Thursday, February 17, 2011

My creative space - a workshop in colour

Right now, my creative space is my new quilt design wall, and the quilt I designed at a workshop yesterday. It is sitting in my sewing room, nicely transplanted from the Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably workshop I attended yesterday. And how did I get to this stage?

Stage 1

It starts with diamonds in "one colour". I decided to fly outside my comfort zone, and chose green. Lots and lots of green. At this point, I was adding diamonds as I cut them, and putting them on my design board. There was no set order - I just stuck them up there, and stood back to see what I had.

Here's Kaffe helping Beryl out with her quilt. I love the oranges and yellows.

Kaffe Fassett

Kaffe and Brandon would walk around the room, making comments and changing out diamonds for ones they felt looked better. The used a "reducing glass" (you can get the same effect through your camera view finder) to see which fabrics worked, and where you might have built a "picket fence" to stop your eye flowing down to the bottom of the quilt.

Stage 2

By the time I got to this stage, I knew I had a green quilt, and I wasn't too happy about it. I wanted some colour, so Brandon and I went shopping for some. This photo shows the fabrics lined up against the board to assess the possible effects of them. I know, orange, right?? I was shocked when Brandon suggested that.

Stage 3 - shopping time

And here we have the new colours added in, but I still wasn't happy with a big green "strip" in the middle.

Oranges and pinks added

So Brandon did some rearranging and some suggesting (often Kaffe would come and disagree, which goes to show just how subjective colour and fabric choice can be).

Brandon rearranging some diamonds

And eventually I lost the big green band in the middle, ended up with less of a green leaf salad, and more a mixed vegetable salad with interesting ingredients! Eventually it was time to select an inner border.

Auditioning outer borders

I know, this one makes my eyes bleed too, but Kaffe and I selected another cooler fabric for the outer border and it totally changes the effect. I'm really happy with the choices.

Kaffe then spent time at the end of the day critiqueing everyone's quilts. This part was so interesting. He liked mine, and how it had evolved from green into a zany and exciting quilt. Brandon said I was a fabulous woman. I blushed.

Kaffe critique

Kaffe critique

Kaffe Fassett workshop quilts

And then at the end of the worshop, Brandon and Kaffe showed off a few of their quilts.

Show and Tell

This one will be in their next book. It's been photographed against a red barn in either Sweden or Denmark. I can't remember. And it's made with only three fabrics. Love it.

Latest quilt

And then I acted like the total Kaffe Fassett fan I am and had a photo taken with him while he was signing our books. It's not very in focus, but the quilt behind us (in focus!) is fabulous! (I may well frame this photo and hang it in my sewing room.)

Kaffe and Michelle

It was such a great day. I learned so much from Kaffe and Brandon, and I think this might take my quilts to a much more exciting, colourful level! They were just delightful and very charming, and so positive.

(I want to sew my quilt together, rather than have it on a design wall, but I managed to pick up a nasty headache and neck pain from concentrating too hard at the workshop and I am confined to the un-comfort of a sofa. No sewing. No work. No nothing.)

For more colourful creative spaces, you can head to Kirsty's!

32 comments:

  1. Wow you tell a great story!
    It sounds like the most brilliant day and I loved watching your quilt evolve.
    I hope your head feels better and you can get to sewing it up soon. X

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  2. OMG - you and Kaffe are BFF!!!! I'm jealous!
    The quilt looks great and it sounds like you had an awesome day too!

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  3. WOW! I really liked the green quilt but the green with orange etc really pops so wonderfully! How fab! What a great day and a wonderful "souvenir".

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  4. Wow - thats pretty much all I have to say!

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  5. what a beautiful collection of quilts. love the greens and orange. hope your poor head feels better

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  6. YA! That's my blue quilt you are standing in front of! I have a headache as well, I'm calling it my Kaffe hangover. I'm going to try work through mine and cut out the rest of my quilt today.

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  7. so glad that you enjoyed your workshop, it looks like it was a blast. love all the colour in all of those quilts - absolutely stunning. yours is the bestest though of course. love it.

    x

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  8. What a fabulous evolution. Thanks for sharing the whole story! I love the final pattern and can't wait to see it sewn up. I hope you are feeling better soon.

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  9. Wow how amazing how even the border changes the look of the quilt so much. Love it! Thanks for sharing not only yours but all the other beautiful quilts too.

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  10. Is that at Addicted to Fabric? Wow - lucky you! Looks great.

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  11. I love your telling of the colour and quilt development! Its easily my favourite of the ones you photographed. When can I pick it up?

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  12. Oh Michelle, it looks like such a fabulous time. I chickened out. I just couldn't spend that much money on a single day when I don' actually have an income. And your quilt looks FAB!

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  13. Now I am GREEN - with envy! What a wonderful day you obviously had - the quilt is just wonderful, and I so wish I'd organised myself to do one of these workshops. Thank you for sharing your experience of the day so eloquently. I love your quilt!

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  14. I loved watching the progress of your quilt, it's amazing how the most unexpected fabric and colours just look so amazing together, well done!

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  15. your quilt looks amazing! can't wait to see it all together and i hope you feel better soon!
    xo

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  16. What an amazing experience, I love your quilt, so lush, and the purpley one too. One of the most colourful blog posts I have ever seen!

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  17. What a fabulous day! Your quilt is gorgeous and it was great to see it evolve through your story. I'm doing a course there next weekend, hope it is as fabulous (not Kaffe though :)

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  18. Fantastic. I am eagerly awaiting the chance to see him speak in Ballarat soon. I have my ticket on my bed side table and smile everytime I see it. Can't wait!!! Your quilt looks amazing.

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  19. Wow, what a fun experience. So neat to have that sort of hands-on expertise.

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  20. I have admired Kaffe Fassett's work for over thirty years...when he was doing tapestries..I had his book! Amazing to be doing a workshop with him.

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  21. Wow! I'm so jealous! Your quilt is fantastic and to get help from Kaffe and have your quilt critiqued by Kaffe Fassett - wow! Green is my favourite colour so of course I love yours the most!

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  22. yay! it looks like you had an amazing time! can't wait to meet your quilt! =)

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  23. What a day! It looks exhausting but fun.

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  24. Very interesting. I thought the original all green quilt top looked lovely, but it certainly gained a whole new dimension after being mixed up with bits of colour. The orange was a good pick :-)

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  25. What a great story and I love watching the creative process, just awesome. There is a real skill in colour choice it's really interesting to see how they go together and what you initially think 'na' works.

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  26. I love the new colours too...and maybe I'm just biased but from the look of the photos I think your quilt rocked the day!

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  27. ...ps does my queensland eye spot a pandanus palm in your header photo?

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  28. I LOVE this. What a fantastic day you must have had! Hey...great pic at the bottom!! xx

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  29. This is all sorts of awesome....I got a Kaffe Fassett book from the oppy the other day, so seeing this post was pretty fantastic.
    Green and orange are my Fav. colours by the way

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  30. Michelle, I'm not a quilter, but I am still sitting here saying wow, wow, ... wow! It would have been awesome attending that workshop with Kaffe and Brandon.

    I really like your quilt and seeing its colour evolution. I hope that headache disappeared quickly so you could start sewing it all up. I'm looking forward to seeing how it looks when its finished. Happy sewing!

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