The DS Picnic Quilt

Most of my summer sewing time has been devoted to repairing worn items of clothing in our closets, creating class and shop samples, and making gifts for friend's adorable babies and babies-to-be. I did manage to get in some time for my own projects though—one of which I finished a part of today!

I've been collecting bits of Denyse Schmidt's line of fabrics for JoAnn since they started appearing in stores back in 2011 and know I'm not alone in deciding these would make a perfect picnic quilt. I didn't get around to it right away but that has allowed me to shake up the color palette and bit by adding in a few yellows and oranges from later releases into the mix. Between all the primary colors, the reminder of old feedsack fabrics in Schmidt's designs, and the "small plates" quilt block, I think this is definitely one of the most traditional style quilts I've made so far. It's all very simple right angles, but  for all the wear this quilt will see, I'm just fine with that.

I finally tracked down a few yards of the fabric below for the back and am thinking of making a scrappy binding of all the other prints to echo the patchwork border. What do you think—scrappy binding or settle on one print and, if so, which one? Also, I have no clue as to how to quilt this...I'm not a free-motion quilter but would appreciate any suggestions you might have as I'm don't have anything in mind for it!

Initial sketch and backing fabric

Progress and Beautiful Compromise

Marimekko + AMH feathers + Sneaky cat photobomb

As of the end of this month, we'll have been living in our current apartment for four years. As of just this year, we finally agreed on a decorating scheme for our living room! O hey, let's hear it for progress! We've been trying out some different ideas, but nothing seemed to feel quite right or unite our styles. My taste is very cozy/cabin/carefully curated wunderkammer and his is more modern/minimum/quirky graphic designer so it has been difficult to merge them but important to us to have a room or two that reflected a mutual compromise.

Then we came across that black and white Marimekko fabric in the photo above (the pattern is called Kantaleen Kutsu, based on a Finnish folktale)...FINALLY, something we both loved that united elements from both our styles! It's almost as if we've been figuring out this marriage/compromise bit or something  ;) Once we found that, the whole living room started coming together. The idea of pulling inspiration from a mid-century modern look with touches of bright/cozy/modern woodland was very appealing as we wanted something sleek but comforting to come home to at the end of the day. I didn't want to overdo it on the woodland theme, go too literal, or have etsy owls all over the place. It's not finished and needs a bit more of the "sleek" element, but it's getting there.

That electric fireplace is the best. thing. ever.

The feather block pattern by Anna Maria Horner got me thinking though...I love that they are a bright contrast point to the Marimekko but not overly girly or cute done up in this linen and Denyse Schmidt Chicopee fabric. AND the colors of Chicopee coordinate so well with Anna Maria Horner's Summer Totem print in the grapefruit colorway that I have on the chair on the right (a quirky rocker we found on the cape one summer...it's not yet reupholstered, but someday...). I am learning to embrace mixing up different fabric designers these days. It really does make for more depth in a project but requires me to let go of some of my OCD tendancies. Anyways, I get my bright spots, he gets sparsely placed black and dark wooden masculine furniture. BLAMMO, we all win. It's a start!

Someday, I will recover that puke green couch in a wearable charcoal grey canvas. That or just replace it altogether, I'm not yet sure. J is voting on recovering it because moving it in here almost cost us our relationship, haha. Anyways, when we do get around to those final touches (replacing the rug, upholstery, etc.) I will post a real room tour. In the meantime, I'm just going to focus on what IS done. See, bliss!

A Little Stashing

New Denyse Schmidt at Jo-Ann

I finally found something worthy of the very last of my christmas money—the new DS Quilts Collection! I'm glad now that I managed to save it for a rainy day as it's been burning a whole in my pocket and I just couldn't pass these ones up, especially since I am still lamenting the fact that I was not quick enough to get my hands on any of her Flea Market Fancy line (that are now going for $40/fat quarter, geez louise!). I had just enough to get a 1/4 yard of my favorite ones although there are a few more pattern/colorways to the complete collection available at Jo-Ann.

The patterns and colors remind me of those found in American farmhouse kitchens from the 30's to 50's so I want to use them for a vintage style apron with trim or perhaps an oven mit, definitely as edging along a flour sack dishtowel. I can also picture them mixed with lots of calicoes and scrap fabric for a very vintage looking quilt although that idea will have to wait since I have two make that three other quilts in progress right now...I just seem to have a knack for zooming through quilt tops and then getting very lazy when it comes to the actual quilting and binding.

Maybe next year I will save up my christmas money for an extra pair of hands, ya? In the meantime, I've already put a little birthday cash aside for AMH's new Loulouthi line due out sometime in May...looks brilliant. What can I say, I have a serious addiction going on here and need a hit every now and then!