A color lesson
Our retreat this year featured an opportunity to make a mystery quilt (instructions are passed out in phases--you bring the required fabric, but have no idea what you'll end up with). I had cheated by finding the pattern online. I decided the project would be a great way to use up some of my green fabric and make my first monochromatic quilt. Here's the quilt top that I finished the other day:
As I selected the fabrics for this I first aimed for some true green in the 3 required values of light, medium, and dark. To add interest, I chose greens that were on the yellow side of the color wheel and on the blue side of the color wheel.
Now that I study the completed top, I see that I should have worked harder to incorporate the blue/green. Only one blue/green fabric stands out, but you can see quite a bit of yellow/green. When I picked these fabrics, I really liked how they looked together. Indeed, I still do. But after making Springing Up Fun and my Flower Pots, this quilt seems kinda' boring.
While I achieved my goal of a monochromatic quilt, I think it would be far more interesting if I had reached a little further to both sides of green on the wheel. How about a true yellow for one of the light or mediums? And a dark true blue? I could have leaned toward the blue side and used blues and purple. Or leaned to the yellow side and used yellow and orange. Or gone for the opposite side and used red. Nah, too Christmas-y. Still, I think some variation would have looked really cool. If I were at all able to use Photoshop I'd play with the picture and show you what I mean.
Instead this top will go into the UFO pile to be completed at a later date. And next time I try something monochromatic I'm going to break the rule by incorporating something from the other side of the wheel.
As I selected the fabrics for this I first aimed for some true green in the 3 required values of light, medium, and dark. To add interest, I chose greens that were on the yellow side of the color wheel and on the blue side of the color wheel.
Now that I study the completed top, I see that I should have worked harder to incorporate the blue/green. Only one blue/green fabric stands out, but you can see quite a bit of yellow/green. When I picked these fabrics, I really liked how they looked together. Indeed, I still do. But after making Springing Up Fun and my Flower Pots, this quilt seems kinda' boring.
While I achieved my goal of a monochromatic quilt, I think it would be far more interesting if I had reached a little further to both sides of green on the wheel. How about a true yellow for one of the light or mediums? And a dark true blue? I could have leaned toward the blue side and used blues and purple. Or leaned to the yellow side and used yellow and orange. Or gone for the opposite side and used red. Nah, too Christmas-y. Still, I think some variation would have looked really cool. If I were at all able to use Photoshop I'd play with the picture and show you what I mean. Instead this top will go into the UFO pile to be completed at a later date. And next time I try something monochromatic I'm going to break the rule by incorporating something from the other side of the wheel.
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