Friday, May 20, 2011

Opposites Attract - Bloggers' Quilt Festival

Just under the wire I'm posting today for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival.  It's been a crazy week trying to catch up since getting home from market.  It doesn't help that as soon as I got home I developed a sinus infection and spent most of the last 3 days in bed. {no fun at all!}

So the festival...
 The rules are that you are supposed to blog about one quilt... but I'm stretching that a bit.  I'm blogging about one design that I've made a few times since it's a favorite of mine.

Opposites Attract was the first pattern I released & will always have a special place in my heart.  While this pattern can be made with any fabric... I've made it 5 times now with novelty fabrics!  This stack of 4 of them also shows my love of bias cut striped binding!!

In preparation for Quilt Market I needed to make a few new samples of Opposites Attract.  Robert Kaufman requested one for their booth from Ann Kelle's new Urban Zoologie fabrics.  I was torn between using teal or brown for the background.  I had used brown for my first 2 Opposites Attract quilts and while that would have been the obvious choice... I went with teal and it turned out fantastic!

The bright teal was perfect for a Quilt Market display.
Here is the finished quilt hanging at market.  I love the birds & birdhouses!


I also wanted to make a new sample for my booth.  I picked 8 prints from the original & new Urban Zoologie and went back to brown for the background.  KarrieLyne helped me piece this sample and I love how it turned out!

I think my favorite new print is the lady bugs... or maybe the monkeys!!

Some of my quilts are "display quilts" and travel around to shops.  This quilt is NOT one of those.  Its one and only show was this past Quilt Market.  Why is that??  Because I made this Quilt for Elijah.  The backing fabric is monkeys... because when he plays he's a little monkey sometimes!
Photo by Karin Herman
{Side note- My sister in law Karin sent in a story to Becky Higgins about using Project Life and it was featured today on Becky's blog... grab a tissue and read it.  I love you Karin, Brad, Elijah & Aliyah!}


Meeting Kelle herself was a highlight of market!!  I've been a huge fan of her fabrics for so long that I feel like we have known each other forever.

This photo that Heather snapped on Day #2 of market is probably my favorite photo from the entire show.  I love you Kelle!

 I also made Opposites Attract in Cuddle by Shannon Fabrics with help from Candi

Working with the Cuddle for the front & back of a quilt was a bit harder than I expected.  Until making this quilt I had only used it on the front or the back.  The stretch of the fabric can be hard to tame at times... but the result is a fuzzy & warm quilt!


I hope you enjoy my Opposites Attract Quilts!  This pattern is available at many shops or you can ask your Local Quilt Shop to order it for you!


Check out the many other fantastic quilts that have been posted this week for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival
...over 600 have been posted so far!!




© Blog post written by Julie Herman
For more information visit http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/

13 comments:

Andrea said...

I love all your work. I'm a fan of your blog, greetings from Argentina

Fabric Warrior (aka Amie) said...

This is so pretty! I love the design. It's so unique. Beautiful!!

Mary on Lake Pulaski said...

So fun to see all the different Opposites Attract in one post! What a great pattern.

Manda said...

Great design!

Dick said...

The striped bias cut bindings really sets off the choices of opposites!! I plan to keep the Opposites Attract pattern in mind for a Quilts of Valor with the bias cut binding, of course. Thanks for sharing all your different fabric choices for this pattern.

Cindy said...

I think it's awesome that you chose this quilt to share, because I'm working on this pattern right now. I gave you a 'shout out' on my blog - the entry before the quilt festival one. I L.O.V.E. this pattern. I appreciate your talent and your patterns are wonderful! And I think it's very special to see the love you have for your nephew.

stitchinpenny said...

Love the quilt in all its variations

Denise in PA said...

This quilt is perfect for novelties! It looks great in all you've shown - and I'm so glad I "won" the pattern at your trunk show!

Kriza said...

lovely work, well done!
Kristina
www.priscillacraft.blogspot.com

Renegade Quilter said...

Love the quilts & I did read your SIL's post - I love her attitude about everything that is going on in their lives - they are an inspiration to all.
I made a quilt for my niece once with minki (sp) it stretched like mad-drove me nuts. But, its my niece's favorite quilt. I guess that is how things work.

Deborah said...

I love this pattern! Thanks for showing all the different fabric variations. Nice work.
Deborah

Janet said...

So sweet the quilt you made for your nephew!

Ann Kelle said...

They all look so great! Hope Elijah likes the monkeys:) xoxo, Kelle