Quilting colours

I know we have discussed quilting designs, and quilting threads (which
type) many times; and I have absorbed it all as well as possible (I need
all the help I can get). However, there is one aspect which I don't
remember there being much talk about (if any?) and, doing what I'm doing
at the moment, I would be most interested and grateful to hear your
comments and opinions.
The thing is: now that I am getting a little bit more comfortable with
quilting itself (as opposed to piecing), my questions are coming further
down the procedure line. When I look at any of my quilts, I cannot
'see' them quilted in a single colour of thread - of whatever type. I
should say here that they are not block quilts, they are different all
over - usually a single design. They are almost always pieced, sometimes
intricately. But, I always want to use 'this there' and 'that over on
that' ... which naturally leads to several colours over the whole area
(sometimes small).
Am I really going down a 'wrong' road here, or do you think it is
acceptable (to whom?) to indulge my fancy to quilt small areas with one
and others with another?
--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

On Sat, 18 Dec 2004 18:14:07 +0000, Patti
wrote:

I know we have discussed quilting designs, and quilting threads (which
type) many times; and I have absorbed it all as well as possible (I need
all the help I can get). However, there is one aspect which I don't
remember there being much talk about (if any?) and, doing what I'm doing
at the moment, I would be most interested and grateful to hear your
comments and opinions.
The thing is: now that I am getting a little bit more comfortable with
quilting itself (as opposed to piecing), my questions are coming further
down the procedure line. When I look at any of my quilts, I cannot
'see' them quilted in a single colour of thread - of whatever type. I
should say here that they are not block quilts, they are different all
over - usually a single design. They are almost always pieced, sometimes
intricately. But, I always want to use 'this there' and 'that over on
that' ... which naturally leads to several colours over the whole area
(sometimes small).
Am I really going down a 'wrong' road here, or do you think it is
acceptable (to whom?) to indulge my fancy to quilt small areas with one
and others with another?

I think your way of quilting with different colours sounds really
interesting! If your pieces are "different all over", why shouldn't
the quilting be? It sounds like you are making the quilting
complement the piecing, and that is the goal isn't it?


-- Jo in Scotland

In article ,
Patti wrote:

I know we have discussed quilting designs, and quilting threads (which
type) many times; and I have absorbed it all as well as possible (I need
all the help I can get). However, there is one aspect which I don't
remember there being much talk about (if any?) and, doing what I'm doing
at the moment, I would be most interested and grateful to hear your
comments and opinions.
The thing is: now that I am getting a little bit more comfortable with
quilting itself (as opposed to piecing), my questions are coming further
down the procedure line. When I look at any of my quilts, I cannot
'see' them quilted in a single colour of thread - of whatever type. I
should say here that they are not block quilts, they are different all
over - usually a single design. They are almost always pieced, sometimes
intricately. But, I always want to use 'this there' and 'that over on
that' ... which naturally leads to several colours over the whole area
(sometimes small).
Am I really going down a 'wrong' road here, or do you think it is
acceptable (to whom?) to indulge my fancy to quilt small areas with one
and others with another?


First the obvious answer: there are no quilt police, Pat! g That
aside, I like the look of several different colors in different places
on a quilt -- or even overlapping, if the quilt calls for it. I'd go
with your instincts; they haven't led you wrong yet.
--
Sandy in Henderson, near Las Vegas
my ISP is earthlink.net -- put sfoster1(at) in front
http://home.earthlink.net/~sfoster1

Pat:
Yes, it is acceptable to quilt different areas of your
quilt in assorted colors. After all, it is YOUR quilt!!
Do a small one that way and evaluate it. Do you like it
enough to do it on larger works? Does it enhance the
pieced design or detract from it? Does it look smooth
or do the color changes make it look chaotic? Just try
this on a wee piece, about 8" square and your will get
a feel for how to proceed.

BTW: I do the quilting all in one color or in invisible
thread, but that is only because none of my quilts have
asked for multi color quilting. I would like to try
that sometime on the right project.

