2024 Temperature Quilt

Earlier this year my sister took up crochet and she is HOOKED. Sister has always like hand work (think cross stitch) but hasn’t ever really taken to sewing. I’ve tried to convert her on multiple occasions with no luck, including giving her an EPP pattern, templates and fabric for her birthday one year. Maybe one day she’ll give in to all my pressure and join the quilty fun!

Anyhow, about a week ago I asked her if she’d like to participate in a temperature quilt challenge with me. The rules are:

I make a quilt and she crochets a blanket.
We each determine our own temperature color chart.
No peeking or sharing until the end of 2024!

I think it’ll be a great exercise in creativity, patience and how we see each color.

Not sharing is going to be tough, though. We are at one another’s homes a few times a week. She’s in my studio frequently and I’m in her living space where she crochets. To quote our partners, maybe my studio will get clean and maybe her living room won’t look like yarn vomit; their words, not mine and to be clear, I’m fine with messy studios AND yarn everywhere. Creativity often promotes chaos and mess. I can live with that.

I’ve been working on my color chart for days. I have been going around and around trying to figure out how to make the color work with the ranges I want to use. Additionally, I want to use prints instead of solids so I had to think about an easy way to get that to make sense? Do I match to a solid? Do I pull some prints? How do I organize the ranges if I’m not using 24 specific fabrics but a variety of prints?

This morning I attempted to dive into that and as I was pulling fabric I noticed the Color Tool C&T sent me years ago when I wrote my first book. It’s a really tool but I’ve only used it a handful of times, if I’m honest. Worth noting: Joen Wolfram is a color genius so perhaps I should use it more? At any rate, her color tool has 24 distinct hues. My color chart had 22 ranges so I revisited my temperature ranges to increase them by two to have 24. Each temperature range will correspond to a specific hue on the color tool.

That makes color ranges simpler to match. I can match color and pull a handful of possibilities every few days and I think it’ll give me some leeway since I won’t be caught up using a specific fabric.

Here’s the range of the color tool. You can see how each color is assigned a number. I assigned numbers to specific temperature ranges from cold to hot (red to violet).

To keep track of it, I created a spreadsheet with 3 degree color ranges and each range has an assigned number.

As I work on this quilt, I may take liberties here and there and stray from the exact color at the top of the chart but I think this will keep me organized.

Have you made a temperature quilt? I’d love to hear from you.

Did you say leftovers?

I don’t know about you but I love leftovers. Leftover food? Yes, please. I’m happy to not make another meal. Leftover fabric? Absolutely! Let’s see how creative we can get. There’s a certain joy in taking leftover fabric and making something equally as stunning with leftovers. It really forces you to push your boundaries in the best ways.

Recently I finished Persephone Awaits. I know I keep saying this but it makes me smile. I love the color and depth and the ease putting it together. This quilt really comes together quickly.

I used an entire fat quarter bundle of Jennifer Sampou’s SKY Reflections collection to make Persephone Awaits. I’ve made several quilts using Jen’s fabrics and I absolutely love them.

I am not a solids girl, I like movement in my fabrics and this collection really hits several buttons for me – reads as solid, lots of movement, and the hand is lovely. They sew together nicely, and these fabrics are digitally printed so they are more environmentally friendly.

I took some of the leftovers from Persephone and created a half-rectangle triangle quilt. It was just as easy to piece and has such drama. I just love it and I hope you love this quilt as much as I do!

Persephone Had a Baby

I’m working on the pattern and hope to release that relatively soon. If you want to hear more and aren’t already signed up for my newsletter, please take a moment to do that. I send one email a month (maybe) and you’ll be the first to hear about new releases, products and more.

Persephone Awaits

Close up of blocks

Recently I decided it was time to update my Bluegrass pattern into something a little easier. Scale it back so it’s more user friendly because the borders are (were) super challenging to make. Keep the fun, lose the dread. Besides, who doesn’t love a quilt with diamond blocks? Right?

Inspiration always hits in weird ways. I was noodling on the idea of how to update it when it occurred to me I could use some SKY ombré fabrics to make this quilt. A cohesive collection of fabric with so much variety. Let me just say, that decision did not disappoint. I absolutely love the movement, the color variations and the depth.

This quilt is easy to make. You can cut out the pieces and sew the blocks in a day or two. It’s a dramatic quilt that won’t break your resolve. It’s a breeze to put together, too! Seriously.

I’ve been sitting on this layout for a few days. Before I piece a quilt I like to look at the blocks in different light during the day. You catch different things you like or don’t like. I’m not a patient person so I hate the wait and the fuss but it’s always worth it in the end!

