. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Monday 12 December 2016

Dear deer quilt



My newest collection, Blithe fabrics has the Lookbook out, featuring many wonderful and inspiring projects!!!



You can also enjoy this video featuring Blithe fabrics;)

I made a few projects that will be featured there, but the biggest project I made is the Dear Der quilt!!!
It was inspired (the name at least) with one of my fav prints from the collection- Dear Deer ;)


When I started thinking about what kind of a quilt I would love to make with this neutral gender kind of a fabric collection, I realized that it's a perfect fabric option for my 12 years old boy and his newly decorated room. Something bold, modern and fun, boyish too....and that's how I came to the idea of making the big dear head, just like in one of my Deer Houndstooth prints;)
This collection has a great balance of light-low value fabrics and those darker and it was great for this kind of project!!! Here are some finished pictures of the quilt that measures 80.5" x 55.5"-which is a perfect size for kid's bed ;).





In case you are asking for a pattern , I made it available in my etsy shop
And, there is also a 30% off if using the code: HAPPYHOLIDAYS till the end of this year!!!


There is also the free quilt pattern that I designed for this collection called Windowscape (that I am planning to make for our big bed), in case you are looking for something bigger and maybe a bit more traditional ;)

Enjoy and happy Holidays!
xx
Katarina

Sunday 4 December 2016

Christmas stocking tutorial / pattern



Christmas stockings in different fabrics and even sizes can be fantastic as part of Christmas décor, are great for gift giving and are very easy to make. You can play with different fabric placements, using even some quilt leftovers, making unique and fun pieces. You can adorn and customize them by adding buttons, ribbons, trims, beads, doing maybe some hand or machine embroidery details.

The featured fabrics are from my Blithe fabric collection for Art Gallery Fabrics.


To download the stocking template and pattern, please go HERE

Finished size of the stocking is: 19" tall and 12" wide.

You will have to tape 4 pages to obtain the stocking pattern in real size that, after taping, will look like this:

I had so much fun making this striped patchwork piece in Blithe fabrics! You will need 13 strips of fabrics cut in 2 x 28" size to have enough for cutting 2 shapes, that will be front and back piece of the stocking. Or you can just use plain fabrics, to obtain simpler look.



Materials
For 1 stocking

Paper template (provided)
Main fabric - two 21 x 14” pieces (or 2 fat quarters) or ½ yd of fabric if using one same print and horizontal layout (if the print is directional, you will need 5/8 yard to use the right direction of the print)
If you are making the strip pieced patchwork (like pictured), you will need 13 (thirteen) 2” x 28”strips of different fabrics
Cuff - 18” x 6” fabric strip on fold
Lining - two 21 x 14” pieces (or 2 fat quarters) or ½ yd of fabric if using one same print
Trim or ribbon for hanging (you can even make your own with fabric leftover), 7”
Medium weight, one-sided fusible interfacing or batting* (optional) in same size as other pieces
Cutting mat
Scissors
Iron
Needle and thread
Sewing machine
Pins
Fabric pencil or marker


Directions

1. Using the provided stocking template , cut four same fabric pieces (two for front-back and two for lining).

*Optionally, using the same provided template, cut two interfacing-stabilizer or batting pieces and iron or sew them to main fabrics: front and back pieces.

2. Pin and sew front to back pieces, right sides together on marked line (stop sewing approx. 5” from the end). Be sure to notch ( make small V shapes) the curves in order to obtain nice shape and prevent scrunching.

3. Pin and sew the lining pieces together (stop sewing approx. 10” from the end). Be sure to notch ( make small V shapes) the curves in order to obtain nice shape and prevent scrunching.

4. Make the cuff: take the 18 x 6” strip, fold it on the longer edge, right side inside and sew the shorter edges. Turn the cuff to the right side and press it nicely.
 *Optionally, you can embroider this cuff for a nice, customized look.

5. Pin and sew the cuff to the main fabric pieces, on the upper stocking edge, making sure to offset it from both vertical edges.


 6. Make a loop with the trim or ribbon and sew it to the unsewn corner of the stocking.

7. Place main fabric pieces on the top of the lining fabric pieces (or vice versa), right sides inside, pin and sew them together on the upper, straight edge.

8. Right sides inside, pin and sew the remaining edge close, starting from the main pieces, leaving the 3” gap open on the lining part of the stocking, that will allow turning the stocking inside out.


9. Turn the stocking inside out and sew the gap closed. Put the lining part inside and press nicely.


10. Optionally, top stitch the upper right edge of the stocking, all over, to secure that the lining stays evenly inside.


Happy sewing and happy Holidays!!!
Katarina

Sunday 23 October 2016

Colour Blog series: aqua + teal


Almost a year ago, I was asked by Michelle Wilkie to join her Colour Blog series as a guest and share my process for choosing colour palettes.

