If you missed Part 1, click here.
I was making excellent progress this afternoon—stitching block after block. I have quite an assembly line going! Then I heard the dreaded Low Bobbin Warning beep with the accompanying sad face on the machine. I always appreciate that the machine feels my pain. Maybe it’s also a signal it’s time for chocolate.
Denise’s Must-Haves
Pre-wound Bobbins are the greatest invention since sliced bread! They are the no-muss, no-fuss way of making sure you keep stitching! When you hear that dreaded Low Bobbin Warning—you don’t have to worry about stopping to wind a new bobbin. Just be sure you purchase the right type for your machine. Consult your favorite local dealer for advice or open up the manual that came with your machine!
Or you can take the Always-Prepared-For-Every-Emergency-Approach and before you begin stitching wind a bunch of bobbins so you’re ready. Either way works—you’ll be glad you have them handy.
As I mentioned in Part 1 of this blog—I like to focus on one or two blocks and make as many variations as possible changing fabric, thread colors, etc. I decided to use 5 Flower 5_small for my quilt. I hooped a quilt sandwich using Snap-Hoop Monster and stitched a series of blocks. Like snowflakes, I decided no two blocks would be alike.
To add variety I layered the applique fabrics in a different order and sometimes I got daring and skipped some applique steps and just stitched the outlines. I kept my assembly-line process—and continued to stitch block after block without trimming away the applique. This was a good idea and also a learning experience. The finished blocks wouldn’t be unveiled until I trimmed them—talk about a fabricated surprise!
Using Snap-Hoop Monster makes it easy to lift the frame and slide the fabric to make room for the next block. Love that!
I ignored that voice in my head that cautioned against layering light colored fabrics on top of black fabric. I ignored that voice in my head that warned against using light colored thread on light fabrics. After all, my goal was to be a free-spirit and create however I wanted. I stand by that goal of creating and experimenting to see firsthand if something works… or not. Who’s to say it does or doesn’t work but you, the designer? Besides, it’s a valuable learning experience….
Denise’s Tip #1
Go ahead and experiment with colors, layering different applique fabric, working with busy prints, etc. Make a note of what works and what doesn’t so that you can improve next time.
Learning Experience Block 1
I admit it was laziness that inspired me to not change thread colors. I started out with white thread and figured I could stitch the entire block with white thread. But if I had changed the thread to black when stitching the polka dot and the white fabric, the block would have been more attractive because the detailed stitching would have ‘popped’ more rather than blend in. Sometimes, you do want everything to blend in… so there’s no hard fast rule.
Learning Experience Block 2
Light colored fabrics can be placed on dark fabrics. You just have to place a second layer of light fabric underneath. Notice how the black fabric affects the vibrancy of the orange polka dot fabric in Block 1 above. For Block 2 below I used two layers of white fabric on top of the black.
More Experimentation!
After stitching a set of blocks using white and black solid fabric as a background I decided to experiment by using the orange polka dot fabric as the background.
Denise’s Tip #2
Remember to hoop the base fabric straight when working with printed fabrics. If this is a challenge—then you’re not using Snap-Hoop Monster! Snap-Hoop products have a flat top and bottom frame making it simple to adjust the fabric by giving it a tug.
Time to Play
I enjoy Stipple collections not only because they produce results quickly and flawlessly but I get to play! I love stacking my quilt blocks then arranging them—and rearranging them and … you get the idea. There are countless ways to lay out the quilt blocks—go ahead and set aside some time to play!
It’s also a fun to get others involved in the creative process. I asked Editor, Eileen Roche to rearrange the blocks. I like what she’s come up with!
Looks like I’ll have a tough choice deciding layout. Plus I’ll need to come up with some extra blocks to fill in!
|
|
|
79 COMMENTS
Mary Haggenmaker
11 years agoI really like the ecru that you have the blocks sitting on in your pictures.
Beth R
11 years agoI would go with orange for the sashing – complement the polka dot and make the black stand out.
Mary Haggenmaker
11 years agoMy threads are right behind my machine and over to the right of it on 3 thread racks mounted on pegboard. I also have the rack that attaches to my machine where I can line up the colors I will be using for a particular embroidery project.
