Make a Rainbow!

The folks at the Missouri Quilt Company are running a special sale today that features a Kona Bright Palette Roll Up for the great price of $16.95 (which is 52% off of the retail price), plus a one month free trial of Creativebug, where you can take my Rainbow Jellyroll Quilt class and put that fabric to good use!

My Rainbow Jellyroll Quilt is such a great project, especially for beginners. It's super simple to construct and the result is a beautiful throw sized quilt that is full of color. Because it uses a Kona Bright Palette Roll Up, precut 2 1/2" strips of fabric, there is minimal cutting of fabrics for this project. If quilting intimidates you, this is the perfect class to begin with; for those of you who are more experienced, you'll be able to whip this up in no time at all. 

Head on over to the Missouri Quilt Company to pick up your Kona Roll Up at a great price, and grab my free class, too! The offer is good through today, August 28, 2015 only, and expires at midnight, CT. 

Piecing Large-Scale Patchwork Quilts - my latest workshop on Creativebug!

My latest class on Creativebug is one of my favorites, Piecing Large-Scale Patchwork Quilts. I love to play with scale, especially increasing it to sizes that are much larger than those in traditional quilts. In this workshop, I show you how to take a traditional quilt block and enlarge it so much so that the single block itself becomes the design of the quilt top. We use my Fly Away pattern, which is a traditional Winged Square block, but once you know the technique, you can use this formula on any traditional block that you'd like!

Increasing the scale of a block makes quite a dramatic statement, and it results in a bold, graphic design. It also makes a minimalist design, which is definitely near and dear to my heart. You can see that I like to work this way a lot.

This is my Ohio Supernova quilt which I made in 2011 when it was on display at the International Quilt Festival in Cincinnati. It was the first quilt that I ever made on such a large scale, and it's based on the Ohio Star block. In a traditional quilt, the Ohio Star block typically measures anywhere from about 4-12 inches in size, but I have increased mine to about 68" square. If you'd like to make your own version of Ohio Supernova, you can find the pattern for this quilt in my shop. 

Radiance is a quilt that I designed last year. One of these days, I want to make it again in a totally different palette, so that the beautiful sections of the design will stand out more. This quilt is based on the traditional Arrow Crown block. If you'd like to make your own version of Radiance, you can find the pattern for this quilt in my shop here. 

I really hope you enjoy my Large-Scale Patchwork Quilts workshop on Creativebug. I can't wait to see how you use this technique in your own work!

Pre-order Quilt Local and get a free gift!

It's hard to believe that my book Quilt Local: Finding Inspiration in the Everyday will be out in just about a month and a half. To celebrate it's release, Abrams, my publisher, and I are offering a free gift if you pre-order a copy of it. 

If you purchase the book between now and October 6, 2015, I'll send you a digital copy of my Anni quilt pattern, shown above,  which is one of my favorites of all time. This design also relates to a project in the book, so I thought it would make a nice pair. 

To redeem your free pattern, just fill out the online form on the MY BOOK page of my site, after your pre-order a copy of Quilt Local. I'll email the Anni PDF pattern directly to you as soon as possible, but please allow 8-10 weeks for delivery. I have signed copies of Quilt Local available for pre-order in my shop here, but this offer is valid regardless of where you purchase your copy. If you have already pre-ordered, thank you very much! You are also eligible for the free pattern, so please click on the link and fill out the online form at the bottom of the page.  

Marrakech, my brand new quilt and pattern!

A couple of months ago my dear friend Amy Butler asked if I would be interested in making something with her gorgeous new collection of fabric called Bright Heart. Of course, I couldn't say no, especially after seeing Amy's beautiful designs full of amazing saturated colors in the prettiest combinations. Since I typically work in solid colors, I knew I wanted to take the opportunity to design a quilt and a pattern that allowed these prints to really shine, instead of cutting them up into tiny pieces. These fabrics of Amy's are so incredibly detailed and beautiful on their own and I really wanted to use them in pieces that were as uncut as possible, if that makes sense. 

