Monday's With Marcus ~ Color Edition

Every Monday since February 14th, all of the Marcus Fabrics designers have been featuring small projects using the color RED, and talking about our favorite colors.  I hope you have been following along.  

You may remember my From the Heart Valentine quilt which featured red and pink for the Valentine holiday.

Today is my turn to talk about a favorite color.....black.  I think black has a very special effect with other colors.  We all know about wearing black, be it wearing an all black outfit, or pairing black with other colors.  The effect can be stunning.  

Have you notice that in the past few years, your grocery store's produce department changed to black shelving?  Oh, how it makes the colors of the produce really pop!  I've also see the conversion to black in the deli and meat sections, too.  Those changes didn't happen by accident....they know how much better food looks against a black background.  

In the world of home decor, adding a little black in a room has been advised by professionals for decades.  Depending on the quilt, adding black can truly make a big difference!  If you're familiar with my quilt designs, you know I have been a longtime believer in adding black to quilts.  I don't see it as a dark and dreary color.  Quite the opposite!  I feel it's a foundation that supports and makes the other colors shine brighter, just like the produce department.  To me, black is classic and traditional, and I feel very comfortable using it in my home, my quilts and my wardrobe.

For me, juxtaposition to black is the color orange or cheddar.  Love it in Halloween and fall quilts, but I have a hard time using it when replicating vintage quilts.  I've designed two cheddar fabric lines, and have really learned to love creating fabric in cheddar, but can't bring myself to make an all cheddar quilt I would display in my home.  I always say that if I was living in 1880, I wouldn't have liked it then either.  But....cheddar has a way of growing on you.  The more I create with it, the more I'm liking it.

As you see in the photos above, I've made my From the Heart quilt  in black and cheddar for Halloween.  

If you're like me and love Halloween, you can order a kit for this quilt while supplies last.  Click here to order the kit.

For a limited time, you can download the From the Heart pattern FREE here.

Click here to visit all of the Marcus Fabrics Designers to see the projects specially designed for The Colors of Marcus event!  

IN THE STUDIO......I'm working on a new Teeny Tiny Quilt Club project which I hope to debut in April.  Something really different and fun.  Old Blue Calicos is being delivered to your LQS right now.  More about that in my next post.  I have completed three future fabric lines and am working on more...all with new quilts to go with it.  And, more sew-alongs coming, too.  

You can always get news and see more up to the minute photos on Instagram and Facebook, so please follow me on social media.

Keep your needle busy and your heart content.  Be well....

 

Monday's With Marcus III Launches Today!!

 

One of my favorite events of the year is back, and this time, all of the Marcus designers are talking about color!  FREE patterns are once again available from each and every Marcus designer, so this is the perfect time to visit your favorite designer, and get to know our new designing sisters. 

Each of us has designed a quilt featuring the color RED, after all, it is Valentine's Day!

I designed this sweet, little quilt called From the Heart for Valentine's Day.  You can find the FREE pattern here.  I also have a limited number of kits available, with the exact fabrics, while supplies last here.

In addition, each Marcus designer will take a turn in the coming weeks to also talk about her favorite (or least favorite) color, why it is (or isn't) and how she uses it in her life.  There will be a FREE pattern showing that featured color, and perhaps kits as well.  So, we have a lot of exciting and inspirational things happening for you to enjoy every Monday, starting today through April 18th!  Plan on spending your Monday's With Marcus for all the exciting projects to come.

Visit Marcus Fabrics to see all of the fabulous RED projects and get links to all of the FREE patterns.  Have fun designer hopping today!

Pinks of the Past are in stock now, at your local quilt shop, and here at HeartspunQuilts.com.  Please....I always ask you to shop at your LQS first.  Ask for Pinks of the Past and support your local shop.  They all need our business to be there for us for years to come.  

If....your LQS doesn't have Pinks of the Past, then I have yardage, fat quarter bundles, and the Love & Hope basket pattern ready to ship.  Click here to browse all the lovely prints in the Pinks of the Past collection.

Enjoy our Monday's With Marcus RED launch, and be sure to keep your needle busy and your heart content!  Be well......

From the Heart ~ Part Two

 The week has flown by and we're all one week closer to spring....and that's a very good thing!  I stare at a sea of white as we're still snow covered here in Chicagoland.  Typical for February, but my seasonal radar is longing for the change to spring.  It won't be long now!

By now, you have all  of your Cat's Cradle blocks complete, so our next step is to make the Firefly  units.  

Follow along in the pattern directions to piece a Half Square Triangle to a square.

Sew (2) units together to make the block.

With the units for the Old Maid's Puzzle block complete, we can begin assembly of the Old Maid block.

Sew a Cat's Cradle block and a Firefly block together.  

Sew (2) units together to make the Old Maid's Puzzle block.  Make a total of (6) blocks.

You're all done for this week.....unless....you want to sew ahead to have your quilt top done before Valentine's Day on Monday.  Your choice.  I leave my Valentine decor up though the month of February, and I like working on future V-Day projects all month, too, so I don't mind if everything isn't complete by the 14th.  Enjoy the process and the project!

Have you seen the Spring 2022 issue of Primitive Quilts & Projects magazine? 

Stars over Union Hill by Pam Buda~Heartspun Quilts.com

My Stars over Union Hill quilt is included along with other great projects in this issue!  There's a whole lotta stitching goodies in this magazine, so be sure to head to your LQS or newsstand to buy a copy.   

Oh...and guess what??

All of my Marcus Fabrics designing sisters and I have been planning something new and fun for you, all beginning Valentine's Day, February 14th!!  Oh, do we have some gorgeous projects in store.  I can't wait to share it all with you.  

So, be sure to visit my blog on Monday for all of the details.  Better yet, subscribe to my blog and you won't ever miss a thing!  My blog posts will be delivered right to your email inbox.  Scroll down to find the "Subscribe" box on the right sidebar.  It's that easy!

Keep your needle busy and your heart content.  Be well......