Mary Haggenmaker
11 years agoEnded up in the wrong place, didn’t mean to intrude, sorry.
mimi
11 years agohow about orange with black polka-dots
Donna N.
11 years agoTwo adjoining sides black with orange dots and the other 2 sides orange with black dots.
Donna
11 years agoI think I would go with a thin orange with dots border and then a wider black one.
Marcia Nation
11 years agoGood choice Donna! If I had a vote, I’d vote for you!
Kim M Harrington
11 years agoOn my laptop, I can’t tell if it is red or orange, but the black rectangles with the red or orange dots on them is what I am thinking of. Use that color (solid) since none of the blocks are solid in that color. It seems like a good choice so none of the blocks will be sashed with the same color that the block is. Is that about as clear as mud???
Paula Roney
11 years agoI’d try an orange stripe border. Maybe cut on the diagonal.
Virginia
11 years agoI would absolutely use a polka dot fabric selecting one that matches one of your blocks. An orange might be good with fall coming. I love thinking out of the box. Sometimes that is hard for me to do but after looking at the polka dot fabric you selected I would so love that.
TroyJennene
11 years agoI would go with White background with black polka dots to enhance the blocks and not take away from the color or the design of each block. Good luck with finishing it
annette Rady
11 years agoWell,having completely outgrown my very large Koala drawer for thread storage… I find it easy to use clear shoe boxex without lids on the swing out shelves… I’ve dedicated a color group to each box…reds and purples, greens, yellows and oranges, blues, Aquas and blue green blends and one just for neutrals; black, grays, beiges, browns and whites. The boxes are easy to reach from where I’m sitting and I can pick the right one at a glance.It is not perfect but it’s working for me right now.
Sandra Fidler
11 years agoI loved your experiment with fabric: In reply to the contest for this week – I have an entire set of Arc threads. I keep them in a plastic rolling cart, sorted by color range. This has worked great for me and keeps my thread out of direct light.
Diane Willey
11 years agoI am not sure until I tried it but I would try a polka dot in black and white – either black with white dots or white with black dots. Good luck – know it will look stunning!
Katherine Artines
11 years agoGo BOLD Denise! Use a funky lime green or a mustard gold, maybe in a small tonal geometric check.
Denise Holguin
11 years agoHadn’t thought of lime green– that’s a great idea!
Carolyn H2
11 years agoI think a narrow sashing of black & a wide sashing of orange.
Becky3580
11 years agoI think a nice shade of green or even two shades of green like a deep leaf green would be nice. It would make it blend from season to season and make the orange and black pop.
Linda Turner
11 years agoI think you ought to be really free spirit and go for a completely different color! How about a bright lime green????
Shelly C
11 years agoI think gray sashing would set it off and then black binding to finish it off.
Denise Holguin
11 years agoHadn’t thought of gray. Thank you Shelly!
Stella
11 years agoI think a black and white check for the sashing probably 1/2″ in size, larger than the dots.
Gail Beam
11 years agoI think a thin black and white stripe border with a wider black and orange check border would look nice.
Mary
11 years agoLooking at the design board,somewhere in there I would go with gray.That’s what popped out the minute I saw the designs, Maybe some thin strips of orange or black to complement.
Greta Kanegae
11 years agoI love the orange for the sashing which is strange, it’s not a go to color for me, but it looks so happy on the blocks.
Denise Holguin
11 years agoGreta,
I don’t even like orange so making the quilt with orange was quite a stretch for me! I’m glad I pushed myself to try something other than my usual favorite color (blue!). You are right– the blocks do have a ‘happy’ look about them.
starr kanikeberg
11 years agoFirst, I’d like to say the dots remind me of the little candies that were on paper years ago–fun!
Thin black, thin orange, wider black– it would look like a double picture mat with a black frame.
Denise Holguin
11 years agoOh that’s funny! Yes, and now I want to make a version in those candy colors!
Good suggestions too!
joycej
11 years agoI think you need a thin black maybe a black/ white dot and another wider fabric like apple green to give it a real splash of color. Love the endless possibilities you can do with this Stipple block.
Doree shandera
11 years agoI like a black with pinpoint orange polka dots
Debbie W.
11 years agoOrange!! This looks like an awesome quilt for a dorm room or alumi of Oklahoma State University! Go, Pokes!
Debbie W.
