Contemplating Backgrounds

How much time do you spend contemplating the background fabric for your projects? 

Setting the stage for showing off your designs and quilting, 

the background can become a major player in your quilt.

I auditioned many backgrounds for my project. 

Should I go dark? 

Dark is always dramatic.

What about a totally white background? 

That would certainly show off my quilting.

 What about a neutral?

  A neutral grey, certainly not my first choice, became my best choice. 

Another instance that proves to me that I shouldn't be shortsighted 

and try even the "wrong" fabrics. 

This blue/grey batik shows off my design fabrics without competing with them. 

It seems to suit better than the stark contrast of a black or white fabric.

But, now I am questioning...

Is it a bit too boring?

Should I do something to make this background become a bit more interesting?

I pieced together strips of similar fabrics and 

placed them over my batik.

Will this up the look of my background

without becoming overpowering?

Should I cut my background and 

insert the pieced sections?

Time for a bit of contemplating..........

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Yes, I Want to Sew But.....

Yes, I want to sew but, 

I have walked into a magical world and I am enchanted.

I am pulled in by the brilliance of the colors.

Were they really hiding there all summer covered by a mask of green?

Yes, I would love to attempt to duplicate this beauty in an artwork

 but I can't draw myself away from this feast for my eyes.

I do have ideas to share with you. 

Believe me, I tried.

 But until the leaves fall, the ground turns brown and the skies are gray, 

each day will be an ongoing struggle to face my sewing machine.

Today, may you soak up the beauty 

and rejoice in the world God created.

Double Pop

After making my poppies, I tried them on my busy background. The light reflection of the satin weave fabric along with the large area of solid color seem to outshine the background. I think this will work. At least, I will continue on.

I also tried narrow strips of fabric that I printed with a handmade stamp. I like the balance and the interest that these bring to the project.

To add life to my flowers they needed to be connected to the earth. Of course, stems could be drawn out and carefully planned. Or you can fly free and simply cut.

This will work.

Adding the stems and buds and appliquéing them in place.

My completed project. 

Did I accomplish my mission to subdue the diva background?

Linked to Off the Wall Friday

Reflecting on Tuesday's Tiles

Quilter's Tile - Serging Added

8" x 8"

©Sharon V. Rotz

Today was a good day to reflect on previous tiles to review what I have learned from them and perhaps provide new direction for future projects.

One of my very first tiles included serged cord. (Again, using my serger as a quilting tool as I have mentioned in my previous post.)

Quilter's Tile - Looking at a New Age

8" x 8"

©Sharon V. Rotz

I think this is my favorite Quilter's Tile. Did I hit on colors that grabbed me?

Is it combination of fabrics and paint?

Or is it the variety of shapes, textures and stitches?

Quilter's Tile - Undergrowth

8" x 8"

©Sharon V. Rotz

This tile reflects the freedom of improvisational piecing which I continue to explore. Adding hand embroidery also keeps popping up. Is it the joy of holding needle and thread or the texture that each tiny stitch brings to the completed project?

Quilter's Tile - Purple Tree

8" x 8"

©Sharon V. Rotz

It's been exciting to try new techniques or those which I haven't visited for a while.

This tile uses a heavier thread placed in the bobbin and stitched from the reverse side.  Color is added with a purple colored pencil.

These small tiles are a wonderful place to try different ideas for bindings. Here a cord is stitched to the inner edge of the binding.

Quilter's Tile - Falling Leaves

8" x 8"

 ©Sharon V. Rotz

Continuing on with binding ideas, the binding for Falling Leaves uses two fabrics.

The tile is made from fabric stamped with a hand made stamp and fabric paints. The tree is fused on using a sheer fabric and the project is free-motion machine quilted.

What a wealth of ideas are used in these small tiles! Exploring on a small scale can quickly give us the needed background for our large artworks. 

What have you explored today?

Fall Inspiration

With the brilliant colors of fall surrounding us, how can we not be inspired to attempt to capture the glow in a piece of artwork?

The beauty of the these trees is swimming around in my head and ideas are forming. How will they be transformed into fabric? Should I go with a realistic shape for each colorful leaf? Should I abstract the view? Or should I use the color combinations as a basis for my work?  Should I paint or dye fabric or search commercial fabrics for my palette?

What inspires your artwork? How do you choose?

Two Things Learned from My Art Critics

This past week I've been learning valuable art lessons from two of my favorite art teachers. One has a vast five years of art expertise and the second is just in the beginner stage with just two years of knowledge. Both enlightened me with fresh inspiration and valuable critic.

The first thing I learned was that your art should tell a story. 

The artist should have a clear picture in his mind where he wants to go in his artwork. Here we are enjoying a party eating pepperoni pizza. Notice how happy we are as we celebrate the moment.

The subject matter, the pizza, claims the prestigious center of the drawing. And, we further draw attention to this important subject matter by leaning in and focusing our eyes on it.

The second thing that I learned was the importance of color.

Color should be used with wild abandon. Today the color was pink. Does it matter that we've never seen a pink dog before? Not at all. This is the artist's creative license freeing us from the constraints of real life. 

I will take these valuable lessons to heart and draw on them in my future work. 

Where have you learned your latest lessons?