PAT in VA/USA

Patti wrote:

I know we have discussed quilting designs, and quilting threads (which
type) many times; and I have absorbed it all as well as possible (I need
all the help I can get). However, there is one aspect which I don't
remember there being much talk about (if any?) and, doing what I'm doing
at the moment, I would be most interested and grateful to hear your
comments and opinions.
The thing is: now that I am getting a little bit more comfortable with
quilting itself (as opposed to piecing), my questions are coming further
down the procedure line. When I look at any of my quilts, I cannot
'see' them quilted in a single colour of thread - of whatever type. I
should say here that they are not block quilts, they are different all
over - usually a single design. They are almost always pieced, sometimes
intricately. But, I always want to use 'this there' and 'that over on
that' ... which naturally leads to several colours over the whole area
(sometimes small).
Am I really going down a 'wrong' road here, or do you think it is
acceptable (to whom?) to indulge my fancy to quilt small areas with one
and others with another?

This is interesting. I have a feeling reading your words, Pat, that,
because I so much prefer the designing and the piecing, I am
subconsciously trying to *retain* the individual 'bits' rather than
making a cohesive whole. I'll have to think on this a bit.
My own BTW: my quilts never seem to talk to me at all - no help
whatsoever!!!
..
In article eT0xd.1636$Tf5.1558@lakeread03, Pat in Virginia
writes
Pat:
Yes, it is acceptable to quilt different areas of your quilt in
assorted colors. After all, it is YOUR quilt!! Do a small one that way
and evaluate it. Do you like it enough to do it on larger works? Does
it enhance the pieced design or detract from it? Does it look smooth
or do the color changes make it look chaotic? Just try this on a wee
piece, about 8" square and your will get a feel for how to proceed.

BTW: I do the quilting all in one color or in invisible thread, but
that is only because none of my quilts have asked for multi color
quilting. I would like to try that sometime on the right project.
--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

hi uh, hmmm (never sure if you prefer Pat or Patti),
which part of the quilt do you want to show off, the top design or the
quilting?
how about making a sampler in miniature with plain muslin sandwiched up in a
cushion size.
maybe a 9 patch with each section in a different colour/design and see how
you like it.
the sample is on one solid fabric, will different fabrics with different
thread colours distract from the block design.
did you put a pix of the top online yet? might be easier for us to give
ideas on it with a pix to work from.
all that said, i hear the quilt police are currently in coffee/chocolate
session til well after the holidays, lol.
jeanne
--
san-fran at ihug dot co dot nz
nzlstar on yahoo msg'r
nzlstar on webshots


"Patti" wrote...
I know we have discussed quilting designs, and quilting threads (which
type) many times; and I have absorbed it all as well as possible (I need
all the help I can get). However, there is one aspect which I don't
remember there being much talk about (if any?) and, doing what I'm doing at
the moment, I would be most interested and grateful to hear your comments
and opinions.
The thing is: now that I am getting a little bit more comfortable with
quilting itself (as opposed to piecing), my questions are coming further
down the procedure line. When I look at any of my quilts, I cannot 'see'
them quilted in a single colour of thread - of whatever type. I should
say here that they are not block quilts, they are different all over -
usually a single design. They are almost always pieced, sometimes
intricately. But, I always want to use 'this there' and 'that over on
that' ... which naturally leads to several colours over the whole area
(sometimes small).
Am I really going down a 'wrong' road here, or do you think it is
acceptable (to whom?) to indulge my fancy to quilt small areas with one
and others with another?
--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

Yes, they are talking to you, you just don't realize it. They are saying,
"quilt with this over here and change and use that over there."
Sounds just gloriously wonderful to me. Go for it. Polly

