Need help with watercolor quilt project
MaleQuilter
first watercolor quilt project.
Yesterday, I started placing fabric on my design board and I think I
am having a problem. I may not be free spirited enough.
Both books I have on watercolor quilts seem to emphasize very
impressionist style designs.
After placing several squares on my design board and stepping back to
view from a distance, I discovered that I had grouped a lot of pieces
from the same fabric. The effect was really pretty but was not very
impressionistic.
It also looks like I will have a problem getting a smooth transition
from the dark to the light areas.
I would appreciate any hints and tips based on your experience with
watercolor projects.
Jerry in North Alabama
http://community.webshots.com/user/MaleQuilter
Patti
amount of light areas of fabric in a mixed light and dark square of
fabric. So, say, if it were three-quarters light, place it at the edge
of the dark with the darker quarter abutting the dark area and the
three-quarters light beginning to lead into the light area.
With 'pixels' of 2", I think you will have to accept slight
imperfections in grading lines.
.
In message <1176905472.3...@y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com>,
MaleQuilter <putt...@hotmail.com> writes
--
Best Regards
pat on the hill
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
Jerry-
I've made several watercolor quilt tops and found that the reachies
were my favorite type of squares. Those are the ones that you put on
the outside edges of a block of color to keep from having a straight
hard line at a seam- use something like a light background with a
single vine thru it and put it against an edge with lots of pattern/
color/movement. When you have several of the same print in a clump,
use the reverse side of the fabric at the outside edge to "fade" out.
Sometimes it's just a matter of twisting a square so that the colors/
patterns lay in a different direction. Sometimes, if you have a large
flower like a rose, it's fun to stick a 4X4 in. fussy cut square with
the entire flower into the 2 in. squares. You'd most often use that
along a bordering edge or in the foregound. Don't be in a hurry to
assemble the top- keep tweaking the squares until it until it sings to
you. Taking digital photos helps, too. If you re-arrange and wish
you hadn't the photo will help you put the squares back. It also
reduces the size to give you another perspective of what's up there on
your design wall. Don't be too hard on yourself.... this is supposed
to be fun and there are NO hard and fast rules..... nor are there any
quilt police! VBG
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
MaleQuilter
>
> - Show quoted text -
Thanks for the replies.
I think you have help me identify my problem. I have a nice variety
of fabric, but now I realize that my collection has very few pieces
with with contrasting values.
I guess I just found another reason to shop for more fabric.
CATS
decided that it is not a quilt making process suited to
e - I am a bit of a control freak!
But based on my two attempts I would advise -
do not judge by small numbers of squares or areas within the
quilt, the overall effect might be different
more is better
a reducing glass helps to see the whole quilt layout without
highlighting one specific area
more is better
try standing with your back to the quilt and seeing it in a
mirror, it really does look different
more is better. No matter how many different fabrics you
have, more is better in one of these quilts.
What books are you working from? Is this a picture quilt or
are you after an overall effect? My second quilt in this
style used the method from "Tradition With a Twist" by
Blanch Young and Darlene Young Stone (?). It involved
making a very big quilt from sets of nine-patch blocks that
used different fabrics, so it was easier for me to
"control", and I loved the overall effect I got.
Good luck with your quilt. I really like your Tumbling
quilt.
--
Cheryl & the Cats in OZ
o o o o
( > Y < ) ( > Y < )
Boofhead Donut
http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau
"MaleQuilter" <putt...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1176905472.3...@y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
:I have collected and cut into 2" squares quite a bit of
:
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
Pat made a very good point! If you are using a cream colored
background, then you need squares with a little bit of cream, a fair
amount of cream and a lot of cream and then a reachie to transition
your squares. Same with any other color, you need those different
"balances" of color in your squares to blend from one to another
without a hard line. And which direction you rotate each square can
make a huge difference as well. Hope that makes some sense???
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.
> > > Jerry in North Alabamahttp://community.webshots.com/user/MaleQuilter-Hide quoted text -
MaleQuilter
by Pat Maixner Magaret & Donna Ingram Slusser.
Most all of the featured quilts (actually wall hangings) are
impressionist style.
The project I'm working on is an attempt to do a sunlight washed
flower garden. However, my first efforts are a lot more realistic
than the quilts shown in the books.
By the way, Cats, I love you geometric projects and especially
"Mobius". Are those completed projects or just designs?
CATS
for some hand dyed fabrics. So far I have not been happy
with the two colour-runs I have produced . They were just
not quite right. And with the SEVERE drought here I am
refraining from any dye activities ATM because of the water
required for rinsing thoroughly. But I do plan to make it
one day using foundation piecing and Pieclique techniques.
I might try it using a rainbow spectrum just for fun as that
would work in commercial prints.
--
Cheryl & the Cats in OZ
o o o o
( > Y < ) ( > Y < )
Boofhead Donut
http://community.webshots.com/user/witchofthewest
catsatararatATyahooDOTcomDOTau
"MaleQuilter" <putt...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:1176938392....@y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...
: The books are "Watercolor Quilts" and "Watercolor
:
:
:
Irrational Number
>
> I would appreciate any hints and tips based on your experience with
> watercolor projects.
Check the reverse side of fabric.
For background, use several different types of cream/white, etc.
Take a digital photo and change it to black and white to
see the effect (you can probably even do it on the lcd
screen) - this works as a reducing glass.
Turn each square on all sides to see which orientation
fits in better.
I try to never have the same fabric touching the side
of the same fabric, so they can touch corners, just
not sides.
-- Anita --
Dorothy McNutt
you will like to check them out. There are 2 named Texas
charm and a heart shaped one. They might help you with
the placements of your squares.
http://community.webshots.com/user/dreamboat116
dreamboatnews:1176905472.3...@y80g2000hsf.googlegroups.com...