Tag Archives: yellow

Giveaway, Paper piecing, Quilting, Sponsored Post

Feather on a Summer’s Night {& a Giveaway}

July 31, 2015 kittywilkin 182 Comments

I’ve wanted to make the feathers from Shape Moth’s Forest Quilt Along since I first began paper piecing. After recently selecting a fabric bundle for Fiddlehead Artisan Supply, I was trying to decide what project to make with the bundle. I asked my friend Stephanie and she immediately replied, “Feathers!”. Done deal.

It’s no secret that I love high contrast and bright colors. Dark midnight blues paired with bright oranges and yellow compose this month’s blogger bundle for Fiddlehead Artisan Supply. It’s called “Summer Nights“, reminiscent of fireflies and popsicles. Scroll down to enter for a chance to win a Summer Nights bundle for yourself.

There’s just something about this bundle that was begging to be stitched into feathers, or maybe fireflies. I might have to work on a firefly pattern, now that we mention it. Inspiration is everywhere!

I love how bright and bold the yellow and orange look against the dark blue. The fact that the fabrics include some of my favorites (Doe, Prisma Elements, Plume, and a fun new find by Lecien) surely adds to the appeal.

I used wash-away stabilizer sheets provided to me by Alyssa at Pile O’Fabric, and I’m both excited and nervous to soak this block in water so that the sheets dissolve. Imagine that–foundation paper piecing without having to remove the paper at the end! I’ll be sure to write a post about how it all goes once I build up the bravery to let the feather take the plunge.

Growth of a Feather — The growth of a feather, via Instagram #sewtake20 posts.

I’m not quite sure what I will create out of this bright feather block; I think for sure I will make its little buddy (the second feather in the pattern) before fully finishing. I’m on the fence about whether to make it into a pillow or a mini wall hanging. I’m leaning toward a pillow, with the Plume fabric as the back. What would you make?

Fiddlehead Artisan Supply is generously offering a Summer Nights fat quarter bundle to one of my readers. The bundle includes fat quarters of the following six fabrics (clockwise from the feathers):

Plume in Onyx from Nomad by Urban Chiks for Moda
Lecien Chatter Tailors #40507
Doe Trellis in Blue by Carolyn Friedlander for Robert Kaufman Fabrics
Prisma Elements in Solar Quartz for Art Gallery Fabrics
Moda Half Moon Modern Scissors in Orange
Prisma Elements in Apricot Sunstone for Art Gallery Fabrics

To enter the giveaway today, share what you think of when you hear “summer nights”. Feel free to share word associations or stories; just fill the comments with summer night favorites! Leave a comment and make sure I’m able to get ahold of you if you win. If you’re a follower of Night Quilter, leave a second comment telling me how you follow for a second entry. Like Fiddlehead Artisan Supply on Facebook or subscribe to their newsletter and tell me how you followed them for a third entry.

~~This giveaway is open to US and international participants. The giveaway will be open until 8pm Wednesday 8/5 when I’ll select the winner randomly with random.org. Good luck!~~Note: This giveaway is now closed!

I also completed my July Goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes, but I can’t show you yet! The goal was to complete the quilt and pattern that will be published in the September issue of Make Modern Magazine. Rather than post a boring, photoless post to document that I’ve met my goal, I’ll use this post as a multi-finish! I’m linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts Finish it up Friday, and ALYoF as my July Finish post.

Design, Life

Color Inspiration Thursday {11}

July 24, 2014 kittywilkin 2 Comments

This week you will get another glimpse into the colorful world of the Maine coast. Meanwhile, I’m driving all day long with my husband and two small children, off toward Ohio for our next family vacation! You get the better end of the deal, I think, but I hope to have some new fun photographs for next week’s color inspiration.

As always, the color palettes are created using Play Crafts’ Palette Builder 2.1 and my photographs.

Corresponding Kona cottons from left to right:
Charcoal, Steel, Pewter, Dusty Blue, Sweet Pea, Black

I love to get a really close look at the stones and shells at the beach. What from above looks like a bunch of rocks, when inspected from an inch or two away, is an entire world of complex beauty. Tiny bits of shell, stone, sea glass, and even pieces of sea creatures create a gorgeously intricate scene.

Corresponding Kona cottons from left to right:
Steel, Fog, Wasabi, Yarrow, Sunflower, Raffia

Vacationing with children, there are sure to be little splashes of color in the form of buckets, shovels, and other beach toys. I couldn’t resist a photo of this bright yellow bucket in the surf, and I love the color palette that resulted. Yellow and gray are GREAT together!

Corresponding Kona cottons from left to right:
Pepper, Coal, Spice, Earth, Primrose, Shale

A lobster tail washed up onto the beach, providing the perfect finale for the Maine coast color palettes. After all, Maine and lobster are synonymous according to some people. I have really loved the heavy presence of gray in many of these coastal color palettes, and I love how well gray plays with the pops of color that emerge in other details.

I hope these color palettes inspire you, and I would love to see any quilts that you create using these palettes!

Design, Life

Color Inspiration Thursday {9}

July 11, 2014 kittywilkin 3 Comments

Thursday… was yesterday. I had a rare date night with my husband last night, which meant the day was spent packing overnight bags and getting us and the kids up to the in-law’s house, getting ready, etc. So this week you’ll get your color inspiration on Friday, just in time for the weekend! This summer has been a great reminder as to why summer is one of my all-time favorite seasons. I just love the endless beauty that grows, blooms, and emerges daily. This week’s color palettes feature a few newly blooming flowers from my garden. I certainly hope you are not tiring of flower photos! Created with the Play Crafts Palette Builder 2.1, here are your inspiration palettes for the week.

Corresponding Kona cottons from left to right: Palm, O.D. Green, Pewter, Leprechaun, Hibiscus, Cappuccino

This palette is exactly as it was created by the Palette Builder, without any tweaking or moving of colors. I love it. The little burst of bright green (Leprechaun) and purple (Hibiscus) are so well balanced by the more muted greens, grey, and dark brown. I could see these colors in a throw quilt for a couch in an elegant living room.

Corresponding Kona cottons from left to right: Sunny, Yarrow, Gold, Cedar, Paprika, Corn Yellow

You can’t go wrong with a sunny palette like this one! Everyone needs a bit more yellow in their lives, right?

Corresponding Kona cottons from left to right:
Peridot, Basil, Eggplant, Violet, Magenta, Punch

This flower was actually photographed at a friend’s house at Pemaquid Point, Maine. I saw the flowers dangling from a trellis alongside the house and simply had to take a few photographs. Such a voluptuous, gorgeous flower! And the colors are among my favorites these days. All I need is a bright teal background and it would be perfect. Even as is, I love this palette of brightness.

Tomorrow my family and I are headed off to the coast of Maine, to a house in Hancock right on the ocean. I’m excited to spend some quality time with my family, swimming, kayaking, and taking walks along the coast in search of treasures. I hope to do some sewing if we have any rainy days, but as with any vacation, who knows what each day will hold? I do know that I will be on the lookout for splashes of unexpected color! You never know what you will find by the ocean.

Where is your favorite place to vacation?