Amy Walsh - Colorful Quilts for Fabric Lovers: 10 Easy-to-Make Projects with a Modern Edge

Text and Artwork copyright 2011 by Amy Walsh and Janine Burke

Photography and Artwork copyright 2011 by C&T Publishing, Inc.

Publisher: Amy Marson

Creative Director: Gailen Runge

Acquisitions Editor: Susanne Woods

Editor: Lynn Koolish

Technical Editor: Susan Nelsen

Cover Designer: Kristen Yenche

Book Designer: Kerry Graham

Production Coordinator: Jenny Leicester

Production Editor: Alice Mace Nakanishi

Illustrators: Amy Walsh and Kirstie Pettersen

Photography by Christina Carty-Francis and Diane Pedersen of C&T Publishing, Inc., unless otherwise noted

Published by C&T Publishing, Inc., P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549

All rights reserved. No part of this work covered by the copyright hereon may be used in any form or reproduced by any means graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems without written permission from the publisher. The copyrights on individual artworks are retained by the artists as noted in Colorful Quilts for Fabric Lovers. These designs may be used to make items only for personal use or donation to nonprofit groups for sale. Each piece of finished merchandise for sale must carry a conspicuous label with the following information: Designs copyright 2011 by Amy Walsh and Janine Burke from the book Colorful Quilts for Fabric Lovers from C&T Publishing, Inc.

Attention Teachers: C&T Publishing, Inc., encourages you to use this book as a text for teaching. Contact us at 800-284-1114 or www.ctpub.com for lesson plans and information about the C&T Creative Troupe.

We take great care to ensure that the information included in our products is accurate and presented in good faith, but no warranty is provided nor are results guaranteed. Having no control over the choices of materials or procedures used, neither the author nor C&T Publishing, Inc., shall have any liability to any person or entity with respect to any loss or damage caused directly or indirectly by the information contained in this book. For your convenience, we post an up-to-date listing of corrections on our website ( or at P.O. Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549.

Trademark () and registered trademark () names are used throughout this book. Rather than use the symbols with every occurrence of a trademark or registered trademark name, we are using the names only in the editorial fashion and to the benefit of the owner, with no intention of infringement.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Walsh, Amy (Amy Simpson)

Colorful quilts for fabric lovers : easy-to-make projects with a modern edge / Amy Walsh and Janine Burke.

p. cm.

ISBN 978-1-60705-270-8 (soft cover)

1. Patchwork quilts. 2. Quilting--Patterns. I. Burke, Janine. II. Title.

TT835.W33733 2011

746.46--dc22

2011007724

Printed in China

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To Sophie: Heartfelt thanks for many patient hours sewing.

Amy

To Nonnie: For all your time spent patiently showing me what to do with a needle and thread.

Janine

Thank you to our families for putting up with countless hours of sewing, typing, driving, editing, and the like. And for your loving support and care for Maggie RoseMom and Dad, Matthew, Anna, Mary, Stephanie, Joe, Katie, and Margaretwe could not have done it without you!

Thanks to Linnea, Stephanie, and Karen for watching Maggie and running errands.

Sean Walsh, thanks for everythingreally, everything! Jeanette, we love you!

Thanks to Patched Works, Inc.; Providence Longarm Quilting; and Brandi Frey of Quiltiste.

Thanks to Nancy and Deb for the beautiful bindings.

Special thanks to the C&T publishing team, especially Susanne Woods, Cynthia Bix, and Lynn Koolish.

Thanks to Bill and Weeksyouve inspired us both.

F ew things are as exciting as a trip to the fabric shop. Theres something about the anticipation, the smell of the fiber that hits you on the way in the door, and the first collection you see when you arrive that gets your heart pounding with possibilities. Meandering around the shop with little on your mind besides taking yards of it all home, you examine each end of the bolt carefully, being seduced by some of them enough to actually pull them out to get their full effect. You make selections and stack them on the cutting counter, placing a marker on your pile and watching it like a hawk so no one gets to it before you do. And finally, you decide how much of each fabric you will take home with you. Sometimes, the thought of missing out on a particular fabric is so terrifying that you buy the rest of the bolt! After your purchase, you hurry back to your car, only to take out your precious stack and go through it again, soaking in all of the color combinations and patterns one more time. I have been known to look through fat quarter bundles at stoplights! And, I find that at times, having new fabrics in the car can be more distracting to me than talking on my cell phone.

This may sound a little dramatic, but I love fabric so much that I dont even care if I sew itI just want to have it, to live with it. Of course, I enjoy the process of putting a quilt together, but its because it involves being with the fabrics. That is why I like quilts with so many different prints. At Blue Underground Studios, we like to call these fabric lovers quilts (another name for scrappy). As we are cutting and piecing and ironing, we can reacquaint ourselves with all of the fabrics we are using. The more fabrics, the more fun!

This is the driving passion behind the patterns of Blue Underground Studios. We love designs that are relatively simple, often using basic squares and rectangles. We like to combine the fabrics that lured us into a work of beauty, while maintaining their individuality. It is in this spirit that we present these designs to you.

There is a real value in building a good stash of quality fabric. First of all, trends in fabric change all the time. Colors and styles are constantly evolving. So, when you find a print you love, dont be afraid to buy it. Amy often buys the rest of the bolt if she thinks a fabric is disappearing. However, you may want to consider your storage options before you adopt this policy. If certain shades and colors are your favorites, you might be able to find them one year and not the next. Fabric availability varies according to colors and genres currently in style. We often add fabrics from our stashes to new collections we have purchased. We have found that older fabrics add something to fabrics found in newer collections. That said, we are also proponents of weeding out our fabric collections regularly. As your styles and tastes change, so will your fabric-buying habits. Take stock of what you have so as to keep your stash balanced. If you have fabrics you are not going to use, your local shop or guild will be happy to help you find a new home for them. Many worthwhile causes are always in need of fabric donations. And, dont forget your quilting friends whose taste may be different from yours. Friends studios are almost always a good place to de-stash.