14 June 2012

Wednesday wonderings & a little progress

Hello there!
Just dropping in for a wee progress report on my "project a day" plans...
The day started well I got the front & back of a bag I am making in a secret swap for one of the ladies in our do. Good Stitches bee
I am really enjoying making this bag....its so bright & happy! I had thought of using the quilt-as-you  go method, but instead I used fusible fleece & quilted around each patch - laborious, but I like the finished look
While it was still sunny I also made some progress on my husbands fathers day gift. A few months ago Lynne (AKA Lily's Quilts) posted a Dead Simple Quiltalong & my husband asked me to make him a quilt for his surgery. His favourite colours are green & purple, so I duly bought some lovely Kona Solids in various shades of purple & green. Of course, like many of my bright ideas, I kind of lost interest before I even started & the fabrics were left abandoned in a corner of the cupboard  (sorry Lynne). But seeing as Fathers Day is fast approaching I thought I should look again at the fabrics... but this time no matter how I arranged them, I just didn't like them together... Does that ever happen to you - you are making something for someone & really want to be directed by their taste, not yours... but its so difficult... Well, unfortunately I just couldn't go with the green & purple combo & instead came up with this
My husband LOVES dogs... I mean seriously ADORES them (while I'm typing this, he's looking at photos of Old English Sheepdogs - I'll say no more!!) So hopefully he won't mind me substituting the purple fabrics for Annela's Sherbet Pips dogs.. I've made some more blocks but I was just wondering before I stitch them all together, what do you think of the colour/pattern combos? I was reading somewhere something about mixing high & low value prints & I have no idea what that means... but I am hoping someone out there might help me out (preferably by tomorrow!!!) So, please do tell me - how does this look to you? If you were a patient going to see your GP (family doctor) & you had to lie down on the treatment couch would you like this little lot over you??? 
I can't wait to hear what you think.... 
Take care
Karen

9 comments :

  1. Well, you already know that I love the bag you're making. If this is not for me then swap partner please take note of how much I love this!! :-) Otherwise I'm going to have to make one for myself.

    The quilt looks fabulous! High and low values - I understand it to mean basically light, medium and dark but not necessarily the colours, the print plays a role in that too. The patchwork for the bag distinctly shows different values. Prints with more white/pale colours are light values ie the Summersville top right, DS dots & DS diamonds. Dark values would be most of the red & green and the red/blue bottom left. The rest would be medium values. If you squint your eyes the dark and light should pop out, the medium should look flat. Does that make sense?

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  2. I love it all! I really like the dogs, the colors, the simple blocks, the layout, all of it is really working for me! Looks fabulous! My brother is equally into dogs. When we were little he'd tape dog shows and watch them over and over and over and knew who won each group and what place and what year and who judged. Crazy memory for dogs! Now I know dog breeds just from growing up with him talking about them all the time!!

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  3. Karen, I really think he'll hate it. Please don't give it to him, send it to me instead!!!!!! The colors are very masculine and calming.. The dogs - so adorable. Well done woman.

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  4. I love the colour combo. Keep going. And the bag is gorgeous!

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  5. Love the bag and the quilt- as a dog fan I know where he is coming from. Looking at colour through black and white will make the high/low values show- it is all about contrast! So try putting your picture into a photo editing site like iphoto pic monkey or and choosing a black and white filter

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  6. Thankfully I never go to the GP but I think the kids would love the dogs. It will keep them busy to count them while waiting :)

    Wow! I would manage to make a little bag a day you make a quilt! Amazing!

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  7. I love the bag and the quilt looks really lovely - is this a wall hanging or a proper quilt for when he has run out of patients?

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  8. Wow, Karen, a beautiful bag! And I love the colours! I never really made a manly quilt so I am surely not a good adviser on your father's day quilt. Listen to your inner voice - if it still tells you something's wrong, change and rechange until your heart sings :o)

    Happy Sewing
    Christine

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  9. Och dogs, purple, not a lot of difference ;o) And it looks great anyway. High/low values are basically light/dark amounts.

    Loving the look of the bag too!

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