Mixing Yarn Dyes and Kona. A Nod to Noodlehead

Favorite Baby Quilt courtesy of Anna Graham using my Shimmer 2 Coordinate 10" square precuts

This favorite baby quilt was made by Anna Graham of Noodlehead. We had spoke a few months back when her new book, Handmade Style launched and I wanted to send her a congratulatory stack of fabrics. "I like your yarn dyes a lot" was all I needed to hear so I popped a pack of precut Shimmer 2 Coordinates in the mail to her and that was that. 

I have had a long time love affair with yarn dyes (synonymous with wovens) and for 20 years have been doing them on and off.  What makes them different than prints is the the yarns are dyed before the cloth is woven so usually the front is the same as the back and there is no printing process involved. (there are exceptions).  I revisited designing wovens when I created color:FULL last year and whenever someone shows excitement, it fuels my desire to design more. It can be a bit tricky to coordinate prints made in Japan with wovens produced in India due to color pitching and timing, but working with Robert Kaufman for so many years, has greased the wheels of how we get things done together. 

Detail of Shimmer 2 Coordinate Ten Square pack. Studio Stash Yarn Dyes, Kona & Essex

Anna posted two blog entries on this quilt and I would like to share them with you. The first is showcasing the quilt she made  and the second is a tutorial which I hope you stop by to learn how she approaches an effective and easy way to make the quilt. I love working with other designers and sharing ideas that inspire us all. She generously shows you how to do this. 

Favorite Baby Quilt courtesy of Anna Graham

A big thank you to Anna for allowing me to share her quilt making here. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your weekend. I am in the studio preparing my talk for D2D event Thursday Oct 22 on Living with Pattern and Color and also hand sewing the bindings of my two final quilts going to the Robert Kaufman booth at Houston Quilt Market next weekend. Of course I am using my new Studio Stash 3 and yes, 20 new studio stash yarn dyes to add to the collection!
​Stay tuned!