ELAINE QUEHL, Quilt Artist, Teacher, Dyer, Designer

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Now We're Talking!

Most of the time when I design a new quilt, I already know what colour all parts will be. My foray into fern leaves left me unsure when the white didn't quite excite me as much as I thought. Thank you to everyone who posted suggestions. Did anyone notice I can't count in my last post? There were only 12 options, and not 13, as I reported. What a difference a new colour and a different orientation can make! I tried about 30 different options today and have narrowed the background colour to four. And yes, I did consider all suggestions made to me.When I've narrowed down to one or two I'm going to do more orientation tests and add all the fronds. Thanks to Catherine Hornstein who suggested I actually turn this on its side. So here are my 5 options:

1A

1B

 1C

 1D


 2A

 2B

 2C

 2D

3A

 3B
 3C
 3D

4A

 4B

4C

 4D

My conclusions are as follows. I LOVE 1A and 1B. The reddish brown/deep purple fabric really sets off the green leaves. I find it elegant. 2 is soft, but too much like what I would normally do. I love 3A, 3B, and 3C as well. The multi-coloured fabric really sets off the fern leaves and adds a lot more interest. Of the 3's, 3B is my favorite, with that gold spot coming up from the lower right as though the sun were buoying the fern leaves. 4A and 4 B are pleasant to me too, but more pleasant in person than in a photograph, where the background looks brighter than it is. I do believe I've just settled on my two favorites. For colour, it is definitely ONE or THREE.

21 comments:

  1. Love the 1's and 4's.....good luck

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  2. I think you are right on. The colors make it pop. Make your choice.

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  3. I think I prefer 1B and 2B - background 1 for drama and 2 for calmness.

    On a cooler day I suspect 1B would win for me. In today's extreme heat (38 Celsius on my back verandah, and expected top of 42) I am veering towards the cooler palette!

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    1. Thank you Maureen. I'm always torn between the soft and the dramatic too. 38 degrees is pretty oppressive. We get that from time to time in the summer, and usually with humidity. Today, however, it is -14 in Ottawa.

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  4. I B it pops the colour...or 3b but love love 1b.

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  5. Love 1A and 1B too - the background fabric is stunning!!!! Bev

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    1. Thank you Bev. I'm pretty pleased with this one too. By the way, your quilts you showed at Kemptville Guild are gorgeous. I love them and will get to posting in the next few days. Thanks for your help with the presentation.

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  6. For me it's 1A. The richness of the color sets off the green as well as draw the purple bits of hue out of the fern.
    Nancy

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    1. Thank you Nancy. I like that colour best too. I might sew sleeves on more than one side so I can enjoy several compositions. Happy New Year!

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    1. Thanks Ellen. I am leaning in that direction too!

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  8. So glad you found something you like! It's your quilt and I think we are all drawn towards certain colour combinations. It was a great suggestion to turn the ferns on their side! Enjoy the process! Odarka

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    1. I think you are right Odarka ... we all have our colour combos we love.

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  9. I love 1A. Very dramtic. Did you try it with the lighter corner at the top instead of the bottom something tells me this would read more natural as our brain expects the light to come from the top. Of course for me I would be working with 3D and I would put the smaller frond above the larger one, I just love those colours.

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    1. Not yet I haven't Nancy. I agree that light comes down from above but I always do it that way so I'm considering other options this time. I kinda like seeing the light at the tips of the fronds. Yes, you are right, I put up the fronds out of order and will rectify that in the final version. Thanks for your comments.

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  10. BINGO with the #1 ones!! The colours are a perfect complement for each other and REALLY make each other sing!

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  11. Agreed Carolynn ... thanks for posting.

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  12. Agreed Carolynn ... thanks for posting.

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