And the name? Well, I was sitting at my sewing machine looking at the colors in the blocks while I was piecing them. The name of this fabric collection is Reflections, and it’s inspired by nature, as if you are on the ground looking up. As I was thinking about what to name this quilt (I’m not the only one to think about that while I’m making a quilt, right?) I thought about that. Several possibilities came to mind and then Persephone popped into my head: Greek Goddess taken to the underworld by Hades – what if these were the colors she saw just before spring BURST open in all its glory? All while she waits patiently to leave the underworld.

I hope to have the pattern out soon. You’ll be the first to hear about it if you are signed up for my newsletter.

Happy piecing, y’all!

Aether Quilts

I really enjoy when people share finished quilts they made using my patterns. I love to see how people put color together and make quilts their own. Celebrating the creativity of others is always a joyful occasion.

Recently, a few quilters sent photos along and, just this morning, I realized I’d shared them on Instagram but not here.

Karin used Lewis and Irene ombré fabrics. She added an inner and outer border to extend the quilt and use some remaining scraps. And can we also take a minute to talk about her chair?! Oh my gosh it’s fabulous!

Gayle won a BLUE ribbon for her Aether at the Oregon State Fair. Swoon!

Marguerite’s Aether reminds me of a glass of cognac. It’s stormy and stunning. I absolutely love her use of color!

Kathy didn’t extend orange peels into the border. It really draws your eye into the center of the quilt.

Have you made an Aether quilt? I would love to see it if you have!

Quilt Fusion :

An Immersive Event on Piecing, Color & Composition

Don’t forget I’ll be teaching it during Quilt Fusion November 9th and 10th. You can sign up at http://www.creativespark.ctpub.com using discount code QFPATTY1.

Quilt Fusion is a two-day event all about quilt color, composition, and techniques! We gathered some of the best quilt experts to share all their pro tips, tricks, and techniques with you. 

I’ll be teaching Aether on November 9th and I’ll share all my tips and tricks to put yours togehter.

Can’t make the live presentations? Don’t worry. It’ll be recorded.

During QUILT FUSION you will learn:

  • How to utilize your fabric scraps to their full potential
  • Discover color theory and best practices for color design
  • Explore unique pattern and surface dyeing techniques
  • Learn cutting-edge techniques for paper piecing in quilting, utilizing a variety of tools and innovative designs
  • Get 8.5 hours of live content, 16+ hours of recorded content at your convenience, a Swag Bag, and entry to quilt-tastic Giveaways!

Day one will begin with three sessions of breakout rooms lasting 40 minutes. In each session, you’ll get to pick who you want to see LIVE and choose your learning adventure with just a click. Recordings of the other breakout rooms will be available to watch through your Creative Spark account and will never expire. We’ll finish the day off with our Keynote Speaker, Kathy Doughty. 

About our Keynote Speaker: Kathy has taught internationally for quilt groups, guilds, shops, and events, including Empty Spools, MISA, QBL, AQS, L’Amour Du Fils, Quilters Affair, and more. She’s the C&T author of “Organic Appliqué,” “Mixing Quilt Elements,” and “Adding Layers Color Design & Imagination.” In Kathy’s keynote, she will share her journey of cultivating a distinct quilting style, helping you unlock your quilting potential along the way. Prepare to learn how to infuse your projects with a splash of excitement and individuality, while embracing your own signature style.

Day two will begin with a special edition of The Quilting Hour where Lee Monroe will be in conversation with Amy Smart and Heather Valentine to talk all about color and color design for quilts. After the lively color panel discussion, you will be able to dive into three sessions of the breakout rooms with more instructors! Take your pick and hang out with the experts you’re most excited to see live. We’ll finish off the event with final raffle prizes but will be giving out prizes throughout the two days.

How do you get to watch the Live sessions? Let’s break down the breakout rooms:

You’ll get 8½  hours of live content in this two-day event using the magic of technology. Quilt Fusion will have nine 40-minute breakout rooms each day. You’ll pick three you want to see LIVE each day and choose your learning adventure with just a click. Recordings of the other breakout rooms will be available to watch through your Creative Spark account and will never expire.

Quilt Fusion 2023

🧵✨ Calling all quilting enthusiasts! Get ready to fuel your creativity at Quilt Fusion 2023, a two-day virtual event on November 9-10. Whether you’re a seasoned pro or a newbie with a needle, this event promises lots of fun and learning! By securing your spot, you get 8.5 hours of live content, 16+ hours of recorded (lifetime access) content at your convenience, a Swag Bag, and entry to quilt-tastic Giveaways!

