Being all too generously curved myself, I can’t say I ALWAYS love curves, but they are definitely lovable in this quirky, curvy memory throw (or large 45″x55″ wall quilt). I originally made”Curve Appeal” for a Curves exercise group, but the pattern is appropriate for many types of groups or memories. Imagine Grandma getting photos of grand-kids, or a daughter graduating with scraps of her favorite clothes and picture of her wearing them, a retirement gift or best friend gift (sneak her vacation pics off Facebook).
Did I mention scraps? Yes, indeed, this one is scrap-happy to use all those wonderful colors and strips (1 1/2″x 6″pieces) you’ve been saving. Get a wild and crazy piece for the border, match the colors in the three background sections and you’re ready to go, so go create!
Click here for more info–on sale for $3.50 until end of November. Use “guildxmas” to get $3.00 off. (I like to give my “followers” specials!)
I love color! Each piece of fabric is valuable to me, like a shiny coin. I always loved all the crayons in the box and memorized all the colors. Do you remember sea green and the now-retired “flesh” (not p.c. enough today)? There are differences between hot pink, fuchsia, magenta and mauve. My slightly color-blind husband doesn’t understand. There are cool reds and hot reds, and 30 yrs. ago, my best friend told me she only wore “tomato red”–I got it! I like red-orange myself. For the blue-eyed gals out there, there are certainly Mediterranean blues and denim blues and bluegreens and greenish blues as well as sky blue and Wedgewood blues.
That reminds me–I’m currently working on a “Wedgewood Plates” pattern! I’m also doing a “Mulberry Fields Forever” (sorry, Beatles, this one is mine though I’m shamelessly borrowing the title). As you might guess, it’s in shades of mulberry with hints of grape.
So what can I give you about COLOR for a tip? Well, I’m personally buying medium-sized, rather flat, plastic bins, which I’m using to sort fabrics: reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, indigos, violets (yes, I always go by the roygbiv rainbow spectrum–in my closet, too, and in my thread colors). I also have white/cream, black/gray, multi-color prints, landscape prints and Kona solids. You probably don’t have the 1000’s of fabrics I do, but you could still separate into warm colors and cool colors, and/or prints, solids, neutral, etc.
I made an executive decision to only put 1/2 yd. to 2+ yd. pieces in the bins and wrap 3 yds. or more around empty bolt cardboards I get from the fabric store. I’m having special 2-ft-deep shelves custom-built in the new Sewgocreate Studio (due to go in next week after painting–I can’t wait!) to hold those bolts and bins comfortably.
I also save small scraps, under 1/2 yd in special bins, all nicely lined up in color order. I’ve already found this is a marvelous method for easily finding what I need. Because I’m a hoarder at heart and in practice, I even save little bitty scraps. Those are in one big bin under the sewing table (where they happily collect as I cut). When I have time to “file” them, they go into little plastic bags, by color, of course.
When the bags get too full, it’s time to tackle a scrappy quilt like this one. I love to use down to the last inch. It makes me so happy for those precious little orphans to find a home!