Friday, August 28, 2015

Two Things . . .

Thing One - A few posts back I mentioned struggling with finding a perfect pattern for some of the fabric in my stash, and finding the perfect fabric for some patterns I want to make.  Several folks commented they were struggling with the same dilemma.  When I'm trying to decide what to do with a family of fabric I like to search Google and Pinterest to see what other clever and creative quilters are making with that fabric.  The longer the fabric has been out there, the more finishes you may see.  


I had been looking for a good project for my Figures by Zen Chic for Moda bundle for months and couldn't find anything that suited me, but I didn't give up, I just kept searching.  I finally found a great free online sampler pattern by Sharon at Color Girl Guilts.  (click here for pictures and block patterns)    This made me realize that any sampler pattern is the perfect solution for any family of fabric, you can decide the block size, the setting, and the quilt size, the possibilities are endless!  So if you're looking for that perfect pattern for some of your fabric, look into a sampler! 

(Even though the pattern is a free online pattern, I still checked with the designer to make sure she was OK with me making something very similar using her pattern and the same fabric. )

Thing Two -  When Viola isn't Viola!  When this pattern was released by Miss Rosie's Quilt Company I was excited for several reasons, I love a good basket pattern and have a soft spot for the word "Voila".  When my daughter and I were in Paris, and the cab driver dropped us off at the Eiffel Tower,  he must have sensed our excitement because he said, "Voila".  For the rest of that trip, and trips since, whenever a cab drops us off at our destination we say, "Voila".  So with that in my head, when I saw this pattern I immediately read "Voila", not "Viola", because really, doesn't this pattern look like a "Voila"!  If I had a twin I think she would have been named Viola, it's right up there with Esther and Thelma in my book.  So now you get to decide do you want to make Viola or Voila? I'm making Voila!




But that's not the only problem, in the pattern, Carrie Nelson, the pattern designer, doesn't call those flower receptacles baskets, she calls them vases! Do those bases look like vases to you? So even though technically this won't qualify as my annual basket quilt, and the name is Viola not Voila, I'm still making it!  I hope you are too!



Here's the fabric I pulled for my baskets/vases/bases, 16 different shades of blue.


My petals are going to look very similar to my cheese crackers.

I hope to start cutting and piecing Voila next week.  Nicole has a wrist injury, she's hoping to start next week too.  It's not a race, just join in when you can and sew at your own pace. If you are sewing along let us know what fabric you're using and how you're progressing.  Leave a comment or send an email, pictures would be great! I think Sinta has started but has a busy weekend, look for her update on her blog, hopefully soon.  (Sandy, you've started already but I'm including you in our sew along, or maybe we're joining you!  Send me pics of your progress if you don't want to blog!)

8 comments:

  1. Gosh, I really like that sampler quilt too! Now I am a Color Girl follower. Great suggestion and link.

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  2. The perfect fabrics and the perfect pattern - it's not always an easy match and sometimes you have to wait! And then there're fabrics in our stash just because;-)

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  3. Oooohhh... I love that sampler quilt idea...I have a FQ pack of Mon Ami by Basic Grey coming my way in a month or so and I've been looking for a good quilt for it... I think this may be it! Thanks for the inspiration...and yes I read voila...not viola ...LOL!

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  4. Wonderful palette, Thelma! I can't wait to see how it turns out. Thanks for the explanation of Viola-Voila! Now I can sleep at night LOL. Would love to join you and the others on this quilt --just can't start another project right now.

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  5. I am also making Sharon McConnell's Blockbuster quilt with Figures. I pulled a few extra fabrics from my stash but it has been the best project I have worked on in awhile because with each new block, you get to choose which fabrics to use and then they sew up pretty quickly, so you have a sense of accomplishment. I found one side fabric for the sashing that is coral and white but am still on the hunt for the second side. I agree that Carrie's blocks look like baskets because I think of vases as being taller and slimmer. Orange and turquoise sounds yummy and summery to me!

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  6. I love the Viola pattern and would love to make it along with you. On an aside, my sisters and I have always joked that "voila" is pronounced vie-oh-lay. That is how we always say it, although we know the correct pronunciation. So your name confusion hit me as extra funny!

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  7. I love the Farmhouse fabric and I love this pattern I am just on the fence still deciding if I made Viola that is might be too much of a challenge for me :-(

    I think I will watch your progress and see how it goes for you & Nicole before I buy the pattern

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  8. I love the basket fabrics you have picked... and I love the name "Voila"... a word I also use a lot!

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