Jackie Kunkel is a Designer, an Educator, an Online Shop-Owner (Canton Village Quilt Works), and an Author. Her enthusiasm for quilting is infectious and we always love to see what she is up to! Her debut Aurifil thread collection, Splash of Color, was released this past September and follows in the footsteps of her 2015 Martingale release. The book heralds the use of black & white and instructs readers how to combine a rainbow of bright, saturated colors with crisp black & white prints to make amazing quilts. Her thread collection is a range of 50wt threads that are simply perfect to get you started on your very own splash of color quilt! We have been so inspired by Jackie and hope that you are too!
THREAD COLLECTION DETAILS
Splash of Color
10 Small Spools, 50wt (220yds/spool), 100% Aurifil Cotton
1104 – 2250 – 2535 – 1243 – 2740
2120 – 2870 – 1320 – 4652 – 2024
THE INTERVIEW
How did you first get started in the world of sewing and quilting?
I actually began sewing in 6 grade Home Economics class back in the early 70s. I sewed mainly garments, but did make my first patchwork pillow that I still have. I was also very crafty and loved embroidery. If I had a pair of jeans or a jean jacket it was like a blank canvas to me… it got embroidered. But I really didn’t pick up sewing again until I was pregnant with my first child in early 1993. I took out the sewing machine and began making baby clothes. Then my hubby prompted me to “get a hobby” so I took a quilting class and it was history!
What inspired Splash of Color, your Fall 2015 release with Martingale Books?
The true inspiration for this book is my love of black and white fabrics paired with bright bold colorful fabrics. Paired with black and white fabrics, colors just POP!!! I have always had a love of this combo from early on in my quilting career. I have quite the stash of black and white fabric as well as bold colors too!!!
How did you go about choosing fabrics for your Splash of Color quilts?
Fabric for each quilt was selected based on my quilt design. I hand selected each one for each project. Dependent on the design and the elements that I wanted to highlight. Some got a scrappier look than others, some not. The scale of the print cam into play a lot based on the size of the blocks too. Black vs. White, White vs. Black…. etc. Every quilt featured a rainbow of colors though. This was a common theme throughout the book.
Do you sew from your stash, or do you shop for specific prints and colors?
For the book, most of the fabric was from my stash!! I has some new fabrics sent to me from manufacturers and it was great! Also I am constantly finding new black and whites that I love and of course add them to my stash when I can.
Do you have a favorite quilt from the book and why?
Boy is that a loaded question! LOL! I really love them all but if I had to pick one, it is a toss up between Proud Mary and Lava Lamps. These two quilts are a fave of mine because there are curves in them. They were also the first two that I created for the book. So they are special to me. I love them both and I really love teaching them too!
Which project from Splash of Color would you recommend to a beginner quilter and why?
Climbing Mountains is a great beginner quilt. It is done out of 2.5 inch strips and is super simple to put together. It is a great one for any beginner to start with!!! But there are a lot of other projects in the book that they can start on too!
How did you first discover Aurifil threads?
I remember a friend of mine introducing them to me for piecing. She showed me that little spool and told me to give it a try. I was all in at that point I love Aurifil’s 50 weight for piecing and for quilting too!
Do you have a favorite color or weight?The one that I use the absolute most of is 2600 Dove for piecing. However, I switch between that and 2311 Muslin. They are both neutrals and are great for any kind of quilting or piecing. But really you can give me any color and I can find something to do with it!!! So worth it!! Treat yourself right and get some Aurifil in your thread stash!
How did you go about selecting the colors for your thread collection?
That was a lot of fun to say the least. All the colors that I selected were based on colors that were used in the quilts and would compliment the quilts created well when people make them. They can use them to piece the quilt tops AND to quilt them. The colors just speak to me and I love working with them and hope everyone else does too!
How would you recommend using the various colors within a single quilt? Do you piece or quilt with contrasting colors, or do you prefer to match your threads to the fabric?
