Indigo Trail

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It is amazing what I came across as I was packing up things for Market. I forgot to show off one of my favorite quilts. How classic and timely is indigo and yellow?
This quilt is published in McCall’s Quilting.
I normally would have used Blue and red. That is so predictable, right? 
So instead I was a rebel and used yellow.
Indigo Trail: Classic Antique-Look Lap Quilt Pattern 
The quilt is made from Indigo Crossing by Polly Minick and Laurie Simpson.
 
I love love love this line of fabrics, but WAIT by now you may have
 seen their next line of fabric, 
MidWinter Reds that will be in stores September.
 I think I may have to make another quilt using these fabrics. What should be by rebel color to combine with these?
It is exactly one week until we start to set up our booth for quilt market in Portland, Oregon. The staff at moda has done such a great job and the show should be pretty darn good. 
If you are at market, be sure and stop by and say hello!
-modalissa

Blogger Girls Month 5

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I can’t believe it has been a month since my last post.
Boo Hiss- I will make myself stand in the corner!
 I guess I have been in a funk.
Thank you to Monique because being a part of the
Blogger Girl’s Quilt Along
has made me have to hop on to my blog, hopefully ending the funk.

As you know from last month I had added some batiks.
Trying to break out of my predictable shell so I tried with several
color options for block 5. Disregard the digital lines.

Month 5 is my favorite block
 You all know that I love polka dots so I couldn’t help but throw in this brown and green polka dot from Paint Box by Laundry Basket. I love how strong and graphic 2 fabrics make this block.
 I wanted to see what this block would look like as a positive/negative colorway. I did change the center block out so the block is now 4 sawtooth stars.  
Changing 1 fabric color completely changes the block.
And finally, 

I think my favorite of the 3 blocks. A scrappy block made 

with a combination of prints and batiks.
 
Stop by and see the color options at the other blogger girls.
Monique From Open Gate Quilts – opengatequilts.blogspot.com/
Sherri from A Quilting Life – aquiltinglife.blogspot.com
Thelma from Cupcakes ‘n Daisies ~ cupcakesndaisies.blogspot.com
Lissa from Moda  Lissa  ~ ModaLissa.blogspot.com
Denise from Quilter’s  Window ~ Quilterswindow.com/blog/
Nicole from Sister’s Choice  ~  sisterschoice.typepad.com
Lisa from Stashmaster ~ The-Stashmaster.blogspot.com
Instructions for block 5 can be found at Open Gate.
 Don’t give up on me. 
It won’t be another month until my next blog post!!

Blogger girls quilt along 4

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 I started trying something different this month. Since I am using Edyta Sitar’s fabric, Paint Box  I thought I should add some batiks. Not quite sure how this is  going to work with my other blocks.

I may have to re make some of the ones from 1-3 to add the richness that batiks add. We’ll see.

Stop by and see the color options at the other blogger girls.

Monique From Open Gate Quilts – opengatequilts.blogspot.com/
Sherri from A Quilting Life – aquiltinglife.blogspot.com
Thelma from Cupcakes ‘n Daisies ~ cupcakesndaisies.blogspot.com
Lissa from Moda  Lissa  ~ ModaLissa.blogspot.com
Denise from Quilter’s  Window ~ Quilterswindow.com/blog/
Nicole from Sister’s Choice  ~  sisterschoice.typepad.com
Lisa from Stashmaster ~ The-Stashmaster.blogspot.com
Instructions for block 4 can be found at Open Gate.

Acronyms

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I just this past month celebrated my 16 year working at Moda Fabric/Unitednotions. I will never forget being in a meeting with the tech people and everyone was talking in acronyms. By the time I left the meeting I had the worst headache and felt like I was the dumbest person  in the room. At that time I swore I would never talk in three letter code. 
Once texting and instant messaging came along I had to eat my words (EMW for short)
 I recently bought a book for my mom, since she is into  texting now and thought I would share
some of the Definition of Acronyms
You know those silly little things the kids do to keep from speeding complete words or using complete sentences when communication with their friends?
F2T- free to talk
BFF- of course best friends forever
EML- email me later
CUL8R- see you later
CULA- see you later alligator
^5- high five
Some that I am going to work into my life.
EAK- eating at keyboard
CY- calm yourself
These are the ones I am sharing with my mom.
Now that the Seniors have become more tech savy there is a 
set of acronyms popping up for them as we’ll.
ATD- at the doctor’s
FWIW- forgot where I was
CUATSC- see you at the senior center
DWI- driving while incontinent
FYI- found your insulin
GHA- got heartburn again
HGBM- had good bowel movement
CGU- can’t get up
BYOT- bring your own teeth
CBM- covered by Medicare
And a new take on an old classic
BFF- best friend fell
 Side note: My mom asked my kids if they new what “sexting” was? 
I wish I had recorded how that conversation went down.
Have a great weekend.
Don’t text and drive.
-modalissa

Too Early for Candy Corn?

