In the midst of getting stuff ready for any deadline, it can sometimes be a mild panic/freak-out/rush. Sally might attest to that. Wonderful Laura Jaquinto (my new BFF) over at Windham Fabrics has held my hand through the whole process of developing my first fabric line. She has begun to intuit my urges and instincts, rather like observing a wild animal in its habitat. She knew I was freezing-up (due to being overwhelmed) when it came time to produce all the quilts and samples with my fabric, so she rounded up Sally Keller to help test a mostly-written pattern for me: the Watercolor Quilt. This quilt depicts a huge watercolor tray laid out on newspaper and in the upper right corner is a sheet of paper containing a child’s watercolor painting and signature (the art is all raw edge appliqué but the tray and background and paper are all pieced).
Allow me to insert (un-modestly) here: I LOVE THIS QUILT. I am proud of it and excited to share it. Every time I show it to someone they either tell me they have chills, or they cry. You know you are up to something good when people get chills or cry. 🙂 It is a special quilt and each one will be different because you can use the flowers and bugs I provided or better yet, in the pattern I describe how you can interpret your own child’s artwork in exactly the same manner as mine, so you can preserve their art in a quilt. What sewing parent or grand-parent wouldn’t want to do that, right? My inspiration for the artwork in the Watercolor Quilt was one of my son’s kindergarten drawings…
See the bug and flowers? |
Here is the original watercolor Quilt I made last fall… |
Here is Sally’s gorgeous version of the Watercolor Quilt in COLLAGE! |
Sally did an incredible job and then made something equally fab from her own daughter’s princess drawing. She used my instructions to celebrate her inner artist! (Nothing makes me happier than being an inner-artist enabler.) Go read more about it on her blog HERE and enter to win a giveaway of 10″ squares of COLLAGE! Thank you, Sally.
Sally’s incredible quilt made from her daughter’s artwork using COLLAGE! |
oh my…I may have to reconsider my aversion to raw edge applique for this project. its amazing
Big love. Let me tell you, these folks are really doing cool stuff with your fabric. Amazing!!!!!
Oh, such beautiful and poignant pieces – ones that will remind you, always, of your child! How I wish I was a young mother again!!! (maybe I’ll have grandchildren to make quilts for!)
Once again, COLLAGE is starring in my quilt dreams ….
When will your Watercolor Quilt Pattern be released?! I would love to do one with the help of my little granddaughters!