Here Comes the Sun: Good Morning Sunshine

Ann Lauer's Here Comes the Sun fabrics were recently featured in a three-piece project in the September 2017 issue of American Quilter magazine. She used the teal colorway to create a wall quilt, table runner, and placemats. 

See the projects below and read about how she used the sunflower stripe to create them. 

Why did you choose to make a set of projects for the magazine?

I wanted to offer examples of how versatile the stripe is and how it could be used in several different ways. The stripe is so beautiful—the combination of the flowers with the delicate gold scrolls floating around the sides on that dappled background, and it has so much potential. The projects work well together—use the table runner with placemats, and hang the square quilt on the wall, or use it as a table topper instead of the runner.

Tell us about the wall quilt.

The quilt features fussy-cut squares. The four squares are not centered on the sunflowers; instead they’re positioned so the geometric section shows more on one point and less on the opposite. When you put the squares together, you have an on-point geometric center surrounded by sunflowers with a little geometric accent in outer corners.

The border is simple to piece but showy, and it sets of the medallion center. Then I used the geometric part of the stripe as a final border.

Good Morning Sunshine by Ann Lauer;
featured in American Quilter Magazine September 2017

And the runner and placemats?

I wanted to leave the stripe as is, to really show it off without cutting it. The runner has an easy checkerboard border, and the piecing on both ends is made from strip sets. The stripe in the placemat is set off with simple piecing as well.

Good Morning Sunshine by Ann Lauer;
featured in American Quilter Magazine September 2017

Good Morning Sunshine by Ann Lauer;
featured in American Quilter Magazine September 2017

Do you have a favorite from this set?

The runner. I really like the way the stripe plays with it. There’s enough piecing to make it interesting without overpowering.

Click here to find the Good Morning Sunshine kit (magazine with pattern included).

Click here to find American Quilter magazine.

Want to see more from the Here Comes the Sun collection? 

Click here to see the entire fabric collection.

Click here to visit Ann's website and see her patterns featuring Here Comes the Sun. 

Click here to read Ann's interview about the fabrics.

Click here to follow Ann's demonstration using the sunflower stripe.

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Here Comes the Sun: Fussy-cut Stripe Demo

Do you love a great stripe? Today Ann Lauer is here with the fabulous sunflower stripe from her Here Comes the Sun fabric collection. She's demonstrating how to cut the stripe to create the pieced stripe blocks that are used in her Steppin' Out quilt pattern. 

Here's Ann: 

Fussy cutting stripes creates a variety of fun results, but sometimes getting started can be intimidating. My  Steppin’ Out quilt pattern uses blocks made from fussy cut triangles for a unique look. Today I’ll be showing you how to cut the stripe using a quarter square ruler. These blocks are addicting to make, and similar to a kaleidoscope, you never know exactly what the next one will look like!

Steppin' Out quilt

Here's the stripe that we're working with, shown from selvedge to selvedge:

And a close-up:

I love using the Here Comes the Sun fabric in these blocks because depending on where you cut your triangles, you’ll have a cluster of sunflowers in the center, around the edges, or maybe even somewhere in between!

The stripe-style blocks for Steppin’ Out are cut using a quarter square ruler.  A quarter square ruler has a 90 degree angle at the point of the triangle and 4 triangles will make a square.  This can be the Nifty Notions Quarter Square ruler, the Creative Grids 90 Degree Quarter Square Triangle ruler or another ruler like these.  The ruler must have a blunt tip which allows for the ¼” seam allowance.

Step 1: Do you remember the old saying, “measure twice and cut once?” We’ll do that first.--double check your size before starting: No matter which ruler you are using, cut (4) 5-1/2” high triangles from scrap fabric and piece them into a square.  Four triangles should yield a 10 ½” square block, so make any necessary adjustments now. (Note: If the ruler does not have a blunt tip, follow the directions that come with the ruler to determine what size triangles to cut; it will probably be about 5 ¾” high). 

Step 2: Lay the ruler on the stripe with the 5 ½” line positioned on what you would like to be the outside edge of the 10 ½” block. (Be sure that the registration lines on the ruler are parallel with lines in the stripe.)  Make a mark with a pen on the fabric on each side of the 5 ½” line.

Step 3: Cut along the sides of the ruler. Then slide the ruler so that the straight edge of the ruler is aligned with the marks at the 5 ½” line and cut along the bottom edge of the ruler.  Each block requires 4 triangles cut with the base of the triangle positioned exactly along the same part of the stripe.

Tip:  You might cut triangles out of paper and lay them along the stripe before you begin cutting to help you plan a layout for the number of triangles you will need for all of the blocks.  Also, you could draw them before cutting.  If you center the exact same image in the point of the triangle, you will get a kaleidoscope effect.  An occasional kaleidoscope block adds nice variety.

Step 4: Pin and sew 2 identical triangles together, keeping the ¼” seam accurate to the tip and matching the stripe. Be aware of stretching, since your triangle is cut on the bias. Tip: Using a stylus will help keep the ¼” seams accurate as you sew to the tip. 

