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.
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.
The other blocks are all stacked up and waiting.
I played a bit and pulled out my thread to see if I had matches for the colors.
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.
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!
- Gail at Quilting Gail
- Rachel at Rachel Rossi
- Tracie at Riceford Streams
- Wendy at Pieceful Thoughts of My Quilting Life – that’s me 🙂
- Jan at Cocoa Quilts
- Michelle at Creative Blonde
- Terry at TLC Quilts
- April at Janda Bend Quilts
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!
- Beth at Cooking Up Quilts
- Jen at Dizzy Quilter
- Tish at Tish n’ Wonderland
- Sandra at mmm! Quilts
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?
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Velda! Will send you an email on the photo enlarge.
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.
piecefulwendy
Thank you!
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
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Roseanne!
Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting
I like your blog updates! I’m with you on the graph paper method. Great job doing 30 quilt drawings!
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Nancy!
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.
piecefulwendy
Thank you!
My Sewful Retirement
Love your designs! My favorite is the Christmas Dash! I use graph paper to sketch out blocks — too lazy to do more 🙂
piecefulwendy
Thank you!
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.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Barbara!
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.
piecefulwendy
I think you’re designing, Louise, just in a different format 😊
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!
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Kathleen! Yes to 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.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Liz! I’m having fun!
spierssusan
I enjoy the graph paper method when building a quilt too! Love your colors – so enjoy a hop! Thank you, Susan
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Susan!
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.
piecefulwendy
Thanks, Karen!
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!
piecefulwendy
Thank YOU, Sandra, for all your work on this challenge!
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.
piecefulwendy
I’d love to see some of your designs from last year, Lisa!
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……….
Vicki in MN
Playing catch up with a few blogs;) Love your designs and looking forward to seeing the finished flimsy/quilt-you go girl!!