Chance. Destiny. Karma. All synonyms for the word kismet. This was a new word for me that I learned when Sharon Holland released her Kismet line, by Art Gallery Fabrics in November 2020. This fabric has been on my radar for some time, but my busy life kept me from completing a pincushion batch until last month.
Kismet fabric by Sharon Holland, Art Gallery Fabrics
As I continue to make pincushions, I’ve created a system that makes the process easier. One of the steps, which helps me organize and streamline, is matching fabric and glass before I sit down to create. Matching requires thought and reflection when auditioning pieces. Because of this, I feel like I really become acquainted with the fabric. I enjoy this process so much!
I am starting a new series called “Salt Cellar Spotlight”. There are so many different salt cellars with seemingly endless opportunities for creating. I thought it would be interesting to highlight the salt cellars and a few details. I hope you find it interesting too!
SALT CELLAR SPOTLIGHT
Name of Salt Cellar: Tapered shape prism cut1 Size: 1 3/4″ Manufacturer: Unknown and difficult to pinpoint due to cut glass being made by the artist with slight alterations creating thousands of different patterns1. Year Produced: Unable to pinpoint since manufacturer is not identified but consensus dates production between 1880-1920 and most likely around the turn of the 20th century1. Interesting Salt Fact: Sodium and chloride are the chemicals combined together that we refer to as table salt. Sodium is required for human bodies to adequately function2. Interesting Historical Fact (turn of 20th century): Scott Joplin wrote The Entertainer. I learned to play this iconic piece of piano music in my youth. NPR has an interesting article about Scott Joplin.
Cut glass salt cellar pincushion made with Sharon Holland fabric set on hand painted Royal Winton Grimwades china.Continue reading →
When Lucy and I first started making pincushions, we frequented many antique shops hunting for just the right salt cellars. Over time, we started noticing other small dishes and finally ventured into different pieces to test if they would work. Ashtrays are a very common find. Some of the ashtrays we have found are made in beautiful patterns with interesting glass. Reclaiming and repurposing the glass spurs our imaginations and provides inspiration for creating.
Maureen Cracknell, a fabric designer for Art Gallery Fabrics, has a new fabric line available. You can view the Lookbook for pretty pictures and inspiration including this version of the Pike quilt. I fell in love with this fabric!
Maureen’s fabric was perfect for pincushions too.
Quilting this was fun! I enjoyed changing the quilting motif in the different fabrics. I knew I wanted to have a wavy crosshatch in each of the block centers plus a lot of soft swirling lines in this quilt. The design evolved as I quilted.
If you are interested in making the Pike Quilt, the pattern is FREE! You can find it on Craftsy by clicking HERE. There are a couple of colorways for this quilt and you can choose which you download. Additionally, I’ve created a coloring page for this quilt so you can play.
I’m so happy that I’m all finished with my #sewcialbeesampler quilt! I started this quilt last year with the weekly sew along written by Sharon Holland and co-hosted with Maureen Cracknell. I finished it shortly after the beginning of this year and finally had a chance to get some pictures.
I enjoyed the challenge and look of different blocks each week. Sharon’s beautiful instructions are visually pleasing and easy to follow.
I planned from the beginning to use different fabrics in every block. My only constraint was to use my Art Gallery Fabrics stash. I have built a stash since discovering this fabric line a few years ago. The back and binding are also Art Gallery Fabrics.
This is a large quilt! I decided on an all over geometric pattern for quilting. I used Aurifil thread. Quilting was so easy to do on my domestic Pfaff using my quilting foot.
I’m so pleased with my quilt and the way it turned out. I learned so much while making it, had a wonderful time perusing the other maker’s blocks on Instagram (#sewcialbeesampler), and simply being in touch with other quilters via social media. I’m especially grateful to my friend Shayne, who introduced me to Art Gallery Fabrics, and my local quilt store Sew to Speak because they carry Art Gallery Fabrics and I can see them in person.
Inspiration: Previous small Pike quilt. Traditional jackknife block.
New size: 55″ square
Fabric: Bountiful, by Sharon Holland made by Art Gallery Fabric
Thread: Aurifil
Pattern: Etsy Shop for $1 – link HERE!
I picked my fabrics and realized after I started putting it all together that I was following the primary color scheme. I tend to do that. A lot. I think I like that combo. ;-)
Quilting done on my domestic Pfaff. I realized that the pebbling I quilted in the center was very dense so I lightened up when I moved out. I free motion quilted this entire quilt and loved the process.
I am so happy I can offer a pattern with this quilt. I think the pattern would work with so many different fabrics!
If you make it, use #pikequilt and tag me @lesleystorts or @stortsmarket so I can see what you create!
