Hi there!!
I could easily say that today is one of the most important days of my quilter/pattern designer life. Today is the launch of the two biggest projects I have ever done so far, my Starlike Quilt Pattern and QuiltInk! Let me tell you a little about them. Read until the end to find out about the great surprises there is to celebrate it! Until the end….
Starlike Quilt Pattern has been my first big quilt pattern, published in a magazine, Make Modern Magazine, and it has just been accepted for QuiltCon 2021. I used to design mostly foundation paper piecing blocks patterns, so seeing my first quilt pattern with such big acceptance is a dream come true. You can read the full story of this pattern in this post.
Now is time to release my self publication of the pattern. These are the new parts which I have included:
- 5 sizes: Pillow, Baby, Throw (the original one), Twin and Queen,
- 4 different colors layouts for inspiration (5 in QuilyInk, because it include the freestyle option).
- Fabric requirements and cutting instructions for the concentric layout, with 5 background fabrics and the 5 sizes.
- Foundation paper piecing templates for those who prefer this technique, along with the templates for traditional piecing.
- A customizing page with the coloring diagram (which for sure you won’t use…. keep reading!!), and a table where you can write down the number of pieces you need for every color/fabric you chose.
Get the Starlike Quilt Pattern
As you can see, the Starlike Quilt Pattern allows a lot of customization. You can make endless color layouts and the final design can be really unique.
When I started thinking about the release of this pattern, I thought a great addition would be to offer my customers an easy way to color this pattern. First, I thought of adding a vector file (like Illustrator), which could be downloaded with the pattern and customers could color their own versions. But then, I realised many people don’t use this software regularly. So, I had to find an easier way!…
Thinking and thinking…the idea of setting up some kind of software for my customers to be able to make their own color versions of Starlike canme to my head. My husband is computer engineer and when I asked him, he told me … “Bufff, it’s so difficult!”. But I am a very persistent person… so I kept asking and asking, and finally he said “Well, we can try.”
It is a big process of creating, and now I can say that I have learned to code! At least mostly (the easiest parts), and it has been like planting a tree. It has been growing slowly, from the seed to a big tree… now let’s see if it makes sweet fruits!
We started with the idea of making it for my Starlike pattern, but since we were there, we could include all my patterns. So, we followed with the idea that any pattern could be painted, and now any pattern made with any technique can be colored on QuiltInk (foundation paper piecing, English paper piecing, application, etc.). But, then we start to wonder:
- Why don’t we offer the possibility of offering many quilt layouts to be colored?
- Why don’t we add the possibility of changing all the pieces with the same color at the same time?
- Ahhh, and a freestyle version so anyone can color it as they wish…
- And… if we allow people to save a colored version of the patterns to check it later…. but for that people need to be registered… Then we created a registration process (with all the legal files…) and an account page.
- Then, how great it would it be if people could see, and save, colored patterns from other users … then we created the public Wall! A hall of colored patterns from all the users…. which would be more fun if we can love anyone of them… then we created the clickable hearts… ahhh and comments!! (it is not done yet! but coming).
- And when we started testing the coloring page we realised that it could be even more fun if we included colors matching real fabrics, and from different brands.
- The coloring page has been the page more worked an tested, where we have been adding every feature, step by step. So now, you can choose between 10 different color/fabric palletes to color a quilt, check the colors used, search for one color, make zoon in/out, undo any step! (very important), view or not view the borders of the fabric pieces, color all the quilt in wihite to start your new color design from zero, go to the begining of the coloring offered from the designer, save your colored design in your account as a draft (to colontinue later coloring) or as finished (publishing it in the wall), and export as png image.
And I could be telling you about parts of the process, and our ideas for days! It’s been 3 months where in our time together we (my husband and I), were all the time thinking how to do every one of the little and big features included.
So now, we have a web app to color quilting patterns made with any technique (traditional piecing, foundation paper piecing, english paper piecing, appliqué and even improv), in an easy way (via mobile and computer without having to download any application or software) and it is fun to use. Ahh and it’s FREE for all of you, can’t miss it!!
I can’t stay without giving thanks to some people. The first one is my husband, without him it wouldn’t be possible. In second place come my supporters/testers. They are Mr. A from Cap A Quilts and Sarah from Acorn Corner Quilts. Their help, support, ideas, and long conversations, have been really helpful to me to make this big project possible. And to the participants of the blog hop, that have given me a lot of feedback to improve the app and moral support! Thank you to you all!
I think we have achieved a great tool! I really hope the quilting world embraces it as a modern tool that can help them color any pattern in an easy and fun way.
And now, big day of the launch is finally here!! And is there a better way to start the life of QuiltInk than with a Blog Hop, and the support of all the great designers participants?
From today until February 14 you will be able to enjoy the posts from every one of the participants where they will be showing you their patterns colored on QuiltInk. They will show you the variations layouts you can make of their patterns, and let you know about their experience with QuiltInk. Dont’ miss any of them:
February 3: Claire Campion from Made Just Sew
February 4: Jen Frost from Faith and Fabric
February 5: Tammy Silvers from Tamarinis
February 6: Augusto Garcia from Capital A Quilts
February 7: Marlene Oddie from KISSed Quilts
February 8: Julia Wachs from Julia Wachs Designs
February 9: Carolyn Murfitt from Free Bird Quilting
February 10: Kiley Ferons from Kiley’s Quilt Room
February 11: Wendy Congdon from Truly Materialistic
February 12: Josianne from Indigoshima
February 13: Sarah Harris from Acorm Corner Quilts
February 14: Alex Hoffmann from Hoffmama Company
Thank you again to you all too, to believe in my crazy idea and want to be part of this launch!
And to add more fun to this big party launch some of the blog hop participants have joined to set up a big giveaway of a big amount of patterns for you. It will on Instagram, and it will start in the next days. So, to participate you can start to:
- Follow the QuiltInk Instagram account (@quilt_ink). Where I will be posting videos, tutorials, and tips to help you to maximize your usage of the app. And you won’t miss the starting of the giveaway.
- Register on QuiltInk (www.quiltink.com). That will be a requirement for the giveaway, and will allow you to save your colored patterns in your account, check teh fabrics used later, and publish them on the public Wall!
I can’t leave you without showing you some of the coloring you can make with my Starlike quilt and telling you the last surprise at the end od the post. The possibilities are endless! and I could by playing with it for hours. Which one of them would you like to make a real quilt? These are teh 5 color layouts to color this quilt pattern you will find on QuiltInk:
Decreasing concentric colors
A wave moving from one corner
An hourglass
Layers
FreeStyle
I hope to see your colored patterns on the Wall of QuiltInk soon! How fun will it be to see all of the inspiration from just one pattern!
And all my other patterns are also included in the QuiltInk. So, many hours of fun await you!
And here it the GAME I told you. Since the Starlike Quilt Pattern and the QuiltInk app are connected, I propose you register on QuiltInk, color one version of the Starlike pattern and post it on the public Wall of QuiltInk. You will then automatically get a 50% off to purchase the Starlike Quilt pattern! Easy, no? (I will send you and email with a code). Don’t delay it, that the game ends on February 28!
What do you think about the app? Let me know your ideas about anything you see missing in there… It’s a work in progress project, and it will keep growing. Help me to make it the best it can be.
Best wishes to you all! And happy birthday to me! I have turned 42 yo today, and this big party launches is the best way to celebrate it with all of you!
I am going to do this, going to register now. Thank you so much for doing this. It will be cool to see all the different patterned colorways.
Yes Cindy! it’s really fun making all the color versions, and the best is that is very fast, and you can svae them all! Tahnk you so much for your interest!