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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Irresistible Iris in Print!

Today we're showing Ann Lauer's Irresistible Iris collection in two very different looks. These are both projects Ann designed for magazines; you'll find links to the magazines and to kits for the projects below. 

First is "Perennial Favorite," the name a nod to these old-time favorite flowers that many people fondly remember from grandmother's yard. This classic bargello has plenty of movement and is accented with fussy cut iris blooms. 

"Perennial Favorite" designed by Ann Lauer
and pieced by Linda Brady Peterson;
featured in American Quilter magazine March 2017

Why do you enjoy designing bargello style quilts so much?

I wanted to experiment with using the wonderful medallion tonals and the color play in values. I also chopped up several of the big prints that have a lot of movement. Everything came together, and I was really happy with the result.

How do you design a quilt like this?
I play around on the computer. I’ve designed many bargellos, so I look at previous quilts and pick an area of peaks and valleys to start with, and work from there. I generally choose an asymmetrical design, with peaks of different sizes. This allows the bargello to be the focus of the design. In Perennial Favorite, the peaks are the same height, but they create plenty of cream background space to highlight the fussy cut irises.

What makes this collection work so well with the bargello concept?

The irises are the key print in the collection, but I’ve used the blenders in the pieced background. The prints have a fluid, watercolor feel to them.

I love how the lacey medallion print has so much depth because it includes multiple colors (as opposed to the tonals). The medallions dance across the fabric, and they’re a great blender between the more solid colored prints.

The kaleidoscope print is great as well—so much movement and such a good transition fabric.

The Vari Recs print as well—because they are filled with variegated color rectangles, they create a great transition. These prints work well for color changes in the bargello, shifting from “solid-look” print to “solid-look” print.

Tell us about the fussy-cut irises.

There are two sizes of irises fussy cut out of two different fabric. They’re fused and then fastened with raw edge applique. The background of the iris prints is the same as the background of the bargello, so they blend nicely. Benartex’s printing of these irises in particular is just spectacular. The details are exquisite and it printed gorgeously.  They become the focal point of the quilt.

What else can you tell us about this quilt?

I recommend making it in a quilt as you go style. The quilt comes out totally flat, and you’re not dealing with stretching or an accordion appearance. I also use the gridded flannel as a base. It helps keep all of the pieces straight, and it stabilizes them as well. The lines from quilt as you go enhance the movement of the bargello without having to stitch over the top of it, which could be distracting.

Click here to purchase the Perennial Favorite kit.
Click here to find American Quilter magazine.

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Here are the Irresistible Iris prints in a totally different look. Ann built the design around the kaleidoscope print, combining it with blenders. The only flowers evident are the tiny flowerettes in the black background fabric. 

"Floral Fantasy" runner designed by Ann Lauer, pieced by Linda Brady Peterson and quilted by Ann Lauer;
featured in Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting March/April 2017

What prompted you to design a quilt without any iris prints?

I really wanted to showcase the kaleidoscope print, so that’s what I did. It’s the focal square in the middle of each block, and then the tonals work together, and the flowerette print segues into the purple and pink. I like the how the lighter green stars come toward you and the darker green fades back.

What do you like best about the runner?

Besides a chance to showcase the kaleidoscope print, I like the green and purple prints together. Then the black adds depth and the pink is an accent. Using the black print in the binding pulls it all together as well.

Is this a difficult block?

No! You’re working with basic units here—four-patches, flying geese and half-square triangles. So the runner goes together really fast. It’s a fun design. I also played around with this design in quilt form. You can see what that looks like:

Click here to see Ann's entire Irresistible Iris collection. 
Click here to visit Ann's website.
Click here to purchase the Floral Fantasy table runner kit.
Click here to find Fons & Porter's Love of Quilting magazine.

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Summery magazine projects

Get into a summer mindset with these two projects using Ann Lauer's fabric collections! 

First up is Summer's Promise, designed by Ann, using her Sundance and Poppy Panache fabric lines. This lap quilt was featured in the May 2016 issue of American Quilter magazine. It showcases large rectangles of a beautiful floral focal print, as well as a unique pieced sashing design. 

Click here to find the kit for Summer's Promise. 
Click here to see more of Ann's patterns and the Poppy Panache and Sundance fabrics.
Click here to find American Quilter magazine.

Next up is the Butterfly Forest Bed Runner, designed by Melanie Greseth and Joanie Holton for the Summer 2016 issue of Quilter's World. As the name suggests, this runner uses Ann's Butterfly Forest collection, adding a pop of color and beautiful butterflies to your favorite bed. The runner is made from four-patches and strip-pieced sashing rows, so it goes together quickly--you could be enjoying it on your bed this summer! 

Click here to see the Butterfly Forest collection.

Click here to find Quilter's World magazine.

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