Stand back and squint, Harpo

A new (at least for me) concept for pixel quilts. I created a two-color design in YouPatch and then used highly patterned fabrics (instead of my usual Kona solids) in two primary color ways. I think it makes for a more unusual end result. 

Another entry for Bloggers Quilt Festival

For my second entry into the Bloggers Quilt Festival, I thought I'd like to enter my Ella Bubbles quilt. I love this quilt and am excited to be sending it (her) to Kiama for exhibition in Australia's only Modern Quilting Show.

This is the first YouPatch pixel quilt that I have made incorporating half-square triangles (HSTs). They allow me to create smoother, rounder lines which is perfect in a quilt about BUBBLES!!!

Frida

We often get requests from YouPatch customers wanting to make high detail images into small quilts using the pixelated method/style. This is tricky because the higher the detail in a small quilt, the smaller the little pieces. It gets to a point where the pieces are simply too small to sew.

But they can be stuck!! A-ha!! I came across a method called Fabric Mosaic via FaceBook (as you do) when I befriended a woman called Robyn Taylor who makes small pixelated fabric wall hangings using this method. She also teaches this method. Google her!!

After numerous discussions with Robyn and some of Dan's magic software creations, I began a trial piece. A portrait of the Mexican artist Frida Kahlo.

Quilts at long last

I think I misplaced my blogging mo-jo (is that called blo-jo?) so haven't posted in a couple of months. So much has happened since my last post that it's hard to know where to start.

I think for this blog post I'll show you some of the quilts that I have loved seeing of late. I'm sure you will have seen many of them in other people's posts .... people who actually post regularly and when the news is still current :P

First up .... Quiltcon: Feb 2015 (Yes, that long ago!!)

"Face #1"
I adore this quilt by Melissa Averinos. I wasn't the only one.  It was awarded a Judge's Choice award.

QuiltCon - meeting all the quilty people!!

What an absolute buzz it was to meet so many wonderful people in Austin last month!! Many people I had corresponded with online, people who had made YouPatch quilts, so many people I have admired over the years!!

WARNING: there will be a LOT of photos in this blog post and I will be in most of them :P
So if you have had enough of seeing me and my pink hair, just focus on the OTHER gorgeous people in the pics ;-)

First up, the Aussies!! In the lead up to QuiltCon, I joined a FaceBook group called "Aussie QuiltCon Contingent". Such a gorgeous and supportive group of women. Some old friends, some new. We shared our travel plans, our excitement and of course much silliness! What a crazy bunch travelling to the other side of the globe to play with quilts and fabric!!!

QuiltCon - The first blog post of many

And not a minute too soon!!! I'm a tad late in posting about QuiltCon as we didn't get home to Melbourne until the 28th Feb and since then I have been suffering jet lag, a nasty head cold and a severe case of procrastination-itis!

So in this first blog post, I'll be mainly showing you our YouPatch booth. We were so proud of our booth that packed away into a suitcase! But more about that later.

In future posts, I'll be talking bout the people of QuiltCon, the city of Austin and, of course, all the gorgeous quilts!!! I'll also be showing you our post-Austin visit to Los Angeles where we got to hang out with a bunch of fabulous people and soak up the winter sunshine.

But first, our journey to Austin ..... didn't go exactly to plan!

Audrey - finished at last!!

This has been by far my biggest and most ambitious quilting project ever!

I started with this pixelated image:

Using YouPatch, I generated a pattern with just over 2000 pieces and, over the course of about 50 hours, I made the quilt top.

Here she is half-finished at the Melbourne Stitches & Craft Show last year

Bubbles!!!!!

So as you may have seen in our recent post, we are introducing HSTs into the YouPatch quilt design suite! Here is the first pixel quilt I've made that incorporates triangles:

The original image was a pic I took about a year ago of my daughter Ella blowing bubbles.

Rather than go with my usual bright solid fabrics, I wanted to incorporate a palette that was a little different so I asked my dear friend Louise (who usually goes for a softer palette than I do) to select the fabrics for me. Not only did she select something gorgeous and a little different, she went with textured fabrics.... all purchased from Amitie.

From L-R: Robert Kaufman dot in pink, Quartet Collection by Faye Burgos for Marcus Fabrics, Zenith by P&B Textiles, Robert Kaufman quilters linen in silver, Robert Kaufman quilters linen in platinum.

Introducing ... TRIANGLES!!!

YouPatch has, until now, provided pixel quilt patterns using only squares and rectangles as component pieces. We have recently been dabbling with the idea of adding half-square-triangles (HST's) to improve the capacity for creating smoother curved and diagonal lines.

My clever husband Dan Prager (the brain power behind this idea) has written about it in his blog post and we have re-published it here ...

Adding triangles to YouPatch

The Racket Logo

Following my talk at RacketCon 2014 a few participants expressed interest in getting a quilt based on the Racket programming language logo (right).

Since I used Racket extensively both in inventing and developing YouPatch (www.youpatch.com) I thought it would be a nice gesture to make a free quilt design available to members of the Racket community.

However, just running the Racket logo through the YouPatch process (as it stood) made for an unsatisfactory result on two fronts:

Reflecting on a crafty year

2014 was a super busy crafty year with the launch of YouPatch in February.

Loads of pixel projects and quilts for friends and family.

Thank you to everyone who helped to make YouPatch a wonderful experience and to everyone who made my 2014 interesting, fabulous, challenging and creative.

Happy new year!! I hope it's s stitchy one!

Andi xxx

PS The song in the video is called "Ho Hey" performed by the very talented Indi Eisner. You can listen to it here!