Summer Crush {a mosaic contest} by Stitched in Color

Summer… freedom to explore...and freedom to rest.

Yay! - Rachel Hauser @Stitched in Color has invited to another of her wonderful fabric mosaic contests. I just love those. I have yet to win one but love, love, love playing with the fabrics. As always Rachel prepared phenomenal inspiration pictures to set the scene. I suggest you hop over and check them out. As for the details, as always we are to build a 3 x 3 mosaic to represent the chosen theme, here ‘Summer Crush’ using fabrics from the contest sponsor, here Quilt Sandwich Fabrics.

‘And the sun shines upon us and the sand is clean and the water clear and all is right with the world’ says Rachel and boy, do I want some of her Summer! =)

Entry 1 - Summer Crush

Entry 2 - Waterfront Paradise

The mosaics are to be added by midnight August 20th. We can make up to 2 mosaics! On Monday the 21st, voting will open. There will be two winners! The 2 Top Mosaics will earn a complete fat quarter set of their mosaic fabrics!!! Winners announced August 24th.

=)

Soft Botanical {a mosaic contest} by Stitched in Color

Rachel Hauser @Stitched in Color has invited to another of her wonderful fabric mosaic contests. I am always looking forward to those. As always Rachel prepared phenomenal inspiration pictures to set the scene. I suggest you hop over and check them out.

The is contest sponsored by Gotham Quilts. We are to add our mosaics by midnight April 30th. On May 1st,Rachel will open voting. The 2 Top Mosaics will earn a complete fat quarter set of their mosaic fabrics!!! Winners are to be announced May 3rd. So everything like always. Only this time I had a hard time to get my computer to display the link-up. Rachel's blog migrated to a webpage proper, which befuddled my computer.

Entry 1 - Soft Botanical

 

Entry 2 - Spring in Bloom

I think they turned out rather similar this time round. Merely an observation. =)

Cathedral Windows {a mosaic contest}

Be careful what you wish for, right? Just last weekend I though - hmm I would not mind another mosaic contest and presto (!) - Rachel Hauser @Stitched in Color must have read my thoughts half a world away and subsequently offers another opportunity to play with pretty fabrics. Either that or it is totally coincidental.  =)

Rachel is not making it very easy either as this time round, the guiding motive are 'cathedral windows'. As always Rachel's inspiration collages are a treat for the eye and 'Royal Blue' has been named the prevailing colour.

Phew, OK then. Let's see. Associations please... ethereal, luminous, bright hues, edged in shadows, kaleidoscopic...

Entry 1

It is difficult to get around Kaffe Fassett for this challenge as his fabrics are playing right in this area of luminosity.  =)

Fabrics:
1. Kona Cotton Solids · 1541 Deep Blue
2. moda, Sphere · 1544 17 Blue Crossing
3. Stof A/S, Silver Lining · 4503-216 Purple Geo Dots
4. Art Gallery Fabrics, Prisma Elements · PRE-806 Apricot Sunstone
5. Kaffe Fassett, Kaffe Collection I · Lake Blossoms - Black
6. Art Gallery Fabrics, Lavish · LAH-16801 Sunprint Orchid
7. Art Gallery Fabrics, Avant Garde · AVG-28901 Fluxus Ochre
8. FreeSpirit, Clementine · Summerhouse - Red

9. Birch, Mod Basics 3 · Firefly Dots Tomato

Entry 2

Fabrics:
1. moda, Basic Mixologie · 33023 27 Chartreuse Gridlock
2. Birch, Tall Tales · TT-07 Moon Phase Marigold
3. Art Gallery Fabrics, Prisma Elements · PRE-806 Apricot Sunstone
4. Stof A/S, Silver Lining · 4503-216 Purple Geo Dots
5. Stof A/S, Silver Lining · 4503-234 Teal Geo Stripes
6. Andover, Sun Prints · 7752-O Mercury Flame
7. Kona Cotton Solids · 1541 Deep Blue
8. moda, Sphere · 1544 17 Blue Crossing
9. Andover, Sun Prints · 7753-B Grove Navy

The mosaic contest is sponsored by The Loopy Ewe. As always we can enter up to two mosaics of 9 fabrics each. Add the mosaics by midnight January 21st. On Sunday the 22nd, Rachel will open voting. The 2 winning mosaics will earn a complete fat quarter set of their mosaic fabrics!!! Winners announced January 25th.

