Pop of Color

It's mid-March, and in case you haven't noticed, we've been looking forward to spring here on the blog. Warmer weather, bright sunshine, flowers blooming...what's not to like, right? As crocuses, daffodils and other early spring plants begin to sprout and bloom, it's the perfect time for a quilt called "Pop of Color." Kickstart your spring with this bright and cheerful design featuring Michele D'Amore's Paintbox/Shadows collection. You can find this quilt in the spring issue of Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts, and you can learn more about it below from designer Stephanie Sheridan of Stitched Together Studios.

"Pop of Color" by Stephanie Sheridan; machine quilted by Linda Leathersich;
featured in Fons & Porter's Easy Quilts Spring 2015

What do you like about the Paintbox fabrics?

The bright colors! I received these fabrics in the middle of winter and they reminded me of summer!

Do you have a favorite print in the collection?

I really love the dots and the stripe! The dots because of the randomness of the print – so no matter where you cut it, you get a different group of dots and colors, and I am always a sucker for a pretty stripe fabric. My daughter teases me that if there is a stripe in a collection you can bet it will be the binding, she is right!

How did you pick the solids to use with it?

Kanvas has a collection of solids that worked perfectly in this quilt called ColorConnection. I love these because they aren’t a perfect match to the colors, but more of a tonal compliment.

Can you talk about your choice to do some sashing strips in white and some in color?

I felt like the quilt needed the white (I chose a leaf vine tone on tone print) to give a little more interest to the sashing. If all of the sashing strips were the color solids it would overwhelm the focal squares.

Tell us why you liked using the stripe for the setting triangles.

 I used the stripe for the setting triangles to mimic the colored sashing strips. It was a bit of a challenge to get them all going the right direction, but I love the way it turned out! It actually became my favorite element of the quilt.

What a great combination of prints in the borders! Why did you put the strips next to the polka dots?

 When I was a kid, my mom, sister and I were all clowns (literally!) , and the bright stripes and dots together reminds me of our costumes back then. It just says “fun” to me.

Tell us about the machine quilting.

Linda (aka Mom) used squiggly lines, swirls and circles to enhance both the fabrics and the overall quilt design.

Click here to see the entire Paintbox line (plus the neutral Shadows colorway!).

Click here to learn more about Stephanie and Linda and their work.

Click here to find the kit for Pop of Color.

Click here to purchase the digital pattern for Pop of Color.

Click here to find Easy Quilts magazine.

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Holiday Week Tute: 70s with a Modern Twist!

The week between the holidays often seems to be a week in limbo...some people are at work, some aren't, some are traveling and most are simply biding their time until New Year's Eve for another chance to celebrate. 

We thought we'd help this limbo week pass more quickly with a quick and easy tutorial--the Manly Quilt from Penny of Sew Take a Hike. She embraced her inner 70s child and gave it a modern twist to create a simple patchwork tied 

quilt with men in mind, using a few prints from Bellissimo, all 24 colors of Burlap, and the plaid taupe from Paintbox/Shadows.

Here's a peek at her quilt, all cozy in the snow:

And a larger peek:

Head over to Penny's blog to find the entire tutorial and enter a giveaway to win some of these fabrics for yourself!
Thanks Penny!

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Pick your palette: Paintbox/Shadows

Introducing Michele D'Amore's new collection:

An unexpected splash of color.
The flit of a Butterfly’s wing
And lines that are never straight.
It’s Shadows and Paintbox.

The same prints in two completely different colorways!

Paintbox

Shadows

What's your palette? Paintbox brights or shadow neutrals?

And no, you're not seeing double--three of the prints in this collection come in two different scales, so you'll have options for projects large and small!

And of course, we have free quilt patterns you can download for each colorway!

Popart Palette by Stitched Together Studios

Greenhouse at Dusk by Heidi Pridemore

Click here to download the free quilt patterns.
Click here to see the entire collection.

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