My Second Kaffe Workshop
This time around, I knew what to expect and I felt so much more successful!
The first quilt design workshop I participated in was designing the Green Diamonds quilt from Quilts in Ireland.
Before that workshop, I wasn’t able to travel to a store that carried much Kaffe Fassett Collective fabric, so I arrived with one bundle of 1/2 yard cuts and the plan to buy whatever else I needed at the on site store. Here is a fat quarter bundle in the color way I started with.
The trouble with that plan was that while I had considered color palette, I hadn’t considered scale of the prints. Half of what I brought was too large in scale (because I love Phillip Jacob’s florals) or to textural (like a mid scale blender). I spent so much time the day of that workshop choosing fabrics that I felt completely rushed. I ended up using interesting fabrics, but not necessarily ones I loved.
FABRIC TIPS
This time around I was determined to choose a good color palette, as well as consider scale and value. Here are the fuchsia fabrics I brought. This time I was sure to shop online when I couldn’t find options at brick and mortar stores.
To consider scale, I visualized the size of the blocks we were going to make, and whether or not the pattern could be similar on any given piece. I held up my hands with an opening to look thru that approximated the size. You could also cut out the size block you will have from a piece of paper and look thru that hole to see the scale of your print.
I divided my fabrics up into lights, mediums, and dark to see whether I had a variety of values.
I was noticeably short on light colors, so I pulled and purchased more light fuchsias to take with me. Kaffe and Brandon weren’t so much concerned with lights and darks as much as how the colors sat next to one another. They were looking for visual interest, so my attention to value was entirely overkill, but it still helped me choose a good variety of fabrics.
This quilt uses lots of the same fabrics, so I brought at least 1 yard cuts to work with.
The fun of the Purple Passage quilt design is choosing one color and really getting to play with it. The video shows all the color ways other class participants chose. They really are lovely. What color would you pick?
The Purple Passage pattern in in Quilts at an English Manor House
Here are some shopping links for items that will help you create this design.
Design wall I use at home. https://link.amazon/B0cmxnbVS
Clear Command hooks to hang it: https://link.amazon/B08IJmnLp
The ruler size squares we cut in half diagonally: https://link.amazon/B0ebJk4J3
You are gonna love this slotted ruler that trims half square triangles:
The book the pattern is in: https://link.amazon/B05sWFsxS
My favorite rotary cutter: https://link.amazon/B0elATOCJ
The above links are my Amazon Affiliate links. They really are products I use and recommend. I earn a small commission when you shop through the links. Thanks for supporting Happy Quilty People!
Final Layout
I loved the banana tree fabric Kaffe and Brandon chose for me so much. I'd left the room, and when I walked back in, the ladies near my my workstation were excited for me to take a look at the banana border fabic they'd pinned to my design board. It absolutley glowed. I'd admired that fabric next to someone else's design, but was so surprised at how fun it was with my colors!
I did hear the tip that someone had used the same fabric, but fussy cut to center the tree prints on the border strips. I don't think I'm going to be able to unhear that advice. I should probably go ahead and order more of that fabric.
I was absolutley certain they were going to dislike the strawberry print because it was light, but they liked it alot!
I was thrilled with how my fun fuchsia colors worked together in this quilt. When you do your homework and spend some time thinking about scale of blocks & prints, as well as the values of your fabrics, it really does make for a smoother design process. The second from the middle and the banana tree border were the only fabrics I purchased for this quilt at the workshop.
Stay tuned for the next day's workshop on an economy block quilt. The Economy block pattern is in the book Kaffe Fassett Quilts in London.
Thanks to Beehive Quilt Shop in Wellington, KS for hosting this fantabulous event!
P.S. Here is the video from the first diamonds class
Comments