Basics can be beautiful

When you hear "Basics Blacks & Beiges," it may not sound like the most exciting fabric collection. But you'd be amazed how gorgeous these two basics colors can be--Jackie Robinson's "Circling Stars" quilt, designed using these prints--was recently in the Championship Game of our Fan Favorite Quilt Pattern.  True beauty in just two colors. 

 Jackie's here today to tell us about her Basic Blacks & Beiges collection. 

Where did the idea for this collection come from? it's pretty different from your typical fabric lines.

 When I was a quilt shop owner, I could never get enough good blacks and beiges. This line is intended to fill that hole. It features seven different designs; six that I’ve used previously in other collections and recolored here, and one new one.

What do you think make these prints work well as a group?

Varying values. Value is the whole name of the game as far as I’m concerned. Anytime I look at any kind of a combination of fabrics, I always have a log cabin in the back of my head. To look its best, a log cabin requires values. When you do a scrappy quilt in just two colors, the values make it interesting.

And why do these prints work so well as standalone basics?

This collection plays on all the different strengths of color. If you're looking for a standalone beige or black to go in a quilt you're making, there are plenty of values to choose from, depending on what's going on in your quilt. 

Do you have a favorite print in the collection?

I really like that new paisley a whole lot. But I think the one that I consistently use the most is the medallion scroll. I have found myself using it the most. It sits back nicely for a background.

Jackie's Circling Stars quilt pattern, made using all of the Basic Blacks & Beiges prints. Click here to read more about this quilt.

Click here to find the free pattern

Click here to see the Basic Blacks & Beiges collection and download the free quilt pattern.
Click here to see more of Jackie's work and her other fabric lines. 

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March Madness: The Championship Game!

We're excited to announce the two quilts in our championship game! 

Congratulations to Shimmering Constellation and Circling Stars! 

In addition to showing you the quilts one more time, we're sharing short interviews with the designers so you can learn a little more about each design. 

Thanks to everyone who has helped narrow the patterns down from our original 50 to the Sweet Sixteen to these final two.  As a thank you for your participation, this final round of voting will include the opportunity to win fabric prizes! 

Leave a comment below with your vote for this game (choose Shimmering Constellation or Circling Stars). One comment per person, please. You can also vote a second time on our Facebook Group – Sew Interesting, and a third time on our Pinterest board. 

Voting for this game is open through Monday, April 4 at 5 pm EST. We'll announce the winner on Tuesday, April 5th. 
Voting is now closed. Thank you for playing!

Shimmering Constellation by Wendy Sheppard
using Gold Standard/Simply Sterling

Circling Stars by Jackie Robinson using Basic Blacks and Beiges

Wendy Sheppard talks about her Shimmering Constellation design:

What attracted you to the Gold Standard/Simply Sterling collection?

I like the metallic accents  in the prints and colors of the collection.

Can you talk about how fabric placement enhances this design?

When I work with a fabric collection that has multiple main colors, I try to sprinkle the colors all over the quilt design. So that's why you see a mix of gold, gray and black in the design. The reason the design looks more complicated than it actually is rests solely on the fabric placement for this design.  I think of it as optical illusion at play. At least for me, whenever I see a quilt with many colors/fabrics, I automatically go into a "WOW" mode and think it is a difficult quilt.

How did you come up with this design? 

I started with the stars -- but then I felt like having stars all over the quilt design is too predictable.  That's when I came up with the alternate block to give the design a bit more interest.  I then softened the edges of the other blocks with gold on white prints to give a bit of "halo" effect to the star blocks.

What do you like best about this quilt?

I like it for many reasons - I like that it is a traditional quilt, but with striking visual elements for a home decor piece to add fun statement to a room.  What I love it best is that it is an easy quilt to construct, but with much more to offer in the final design and layout.

Jackie Robinson talks about her Circling Stars design:

What inspired your Basic Blacks and Beiges collection?

It came from when I was a quilt shop owner and could never get enough good blacks and beiges. The fabrics have varying values, which adds interest when they’re all used together.

Tell us about the star block in Circling Stars.

One of the artists in the Benartex design studio, Liz Kolansky, created this block for the front cover of some marketing materials. It is a block that is reminiscent of 54-40 or Fight, but it isn’t. I really liked it and asked Liz if I could use it for a quilt design.

Tell us about the layout.

The black setting triangles make the star blocks pop. Then simple straight borders frame the design.

What do you like best about the quilt?

