woefully behind! I rarely use templates, but with this pattern I couldn’t imagine cutting it out any other way. The problem with templates: they like to slip. Then my sister gave me this fabulous tip: rubber cement! WOW! What a difference. Just apply a fairly thick coat to the outer edges of the templates – especially any corners or points. Let it dry thoroughly. Place the templates with the rubber cement facing the fabric and cut. Amazing!

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Modern Classic Quilts Blog Tour

The Kansas City Star is probably best known in the quilt-world for publishing quilt blocks in their newspaper long ago. Well, what you may not know is that they have just started a new imprint for Modern Quilts! The first book under this new imprint is Modern Classic Quilts. This book contains ten quilts based on ten different, vintage KC Star blocks from ten different Modern Quilters. To celebrate its release, we are having a blog tour – complete with daily giveaways! The tour runs November 11th through 22nd. My day to host is November 19th.

blog badgeThe Tour Stops include:
Nov. 11: Lisa Calle, Vintage Modern Quilts
Nov. 12: Lynne Goldsworthy, Lily’s Quilts
Nov. 13: Lauren Hunt, My Aunt June 
Nov. 14: Heather Kojan, Heather Kojan
Nov. 15: John Kubiniec, Big Rig Quilting
Nov. 18: Adrianne Ove, Little Bluebell
Nov. 19: Trisch Price, Hadley Street Quilts
Nov. 20: Tammie Schaffer, Crafty Tammie and Tia Curtis, Tia Curtis Quilts
Nov. 21: Amy Smart, Diary of a Quilter
Nov. 22: Susan Strong, Strong Stitches

So, stop back on the 19th to get the details about the quilt that I made for the book and the giveaway … and a few hints about the second book that’s coming out under the new imprint!