How I chose fabrics for a quilt...

Today I'm guest posting over at Stitch This, the Martingale blog. I'm often asked about how I select fabrics for my quilts. I rarely use an collection exclusively and love mixing in some stash fabric. I'm sharing my process over there!

I've been pulling some fabric for my next project using this piece as my inspiration...

And came up with this...

Having "basics" in your stash is really helpful. I like to go through new fabric lines and buy the basics in my favorite colors. Here are some of my recent additions...

Domino Dots from Waterfront Park by Violet Craft.

Sun Print Feathers by Alison Glass.

Dots, Numbers and Sparkle from Gracie Girl by Lori Holt.

Read more and comment at Stitch This for a chance to win my new book, Simply Modern Christmas!!

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Catching up on some quilting...

So last year I was determined to finish up all the tops that were piling up or give them away. Yay! I pretty much did that and have been determined to quilt each top as I make it ~ as all of you do?

I've done well, by keeping an ongoing list. Something about putting it down on paper, {or whiteboard} that keeps me on track. Until now... oh no, I've got 5 tops on the list. There's something about that pretty fabric that keeps calling me to cut it up and sew!

Today I promised to make a dent and pin-basted 2 tops. So hopefully, I'll have some finished quilts to show soon!

Even though this lovely fabric pile keeps calling my name. I won't touch it ~ promise. 

{I'm doing "Fresh" from Simply Retro}

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My half trip around the world

My Half Trip Around the World quilt was inspired by Rachel's over at Stitched In Color. I love a traditional pattern (in fact you'll see more of them around here this year) and I loved her modern twist on the Trip Around the World design. 

I've had it in the back of my mind waiting for the perfect fabric line to appear. Notting Hill turned out to be it - and I'm happy with how the pattern shows off all the beautiful prints. The squares are 5" finished. On the large size compared to the traditional, but really perfect for the large scale prints. It's 50" x 60", so should quilt up pretty quickly.

My next project involves this bright and very boy fabric. Can't wait to get started!

. . . Cindy

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Projects this week...

I'm a little travel weary and nursing a cold after a two week visit with the princesses.

So I pulled out a UFO that requires little thought and simple straight sewing ~ my foundation pieced String Quilt. It's moving along. I even got 4 rows sewed together! I love that there's no rearranging the blocks with this one. Everything is completely pre-planned!

Playing with fabric doesn't require too much energy. Next month is my turn in the Redbird Bee and I've got a block and a color scheme ready ~ aqua, melon, gold and soft brown. Kinda Fallish, don't you think?

And some progress on this slow-moving project. EPP stars that will soon become a pillow ~ only a few more to go!

Quiet, restful is sometimes productive :) . . . Cindy

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gum drop pillow

My husband looked at me as if I'd finally lost it this weekend when I told him that I was making an ottoman.

But - I wasn't kidding - it's Amy Butler's gum drop pillow in her new Cameo fabric.

I really thought this would be a weekend project, but it was oh so easy! and quick!

 followed the pattern exactly except for adding a lightweight woven interfacing to each piece. The fabric is quilting weight and this gave it more of a decorator fabric weight.

And it does take a lot of stuffing!

I couldn't be happier with it though...

Our St Louis Modern Quilt Guild offered up a little shopping this weekend. The girls from Bob Bon Atelier in Kansas City visited with some beautiful fabrics. This feather piece just caught my eye! It's a perfect piece for pulling together a color scheme and I had fun playing with it when I got home!

I also picked up these two pieces of Simpatico. When I got home I had a nice fabric package in the mail. I had ordered some pieces for a project and out-of-the-blue, threw this florally print in my cart. Wow, it went nicely with my geometrics!

Finally from the garden! Some Sweet 100s!

. . . Cindy

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I really love my stash...

I've had some visitors in my sewing room recently and there are always comments about my stash. So many sewers feel very guilty about having a big fabric stash. I always think of it as a palette, just as a painter would have a palette of colors to work with. When you're working on a project, don't you feel you need just the right fabric immediately? And as long as your family has food on the table ~ it's okay to buy some fabric to stash.

I recently cleaned up, organized, and weeded out some fabrics. Many charitable organizations love donations - I've got a box for our local Quilts of Valor group.

Thought you might like a little tour of the stash ~ while it's in some order. My solids are folded in skinny rectangles and piled by color.

I have several designers' fabrics that I keep together because I'll probably use them together. Bonnie and Camille...

Including lots of these scalloped stripes. Love them for bindings. You can see I may have bought the gray twice - whoops!

Amy Butler...

Anna Maria Horner...

The rest of my fabrics are sorted by color and folded using Jeni's method from In Color Order. Here's one bin of multi-colored prints.

My daughter was looking for some yellows for a project and we found them quickly because they're all folded neatly in one bin.

My goal is to keep the amount limited to the bin space. I'm having a problem with gray lately ~ doesn't seem to fit!

I seldom buy whole collections. New additions are usually favorite prints in my favorite colors. Then it's a game of mixing and matching trying to find the perfect combination!

Yes, I do love my stash  . . . Cindy

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fabric, flowers and free motion

So this is what I've been up to this week...

Enjoying the beautiful weather and the flowers . . .

a bit of free motion quilting on my Retro Flowers quilt. . .

relishing my new fabric finds from Kansas City . . .

"Bella" ~ I was so thrilled to get this as I've been saving my "Echo" to combine the two lines in one fabulous quilt

"City Scenes" by Jane Dixon for Andover ~ this was so different than anything I've seen lately ~ and I thought it would be a good addition to my basics stash

more awesome basics from Art Gallery

and of course, you have to grab a fat quarter pack at Sample Spree ~ I grabbed 2 ~ "Marmalade" and "Sew Stitchy"

We also stopped at some great shops in Kansas City. Sarah's Fabrics in Lawrence was mind-boggling with amount of fabric!

Quilt Market was awesome. There are tons of great reports all over blogland ~ one of the best is Sara's at Sew Sweetness.

. . Cindy

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fabric love...

I'm having a problem choosing fabric. The problem is that there's just too much gorgeousness out there! I have indulged a little and I'm not one bit sorry I added this group to my stash. I've always loved Lizzy House's style, but wasn't interested in castles, peeps or foxes. This group - Hello Pilgrim -is right up my alley - floral, bright, clean and graphic. If you're on the fence about purchasing this line - get it. It's even prettier in person!

This group is Verona and I already have plans for it - stay tuned!
And this week, I'm readying for a retreat - 4 glorious days of sewing. I've got some "Secret Garden" by Sandi Henderson cut and ready to go.

I'll also be working on a new version of my "Sunburst" quilt. I'm teaching this design at an event this Summer and hope to make a couple more samples.

The strips are cut and ready to go. It's navy, green and gray - I think it'll be pretty classy looking.

And finally I haven't stopped making chevrons. This is a little sneak peek at a pouch for a swap this weekend at our guild meeting.

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Piiiink...

I've developed a new appreciation for pink. Elyse, like many girls her age, loves pink. In fact when you ask her what her favorite color is - the answer is a long and drawn out "piiiink..."!So with Valentine's day on the wings, I thought it might be fun to think about a few pink projects. Pink pairs really nicely with gray~
Or the more traditional black and white~
Of course pink and green are perfect together~
Lately I've been seeing and liking pink and orange~
Pink looks great with one of my favorites, aqua~
Hope your Valentine's Day is filled with flowers, chocolate, lots of love and maybe a little piiink...

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