I had a few ideas in my head, but I eventually turned to a book of tile designs that I have and settled on one that is based on an Islamic star motif. My Marrakech quilt is the result, and the pattern is named after the ancient city in Morocco. I chose to work with six prints from Bright Heart: Feather Fans in Cherry, Folk Bloom in Midnight, Cosmo Weave in Midnight, Oh Deer in Navy, Natural Beauty in Navy, and Coco Bloom in Lavender. Aren't those colors amazing?

And then I got to work and began cutting and piecing. I really loved watching it all come together, and was quite happy when my points met where they were supposed to. 

I think the areas of the Bright Heart prints in the design are really quite striking, but I also love the secondary star pattern that is made by the negative space, or background fabric, in the quilt as well. 

When the quilt top was finished, I loaded it up on my long arm and quilted it with a freehand organic figure eight pattern. This has become my go-to quilting design, because I really love the simplicity of it, and I feel like it doesn't compete with the design of the front of the quilt. 

Here is the finished result! This is the 80" x 80" version, which is a very generous throw sized quilt, although this size would also work on a twin or full sized bed as well. The pattern also includes this design in a small version that finishes at 40" x 40", in case the large one is a bit too big for you.  

For the binding, I used more of the Feather Fans in Cherry from Bright Heart to add a bit more of this great pink color to the design. 

The background color is FreeSpirit Designer Solids in Mist, which is a really great neutral that works with a lot of different colors, and I used Aurifil Mako 50 Weight thread in Light Sand (#2000) for the quilting, which worked beautifully with both the background and all of the different colors in the prints. 

I used Amy's Rhythm Strip in Dark, also part of the Bright Heart collection, for the back. This print is so fun and really has a lot of movement throughout the design. And that lavender and green are pretty amazing together. 

If you would like to make your own version of my Marrakech quilt, the pattern is now available as a PDF download in my shop here. Feel free to share your images with the hashtag #MarrakechQuilt on all forms of social media so we can all follow along!

While I feel the Marrakech pattern is best suited for quilters with some experience, I do think that confident beginners would also be successful. I've included twenty-four color diagrams, such as those shown above, as well as step-by-step instructions for both the large and small sizes. I can't wait to see your versions of my Marrakech quilt! And, of course, now I want to make another version in solid colored fabrics.

Amy Butler's Bright Heart collection is available in your favorite independent fabric retailers now.

Come visit me in Southern California!

July is going to be a busy month for me, with a lot of traveling. I'm kind of excited that I'll have the chance to see both the Atlantic (in Maine) and the Pacific in the same month, though. For the latter, it will be during my visit to Southern California where I'll be giving a lecture and teaching a workshop at the Friendship Square Quilt Guild in La Habra. 

On Monday, July 20, I'll be giving a lecture about my work, including a sneak peek of some of the projects from my upcoming book, Quilt Local. The program will take place at the La Habra United Methodist Church, 631 N. Euclid Ave., La Habra, CA and it starts at 6:45, with doors opening at 6:00. The costs for guests is $5 and the lecture is free for members of the guild. 

I'll be teaching my Luminosity workshop on Tuesday, July 21 from 9-3 at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Fullerton. This is a great workshop to perfect your technique of making half square triangles, plus you'll learn how both color and value placement affect an overall design. We'll discuss the basics of color theory and interaction, and then create the large quilt block shown above as a study of color and fabric placement. I'll guide you through fabric cutting, consistent seam allowances, accurate piecing, and precise pressing skills. One block will be created in class that can be finished as a mini quilt or the start of a larger project, and we'll discuss a variety of ways that they can be finished. The price for the workshop is $25 for guild members and $35 for guests. For more information, please visit the Friendship Square Quilt Guild's site. 

There are still spaces available, so I hope to see you at the lecture, the workshop, or both!

