Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Can't wait to show y'all . . . .

. . . . the finished project!

Yes!

It's done!  (Grin) You know that fabulous feeling, right? You planned and sewed and sandwiched and bound the edges, and, and . . . . well, now I get to show it off!!

Here ya go, the latest from the guest bedroom:



The vintage white chenille spread is a great backdrop for all those sweet prints and tone-on-tone fabrics.  It's one of those cherished treasures that has been in the family for millennia. Well, maybe not that long, but for a pretty good while. (Grin)

Once again, the fabrics are from the gorgeous (and out of print) Butterscotch and Rose collection from Fig Tree and Co. for Moda, combined with Kona white cotton.



Here's a pic of the shams in all their beauty (and I really think they are beautiful!):



Here is a photo showing the quilt folded on the foot of the bed, and all the pillows:




You can see that the white spread also helps to tone down that intense granny-apple-green on the walls, too. I like that it takes that green and almost makes it a neutral!



The valance picks up the colors by using the left over triangles from the quilt:



Now, this particular fabric collection may be out of print, but you could always adapt this to any layer cake of fabric that you prefer -- the blocks are simple and quick! The pattern name is called "Blossom." 

Be sure to stop in over at the Fat Quarter Shop for your Kona solids.... wow! Have they ever got the variety of colors there! (And if you do shop there, start with our linkie if you don't mind  -- it's an affiliate link. That means that we will get a small reward for your purchase, but it doesn't raise your price one penny! Just helps us to bring you more merriment and mayhem from the Lilypad!!)

And there is more of that merriment on the way! Stay tuned!

Love,







Tuesday, January 23, 2018

I have a question....

Remember my project to use up half-square triangles and scraps?

I did this....


And I did this....


Now I'm doing this..... I cut some Kona the size of the front/back of the sham, and started playing with fabric squares.


What??
It's going to be a pillow sham. (Grin)

There will be two, so here is the other. 


I'm showing you the process here. Laying out all these little scrap blocks in order to make a star, then choosing some of the low-volume ones to go around it. (Those center squares are such sumptuous prints; they look very similar because they are just different color ways of the same print.)

(If you are new to quilting, low-volume means fabrics that don't jump out at you like Padsworth does when he is bored on the lilypad. They are not so bright or intense; the contrast is turned down like the volume on your ipod when you don't want someone to hear you listening during a business meeting.)

Ahem.
I digress.
And don't anyone tell my associates that I do that in meetings....
Anyway, there are the two sham tops -- I'm going to use some Kona white for the backs of the shams, too, because there is a lot of white in that quilt for the bed.

Here is one with the squares stitched together:


Here is my question: should I stay low volume on the rest of the front? Or should I crank up the volume and use some of these brighter, more intense colors? I have about 3.5 inches to get to the measurement that I need. Yeah, when you stitch all those cuties together, it kinda shrinks things up and you need more of a border than you first thought. Don't ask how I know to say that, OK? Just smile and read on....

Here is a sample of a higher-volume border...


And here is the lower-volume....


Which one do you vote for?

Let me know in the comments!

Love,




Sunday, January 14, 2018

Don't miss it!

Remember our friends at Stella Lighting?


Remember this lovely, my "Emmy" light? (Mary Engelbreit graphics!)

Would ya like to have one for your very own?

I just got word that they are having a bodacious (yes, that is a word) sale! Their text is right on the money:


              You craft. You quilt. You knit and you stitch.
You invest endless hours in the art you create.
You work hard, and so do your eyes. You take care to perfect the art you create. Now it's time to take care of your eyes, which make it all happen. Invest in a Stella and invest in you.

You can save 25% on any Stella Light!!! Oh my goodness, yes!
Use the promo code at checkout: imetstella

Now, this sale is over after Sunday, January 21, 2018, so hop over and take a peek at the wonderful Stella lights! (They are currently sold out of the Stella SKY TWO floor lamps, but they are expected to ship on February 9th, so if your heart is set on one of those, just chill and it will arrive soon.)

I just wanted y'all to know.....

Love,



Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Vintage find

I found something the other day that really cranked my tractor....so much so, that I researched the pattern and started pulling fat quarters from my stash!

Let me show you!


Look at this old beauty....


Here's a peek at the quilting, too (I bumped up the contrast so that you could see this lovely hand quilting):


I found that it is called by many names....in 1928 it was called "Hummingbird," and in 1933 it was named "Kites," and then in 1938 it was christened "Arkansas Snowflake"!  I've even seen it referred to as "Job's Troubles"!

Whatever it's called, I call it pretty!
From the amount of wear that I see, I'm theorizing that someone took a well-loved quilt and gave it new life with that lavender border, but I could be wrong. I'd like to restore it, but I'm scared to death of messing with it. (Grin)

I guess the best thing will be to make a new one in honor of the old!

My stash is calling!

Love,