Revisit Scrap Basket 2 - a Wedding Gift

In preparation for a family wedding - my nephew, Matt and his wife to be, Candace, I gathered their input for a wedding quilt.  Let's be serious, I gathered Candace's input! 

My ask, which of my quilts designs would you like for a wedding quilt? 

Much to my surprise her choice:

My original Scrap Basket 2 quilt.  Yes, it is a scrap quilt.  Any of my quilting friends know I love neutral quilts and have amassed a large stash and scraps in this color palette. 

Working in a neutral palette can be a challenge.

With the assistance of our digital cameras/phones, you can master this challenge.

"Color gets all the credit, but Value does all the work!

When I asked about a color palette for the wedding quilt here was her choice:

My first reaction, lovely how serene.

My second reaction, let's dive into my stash.

My last reaction,  I'm missing some greens!  Yes, I too had to go shopping for those sage greens and yes some darker greens.

Absent some variation in values, my design would become mud.  

Let's change up the palette to black and white to demonstrate the concept.

.Here is the same image in black and white. The color swatches at the left show little of the different values in the inspiration photo.

This was purposeful on the part of Orangetree, as it was a color palette for interior design purposes. Whilst this will work for interior design, it would pose a challenge in a quilt.

We need the range in values to define the design in a quilt.  

Absent the value range we have mud.  Whilst I understand this, I hope my niece will understand this as well as I add a range of values to their quilt.

Let me illustrate!

At left my image in black and white.

At right my image in color.

Do I have a range of values?

Perhaps yes!

Are you along to create your Scrap Basket 2 quilt?

Let's get started.

Consider using a monochromatic color palette in 2 - 3 colorways.  Try to include one Solid fabric per colorway.

The first step is to sort your scraps.  If your scraps are not sorted by color, the first step is to sort by color.  Then sort your scraps by value.

Color and value is relative.  Pick one fabric of the first colorway that "appears" to be a mid value, and start a new pile.  Then select another fabric and compare it to the original.

Is it darker or lighter?  I like to work left to right, lighter left and darker right, creating three piles for this colorway.  Essentially you will have created a light, medium and dark pile.  

Take a photo in black and white.  Look at the image, do you have some outliers?

If yes, adjust your piles and take another black and white photo.  Continue this process until all your fabrics are sorted.

Here are my fabrics sorted.

Join the Quilt Along and tame your scrap piles.

The quilt will finish at 60" x 72 and is constructed in 6 - 24 1/2" square blocks (there are blocks within these blocks) and 6 - 12 1/2" square blocks.

Download the instructions for Step 1 in the link below.

Scrap Basket 2 - Step 1

Feed your soul, take time to create.  It's not about keeping busy, it's about being at "piece"!

 

A Neutral Palette Challenge & My Top 25 Notions

What’s on my design wall? 

A neutral color challenge!  Take 8 neutral fabrics in greys and taupe and see where it I can take it.

✔️ First up simple flying geese 

      

Simple? 

 

Perhaps,.... but I still have to take notice of light medium and dark and their placement.  A neutral color palette makes relative color even more important.

 I’m working through the different fabrics, piecing the blocks as leaders and enders. 

Not enough contrast and you have a "muddy" block.  The block at right is after a couple of interruptions and the removal of a "muddy" section.  Take a look at my slides from Show and Tell to see the difference.

November 17, 2021 Show & Tell Slides

✔️ Making blocks from the house exercises from @cindygrisdela new book, Adventures in Improv Quilts and change up the color palette to neutrals,…..

Not exactly how Cindy Grisdela had imagined the exercises in her new book.  But, since when did I follow exercises as they were originally intended.

✔️ Adding a few techniques/blocks from other projects

I figure I need another 10 or more blocks, larger ones and then the puzzling begins.  

Every time I walk by my design wall I move a few blocks, take a picture and stare at it a bit more.  

From the wee hours last night, see the shadows in my photo.  I'm still making changes and taking even more pictures.

With any luck, I'll have something by the end of next week, just in time to go home.

Yes home, I'm working in our vacation home for yet another 2 weeks.  Whilst I have always quilted when I have come down to our vacation home, I haven't done as many technical projects.

Did I have a surprise!  I didn't have all my go to quilting supplies here.  I did bring my projects, some special rulers and my Acorn Products, I was still missing a few things.  I had a separate suitcase will all my projects and select notions but it still wasn't enough.  

Most notably I was missing, a design wall, a wool pressing mat, my small and large Karen Kay Buckley scissors, my Corner Pop tool.

Thankfully my son and daughter-in-law, thank you Alex, did bring a couple of items when they came down to visit.

So, as always, my missing items became my "Top 25 Notions" list.  Take a look at my list, is there some items that should be on your Christmas list?  Download a copy of my list below.  Sometimes, it is the simplest of things that can make our projects more successful.  

Next trip, I'm destined to have another full suitcase of my go to tools so I can play!  

My Top 25 Notions