Those are great questions. So sometimes it boils down to a matter of personal preference. Some people like the colors to blend and there for would use a blue fabric with a blue thread. While others like contrast, and might choose from one of the other colors to give them contrast and stand out. For me, it depends on the mood that I am in. But for the most part, I tend to be a blender. So much fun just using color it is fantastic!!! I hope everyone else enjoys the book and quilts and uses the threads to the max.
THE BOOK
For more information about Jackie’s Splash of Color, please visit Martingale or Canton Village Quilt Works.
THE GIVEAWAY
To enter-to-win 1 Small Splash of Color Thread Collection and one Splash of Color book by Jackie Kunkel for Martingale, click here to head to the Rafflecopter entry page, or simply click on the image above. You do not have to complete all the options to be entered but the more options you choose, the more entries you have! Entries will be accepted from now through 11:59pm Eastern Time on Monday, March 6! Winner will be randomly selected and announced here on Tuesday, March 7. Good luck!
ABOUT JACKIE
Website — Blog — Facebook — Pinterest — YouTube — Flickr — Instagram
Jackie has been a quilter since 1993 and has owned her own business, Canton Village Quilt Works since 2000. Beginning her business as a long arm quilter and then in 2009 adding an online quilt fabric shop! She has also been a quilt designer for magazines and fabric companies since 2009, a quilting Podcaster – Jackie‘s Quilting Chronicles, and a Certified Quiltworx.com (Judy Niemeyer) instructor and shop. Jackie travels throughout the country to lecture, do workshops and trunk shows. Her first book was published in September 2015 by Martingale & Co-titled Splash of Color: A Rainbow of Brilliant Black and White Quilts. Jackie is also a Craftsy Instructor with two online classes, one is a Quiltworx exclusive and the other is her own! Also, Jackie has her own line of published patterns.
[Images & biographical text courtesy of Jackie Kunkel]
My favorite colors to use in quilts are reds and blues. Not necessarily in a patriotic combination–I just love deep reds and all shades of blue. That’s probably pretty common, really.
i love all things blue/green, aqua and turquoise.
I’m a blue person all the way!
Any combination of blues and greens
I really don’t have a favorite color. I think I have used all the colors. I do like scrappy quilts. I do have a redwork quilt ready to sew the blocks together in my UFO box. I seem to like certain color combinations. I like red and tan together. Another UFO is a yellow, black, grey, and white combination.
I love purple, aqua, pink and turquoise. But it really depends on the project I am working on and who receive the quilt.
I always like a little bit of yellow or orange. Makes me happy.
Thank you for the chance to win a great prize. I love to use brights in my quilts. I have been saving black and white/white and black and teal fabrics for a while and have started a BOM with them. I am thrilled with how the teal plays with the black and white.
My favorite colors are red and green – and not just at Christmas – anytime of year!
I love to use rainbow colors.
I love a limey green!
Probably it is blue and fabrics with small flowers in different colors.
My favorite color combo is teal, peach, and grey. I love all colors and I really love the lava lamp quilt!
ANY SHADES OF RED+WHITE!
THANK YOU JACKIE+AURIFIL FOR A NEAT GIVEAWAY!
I was a blue/green/turquoise kind of gal, but right now I am loving yellow, red and orange. These colors are lifting my spirits.
I love to use blues in my quilts. It is a calming and happy color
Blue always manages to find it’s way into my quilts.
I always use get grey in my quilt somewhere. But as far as COLOR. I am a little obsessed with the color green. I go through color phases, annnd that would be green, different shades, at the moment. So it really does depend on when you ask me.
I love to use teals, purples and reds in my quilts. A little can add just the pop a quilt needs.
My favorite is brights with black or white.
I like using bright colors
I love working with white fabrics.
I absolutely adore Purple!! Very few quilt tops of mine don’t have it. So yeah, it’s a “Poiple” thing!!
My favorites are blues and greens.
