Challenge working with new fabric designs
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 819
Most of the time, I prefer to have the quilt design be the focus of my quilts, not the fabric design. So I mostly avoid the "modern" fabrics. They also tend to have colors and designs that I find a bit jarring; for example I recently saw a fabric with fuschia, brown, and orange in one very large print.
one thing I truly don't get, though, is why manufacturers' patterns, designed to go with a given fabric line, often require you to hack their fabrics into small, unrecognizable pieces. I'd think it would be the opposite, something to show off their fabrics.
hugs, charlotte
#22
Super Member
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Nawth o' Boston
Posts: 1,879
ha! I'm the very opposite - more into the fabrics and colors, with very simple designs. I find myself often bothered by scale, so i haven't gotten into the modern quilts with big slabs of color. I even scaled down YBR.
one thing I truly don't get, though, is why manufacturers' patterns, designed to go with a given fabric line, often require you to hack their fabrics into small, unrecognizable pieces. I'd think it would be the opposite, something to show off their fabrics.
hugs, charlotte
one thing I truly don't get, though, is why manufacturers' patterns, designed to go with a given fabric line, often require you to hack their fabrics into small, unrecognizable pieces. I'd think it would be the opposite, something to show off their fabrics.
hugs, charlotte
I think the difference is when you cut a modern print into small pieces there is such uneven color variation that the block design is sometimes lost, where in the traditional you can still follow the scheme, just with more texture/variation.
I just got some wild very modern FQ for Christmas and I am puzzling over them now. When I finish hand appliqueing my first Baltimore block maybe I'll have a look at using them in a Swoon.
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2012
Posts: 819
Charlotte, I don't get that either - but even the traditionalists have large scale prints where they get hacked up into bits. (Check Windham and Kaufman free patterns).
I think the difference is when you cut a modern print into small pieces there is such uneven color variation that the block design is sometimes lost, where in the traditional you can still follow the scheme, just with more texture/
I think the difference is when you cut a modern print into small pieces there is such uneven color variation that the block design is sometimes lost, where in the traditional you can still follow the scheme, just with more texture/
hugs,
charlotte
#24
Super Member
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Jozefow, Poland
Posts: 4,474
ha! I'm the very opposite - more into the fabrics and colors, with very simple designs. I find myself often bothered by scale, so i haven't gotten into the modern quilts with big slabs of color. I even scaled down YBR.
one thing I truly don't get, though, is why manufacturers' patterns, designed to go with a given fabric line, often require you to hack their fabrics into small, unrecognizable pieces. I'd think it would be the opposite, something to show off their fabrics.
hugs, charlotte
one thing I truly don't get, though, is why manufacturers' patterns, designed to go with a given fabric line, often require you to hack their fabrics into small, unrecognizable pieces. I'd think it would be the opposite, something to show off their fabrics.
hugs, charlotte
I was just looking at some fabric at Hancock's of Paducah, and I liked some of of it that had a huge scale to it. Really impressive fabric as fabric and if I bought it, I'd try to leave some of that pizzazz (coleus flowers).
However, I'm letting the day pass without using my 20% off code (expires tonight)...just because I don't need anything they offer at the this point that is cheap enough under my self-decided upon price limit.
#25
I haven't bought many fabrics from the new collections - I tend to haunt clearance bins, like some of the other posters! Occasionally I'll use a large scale print (especially home dec style) for the back of placemats so that one side is a little bitty pieced design, and the other is a big bold fabric print, which gives full reversibility without fussing with making two separate pieced sides. That's a function choice, though, and not really what I think Holice was asking about.
Another approach I've taken with large scale stuff is to make blocks that have a border, or edging (could even be four squares in the corner, doesn't have to be contiguous) and fussy cut so that it looks like the large scale print is behind the other pieces - sort of like a fractured pattern. Time consuming, and wasteful, but can look pretty cool.
Alison
Another approach I've taken with large scale stuff is to make blocks that have a border, or edging (could even be four squares in the corner, doesn't have to be contiguous) and fussy cut so that it looks like the large scale print is behind the other pieces - sort of like a fractured pattern. Time consuming, and wasteful, but can look pretty cool.
Alison
#26
My biggest conflict is that I really do love the newer fabrics and colors but I'm not about to redecorate my home so they would fit better. Well except for a small bathroom that I have decided to paint grey and indulge my newfound love of yellow and grey! So I am planning on table toppers and smaller projects with my new stuff. And my new quilting room is full of brighter colors which I love. I'm pretty eclectic about fabric and color actually.
#28
Super Member
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Central Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA
Posts: 7,695
[QUOTE=IrishNY;6485525]Good question. I find myself attracted to "modern" fabrics. I like the openness of the designs and am always attracted to large scale prints (just check out my stash - I never have enough blenders).
IrishNY- too bad you and I live so far apart...I have way too many blenders and not enough focus fabrics. Lol!
IrishNY- too bad you and I live so far apart...I have way too many blenders and not enough focus fabrics. Lol!
#30
Super Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Sonoma County, CA
Posts: 4,299
I guess I'm not picky....I like it all. Solids, blenders, wild prints, subtle prints, novelty prints, 30's prints, big prints, little prints... I get different inspirations from them all so I don't rule anything out. My stash is very eclectic!
I DO like modern quilts quite a bit although I haven't really made one yet. I also like traditional quilts, wall quilts, art quilts, simple quilts, fussy quilts....
Lately I've been on a 'big block' kick, which is great for large prints.
I suppose I'm a modern quilter, if the only rule is that there are no rules. I will gladly mix themes and fabric eras if it gives me the effect I'm going for. And then sometimes I turn out a quilt that looks just like something my Grandma would have made.
I DO like modern quilts quite a bit although I haven't really made one yet. I also like traditional quilts, wall quilts, art quilts, simple quilts, fussy quilts....
Lately I've been on a 'big block' kick, which is great for large prints.
I suppose I'm a modern quilter, if the only rule is that there are no rules. I will gladly mix themes and fabric eras if it gives me the effect I'm going for. And then sometimes I turn out a quilt that looks just like something my Grandma would have made.
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