For the love of low volume (and Fabriholics Anonymous linky!)

Despite going strong for the last four months of my fabric diet, I must admit I have fallen off the wagon recently. It all started with a slight freak out over my dwindling stash of lower volume (lighter value neutral fabrics), which led me ordering a bunch of prints from one of my favorite shops, Sew Me a Song. I'd forgotten the excitement of waiting for a squishy parcel to arrive ;o)

I'm excited to say that Becca has just listed this bundle in her shop - so if like me you can't get enough low volume and neutral prints, head over and check it out :o)

A few really gorgeous green prints also jumped into my flat rate envelope. I cut into a huge chunk of my green stash for my Ausmod bee mates last month, and was left with a lot of green-yellow prints, but very few deep and bright greens - so these are a very welcome addition to my stash. These prints are Kitchen Pantry in green, Chalkboard in green and Feedsack colour E (which would make the BEST quilt back!)

And just to fill up the parcel, these fabulous Melody Miller arrows jumped in too. I have a major crush on Melody's amazing designs and am hoarding them waiting for inspiration to strike - so it's nice to have some of these to add!

I may have just made another order too - but after these I'm determined to make it until the end of June at least before I order anything else! Honestly, I don't think I'll last much longer than that - I am noticing other holes in my stash (reds and oranges in particular), although I will continue to buy what I need rather than just buying ALL THE FABRIC which is what I've been guilty of in the past ;o)

So, how are my fellow fabric fasters going?


Linking up with Sunday Stash at the fabulous Molli Sparkles!

Down Under Doll Quilt Swap

I have been uncharacteristically quiet on the blog lately - mostly because I've been working on a 80" square quilt for a magazine, so haven't been able to share my progress (although I have been sharing a fair few peeks over on Instagram). It's completely finished as of last night though, so I'll be back here waffling about my quilty projects again until the next one ;o)

A couple of months ago, I signed up for the Down Under Doll Quilt Swap - a mini quilt swap for those of us based in Australia and New Zealand. I have been working on this in little spurts over the last month or so, but the last day to send is the first of December, so I pulled my finger out and finished it up today.

This is an idea I've wanted to try for a while, so it was a lot of fun to put together. I was a bit concerned about how well my points would match up as I didn't starch my fabric before cutting all the triangles, but I'm pleasantly surprised. A couple are a wee bit off, but mostly it came out really well.

After working for so long on a large quilt, it has been a really nice change to work on something small (my arms are especially grateful!) This little quilt is about 18" square.

I kept the quilting fairly simple, since there are so many seams in the quilt top (each of those strips in the triangles are 1" finished). Even so, I really like the texture the minimal FMQ has added. It has helped highlight the subtle pattern created by the light grey partial hexagons - although I did mess up some of the piecing at the bottom. Hopefully it's not too noticable!

I'll be posting this one tomorrow, so hopefully my partner likes it. I have actually started another version of this on a larger scale and will be taking photos and write up a tutorial for how I put it together, so stay tuned for that in the next few weeks :o)

xx Jess

Rainbow and low volume bundle

About a month ago, I put together an order for a bundle of fabric from one of my sponsors, Sew Me A Song. I was deliberately restocking some of my favorite low volume fabrics before my diet begins next year, and added in some more colourful prints, a lot of which I have used up in recent projects. Becca's shop really is my one-stop-shop when it comes to low volume - she stocks the most amazing range of texty and quirky low volume prints I've come across.

So this bundle of gorgeous landed on my doorstep on Friday (via Canada - quite the adventurous parcel!). And (squeee!!) Becca has cut a couple of extra bundles and listed them in her shop.  

So if you need a whole lot of texty goodness (plus a stack of other really useful prints) head over and take a look ;o)

xx Jess

Colour Theory 101: Value and Low Volume

Welcome to the final theory post in the Colour Theory for Quilters series. Today's guest post is by Rebecca of Making Rebecca Lynne - she has done an amazing job explaining Value and Low Volume.

Let us see shall we?  So far we have learned about The Color Wheel and Color Terminology which included all that good stuff having to do with primary, secondary, and tertiary color (<-- tertiary, my personal fav color family).  Then we became experts in combining color in Color Harmony and, not sure about you, but I certainly became a huge fan of this online color tool.  Last week we learned about Color Context and I love how Jennifer described context as "knowing what colors do, when they are all cozying up to each other" as I think that is the perfect segway into talking about low volume which we will get to a little further down in this post.

