The Four Block Quilt!

We recently showcased Wendy Sheppard's Solar Stars table runner, where she talked about the advantages of trying a new technique in just one block rather than committing to making an entire quilt's worth. 

In her Urban Oasis quilt, featured in Quilter's World, Wendy took that concept on a slightly different route, showing a pattern that works with just a few pieced blocks--either made specifically for the quilt or as a way to use up orphan blocks.

"Urban Oasis" by Wendy Sheppard; featured in Quilter's World spring 2014

After seeing this quilt, we had several questions for Wendy (why the gray background; how did you design this), which she was kind enough to answer. Read about how she did it and then start planning your own version! (And for a slightly different look, the Urban Oasis fabric collection comes in a purple/magenta colorway as well)

What made you choose gray as the background?

I thought a brighter neutral such as cream or beige would blend in with the fabrics too well.  Since the purpose of using a neutral is oftentimes to provide a contrast with prints, I used the gray to accentuate the contrast between the solid and the prints.

What do you like about the Urban Oasis prints?

I like that the collection is so contemporary - the florals, the paisleys and the other accompanying fabrics are all done with a contemporary flair!  The colors used are perfect for the fabric prints.

When you make an "orphan block" quilt like this, do you work on the design on paper/computer, or do you play on the design wall?

When I design, most of the time the design first appears in my head.  I will then think about it in my head for a few days, and work out the general design.  Then, I will work out the math, etc. on the computer.  I don't have a design wall, believe it or not.  HA!

What is your favorite part of this quilt?

I think the stripes are my favorite parts of the quilt.  It gives a slatted look - as if one is looking through a wooden fence and finds floral delights.

Love the green thread you chose for quilting. What can you tell us about your choice?

Again, it's for contrast.  The thread is a lime-ish green.  I thought that would complement the greens in the fabrics, and give a bit of pop to the gray solid.  It turned out just like I had imagined.  But, my luck isn't always that good.  I have had to rip out stitches before on other quilts!

See the entire Urban Oasis collection by Kitty Yoshida here (plus a free pattern for another quilt Wendy designed using this fabric!).

Learn more about Wendy's quilt and see it with a white background here.
Find Quilter's World magazine here.

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September Blog Hop Day 1: Urban Oasis Table Runner

Welcome! It's Day 1 of our September blog hop, and we're thrilled to have Kristen from KD-Quilts here sharing a modern table runner design using Kitty Yoshida's Urban Oasis fabrics. Enjoy Kristen's tutorial and then keep reading to find out how you can win a fat quarter bundle of these gorgeous prints!

Hello! I'm Kristen Danis and I blog over at KD-Quilts. When I'm not behind my sewing machine, I spend my time with my 2.5 year old. We live in Virginia Beach and I am the founder and current president of the VBMQG. 

I am so thrilled to be here at Sew in Love again to share my newest tutorial with you! For my table runner, I chose to use Urban Oasis, a new line for Benartex. I have always loved purple, and this line just jumped at me! I love the sketchy feel of the prints, and the leopard print...LOVE!

   

::You Need::

• Fat Quarter of magenta print for pinwheels 
• Fat Quarter of white background 
• 1/2 yard each of floral on purple and floral on white for inner and outer borders 
• 1/3 yard leopard print for binding
• 2/3 yard backing fabric

::Cutting::

Cut six 6" squares from both magenta pinwheel print and background fabric. 
Cut two 2-1/4" x 7" strips of inner border fabric
Cut two 2-1/4" x WOF strips of inner border fabric
Cut two 3-1/2" x WOF strips of outer border fabric
Cut four 2-1/4" x WOF strips for binding

::Assembly::

Place a pinwheel print and a background square right sides together. Sew 1/4" seam around ALL FOUR EDGES. Yes, this encloses the whole square. This is good, trust me!

 

 Draw diagonal lines from each corner.

   

 Cut along each line. This will give you four half square triangle units. Press to the darker side.

 

 Trim the dog ears.

   

 Assemble the HSTs into pinwheels. 

 You will need 6 pinwheel units, each measuring 7". 

 

 Sew all 6 pinwheels into a strip. Now it's time to attach the borders. First sew the 2-1/4" x 7" border strips to the short ends of the pinwheel strip (1, 2). Then sew the 2 long strips from border one on the top and bottom (3, 4). Finally, sew the second border stirps to the top and bottom (5,6).  

 Baste. Quilt. Bind. I chose to quilt mine with straight lines. 

Thanks Kristen! 

Head over to Kristen's blog to find out how you can enter to win a fat quarter bundle of Urban Oasis.

Don't miss the other tutorials (and giveaways!) featured in our September blog hop:
Day 1: You're here!

Day 2: QAYG Drawstring Backpack from the Benartex blog team

  

  

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Finding Your Oasis

What would you consider your oasis, or refuge? Fabric designer Kitty Yoshida's "happy place" is strictly city based, shines through loud and clear in her newest fabric line, Urban Oasis.  

How did Kitty come up with Urban Oasis? Keep reading!

The name ''Urban Oasis'' sounds like such a juxtaposition.

It is, and it isn't. While the word ''oasis'' often brings to mind the proverbial water hole in the middle of a desert, the second meaning of the word is something that ''serves as a refuge, relief, or pleasant change." Growing up in New York City, many of my personal oases are city-based. And really, what art or fabric lover wouldn't consider beautiful designs to be an oasis?!

What do you feel gives these fabrics such an urban edge?

The colors, for one. Black, gray, cream, white—they're the colors you see walking through the city, and what you think of in terms of buildings, sidewalks, roads. Adding in the lime, deep purple and teal just makes the fabric pop. I also think the crosshatch texture evident in many of the prints creates an urban feel, as well as gives the fabric dimension.

Do you have a favorite print in the collection?

Do I have to pick just one? I love the florals, of course—florals and paisleys tend to be my signature look. But as something a bit different, I'm really drawn to the terrazzo prints, the spiro-dot prints, and the urban tapestry—which to me, looks like a city from above.

Terrazzo

Spiro-dot

Urban tapestry

How do you make the curvier, more organic motifs work so well with the more geometric designs?

I think that probably contributes to the urban look as well—in a big city, you see so many geometric shapes that contrast with the mass of humanity that lives there. Think of Central Park in the middle of Manhattan. It's not what you'd expect, but it just works. I also think the contrast in the two styles of prints creates another point of contrast in a project, helping the fabrics to pop. 

See the entire collection here.

Inspired? Find free patterns for these two quilts featuring Urban Oasis here.

"Madison Square Park" designed by TailorMade by Design

"Silver Lining" designed by Wendy Sheppard

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