Introduction: Day #3

Today's Introduction: Saltwater Taffy

It's always fascinating to me how the quilt and pattern industry goes in such clear and identifiable waves or trends. A few designers get inspired by something, then a few more and very soon there is an explosion of a colors or designs or patterns featuring said trend. Its unmistakeable and it happens like clockwork. I know that this is the way it is in most artistic or creative industries, but since I am most connected to this one, it is always so interesting for me to watch a "trend" spread into so many different venues and in so many different interpretations. I love watching it happen and I love being a part of it… especially when I am at the beginning of the inspiration LOL!

…Saltwater Taffy done out of Fresh Cottons with a tone one tone seafoam print pieced border and a seafoam medallion print as the outer border.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

[warning… tangent coming]

Now as a designer I do have to add that sometimes it is indeed a trend, in fact often it is a trend, something that catches on that everyone wants to be a part of. Sometimes it is separate cases of similar inspiration, and sometimes it is just plain plagiarism or in the case of our industry, the process known as "knocking off" of someone else's idea, design or product. In textiles and product design and more recently in pattern design, it happens a lot especially with the amazing access to design that everyone has via the internet. More than you would probably care to know. More than many people are willing to admit and recently a lot more than it used to… It is the part of the "trend" process that makes me sad or disillusioned, depending on the situation. Okay, done with my tangent. Just had to get that in there and out.  

[tangent done]

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Back to introductions…. the reason I started talking about trends in the first place is that we have been having a huge resurgence of hexagon and pinwheel designs over the last year or so. HUGE! They are everywhere in every kind of size and style. There is something about them that translates so well to both traditional and contemporary designs. And they are a lot of fun to make!

… made with Fresh Cottons. Closer up to show blocks & quilting.

For me, as with most things, I have shied away from some of these in the past because I hadn't yet figured out a simple way of doing the pattern without templates. For those of you who know me, you'll know that I am always on the hunt to recreate traditional blocks and designs into methods that we can use today without a lot of tedious templates, etc. Well we have done that with hexagons here, in a pattern that we released several Markets ago. Then I did another version here in this book, with the same hexagon method. Love those hexies in any form!

And now we are moving on to these spinning pinwheels [there are many traditional names for this block but heck if I can remember any of them right now when I need to!]. LOVE them.. now that I have figured out a way to make them out of a straightforward pinwheel and a few well placed trims. I think you might love this method once you use it! 

In the words of one of my seamstresses, who hates working with any kind of bias pieces, "Wow, I like this one enough to make it again for myself even after I am done making the sample for you!" That's high praise coming from Miss Cheryl I tell ya!

… flat shot of the same Fresh Cottons quilt.

… a tiny close-up because these are my favorite kinds of shots to take right now. Something so alive about them. Gives you an idea of what it would feel like to cuddle up with the quilt doesn't it?

… same quilt, different outer border. A bit more feminine perhaps.

…. made with Breakfast at Tiffany's collection with a slightly different style of border. Love the way the coral polka dots frame and set off this version!

… my artsy fartsy close-up shot of the same Breakfast at Tiffany's quilt.

… a better close-up of the borders sections.

… a flat shot of the Breakfast at Tiffany's version.

PATTERN DETAILS

Name: Saltwater Taffy

Pieced by: Cheryl Hadley and Sherri McConnell

Size: 55 1/2" x 66 or 53 1/2 x 64 for the one with the coral dot borders

Fabrics Collections: Either Fresh Cottons or Breakfast at Tiffany's depending on which quilt & version you are looking at. 

Fabrics Used: Quilt starts with nothing else but (2) charm packs and some background yardage.

To look at precise yardage requirements look here under "VIEW LARGER IMAGE".

Talk to you soon.