But, before we jump to Low Volume, we need to chat about Value.  Ready?  Let’s do it…

VALUE

In artsy terms, value is what we are talking about when we describe a color as "light" or "dark".  When we classify color as light versus dark we are describing its "brightness".  To be geeky uber-technical about it...warning: feel free to gloss over this if you are anti-geeky uber-technical by nature...value (or brightness) is based on the amount of light eminating from the color.  The more white the HIGHER the value, the less white the LOWER the value.  The easiest way to think of this is using a grayscale.  And of course this gives me an opportunity to use some fabric examples!

Of course the same value scale applies when we talk about any color...  Such as yellow for example.

Value Challenges for Quilters

To apply this information to what We Do as Quilters we need to recognize the challenges that we face in our medium...in other words fabric.  Painters, illustrators, graphic designers...pssht they've got it easy!  Quilters often use patterned fabrics that combine multiple colors and sometimes multiple values all in one swatch.  Depending on the scale of the fabric pattern if that swatch is cut in half the new swatch creates a change in value range.  For anyone who has ever tried organizing their stash in color order you know you've faced the question of "hunh, well where does this one fit in?"  The pile of fabrics I've depicted below demonstrates my "hunh" or "multicolored" fabric pile in my own stash. 

To get past this challenge, my advice is to use the monochromatic feature on your camera or computer to judge the value of a particularly challenging fabric.  I've done that here with the yellow example from above.  You can see through grayscale how the patterns still have an important role in value.

Creating Contrast using Value.

Right.  Okay, you get it, light versus dark, but why does this matter anyway?  Value is important because it allows us to create contrast.  If colors are close in value they will flatten, if they are varied in value then they will contrast and thereby create depth.  Too close in value = flat.  Far in value = depth.  Take the yellows up above, looking at them in grayscale you can see that the fabrics closer together in color blend together and fall flat.  But, I've taken the darkest yellow (low value) and the lightest yellow (high value) and paired them together below and now you can see the pop - value creating contrast.

        

This is example is also good because the darker yellow fabric has a lighter value pattern which, as you can see, also creates value contrast within the same piece of fabric!  Quilters, we have so many options!

However, if you've diligently read through these Colour Theory Posts then you don't need me to tell you Value is merely one way to create contrast.  Contrast can also be created with color through context as we learned in the last post.  In fact, to push this even further, as fabric enthusiasts we all know contrast can also be achieved by contrasting different textures or fabrics with different scaled patterns.  Oh fabric...how I love thee!  Quick Example?  Sure...

Value Contrast: As we've already seen above in the yellow, value contrast is an important consideration when pairing fabric.  See how it works with these blue solids I paired.  The depth is created by the range in the value.  The value pairing creates an impressive contrast in the grayscale.   This is why monochromatic pairings can often be so compelling.

Color Contrast : But as you already know complementary colors create a wonderful contrast as well and do not require a difference in value.  Complementary colors = Blue and Orange.  I kept the same blue from above but chose an orange with a similar value.  While things look rather flat in the grayscale in color the fabrics vibrate against each other.  And it follows that using complementary colors with different values results in a greater contrast.

LOW VOLUME

So why did I march you through the preamble about value and contrast above?  Well...low volume of course!  The trick to low volume is to consider value and how contrast is created in the ways I mentioned above such as color, pattern, scale, and value.  If I were to tell you that all the fabrics above are considered low volume you may scratch your head and say what?  If you have done any research into the recent low volume craze then you know that what is considered to be low volume covers a vast range. 

 

What is Low Volume?

To put it simply...low volume fabrics live in the high value range of the value scale.  Nevertheless, one visit to the low volume swap flickr page demonstrates that there is a broad scope of what different quilters think of as low volume!

First and foremost, there is no "wrong way" to do low volume.  Please, how ridiculous!  However, after hosting two Low Volume swaps and fielding a multitude of questions on what qualifies as low volume I have found that low volume can be divided into two larger categories.  Pop Low Volume and Muted Low Volume.

Pop Low Volume.  Best described as graphic prints amidst a neutral background, usually white.  This is the low volume style of Malka Dubrowsky who is credited with starting the concept of modern low volume in 2009 with an article she wrote for Quilting Arts magazine.  This style is still very popular four years after that article was written.  It is probably most commonly known in its implementation by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts.  I describe it as "pop" because the design style utilizes the high value background of the fabric as a foundation to allow the graphic print to pop out.  Place a number of these fabrics together in a quilt and voila you have a very cheerful, largely neutral quilt, with fun popping graphics playing against each other.  TIP:  If you gravitate towards this style of low volume look for fabrics with a large ratio of white, a single colored print or at the maximum a print composed of no more than two colors, and the simpler the pattern - the more graphic - the better.