After an overwhelming response to what people want to know about designing modern quilts, Michelle has decided to run a blog series on colour. It runs throughout 2016 with a different colour focused each month. Her goal was to teach colour theory in a more practical approach for quilters with the posts that include:
     fabric pulls,
    general tips to try (Inspiration Color board, Using focus prints to pull a color palette, using nature to draw inspiration, looking at other art mediums/other works, using paint chips...etc.)
    links to various general resources (Books, magazines, color palette websites, classes available, Pinterest, galleries/artists...etc.)
    Tasks + link-ups for those that are interested.

My task was to talk about my favourite color and to answer some questions like: “How I choose color?” and “Where do I get color palette inspiration?”
So, let’s get started;)

My favourite colous are teal (aqua) and purple. Teal or aqua, as shades of blue are the most beautiful and inspiring colour tones. 
I was very flattered to be Pat Sloan’s guest at Aurifilbuzz last month, as the Designer of the Month of September and I also had the task to choose my favourite shades of blue and put a collage with those hues.


If I could, I would place aqua tones in each fabric collection, because I never get bored of it as colour. It’s the most beautiful colour of the sea and a colour that looks so live, intense and refreshing.



You can see the block I made inspired with aqua tones (created with my fabrics) and also download a free block.
 


 
For this occasion, I made this collage with my own aqua/teal fabrics, released with Art Gallery fabrics, in the past 3 years.

  And while creating it, I realized that actually each of my fabric collections had some shade of aqua/teal/turquoise included. Only in my latest “InBlue” fabric collection(it will be introduced at the Quilt Market later this month), I didn’t include it, because I wanted to move a bit from my “comfort zone” and make a fabric collection featuring more cobalt tones and primary shade of blue, that is more tricky to blend with other tones.

So going back to the questions:  “How do I choose color?” and “Where do I get color palette inspiration?”, my answer would be that all starts with the theme or inspiration.
So, once I decide and know what my design theme is going to be, I think about the best colours to depict it. I create the color palette, choosing from the Pantone (Fashion+Home) colour cards and finding the best shades within the existing Pure elements by Art Gallery fabrics. So, it’s basically the theme or the use of the fabrics that determine the tones that I will use.  If I design something that will be more suitable for the little ones, my colour palette will tend to soften a bit from my usual bold tendency.




When designing quilt patterns, as I usually have the certain Fabric collection which should be featured and shown in the best way through a quilt pattern, I like to play with different type of contrasts. I also like combining strong, saturated colours with some subtle and non-coloured tones, like white, grey and black. I like the combination of low valued prints with very bold ones, like I tried to do with my Avantgarde fabric collection and prints.
 

Mock-up for the Flux quilt featuring Avantgarde fabrics

  Rastrum quilt featuring Indelible fabrics

  Mock-up for the quilt featuring Pandalicious fabrics


Maybe here I can step aside and try to include some basic colour theories that may be very interesting for modern quilters, if they didn’t have a way to hear about them in some art classes.

  Paul Klee / Small Regatta, 1922.

Paul Klee / Tomb in Three parts 1923.

And if more interested about the colour theory, you can try to find the book “The elements of Color” by Johannes Itten, which served as some kind of Bible to me, when first studying about colour theory.
Itten, was an artist and a teacher in Bauhaus school and from his work and work by other Bauhaus teachers and students, you can get a lot of inspiration for the quilts as well ( for example: Josef Albers, Anni Albers, Paul Klee, Wassily Kandinsky, Gunta Stölzl etc.)


Johannes Itten made a color sphere comprised of twelve colours (three primary, three secondary, and six tertiary) that shows the relationship among colors, as well as gradations of saturation. Itten’s concept was based on seven different methods of contrast:  contrast of saturation, of light and dark, of extension, complementary contrast, simultaneous contrast, contrast of hue, and contrast between warm and cool colors. He was absorbed by the work of the old masters and he was also a vital participant in modern art movements. Itten has been the first to associate color palettes with four types of people. He began by splitting colours into 2 sections: WARM (yellow based) and COOL (blue based). These were then divided again into LIGHT or DARK. The result was 4 harmonized groups of colours that he called after the 4 seasons of the year. (spring = warm + light, autumn = warm + dark, summer = cool + light, winter = cool = dark).
I hope that some of this was inspiring read for modern quilters and can’t wait to read all the posts from this series and here is the list of all the participants:



Month
Colour
Guest/s
January
Michelle Wilkie http://factotum-of-arts.com
February
Melanie Tuazon http://melintheattic.com
March
Daisy Aschehoug http://antstosugar.com
April
Anne Sullivan http://play-crafts.com
May
Heather Jones http://www.heatherjonesstudio.com/blog
June
Purple
Sandi Sawa Hazlewood http://craftyplanner.com
July

August
Alyce Blyth http://blossomheartquilts.com
September
Christa Watson http://christaquilts.com
October
Aqua/Teal
Katarina Roccella http://likeflowersandbutterflies.com
November
Grey
Nicole Daksiewicz http://modernhandcraft.com
Nydia Kehnle http://www.nydiakehnle.com/
December
Red

 

Michelle, thank you so much for having me,
Xx,
Katarina


Links: