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Showing posts with label Phillip Jacobs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Phillip Jacobs. Show all posts

Saturday, August 17, 2013

Patsy Thompson "meets" Kaffe Fassett- Fabric Combinations (A Story)

 (Story Post...kick back for a fun read)

If you have read "Jean Creates" past few blog posts ( here and here) you know what I've been up to.

A week ago Wed. I had the great fortune of heading up to Detroit Metro to pick up Jeannie W. for a week of FUN!!!  Jean and I met 3 or 4 years ago through our blogs and we have become dear friends.  I couldn't wait to see her again because she moved from Ohio to Washington State a year ago and I've really missed her.

We both have an affinity for Kaffe Fassett, Brandon Mably and Phillip Jacobs fabrics.  Jean decides we are going to stop petting our fabrics and actually use them.  What a mind blowing idea ay?

Jean pre-ships her fabrics and this is what arrived at my house:

A blown out box of some of the most fabulous fabrics I have ever seen.  YES, I did remind her that Possession IS 9/10ths of the LAW!
I had pulled all my Kaffe/Brandon/Jacob fabrics from my stash and had them waiting for Jean's arrival.  Mine were all neatly folded in piles...well...until Jean arrived and suggested it would be more fun to toss them all into one big pile and just start.  Another mind blowing idea :)

I've never, ever....ever started a project like this one.  Talk about excitement/anticipation/and drama (mainly the colors of the fabrics)....way too much fun.  How the plan began...it was a book (un-named for sure!) Jean found and thought it would be an awesome way to begin and each of us could add to the others quilt.  After a few hours actually using the book the book (definitely not a recommended book) idea was abandoned and we were on our own creating. 
I grabbed some of my most favorite pieces (the blades to the star) and built around that fabric with others that made the fan blades pop.  Shall I mention that Jean had made her center block and was well into her first set of borders before I finished my center block?  No...OK...I won't mention it.
I wanted my block on point like Jean's block....so I measured and added some fabric to each side of my block.  OOPS...came up pretty short so what to do???  Add some more fabric and hack off the rest naturally.
 You know what you get?  You get a block that finishes at 17 7/8.  Not 18"...nope...oh well...we had tossed the book by this time and I figured I'd just add more fabric and hack off the parts that didn't fit...FREEDOM!

I wanted a fabric that would allow a place to rest before seeing more exciting prints....so I went into my stash in search of just the perfect fabric.  Initially I hunted through my batiks...nope....then....WOWZERS....I came across a piece of Patsy Thompson hand dyed fabric that was perfect....absolutely perfect in my mind.
Ooooohhhhhhh AAAAAhhhhhhhhhh!
Talk about feeling good....I was on top of the world at that point.  (I won't mention that Jean had already finished the inside of her quilt by this time and was working on a pieced border....or will I?)

Working from intiution is a odd feeling/experience....I've not done that before.  I set this block up on the design wall and waited until something came to me for the next border.  I knew I didn't want a square quilt so I would have to elongate the block...top and bottom borders to move from a square to a rectangle.  Hmmmm.....Incubation Time.....

I saw my Magic Stack N Wack book on my bookshelf...hey...I've never done that...I'm going to make some of those fun kaleidoscopes for my quilt.  Might I suggest you actually read the book before "Wacking" into your fabric?  I did not cut enough repeats so I ended up with 1/2 kaleidoscopes that I combined for my design. 

 I liked this one the best.
Ok....well.....hmmmm....I think I'll add these to the outside borders and not next to my main center block...back to the drawing board.

My block now measures 24 1/2 x 24 1/2.   Then it occurred to me....3.5 x 7 = 24.5 PERFECT...I just need seven 3/12 inch somethings to add to each end of the square.  I cut up several pieces of white paper that were 3/12 inches wide by various lengths and began drawing different shapes to see what I thought would look good.  The one I loved the most I couldn't use because I couldn't figure out how to paper piece it.  Jean pointed out that I had only spent a day and a half trying to figure it out and if it were her...she'd move on and choose another block.  What an  epiphany!

By this time it was Tuesday...Jean was leaving Wednesday so I had better get my butt in gear ay?  Hmmmm...I like the blocks I made but I've decided I want some piping around the center square before I move on.  I've purchased many of my  Westminster fabrics from Patsy Thompson Designs but I needed one she didn't have so I ordered from  Glorious Color website.  I was very pleased and will order from Glorious Color again. (No, I don't get kickbacks from either site)

Jean's progress?  Well...here is her quilt:
 Yes...she is faster to move on (her perception is that I have more patience...perhaps I do...but she sure has the speed down.).  She is going to add one last border and be finished with the top and I'm sure I'll finish mine sometime in the next month or so....I hope :)
Then again...Jean shows up with these very FUN shoes..maybe if I had cool shoes like her's I'd be able to go faster?

Very Happy Big Smiles,
Kelly




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