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Seattle stitches
I’ve been sitting on this announcement for a little while, because I wanted to wait until the project went “live” for my client and their customers, too. Now that it has, I can show you the new fabric I designed. That’s right, fabric! This has been a bit of an illustration dream-come-true for me; I’ve always wanted to design for fabric, and it feels so good to feel the finished product in hand.
This all started when Pacific Fabrics contacted me to ask if they could license the Washington illustration from my (still in-progress) 50 States Series for use on a fabric panel. They wanted to create a Block of the Month pattern for their stores, and design a quilt pattern around my illustration. Both the Tailor and I have been customers of Pacific Fabrics since we moved here, so they got a big fat “yes” from me.
To round out the quilt design, I created four more illustrations of local highlights, done in the same style as the state map. Then I finished off the fabric panel with a “ditsy” (tiny) tree pattern repeat.
Then Pacific Fabrics had the panel manufactured at In the Beginning Fabrics. What I love best about all of this is how hyper local it is. Pacific Fabrics has been a small Seattle business for over a hundred years (they actually began as an ironworking company), and In the Beginning is also a Seattle company. Add me to the mix, and the whole project has taken place over about a thirty-mile radius.
I popped by the Pacific Fabrics store in Seattle to snap a couple of photos (and drop off some prints and cards, which they’ll also be carrying in their stores!), and it felt good to see that everyone in the cutting line was buying fabric for the Washington quilt.
And here’s the quilt block that the lovely Anna-Beth at Pacific Fabrics designed for the Block of the Month program. I love how she created so many Washington icons from geometric shapes, and incorporated my illustrations into the design. I also loved being able to help develop the color scheme of the quilt blocks, based on the palette of my illustrations. I have never made a quilt myself (though I have dabbled a bit…), but I think I just found a good reason to start.
If you’re a quilter, or you’d like to try your hand at a Block of the Month program, you can find everything you need at the Pacific Fabrics website. You can have the patterns and materials mailed to you if you’re far from the Evergreen State, or if you’re local, club meetings centered around each block are starting this month at store locations.
To Anna-Beth and Debbie T. at Pacific Fabrics: thank you so much for bringing me on board, and for giving me such a great crash course in the quilting industry. To everyone else: happy sewing!
Oh. My. Gosh. I’ve been researching patterns for a Washington quilt that I could make for our Washington roadtrip this summer and I am seriously flipping out over that quilt!!! I’m pretty sure it’s the most perfect thing I’ve seen and your blocks are INCREDIBLE.
So awesome, Rachel! I’m glad the timing is so perfect—and I love the idea of a road trip quilt! I have a feeling this project is going to make a quilter of me yet….
CHANDLER – this is amazing!!! We are so impressed with your talent in all areas of art. Now add fabric designer to the cast. I can see your mother-in-law making this ASAP!!! Way to go.
Thanks, Leila! That feels great to hear!
What great news, Chandler. The fabric looks marvey. It’s too bad Pacific Fabrics had to abandon its Puyallup location. I’m still sore about that.
I KNOW—we were super sad about that, too, and I think PF is, as well. Maybe someday they’ll come back to the South Sound….here’s hoping.
Actually, Pacific Fabrics was selling this and promoting it as block of the month as far back as the end of February at the big Sew Expo at Puyallup Fairgrounds. I bought mine there. They also had a promotional tote bag for $2 made with the same graphic as the large “Washington” square. It was in stores that week, too, as I bought another tote bag from the store in Bellevue.
Then and now I was telling everyone who made it…. “she’s a local Tacoma artist, you know!”. :) Here are my photos from the show… http://redharp.smugmug.com/MKB/2015-0226-Sew-Expo/47731460_sx3cn3#!i=3901048321&k=bHTtRQ3
But, yes… CONGRATULATIONS
Could you tell me the finished dimensions of the quilt are.
Hi, Judy. I can’t seem to find the quilt kit on the Pacific Fabrics website any longer—it appears they’ve taken it down. But I believe the finished quilt measures 64 x 74 inches.
The Evergreen State Quilt pattern, the 2/3 fabric panel, and the complementary fabrics needed to complete the quilt can be purchased here:
https://www.pacificfabrics.com/shop/product/evergreen-block-month-pattern-panel/
Finished quilt dimensions are 64″ x 74″
It’s beautiful, but completely ignores Eastern Washington. Doesn’t represent all of Washington state. :(
I was awestruck (and totally covetous) when I found your Local Conditions project on Etsy a few years ago and I can’t believe I didn’t know — until now — that you had partnered with PF&C to produce an Evergreen State fabric panel and quilt design. Thankfully, the fabrics and quilt pattern are still available (and now in my hands). I’m sure it will be a long time before I have a completed quilt to admire, so I’m starting off by making a set of “prayer” flags featuring the 4 smaller illustrations on the WA fabric panel. Love, love, love all your work! I hope you will seriously consider finding a national partner to produce fabric and quilt patterns for your 50 state projects and additional letterpress prints (or, at aminimum, produce them yourself through Spoonflower and make them available either directly through Spoonflower or similar on-demand fabric printer and make it available to the public either directly through the vendor or on chandleroleary.com). Rachel L’s idea (above) of a roadtrip quilt is simply brilliant! Imagine, 2/3 fabric panels and quilt designs for each of the 50 states. It would make a great book and provide the building blocks (quilt squares) to inspire the ultimate, customizable roadtrip quilt. Reeling it back in… I’m now subscribed to the Anagram Press mailing list, and I can’t wait to see what’s next for you!