11 years agoOops! Alumni!
Valerie Brown
11 years agoGray…If you want your blocks to be the star.
Green… If you want your sashing to be the star.
So gray wins for me, but I’m not sure why you have to have sashing in the first place. I can’t wait to see the finished product. I know it will be fabulous!
Valerie Brown
11 years agoWait, wait, wait… The answer is in the blog banner at the top of the page. That double sashing would really make the blocks pop and not become the star of the quilt.
Denise Holguin
11 years agoYou raise some good points Valerie. I hadn’t even considered going without sashing. I might have to stitch more blocks just to experiment even more!
Pam M
11 years agoThis sounds incredibly boring, but I would be thinking white for the sashing. It will space everything out and keep it looking fresh and modern. Colours will make visual tracks over the quilt top which will detract from the blocks as being the main feature. Of course much will depend on which layout you are going to use and what “look” you want. As a second choice, I would vote for Valerie’s suggestion of grey.
Denise Holguin
11 years agoPam,
Not boring at all and I’m glad you suggested white. You are right– it would keep everything fresh and modern– which is my goal.
Grey seems to be another popular choice.
We’ll see what happens!
Judy G
11 years agoBecause I like rectangular quilts rather than square ones, I would use the layout of the last photo pictured in the article with 2 rows of the “polka dot” rectangles at the top and at the bottom of the quilt-alternating background colors on these. Then, a wide row (6″ or so) of solid orange for a sashing followed with a black and white striped fabric for the binding.
Susan D
11 years agoI would use black with white polka dots and stitch with orange thread or add a small orange piping and bind with black and white polka dot fabric
Carol Bartlem
11 years agoI would add a black peeper first then the orange with the white dots for the border and self bind
Orvalee Roe
11 years agoIf you went with design #3, I would start with a thin solid orange sashing to frame the quilt then on each corner incorporate the extra polka dot squares with a joining corner square like you have in design #2 with the orange polkadot fabric and bound with black.
Barbara
11 years agoI’d insert a narrow band of a bright shade of purple (maybe a piping?) and then a black and white polka-dot with purple binding.
Denise Holguin
11 years agoOoooh! Purple piping! I like how you think Barbara!
Patty Sack
11 years agoMost of my stabilizers are in rolls and I store them in a shoe organizer that hooks over my closet door! More than 1 roll will fit in a shoe pocket so you can organize them better.
Natacha Shotts
11 years agoI think that I would use something that ‘reads’ as a solid so the sashing would not detract from the blocks. Otherwise I think it would just be too busy and the designs would lose their impact.
Nancy Owens
11 years agoI think sashing would detract from the great blocks, just use solid orange and black for 2 borders!
Vicki B.
11 years agoI would do a white border with orange polka dot trim. It doesn’t need too be fussy.
Ruth Thompson
11 years agoI would use black with white or orange polka dots. Actually, I would use a neon green to make the whole thing pop!!
Linda Lee
11 years agoI like a double edging with (if you can find it) thin orange with black dots on the inner edge and black on the outer edge. I am in a black loving stage I think.
Laurene
11 years agoBright olive green! I just grouped some thread with the orange and black and it works.
Denise Holguin
11 years agoLaurene,
I like that! Gives it a nice retro feel which I love!
Melli
11 years agoThin black inner border, larger orange polka dot border, thin black outer border, black binding. You could strip piece the border to make it easier and miter the corners to make it look like a frame. MM
starr kanikeberg
11 years ago.
Cornelia du Preez
11 years agoAn orange polka dot border (not too wide)and binding.
Eunice
11 years agoDefinitely orange and white stripes
Susan Burns
11 years agoOrange and black stripes!
Vicky Isliefson
11 years agoYou could stay with your current palette and use the solid orange. Or stay with the modern quilt theme and use a medium-dark grey.
If you want to get crazy, go across the color wheel and use a deep teal.
Sunny
11 years agoContinue the bold. Lime green striped fabric which will also carry the feeling of Fall when combined with your orange, black, etc.
Paula l
11 years agoIf you like blues then put a teal or a bold aqua in there. Not too thick but just enough to frame the individual blocks.