Step 5: Two triangles form half of the block.  Sew 2 halves together to make a bock. Press seams in either direction, being careful not to distort the block.

Step 6: To make a block with a different look, select another part of the stripe and align the triangle base.  Cut 4 identical triangles.  Continue using varying parts of the stripe to cut the triangles for the number of blocks needed. Here's a look at a block with the geometric stripe in the center: 

Just for fun, here's a look at Around the Block, another quilt pattern that uses fussy cut squares to create the design. I'll talk more about this pattern later this week.

Click here to find Ann's Steppin' Out quilt.

Click here to see the entire Here Comes the Sun collection.

Click here to visit Ann's website and see her patterns featuring Here Comes the Sun. 

Click here to read Ann's interview about the fabrics.

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Psst! 

Enter our "Best of Benartex" photo contest!

We want you to show us your stuff! Take a photo of a project you have made using any one of our fabric lines (new or old!) It could be anything from a quilt to a runner to a small project that may not even use sewing at all.
All photographs should accurately display fabrics from Benartex, Kanvas or Contempo.
Entries can be submitted to benartexmarketing@gmail.com with the title "Photo Contest" preferably in a .jpg format. One submission per person. (Sponsor reserves the right to reject any additional entries or entries that do not comply with these Official Rules)

Entries should include:
• Your name: First and Last
• Where you are from
• What fabric line your project is using (if known)
• And a brief caption about your project

Prizes will include:
1.Grand Prize – People’s Choice (1 Lucky Winner)
Photo that gets the most likes. Winner will receive a box filled with assorted FQ bundles for all your quilting and sewing needs.
2.First Prize – Judges Choice (1 Winner)
Winner will be selected by members of our Marketing department and will receive a thread and notions prize pack sponsored by AURIFIL, OESD and BREWER.
3.Second Prize – Honorable Mention(1 Winner)
Second place winner for fan votes will receive a thread and notions prize pack sponsored by AURIFIL, OESD and BREWER.

The Photo Contest submission entry window is open from 5:00 pm EST on October 2, 2017 until 11:59 pm EST on October 15, 2017. Entries submitted before or after the Entry Period will not be eligible.

Voting will begin at 12:00 noon EST on October 23, 2017.

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It's Sunflower Season!

Drive by a farmer's field right now and you might see this: 

Drive to your local quilt shop right now and you might see this:

Ann Lauer's latest collection, Here Comes the Sun, is available in quilt shops now! We asked Ann to talk about her new fabrics:

Why did you choose to do a fabric line with sunflowers?

I think they’re universally loved. You see a lot of sunflower fabrics, but I wanted these to be different. These are realistic but with artistic license, which makes them even prettier.

What makes the sunflowers so gorgeous?
There’s more shading on the petals, and that creates more movement than in nature. If you look, you’ll also see an extra layer of translucent petals on the outside. I love that look—it turned out really terrific. The sunflowers themselves are dusted with gold.

 The seeds are arranged just like in a real sunflower—the fibonnaci mathematical formula. It’s such a great spiral design.

This isn’t a traditionally colored sunflower collection.

No, I didn’t want to go with the seasonal yellow-brown palette. By putting jewel tones in, the line became brighter, and we could use black instead of brown as an accent. Yellow is beautiful on purple and also on teal. The purple is paired with fuchsia, and the teal with lime green. Both really set off the sunflowers.

Tell us about the sunflower prints.

In the focal print, the spacing is such that anywhere you cut, you’ll get a great combination of flowers.

Another print has the sunflowers more spread out—it’s intended for fussy cutting. The flowers are set up in clusters of one, two and three, and there are leaves and buds as well. More of the dappled background shows through.

What about the stripe?

It takes these same really wonderful sunflowers and alternates them with a narrow geometric print. This time the flowers have leaves and buds around them as they undulate up the stripe. There’s also a nice delicate gold scroll tossed in. The narrow part of the stripe is actually swirling seeds. Both the sunflower and the geometric stripe alternate four times across the fabric, so you can cut four borders from a width of fabric.

Tell us about some of your favorite coordinates.

I’m just thrilled with the mosaic spirals. They’re actually interlocking spirals of little segments of mosaics. There’s really wonderful movement and color variety.

The swirling seeds is a tonal print. The seeds look like they’re in a wind tunnel. Five layers of value create nice depth.

The scrolls are interlocking and delicately lacy. It’s a very soft textured background, and one layer of scrolls has little squares in it. I love the interest that it adds.

The dappled texture is a coordinate that’s the same as the background behind the sunflowers. It’s outlined beautifully with the gold metallic. It works really well as a background and comes in natural, purple and teal.

Love the Here Comes the Sun fabric? Throughout the week we'll be sharing a tutorial, a magazine project, and a virtual trunk show, so be sure to stop by to see more! 

Click here to see the entire Here Comes the Sun collection.

Click here to visit Ann's website and see her patterns featuring Here Comes the Sun. 

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