Question:
I think I'm ready to try out my eyes and my new sewing glasses on a small quilting project. Perhaps not a good choice but I 've decided to try a watercolor project which will be a first for me.
The little quilt will have a ray of sunshine running diagonally across and I need several pieces of yellow print fabrics that range in value from light to medium. I'm using 2 in. squares so I only need small scraps of fabric but I would like to have a variety of at least 6 different fabrics.
If anyone has any yellow that I can purchase I will be very grateful.
Joan
Answer:
Whoo hoo! I have this!
What sorts of prints do you want? You want ones with just yellow or with other colors too?
My squares are 2.5" inches, but you can cut them down....
How many total do you want? One of each? Or more than one of each? Bluish yellows or clear yellows or orangish yellows or ALL?
Seriously, I went through a 'yellow' phase a few years ago and I've got at least 25 or more different ones.
Answer:
Elaine, that's terrific. It won't be any trouble at all to trim the squares down to 2".
I think I need 75 to 100 squares of as many different fabrics as you have that you think will work. I want light and medium values and I prefer clear or bluish yellows. I have tried several orangish yellows that just didn't work.
The yellows will be used in the white areas in the left center and top right.
I knew that I needed to rework several areas but I didn't realize just how much needed reworked until I took this picture and looked at it.
Let me know how much I owe you and I'll get your payment right out.
Thanks so much, the precut squares will be a tremendous help.
Joan
Answer:
It looks beautiful!
I tried that once in a quilting class.
It's not that easy to arrange them.
Answer:
That's beautiful!
Answer:
Would love a pic of the finished product-that looks gorgeous
Answer:
Doobee, Iron Chick, MGC, thanks for the kind words. This is my first attempt at a watercolor quilt and I can already tell that there will be a lot of trial and error involved.
Doobeedog, I think a class would be very helpful but I couldn't find one currently being held in my area. If I run into a brick wall perhaps you can help me out.
MGC, I will definitely post a pic of the finished product. I expect it will take several months, especially if I hand quilt it.
Joan
Answer:
Joan,
In some ways having the 2.5" squares initially is really an advantage. You can choose which sides to trim so there are at least 4 different possibilities for the final position of the colors.
I have a prepared set (about 50 squares) of lights through darks of various colors from the ones I was selling several years ago. In general I'd say that watercolor fabrics tend toward the bluish/grayish side - maybe because there are so many colors side by side? The sets include some fabrics that one of the watercolor book authors purchased when she came into the store where I worked in ~2000. I personally tend to try fabrics that aren't the 'standard' type prints for watercolor, so this set will give you some variety!
I also have quite a few yellows that are mostly just yellow -- not traditionally watercolor, but may be what you need for this quilt. I'll send along some of each and you can post and tell me if you need more of a particular one. It'll take me a bit to track them all down tomorrow because they are in several different areas at the moment.
I think this is a perfect post-surgical project! (I'm assuming you have just had surgery on your eyes?) Speed of execution is NOT an advantage with watercolour type quilts! In fact you NEED to sit down / lie down regularly and just take a new look at the project. And what a perfect subject for the Lenten season!
Elaine (who has been sleeping for the last 5 hrs - got ds to Chicago O'Hare and off to Bangkok EARLY this a.m. - and am ready to go back to sleep for the night! )
ETA: in the late 90s there were a lot of online groups that exchanged squares - that can be helpful or not, depending on the eye and taste of those in the group. I have not looked to see if there are current groups. I think the technique is sort of out of favor right now -- and the fabrics that work easily are likely fairly scarce in the average quilt shop.
Answer:
I have a prepared set (about 50 squares) of lights through darks of various colors from the ones I was selling several years ago. In general I'd say that watercolor fabrics tend toward the bluish/grayish side - maybe because there are so many colors side by side? The sets include some fabrics that one of the watercolor book authors purchased when she came into the store where I worked in ~2000. I personally tend to try fabrics that aren't the 'standard' type prints for watercolor, so this set will give you some variety!
I also have quite a few yellows that are mostly just yellow -- not traditionally watercolor, but may be what you need for this quilt. I'll send along some of each and you can post and tell me if you need more of a particular one. It'll take me a bit to track them all down tomorrow because they are in several different areas at the moment. Elaine, you just can't imagine how helpful this will be. I had promised to do a cross wall hanging for our church early last year and when I began to have eye problems I hoped they would find someone else to make it but no such luck.
There is absolutely no hurry so please don't rush to locate your sets. It will be interesting to see what your watercolor author purchased.
Joan
Answer:
Ooooh, that's going to be gorgeous!