Sew Sundays Baby Quilt

Posted on June 9, 2014 by Plaid Portico

Well I have finished a small and supposedly simple baby quilt for some friends and a very special little one. I designed it in Adobe Illustrator as a sort of plaid using the Pop Rox fabrics with white to keep it modern and clean. Why it wasn’t simple was because I was sewing it and quilting it all myself and am still finding my way. And this is my first non-improv piece (which made me want to do a crazy improv next) But in the end I let all the little errors fall as they may and it’s still a cute little quilt.

And it’s pretty easy to make one like this using any fabrics you want. It’s 44×44 so you can use a backing selvedge to selvedge (I was dying to use the Pop Rox main border print so this quilt was an excuse to do that!). And I used either 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9 inches for each column on each side. Hmmm, let me see what order it was in. The horizontal was 7,5,2,3,4,6,8,9 and the vertical was…6,5,2,3,4,7,8,9. But you can do whatever you want. This would also be really fun using all prints or using different colors of solids.

Pop Rox plaid baby quilt by Carol Van Zandt

back of Pop Rox plaid baby quilt by Carol Van Zandt

Pop Rox plaid baby quilt by Carol Van Zandt

What was really fun about this is that I got to use the whole collection on the white color way…er I actually didn’t use the pink/melon zig-zag, but it was originally going to be the border, but then I found out the baby in question was a boy…so I went all traditional and did blue. But you know I know his dad wears pink so I should have been braver.

Pop Rox by Carol Van zandt

The Downton Abbey Schoolhouse: Quilt Market Houston 2013

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Plaid Portico

Well, schoolhouse started off with a one of a kind event. There was only one room open: the ballroom. Instead of people all milling around to twenty or so different simultaneous sessions, Andover Fabrics made a big splash with a Downton Abbey special, featuring appearances and talks by the award winning Costume Designer for the series, Caroline McCall and Production Designer Donal Woods (who also does Homeland and did 24).

Hearing them talk about the design process and decisions on set was cool. There was a sizzle reel of season 4 snippets and pics of a visit to the castle and the set by Andover president David Weinstein and design director Kathy Hall. We loved hearing what it was like behind the scenes. It was…fun. And different. And well done. Show biz meets Quilt Market. Here are pics of projects using the fabrics from the Downton Abbey fabric collection from Andover. There are collections within the collection for the Dowager Countess, Lady Edith, Lady Mary and Lady Sybil.

Downton Abbey nesting oval boxes and storage boxes by Quilted Koala

Authentic 1920’s Hat and One Hour Dress Patterns by eVINTAGEpatterns using Downton Abbey fabrics by Kathy Hall

Abbey Star Quilt by Mountainpeek Creations using Downton Abbey fabrics by Kathy Hall

detail of Abbey Star Quilt by Mountainpeek Creations using Downton Abbey fabrics by Kathy Hall

Ladies of Downton Abbey quilt by Tiffany Hayes using Downton Abbey fabric by Kathy Hall

detail of Ladies of Downton Abbey quilt by Tiffany Hayes using Downton Abbey fabric by Kathy Hall

Counterpoint Quilt by Mountainpeek Creations using Downton Abbey fabric by Kathy Hall

detail of Counterpoint Quilt by Mountainpeek Creations using Downton Abbey fabric by Kathy Hall

9 Easy Pieces quilt pattern by Mountainpeek Creations using Downton Abbey fabric by Kathy Hall

detail of 9 Easy Pieces quilt pattern by Mountainpeek Creations using Downton Abbey fabric by Kathy Hall

Edith’s Grand Entrance Quilt pattern by Tiffany Hayes using Downton Abbey fabric by Kathy Hall

Regal Mary Quilt by Tiffany Hayes using Downton Abbey Fabrics by Kathy Hall

Birds of a Feather Quilt by Lucy A. Fazely using Downton Abbey by Kathy Hall

detail of Birds of a Feather Quilt by Lucy A. Fazely using Downton Abbey by Kathy Hall

Simply Sybil Quilt using Downton Abbey by Kathy Hall

Ladies of Downton Abbey quilt pattern by Tiffany Hayes using Downton Abbey fabric by Kathy Hall

Lots of bags! Including Tahiti Tote, Manhattan Handbag, Tuscany Tote by Pink Sand Beach Designs

The Kathy Hall, designer of the Downton Abbey fabric collection

There was a HUGE crowd. I heard 1000, and then I heard 1500. The seats started filling up at 9:15, and the house was pretty full full at 9:45. We were captivated from 10-11, transported to Highclere Castle. And then there was the filing out where everyone got a tote bag. (even me and I don’t usually go for those things..) All I can say is I can’t wait for the next season to start!