My QuiltCon West Classes

Registration for QuiltCon West starts for members of the Modern Quilt Guild tomorrow! I'm really looking forward to teaching three different workshops there, and I wanted to share with you some more information about each of my classes.

On Thursday, February 19 during the evening from 6-9, I'll be teaching my Improvisational Half Log Cabin Block workshop, where you'll learn to take your improvisational quilting up a notch. In this class students will learn the technique of creating large-scale improvisational half log cabins. While the traditional log cabin block has been fundamental to quilt making for hundreds of years, it becomes energized and fresh when constructed improvisationally as half log cabin blocks and on a larger than normal scale. It also becomes an opportunity to design intuitively and explore a technique that does not require precise measuring or cutting. An added benefit of this type of patchwork is that it produces completely unique, one of a kind blocks with a strong graphic quality, and we will discuss how fabric placement and color choices affect the design of the block. Students will finish the class with a number of completed blocks that can be used in small patchwork projects or as the beginning of a larger quilt.

The session code for my Improvisational Half Log Cabin class is 510.

Next up, on Saturday, February 20 from 9-5, I'll be teaching my Improv Pineapple workshop. In this class I will teach you how to create improvisationally pieced pineapple blocks. While the traditional version of this block can be somewhat intimidating to create, it becomes more relaxed and approachable when combined with improvisational piecing as there is no need for precise measuring or cutting. An added benefit of this technique is that it produces completely unique, one of a kind blocks with a strong graphic quality, and Heather will discuss how fabric placement and color choices affect the design of the block. Students will finish the class with a number of completed blocks that can be used in small patchwork projects or as the beginning of a larger quilt.

The session code for my Improv Pineapple class is 531.

And lastly, on Sunday, February 21 from 9-5, I will be teaching my Large Scale Piecing workshop. In this class, you will learn the benefits of large-scale piecing and constructing oversized blocks. We'll discuss the roots of large scale piecing, the effect of reducing design elements and the simplification of the overall design of a quilt. Using my Fly Away quilt pattern, students will learn how to increase the scale of both traditional and modern block designs, how to successfully manage large cuts of fabric and large pattern pieces, how to work with large areas of negative space, and tips and tricks on fabric selection, cutting, and construction methods for working in this manner.

The session code for my Large Scale Piecing class is 730.

I can't wait to see you in Pasadena! 

Improvisational Patchwork: Pineapple Quilt Blocks on Creativebug

My next class on Creativebug launched yesterday, and I couldn't be more excited. My Improvisational Patchwork: Pineapple Quilt Blocks workshop is one of my favorite classes to teach, and I love the result that this type of piecing gives to such a traditional quilt block design.

The traditional pineapple quilt block can be a bit intimidating, especially to a new quilter, because its beautiful design is created with fabric pieces that are precisely measured and cut. With my improvisational technique, there is no need for precise measuring or cutting, making it much more approachable and less intimidating. 

You also get to use your own creative intuition to design your blocks, which results in completely unique and one-of a kind patchwork. No two blocks will look the same, which is very different than the traditional pineapple block. This technique combines improvisational piecing and giving a modern design to a traditional block, both of which I love.

In the workshop, I'll also show you how you can change the look of these blocks by changing the placement of your fabric. In the samples above I used an analogous color palette with a light blue, a dark blue, and a mid tone purple, which were all scraps of fabric I had in my studio, and I paired them with a few different shades of white for the background. These blocks are a great way to use up scraps of fabric, but of course, they also are a great way to use your yardage, too. 

I love this version that I made using solid cotton fabrics in red and creamy white. I think the two color palette is so simple, and since there is so much contrast between the two colors, the design of the patchwork is really graphic and bold. One of these days, I would love to make a whole improvisational pineapple block quilt in just these fabrics.