I like blues and browns together but I am beginning to build up a stash of blacks and whites.
I love purples and blues. Thanks for the chance.
I try to use blue and green in every quilt I make.
I love using shades of blue, green and orange together!
I really like blue in my quilts. I think its calming. 🙂
I Love all colors but I am drawn to Blues,Reds,Oranges,Yellows!! I love Blacks,Whites,and Reds together! Anything to make a quilt Pop with color!
I love using pinks and reds in my quilts!
Thank you for this give away!
I use all colors!
I love to use aquas and purples in quilts.
Wow! To think I began using only Civil War reproductions. I LOVE these colors and quilts
Right now I love lime green and turquoise in my quilts.
I love scrappy quilts and always have room for greens.
Keep it coming, wrtisre, this is good stuff.
My favorite is any shade of blue.
My favorite quilt colors are blues and greens.
Orange has never been a favorite color of mine, but I love adding splashes of orange in my quilts.
I use 2021 frequently and 2600 mostly for piecing. But beautiful blues and greens are awesome too…they all are!
Thank you.
Any shade of red from rust to berry is my favorite quilting fabric. sjvonfumetti at yahoo dot com
All shades of blue.
I tend not to like stark whites and blacks in quilts, like Jackie does. Rather I like the creams, warm greys, browns, deep reds and greens, dusky blues, and those colors that have been toned down from the real brights.
I love teals, greens and purples. I love the colors of the ocean! I like bright colors also! Love to mix with white and grey.
My favorite color to work with in quilts is green. I love every shade of green. to me green is Mother Nature’s neutral.
BEAUTIFIL!! I love your work!!
My favorite colors are jewel tones. I love lots of contrast in most of my quilts.
I love your use of color. It’s so vibrant!
Looking at my stash, it would be blue.
I used to focus on the colors of fall but these days I like clear bright colors like true yellows and greens.
I love yellows and greens with a bit of reds.
It depends on my mood. My favorite colors are bright lime green and royal purple, but I also use a lot of blue and grey. I also like 1930s and brights.
Love using black/white fabrics! Everything pops. Would love to try new patterns. Aurifil is wonderful thread!
What beautiful work! I love the B&W plus colorful thread 🙂
I love Jackie’s quilts, especially the ones with b&w and vivid colors!
thanks!
I love Jackie’s book! LOVE color!
It seems like lime green and grays make it into most quilts I make. They look so good together!
I love to use blues and purples.
Red, black, and white are my favorite colors to use in quilts.
I use blues & greens in most quilts… I Looove bright & fun colors & prints the most 🙂
Thank you for chance to win your Give-a-way!! 😀
Beautiful quilts. Thanks for the chance to win this great giveaway.
I use a lot of black with various vibrant colors so I guess Jackie’s new book would be right up my alley. thanks for giveaway.
Right now aqua and lime.
I love all the bright colors and go back to them all the time. But I collect black and white and love to pair them with those bright colors.
I am still stuck on magenta, lime green, and lemon yellow. I’m without a design wall for a few more months and these patterns are making me so antsy to move and be able to quilt again!
I am all shades of blue!
I love all the colors! Love, love, love the brights!
I’m still a fan of throwing everything including the kitchen sink in a quilt! But, if I have to choose I’m a bit obsessed with navy and greens right now!
I love scrappy to the hilt quilts, but all of them need to have a pop of orange!
Nice
I love the color blue. Thank you for a chance to win.
I am all over with color. I really like orange with yellow and then purple with all shades. Thanks for the chance to win
tracinecharest at Gmail dot com
I am an orange girl, all things orange!
Caltexgal@aol.com
I use tan or light gray thread when piecing. They seem to blend with most of the fabrics I use.
Terquies and black and white… happyness04431@yahoo.com
Lately I seem to have a love affair with orange. I do like all colours.
I love using using brights and jewel tones in my quilts. And tend to use a neutral thread when piecing. Thanks for the giveaway!