"Patti" wrote...
I know we have discussed quilting designs, and quilting threads (which
type) many times; and I have absorbed it all as well as possible (I need
all the help I can get). However, there is one aspect which I don't
remember there being much talk about (if any?) and, doing what I'm doing
at
the moment, I would be most interested and grateful to hear your comments
and opinions.
The thing is: now that I am getting a little bit more comfortable with
quilting itself (as opposed to piecing), my questions are coming further
down the procedure line. When I look at any of my quilts, I cannot
'see'
them quilted in a single colour of thread - of whatever type. I should
say here that they are not block quilts, they are different all over -
usually a single design. They are almost always pieced, sometimes
intricately. But, I always want to use 'this there' and 'that over on
that' ... which naturally leads to several colours over the whole area
(sometimes small).
Am I really going down a 'wrong' road here, or do you think it is
acceptable (to whom?) to indulge my fancy to quilt small areas with one
and others with another?
--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

Patti wrote:
[...] When I look at any of my quilts, I cannot
'see' them quilted in a single colour of thread - of whatever type. I
should say here that they are not block quilts, they are different all
over - usually a single design. They are almost always pieced, sometimes
intricately. But, I always want to use 'this there' and 'that over on
that' ... which naturally leads to several colours over the whole area
(sometimes small).

You should do whatever makes you happy. I sometimes
use a "neutral" (as neutral as I can find) thread
for overall quilting, like SITD. But, then I'll
use multi-coloured thread for diagonals. Or I use
one colour for the binding and another for the rest.
I use whatever colours make me happy.

I have already sent out to my family (both mine
and inlaws) that I want any and all coloured
thread for Christmas.

-- Anita --

My quilts (so far) have been pieced with blocks, mostly in traditional
settings. However, I often use different color threads on different parts of
the quilt. Some areas need contrasting threads, others need blended or
unobtrusive threads.

I'd like to do more quilting on my quilts (this is the direction I struggle
towards, as I try to improve my quilting skills), and I'd like to try some
thread pictures, too. Did you look at one of Sandy Foster's quilts - after
she had taken a class with a famous instructor? Her quilt had a thread
picture of a tree. It was so cool! I'd like to try more things like that.

--
Wendy
http://griffinsflight.com/Quilting/quilt1.htm
De-Fang email address to reply
Put on your Big Girl panties and just deal with it. -- unknown


"Patti" wrote in message
...
I know we have discussed quilting designs, and quilting threads (which
type) many times; and I have absorbed it all as well as possible (I need
all the help I can get). However, there is one aspect which I don't
remember there being much talk about (if any?) and, doing what I'm doing at
the moment, I would be most interested and grateful to hear your comments
and opinions.
The thing is: now that I am getting a little bit more comfortable with
quilting itself (as opposed to piecing), my questions are coming further
down the procedure line. When I look at any of my quilts, I cannot 'see'
them quilted in a single colour of thread - of whatever type. I should
say here that they are not block quilts, they are different all over -
usually a single design. They are almost always pieced, sometimes
intricately. But, I always want to use 'this there' and 'that over on
that' ... which naturally leads to several colours over the whole area
(sometimes small).
Am I really going down a 'wrong' road here, or do you think it is
acceptable (to whom?) to indulge my fancy to quilt small areas with one
and others with another?
--
Best Regards
pat on the hill

I cheat on the "which colour" dilemma by being a nut for variegated
threads, though I suppose that doesn't work in all cases. My two
biggest projects have used really raucous brights in different schemes.
On "my own", I'm quilting in variegated jewel-toned thread that really
pops on the blue-black background, and pulls together all the
contrasting crazy-bright pieces.

My niece's quilt that I"m desperately trying to finish for Christmas
is made of 6 different pinks and 6 different kid-bright, candy sort of
colours, with a butter-yellow background, and I've used bright lemon
yellow on the yellow, and a creamsicle-orange Sulky Twist over the
pinks/purples/blues/yellows...

But I"m a nut and beginner, so what do I know? I'm pretty sure it
will be great for my curly-red-haired toddler princess, though. She
LOVES pinks and bright colours.