Use the code [QF1PATTY] to save $25 off enrollment. Limited space is available, so secure your spot now!

I’ll be teaching my Aether Quilt. We’ll discuss color, value, scale, and more so you can create this quilt. AND there is NO curved piecing so this quilt is accessible for quilters of all levels! I’m really excited to share this quilt with you!

Read more about it at Creative Spark!

Scrappy Ombré Quilts

I’m in the middle of making the last quilt for my next book (C&T, Nov. 2024). I can’t show the quilt, but I wanted to take a minute to talk about how I arrange (grade?) fabrics when I make scrappy ombré quilts.

I start by gathering any fabrics in the color range that I think will work. I put the fabrics light to dark. I add or remove fabrics as needed. I move them around. I look at them in my studio and in natural light – usually morning and afternoon – to catch anything that may be off.

Often a fabric that isn’t quite right will work if there are enough different fabrics in the range. For example, if you look closely enough at the selection of colors below, you’ll see a few fabrics that have a slight purple hue (orchid, maybe?) to them BUT because the prints have pink, as well, they work. Your eye doesn’t immediately go to a print that’s slightly off because there are enough fabrics.

This is also a good opportunity to remove some fabrics. The three fabrics on the left were removed from the selection, and I think the floral print on the far right will also be removed, even though I love it. It’s too bold.

Once you have the colors you want, it’s really helpful to group the fabrics by value. For this particular quilt, I grouped fabrics in sets of 3 or 4. I’d already cut the lighter fabrics on the left so they’re not organized, but I promise that, at one point, they were.

I organize fabrics this way because it’s easy to pull a lighter or darker fabric to make a color range work. If you look at the photo below you can see how I moved the fabrics into different groups but the overall light to dark still works.

Remember, the more fabrics you use, the less each color matters. That means you don’t have to have a *perfect* match, just close enough. Have you made scrappy quilts using lots of a particular hue? I’d love to see it!

Happy Piecing!

Italy Day 9

By day 9 we were all pretty exhausted so we took it easy. We saw some sites, and I found a fabric shop, but we didn’t do much.

Lunch was at a darling restaurant and they had the best tiramisu!

I went to Casa del Tessuto to look around for fabric. They have floor to ceiling fabrics – Chanel, Pucci, all the designers. I seriously thought about buying some designer fabric but I wasn’t sure what I’d want to make so I stuck to Liberty.

The best part about buying fabric is that you don’t have to speak the language. The gentleman helping me spoke no English. I spoke no Italian. BUT he knew exactly what I wanted when I pointed and asked for a half meter. He also knew what I meant when my husband walked out of the store (it was small) and I asked for one and a half meters. We both laughed!

Back at the hotel, husband and I sat on the veranda and had an afternoon snack. We watched some birds fight.

Enjoyed going up to our room on this cool elevator

Then went to dinner at the most amazing Indian restaurant on the last night.

Was Italy a success? Absolutely. Would I go back? In a heartbeat. There is so much more I want to do and see there and I’d welcome a chance to go again.

Italy Day 8

The Sunday we were in Rome had free entry to museums. Which is great! Except the lines were a mile long. We decided that we’d rather see things instead of wait in line. Would I have liked to have gone into the Coliseum or St. Peter’s Basilica? Absolutely, but we decided to soak up what we could in the short time we had there. Rome was a bonus destination. Tuscany was the main event.

Our day started with motorcycles in the street. Hundreds of them! I started the video late – this easily went on for 5 minutes. I’m not sure what they were doing/protesting/organizing but I thought it was really interesting.

Motorcycles for days

Lots of ruins, cool things to see.

The Pantheon.

The Italian Stock Market, Trevi Fountain, Cobblestones and more ruins.

We were tired of Italian food by day 8 and decided to get some sushi. Our sashimi came out with some dry ice for flair!

Sushi on Dry Ice

Aprés dinner gelato. This place was gorgeous and the gelato was excellent! I had a scoop of peach (with fresh peaches in it!) and a scoop of cookies and cream.

Italy Day 7

Day 7. Rome.

I woke up at 5 am the day we were leaving Tuscany. It’s already dawn there and I glimpsed out the window to see the mist covering the hills.

We had to return the rental car to the airport then we proceeded to take the worlds scariest cab ride ever. That’s where I learned that in Rome, it’s every person for themselves and, even amid the chaos, there’s apparently some system I don’t understand. Cars, people and motorcycles are everywhere!

We got to our hotel mid-day and spent the afternoon getting a feel for the city. The day before was Republic Day (akin the the 4th of July) and the city was packed with people!

I love how some drivers park like this!

And our hotel had the coolest hallway on the way to our room.