Bring the Art Off the Walls and Onto Your Bed!
Feb 25th, 2008 by Penny Haren
Welcome to the world of “component sewing”! Debbie Maddy has combined different shapes – squares, rectangles, and half-square triangles into components that can then be sewn together to make a pillow, a wall hanging, or a quilt. She has answered the call for all of you who want to make a quilt or wall hanging for your “non-quilting” friends!
Modern Art with Fabric
Item #CCQD128
Retail $20.00
And, since the segments are so large, you don’t have to cut up all of that beautiful fabric into tiny pieces and lose the whole design.
Jenny, our National Sales Manager, said that she would love to frame her favorite fabrics and hang them in her office. After all, beautiful textiles are truly works of art! The quilts in this book are perfect for her needs! Any combination of components (which we used to call blocks) can be framed and combined to make an impact on any wall. Look at these samples – different fabrics, different components – totally different looks!
I wanted to frame my favorite quotations. These components would be wonderful! I could print off the quotations on fabric and incorporate them into the pieces.
There are so advantages to this technique – but first and foremost – you can actually finish a top in no time at all! In fact, I can envision spending more time choosing my fabrics than sitting at the sewing machine. Even a queen or king sized quilt can be pieced in a day.
And, since the pieces are larger, there aren’t as many seams so there is less waste. You actually USE all of the fabric! So when you’re shopping, take the time to pull the bolts off of the shelves and really LOOK at the print – not just the color – you’ll be glad you did!
Debbie chose beautiful fabric for her samples – all in color, by the way – and I know “Modern” is part of the title. But, for those of you who are more conventional, I can see a baby quilt using these techniques in different textures. Shoot, why save it for a baby? I would LOVE a throw made with chenille, Minkee, jacquards, etc. – a perfect quilt for “Cottage Chic”.
But, I can also see these quilts done in flannels for that special man in your life. Large wildlife themes would be masculine – and the opportunities to fussy cut would make it personal. The possibilities are endless!
And, these quilts are a machine quilter’s dream. The large spaces make it possible to show off their workmanship – huge flowers, feathers, and plumes could be showcased on each component to add a whole other dimension to the piece!
In short, Debbie has taken the “square” out of quilting – and you’ll love the results! Take a little time to enjoy the view…..
