"Kim"spiration

Before I was blown away by the Roseville pattern and finally committed to tackling a "real" Kim quilt, I was a follower and admirer of her patterns on Glorious Color. You can see her influence in this baby quilt I adapted from a pattern called "Flowering Vines" by Becky Goldsmith. By the time I was ready to make the borders, I had the Roseville pattern; those are Kim's birds on the top. (I probably should have asked your permission, Kim, but I promise I'm not selling any patterns!)
Avery Rose is my newest great niece, the first child of my nephew and his wife. Apparently Avery didn't know first babies were supposed to take their time. She arrived precipitously on the living room couch and was delivered by a Chicago fire fighter! I don't usually make such elaborate baby quilts, but I just couldn't help myself once I discovered the fun of fussy cutting.

Now I'm well into Roseville. Separately I'll post a new finish (mostly because I haven't figured out how to put the photos where I want them). Can anyone help with that?

How do you do it?

Seriously --- how do you ever get the courage to fussy cut all these beautiful wonderful Kaffe fabrics? I am a hoarder of all my Kaffes, keep them segregated from the rest of the stash and all my scraps in a separate container. While they play well with others -- I don't share them well in other quilts. So -- here I sit with the most wonderful 1/4 yd cuts from Glorious Color, a Lollypop Trees pattern that makes my heart sing, my Kaffe scraps/stash, and all I feel comfortable doing is cutting the 2.5" squares b/c that conserves fabric and doesn't make big holes.

This is a serious question and I know you're going to tell me to just jump in -- but it seems incredibly wasteful and I want to make sure I don't compromise the block b/c I'm trying to save as much fabric as possible. Some of you will "get" this and others are likely to recommend therapy.

All I have to do is get another big project done and then I can have all the time I want to fret about fussy cutting! Thanks for any suggestions (except the therapy!). :0

Color.

Here's a little something that may help those struggling with color and fabric selections.  Choose a focus fabric...a fabric that you ABSOLUTELY LOVE!!!  If that particular fabric is going to be included in your quilt, then use that sublime fabric as a jumping off point.  Allow it to help you match colors and make other fabric choices.  Fabric has colored dots along the selvedge edge. Those dots show you what specific colors were used to make that particular piece of fabric.  So...sew, use those colored dots to your advantage!  If you are not going to use that sublime fabric in your quilt, but you do SO love the colors, then let those dots help you choose fabrics and colors that will match and work together in your quilt.

During a class I took with Sally Collins, she said, "Color gets all the glory, but value does all the work." Remember to add a mix of lights, darks and mediums.  This can be done using the value of a color or scale of a print.  If you are unsure what value a color is, photocopy the fabric.  It will copy dark, white or grey...

I don't always make the best choice first time around either.  My 'mistakes' can be used on the back of the quilt or may become a signature patch.  See, I can still use that awesome fabric somewhere!  For me, color and fabric selection are two of the MOST fun aspects of quilting.  I encourage you to just let go! Delight in color and let it make your soul smile and your designs soar.  I BELIEVE in you and your choices!!!

Make your quilt yours!  I use fussy cuts, favorite fabrics and hidden bits in most of the quilts I make...these things make the quilt mine!

I LOVE how this entire fussy cut flower turned out.  What FUN!!!  See that lime green Funky Monkey fabric on the left?  I happen to enjoy the whimsy of sock monkeys and isn't that color FAB?!  It found a place in my pieced border.

That dark fabric, on your right?  I didn't have a piece large enough for this applique shape.  So, I sewed two pieces together.  I bet you would never have known?!  

Can you spot the little hearts, words and pops of black tucked in there?  Those little things help to make a quilt magical!

I encourage you to enjoy your quilt making journey.  Choose colors and fabrics that make YOU happy.  It is my hope that you will LOVE the project you are working on and the process too.  : )

Piecefully, Pam