Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Germinate Shawl :: A Finished Knit

Germinate Shawl - Red Pepper Quilts. Pattern by Kirsten Kapur
Germinate Shawl 
Last week was a busy week at RPQ HQ. My daughter celebrated a big birthday and it has been a week of festivities. Parties at my house also mean packing up all of my sewing paraphernalia - I don't have a sewing room as such (although if you were to ask my family I am sure they would tell you that the entire house is my sewing room. Ha! No, no, not true!) Anyway, packing up, stash tidying and de-threading everything was absolutely worth it, and now that it is a new week I am starting with a clean and tidy workspace.

Germinate Shawl - Red Pepper Quilts. Pattern by Kirsten Kapur

In the mean time - while I get back into my sewing groove - I will share with you my finished knit project.

Germinate Shawl - Red Pepper Quilts. Pattern by Kirsten Kapur

Germinate Shawl - Red Pepper Quilts

Stripes and lace! Germinate Shawl is a lace shawl design by Kirsten Kapur which offers both opportunity for color play as well as trying your hand at some simple lace knitting. The lace sections look impressive and deceptively complicated but the rows/pattern repeat and the stitches are simple. 

Germinate Shawl - Red Pepper Quilts

The Yarn: Madeline Tosh Merino Light in Clover, 
Grasshopper and Silver Fox

Germinate Shawl - Red Pepper Quilts

This yarn! Still my favorite ~ Madeline Tosh Merino Light ~ a hand dyed single-ply fingering weight yarn in 100% superwash merino wool. The yarn is super soft and squishy, and comes in such a wonderful range of colors (although I believe that the Clover colorway has now been discontinued). Lovely yarn to work with and even more lovely to wear!

Germinate Shawl - Red Pepper Quilts




For more pictures and details (including pattern links) of the Germinate Shawl check out my Ravelry page:

Thank you for stopping by!
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
More completed knitting projects.

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

Sunday Stash #231 - Arcadia by Sarah Watson and a Fat Quarter Shop Blogger's Choice Bundle

Arcadia by Sarah Watson for Cloud9 Fabrics
Arcadia by Sarah Watson for Cloud9 Fabrics
Arcadia by Sarah Watson for Cloud9 Fabrics is due to arrive in stores next month - June 2014 - [this bundle was sent to me without obligation - courtesy of Cloud9 Fabrics]. 

Arcadia by Sarah Watson for Cloud9 Fabrics

...  toadstools, bouquets of fragrant herbs and wildflowers, 
big bright sunflowers, tumbling weeds, bees, flutterflies,
 butterflies, snails and bugs
 living peacefully together in a dewy garden ...

Arcadia by Sarah Watson for Cloud9 Fabrics

The big sunflowers and the stormy blue color palette have me completely drawn in, never mind that like all Cloud9 fabric collections all are printed on 100% certified organic cotton base cloths and only eco-responsible low impact dyes for printing and dying are used. These are lovely!

Arcadia by Sarah Watson is available now from:
Fabric Worm
GJ Discount Fabrics
Blogger's Choice Bundle for the Fat Quarter Shop by Red Pepper Quilts
I was also asked to pick a Blogger's Choice bundle for The Fat Quarter Shop! Choosing and collating fabrics in advance as well as from a screen is tricky so I've played it safe with stash basics: dots, stripes and small scale floral prints that will happily mix with stash fabrics.
Blogger's Choice Bundle for the Fat Quarter Shop by Red Pepper Quilts

Kimberly from the Fat Quarter Shop is kindly allowing me to give away a FQ bundle as pictured to one lucky RPQ reader. To be in the draw to win a Red Pepper Quilts Blogger's Choice Fat Quarter Bundle leave a comment on this blog post. Only one comment per person/per email address - email me if you are not able to leave a comment (redpepperquilts at gmail dot com) and I will leave a comment on your behalf. International entries welcome!

Blogger's Choice Bundle for the Fat Quarter Shop by Red Pepper Quilts

The draw will take place at 9.30am (Australia EST) on Tuesday 27 May 2014, at which time comments to this post will be closed. The winner will be announced by edit to this blog post, and will also be contacted by email.

