Friday, January 6, 2012

Blogger's Choice Bundle

Have you joined the fun over at Quokka Quilts?






If you happen to follow quilt bogs, it is the HOT thing right now...to see if you can choose a palette of fabrics from the Fat Quarter Shop to make your own bundle.  There is a "prize", but I know that I am not really what I consider a "modern" quilter so not even going to consider that I would ever be in the running.



Are you the same way?  Going to opt out because you think you won't win, so why bother?

I thought so too, at first. 
But then, I was intrigued.  Do I have the ability to create a fabric bundle? Isn't that one of the most important things about quilting, sewing, and decorating?  The ability to take a number of different fabrics and make them sing?

With that in mind, I didn't think about inspiration from a field, a memory, or even a season like summer or fall like many of the other quilters are doing.  I decided that my inspiration needed to be hands on. Practical.  I needed to search for an ACTUAL quilt I want to make.  The quilt I need.  An "everyday" one for my family room.

The problem.  
The family room IS one of my decorating challenges right now.   

Mr. Boss loves the couch, but it isn't my favorite color.  It is a bit to "gold" for my taste. The accent throw pillow fabrics and throws are my favorite, but they are almost 10 years old, so it could use a pick me up.




The rug is fairly new.  I LOVE it.  And if you haven't guessed by some of the previous rooms in my house, I tend to gravitate to the greens.  I adore my Martha Washington chair, and the green/gold fabric is perfectly fine.  But I think we need COLOR!




Unfortunately, both of us fell in love with these shades from Pottery Barn and they are pretty much void of color.  They actually are the shades of green and copper/rust of the rug.



And I adore the "pop" of yellows and greens of my mantle portrait.


So off I went to the Fat Quarter Shop...
and promptly lost my interest because I couldn't keep track of all the fabrics I liked on my iPad.  I even started writing them in a notebook, but when the list reached twenty...I tossed in the towel.


I figured out that I am a touch/feel/see kind of girl.  I realized that I am STUNNED that so many are able to purchase fabrics online!


But my online quilting buddies urged me on.  They gave me tips that I will pass on to you. Go to your computer...forget the iPad or iPhone.  Save the images in a file on your computer.  When you save the images, the SKUs are included so you can go back and find them again! 

I started with colors.  I knew my colors, yellow, green, brown, and rust/orange were important.  I saved each image...however when I reached 84..I had to STOP.


Then I just stared at all the thumbnails. 

My solution?


 I made a mosaic with ALL the fabrics.


81 choices



Then started eliminating obvious blaring ones that weren't what I was looking for.


63 choices


And then eliminated more and grouped into more colorways.


48 choices


And then remembered that I could only have three solids, so I confined them down and took a few more blaring fabrics that just didn't work, even though I really loved them!


36 choices


Another glance back at my family room photos and quickly realized a lot of modern just wouldn't work.  There is nothing modern about the room whatsoever!


26 choices


And then I was stuck.  What to do?!!  I would rather make a quilt with ALL of these fabrics then only 15.  But I girded my loins, and really started slaughtering them, no looking back.





1. Garden Party Sage Green
2. Pressed Flowers Chestnut Tonal Poppies
3.  Lily and Will II Yellow and Brown Dotted Flowers
4. Poky Little Puppy Rust Allover
5. Nesting Brown Starlight
6. Elizabethtown Rust Fern Flowers
7. Wellesley Green Dots
8.  Desired Things Yellow Tonal Oblong Dots
9. Elizabethtown Khaki Fern Flowers
10. Generals' Wives Tan Large Mono Floral
11. Cotton Club Red Packed Dots
12.  Lily and Will Green Dotted Flowers
13. Bella Solids Rust
14. Pure Elements Empire Yellow
15.  Bella Solids Prairie Green

What do you think?  Close?




The point of my post?


A.  I have a new found respect for the ladies that buy fabric online.  I think I could do it, but definitely know now that I prefer not to, unless something is already pre-bundled.


B.  I have a new found respect for fabric designers, quilt shops,  and the Fat Quarter Shop for the work they put in designing lines and making bundles for someone like me!  Even though, I truly don't use a lot of bundles.  But I sure do fall in love with them!


C.  I have discovered that it is really important for me to take pictures with me next time I go to the fabric store.  I become very distracted by all of the colors, shapes, styles.  I want it all.  Using the photo of the room, person, etc as a guide to redirect my attention to keep me focused!

D.  Creating your own "bundle" is a great way to narrow down the choices!  Forcing myself really made me think about the amount of each color I wanted. It made me think about whether I wanted a focal fabric or not!  Stripe versus floral.  Tonal versus a blaring patterns!  And also the fun part of throwing in a Poky Little Puppy fabric in there to make someone take a second look!


If you did join in, 
how did YOU make your selections?

And if you haven't? 
What are you waiting for?  Go figure out what your next quilt fabrics will be HERE!!



7 comments:

  1. I love the color bundle! I don't lean particularly 'modern' either. I was wondering how you made the collage with so many colors? I'm actually working on a different project, but I've been trying to collage/mosaic a bunch of pictures together.

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  2. This was -hard-!
    I was stumped where I should even start!
    Love your bundle and it is perfect for your room.

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  3. You really nailed the colors for your room. They look great! I have been putting this off becuase I know all those choices are going to make my head spin. I have purchased a few fabrics on line but I really like to see and feel my fabrics before I purchase them so this should be interesting. ;)

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  4. Your selection is beautiful, as is your home. All those fabrics would be great in your room. I hope you make something soon and look forward to seeing it!

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  5. I do love your choices! They are very chic. I agree doing this gives a great perspective on what shops do for us as quilters. Good luck Heidi!

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  6. That sounds like a lot of fun. I'll have to give it a try. You did a great job of putting together your own bundle. Well done!

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I cannot wait to hear what you have to say! Seriously! It makes my day!

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