Sue Winnie
11 years agoI used bright yellow
Karen W
11 years agoI think I’d try to find a black & white (or is it ecru?) chevron, with a narrow accent of orange flange (you know, like empty piping) along one edge, then a plain black or orange binding. I think a tiny print would be cute, and stripes or polka dots would also work, especially if they’re small. There are so many ways to go………. ;>) THAT’S the joy of quilting!!
EmmyJay
11 years agoMy first thought is a stripe with all your colors on the diagonal.
Not only will you enhance your block design but introduce a contrast of linear to the circular appliques you’ve spent so much time creating.
Have fun!
BeckyM.
11 years agoI like the 4th layout of designs. What about a leaf green fabric with a stippled design using white thread.
Joyce
11 years agoHi, it all looks so easy to do. I would love to try quilting, but have a machine with one needle and would have no space for all the materials. I do several hobbies so every corner is already stashed full. Of course Hubby hates my work space and must hear it everyday. I must admit I keep on buying, but do the odd freebie that comes along.
Keep going, your work is great !!!!!
Joyce, South Africa
Marsha N.
11 years agoThis might be crazy, but I would use a narrow strip of plain, butter yellow. With the other colors, it would make the quilt shine. The blocks are beautiful.
Berenice
11 years agoI would use a thin teal strip then a thicker black with orange binding…
Denise Holguin
11 years agoBerenice,
I do like teal! Actually I love most shades of blue– but in this case, teal would be perfect!
Denise
Joan D
11 years agoI would go with two thin stripes – one orange and one black.
Gloria Daniel
11 years agoHello how much are the Polka dot designs and where do I get them
Thanks
Denise Holguin
11 years agoHi Gloria,
The designs featured in the blog post are called Stipple Fabulous Flowers & Medallions. It’s available from our website: http://www.shop.dzgns.com/collections/stipple/products/stipple-fab-flowers-and-medallions
The collection features more than just dots! I’ve only showcased two designs but there are quilt blocks with flowers and medallions and also 3D flowers. If you click on the link above you can see the complete collection.
Denise
Gloria Daniel
11 years agoHow and where do I buy Polka dot designs?
debe
11 years agoI’d use orange with white. I store my stabilizer upright in a decorative basket under my sewing table. I’m short on wall space.
Dawn D
11 years agoThe last arrangement shown is the most pleasing & least chaotic to the eye of this non quilter. As a boarder I would use a 1″ finished strip of a burnt orange, to tie it together and not take away from the pattern. Outline this with white, then Orange dot, in slightly wider strips 1 1/2″ & 2 1/2″, then finish with a 6″ black boarder all around to help keep it looking clean from handling. I’m also not a great fan of orange, but this is an interesting color scheme.
Charlotte L
11 years agoHi Denise, First, I would get rid of one black block and add another orange dot block. The black block with the small white center jumps out at me in each design. Since orange is not a go-to color for you (me either) I would go all the way with solid orange sashing. Then a small black border with a wider orange dot border and white binding. Seems like the more white and orange the less Halloween. But that’s just me talking.
Terry Back
11 years agoI would try gray… Or maybe gray with black polka dots
occhiali polarizzati
9 years agoocchiali da vista oakley
occhiali polarizzati http://www.ffdb.no/index_2.asp
Lodge 銉儍銈?銉偢銉冦偗 銉椼儹銉偢銉冦偗 銉儛銉笺偡銉栥儷 銈般儶銉夈儷 20x10-7/16銈ゃ兂銉?LPG13 Logic & Pro-Logic Series 銈偊銉堛儔銈Lodge 銉儍銈?銉偢銉冦偗 銉椼儹銉偢銉
8 years agoTerrific Lodge 銉儍銈?銉偢銉冦偗 銉椼儹銉偢銉冦偗 銉儛銉笺偡銉栥儷 銈般儶銉夈儷 20×10-7/16銈ゃ兂銉?LPG13 Logic & Pro-Logic Series 銈偊銉堛儔銈Lodge 銉儍銈?銉偢銉冦偗 銉椼儹銉偢銉冦偗 銉儛銉笺偡銉栥儷 銈般儶銉夈儷 20×10-7/16銈ゃ兂銉? http://ameblo.jp/akwfh516/entry-12158177031.html, thinking about many years of offer
mbt trainers uk
7 years agohttp://www.oakcentre.co.uk