| Shades
of Grey, Plus Color |
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From home décor to
fashion, we're seeing grey in all of its many shades, echoing the
popularity of metals and metallic finishes (but with a softer
edge), as well as influences from the 1940's. Grey becomes the new
neutral, mixing with everything from soft pinks to stronger shades
like orange, sun yellow and kiwi, not to mention classic black and
white with grey. Pat Yamin offers a glimpse of grey in COME
QUILT WITH ME. |
The Power of Prints |
| Liberty-style cotton
prints are showing up all over, too, mixing blues with cool
greens, along with cobalt blue with country red for an Americana
theme and a range of spicy browns. Prints are smaller, but not
miniature, so that each print stands out in patchwork combinations
across all categories. In addition, bigger florals range in looks
from sophisticated FROM
THE GARDEN to les serious AUNT
GRACE TIES ONE ON. Printed dots, stripes, even checks have
their place in clothing, decorating and quilts alike. |
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Barely-There Colors |
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Pales have become the
new backdrop for a classic, casual look. With names like Nude,
Blush, and Buff, the palette works beautifully with brights,
earthtones, even metallics, as well as black, charcoal and brown
for high-contrast effects. Also included are the lightest tints of
sky, petal, lilac, ash and butter, as shown in the SAHARA
TINTS collection. |
Eco-Friendly Fabrics |
| "Going Green"
has become more than a marketing buzzword, as manufacturers,
retailers and consumers alike seek smarter, more earth-friendly
products. Whether they use natural dyes or are woven of certified
organic cotton like OASIS
CANVAS, newer fabrics show that style and ecological harmony
can peacefully coexist. |
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Time for Table Toppers! |
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Judging from the best
selling book titles at some of our favorite project book
resources, table toppers are among the hottest new project
categories, combining the ease and speed of a mini quilt with the
practicality of a useful home accent. And they're the perfect
project for Marcus Lil' Bits 5" fabric squares, and our
Ellery Spoonfuls, a generous assortment of 8½" squares. Read
more about the popularity of table toppers on the Marcus
blog. |
Cottage Life |
| Mismatched florals give
an eclectic look to casual living. A blend of colors, floral
styles and scale add interest to quilts and other room accents
from pillows to lightweight slipcovers to window treatments.
Palettes are generally softer, evoking a feeling of carefree
relaxation.
One especially popular decorative accent right now is the table
runner, a perfect backdrop for mix-and-match “Cottage Life”
looks. And pretty toppers aren’t just for the dining table
anymore, showing up in living rooms and sitting areas, bedrooms
and foyers, too. Take yoru pick from the many patterns available
today.
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Aprons |
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The new fashion
accessory of choice, moving beyond their humble utilitarian
beginnings. They’re quick and easy to sew, giving aprons a kind
of collectible quality. Beginner-friendly patterns provide a
variety of options including piecing, contrast sections and more,
making the most of quilt fabric coordinates. For starters, check
out Mary
Mulari’s styles. |
Accessorize! |
| Tote bags and other
fashion accessories continue to gain interest among busy quilters
& sewers. Maybe you don’t have the time for a full-sized
quilt project. Maybe you love the idea of showing off your
handiwork in a way that’s functional for you, and portable for
others to admire. Choose one of our many conversationals, florals
or hand-dyes, plus one of our free
project designs, and sew up some personal style! |
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Embellish It! |
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Quilting has gone
multi-media, as we increasingly mix fabrics, textures and trims to
create one-of-a-kind masterpieces! Wools
are appliquéd and woven from strips, while flannels
and velvets
add a soft, luxurious feel to projects. Or, create your own fabric
palette by dyeing PFD
fabrics. Then rely on novelty threads and yarns, beads,
braids, rickrack, stencils and sequins and more provide the
finishing touches. Experiment with looks that go above and beyond
the careful piecing cotton prints! |
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