Stash Bee 2017 - January Block - Scrap Happy

A new year, a new hive and a lot of motivation to get going. I have spring-cleaned my sidebar to make space for new adventures and re-vamped my little Queen Bee. I am about ready to get going.

January Queen Stephanie asked for a post stamp variation block against low volume fabrics. As Stephanie put it, this was a chance to use up our scrappy scraps. The only thing she asked is that we not use civil war fabrics as they contain more brown than she liked. For the low volume pieces it was OK to have colour in them as long as the read dominantly white, gray or off white.

Reading her request, I stayed away from scraps that contained the colour brown. The block looks bright and happy, if a bit scant at the sides. Nesting the seams of the rows and columns might have robbed a minute amount of fabric each time, so that the block is almost 1/4 of an inch scant. It is not too bad, so I hope Stephanie can work around that. Scant seams, true seams, wide seams - it not easy to make everything work just right.

I have some bee friends of last year in parallel hives, which means I have to watch out for their bee queen months coming up so I can hive crash their party and contribute  =)

Dreaming at Dusk {a mosaic contest} by Stitched in Color

I am excited. Rachel Hauser @Stitched in Color has invited to another of her wonderful fabric mosaic contests. I love those. Rachel prepared phenomenal inspiration pictures to set the scene and found wonderful words to set our imagination ablaze: 

"Between gathering neutrals, warmth glints in the last light. A flash of yellow-orange-red-purple, the dying of a perfectly ordinary day. But even that brilliance is hazy. Where does one color start and another begin? Night, so absolute, overcomes the protest of a myriad, graduated shades."

The is contest sponsored by Lark Cottons and we are to craft up to two mosaics of 9 fabrics each from the fabrics on offer by them, aiming for a dreamy, blended palette. The mosaics are to be entered by midnight October 2nd. On Monday the 3rd voting will open. 

Entry 1

Here is the last glorious blaze of sun just before it sinks below the horizon for good. All rose tinted yet the colours are quickly fading. 

I though this time round, I might just record which fabrics I chose for the mosaics in case I ever wished to buy them together for real:

• Denyse Schmidt - Shelburne- Deco Fans - Lilac
• Moda - Bella Solids - Orchid
• Pat Bravo - Lace Elements - Cherry Lace
• Darlene Zimmerman - Penny and Friends
• Anna Maria Horner - Mod Corsage - Memory Soft 
• Rashida Coleman - Hale Raindrop Precipiation - Teal
• Heath - Taupe
• Lizzy House - Natural History Stars - Red
• Jennifer Sampoo - Studio Stash - Yarn Dyed Charcoal

Entry 2

And here the sun has gone and what colour remains will turn ashen in the next 20 minutes or so, just you wait. 

Fabric wise here we have:

• Essex Linen - Steel
• Best of Morris Reproduction - Indigo
• Anna Maria Horner - Innocent Crush Maybe Blossoms
• Erin Michael - Lush Scenic Peak - Blue
• Sarah Watts - Cat Lady - Stack O Cats Mustard
• Anna Maria Horner - Mod Corsage - Memory Float
• Nani Iro - Pocho Dots - Sky
• Denyse Schmidt - Florence Dot Plaid - Malachite
• Rashida Coleman - Hale Raindrop Cicada Song - Teal

I enjoyed that and you have plenty of time to try your hand as well.



... Girls will walk in moving air

the sun hangs low, the girls don't care
as they paint themselves at dusk...

Colour Exercise - Lush Summer Night - Fabric Mosaic

I like the Play Craft palette builder tool a lot. I spent quite some time shifting the little modulators to build pretty colour palettes. But I reign in my crazy and refrain from flooding this blog with the resulting images. Otherwise, you would see nothing but. On this occasion I indulged myself though. 

