April 20, 2009

Do you have a favorite?

Zuzu Park City Girl is hosting a virtual Quilt Festival, asking folks to post a photo and the story behind their favorite quilts.   My Kowabunga quilt has to be in the top 5 of my favorites - you can see I even turned it into my blog banner!


In 2006, I gathered some terrific orange fabrics which were so completely out of my comfort zone.  I started searching for the perfect pattern to use with them, and decided on a pattern called Zuzu's Petals, designed by Carrie Nelson of Miss Rosie's Quilt Co.  Putting the scrappy orange and white blocks together was so much fun, and the colors just made me smile the entire time I worked on it.  There are some really sparkly orange fabrics in it too, and I really love the added pizazz (like an orange quilt needs extra pizazz!!).


I found a wild surfboard fabric for the border.  In retrospect, I think it detracts a little from the orange and I wish I had stayed with something more subdued, but I tend to overthink these things.


When I finished the quilt in early 2007, I emailed a picture of it to Carrie Nelson.  Later that summer, I was lucky enough to take 2 classes from Carrie at the Buggy Barn in Reardan, WA.   One of the participants asked her how she felt about different interpretations of her pattern designs, and she began to tell a story about a wonderful quilt she had seen made from her Zuzu's Petals pattern in wild oranges and pinks.   It took me a few minutes to realize it was my quilt she was talking about, and I've never been so flattered.



35 comments:

  1. What what a bright and cheery quilt! I think it looks great! Thanks for sharing about it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a great story and terrific quilt! Isn't Carrie wonderful? I attended a trunk show of hers recently and had a terrific time...learned lots!!!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Terrific story, Lisa! You should be very proud!
    Cheers!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love love love it! I love orange and am always collecting fun orange fabrics. Orange and pinks together are so yummy to work with. It's beautiful. great for summer.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Great story and a really beautiful quilt!!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's so pretty! It reminds me of sherbet icecream! Such a pretty colour combo!

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is beautiful! I love orange and pink together :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. Love the color combination and pattern

    ReplyDelete
  9. Very cute quilt! The border fabric looks great. Well done!
    I appreciate the kind comments you left for me. Happy Quilting!

    ReplyDelete
  10. So expressive! Wasn't that just a flooring dropping out from under you moment, when you figured that out? Great quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Wow - what great colors and prints. I love it. So fresh and sunny.

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is pure sunshine in a quilt love that cheerful orange

    ReplyDelete
  13. It's great! I love it! I love the colors, and the "verve" and I even like the surfboards. What a tremendous compliment that your quilting teacher told the story of your quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Fantastic use of orange. I would never think an orange/pink color scheme would so striking!

    ReplyDelete
  15. I have enjoyed seeing your quilt. Rosie patterns are always good ones. Your color combo is refreshing!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Kowabunga is still one of my favorite quilts ~ I smile every time I see it on your banner. And the look on your face was pretty funny when you realized the quilt was yours. I suppose it would have helped if I had described the quilt perfectly ~ I remembered it exactly, except for the border. From the picture, I thought the surfboards were big leaves.
    Again ~ it's still one of my favorite quilts. :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. I wouldn't have known it was surfboards....it really MAKES the quilt from what I can see. This quilt is just wonderful, fresh and rejuvenating!

    ReplyDelete
  18. It's beautiful - I like the border a lot! Thanks for sharing :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. Fantastic colors and the design is amazing. The surfbooard border adds so much. Brave choice that paid off.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Your Cowabunga quilt just makes me smile. It looks so fun and happy. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  21. What a yummy quilt. I love the design and the colors....great job!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  22. lovely quilt and lovely banner :-)
    Kristina
    priscillacraft.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. This is beautiful, and I love your blog layout with the orange...nice. The colors in the quilt is so cheery, one of my favorites.

    ReplyDelete
  24. I once had an aversion to orange, but it is such a great color to work with. I LOVE your quilt! L O V E it!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Wow. I LOVE this quilt. It could be that I'm totally in a pink and orange mode right now. Regardless, everything about it is perfect!

    ReplyDelete
  26. This is a lovely quilt! I've never stepped out of the box and used orange fabric, but this combination with the pink has inspired me to try something new! And, what a neat story about how Carrie loved the quilt, and commented about it in the class you were in! Great quilt - great story!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Your quilt makes me smile- it's so happy!

    ReplyDelete
  28. I just found your blog through the Sister's Choice blog - I love your quilts! Such awesome colors - and beautifully made. The pink and orange is just wonderful. How cute is your daughter! I'll be checking back for more inspiration...thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  29. I was hoping I'd get to see Kowabunga again! It is my favorite quilt of yours, too.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Wow, orange, pink and yellow. I think I will have to challenge my SIL. she hates them together. I love them. I use them just a little. I'll have to try that. thanks

    ReplyDelete
  31. Gorgeous colors! It's such a cheerful and happy looking quilt.

    ReplyDelete