These are images from my new fabric collection for Moda! I’m getting excited to go to Quilt Market at the end of next month and looking forward to getting a few bits of fabric soon so I can make some things. This collection was obviously inspired by quilt patterns, but I wanted to break the patterns down to their essence and hopefully make something a bit modern. I don’t consider myself an artist one bit, but I’m interested in shape and color.
The colorway above is called spectrum. What started out with every color under the sun ended up mostly in the pink range. My 6-year-old has actually made me learn to love pink.
There are nine designs in the Quilt Blocks collection and 30 fabrics total, with a couple of extra colors in some of the prints (not shown here). I started with the Wedding Rings design, mostly inspired by the wedding rings pattern of the quilt that spent years on my bed as a child, then through my adult years and now is on my younger daughter’s bed. It’s hard to get a sense of the scale from these images, but many of these would make simple whole cloth quilts or patterned backings, a bit like cheater fabric.
This colorway is called marine:
When I was in college, I remember reading an article in Martha Stewart Living about Denyse Schmidt. I was incredibly inspired by her work and thought “That’s what I want to do.” But I was distracted by other things, so I didn’t get a sewing machine for another 8 years. I still remember that article, followed by the inspiration of the Gee’s Bend quilts that I still love so much. It seemed that my interest in folk art and modern art had come together in one place.
Below is the shade colorway. These are all scanned images of the actual fabric, so the mottled look just came across in the scan. The backgrounds are all solid. Lots of these fabrics use a white background and a limited number of colors, because those are the kind of fabrics that I like to sew with best. While I love large scale prints, it’s always the utilitarian, small-scale fabrics that I use most. The small hexagons have a flowered border just at the selvedge, which I envision along the hemline of a skirt.
It’s nerve-wracking to put these designs out there, so I hope you like them. These fabrics will be sold to fabric shops at fall market, but won’t be available in your local quilting shop until early next year.
Love the fabric, especially the marine colorway. I like that it’s a mesh of traditional designs, but in the colors and as a fabric it is very modern.
love this and your design thoughts are wonderful, I love it.
LOVE IT Ellen, congratulations! I esp. love the colorway with the grey, but they are all fab!
Congratulations! Tis is right up my alley. 🙂
Beautiful. Really, really beautiful.
Congratulations!! I’m all about the geometry—love it!
These designs are so unique! I love both colorways. 🙂
Love ’em.
congrats Ellen! They’re wonderful. I’m not a “prints” person, but I’d take all of them 🙂
I’ve been reading your blog for years (but I never comment). Just wanted to say how beautiful your fabric line is. Can’t wait to add some to my stash 🙂
Like them?! I LOVE them! Great job!
I think they look Fantastic, you should be really proud. Well done.
wow Ellen I LOVE this!! Really really so great. I will have to convince my boss to carry this in our quilt shop, although she probably won’t need any convincing. It’s just so different from a lot of what you see now but really bright and modern at the same time. Love the idea of using quilt patterns to inspire fabric patterns. You should be proud!
Wow. I think these are awesome. I read, and clipped, that article about Denyse and you are DOING IT. That’s amazing.
Just when I think that I have seen all the lovely fabric there is to see, a new one comes out! Love, love, LOVE this fabric! Can’t wait to see it on the shelves!!
oh my word – they’re beautiful! the patterns are very modern & clever and the colors are pure perfection. i can’t wait to hoard them next year. 😉
like ’em? LOVE ‘EM!!!
These are gorgeous…I want some
love this! great work. This is something that feels really different yet totally accessible. Way to go!
!!! so beautiful.
Yay for you, Ellen. These are beautiful… can’t wait to get my hands on some!
they’re lovely! i’m particulary swooning over the marine colour way!
Congratulations – I can’t wait to sew with it. I still have that article on Denyse Schmidt. And I’m really, really enjoying 1-2-3 Sew!
Beautiful! I especially like the prints in the upper right corner and lower right corner of each colorway. Great job!
Wow! I’ll look forward to seeing these in a shop somewhere. These look fabulous and you should be most proud of yourself! I’m especially loving “shade”.
Hi Ellen! I just became a follower of your blog today…love it already! Your new fabric collection is just beautiful…congratulations! I have a quick question: For the Market Tote, I printed out the tiles for the pattern and noticed that the instructions say to “add 10 more inches below the line” on the lining pattern, do I add the same 10 inches to the bag “top” pattern as well? Help! I’m wanting to make it for my daughter-in-law for a gift soon. Thanks in advance! Sandy (billyboneswench@gmail.com).
Hi Sandy — no, you’ll just need to add the 10″ to the bottom piece. After you’ve looked at the illustrations, you’ll see how it comes together. The outer front is two pieces and the front lining is just one piece. So for the front and back you’ll need four pieces of fabric and for the lining, you’ll need two pieces of fabric. Does that make sense?
Super rad! I’m totally a fan.
Thanks Ellen…yes, it does make sence and I’m sure it will all come together once I start stitching. What a gem you are, such a busy, busy gal and you took the time to get back with me so soon…I’m much appreciative. (((Hugs)))
Cool designs! I love to make my own too. 😀
Congratulations, Ellen!!! Your designs are so beautiful and I’m so thrilled for you (and thrilled for us, the consumers!). And PS, you ARE an artist. Oh yes you are!
Like them?!!?!?! I LOVE them!! I am not a quilter but have been resisting the urge to make a quilt for our bed for sometime, but I think these fabrics may have tipped the balance. I may have to make a quilt in each colorway….
all the lovely hexagons!! Be still my heart!!
These are AMAZING. I love them and I wish I could get my hands on them! Thank you for putting such beautiful and inspirational prints out there.
they are beautiful – congratulations
I love the marine ones
Love these prints! very beautiful! Is it called “Quilt Blocks” collection on Moda?
Loving the shade colorway*
Ellen:
These are terrific. Being relatively new to quilting, I don’t know the names of many standard blocks, but it is fun to recognize shapes I have seen lots of before. I’m partial to the marine colorway and especially alternating triangle “mountain” block at bottom center.
I was casting about for pinks for quilt for co-worker’s baby a while back and your first colorway here would have fit the bill wonderfully.
Your fabrics are lovely! I really love the grays and all the little hexagons! Congratulations on your new fabric lines!
would be a lovely present for me!
So glad to have found your site. I love your style & the fabrics above are wonderful! Fresh, bold, lively!!!
I am drooling all over the fabric! They are beautiful!