Jinny Beyer ~ The Queen of Color

It seems like every time I get excited about starting a new quilt, I'm left with deciding on what color theme or fabric style I want to use.  Sometimes I choose really great colors that go together beautifully and other times, even though I think it will turn out great, it doesn't.  I think we've all seem quilts that really sing with color and texture are are . . .  well, just vibrant!  Then we may see a quilt that is beautifully made but lacks something.  I call this the 'Wow Effect.'

So how do we go about choosing the fabrics that will make our quilts sing?  One tool that I've recently started using is Jinny Beyer's Portable Palette.

This tool has really helped me decide on what fabrics I want to use together.  I can play with colors at home, decide on a theme I like, and then take the Portable Palate with me when I go fabric shopping.  I consider Jinny Beyer to be the 'queen of color' and don't think I have ever seen a quilt that Jinny has made that didn't have the 'Wow Effect.'  When Jinny teaches her color confidence class, she has her students use her portable palate.  Jinny just came out with an instructional video on her web site that shows you exactly how to use her portable palette.


I found this video to be very helpful, and it is fun to do the exercises that Jinny shares on it. For me, it was well worth the time it takes to watch.

I have been an admirer of Jinny Beyer for years and many times have referred to her as "My Quilting Hero."  I hope this video will inspire you and that you will play around with different colors in your fabric stash to create your next quilting project.

Until next time . . .

Debbie

Quilt in a Day Rulers & Progress on Quilts

It's hard to believe that we are in the final month of summer already here in the USA!  I know that a big part of my summer was spent recuperating from surgery.  Anyway, I am back to sewing 100% and have really been busy.  Before going into my progress on various projects, I wanted to take some time to talk about Eleanor Burn's and her quick and easy techniques using her specialty rulers.

One of my favorite techniques of Eleanor's is making my flying geese units using her flying geese rulers.  At first when I read and saw her way of making flying geese units, I was a bit skeptical but then I tried it and was so pleased with the results.  Instead of me showing you how quick and easy these rulers work, click HERE to view the video and have Eleanor herself teach you.

I don't have any affiliation with Quilt in a Day or Eleanor Burns.  I just wanted to share this technique of hers with you.  I have learned a lot from Eleanor's instruction, and I think you will too : )

Lately, I have been a busy bee working on various quilt projects.  I've been spending a lot of time working on my Cornucopia of Thanks quilt blocks and cornerstones.  I've decided to make my quilt king sized so adding 4 blocks of my choosing.  This week I completed one of the four. 

This one is called Turley's Inn and was designed by Marti Michell for Patchwork Party this past year.

I think this one will fit in well with the other blocks in the quilt.

I also finished the BOM for August called Prosperity.  This one looks way harder than it really is, and I was surprised at how fast I got it done.

I am really enjoying working on this quilt as a BOM.  This BOM is a group project that we are doing in my SBS & Other Elm Creek Quilts Yahoo group.  If you are interested in joining in on the fun, you can do so very easily by clicking this icon:

Click to join SBS-and-OtherElmCreekQuilts

We are also doing the Farmer's Wife Sampler quilt together.  Each month we announce a new block challenge and are having fun watching each other's and our own progress as our quilt grows.

Here are a 2 more of the blocks for this month.  I only have 2 more to finish before the 15th.

Economy

Bow Tie

I hope all of you are having a great week and that you all get some time just for you : )

Until next time . . .
Debbie