Welcome to finish it up Friday!
This morning I am blogging from Colorado. It's retreat time again! I can hardly believe that this is year 5. I am a little sentimental about all of this because five years ago, here at the Inn at City Park, I taught my very first workshop. I'm ever so grateful that Tara invited me, believed in me and helped me get started on this path of teaching. Thanks for being such an amazing friend, Tara!
For today's finish I have some throw pillows to share with you. The fabric is a new line from
Connecting Threads called
Nana's Pantry. It's got a 30's feel to it, but the colors are bright. Now, I have nothing against bright colors, but I missed the feeling that these fabrics have been around a long time. I didn't want to wait several months while they faded on the clothesline, so I consulted with Tara (as I often do) and we decided that some
compromising (fabric bleaching) was in order. I had so much fun playing with the bleaching technique! I bleached a fat eighth of each print and left a fat eighth of each print in the original state. When I combined the two, a little bit of magic happened.
Pairing two different values of the same fabric has such a pleasing effect! The pillow covers are quilted with straight lines about 1/4" apart and are finished off with an envelope backing. They measure (approximately) 20" square.
They will be a prize at the retreat this weekend. I absolutely love how they turned out. So much that I secretly want to keep them. I guess that is a good sign! :)
Now it's your turn! Please link up your finishes for the week. Thanks for joining me for finish it up Friday!
50 comments:
That is so cool. I would have never thought to bleach some to create a lighter look. Thanks so much for sharing. I need to try this!
These pillows are beautiful and I love the effect from the bleached fabrics. Such a great idea. I'm going to have to try this sometime!
Amanda
These are stunning, are you able to give a tute on this bleaching technique?
I would have never thought that quilters bleach fabric; we all try to keep the colors bright. But the effect is fabulous; also great idea if you need more colors. Thank you for sharing.
So cool this bleaching!
They are wonderful gifts! Wish I could be there too!
Esther
So cool this bleaching!
They are wonderful gifts! Wish I could be there too!
Esther
Such pretty pillows! Hope you have a wonderful time at your retreat! :)
This turned out awesome and I love the effect of the bleached prints against their bright counterparts! Can you post a tutorial on how you did the bleaching?
I agree with everyone else. The bleaching effect is just great. Please give us a tutorial on this. I'd love to try it on a future project!
That is so cool! Such a fantastic idea!!!
Those pillows are gorgeous! What a great idea with the bleached fabrics. Makes a really cool effect!
Perfect! You're right, magic happened with combining the two values and you made two gorgeous pillows. I can understand your secret desire to keep them. ;o)
Have a wonderful time at the retreat! Has it really been 5 years?
You're a genius. ;) Maybe Tara should get some credit too??
What a great idea! If you don't mind sharing, what was the ratio of bleach to water? Did you wash the fat quarter or soak and rinse? Any way, beautiful pillows! Have fun in Colorado!
So cool. I've never heard about this technique before. Your pillows are so beautiful.
How clever!
Welcome to Colorado! Hope you enjoy your time here! Wish I was at your retreat instead of at a computer...
Stunning pillows! Brave you to give them away... I'm in Denver, and we're having wonderful weather this weekend- I hope whatever part of our state you're in is treating you nicely as well!
Love the pillows, and enjoy the retreat!
I love the pillows and I would never have guesed you bleached that fabric to make it so nice.
AmandaJean those pillows are adorable. I love the bleach idea. I am wanting to try that now. I actually have some of my moms 'actually' old fabric but still pretty bright. I love the fadey feel of bleach. Is there a secret to amount of bleach and water?
Great job.
You always have great ideas. Love those little pillows. And, if during that long cold winter up there, you dream of getting away to the sunny shores of FL, let me know. Our guild would be head-over-heals to host you for a weekend retreat.
What a smart solution! I love Colorado- it was my home for eight years. Hope it's good to you!
Our annual Fall Quilt Retreat was last weekend - If spending the weekend in the Redwoods of sunny California with a bunch of fun, enthusiastic ladies appeals to you South Bay Area Modern Quilt Guild would love to twist your arm and have you join us next time. Ditto all that's been said about the bleaching, must try!
What a beautiful outcome! How nice of you to part with them, not sure I would be able to. Enjoy the rest of your retreat!
Smiles~Beth
Gorgeous cushions! They turned out beautifully and what a great way to create more low volume prints! Is it bad that I prefer the bleached ones?! Have fun at the retreat!
I LOVE how these turned out! I definitely need to try bleaching and imitate this!
I love the effect of the bleaching. Did you use ordinary household bleach, or something else?
Very, very pretty!!
Have fun at the retreat and tell everyone I say hello! I wish I was there with you!
What fun pillows.
Seven years of blogging.
Five years of teaching.
November is an important month for you.
I would never have thought of bleaching. They look fabulous. Hope you are having a wonderful time.
*waving* Hi, Tara...
Love these pillows Amanda! Amazing effect after bleaching!!! As always, thank you for hosting the linky party. Have a great weekend. Marie
Those turned out great! Congrats to whoever wins them!
Happy November! Great idea, fantastic outcome! Enjoy the retreat :)
Brilliant!!! What a great look - I've got to give this a try!! Thanks so much for sharing...
That is some fabric magic! These are beautiful!!!:)
Something so simple and what a refreshing look.....
Great idea!!
This is amazing! I had to enlarge the picture to believe that these are the same fabrics - bleached and unbleached. I'd like to try a whole quilt with 10" squares to give it a bigger look. I'd LOVE a blog or tutorial on the bleaching process.
Thanks for sharing this creative idea!
Vicki
Amazing! I read with interest your bleaching of fabric and can see the pairing of the two in your pillows - wonderful.
Wow they look fabulous! What a clever idea xx
That is great! Can you give the formula for the bleaching process?
Love the effect of puting the bleached & not bleached back together!
Will you be posting on how you bleach those fabric? I would like to learn and have a go. They look so cool :)
I've never been a big fan of 30's prints, just not my thing. But this is such a good idea that I may try it out to expand my range of colors in my stash. Count me in - bleaching tute, please. N
Love the pillows, super cool colors. Very clever to bleach the fabrics.
Girl, you're so creative. I love how they turned out. <3 I hope their recipient loves them as much as I do.
love them. love connecting threads. yes please to a bleaching tute!
please oh pretty please can you give a bleaching tutorial!! I just love these pillows and I will forever be in love with the 30s look so I just think they are stunning. I would love to be able to create this look but havent the slighest on how. I am not opposed to getting the book but am wondering if you have any tips to share. Altering my fabric just never occurred to me and I would just love some help. Its kind of a scarey thought to put that brand new fabric in bleach.
Please help a girl out :)
Once again they turned out stunning!!
patti from indiana
Do you not worry about weakening the cotton fibers with that much bleaching?
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