Sunday, January 15, 2006

More Leftovers

I made this quilt last summer and found a few fern fronds leftover. Nice alliteration, eh?
I meant to use them in another piece, but other things got in the way.
Now I am planning a new approach to one of my workshops and the focus will be on layout, as that is my big discovery (I am way behind the rest of you) that layout is ALL IMPORTANT, or way more important than the design of the quilt block. I need to illustrate this concept for my students, some of which I am merely one step ahead.


A single central element, in a horizontal layout, could be the focal point of the design, with supporting fabrics in similar colors, differing values, and with details that contrast brightly, say turquoise or purple or orange.


A vertical layout. Strong vertical lines, exaggerate the length and go for that Asian feel.


Three in a row, repeat if necessary, always a good idea... This makes a nice square layout, or bordered on top and bottom to extended to a more rectangular shaped composition.


An assymetrical layout which would allow more open space for more color, small details, or great swatches of interesting quilting.


A triangular layout, unusual and a bit more challenging to finish off. But not all quilts need to be square, rectangular etc.


A second take on the horizontal layout, exaggerated with airiness built in.


A third version, slightly modified to bring the center more in line with the outer elements. Again, this leaves plenty of room for more shapes and suggests a smaller repeated element to support the space. Stripes, squares, lines, curving shapes?


A nice difference in the weight of the elements can bring substance to the square composition.

This is how a series of related motifs can be developed into a large series of quilts.

3 comments:

  1. These are the kind of things that City and Guilds teaches in its Working Designs module. Your sense of colour is great. I'm a sucker for colour!

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  2. I always feel that after viewing your blog..(I check in each day)...that I walk away with a new learning eperience to take into my sewing room. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  3. Anonymous11:35 AM

    Seems to me that this class is a great continuation to the workshop you taught at Tommy's on working in a series. This is great.

    teri

    ReplyDelete

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