Where there's lots started... and even a few finishes!

Tuesday, 6 July 2021

a spot of Kaffe colour




I do enjoy it when a quilt begins to come together. I often start out on a whim - usually with no firm plans and none of the maths worked out - just an inspiration or idea gleaned from a book or another quilt I've seen somewhere. Things seem to slowly evolve in their own way, changing as I progress, and I tend to end up with quite a different look from what I started out with in my mind, you too?

Take these 16 patch blocks I'm making at present … I was going for a rather vague idea of combining 
lots of Kaffe pastel spots. The more I sewed, the more I began exploring scale and value, and the clearer the picture became - one of a delightful mosaic effect in bright pastel blues & purples, with a little help from supporting floral fabrics in grey & pink, and a very useful white & black spot.

Then up popped Kaffes 'dancing dahlias' in multi! No need to rethink this though, the warm slivers of extra bright colour in this print are a super addition to the fractured look. Love the pic in one of Kaffe's books of a his entranceway, diamonds using smashed up garage sale and flea market finds, {see my inspiration collage pic below}.










I spent a bit of time auditioning the blocks I'd made, adding repeats of colour and taking any glaringly 'wrong' blocks out. I ran out of time to actually get the top all sewn up, but here's how things were looking down on the design floor last night . . . 







And a day later . . .









Quilt top stats: 
The pattern is a St Louis 16 patch {with creative license!} using Kaffe fabrics
Initial inspiration was a quilt in Kaffe's latest book, but then I wandered slightly "off-piste" a little. 
16 patch squares are 31/2” cut, 3” finished, so the blocks are 12” finished,
setting 5 blocks by 5

Linda


17 comments:

  1. You have such a good eye for clever, and sometimes unexpected, fabric combos.

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  2. Very pretty. You can’t go wrong with Kaffe fabrics.

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  3. Love these blocks, especially the way the stronger yellow bits work to move the eye around.

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  4. Stunning, as usual. I'm excited to begin my first 16 patch later today, but first I'm getting my 2nd covid shot this morning 🥳

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  5. Love your interpretation in fabric of his mosaic wall -- and I love watching your process.

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  6. Beautifully subtle. The bits of bright add a nice sparkle. I've been exploring a more subtle color palette myself this year with a couple of new makes.

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  7. I love those polka dots with Kaffe fabrics combo you are using...really neat...nice work--I often will make a few "trial" blocks and when i do i almost always segue way into something else...hugs have fun Julierose

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  8. Such a fun quilt. Sometimes Kaffe fabrics shout at you from within the quilt. This quilt doesn't do that. It just soulfully blends together, each fabric unique and special.

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  9. I like the yellow in the dahlia print, like Kaja, then my eye is drawn to all the blues, so many possibilities!

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  10. Beautiful blocks Linda, always good to read in a post the process as well as seeing the finishes. I love your colours here and the use of the KF spots, a favourite of mine and a great go to fabric. I look forward to seeing the full finished top!

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  11. A great mix of prints. I'm glad you added some different values and print designs to your quilt. Lovely.

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  12. Ooh I love Kaffe. Your simple blocks have so much joy and personality. They will make a gorgeous quilt.

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  13. I love this spot and colour combination

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  14. NICE!!! spots and dots and color in pattern... so refreshing

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  15. Gosh, that's a pretty flimsy, Linda! You did such a great job combining the prints for a nice blend, yet situating them in combinations that flatter each print.

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  16. These are looking wonderful together. Great when an idea clicks!

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