Good luck everyone and thank you to the team at the Fat Quarter Shop.

Enjoy Sunday!
Rita
Thank you for all of your entries!
ENTRY HAS NOW CLOSED.
The lucky winner is Pat

Congratulations Pat and happy sewing! 
Pat has been contacted by email.

RELEVANT LINKS:
Red Pepper Quilts Blogger's Choice bundle

Friday, May 23, 2014

Equilateral Triangle Quilt - A Finished Quilt

And a picture post.
Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

Equilateral Triangle Quilt
54.5 inches x 64.5 inches
Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

I have lots of photos of the finished Equilateral Triangle Quilt to share with you today. This quilt was a lot of work and required all of my concentration when cutting and sewing, but it came together surprisingly well. I won't say easy, but the quilt top was nice and flat and most points meet.

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts
Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

I have used more than 200 different printed fabrics to make this quilt, and have alternated the layout with a dark and light triangle. There are 450 triangles with additional half triangles along both sides of the quilt. Much time was spent choosing, cutting, folding, and returning fabric to stash.

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts
Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

I have quilted the quilt with edge to edge straight lines, outlining all of the seam lines by stitching along both sides of those seam lines. As always, I have used a walking foot to quilt such lines, and have used the outer edge of the walking foot as a stitching guide. It is a slow and steady process, although once the foundation lines are in place I do pick up the pace a little.

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

For the back of the quilt I have used a sweet floral print on a white background (Tiny Floral - Holly Holderman for Lake House Dry Goods). And a signature black and white stripe - this one by Windham Fabrics - for binding.

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

This quilt was listed for sale in my Etsy Store but has sold prior to publishing
 this blog post. It is already making its way to the new owner.

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts
Thank you for stopping by!
Rita
Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts
RELEVANT LINKS:
Red Pepper Quilts Etsy Store
Equilateral Triangle Quilt in Progress

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COPYRIGHT: Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Equilateral Triangle Quilt (Work in Progress)

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

A sneak peek at what I have been working on for the last few days ~ an Equilateral Triangle Quilt. This simple design, using just a single patchwork shape, is so effective and looks great using solid fabrics, prints or a combination of both.

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

The difficulty when working with these triangles is the number of bias edges that you need to sew together. This design requires accurate cutting, gentle fabric handling, and accurate 1/4 inch seam allowance sewing to match seams and to end up with a flat and even quilt top. 

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

I have used a fabric cutter to cut my triangles (I have both major brand fabric cutters and don't prefer one over the other). Using a fabric cutter and die helps to ensure that your triangles are cut accurately, and provided that you pay attention to the grain of the fabric when cutting AND when sewing your triangles together, it really does come together well.

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

I have used many difficult fabrics to make this quilt top - I'd guess at least 200 different fabrics - and I have alternated a darker fabric with a light (low volume) fabric. The triangles were sewn together in horizontal rows, pressing seam allowances to one side (alternating the direction of the seam allowances for each row so that seams nest together). The long seams (from sewing rows together) have been pressed open. This worked well for me.

Equilateral Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

I have made good progress on this quilt. It has been basted and I am currently working on quilting it. One stitch at a time.

Equilateral Triangle Quilt - Red Pepper Quilts
Equilateral Triangle Quilt - 450 triangles
More soon.
Rita

PS did you notice all the 30's fabrics mixed in with modern quilting cottons? Such a happy combination.

RELEVANT LINKS:
Equilateral Triangle Quilt - the Finished Quilt

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COPYRIGHT: Do not copy or use any content or photos from my blog without my written permission. This is original content from www.redpepperquilts.com.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Sunday Stash #230 Storybook Playtime for Windham & Minny Muu for Lecien

Favorite Storybook Playtime Fat Quarter Bundle for Windham Fabrics
Favorite Storybook Playtime Fat Quarter Bundle
 by Whistler Studio for Windham Fabrics
This cheerful and sunny fat quarter bundle brightened my week. I am somewhat obsessed with these 30's prints! I think it is the bright colors and small scale prints that I've fallen for, and that fact that they work so well with a range of modern designer fabrics - which feature so strongly in my fabric stash - that make these such a great addition. They're so easy to work with.