Look at this pretty image by an artist going by the monicker 'grazapp' on deviantart.com. I saw the untitled work and immediatly started associating Gustav Klimt and lush Summer nights, sparks of a campfire, art nouveau and treasures of gold and starlit skies.

Just notice all the saturated blues and golds and browns and even some grey and a sparkle of mint. I believe this would translate beautifully into a quilt. I played some more, this time with the mosaic maker and the Hawthorne Fabric webpage. I like browsing their shop as they have an amazing selection of fabrics. Alas, import taxes and postage are forbidding so it will have to stay at browsing, but oh that Anna Maria Horner 'Mod Corsage' line, especially 'Centered in Seafoam' and all 'Memory' prints. *sigh* 

Anyway, I looked at Hawthorne's current offers and pulled a fabric selection together that I think represents the above image beautifully. 

As far as the actual fabric selection goes, here the list of prints and solids that would make up my

'Lush Summer Night' bundle:

Camelot Cottons - Chevron Trellis in Marigold
Hawthorne Threads - Radiate in Breeze
Joel Dewberry - Arbor in Mint
Michael Miller - Cotton Couture in Sky
Amy Butler - Park Fountains in Brown
Anna Maria Horner - Going Up in Pumpkin
Hawthorne Threads - Stardust in Straw
Karen Lewis - Libs Stitches in Stratosphere
Hawthorne Threads - Radiate in Blue Jay
Fancy Pants Design - Y Motif in Yellow
Andover - Stellar Slub Chambray in Dark Grape
Lizzy Hunt - Meadow Flower in Blue
Free Spirit - Solid in Mineral
Cotton and Steel - Solid Lawn in Navy
Emily Taylor - Scratch in Mint
Robert Kaufmann - Small Pearlized Spot in Mint

'Trillium' by 'Color Girl Quilts' might be a suitable pattern for this fabric pull. Well, what do you think? Just for fun, what quilt pattern or design would you make with that fabric selection? 

I link up with 'Let's Bee Social'. Come on over and join the fun.

Cool Melon {a mosaic contest} by Stitched in Color

Rachel Hauser from 'Stitched in Color' invites us all along to join in another colourful mosaic contest, this time around the theme of 'Cool Melons'. 

The contest is open for entries until midnight May 8th. On Monday the 9th voting will commence. So why don't you join the fun.

The request is to craft a mosaic of 9 fabrics from among the offerings of the contest sponsor Gotham Quilts in order to express the play of cool and warm tones provided by the myriad of types of melons, though Rachel found much more appetizing words to tempt you into joining the contest.

Entry 1:  Water Melon

Somehow, coming up with fabric combinations for this theme was far more difficult than it should have been. In comparison to the beautiful inspiration collages Rachel provided, the mosaics seemed to keep falling short.

I tried to come up with mosaics that would have a distinctly different feel to each other and think I succeeded.

Entry 2: Melon Sorbet

I am looking forward to finding out what everybody else has come up with.

=)

Color Intensive - Just Neutrals - Contest Winner

My 'Color Intensive' class is drawing to an end. The class encouraged us to look at different aspects of fabrics, colours and stash building and using. I think it provided good food for thought.  Unfortunately, I did not have time to follow along in depth over the last two weeks but am looking forward to the accompanying e-book to immerse myself further.

The class is definitely encouraging a practical approach. Ideally, I should have assessed and re-assessed my stash and fabrics all along in sync with the 'lessons' but you know how it is - life gets in the way.  =)

I missed the last two mosaic contests entirely but wanted to let you know who won the 'Just Neutrals' contest.

Not I - but I made the finals this time round. My grey mosaic, the one I was not so sure about, made the final five.

Rachel commented as follows: Puppilalla's playful mosaic in icy grays that hover just at the edge of blue. Flipping prints, floating feathers and trails of ink dots tease the eye without overwhelm thanks to simpler supporting prints throughout. Fun!

The winner of the contest was Michelle Morrison's mosaic. 

Rachel commented as follows:

Michelle Morrison's mosaic utilizes geometric prints and a limited palette to create a clean, orderly impression. Her neutrals are entirely cool. Most of the prints have a clear sense of motion, which really keeps the eye moving.

