Monday, September 26, 2011

Bargello style color plan

   The inflammation is better after a week off and  I am ready to go on the bargello quilt, using  a totally new color scheme.  I tried and tried to come up with enough fabrics for the original plan, but I just couldn't pull it together. So rather than go buy more fabric, hard to believe I said that, I switched to what I have lots of...........
Blues, purples, and a bit of teal.  This colorway is really more me, and will work well in the house too.
  This is the layout I plan to use.  And it is about the 10th variation I tried---it's not set in concrete till I start sewing!    Every time I walked into the sewing room, I switched something around.  First time, I had the  color run mixed and going from light to dark.  That appeared too jumpy for me.  I put in fabrics, took out fabrics, so  on and so on.  
  I finally decided to separate the colors, creating distinctly dark areas and light areas.  To make the run blend from one color to the next, I needed a "bridge fabric" at certain points.  A bridge fabric is one that has both colors in it.  The third fabric has both the teal green and purple in it---bridge fabric.  The fabric in the center with the bright gold has purple and a bluish tone that bridges to the leaf print  on blackish background. 

     This is the same photo only in black and white......you can really see how the bridge fabrics blend well in value with those fabrics next to them.  Plus, I am happy with the dark areas and light areas.  I think it should give me the flow I am hoping to create with this bargello style.   
   Of course, I could be very wrong in that....it is very hard to get your mind around the pattern until it is sewn.   The color bands hopefully will create a wave of color, getting thinner and then wider, as it moves up or down the quilt.   The cutting and sewing are the easiest part of this technique, and very much by the book. The book being, Quick Trip Quilts by Eleanor Burns.  Great photos and detailed instruction included, so I highly recommend this book to all.  It covers Trip around the World as well as the Quick Quarter Trip. 
  I'm going to cut and sew up the leftovers from Rhapsody in B to show how easy it is to put together...with out  worrying about matching seams. 
Happy stitching.

4 comments:

Impera Magna said...

Decisions, decisions... the black-and-white thing really helps tho! Looking forward to watch your progress...

:)

Mary said...

Debbie, I am so glad you are feeling better. I've never thought in terms of bridge colors, but it makes a lot of sense. Good tutorial with lots of information.

Cheree @ The Morning Latte said...

Glad you are feeling better and back at it. I love the idea of looking at the colors in black and white!

Lynne said...

Glad to hear you are feeling better.

Thanks for sharing your designing/selection process with us.

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