Muted Low Volume.  "If quiet had a color this would be it." - Sarah from Issabella the Cat's daughter when describing Sarah's low volume quilt.   {Go check it out, Sarah's quilt features fabrics from the first Low Volume Fabric Swap hosted on my blog.}  Muted low volume really is, well, muted!  This style utilizes fabrics in soft colors found in the high value range such as light yellows, light purples, soft grays, tans.  This style is not new to quilting as using muted low volume fabrics can be found in every period of American quilting.  Today one source of its popularity amongst modern quilters can be attributed to the beautiful Sunday Morning Quilt featured in the pages of the book Sunday Morning Quilts.  TIP: Thinking of putting together a muted low volume quilt?  In addition to gathering fabrics in soft colors and muted tones also consider choosing fabrics with "soft patterns" such as florals, small dots, scripted text.  Notice the bold chevron print above, in addition to the soft colors the pattern has a sketchy quality to it which softens the normally striking angles of the chevron.  Smaller scale prints will work well in this low volume style but what works best is a combination of different prints paired together to add some interest to this type of low volume quilt.  

No matter which style of Low Volume you prefer here is are some things to consider when picking your fabrics for your next low volume project...

Low Volume Fabric Considerations

• fabric with a large ratio of white or neutral   

• consider the complexity of pattern

• minimal color contrast, a pattern with too many colors will distract from the neutral background

• color element, brighter/saturated color for pop low volume, soft colors for muted low volume

Well, the time has come for me to say goodbye.  I hope some of this information was helpful!  Clearly, I could go on and on about this forever but I am pretty sure Jess wants her blog back.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on value, low volume, design and pretty much anything quilt or art related!  Do stop by my blog and have a chat if you have the chance...

- rebecca lynne

Thanks so much Rebecca! Next week will be a series of guest posts from various quilters all about how they use colour and what inspires their colour choices.

Blogger's Quilt Festival Spring 2013 - Tesseract

If you're visiting from The Blogger's Quilt Festival, welcome to my little corner of quilt-blog land. I started quilting nearly two years ago, and have very quickly become completely obsessed with making quilts. I love participating in the Quilt Festival - it's such a great way to find new-to-me blogs.

This is my entry into the Mini Quilt category. It is called Tesseract, and was made as part of the Emerald Quilt Challenge earlier this year.

Quilt Stats:
Pattern - designed by myself, using Kaleidoscope blocks.
Fabric - Oakshott green shot cottons, and various low volume grey prints
Size - 24" square
Quilted - by me on my Bernina, using Aurifil 50wt in colours 2021 and 2865.

The inspiration for this quilt came from Emerald gemstones, and their multifaceted nature.

I love the depth of colour the Oakshotts give it - the photographs do it no justice at all. It literally shimmers.

I used two layers of bamboo batting when I sandwiched this quilt - I love the extra loft it's given without the puff that comes from polyester batting. I didn't want too much puff on this one, but did want the greens to pop a bit more than they would with a single layer.

Rather than binding it in the traditional fashion, I stitched facing strips to each side and then handstitched them down on the back. Because I used two layers of batting, it was a bit tricky getting it to fold over at the back. Also, my corners are quite rounded :o)

It is pieced and quilted entirely using Aurifil 50wt thread (2021 and 2865) - I love that the quilting blends into the background so well (although it blended so well while quilting I did have a bit of trouble seeing where I was going ;o) ) I really loved doing angular quilting too - a first for me, but definitely not the last. I really want to make a triangle quilt and quilt it like I did the green bits on this one.

I hope you enjoy the rest of the quilt festival!

xx Jess

A growing medallion

I've been working on this one on an off over the last week or so in between a few other projects - although I must admit it's been keeping me awake at night. Most of the decisions about where it's heading seem to be made pre-sleep :o)

The second border is pieced and on (it is actually square, I just need to learn to take better front-on photos ;o) ). Obviously I'm a bit obsessed with the whole text/low volume thing.

The next border is being worked on at the moment - there will be a narrow 'something' added before the triangles (not sure what yet, possibly black again?). I can't get my head around how long each of these pieced triangle strips will end up, so I'm making them first, and then I'll add the narrow 'something' (descriptive, hey?) to bring it up to the correct size. Not quite sure how I'll handle the corners either - but I think it will need to involve y-seams...

