The Value of Value Workshop

Last Sunday I did another workshop with the WA Quilters Guild called The Value of Value, with one of our talented members Judy Campbell. Colour theory is definitely something I need to know more about, my colour choices tend to be a bit boring & a bit too matchy-matchy!

Look at all these homespun colours that we had to play with.....

It was a day jam packed with making heaps of beautiful little one inch squares (all the practice cutting didn't go astray either). First we made up a grey scale on a black background. Next we choose a colour palate and lined them up from light to dark, on backgrounds of black, white, grey & beige. The different backgrounds make such a difference. I choose my favourite reds & look at all my little squares.

When it came to lining them up from light to dark, there was quite a few major decisions to be made. I found that looking at them through the camera lense after making my decision & sewing them gave me a few different results too. I had real problems finding a place for that pink placed third below but decided to keep it in to remind me of what I was learning.

We then moved on to grey scale or muddy colours & one of bright colours.

I found the bright colours quite a challenge so for a different approach looked at all the fabrics through a red filter which takes away the colour and shows only the shade. It made it quite easy but gave some unusual results. Under a red filter, yellow is quite a dark colour whereas to the naked eye it seems to be quite light. My final result was what I found with the naked eye but even now the camera shows a few changes I would make.

 

Next we moved on to some greater challenges, the grey or muddy colours with my choice of two highlights in the bright range. I choose orange & pink. In the next exercise using the muddy colours with two highlights, Judy banned me from using warm tones so I went into the blues & lilacs with highlights of charcoal & turquoise. This would make a gorgeous quilt. Great combinations and lessons for me on getting a bit more contrast and excitement into my fabric choices. 

 

 

It was great to look at everyone else's samples and the colour combinations they choose. I love these oranges and blues.

 

 

All up it was another fun day & I like all my little samples so much that I would like to find a great way to keep & display my little colour swatches.

 

 

We have our Queen's Birthday Public Holiday tomorrow so I have made up a list of projects, presents and swaps I have to finish between now & Christmas and hope to be able to strike a few off my list by bed time tomorrow night. At least I now know what I am making & after a quick visit to Textile Traders will have all the supplies too. I was finding the Grand Final on Saturday a little stressful so used the 2nd & 3rd quarters to get my sewing list organised while I watched so I continued to keep breathing. Most of WA seemed to jump ship & get on the Dockers band wagon seeing they unexpectedly ended up in the Grand Final. As the lone Hawks supporter (my adopted team due to my hearts desire being to live in Tassie) I was one small voice amongst the masses but I managed to hold my own with a number of pranks at work against a sweet friend who is a misguided Dockers supporter. It was a lot of fun taking her dressed up teddy in reception and bringing him to a perilous end through, stabbing, hanging or just the humiliation of using his scarf as a nappy. It was certainly a day of many, many laughs. Of course, by mid afternoon yesterday I was the only one left laughing & doing a very happy dance. We are a happy team at HAWTHORN!

 

 

I hope we get to keep Buddy but must admit, Roughie is my favourite player. Big boys with big mouths! I wish I was in Launceston this weekend to join in the celebration & see the team tomorrow. I can not believe no footy for nearly six months......

 

 

Happy stitching

Tracee xx