More Quilt Details

Roadside Cattails 

60" x 36"

Sharon V. Rotz

The quilting does give wonderful effects to our projects as I have mentioned in a previous post. But in some projects we are drawn in for a a closer look by the details of the fabrics we have chosen. The overall composition of Roadside Cattails is quite simple, one horizontal line cut by three vertical lines.

What adds complexity and interest to this simple design is the use of multiple fabrics. The horizontal line is a made up of numerous browns with different patterns and colors. The background also brings together shades and tones, patterns and textures to stimulate our imagination.

Likewise, the vertical strips are not a solid fabric but string pieced sections of browns and more browns.

Adding complexity and interest can be done is a variety of ways. How have you added the "pull-me-in-factor" to your quilts?

More Serging, More Cord

Last year (that's not too long ago, since this is only January) I made a fun mat by wrapping scrap strips of fabric around clothes line and zigzagging together. It was to go on a table, that is if you think practically and logically. That was the plan, but as you know plans frequently do change.

I choose to pin the mat onto my studio wall because I just loved the mesh of colors. Ideas kept dancing in my head to use this as a platform for something creative. Now its time has come and my mat is the background for a branch of serger decorated leaves on a serged cord branch.

What do you think?

Whirling and Twirling, the top is done

The blocks are done and arranged and I've completed the quilt top. A random layout of log cabin blocks and solid blocks seemed the right combination for this colorful, carefree quilt.

After piecing the log cabin blocks, they were cut to size on a angle. (Further information on this technique can be found in earlier posts and in my book "Log Cabin Quilts with Attitude".) This gives great movement to the blocks. Does this remind you of gaily dressed dancers whirling around? Or maybe those autumn leaves fluttering in the wind as they fall to the ground? To me, it is definitely color in motion.

To further obscure the edges of the blocks, you can choose an outside strip of fabric that matches the solid blocks. (You can see this in the bottom of the center block.) The static look of block to block matching disappears as an outcome.

Now its time for choosing a backing and layering it up for the quilting.

Wow, Pow, Look at that!

After a second look at the fabrics I have chosen for this quilt, I realize that I have indeed been inspired by the colorful leaves outside my window. God's gentle nudging has again been at work filling my mind with possibilities.

The yellow/orange print is a perfect choice for this colorful, playful child's quilt. I'm having tons of fun playing with bright and cheery fabrics. While the patterns on the fabrics aren't autumn prints, the colors reflect the joy and the uplift of each crisp and sunny fall day.

How are you inspired by the seasons?

Value, value, value

When we are consider our fabric, we look for "star power" and we look for "background singers". In other words, we need a dominate fabric (or fabrics) which engages us. Then we need more subtle fabrics to compliment this dominant fabric.

But one thing, we've failed to mention is the value of these fabrics. Very often, our dominate fabric is a medium value and we may have chosen more medium values as our complimentary fabrics. We also need to chose fabrics, not looking at the color but at the value.

If you have trouble determining the value of a fabric, look at it through a value finder (red glass or plastic), through a camera lens or from a distance of 6 feet or more. What happens is that the color is obscured and you will be viewing the value of the fabric. Really stumped, a black and white copy of the fabric will completely eliminate the color, leaving only the value.

Why is value so important? This is what adds definition to our shapes, and added interest to our project. It is what creates a picture out of color moosh.

I fine-tuned my project colors by adding more contrasting values and started making log cabin style blocks.

Brightening up my day

Color can reflect your mood or your personality. I've been trying to finish my landscape quilt, but I am having trouble keeping at it. The toned browns and greens are fighting with me. Maybe its the weather, maybe its my mood, or maybe these colors will never be my favorites.

To sweeten up my day, I've been selecting bright and cheerful fabrics for my next project. Already my disposition is improving. I can't wait to get started. Tomorrow will be fun.

More about Color

Uninhibited Growth

40" x 34"

Sharon V. Rotz

Complementary colors are those which are opposite each other on the color wheel. The use of a complementary color brings out the best in its opposite. We all recognize the power of red and green together. We've loved it forever as our favorite Christmas color combination.

Did you know that in the correct proportion, complementary colors balance each other and we then have a neutral? In "Uninhibited Growth", I made a vibrant border of red and green strips. These colors are fully saturated, nothing shy and retiring about them. Yet, they don't seem to dominate the quilt. Using equal amounts of red and green (their color balance point), they work to neutralize themselves.

Learning more about color is exciting and never ending.

Exploring color

I have always loved color and read everything I can about color relationships and color theory. Of course, reading about it isn't half as much fun as exploring and play with color and how spaces can change with the use of different colors. As I was digging in my pile of quilts, I came upon this table size three block quilt which was one of the first quilts I made. (No starting with a simple nine patch for me.)

I remember the block was from a Jinny Beyer book. It's machine pieced and hand quilted with puffy polyester batting. The reason I'm posting this quilt is because it really shows the difference color placement can make. Each of the three blocks is made from the same pieces, the only difference is the color of the pieces. I believe, the block was named "castle wall", and I can just see the sun hitting the top of the castle, spreading out to the corner turrets and then bathing the castle in full sunlight. (right to left)

When we look at red, it seems to advance and appear closer to us. Blue recedes and tends to separate. I just read it has to do with how our eye sees. To focus on red, our eye changes and becomes more convex and things are closer. To focus on blue, our eye flattens and things appear further away. Interesting, isn't it?

This coming Saturday, I will be giving a talk on color at the Madison Quilt Expo. Maybe I will see you there.