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At moda we initiated a staff challenge.
We were designing some basic 12 pack patterns using Bella solids. These patterns were designed as”blueprints”. No color, just let your imagination decide.
 To test the process, several of the office staff jumped in to take the color challenge.
I choose Peaks as my quilt pattern. 
It was selected to be featured in the current issue of QUILT, April/May 2013. 
They called it Candy Corn because that is exactly what it looks like.
 
Working with all solids is not just for the Amish. 
However, it was a bit of a challenge for me. 
I learned to quilt in the days of muslin backgrounds and little tiny brown calicos. 
I was taught solids were not forgiving.
 My quilting teacher would say, “If your points don’t match it will really jump out,
so stay clear of solids.” This is the same teacher that wouldn’t let me use plaids.
EGADS!
Thank goodness time has changed and we have so many more fabric options. 
30 years later and we probably have too many options. 
How does one decide?
If you want to take on a solid project but are not sure that you may be breaking the 
“color wheel code” 
of using primary, secondary or complementary 
colors effectively, do this.
Pick your absolutely favorite fabric with TONS of colors. 
Choose your absolutely fav fabric. Pick solids that match the print. 
Remove the print fabric and you will have the perfect combination of solids.
You will need 12 fat quarters and a background.
Add a punch of color by using your colorful print as the back. 
I used a Zen Chic grey pindot as my binding. It was a bit unexpected. I love it!
 
I am so into oranges, greys and citrus colors that I 
didn’t mean for the quilt to look like candy corn.
 Okay, not really. 
This design would make adorable Christmas trees also.
Ask at your favorite store to see if they are offering 12 pack quilt projects.
Thanks, Maggi Honeyman for the quilting. You’re the greatest!

Blogger Girls Quilt Along 3

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Can you believe it is already March? 
I love the technique and rulers used on this block so I was inspired to 
do something a little different. Be sure and check out off the bloggers 
posts for color options and then Monique’s blog for block instructions.
This could very well be my favorite block so far.
Monique offers 2 color
versions in her instructions, so the more
 I looked at the block,
 the
more intrigued I was.
 Shown above is he color placement per the block instructions.
 
I just changed one simple triangle and it gave me a whole new block.
Can you see which triangle I changed? 
 
I wondered what would happen if I made a quilt from just this block. 
How
much movement would it have? 
Would it create secondary designs?
So I played with the exact fabrics but
changing the 
fabric placement slightly
 to have two versions of the same block, shown
above.
Then, 
 
 I thought what about putting the blocks on point. 
Everything is always better on point. I used just one block and 
look how cool and graphic it turned out. Love it!!
 
Stop by and see the color options at the other blogger girls.
Monique From Open Gate Quilts – opengatequilts.blogspot.com/
Sherri from A Quilting Life – aquiltinglife.blogspot.com
Thelma from Cupcakes ‘n Daisies ~ cupcakesndaisies.blogspot.com
Lissa from Moda  Lissa  ~ ModaLissa.blogspot.com
Denise from Quilter’s  Window ~ Quilterswindow.com/blog/
Nicole from Sister’s Choice  ~  sisterschoice.typepad.com
Lisa from Stashmaster ~ The-Stashmaster.blogspot.com
Instructions for block 3 can be found at Open Gate.

QuiltCon part 2

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One of the funnest things about being at Quilt Con was the MBS booth and photo booth. 
Derek from Booth66.com is the coolest guy.  He made our booth the place to be!
Anyone that stopped by the booth could get a printed picture. They could also load the pic to any social media platform or email it to themselves. Now I hate having my picture made just as much as the next gal, however their is something about grabbing some props and striking a pose. So here are some silly pics  of the staff from the show.
 Mark Dunn, Cheryl Freydburg and little ol me!
 Alex from Auriful was one of the sponsors 
so I had to throw in a pic of him and Kim.
 Angela Yosten, Holly Hickman and Sarah Castaneda
 Angela Yosten feeding me!
 Cheryl Cantoya, a moda sales person all the way from Omaha!
 Christin
 Eric and Julie Comstock showed up and had a ton of fun as the next pictures show. Of course I was the one hitting the picture button so I did catch them off guard. They are so cute, I couldn’t resist.
 I love Eric’s grin on this one.
 Debbi Duckworth and Julie Hardgrave
 A trend in the pics was too hold 2 jelly rolls up to your chest….. 
you can only imagine how the pics went downhill from here.
 “I am so excited to be here,” said Ducky.
 Debbie, Angela and myself stirring the pot.
 Hear no Evil, See No Evil and Speak No Evil is a classic.
 Holly and Sarah, so photogenic!
 Holly and her balancing act.
 Lisa Calle and Angela
 Lisa Calle taking a bite of Moda Candy (mini charms)
 I was threatening the girls if they didn’t get back to work.
 
I told them I was sorry for “forking” them.
Put a fork in it. We were done.