Congratulations.

=)
 

Color Intensive - Just Neutrals {a mosaic contest}

Meanwhile, my class on colour continues and asks us to concentrate on neutrals this week. We were asked to create a mosaic limiting our choices to brown, white, black and gray and to pay special attention to the patterns in the fabrics.

Entry 1 in Grey

I am short on time this week but wanted to participate nonetheless. Still the grey one feels a bit rushed to me and might have benefited form more time to contemplate. I like Entry 2 much better.

 

Entry 2 - Expedition planning

Of course the class is not all about colour mosaics. In her class Rachel talks about colour at lenght and provides us with a lot of colour inspiration sources. 

We were encouraged to try our first practical assignment, a tote bag in either a complementary or analogous colour scheme, on the weekend. With being occupied with the Polaroid quilt project, as well as with essential supplies missing, I did not get around making one but you never know, I still might.

Color Intensive - Mosaic Contest Winners

I though you might like a quick up-date on our colour class mosaic contests. As a general rule, from all mosaics entered, 5 finalists were chosen by our class instructor Rachel who also provided comments on why she felt, these mosaics were illustrating the theme of the contest best. The class members were then invited to vote a winner. 

Of course there were prizes to be had too =)

come sweet Spring!

The winner of the 'come sweet spring!' contest was Katie with the below entry:

Rachel commented as follows:

Katie's mosaic exudes a lightly playful personality that communicates the joy of spring. The two colorful Cotton & Steel prints could have been too loud for a spring mosaic, but combined with many white-background prints and other prints with restrained color schemes, the overall mosaic does not feel chaotic. The swooping birds are a perfect symbol for spring!

Rainbow Blends

The winner of the 'Rainbow Blends' contest was FairyTalesandNonsense

Rachel commented as follows:

Here's another fantastic mosaic, this time by FairyTalesandNonsense. I love her choices for lime green, cool green and aqua! I noticed that many mosaics skipped over aqua, going directly from a cool green to a true blue. I like to see a blue/green well represented.

I did not make the five finalists in either contest. *sigh*

=)

Color Intensive - Rainbow Blends {a mosaic contest}

This week's class continues to explore colours and has us recognize subtle nuances that divide the hues. So for homework we have been asked to select and arrange fabrics in rainbow blends as workout for our sense of colour

So lets get blending. 

Entry 1

The first entry is more adventurous than the second as I tried to truly blend rather than merely recreate the colour wheel.

Entry 2

A useful exercise though this time I guess all entries will look pretty similar to each other.

=)

Color Intensive - Come Sweet Spring! {a mosaic contest}

I have enrolled in a 6 week long online course on colour theory this year. The class is called 'Color Intensive' and is taught by Rachel Hauser at 'Stitched in Color' via private class blog. In the six weeks that just started, Rachel will address Color Emotions, Color Theory, Neutrals, Color Mixing and Working in Cloth. We will also be asked to complete class projects (homework, so to speak =) and to join fun challenges, like this mosaic contest below. 

The theme for this one is: come sweet spring!

Entry 1 Buttercup

This first one is comparably well behaved. So early in the year the light is still glaring and harsh but life asserts itself everywhere.Think of green meadows with dandelions and buttercups.

Entry 2 Lust for Life

This second entry is bursting with energy. There is new green and pops of colour everywhere. Blooming flowers and rising temperatures and so much life waiting to happen. Feel the buzz.

I also already had my first point of frustration in relation to the class - well not with the class itself - but with the loss of supplies I had ordered. Meh  =( 

We were recommended to purchase a Kona Colour Card because it will be used throughout the class. I ordered one from Hancock's of Paducah. They sent it off mid-December but it never arrived here in Germany. The perils of intercontinental parcel shipping. That means that I cannot participate in some of the class activities, which really is a shame. Yes, I could order another one but I have not gotten over the loss of money and goods of the last one yet.

Anyway, the class looks to be good and I might write about it here and there, so keep your eyes peeled.

