color palette – Daily Fiber

Fabric Strips Saga: Chapter Three

Posted on June 19, 2024 by Laura Kate

My obsession with strips continues. First, let me share an image of the pieced abstract landscape that I have been working on most recently.

The work at this stage looks about as I expected, although I feel kind of let down by it. I’m also stumped as to how I will proceed with the surface embellishments and quilting. As I ponder, I have laid it aside.

Leftover strips are hanging out, and they keep drawing my attention. I started noodling around with them, cutting and sewing together. Since I had used the 1- and 1/4-inch-wide strips for the landscape art quilt, I wondered what else I could do with this size. Pulling out some 2 and 1/2 inch scraps, I start sewing strips together, again.

Well geez, first I need a little bit of structure to this game. How about a palette? I decide to try analogous colors. Pulling out my color wheel, I spun it around to show that teal blue color in the center, surrounded by its four closest relatives.

Now I am really in my comfort zone. My stash contains many scraps in this range, leftovers from some favorite projects.

If I sew two thin strips on either side of a 2 1/2 inch precut, then cut that piece down to four inches, I get a nice-looking square block. I decided to stick to monochromatic fabrics for each. Here are some examples.

Combining four of these gives me a seven and 1/2 inch square.

What if I sew four of these together?

Hm. To me it looks too busy while also looking kind of boring. I can do better.

How about inserting some sashing? I have a longing to try dark background fabric with this palette.

Now we’re talking. But to get more negative space into the picture, I could put the blocks on point and space them out with a background block.

Ah, the drama it beginning to happen. I sit down with graph paper and plot out a lap sized quilt using this on-point configuration.

This could be wonderful. Perhaps I can create focal points in the dark blocks by inserting some bits of hand-painted fabric. Something like this leaf, which is left over from my very first quilt.

Gosh I feel better. Going from a vague notion to a planned design is so satisfying. Even though I had no intention of sewing up another lap quilt, I’m ready to go. The trick will be to buy as little fabric as possible and still get the look I want. I’m up for that challenge as well.

quilting, recycling

SAHRR 2024 begins this week

Posted on January 19, 2024January 19, 2024 by Laura Kate

Last week I posted a number of choices for my center block in the annual Stay At Home Round Robin quilting challenge. Readers of this blog will not be terribly surprised to hear that I chose the mountain painting on fabric.

Now I am forced to consider the short-comings of my choice. First of all, it wasn’t square, having a slightly portrait layout. I sliced off the top and bottom to the limit that I was willing to sacrifice the image. It was still out of square.

My solution was to applique it to a 12 1/2 background. By choosing to applique instead of piece, I avoided seam allowance, retaining more of the painting. With a center block finishing at 12 in., I have lots of options for sizes of the rounds to come.

The second shortcoming became clear when I observed that the painting was mostly one value – it’s medium value nearly throughout. There are some darks, but no real lights. I’ll have to find a way to bring in some light, perhaps with embroidery.

Now I am confronted with a number of design decisions. I have resolved to make the entire thing out of scraps, if I can manage it. Coming up with the palette was easy. It will be an analogous one, featuring a range of colors that exist in the painting. Purple, blue, teal and cool greens will predominate, with a generous dash of reds as accent. Here are the eligible scraps, organized by color and value.

With any luck, I can avoid buying more fabric, outside of the backing.

The final design decisions that I can make prior to getting the first clue concern size and layout. I spent hours thumbing through books and looking online before I made my choices. Ultimately, I settled on a square, with an expected size of 45 inches, more or less. My plan is to add the rounds in log cabin fashion, keeping each round within a strict color range. To see how it would work I made a mock-up using colored pencil on graph paper.

I’m old school. No computerized design program assistance in my studio.

To see all the challenge participants’ center blocks, click Here.

quilting

Another Round Robin Quilt Challenge

Posted on January 11, 2022January 12, 2022 by Laura Kate

Quilting Gail is at it again! She has organized five of her quilting friends in a stay-at-home round robin quilt for 2022. I’ll not go into details about how it all works. Instead, I’ll recommend that you check out Gail’s blog.

https://quiltinggail.com/2022/01/10/sahrr-2022-getting-started-center-block/

Last year was a blast for me. I was greatly challenged to expand my quilting skills. In the end I loved what I made. Its success was due in a big way to the weekly challenges, requiring me to stretch my imagination while improvising my design.

**Expanding Universe lap quilt, made during the 2021 SAHRR quilt challenge.**

I have an unconventional approach for this year. It will involve quilting together hand-woven vintage fabric samples that have been entrusted to me by my daughter. Here is my center block using three samples. It will have finished size of 12 inches square.

In addition to the wonderful textures of the weavings, this block cements together a split complimentary color palette utilizing red-orange as the primary color with blue and green as the supporting colors. Below are pictured more pieces, which will illustrate the palette clearly.