As I sit here writing this post, the snow is coming down outside. That is to be expected since it is January, but 2 days ago we had 55 degree weather. The weather here is nuts! And that is where the inspiration for this quilt ended up…with the weather. Here in central Ohio, we are considered one of the cloudiest cities in the country averaging 283 cloudy days per year. Those clouds make for great filtered light and picture taking, but also a longing for sunny skies and color!
When I first sketched this quilt, I was unsure about the palette. After coloring the sketch and playing around with it, I decided to use rainbow colors and try solids from Art Gallery Fabrics. I ordered a color card to help me choose fabrics.
Intense, saturated colors were what I first pulled, but I wanted those balanced out with some softer shades too. As I began making the quilt, I really loved the colors I chose, but realized that I needed one more dark in the green/blue family so I ordered a teal to add to the mix.
The background is Essex linen by Robert Kaufman. I used Essex linen in my Great Granny Squared quilt and loved the look. I ordered a metallic but changed my mind and ended up at my local quilt store, Sew to Speak, to pick out fabric with all of my AGF solids on hand to make sure I liked how they looked together. I really wanted the background to be a soft, grayish blue that represented those cloudy skies in Ohio. The Essex linen in chambray is subtle and compliments the rainbow palette. I enjoy the mix of two different textures of fabric in this quilt.
By using Quilters Dream Wool Batting, the greater loft provides more depth in the center and around the perimeter where the quilting is not as close. Prismatic Chill was backed with Carolyn Friedlander’s Crosshatch in Pacific. Quilt was pieced and quilted with Aurifil 2600.
As a side note, while I was making this quilt, I affectionately called it the rainbow quilt or winter rainbow quilt. It’s the quilt’s pet name. Is there such a thing? I like to think of Prismatic Chill as the formal name, the one you would see on the birth certificate that no one really says. Haha!
You can find this quilt and the pattern in the Winter 2017 issue of Modern Patchwork.
Welcome to the Minis Blog Tour hosted by Pat Bravo of Art Gallery Fabrics
I am happy to be a part of this mini quilt blog tour hosted by Pat Bravo of Art Gallery Fabrics. Being given beautiful fabric and asked to create a quilt is one of my favorite activities. My take aways from this project are:
»»»A reminder of why I enjoy Art Gallery Fabrics »»»Challenging myself with a new quilt block
If you have not had the opportunity to sew with Art Gallery Fabrics, I would encourage you to get some and treat yourself. Art Gallery Fabrics have a distinct feel to them, very soft with a gentle drape. As a member of the tour, I received a bundle of fabrics from Pat Bravo’s new lines Essential II and Dare. I chose to use five of the fabrics to make my mini quilt:
My Bundle of Fabrics
If I had to use one word to describe my 5 fabrics together it would be eclectic. At first glance, I was not sure they would work, but I like the end result. I named my quilt Daring Edge because of the Dare fabrics and all blade edges from the different pinwheels. A favorite aesthetic details about the quilt is the Hula Hoops in Azure background around the perimeter and how it reminds me of water.
For inspiration in creating the quilt block, I used the book 1000 Great Quilt Blocks by Maggi McCormick Gordon. Using the Double Pinwheel III block as a starting point, I resized it from her original and modified the block to tailor it to my fabrics. I like a challenge and enjoy learning with every quilt I make. My big lesson with this quilt was in creating half-square rectangles. Online tutorials helped, but I had a lot of testing with scrap fabrics to get the size just right. And learning how to mark and line them up was a bit of a lesson in math, but now that I understand it, I’m looking forward to future quilts with this versatile and interesting technique.
Marked and Pinned
Sewn and Cut
Ironed
Being a part of this tour has been enjoyable. The other quilters involved are so talented and creative and I enjoy seeing all of their beautiful creations using the Dare and Essentials II fabrics. If you would like to see their work and get some inspiration for yourself, check out Pat Bravo’s Blog and the following links:
Creative inspiration can be found at the Essentials II Lookbookand the Dare LookBook. If you happen to be in Columbus, Ohio, you can stop by one of my favorite local quilting stores, Sew To Speak, and check out their beautiful selection from various Art Gallery Fabric designers.
Daring Edge Quilt Back
Daring Edge Quilt Specs:
20″ x 20″
4 blocks total
56 pieces in each block
224 total pieces
5 fabrics from Art Gallery Fabrics, Essentials II and Dare collection
Quilt Back in Art Gallery Fabrics Pure Elements in Icy Mint
Aurifil Thread 2600 (a light silvery grey) used for piecing and quilting
New quilt! Let’s keep this short and sweet…
I picked my fabrics and realized after I started putting it all together that I was following the primary color scheme. I tend to do that. A lot. I think I like that combo. ;-)
Quilting done on my domestic Pfaff. I realized that the pebbling I quilted in the center was very dense so I lightened up when I moved out. I free motion quilted this entire quilt and loved the process.
I am so happy I can offer a 
Storts Market 