Favorite Storybook Playtime Fat Quarter Bundle for Windham Fabrics

The complete Storybook Playtime collection consists of 41 different fabric in two color palettes ~ Favorites and Night Time. Shown here is the Favorites palette in cheerful yellow, red, orange, and pink. The Night Time colorway includes a range of similar prints in cooler colors - blue, green and lavender.

Favorite Storybook Playtime Fat Quarter Bundle - Windham Fabrics


Storybook Playtime for Windham Fabrics is available from:
The Fat Quarter Shop
Pink Castle Fabrics

And I could not resist this collection:
Minny Muu by Koko Seki for Lecien
Minny Muu by Koko Seki for Lecien
Minny Muu is a range of small scale prints - 1/4" inch designs - tiny! There are six different designs  - ranging from bugs and animals to adorable fairy tale characters  - each in five different colors.  My favorites ... let's start with the sweet ladybugs:

Minny Muu by Koko Seki for Lecien - Ladybugs
Minny Muu - Ladybugs
Minny Muu by Koko Seki for Lecien - Alice
Minny Muu - Alice
Minny Muu by Koko Seki for Lecien - Little Pigs
Minny Muu - Little Pigs
This is such a versatile collection in terms of both color and design, as well as great opportunity for adding some often used low volume prints to my fabric stash.

Minny Muu by Koko Seki is available from:
Pink Castle Fabrics

Enjoy Sunday!
Rita

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Friday, May 16, 2014

Irome Quilt for Kokka Fabric

Irome Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

It is Quilt Market time in Pittsburgh! I love to see what fabric collections are coming out in the next 6 months or so, and although I don't get to go I love to travel along in the virtual world via Instagram or Facebook with those quilters and quilts stores that do go.
Irome for Kokka Fabrics
Irome for Kokka Fabric
(not pictured here are four ombre semi-solid fabrics,
several of which I have used in the making of my quilt. See pictures below).
But I did get to preview the new Kokka Fabric collection called Irome which will debut at Quilt Market (these fabrics were sent to me courtesy of Kokka Fabric). Irome consists of 24 fabrics and four color palettes that represent the seasons. There are six prints for each season ~ Spring, Autumn, Winter and Summer.

Irome for Kokka Fabrics 2014 - selvages

The colors are delightful and several of the designs are wonderfully delicate. I love that the collection consists of fabrics for all of the seasons but despite our Autumnal weather I was immediately drawn to the soft and gentle color palette, mixed with some highlights of bolder/brighter color.

Irome Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt Top by Red Pepper Quilts

The quilt design is simple (large scale Half Rectangle Triangles) which allows the patterns and the colors to feature. I have quilted the quilt with an all over 1 inch grid of intersecting lines, which adds interest and compliments both the design and the fabrics.

Irome Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt ~ quilting ~  by Red Pepper Quilts
Irome Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt ~ quilting ~  by Red Pepper Quilts

Irome is a quilting cotton weight collection, suitable for quilt making, but also apparel and other crafty projects. The fabrics have a lovely hand, the colors range from delicate to saturated, and the prints all work well together. My only fabric addition used in the making of this quilt is Robert Kaufman Kona Cotton in White.

Irome Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt ~ scrappy binding ~  by Red Pepper Quilts
Irome Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt ~ binding ~  by Red Pepper Quilts

I have made the binding for the quilt from some of the scrappy left over fabric pieces. Scrappy binding is a favorite and I love to see all of the different patterns and colors blending with the quilt. It also makes me feel good to use up fabric scraps.

Irome Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts

This quilt is for sale and listed in my Etsy Store.

Find the listing here: Modern Patchwork Quilt
.
Irome Half Rectangle Triangle Quilt by Red Pepper Quilts
With thanks to Kokka Fabric for giving me the opportunity to preview and work with their new collection. Irome is due for release at Quilt Market today!

IROME for Kokka Fabric will be available from:
Miss Matatabi (Etsy Store)
Thank you for stopping by,
Rita

RELEVANT LINKS:
Red Pepper Quilts Etsy Store
Kokka Fabric Blog (in English) - see more projects made using the Irome collection.

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Irome fabric samples were supplied without obligation by Kokka Fabric, however all images, text and opinions expressed here are my own.