I love grays and any other color…pinks, aqua, green.
Blues and greens are my favorites although I do like all colors.
I always add a little bit of aqua to punch up my ‘pop’ in my quiltrs
Reds and blues – not necessarily together!!
Purple and red! thanks
I truly love to use all kinds of colors in my quilts! I go for saturated colors the most and enjoy creating a palette for each quilt that results in a vibrant, expressive piece. My personal favorite color is aqua blue/teal but I really enjoy the entire spectrum!
My favorite color to use in a quilt is Blue! Any shade of blue!!!!
Lately, my absolute favorite colors to quilt with are purple and cream. Thanks!
I love all bright colors!
Purples, which are hard to find! Orange. Green….
My favorite colors to use are blues and purples.
I love teal and black.
Red, but white is what I usually end up using the most.
Right now I am using all different colors in my quilts as am trying to make the kits I have collected over time!! survivor972002@midco.net
I love lots of color in my quilts but my favorite color is blues – all shades of blue right on through to aquas! Thanks so much for the chance to win 🙂
Debby E
samtaylorcjsmimi at yahoo dot com
Turquoise & Brown-look great together! Thank you, Susan
I love purple and you will find a piece in every quilt I make
I love purples and greens!
I love to use bright, happy colors in my quilts and other projects.
I love purple and green.Thanks for this colorful giveaway!
Blues are my favorite.
My favorites are fall colours but I love all colours in quilts.
Purple is my favorite but I try to include a few bits of bright yellow too.
I like to use vivid colors…all kinds of saturated color.
I love using pink the most and all of it’s shades. However, I really love colorerful rainbow-style quilts.
I love using blacks or Grey’s with bright colors. Nothing dull for me
I love quilting the rainbow.
I use a lot of pink!
My favorite colors to use in quilts are reds and golds.
I love red! I think it shows up in most quilts I make!
I love red, but I think there are small splashes of red in my quilts.
purple is my personal favorite .. but I just love playing in fabric so any colors in my quilts is fine including stretching it a bit on occasion
Love a pop of orange and I use lots of white.
Greens, all shades of green are my favorite.
Any shade of blue and always some red are my favorite quilt colors.
Love blues and teals!
purples and blues are my go to colors.
Ive made quilts in all colours but if you look at my fabric stash you will notice that i have a bit more blue than the other colours!!
I love all colors. It all depends on what I’m making for what goes into it.
my favorite is teal.
Blue is my favorite.
OMG! I love your quilts and would love to have your book! Thanks for the giveaway!!
Wow! What an amazing looking book! So beautiful! It speaks to my soul as a quilter. I am described as being the “colorful” one when it comes to picking colors for my quilts – and I don’t just pick ONE bright color, I generally use ALL bright colors. Thanks so much for the give-away!
I love to combine creams/off whites with reds. Thanks so much for the opportunity to win your exciting new book 😊
Unbevielable how well-written and informative this was.
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I am a purple, blue and red all the way if I had my choice all the time! Good thing I mix it up and use most all colors. I love the book.
Every quilt seems to get its own (somewhat random) colour scheme. I’m always drawn to clear bright colour and geometric patterns.
I like bright jewel tones.
The very first piece of quilting advice I heard was that any quilt could be bound in red! I tried that for a long time and was never disappointed! It seems to work!
Blues & greens tend to be my favorites.
Cool colors with white are my favorite.
Love your pretty quilts.
My favorite is shades of blues with black or gray.
I love traditional type quilts so White is my color for every quilt
GREAT give away, I will use all the red fabric I can get.
I also love black and white with hits of bright colours, but have yet to make a quilt with those colours. 🙁 I’m collecting fabrics for it though. LOVE Jackie’s book and all the patterns,
I love to use purple in my quilts. Grandkids get to pick what colors I use on their quilts.
Love to win this book. Love all the bright colors that are used. The Quilt’s look like happy Quilt’s !!!
great post!