Is anyone out there ready for another Swiss Chocolate giveaway? (I know… this one isn’t even over yet, but it is always good to have additional chances to win!)  Allison at Cluck Cluck Sew is giving away BOTH a ten square and roll-up.  Head on over to her blog to enter…

I got a chance to read some of the really nice comments from you all and I am pinching myself.  Some people even said that they hadn’t tried colors like these before, but were drawn to it because of the fabrics.  I feel that is SUCH a compliment.  I love playing with color and hope that everyone who might be nervous about trying new color combinations take the plunge, whether with this collection or that of another designer.  Some people (yes, mom, I’m talking to you too if you are reading this) say they are not creative, but I really think that everyone has some creativity inside them waiting to be unleashed.  It is a matter of letting go of our fears of creating something that isn’t perfect and letting our right brains take over, don’t you think?

When I was in art school we were asked to create postage-stamp size pieces of art using only torn paper.  The fact that you had less control over the overall composition made you really pay attention to how colors interact.  Quilting is a little like this.  It is only a quilt, so don’t worry about making color mistakes. Well, as someone who loves quilts recognizes, no quilt is “just a quilt”, but it isn’t as if you are making the financial commitment to redecorate your entire house.  Plus, the prints will help you along when you get stuck – pull in some complimentary fabrics in an accent color, or explore different neutrals, like brown or grey.  I have learned so much more about color through quilting and think my artwork has become a little better because of it. 

With Swiss Chocolate, I wanted to play with how the reds and the blues interact with the browns that are reflective of the wood tones in so many of our homes.  Chocolate is rich, after all, and I wanted the overall effect of the colors to be as well.  And I wanted to design something I hadn’t really seen out there.  By the way, I used a similar pink in my next collection -Veranda – that will debut at Market, but this time it is juxtaposed with yellows and greens so that pink takes on a completely different look.  Fun… with color!

Thanks again for hosting the giveaway, Allison!
Amanda

P.S.  I was at the bookstore today and I picked up two magazines… one featuring a design with Swiss Chocolate and another with Ambrosia.  What a thrill!  More on that tomorrow.

I’ve had lots of emails this morning about a quilt that I designed on page 30 of Quiltmaker’s March/April Issue. 

First of all, let me say how thrilled I am that so many of you love this quilt!  I love it too.  (My mother loves it so much that she has claimed it for her own – it is what began “The Great Dining Room Makeover” over at her house.)  No, unfortunately I do not offer kits, but Fat Quarter Shop has yardage and I can ease the ordering process by giving you the fabric SKU #s that I used for this quilt.  You might have to order 1/2 yards instead of 3/8 yards, but you can get pretty close to what a kit would actually contain.  So here is the info you need:

Quiltmaker Cafe Mocha yardage requirements

1/2 yard of these accent fabrics for the blocks:
Melted Swirls – AAM-10930-227
Medallions – AAM-10929-227
Tone on Tone Floral AAM-10931-227
Scrollwork – AAM-10927-227
Feathers – AAM-10932-227
Tapestry – AAM-10926-227
Blossoms – AAM-10928-227
Striped Ribbon – AAM-10925-227

1/2 yard inner border gold print (Tone-on-Tone Floral – AAM-10931-14)

If you would rather do the quilt in the chocolate (red) color story, change any replace the last three digits of any SKU that ends in “227” with “167”.
 
Thanks for the kind comments and I hope that helps.
 
Amanda

Fat Quarterly is hosting a Swiss Chocolate Roll-Up Giveaway!  (And so am I – for a second chance to win see details below.) 

In celebration of this giveaway I have written up a recipe with this goody for my exclusive Chocolate Torte!
You can make it in rich, decadent chocolate…

Or with a hint of mocha…

To hear more of my blabbering and to download the recipe, visit Fat Quarterly’s site.

You can enter the giveaway there as well.  For a second chance to win,
Become a follower of my blog.
After becoming a follower (or if you already are one), leave me one comment on this post saying you’ve done so and tell me which flavor of my torte (chocolate or mocha) you prefer.  Maybe even tell me what you would make with this collection, but that is not required – I’m just curious!  (MAKE SURE YOU LEAVE A WAY FOR ME TO CONTACT YOU SHOULD YOU WIN.) 
The deadline for the giveaway will be Saturday, February 5th. 

If you’d like some Swiss Chocolate, please ask your local shop to order it from Robert Kaufman Fabrics.  (Fat Quarter Shop has yardage too, but no one has a roll-up yet, so if you win, you’ll be the first!)  Swiss Chocolate ships February 20th!

Happy sewing!
Amanda