In between drafting my patchwork star, I watched a Jinny Beyer class on Craftsy where she chatted a bit about her Palette - although I've had mine for months, I haven't really been using it as much as I thought I would. I get stuck in the 'samey' kinds of colours sometimes and I can't decide whether that's a problem or not?
On the one hand, I obviously feel drawn to the same kinds of colours and tones over and over again - which makes sense. But sometimes I think I could have used a little more zing - even when I'm not feeling it during the fabric selection. As I'm testing out my draft pattern anyhow, I decided to raid the stash and find fabrics in accordance with the palette, not my eye. This is new for me. I've followed schemes before, but I always somehow end up going off on my own path anyway...
Even though I'm trying to follow the rules, I strike out purple as an option because I don't want it in my 'autumny' star even though I know this almost defeats the purpose of the exercise.
I selected fabrics from my stash that were 'close' to the palette
because obviously I don't have exact matches
and although I love all these fabrics on their own, I would never have paired them
but I can instantly see that it does work and it does, well, zing
and maybe I should have used some purple after all....? Hmmmm I don't know.
It's only a 'play quilt' but I'm really loving just taking the time to experiment with colours and prints in new ways and not have a set destination in mind (the background fabric belongs to another project I'm working on)
I'll be making up some more stars before the weekend and will post my colour options when they're done. How do you decide on a scheme? Do you follow your eyes and moods...or do you follow a formula?
I love JInny Beyer fabrics and have most of the Pallet colours in my stash as well as about 40 of her border prints. I too am a coward when it comes to colour selection. I do not seem to have that adventurous something that other quilters have that make their colour selections sing.
ReplyDeleteIn your experiment block above, the 3 center colours seem to blend in together too much and the definition of the shapes is lost. I am starting to work on the Antique Wedding Sampler by Di Ford and am now learning to paying attention to those compass details. I like the limey green with the blue dots.
Good point, probably because I matched to shades within a print instead of more dominant colours, I'm learning as I go!
ReplyDeleteAren't those afternoons of playing fantastic; something I don't do often enough either. Thanks for sharing your creative afternoon of play. You have persuaded me to purchase Jinny's kit, and perhaps even take her class on Craftsy. Thanks Esther.
ReplyDeleteHi Esther, I have loved Ginny Beyer fabrics since making her Faberge Wall hanging using her palette fabrics.
ReplyDeleteThe way they work together is fantastic and her comments about the need for a deep dark and a bright accent seem to bring a quilt to life as I found with a simple cushion cover.
Maybe a very dark purple is your deep dark to link your stars - don't rule it out even if it is not your personal choice, it may be the right zing in small quantities!!!
To me, your second star border has the right shade but too much pattern and the additional colour's are making it merge with the inner star which is wonderful center in its own right.
Try that same blue with out so much pattern and this will look just so fantastic.
I have tried to work Ginny's colour theory's into "The Rose" wallhanging I am currently making..
Deep Dark - my background.
Light Accents - parts of leaves and my wide first border being an accent keeping "The Rose" the focal point. All my other.border fabric's will hoperfully blend into the background but play their own part.
Like you I am trying to learn Ginny's method of colour blending.
Hugs Jenny
I see what others mean by not seeing the shapes in your star, but....I like that you don't see the shape just the daisy and leaves like a bouquet. This will be one of those quilts that looks wonderful from afar, and so interesting up close.
ReplyDeleteI usually just go off on a tangent too with my colors. I have found most any colors work together if you have a light dark and medium. But my quilts are not show quilts!!!