If I could name one bit of business feedback I've been getting from my customers and nosy friends for a while now it's that I should create and sell a line of hand dyed solids. Honestly, I don't know why I didn't jump right on this idea, but, in the better late than never category, this week (yikes, is it that soon?!) I will be premiering my line of hand dyed solids by offering two different fat quarter bundles as well as some single solid fat quarter hand dyed cottons
I've also worked up a design for the Summer issue of Modern Patchwork, again in my hand dyed solids. I've got loads of plans for these babies including expanding the color selections almost as soon as they premier, but first I'd like to create a few quilt patterns to support this fabric collection.
My initial thought was to turn to my Pinterest Inspirations board and quickly pinned several items that I felt could be re-interpreted for this purpose.
But, then another thought came to mind: maybe I've crafted quilts in the past that could be re-worked and sewn in these new fabrics.
Basically, I checked the refrigerator before I went shopping.
Here's what I found(other than I've got to stop buying more butter; there's already 4 boxes):
This quilt is a blast from the super past and originally designed and created in hand dyed stripes, but could definitely be adapted to working with solids.
Frankly, I'm a little embarrassed I didn't think of this quilt pattern right away.
I originally designed it a couple years ago and sell the pattern both in paper and PDF form, so re-making it in my new solids would be a breeze, especially because the palette is pretty limited and the blocks are larger and piece together quickly.
I've always loved this design and even re-worked it with rounded corners for Modern Patchwork Magazine a few issues back, but, again, this would be simple to do in hand dyed solids and it would give me an opportunity to explore this concept in new ways. I'd like to expand the size even further adding enough" rounds" to make the single block big enough to fit a bed or make a quilt top that features 4 of these super-sized blocks.
How simple is this?
This quilt was inspired by the knitted Super Easy Baby Blanket created by the uber talented gals at the Purl Bee blog several years back. I made this first version to promote the commercial solids that were released alongside one of my Moda fabric collections.
I think it would be even more amazing in hand dyed solids and if the widths of the various bands were varied a bit more. One thing I would definitely repeat: the intense machine quilting on the surface.
Another pattern that I sell, both in paper and PDF, that would be perfect in either exclusively solids or, as pictured, primarily solids with a few prints mixed in.
Originally created for my second book, Fresh Quilting: Fearless Color, Design, and Inspiration, this version features Kaffe Fasset's shot cottons. I've taught this quilt design as a class many times, so could probably re-do it in hand dyes in my sleep. Though, you're not supposed to operate machinery while sleeping. :)
If I did more than a cursory search, I could come up with more and just might. For now these seem a good place to start in terms of crafting supporting patterns for my solids or...maybe even starting a fabric/quilt pattern-of-the month/quarter club. I would love, love to hear your thoughts on that.