Hi there! Thanks for stopping by today and checking out the Generations of Friendship Quilt Layout featuring our new historical paper dolls series of figures. A couple of weeks ago, we showed our new quilt layout with six 6" x 12" quilt blocks in a circular layout set into a rectangle. The finished size is about 45" x 45" roughly.
Fabric Selection
As with most quilts, the desigsn are created with a simple, solid color scheme on the computer and later translated into fabric after many hours of fabric research. Our FPP paper dolls look best when using tone-on-tone or calico prints with small patterns. These prints should read as a solid when standing back from the finished design. Since the background and border fabrics take up a large portion of the canvas, those were to be picked first. My stash of fabrics is limited mostly to fat quarters but no background and larger pieces of fabric. So, I visited my local quilt shop here in Nersingen, Quilt Oase.
I really wanted to find a fabric palette like the one above with yellow, green and coral above, but wasn't finding what I wanted. Then I spotted the lovely confetti on olive green print below which is fantastic to pull other fabrics from. Then chose the additional olive green and pink fabrics that sort of fell into place. Finding the last color fabric below was a little harder. All of the fabrics were turning into tonals without any real change in print. The red below is also in the green confetti print. I felt comfortable walking out of the fabric store with my perfectly matching stash.
Upon coming home, I started to doubt myself. The fabrics match perfectly, but for me, they lack luster. The red is a little too dominant and the green seems to pull the fabrics into a more traditional direction. Yes, it is supposed to be a little more traditional, but this palette would be a challenge for me to work with.
Rethinking the Color Scheme
I discovered a small collection of Lazy Days from Tilda that I bought at a quilt convention in 2019! I was saving it for a special "pure joy" project. Why not use it now! The prints from Tilda are so feminine, traditional and elegant. Even though this collection is a bit older, the three front florals below, they offer a nice variety to tone-on-tone prints. Prints add so much more intersest than all tone-on-tones, don't you think?
This color palette resembles more of the design featured on the previous post with a red, gray and blue palette. This is how I designed it on the computer using EQ8 program. The blue, solid fabric above is slightly lighter than the one used inthe computer generated version below. I might even skip the light pink and purchase a solid blue and coral to fit better. Tilda has matching solids for this collection which is always a plus in my book. Since this is supposed to be a spring version to contrast the month-by-month blocks sewn in blues and greens, I am happier to sew in friendlier colors and prints.
Purchasing Fabric for an Outdated Fabric Collection
So, I went and purchased matching fabric solids from Tilda (2019 fabrics) to fit the new design from NinaKrea. Here is what is should look like after the alternations. I really love the blue background on the previous image, but it is no longer available domestically. The image below is with a fabric from Windy Days, Breeze Blue also from Tilda. The borders may be a challenge depending on the repeat of the design. It may have mitered corners or horizontal borders. I am really excited to get started with this new color palette of fabrics. It is friendlier to the eye and will be quite a joy to work with over winter.
If you would like to purchase this layout, it will be ready soon. You can purchase the first figure on Etsy here. Thanks for dropping by.