Since most of my projects these days are driven by deadlines, so far the only full size quilt I've made with this technique is this one, which I made for the FreeSpirit Modern Solids Challenge, using the incredible fat quarter bundle that Denyse Schmidt curated. This quilt has over 75 colors on the front, as I used each of the fabrics from Denyse's collection, and paired them with four different colors of white fabrics for the background. 

I can't wait to see what you'll make with the technique I share in my Improvisational Patchwork: Pineapple Quilt Blocks workshop. Please use the hashtag #ImprovPineappleBlocks so we can all follow along! Remember, this class, as well as all of the great workshops on Creativebug are included in your subscription, which is only $4.95 a month. Such a great deal!

Half Way Home for Robert Kaufman

I'm so excited to share my latest quilt pattern for you. This is my Half Way Home quilt that I designed for Robert Kaufman, using some of their beautiful denims and chambrays, and the pattern is available as a free download on their site. I love this quilt for a number of reasons: primarily, each of the thirty quilt blocks in the pattern are made improvisationally, so none of them are identical, which also means that every quilt made from these instructions will be slightly different and completely unique. Half Way Home measures 60" x 72", which is a perfect size for a throw quilt. 

For the quilt, I used seven different denims and chambrays, combined with Kona Cotton in Oyster, which is a beautiful creamy white that I think works well with all of the different denims. I had not worked much with denim before in my quilts, and the ones that I chose for this project varied in weight from quite heavy and jean-like to much lighter chambrays. I was a bit nervous about quilting with such a variety of fabric weights, but I had no problems at all. 

This pattern is great for beginner quilt makers, especially those who want to try their hands at working improvisationally but would also like a bit of structure. It's also a fast project for more experienced quilters. I had a hard time sending this one to the folks at Robert Kaufman because I really wanted to keep it. I don't often make the same quilt twice, but I think I might need to make one of these for me one day.

One of the lovely things about the Robert Kaufman denims that I used is that instead of having a fixed right and wrong side, some of them can really be used on both sides. The striped denims, for example, get their design as a result of how the threads are woven, so they often have a slightly different appearance on their reverse side. I used some of these denims with their "wrong side" facing up, to give more variety to my blocks and also to add some subtle movement throughout my design.

If you were at the International Quilt Market in Minneapolis this spring, you may have seen the quilt in Robert Kaufman's Sewing Studio section of their booth, along side lots of other great projects that featured their denims and other garment making substrates. 

If you make your own version of my Half Way Home quilt, I'd love to see it! Please use the hashtag #halfwayhomequilt on social media so we can all follow along with your project. 

A Quilter's Color Weekend with A Gathering of Stitches

I can't believe we're less than a month away from our Quilter's Color Weekend, hosted by A Gathering of Stitches and featuring Amy Butler and myself. I'm so looking forward to meeting our participants, relaxing along the coast in Maine, and soaking up lots of creativity that weekend. Registration for our event ends tonight, and we still have a few spots available. We would love to have you join us! Here's a little more information about the retreat:

The retreat takes place at Point Lookout in Northport, Maine, which is about two hours by car from Portland. The coastal resort features modern cabins where we will stay and create all weekend long. On Thursday night we'll have a great dinner to get to know each other before gathering on Friday to take part in Amy's Color Story class. I had the opportunity to take this workshop with her when we both taught at the Makerie a few years ago, and it truly is an experience that I'll never forget. As you probably know, Amy's sense of color is so amazing, and she shares her technique of developing color palettes with you so that you are able to easily create your own, using all types of ephemera and color inspiration.

On Saturday morning, we'll visit a local fabric store where we will be able to pick up any last minute additions to our list of supplies. Then, I'll spend the day teaching a variety of improvisational patchwork techniques, including improv pineapple blocks and half log cabin blocks, and more. We'll play with scale and composition, and it will be a great opportunity bring the color stories that you created with Amy to life. 

