Friday Flashback - Jelly Bean Fabric and Bunnies

I like how the tops of his ears have blue jelly bean extensions!
Serendipitous, I just noticed it.

Tight squeeze in a 5" x 7" frame, so you can
get an idea how big they are.
Feel free to enlarge or reduce them

Very versatile bunny appliqués from the 1991 Burda Easter issue.  I originally made and posted these in March, 2008

The top bunny made an appearance later for the Chinese New Year of the Rabbit in 2011.

-- And I'm still working through the yards and yards and yards of jelly bean fabric I bought over 20 years ago.  I can carbon-date it back at least that far because it was used in my daughter's Easter dress when she was 3.

Truly magical year for Texas wildflowers at the ranch.
A mislabeled rye grass seed bag had wildflower seed instead!

Seriously, I think I bought at least 10 yards back in the day when Wal-Mart had $1/yard fabric.

Jelly beans and bunnies and bluebonnet photos never go out of style.

Hoffman Challenge 2015

M7405 381G Pomegranate Gold

This is the 2015 Hoffman Challenge fabric.   If you click on the link, you'll get all the information about the fabric and the Challenge.

I think the colors and combination are also inspiration for watercoloring.  Teal, hot pink and gold?  Which Hoffman is naming the looks-like-teal-to-me as Indigo in their suggested coordinates.  I may just order some and see. (There is always an excuse to buy fabric, right?)  I'm going to play around with these colors and create my own challenge to myself.  Let the game begin!  I will start a new label on my sidebar - Hoffman Fabric Inspired Watercolor Challenge 2015.  

I don't think I will ever run out of inspiration and things to try and paint in watercolor.  Might as well make it interesting and fun.

Quilts For Boston

The Boston Modern Quilt Guild is making and distributing quilts for those affected by the tragedy last week.

They are asking the quilting community for help in making blocks for these quilts, or donations of fabric, in blue, yellow, gray and white -- solids and prints are both welcome.   Please click on the link above for the particulars.

The deadline is May 24, 2013.

Quilt Across Texas

I just received from Creations, my "Quilt Across Texas" panel by Sara Khammash for Moda Fabrics - Pattern #32510. It is approximately 24" x 44" and sells for $7.98. Click here to order this and the other fabrics created by Moda especially for the First Annual Quilt Across Texas Statewide Shop Hop.

Frohe Ostern from Burda

I'm hoping I just said Happy Easter in German. The Burda Special Easter issue (from 1991) is entirely in German, including the instructions. There is a photo of a yummy looking cake and it says, "Frohe Ostern"...

These bunnies are from a table runner project in the issue. I zig-zagged appliqued around the edges using metallic thread, which tangled and broke about every inch along the way. I also used Viking's quilting stitch F2 1/4" around the bunnies in pink. Target had a special assortment of spring-colored frames for $5; the 5"x 7" was perfect. Of course I did the bunnies first then bought the frames. Whew, they fit!

The Fabric of Our Lives

The January 2008 issue of Texas Monthly has a great article about the Houston International Quilt Festival on Page 116. Author Michael Hall, son of quilting author and winner Jane Hall, followed his mom around during three days of Festival. Pick up your copy at Costco for $3.47. Or for you out-of-staters, the code is "HOUSTON" so you can read it online.

Fun and slightly snarky quilting magazine

I used my 40% off Jo-Ann's coupon for this today. Mark Lipinsky's Quilter's Home - for the new generation of quilters. Entertaining and creative reading whether you are a sewist or quilter.

Hey Quilt Girl!

I've been getting emails -- "Peggy, you talk the talk, but have you actually ever made a quilt?" Yes, I have, but I gave them away. "Ha!," you say. But seriously, they went to St. Jude's in Memphis, Tennessee and to Houston for the Hurricane Katrina evacuees.

To the above left are the St. Jude quilts our ASG Neighborhood Group made. Mine is out of camera range (true!), I was standing in the street to take the photo as it was. But on the right is one of my Katrina quilts. I was hoping it would go to a child, hence the 'Scooby Doo" and "Lion King" prints. Note the Texas flag print in the center. (If you like, you can read my quilting stories for PatternReview.com by clicking here for St. Jude's and here for Katrina)

Since I was and still am a quilting beginner's beginner, I used Kaye Wood's 6 Hour Quilt book-let. People, if I can do this, anyone can! Several years ago at the Houston International Quilt Festival, Kaye had an area where people could take a break, sit and serge strips for the Love Connection charity quilts, using her method. Even if you had never quilted, or sewed for that matter, this was easy and simple enough to do. When I originally bought the book, I thought it would make a nice Christmas gift in holiday fabrics or out of denim (the legs). I still do...! ;-)