Vintage Rainbow {a mosaic contest} by Stitched in Color

Rachel Hauser at ‘Stitched in Color’ invites us all along to join another mosaic contest, this time generously sponsored by ‘Fabricworm’. This time Rachel is looking for vintage ‘colors slightly faded, aged, with stories to tell and wisdom to share’. The theme of the contest is that ‘Vintage Rainbow’ that you come upon accidentally and that contains just a little of this, a little of that to create that cosy faded charm.

Mosaic contests are huge time wasters of course and I do love them. And while I have piled up a few things I need to get done this weekend, including making progress with a tutorial for an urgent sewing project, I just had to sit down to participate. It couldn’t be helped.

Entry 1: Lazy Hazy Afternoon

The late summer afternoon sunshine filters through the curtains softening the edges of the room's furnishings. The cocktail party is still a good two hours away. You can hear your sister laugh at something on the Fibber McGee and Molly Show, while she prepares the canapes. Your petticoat is hanging at the door of the wardrobe. You sit at your vanity setting your victory curls, sipping iced lemonade, luxuriating in the thought of this lazy afternoon all stretching out ahead of you...

And, wow does Fabricworm have a collection of pretty fabrics. I got distracted left, right and centre, my inner greedy pig foaming at the mouth. Phew! One print I liked but which I did not manage to smuggle into one of the mosaics is the 'Wildland, Wild Horses' print by Miriam Bos for Birch Organic Fabrics.

I will be good and not give in to temptation. I have spoiled myself enough for the time being. I have splurged some Christmas money on new fabrics and on online courses I want to complete this year so that I may learn new skills. I also just underwrote the Year-of-the-Stash plea, vowing to sew from my stash this year, so I shall. (Winning fabrics in a contest would not count right? =)

The 2 Top mosaics will earn a complete fat quarter set of their mosaic fabrics, which of course adds to the overall motivation. The competition is open until midnight January 19th and winners will be announced on January 22nd. So why don’t you join the fun?

Entry 2: Cherry Soda 

Well she got her daddy's car and she cruised to the hamburger stand now, seems she forgot all about the library like she told her old man now and with the radio blasting, goes cruising just as fast as she can now, and she'll have fun, fun, fun ... tapping along to the song you pull your Pontiac Catalina into the lot of Bennie's Dinner, hoping to beat lovely Suzie to the table in order to have Cherry Soda ready for her when she skips through the door... 

So there. What do you think? I find it difficult to limit myself  =) I would have liked to enter at least another six mosaics. But you know what they say in the movie business: Kill your darlings! Alright, I chose these two and stand by my choices. 

'Brown is' Mosaic Contest - Winners

My little mosaics - as in both of them! - made it into the finals for voting. I am slightly embarassed but mostly chuffed that both were considered cohesive and inspiring enough to make the final 10. I did not win but no matter as participating is everything.

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to Rachel Hauser for hosting the contest.

And the winners are:

Sarah of Fat Fanny Fern with 'Morning Fog'

Sarah Jasinski with her 'Firefly'


















The contest sponsor Fabric Bub currently offers limited edition fat quarter bundles of those winning fabrics.
=)
This was fun. I am looking forward to the next little mosaic contest.

Brown Is {a mosaic contest} by Stiched in Color

Rachel Hauser from Stitched in Color invites us all along to join in a mosaic contest around the color brown sponsored by Fabric Bubb. How fun. The time just kept melting away, while I played with options available at the fabric shop. 

The request was to craft a mosaic of 9 fabrics from among the offerings at Fabric Bubb in order to express our favorite version of brown. The collection of fabrics could be mainly neutral, brown + another main color or involve quite a few colors. We were only to make sure to use brown as a meaningful element in our color scheme. 

So here are my two entries. 

Entry 1 

This one reminds me of a night sky above the desert.

The 2 Top Mosaics will earn a complete fat quarter set of their mosaic fabrics!!! The competition is still open until October 18th and winners will be announced October 21st. Can't wait!

Entry 2

I think this one is very soft somehow, a bit vague like a foreshadow, all in all unassuming yet cheerful. 

I am looking forward to find out what other entrants will come up with. No stealing of ideas if you please!

=)