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ISSUE 28 :: Secret Sewing :: WHAT'S UP :: YOU ASKED :: WORTH A READ :: LOOKING BACK :: ROUND-UP :: ON TREND

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How do you feel about secret sewing? Though I do love a good blog hop, tutorial, and such, not being able to share on social media takes some of the fun away. But that's what the last couple of weeks have held for me, and while the waiting can be unsettling, I'm looking forward to sharing it all with you .... soon!

WHAT'S UP

It's been a decently productive stretch. I made some awesome pillows for my living room, completed the last item on my Q2 Finish-A-Long list - a Maker's Tote I can't wait to fill - and shared 10 Tips to Instant Sewing, basically what helps keep me sewing and making progress on my projects, especially when sewing time is short.

YOU ASKED . . .

The key topic for this issue was chosen when a follower inquired "what are low-volume squares?" - my beginning place for my recent Crosscut block tutorial. I replied by sharing most of my stash of low-volume fabrics in Illustrating Low-VolumeIn a nut-shell, low-volume fabrics "speak softly." They aren't loud and bright or demanding of attention. Think subtle, often "barely there."

WORTH A READ

LOOKING BACK

My first low-volume venture was Common Affection, prompted by a low-volume swap I had just participated in. At the time (2013), it was a complete stretch for me - both in fabric use and design. The Mid-Century Modern Bee helped contribute Hugs & Kisses blocks [tutorial by Little Miss Shabby], and chimed in as I worked through the finishing process. This quilt happens to be the first I ever entered in a show, where it proceeded to win in its category and then traveled around the country a bit. Let's just say it opened up some doors in more ways than one!

ROUND-UP

Kelli/The Willow Market created A Beginner Friendly Low Volume Quilt, and lucky us, provides a tutorial. Made with just two blocks, it's a perfect first go at a "low color" quilt. Kelli used multiple shades of white mixed in, and I agree with her, that choice gave her quilt a "fresh and modern feel with a touch of vintage." [thewillowmarket]
Though at first suspect of her client's choice of 'cream', through the making of Cream Courthouse Steps, Audrie/Blue is Bleu grew to love the "quietness" of the fabrics. Then she went and chose even quieter fabrics for the outer frame. Oh yeah. [blueisbleu]
photo by Patrina Odette
In Noise, by Leanne/she can quilt, the focal fabrics were surrounded by Kona neutrals and some linen, settling them in amongst the calm. [shecanquilt]
Chrystalised, by Lucy/Skinny Malinky Quilts, was inspired by and named after a song by TheXX. Lucy shared this about her quilt: "Some of the centre blocks are log cabins and others are from Patchwork City by Elizabeth Hartman. I hadn't really planned the lay out and decided on a wide white border quite early on to give a light feel to the quilt. I then added white strips to my blocks to reduce the uniformity as I didn't want a true rectangular centre.  The mustard strips I had originally planned to have more scattered however when I placed them as they are I enjoyed the focus they gave the quilt." I couldn't agree more. [skinnymalinkyquilts]
Stina/Kvilt Stina used low-volume prints with more color than those examples shown above. Then she created deeper contrast with the bright crosses, and shared it all in her Mini Plus Friends Quilt tutorial. [kviltstina]
Finally, there is low-volume, and then there is no-volume. 
Joshua/Molli Sparkles went and collected 36 different all-white fabrics to create his No Value Does Not Equal Free, a scrappy Trip Around the World quilt. Read what he did for a backing and oh so much more in his reveal post. Enlightening and then some. [molli_sparkles]

ON TREND

After the horrific shooting in Orlando last week, the Orlando Modern Quilt Guild responded quickly by putting out a call for heart blocks to make quilts for those affected by this tragedy. The MQG went a step further to encourage all guilds to participate, and by the looks of the #quiltsforpulse hashtag on Instagram, many many are. You can participate by checking out either post linked above. 

P.S. Though my hera marker is my favorite for marking quilts for quilting, I also love it for corner triangles and such. Try it! I think you'll like it.

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