1 block. 3 looks.

*As I am trying to update this new blog of mine, I'm bringing some content I wrote previously on the AGF blog. This post was written on February 16th, 2011.

Hi girls! Happy Valentine's Day by the way! Hope you got fresh, beautiful roses and lots and lots of chocolates (my personal favorite part of V-Day!)

A while ago I had this idea of making one quilt block in different fabric collections, to explore all the possibilities that you can do using that same block... Sometimes we can get stuck on only one look and we forget that just maybe, if we use different fabrics on that same block we can get totally different styles.

I made what is known as a "bear paw" (which many of you will recognize), and gave it three different looks according to the fabric: romantic, modern, and bohemian. There's something for everyone!

I know I haven't formally introduced you to my new fabric collections (I will, I promise!), so take these pictures as a little sneak peek ;)

The bear paw is one of the easiest blocks to make, because it only involves half-square triangles and plain squares. The secret here is to make the blocks as big as you show bigger scale prints and you can to cover more surface and finish your quilt faster! And if you use sashing, you'll be done in a snap, trust me. I made these little dream boards to help you get inspired!

Here's the romantic look, featuring the "Coquette" collection:

Choose light colored fabrics: florals in light pink, ivory and cherry, to get this super girly look. Try to keep the contrast low so the overall look is soft and delicate.

Now, for a modern take, I used the "Pure Elements" line from Art Gallery:

Solids are perfect for this style since they create a really high impact. Make sure to use high contrasting fabrics, in bold, bright colors.

And finally, I used my "Bohemian Soul" collection to make the bohemian look:

How do you like these combinations?

Look how the same block can look completely different (it doesn't even seem like the same block, right?)

Think outside the box: it can be more than just a quilt. You can use that block as the center of a new pillow, or if you rotate blocks you can make a nice table runner.

You may think "why did she choose such a traditional block?" I know there are far more mod blocks than a bear paw, but I chose it to prove my point: if you choose fabrics carefully, you can make something super modern and cool. A traditional block doesn't mean "boring" if you pick your fabrics right!

Let me know what you think... What other looks can you think of?

Love, Pat