Space is limited, because we want to make sure that our workshop is not too large so we have a chance to really get to know each other, and so Amy and I can provide as much one on one instruction to you as possible. For more information on the retreat, please visit  http://agatheringofstitches.com/retreats/-a-quilters-color-weekend-with-amy-butler-and-heather-jones

 

Improvisational Patchwork for Beginners on Creativebug

I've got another new class on Creativebug that just launched yesterday! My Improvisational Patchwork for Beginners workshop is a great way to try your hand at improvisational quilting to create completely unique and one-of-a-kind blocks. This type of quilting is by far my favorite because I love that it forces you to design intuitively, rather than relying on a pattern, and the results are stunning, organic blocks that require no precise cutting or measuring of fabric. In the class I'll teach you three different block designs: the log cabin, the stacked coin, and the wonky cross, and I'll show you how you can combine these blocks as well. All three of these blocks have their roots in traditional quilt designs, but with improvisational piecing, they have a more modern feeling, full of wonderful irregularities that would never occur with traditional patchwork construction.   

We had such a great day during my shoot and I'm so excited that one of my favorite, and most popular, classes that I teach in person is now available for anyone to watch, from any place, at any time. To take this class, and any other of the great workshops that Creativebug offers, you can become a subscriber for only $4.95 a month, which gives you access to all of the hundreds of classes on the site. It's seriously such an amazing deal!

And, in addition, to celebrate my new class release, Creativebug is offering a three-month subscription as a gift to three of my readers. To enter, just leave a comment on this post telling me the first class on Creativebug you'll take if you're the winner, and please be sure that your email address is included with your comment so I can contact you. The giveaway is open to both US and foreign residents and will close on June 3, 2015 at 5 pm ET, when I'll choose three random winners. Good luck!

Quilt Local: Finding Inspiration in the Everyday

I am thrilled to be able to share the cover of my debut book, Quilt Local: Finding Inspiration in the Everyday, with you! Easily the biggest project I've ever worked on, this book has truly been a labor of love, and I could not be more happy with the result.  The book contains twenty projects, each in two color ways, with complete instructions for each, as well as stories about their inspiration and color and fabric choices for each one, too. Also included are chapters on finding inspiration, color theory, my process of translating inspiration into quilt designs, and basic quilt construction, as well as a forward by my incredible mentor, Denyse Schmidt. Here's a bit more about Quilt Local from my publisher, STC Craft | Melanie Falick Books: 

"For hundreds of years quilt makers have been inspired by places and objects in their everyday lives. Think of Churn Dash, Rail Fence, Flying Geese, Log Cabin, and hundreds of other quilt patterns developed in the past. The (mostly) women who made these quilts had a desire to create beautiful, functional objects, and drew upon what they saw in their daily lives as inspiration for their work. Heather Jones is honored to carry on this tradition in her debut book, Quilt Local, featuring 40 stunning projects inspired by country roads, cityscapes, and street signs (the landscape of her modern existence), plus invaluable lessons on color theory and sparking creativity."

Quilt Local will be released this fall, and I'll be sharing more about the book and events to celebrate the publication later, but if you just can't wait, it is available now for preorder on Abrams' website here. Stay tuned for more sneak peeks and information!

winner of the Succulents fabric giveaway

Thank you very much to all of you who entered my giveaway of the fat quarter bundle of Succulents fabric by Heather Givans. The winner is 

lucky number 23, who happens to be...

Robin! Congratulations, Robin. I've sent your email address to the folks at Windham who will be in touch about your prize. I hope you have fun with the fabrics!

Succulents by Heather Givans for Windham Fabrics and a giveaway!