I have never enjoyed making anything quite as much as this one - it is just so much fun deciding what to do with each border.

xx Jess

Schoenrock Cross #2

Given the fact that my first quarter FAL list has been a no-go (although mostly due to the bush fire appeal, so I'm really not phased about it), I've decided to carry them all over to the next quarter. And start something new. I'm definitely a hopeless case when it comes to shiny new projects ;o)

This quilt has been in my head for a long time, but I didn't have a clue what fabric I wanted to use. Or what block I wanted to use at the centre for that matter. And then I had a light bulb moment over the weekend - I pulled a giant stack of fabric out and began playing. This is the mess stack I'm using (horrible badly lit photo!!):

It's destined to be a medallion style quilt (yep, jumping on that bandwagon too). No real idea where it's heading really, it's a making it up as I go along project. So it may end up awesome, or really really ugly. I'm really hoping it'll be a not-ugly quilt though, as I'm using a tonne of very treasured favorite fabric. The centre block is done, and I love it. I used Leila's Schoenrock Cross pattern again (love this block so much!), and bordered it to bring it up to 12.5".

I have other priorities to work on this week, but once they're done I'll be back to this one. And I really can't wait :o)

xx Jess

Tesseract {Emerald Quilt Challenge Finish}

My Emerald Quilt Challenge mini is done! First finish for the year (apart from appeal quilts) and it's not even on my FAL list. Anyone else notice how well I've been ignoring my list ;o)? I think nearly all my projects will have to carry over to the next quarter.

Anyhoo, I finished handstitching down the facing last night, and we have sun today so I managed to get some pictures. I've decided to go with Ella's suggestion of Tesseract for the name - as my other half pointed out, it gets automatic geek points since it's in the Avengers ;o) Other than that, to me it just fits (just ignore the Wiki definition, okay? I still think it's a cool name :o) )

The inspiration definitely came from actual emeralds - and happily, it is my birthstone! Although I'm not usually drawn to these shades of green, to me it says emerald. I love the depth of colour the Oakshotts give it - the photographs do it no justice at all. It literally shimmers.

I have had a creative grids 45 degree strip ruler for nearly a year and hadn't used it before (I bought it especially to make Lizzy House's Diamond Mountain quilt - still on my bucket list.) I adore Lizzy's quilt design, and that became part of my inspiration as well. It uses kaleidoscope blocks in a similar way to what I've done in this quilt.

I will definitely be using two layers of bamboo batting for mini quilts from now on - I love the extra loft it's given without the puff that comes from polyester batting. I didn't want too much puff on this one, but did want the greens to pop a bit more than they would with a single layer. Having said that, I'm not sure that it was such a good plan to go down the no-binding path. Getting it to fold over at the back was a bit of a challenge. Also, my corners are quite rounded, and I'm not sure how flat it will sit when it's hanging. I'd love to hang it on point like this photo - although I have no idea if it's actually feasible. Has anyone ever hung a mini on point? I'd love some tips :o)

It is pieced and quilted entirely using Aurifil 50wt thread (2021 and 2865) - I love that the quilting blends into the background so well (although it blended so well while quilting I did have a bit of trouble seeing where I was going ;o) ) I really loved doing angular quilting too - a first for me, but definitely not the last. I really want to make a triangle quilt and quilt it like I did the green bits on this one.

Quilt Details:
Fabric - Oakshott greens, various low volume grey prints for background.
Size - 24" square.

xx Jess

Fractured Quilting

I started quilting my Emerald Challenge quilt last night. I'm in desperate need of a good name for this one - I have no ideas whatsoever!! Suggestions happily accepted ;o)

I'm using Aurifil 50wt for all the quilting (2021 in the neutral areas, and 2865 on the greens). The green thread is the same one I used on Groove - I like that it blends really well on some of the greens, but stands out more on the darker and lighter greens. 

The piecing on this was far less than perfect, so I'm hoping the quilting helps disguise the dodgy bits. It kind of is so far - or at least making them less blindingly obvious :o) I want to keep the quilting fairly sparse on the Oakshotts, but quilt the greys really densely so they sit flat. 

I'm using two layers of my usual bamboo batting, and it's added a bit more loft to the quilting, without being too puffy. It's a fair bit heavier to move through though my machine when I'm FMQing, so I definitely won't be doing it on anything bigger. My arms were pretty sore after doing this (it took about an hour I think?)

Hope everyone is having a great weekend!

xx Jess