Color Palette selection

I tried a different way of selecting a color palette for the Pickle Dish/Mariner's compass quilt.  It was a technique recommended by Jean Wells Keenan of the  The Stitchin Post.  She told us that she started with a picture or image that had a pleasing combination of colors.  Then she took that picture and made a palette of colors in the same formula as the picture.  Here's how I interpreted that idea in this quilt.

I found a picture that I liked on Pinterest.

With colored pencils, I developed a color palette and related that to a general estimate of the yardage required to get the same effect.  (It's the second set in the picture below).

Then I translated that to the pieces as I was sewing them together.  Here are the quilt pieces in progress.

I hope you can use this technique when developing your next color palette for a quilt.

Quick and fun vest

I found a cool pattern for a quick and fun Modern Silhouette Vest that is sewn on the serger (and a little bit on the sewing machine).  I never know for sure how a pattern is going to fit, so I always sew it in a test fabric.  In this case, I had a couple of yards of cotton duck left over from making pressing boards, so it became the test fabric.

The pattern is #IJ986CR by Mary Ann Donze Design and published by Indygo Junction and it can be made in 3 different lengths and two different lapels.  I made it in the longest length with the widest lapel.

What fun it was to serge it all with black thread.  It was super quick to make up.  The only thing that needed a little modification was the shoulder slope.

But I liked the test garment so well that I lived with the slight fitting problem, and have worn it several times.  Now to make it in the real fabric!