While I am waiting for my background fabric to arrive from the US, I have been giving a lot of thought to the colours I want to use for the appliqué on 'Auntie Green'.
One of the reasons I want to make this quilt is that our main bedroom is having a bit of a makeover; we have just bought a very comfortable, huge brass bed and I have ordered some lovely Chinoiserie fabric to make new curtains.
This is Pillemont Toile by Sanderson (DPEMPI203)
I did think on making a blue and white quilt but I don't want everything overly matched, and I know I will get bored only working with two colours! The first thing I do when I am choosing colours for a new project is to refer to this handy 3 in 1 tool, it lets you see easily which colours go well together.
The colours in the curtain fabric I have chosen are shades of Cerulean Blue. I always 'shop my stash' first before going to a quilt shop. I started by pulling all the pure blue fabrics I had and then adding tints (pure + white) and tones (pure + black)
I then pulled shades (pure + grey)
I have a nice selection of fabrics that I have collected over many years and I try to top them up when I can! I very rarely buy more than a fat 1/8th or 1/4 which is a perfect size for appliqué.
I added some yellow green next, again trying to pull tints and tones as well as pure colour
At the moment I think I will use shades of the green for the bias stems etc to calm everything down. Our eyes are naturally drawn to pure colour, they are like the prima ballerinas shouting "look at me" I think you need some of the more duller shades to allow them to shine and to give your eye a place to rest.
I then turned to my red drawer. Blue, Red and Yellow-Green sit at equal distances apart on the colour wheel and play very nicely together!
I have also pulled a few patterned fabrics to stop everything getting boring!
I know this looks like a lot of fabric, but most of these pieces are small scraps. I am hoping I have enough variety of lights and darks to keep this interesting. I think I will start to prep some pieces while I am waiting for the background.
After all of my experiments with different forms of machine appliqué, I have decided to go back to my old favourite needleturn! I spent so long on the prep for the other methods that I think this will probably be just as quick!
I loved seeing how you do your color selections. This is going to be a stunner and will enjoy seeing it come to completion.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It is definitely a long term project :)
DeleteWill you cut all the pieces for the centre at the same time or as you go? Your fabrics look great. I get a bundle sorted out like you but then I keep going back to the stash. I think the pattern often tells you what to use.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great plan! I feel the same about needleturn - it is relatively quick if you cut out the fiddly prep and I just love the process - so relaxing.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting way of selecting your fabrics. I find this the hardest part so I really appreciated your post. The quilt looks amazing; a real log term project though.
ReplyDeleteI love the fabrics you have selected, especially the greens. I'm going to enjoy watching this quilt come to life. I'm sure you won't regret the needle turn choice.
ReplyDeleteIn my experience, it is getting the lights and darks right that makes a design really work, and sometimes colours change tone in combination with other colours. You have many interesting and enjoyable hours ahead of you!
ReplyDeleteYou have a lovely house, lovely fabrics and this quilt and your bedroom will be beautiful. Hope you have as beautiful weather as we have in The Netherlands.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful colors you have pulled for your Auntie Green's. Enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWhat a great selection of fabrics. I'm sure that you are going to have a lot of fun working on this!
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of the Auntie Green quilt, but it looks beautiful and your fabrics are gorgeous. I'm with you -- these long haul projects need a variety of fabrics and colors to keep me interested and engaged enough to stick with it until the end. Good luck with your new project!
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