Sugar Block Club, North Star and Thoughts On Color

Just finished block #2 in the Sugar Block BOM, North Star.  This was a fun block, quick and easy.  AND it's a paper pieced block!  I love the way this finished up, it has an ethereal feel to me.   I used the Big Huge Lab software to mock up some quilt tops.  It lets you see what the potentials are for using your blocks.  If you haven't tried it yet, give it a shot, it's not difficult.

Here it is simply repeated with the blocks butt up against each other.  I think it's pretty, it would be more interesting with sashing and stones to break up the large expanse of gray.

Here I have mixed it with the first block and I like the "circle" that it creates.  It will be fun to do the next block in the series next month and see what new possibilities arise!  

Some thoughts on color...I went with Brenda and Holly yesterday, up to a quilt shop in Grass Valley.  Holly is picking out her fabrics for our paper piecing class.  Sometimes color schemes can be difficult to pick out.  Especially when you are confronted with a store full of "Eye Candy".   Take your time, stroll around a bit, get the lay of the land and get over your initial excitement and over stimulation.  Look for a fabric that draws you in, it doesn't matter what the pattern or design is... you may not even elect to use it in your quilt, it may just be an "inspiration" piece.  

Love the colors, but this might be a bit much...I can use it as my inspiration piece to pull 

or I can pull from her collection

These are from Anna Griffin's Camilla Collection

Fabric is designed by people that have an artsy fartsy background, I guarantee you, they have done all the work for you!  You can pull fabrics by that same designer in that same color scheme or you can make a note of how they put their colors together in your inspiration piece and pull those colors in other fabrics that you like. 

These fabrics are by Tula Pink, you might not pull these off the shelf on your own, but the designer has created them to coordinate.  This is an easy way to get a co-ordinated effect.

You can look online at different places for inspiration, I like Sky Reve Fabrics http://www.skyerevefabrics.com/new-arrivals  She has a nice selection of quilt fabrics already coordinated for you.  Her fat quarter bundles are very nicely priced!  And she will create custom selections for you, just let her know what you would like.

These fabrics are from the Cold Spring Dream line.

Hawthorne Threads is another online site that I love. http://www.hawthornethreads.com/fabric/new_arrivals  They have a number of ways that you can view their fabric, by designer, by manufacturer, by collections, by color, by theme.  And they will also suggest coordinating fabrics for you.  Great software, good pricing and you can buy small quantities no problem.

Still having a hard time?  Look along the edge of the fabric, the selvage, there are usually color dots...those are the colors that were used in creating that inspiration fabric that you like...go pull fabrics with those colors and you will find that you have the same effect as your inspiration piece.

Still having trouble?  Think about nature.   What are the colors of spring?  

What about winter?

Fall Colors?

Summer Colors?

That should give you a little inspiration for your fabric selection process.  Choose what you love and just enjoy yourself!