You Aren't Just Choosing Colors

You Are Choosing Values

Choosing fabric for a quilt isn't just about picking colors you like. Color value is even more important than color in determining how well your quilt works. You need to select for both color and value.

What If We Go Back To June 2010?

A little over a year ago I was playing with this tessellating block.

Have You Tried

The Other Storm At Sea Block?

There is more than one Storm at Sea block. You can make a Storm at Sea quilt using either one. How is this possible?

Have You Tried

Playing With Storm At Sea?

Storm at Sea is a versatile block. Go looking and you'll find many wonderful versions of it. After a while you start thinking that everything that can be done has been done.

But has it...?

If You Try

You Discover You Can

There are a lot of quilters who design their own quilts. And I mean a lot. If so many can, there's no reason you can't too. But you never will, if you don't try.

Something You Should Know About Color

Dark Yellow Is Olive Green

Painters mix colors. Quilters choose fabrics.  But quilters need to know about the nature of color in order to pick the right fabrics.

Today I want to show you what happens when you add black to a color. Then consider how that can affect your color choices as a quilter.

You're In Charge

Do It Your Way

I found these these 4 versions of the traditional block Weathervane by surfing the internet.

They are not only colored differently, they are pieced differently as well.

You Can Try

Not-So-Subtle Wonky Blocks

Wonky blocks can be fun. They give you permission to try unusual things and not worry about whether your seams match, or if your points are perfect. Nobody expects really wonky blocks to be perfect.

Designing a wonky block can be as easy as changing the grid on a traditional block.

You Can Try

Subtle Wonky Blocks

It's fun to take a traditional block, change the grid dimensions, and watch the block go all wonky. You can get some interesting designs that way.

Some times a block that is a little wonky is all you need.

Do You Know What A Quilt Block Is?

What a foolish question to ask any quilter. You've made lots of them, so of course you do.

Or do you?....

Learn While You Play

The most useful design principles are the ones you teach yourself.

How do you do that? You play. You notice what's happening. You ask Why?

This Is Me

A few of my quilts were on display at the Linden Alberta quilt show, last Friday and Saturday.

Alice Klassen, of Jo-Al designs, does a great job of organizing the show every year.

While we were there, my wife Linda and I enjoyed seeing all the great quilts and meeting so many nice people who just happened to be quilters.

The Secret To Creating Quilt Designs

Look For The Hidden Shapes

In Familiar Blocks

Too often we look at a familiar block and take it at face value. We don't look for its hidden depths. Which is too bad. Because there is more to most blocks than what you see at first glance.

It's Okay To Try Something Different

You don't have to make the same quilts that your grandmother made. You can design quilts that are totally different.

Do You Want To Design A Quilt?

Play With

A Couple

Of Blocks









And See What Happens

Designing is playing.

Too many people think of it as problem solving. Who needs more problems? Not me. Not you.

However, everyone deserves more play time. So grab a couple of simple blocks, start playing, and see what happens.

The More You Look,

The More You Find

Often when you take a new look at an old idea you come up with new ideas.

Make Your Quilt Backs Interesting

I recently finished this quilt. It's called Airdrie/ Iron Horse Park. You may recognize the design from my 25 February 2011 post.

The big question when you finish piecing is always, "How should I quilt this?"

Even If At First You Do Succeed,

Try,Try, Again

It's easy to stop designing when you find something you like. But sometimes, if you keep designing, you find something you like even more.

Do You Want To Design A Quilt?

Try Adding Icing To A Cake

Okay, I admit it, this title doesn't make a lot of sense. But if you give me a chance I'll try to explain it.

Think of a traditional block as a newly baked cake that you can decorate. If you start with a simple block like Shoo Fly, or Sawtooth Star, you can add to it and make it your own. Think of what you add as the icing.

Here, let me show you.