The illusion of circles created by the blocks. It’s circles without actually piecing circles. 

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It's a battle of the stars! 

Shimmering Constellation vs. Circling Stars 

Which one will be the fan favorite quilt pattern?

Here's how to vote AND how to enter the giveaway:

• To vote: Leave a comment below with your vote for this game (choose Shimmering Constellation or Circling Stars). One comment per person, please. You can also vote a second time on our Facebook Group – Sew Interesting, and a third time on our Pinterest board. Voting for this game is open through Monday, April 4 at 5 pm EST. We'll announce the winner on Tuesday, April 5th. 

• To enter the giveaway: Send an email to socialmedia23 (at) gmail.com with Battle of the Stars in the subject line.
• Both the voting for Favorite Pattern and the giveaway will be open through Monday, April 4th at 5 pm EST. We'll announce the Favorite Pattern and giveaway winners on Tuesday, April 5th. 
• Prizes: One lucky winner will receive a box of Benartex fat quarters! Winner will be randomly chosen from received emails and will be notified by email as well as announced here on the blog. 

Good luck to both of these fantastic patterns! 

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March Madness: Final Four, Game 2

Welcome to our Final Four! 

Our first Final Four game is over; today we're featuring the second game.  
Both Final Four games are now over. 
Watch for our Championship announcement later today!

Choose your favorite and leave a comment below letting us know your vote.

Metallic Maze by Tailormade by Design using Metallic Basics

vs. 

Circling Stars by Jackie Robinson using Basic Blacks and Beiges

Leave a comment below with your vote for this game (choose Metallic Maze or Circling Stars). One comment per person, please. You can also vote a second time on our Facebook Group – Sew Interesting, and a third time on our Pinterest board. 

Voting for this game is open through Friday, April 1 at 10 am EST.

Both Final Four games are now over. 

Watch for our Championship announcement later today!

To see the full bracket of sixteen and/or read the details of March Madness, click here.

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March Madness: Round 2, Day 3

It's Day 3 of the second round of March Madness! 

Have you voted yet to help us choose our Final Four?

Here's today's game:
This game is now closed. Find the next game here.

Deep Sea Maze by Tailormade by Design using Garden Oasis Balis

vs.

Circling Stars by Jackie Robinson using Basic Blacks and Beiges

Leave a comment below with your vote for this game (choose Deep Sea Maze or Circling Stars). One comment per person, please. You can also vote a second time on our Facebook Group – Sew Interesting and a third time on our Pinterest board. 

Voting for this game is open through Thursday, March 24 at 10 am EST. 
This game is now closed. Find the next game here.

To see the full bracket of sixteen and/or read the details of March Madness, click here.

p.s. Don't forget that clicking on the pattern name will take you to the free pattern pdf you can download to make these quilts yourself!

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March Madness: Round 1, Day 3

Welcome to Day 3 of our quilt-themed March Madness bracket! Having fun voting so far? :)

Here are today's games:
Voting on these games is now closed. Click here for Day 4 voting.

Game 1:

Deep Sea Maze by Tailormade by Design using Garden Oasis Balis

vs.

Have a Heart by Amanda Murphy using Carina

AND

Game 2:

Circling Stars by Jackie Robinson using Basic Blacks and Beiges

vs.

Night Sky Solstice by Janet Page Kessler using Starburst

Leave a comment below with your votes for these two games (choose Deep Sea Maze or Have a Heart for Game 1 AND Circling Stars or Night Sky Solstice for Game 2). One comment per person, please. You can also vote a second time on our Facebook Group – Sew Interesting and a third time on our Pinterest board. 

Voting for these two games is open through Thursday, March 17 at 10 am EST.

Voting for these games is now closed!

To see the full bracket of sixteen and/or read the details of March Madness, click here.

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Guess the fabric line Winners!

Thanks to everyone who played our "Guess the fabric line" game over the last few days. It was so much fun to see your fabric line name guesses!

Here are our randomly selected winners:

Day 1: 

Kathy E. from Dubuque, IA

Her guess: Seed Jam

Day 2:

Gene B. from Anniston, AL

His guess: Technicolor Snow

Day 3:

Nadine H. from Ramsey, MI

Her guess: Ebony and Ivory

Day 4: 

Barb J. from Verona, PA

Her guess: Those Lazy, Hazy, Crazy Days of Summer

Congratulations to the winners! We'll be contacting you by email. 

Watch for these fabrics to be featured here on the blog and then be available in your local quilt shop in early 2016!

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