quilting

Delighting in Design

Delighting in Design – kind of a corny title, but it’s true. I enjoy drawing quilt designs.

When Sandra of mmm!Quilts put out a  challenge on Instagram, 30 Quilt Designs in 30 Days, I jumped in.

My favorite way to sketch designs is with graph paper, pencil and colored pencils. (I love to go to art stores almost as much as I love to go to fabric shops.) This year, my son gave me a little 3″ x 5″ notebook, a Leuchtturm1917, for Christmas. It sits next to my chair so I can grab it and sketch while I watch a show. It’s also small enough to tuck into a purse or bag and take with me on the go.

Anyway, back to the design challenge. I finished the challenge just a few days before it ended. Here are a few of my last designs. If you follow me on Instagram, you’ve seen these.

Delighting in Design - one of my designs in the Instagram 30 Quilt Designs in 30 Days Challenge 2018 - piecefulthoughts.com

Delighting in Design - another of my designs for the Instagram 30 Quilt Designs in 30 Days Challenge 2018 - piecefulthoughts.com

Delighting in Design - one more of my designs for the Instagram 30 Quilt Designs in 30 Days Challenge 2018 - piecefulthoughts.com

My 29th design, named Sunrise, Sunset, can be seen in this post. I had hoped to be able to show you a finished quilt top of this design today, but it’s not quite done yet. However, I can show you some progress.

I have four of the rows sewn.

Delighting in Design - progress photo of my Sunrise Sunset quilt - piecefulthoughts.com

The other blocks are all stacked up and waiting.

Delighting in Design - progress photo #2 of my Sunrise Sunset quilt - piecefulthoughts.com

I played a bit and pulled out my thread to see if I had matches for the colors.

Delighting in Design - playing with thread colors - piecefulthoughts.com

I have to say I was pretty happy to see that I had matches for these four. However, the thread on the darkest fabric really doesn’t quite match, so I guess I’ll have to go thread shopping.

The blues were a little blue.

Delighting in Design - more thread matching - piecefulthoughts.com

They are missing two of their buddies. More thread to buy. BigJ did tell me that I needed to buy thread after he made me my thread holder, so I better get to it!

I do hope to have a finished top to show you soon! I’m enjoying putting it together!

2018 New Quilt Bloggers Blog Hop

The advantage of taking part in this blog hop are not only the new bloggers you meet, but the things you learn about your own blog. My blog has improved this week in two ways. This is my first post with these changes, so please let me know if they aren’t working.

  • My photos should now enlarge when you click on them, so you can see the detail up close if you wish
  • My links should open to a new tab, making it easier for you as you read

The Blog Hop started this week, and if you haven’t had time to visit the blogs or sign up for the giveaway, I’ve added the information here. Take the time to meet some new creative bloggers and get signed up for the giveaway!

In order to be eligible for the giveaway, you need to visit one of the co-host blogs and follow the instructions for signing up for the giveaway. But do visit all four, they are wonderfully creative and fun to get to know!

So what about you? Do you enjoy drawing quilt designs? If so, how do you like to draw them — pencil and paper like me, or by computer? I’d like to know!

Linking up today with Sandra at mmm! Quilts.

Wendy

30 Comments

  • Velda at the Freckled Fox Quiltery

    Loving your quilt designs. I was in that challenge too and also am making a quilt from one of my designs. You will see some of it next week on my blog Hop day. Your improvements work great. I don’t know how to make my photos enlarge when clicked on. How do you do that?

  • cozyquiltslb

    Oh! how I envy you your drawing talents and organization….lovely designs. Mine are very rough drafts on scraps of paper when I need something. I’ve never really sat down and tried to draw out my thoughts…might just try it.

  • rl2b2017

    Good Morning!
    Yes, time for more thread! You do have to fill up that new thread holder . . . so get on it girl. Your photo did open up larger – very cool! I don’t know how to do that either! I am enjoying seeing your designs – you are very talented! I am looking forward to seeing Sunrise, Sunset as a flimsy and Christmas Dash is very cool. ~smile~ Roseanne

  • Cindy

    Love the designs you did for the challenge! Thread and fabric go hand in hand, one never seems to have just the right one and are forced to go shopping.

  • Barbara

    Nice job on your 30 designs. I was watching them on Instagram when I checked in. I can imagine it’s harder than you make it look to come up with that many in that amount of time.

  • Louise Hornor

    I’ve enjoyed seeing your original designs! My mind does not work like that, and I don’t do any kind of design on paper or computer. Sometimes I put large elements together on my design wall/bed, but that’s the extent of it.

  • Kathleen McCormick

    Great changes on your blog… Have to check mine out and see if any of that works. I just figured out affiliate links (probably won’t make a cent) but what the heck! I like to design on computer but see value in designing on paper and can enjoy that too. I wish I had been able to keep up, but, maybe next year!

  • Liz W.

    I love seeing sketches of quilt designs! There’s something so organic about them, better than on a computer. I’m excited to see you’re already working on #29, the fabric pulls look gorgeous and in all solids it’ll be stunning! I don’t design that much, but when I do, I do sketch it first to figure out a rough idea and then I go into EQ to finalize and color it.

  • Karen

    yes your photos enlarge when you click them – I have changed mine to that way this year also and then when you click on them they can enlarge a second time.

  • Sandra Walker

    Wendy I have so enjoyed watching your designs, and not just watching your designs on paper, but seeing them come to LIFE! Sunrise sunset it’s just a ‘squeal!!’ in my books of it design and I’m doing a happy dance for you already and it’s not even a flimsy yet! Cannot wait! Thanks for joining us!

  • Lisa

    That Sunrise Sunset quilt looks like a real gem. I ‘m thinking I might participate in this challenge again next year. We’ll see whats going on for me. I should make up some of the designs from last year first I guess.

  • Kate

    I love the colour combination in Sunrise Sunset, it’s a great design. I ‘design’ on paper too, it’s a great idea to have a small notebook to carry about in your bag, that way you don’t forget stuff you thought of when out and about, like I do, sigh……….

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