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March 2021: IT'S A FINE LINE...
We couldn't decide whether to make the theme for this month's newsletter a colour or a shape, so we opted for both - that seems to cover all bases. So we have gone with the colour yellow (and if you were expecting me to say... and the number three, your are showing your age as Sesame Street watchers!) Ahem, back to the matter in hand, as I said, the colour yellow and skinny lines. We were pleased to learn that Pantone's chosen colours for 2021 are yellow (bright and cheerful - sparkling with vivacity, according to the Pantone website) and grey (quietly assures, encouraging feelings of composure). This combination is one I use quite a lot in my kits, and it appears that it is spot on for the times. Pantone go on to talk about "deeper feelings of thoughtfulness with the promise of something sunny and friendly" which is probably a very good analogy for our current, countrywide, situation. If you are unfamiliar with Pantone, it is a colour matching systems originally created to enable printing companies (magazines, leaflets, letterheads for example) to print particular colours consistently. Now it is also used as a reference by textile manufacturers and paint companies, anywhere accurate colour specification is needed. CLICK HERE if you want to see the specific shades of yellow and grey that have been chosen and read the rest of Pantone's thoughts on this soothing colour combination.
And what is there to say about skinny lines? We do love skinny lines on quilts, whether it's Modern Crosses (CLICK HERE for a link to the free pattern on the OAKSHOTT website) or bird legs, they've just got to be narrow. As with any patchwork technique, it is just a matter of practise to get really thin pieced lines on a quilt or block. We hope this round up of tutorials and images will inspire you to have a go.
AitchBee and Helen Howes
Contact us direct on newsletter@modernartquilters.co.uk
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Click on the image to visit the KITS page on AitchBee's website: Yellow and grey kits available for several items including QUIP, KISMET and the ARINGA wallet shown above
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Little packs of happiness from Helen Howes. Click on the image to see all sorts of hand-dyed indigo fabrics and threads; let a little blue into your sky...
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Kathy Loomis has to be Queen of the Skinny Lines, she has perfected the pieced line to an art form. In this tutorial from the blog, AND THEN WE SET IT ON FIRE, she shares her secrets. (The blog is no longer active, but is still available to view)
This beautiful piece is FAULT LINES 5 and Kathy started with a single piece of hand-dyed fabric into which all those little lines are set. A piece as densely populated as this will shrink down about 25% from it's original size, just because of the number of seams - but what an amazing result!
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Yellow is a much maligned colour - some find it difficult to work with, personally I think a little bit of yellow in a quilt gives the whole design a boost. This wholecloth wall hanging is made from a single piece of silk and hand-stitched with a design based on a traditional North Country forms by Dorothy Russell.
Please don't dismiss this link if you are not a hand quilter, Dorothy's website has so much to offer, and as she says herself "My work can veer from traditional to contemporary in an apparently irrational manner, but always at its heart is a fascination with the materials themselves."
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We were rather taken with this quilt which appears on the website of Long-armer, Natalia Bonner, the quilting is indeed stunning, and those curves complement the rigid block structure beautifully. Sadly we cannot credit the designer who is not shown, or the maker - known only as April. Well, April, wherever you are - we do like your quilt!
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We found this work in progress on Cassandra Madge's blog, Uniquely Crafted, and had to include it since it meets our colour theme so perfectly. The chevron pattern is made from our good-old friend, the half-square triangle, building block of so many quilt patterns. CLICK HERE to visit the MODERN ART QUILTERS pattern page for our free tutorial on NO-FAIL Half-Square Triangles
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We keep coming back to Debbie's blog, A Quilter's Table, because she always has such great articles! Here she gives us an excellent tutorial on making these skinny. crosscut blocks. While you are visiting her site, have a good look round - there are always interesting things to see here.
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Oh, for the love of stripes! Another great image and accompanying tutorial from Debbie at The Quilter's Table. We would recommend that you subscribe to her newsletter, The Scrap Basket, there is always something going on in the world of this prolific quilter.
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This set of sunny yellow quilt blocks is part of a quilt being built by Nicole of the blog, Sister's Choice Quilts. It is foundation paper pieced, and although Nicole has given the name of the designer (String Along by Clark Street Quilts) I cannot locate the block pattern. However I think you could make a perfectly good, improv version of this block from scraps - now there's a challenge!
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A different take on skinny lines - not straight and not parallel, but very narrow! If you are familiar with the work of Maria Elkins, you will be more used to seeing images of a more pictorial nature. This departure from her usual style was started in a workshop with Nancy Crow; cross-training, as she calls it. Maria says that the 5-day intensive course felt like the equivalent to an honours degree crammed into one week and, much as she enjoyed it, she was left 'mind numb and unable to think'. I had heard in the past that Nancy's workshops are gruelling, and not for the faint-hearted or those without commitment, but the standard of work her students produce is amazing!
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It is always fascinating and inspirational to see a quilter maker's design wall and watch quilts in the process of developing. This piece is being created by Edith Bieri-Hanselmann on her blog, Quilts Und Mehr (Quilt and More) where she very kindly gives her information in German and English. Edith, too, was inspired by a Nancy Crow workshop.
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Jayne of the blog, Twiggy and Opal, shows off this funky table runner; lovely curved skinny lines, bright, plain fabrics, simple quilting - very modern. This also links nicely to our theme for next month where we explore small quilts to adorn your table - runners, placemats and centre pieces.
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Not all pictures have to be quilts! You can find inspiration everywhere - all you have to do it look. This image links to one of this month's Pinterest boards: Mellow Yellow where you will find an assortment of nice things to look at, not just quilts, but lots of yellow!
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In honour of our dual theme's this month we have two Pinterest boards for you to look at. This one is called, appropriately, Skinny and includes straight lines, curved lines, plain lines and pieced lines - just gorgeous.
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Combining the excellent tutorial from Kathy Loomis (CLICK HERE if you missed it) and a few triangular improv suggestion's from AitchBee, this month's free pattern is HIGH FLYING BIRDS. An opportunity to practise your skinny lines and make a little wall hanging or cushion panel. If you are enjoying yourself - just make more blocks to make a lap quilt.
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4, The Raveningham Centre, Beccles Road, Raveningham, Norfolk, NR14 6NU. United Kingdom
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