I'm so proud of my friend Heather Givans of Crimson Tate. I've had the pleasure of knowing her for a few years now, and we truly have had some amazing times together (like that one dinner in Austin back in 2013 for the first QuiltCon that included Pop Rocks, the Butlers, two Heathers and a Val; and an eleven hour car ride together, twice!, last fall.) Heather is truly an inspiration; she's incredibly talented and is a fantastic teacher and proponent of the sewing and quilting community, and it has been a joy to see her grow from a quilt maker and shop owner to a fabric designer, with the release of her first collection, Succulents, for Windham Fabrics. Plus, she's the most supportive friend and is pretty darn fun, to boot. I love that girl!

photo by Eric Lubrick

Here's a closer look at the collection. Heather is an avid collector of succulents and she chose those beautiful plants as a theme for the collection. Her hand drawn images are so sweet and I love the color palette that she used. It's hard to pick a favorite print, for sure, but I really love those border prints. 

photo by Eric Lubrick

Heather asked me to make something with her fabrics back in the fall, and of course I said yes. I had the opportunity to make these super sweet little pants for this adorable little guy, who happens to the be son of Eric Lubrick, the amazing photographer who took all of these beautiful photos. I used Heather's blue Scandia print that was inspired by vintage pottery, and my pattern from back when I specialized in designing and making children's wear. I made them a bit long and roomy so this little guy would get plenty of use out of them!

photo by Eric Lubrick

And, guess what? One of you will have the chance to win a fat quarter bundle of the complete Succulents collection, courtesy of the folks at Windham. To enter, please let me know what you would like to make with these fabrics, and I'll randomly choose a winner on Sunday, March 29, 2015. Please make sure to include your email address so I can notify you if you're the winner. International entries are welcome. Good luck, and be sure to visit all of the stops along this blog hop for even more chances to win!

March 15: Heather Givans of Crimson Tate

March 16: Eric Lubrick of Eric Lubrick Photography

March 17: Sarah Sharp of {no} hats quilts }

March 18: Lindsay Lefevere of ellesquare

March 19: Karen McTavish of McTavish Quilting Studio

March 20: David Barnhouse of Crimson Tate

March 21: Meghan Eschbaugh of Calvin and Carolyn

March 22: Brooke Starnes

March 23: Matthew Wheeler of Kapa Quilts

March 24: Samantha Howard of Bobaloo Kids

March 25: Amy Garro of 13 spools

March 26: Amanda Castor of Material Girl Quilts

March 27: Heather Jones of Heather Jones Studio

March 28: Heather Givans of Crimson Tate

Color Theory for Modern Quilters, now on Creativebug!

You might remember that I spent some time in San Francisco back in January filming new classes with my friends at Creativebug. We were incredibly busy that week, and I was in their studios for five full days of filming. And now my first new class is ready to go! It's my Color Theory for Modern Quilters, and you can check it out on Creativebug here. 

In the class, I cover the basics of color theory, how they relate to both solid and printed fabrics, and ways to create your own unique color stories using objects and ephemera that you're inspired by. And of course, no class on color theory would be complete without talking about Josef Albers and his "Interaction of Color," so I spend a bit of time talking about him as well. While the course is meant for quilters, I think it would also quite useful for anyone who would like to learn more about color. Here are a couple of the palettes that I came up with by using some of my paint chips and vintage sewing notions, combined with my friend Courtney's super cool ephemera. 

And the best part of all is that Creativebug just reduced their subscription rate to $4.95 a month! For the price of a latte, you can watch this class and all of the amazing courses that are currently offered on the site. What a bargain!

Seriously, what are you waiting for? Go on and check it out now!  While you're there, don't forget to check out my older classes too, including my Diamonds in the Sky, Jelly Roll Rainbow, and Mod Stripes quilt workshops.

my improvisational patchwork workshop in Dayton, Ohio

I'm really excited to announce that I'm offering my first local workshop next month. I'll be teaching my Improvisational Patchwork class, which is one of my favorites, on Saturday, April 25, from 10:00-5:00. In the class, you'll learn how to let go and begin to design intuitively, to create completely unique and one-of-a-kind blocks, rather than following a specific pattern. From completely random piecing, to improvised blocks with a bit more structure, this workshop will challenge you to think about quilting in a whole new light, particularly if you are new to improvisation.  We will cover three different techniques for working improvisationally, and you'll leave the class with a good number of blocks that can be used as small patchwork projects or the beginnings of a larger quilt. We will also discuss how to combine improvisational designs and larger blocks, as well as a variety of techniques to complete your work.