Quilt Market #12: Alison Glass

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Plaid Portico

Well, amongst all the visual stimulation at Quilt Market one does stumble upon certain things that stand out. For me this year there were a couple designers out with their first fabric collections that I was very attracted to. One was Alison Glass with Andover Fabrics, Inc.

I saw projects made out of her new collection “Lucky Penny” at an Andover meeting before Quilt Market even started and I made a beeline right over there. I was entranced. It was different, with a unique palette and quality of linework. Totally appealing. Then I had the pleasure of meeting her and was delighted. By the end of Quilt Market, it still stood out for me, and so here are some shots of some projects using Lucky Penny by Alison Glass with Andover Fabrics, Inc.

: Lucky Penny by Alison Glass for Andover Fabrics

: Lucky Penny by Alison Glass for Andover Fabrics

: Lucky Penny by Alison Glass for Andover Fabrics

: Lucky Penny by Alison Glass for Andover Fabrics; Oh, and then there was …”the quilt”. Alison designed the quilt and Lisa Sipes did the machine quilting. Amazing! It made its way all over market. We all got a close look at it at the Andover sales meeting.

Lucky Penny by Alison Glass for Andover Fabrics, quilted by Lisa Sipes

Quilt Market 2012 Houston

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Plaid Portico

If you’ve never been to Quilt Market, take a little journey with me…

Well, what fun. Today the actual market opens, but there have already been several days of antics. For me, it started with an Andover Fabrics sales meeting and company dinner with lots of news of good things to come–new offerings in the batiks and solids (more to come on that), sponsorship of QuiltCon, and most exciting, a look at the new collections coming out. Quite invigorating. More on Andover when I report on the fabric company booths later.

Last year I went to all the Andover schoolhouses which are incredibly well attended and have great give-aways. This year I branched out and spontaneously went to where my nose led me, and I have some pics to show for it! Then last night was the fabric 2.0 opening party, a place to meet new people, catch up with old friends, and meet in person people I’ve known online. No pics of that so sorry, but here goes for some schoolhouse action–remember there are a million sessions and one cannot be everywhere at once – I wish!

First up was Dena of Dena Designs, the gal with one of the coolest booths at Surtex, showing her new fabric line “Happi”and projects she’s made with it. Dena handpaints everything, and has a new book coming out, The Painted Home.

Dena Designs

The Painted Home by Dena

Next was Jennifer Paganelli, showing her new collection Happy Land, a fun video she did with Downy and a second book coming out called Happy Home. Jennifer was accompanied by Carla Hegeman Crim, who writes many of the Sis Boom patterns and has her own book out now, Sewn Hats.

Jennifer Paganelli at Quilt Market 2012 Schoolhouse

Sis Boom

Sewn Hats by Carla Hegeman Crim

Valori Wells was there with her new line “Novella”, some quilt patterns to go with it, a slideshow that included her photography that serves as inspiration, and new sewing cards.

Valori Wells

Anna Maria Horner came with a variety of new fabrics (velveteen, voile, rayon) in her Field Study collection, her embroidery flosses and pearl cotton threads and projects that use all of these things together in new ways. Oh, and a new book, Anna Maria’s Needlework Notebook.

Anna Maria Horner

Anna Maria’s Needleworks Notebook

Amy Butler arrived with colorful projects using Alchemy and studio collections in satine, rayon, voile, velveteen and linen. We were treated to a fashion show with music, and an appealing slide show of spreads from her new online project, Blossom Magazine, launching in November–patterns, photography and inspiration galore. Its sort of a whole culture all its own.

Amy Butler

Next I went one to see some of the new designers at Art Gallery. First up, Angela Walters, machine quilter extraordinaire, with her new fabric line “textures”

Angela Walters

Then there was Bari J with her second collection with Art Gallery, Splendor 1920.

Bari J

And Sarah Watson, Illustrator, with Luxe in Bloom.

Sarah Watson

And Jeni Baker, with her Color Me Retro due Feb 2013.

Jeni Baker

And Pat Bravo, the creative force behind Art Gallery Fabrics concluded the schoolhouse with a video and a view of her new collection, Rock ‘n Romance.

Pat Bravo

That’s it for now. In the next few days I will continue to report on my Quilt Market 2012 journey and share pics of booths, designers, cool projects, and the quilt exhibitions. Follow along!

The Plaid Portico

modern quilting, quilters, and quilt exhibitions

Tag Archives: Andover Fabrics

Sew Sundays Baby Quilt

The Downton Abbey Schoolhouse: Quilt Market Houston 2013

Quilt Market #12: Alison Glass

Quilt Market 2012 Houston

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