I have set myself a huge challenge for the Farmer's Wife Quilt-a-long. I've opened up my entire stash to this project so I can sew with whatever inspires me. I have a lot of difficulty visualizing modern fabrics while I'm looking at the dusky colors in the book, so that is an extra layer of difficulty. I'm also figuring out the math for the block pieces so I don't have to use the templates.
And, lastly, I'm trying to make the color and fabric combinations in my blocks not match. This is hard work! I have to fight my natural impulse to grab the matching fabrics and purposely make myself uncomfortable. I have a mix of text fabric, modern designers, Japanese fabrics and 30's reproduction fabrics. I admire the modern quilters on flickr that put different fabric lines and colors together that I'd never think of. So I'm trying to imitate that by shaking up my own style and pushing my own boundaries. I hope that mixing these styles in lots of different blocks means that the whole top will come together better. We'll see....
Anyway, here is my next batch of Farmer's Wife blocks:
(I wish that reds, oranges and purples photographed better with my camera.)
So, that is the task I have in front of me. How do you like to play with color?
How do you challenge yourself?
I really am curious.
I'm challenging myself by making a quilt using on solid colour fabric. I using 2 Kona charm packs and Kona coal as the background. When I first started to quilt in 2005, solids were frowned upon and we were encouraged not to use them unless there were no other options.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you are doing, I like it.
ReplyDeleteRegarding color hm, it is so easy to match fabric line to the same fabric line.Which I love sometimes. But it is fun to expand to your own color palette. I do like the challenge. Plus it also is hard when you commit yourself to a set fabric line, but don't buy enough fabric, which I do all the time.
I'm trying to use a different solid for each block. Kylie, my mother always told me to avoid solids when I was under her tutelage. But I've always loved them and am not afraid to use them now!
I draw a block with no color and then sit back and think about what I like about the shape of the block and fill the colors in. Then I sew it up. It is my favorite part of this project. You are doing an awesome job and I love to see those who are venturing beyond the traditional.
ReplyDeleteI love these blocks. They really look great...you have a lot of red...I have almost none in my stash, at the moment anyway!
ReplyDeleteI am actually trying to challenge myself to break up collections. I have a habit of buying a collection as a whole and not mixing/matching. So...right now am re-organizing stash and pushing myself to think of ways to break it up. A few ideas in the works!
These are great blocks! I have been only using Kaffe Fassett shot cottons and trying to pick colors based on the name of the block.It makes for some seemingly odd color combinations but as a whole I'm really liking the looks of it! Posting every Friday with little excerpts from the letters.
ReplyDeleteI think you're rocking it! I'm working on a simple apple core quilt with 99 different fabrics in it! If I like it, it makes the cut. I had no idea I had so much fabric!
ReplyDeleteLooks great so far! I have a hard time with fabrics too. I think it is taking me as long to choose the fabrics for each block as it is to sew...
ReplyDeleteYou have to stop all this fabulousness! I have enough projects on my plate right now! I think you're doing a great job! How big are your blogs (and what font are you using on your pictures?)
ReplyDeleteOne of these days I'm going to come raid your scraps :)
Uhm, Blocks. How big are your blocks. (And I can't even blame it on my phone, it was just me typing crazy.)
ReplyDeleteI love your birds in the air. LOVE!
ReplyDeletePlay with color... If I can make a theme out of the name of the block (and I have the fabric for it) then I'll go with that. Otherwise I'm just all, "What looks pretty together?"
What a great challenge!
ReplyDeleteI was painting this afternoon and challenged myself to add just one color that I didn't see in real life. Just because I paint realistically doesn't mean I shouldn't have to pay attention to color theory. It's a struggle, though! And so satisfying when I improvise a bit and suddenly it pops. I bet quilting is the same.
they're looking fabulous!!
ReplyDeletei especially like the first one.
you know me - i like to throw colors together :) i'd say that stepping out of my comfort zone would mean venturing into color palettes i normally try to avoid.
i don't think i've ever knit anything peachy...
Your blocks look great! I love the combinations so far! These are very inspiring for those of us that are also trying to be less matchy...so far it is not working for me but it sure is working for you!
ReplyDeleteThese are great -- and 6 in a week! You're on fire!
ReplyDeleteI love combining fabrics (I actually find it weirdly suffocating to work with just one line). My personal challenge with the FW blocks is to accept imperfection: knowing that I'm just making one of each of the block designs can make me a little anxious -- there's no time for trial-and-error. So the little quirks just have to become part of the charm of the blocks :)
Love your blocks! I am only managing my 2nd batch of blocks this weekend. I have pulled out lots of fabric and put them in little piles of things i like together. Then i go through the book and find a block to suit the fabric. I am worried I'll end up with a complete mess so i try to include white somewhere in the block and I'm going to use white sashing and borders like Svetlana (SOTAK handmade) to try to bring it all together.
ReplyDeleteI feel like a total cheat here as I am doing my blocks as part of a block of the month so all the fabric for each block is supplied. The only challenge for me will be the extra blocks I have to make. I am a bit matchy matchy and have trouble doing scrappy big time.
ReplyDeleteI also love love love your text fabrics. They are awesome and you must say where you get them please.
BTW I really like the blocks you have done, they all work.
hi Linni! you don't have blogger reply, so i have to comment here. both of the text fabrics from these blocks are Annie's Farm Stand from Lakehouse. i got them from etsy shops. you'll see the if you search "supplies" and "lakehouse fabrics".
ReplyDeletebest to you :)
melinda
I think your blocks are gorgeous! I like that they don't match. That is hard for me to do as well, and you are making it work wonderfully !
ReplyDeleteThose are all great! You're doing a good job with your challenge!
ReplyDeleteFor myself, I just take J to the yarn store with me. He has a much better eye for color than I do, and I can trust him to pick winning combos. However, odds and ends of sock yarn are starting to accumulate in my stash, and I'm going to do some Fair Isle socks one of these days. They might turn out a little wacky!
love these! and hello from a fellow wisconsinite! popped over from the cocorico bee. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat job...isn't it nice to challenge yourself. I too opened up by stash, this was the hard part for me. I still find it a bit distressing to cut into some of the fabrics. I wouldn't worry about the fabrics matching, in the end you bought all the fabrics because you liked them, so they will all work well together! have fun.
ReplyDeleteooooh! i love the broken sugar bowl and birds in the air the best. i think you have accomplished well what you set out to do. once again you have made eye candy.
ReplyDeleteYour blocks are so gorgeous...and I love Annis Farm Stand! Have to admit, I'm cheating with my FW blocks, and using a jelly roll of Rose Parade by Moda as my base. I've added some polkadots and a plain white Kona cotton as some of the pieces need fabric larger than the jelly roll strip. The yellow polkadot that you asked me about is from a range that I picked up from my local fabric store called Spots and Stripes by Sugar & Spice textiles...just a cheapy print, but works really nicely! Thanks so much for visiting my blog xxx
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