Our workshop will take place at the Front Street Studios, which is an amazing building that used to be an envelope factory and currently houses artists' workspaces. We be using this large room that you see above, but I promise it will have more light! We will also have a ton of wall space for laying out your designs and great views of the city. Lunch is included in the price of the workshop and will consist of fresh and yummy box lunches from Dorothy Lane Market, one of my favorite local eateries. 

You'll need to bring your own sewing machine and basic sewing notions, and I'll provide ironing stations and some cutting mats. You are welcome to bring your own cutting mat as well and we should have plenty of space to spread out, as I've set the class so that there is a maximum of 20 students. You will also need a bag of scrap fabric in various sizes or small cuts of yardage of three or four fabrics (between 1/4 and 1/3 yard of each is plenty), as well a yard of a solid neutral fabric that will be used as the background. 

We'll start the class with a trunk show of some of my work, and then we'll discuss ways to approach improvisation before we get started. As this is an all day workshop, the pace will be relaxed and students will have plenty of time to explore the various techniques that I will cover in class. We'll break for lunch, a customizable fresh box lunch from Dorothy Lane Market, on site. Then we'll continue working the rest of the day and end class with a group show and tell.

I'm so excited to finally be offering a local workshop! People have been asking me for a long time, and I've wanted to do it for a long time as well, and I hope this will be the first of many. To register, please head on over to my Shop tab above, and scroll down to Improvisational Patchwork Workshop, or just click on that link. I hope to see you next month!

see you at QuiltCon!

It's hard to believe that I'll be in Austin, Texas in less than a week for QuiltCon! It's always hard to leave my family, but I'm really looking forward to seeing old friends and meeting lots of new ones. And I'm super excited about being in a city with much warmer temperatures. I thought it was about time that I formally share my schedule while I'm there because I realize that I haven't done that yet. Whoops! 

I'm giving two lectures at the show, the first of which is on Friday, February 20th, from 11-11: 45. I'll be speaking about Large Scale Piecing, which I feel is fundamental to Modern Quilting. I'll talk about its roots, ways to simplify design elements, how to increase the scale of traditional block designs, and the logistics of how to deal with such large pieces of fabric.

My second lecture is also on Friday, the 20th, from 4-4:45. I'll be teaching the basics of color theory and color interaction and specifically how to apply those ideas to quilting projects. I'll discuss the major fundamentals of color theory and design, how different colors relate to each other, and how a color can be influenced by other colors that surround it. I'll also share some tips on how to build your own color library using your own sense of design and intuitive color theory.  

I'm so excited that three of my quilts will be display at the show! My Improvisational Pineapple quilt, shown at the top of this post, will be in the special exhibition featuring quilts from the Modern Solids Challenge, sponsored by FreeSpirit Fabric. 

My Fly Away quilt will also be on display, although I'm not sure where it's going to be hanging. This is one of two of my quilts that were accepted by the jurors to be included in the show at QuiltCon.

And my Improvisational Half Log Cabin quilt will be on display too. This is seriously my most favorite quilt that I have ever made, so much so that I've remade it two more times. More on that later.

But, perhaps the thing I'm most excited about is that I get to share my new book at QuiltCon! Please come visit me in the Stitch Lab booth, #216, on Saturday, February 21 from 3-4:00 where I'll be giving a sneak peek of my upcoming book, "Quilt Local." I'll have a digital copy to show as well as some of the quilts from my book.

I'll also be hanging around in the Crimson Tate booth, #713, when I'm not in my classes with Anna Maria Horner and the quilters of Gee's Bend. It's going to be a pretty great weekend, I do believe. Hope to see you there!