Saturday morning.....ah, promised time to work on the color wash kit. Except when I walked into the sewing room, 60 % of the squares that had been on the design wall were on the floor! I knew I had forgotten something last night.....I even walked back there to make sure I had unplugged the iron. What I forgot to do was turn off the overhead fan! No matter really......just start over.
Lynne asked me to share a little bit of the process I use...or how my mind works with this. I had cut extra squares from my stash to add to the kit......using a lot of tonal fabrics, very large scale print fabrics, some paisleys and very few floral type fabrics that I use for the watercolor quilts. The smaller multi-color floral fabrics blend great, but this project will feature pockets and larger areas of color. You can see Wanda's quilts at Exuberant Color to get the idea.
Since attempt 1 is now Gone With the Wind.....here's the sequel, or at least the new beginning. The photos are a help....because here I can see a straight line of the yellow and orange in the center that I do not like. I will get that smoothed out. In general, color wash is like water color---they do not photograph well for close up. They really need to be viewed at a distance.
I still tend to work on a diagonal line for my basic layout.....similar value squares will touch in the corners instead of being side by side. I began in the center with the lightest squares. I want red to the left and bottom, and that puts the greens in the lower right corner.
So I was working along, very deep in the zone, and Sir Old Man walked in. Before I could say a word, he quickly walked out. About 10 minutes later, he reappeared and announced, "Your lunch is ready." Now, I must say that this is a first.....that he actually recognized that I was in the zone.....and fixed lunch anyway! Today he gets a big gold star!
I stopped here after getting the red area laid out.
I am not quite happy with the transition of the red area. I believe I want to bring it up a bit higher into the center area and concentrate it more. It is too spread out.
And I also realize that I began too high on the design wall and need to lower the rows.....there is no way I am getting up on a ladder for this. By lowering the rows, I can change the red areas placement and fix the yellow orange area too. So hang around to see the third attempt to make this one work. All in all, a very good design time day.
Note to self: You need to broaden your fabric selection, and purchase more greens and truer reds! Now is a good time to evaluate your fabric collection/stash. Sounds like a reason/excuse to buy more fabric to me! Happy stitching.
Lynne asked me to share a little bit of the process I use...or how my mind works with this. I had cut extra squares from my stash to add to the kit......using a lot of tonal fabrics, very large scale print fabrics, some paisleys and very few floral type fabrics that I use for the watercolor quilts. The smaller multi-color floral fabrics blend great, but this project will feature pockets and larger areas of color. You can see Wanda's quilts at Exuberant Color to get the idea.
I still tend to work on a diagonal line for my basic layout.....similar value squares will touch in the corners instead of being side by side. I began in the center with the lightest squares. I want red to the left and bottom, and that puts the greens in the lower right corner.
So I was working along, very deep in the zone, and Sir Old Man walked in. Before I could say a word, he quickly walked out. About 10 minutes later, he reappeared and announced, "Your lunch is ready." Now, I must say that this is a first.....that he actually recognized that I was in the zone.....and fixed lunch anyway! Today he gets a big gold star!
I stopped here after getting the red area laid out.
I am not quite happy with the transition of the red area. I believe I want to bring it up a bit higher into the center area and concentrate it more. It is too spread out.
And I also realize that I began too high on the design wall and need to lower the rows.....there is no way I am getting up on a ladder for this. By lowering the rows, I can change the red areas placement and fix the yellow orange area too. So hang around to see the third attempt to make this one work. All in all, a very good design time day.
Note to self: You need to broaden your fabric selection, and purchase more greens and truer reds! Now is a good time to evaluate your fabric collection/stash. Sounds like a reason/excuse to buy more fabric to me! Happy stitching.
I love how your show your process with this technique and the use of color play - thank you.
ReplyDeleteMine would have all been on the floor too. But it wouldn't have been the fans fault, it would have been Delilah's fault. She runs up and down my design board and pulls everything off it it isn't pinned, and the pins pushed all the way in too!
ReplyDeleteThis is fascinating. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you how many times I have started up too high too and either had to stretch almost beyond my limit or move it down. I can see you are having fun!!
ReplyDeleteAw, Sir Old Man is a keeper--but I expect you know that by now! I'm a big fan of the note to self to "broaden your fabric selection". Let the fun begin!!
ReplyDeleteWow! Thank you so much! I just love watching how these things come into being. I just love watching artists at work! Thanks again!
ReplyDeleteIt's coming together, the whole process reminds me of a jigsaw puzzle, this piece goes here, no, it doesn't fit.
ReplyDeleteDana took my words right out of my mouth. I was thinking the exact same thing about colorwash quilts being like a jigsaw puzzle. After reading over the past few months on how you put these beauties together I'm beginning to see things...like the straight line of orange & yellow in the center. I would have never seen of that before I met you. Thanks for your inspiration!
ReplyDeleteLove to watch you play! I totally agree. It makes me think of a puzzle.
ReplyDelete