I was pulling fabrics for a project, the wall hangings that I mentioned, and some of my stash is very dark shades of blues and purples with the odd bit of dark red.
My palette is mainly brights with some of the slightly darker jewel colours, Sapphire Blue rather than Navy and so on.
As I tried colours out I found myself gravitating toward some deeper shades with some brighter and an almost neutral print.
The dark colours made the light and bright fabrics stand out without being too bold, the dark seemed to calm them down somewhat.
It made me think about a few people that have been going through some very dark times lately. I know that it is trite, but I feel that when we come through a dark part of our lives we can find so much pleasure in the lighter days. As the weight of our troubles starts to shift the lightness is more pronounced and we actually notice it.
That made me really stop and think, do we need the dark to fully appreciate the light?
In my quilts I usually have white to provide a foil for the colours. A few years ago I made a quilt for a friend who asked for the white to be replaced with red. It changed the whole look and showed off the colours in a new way.
The first watery, spring sunshine puts fingers of light into all the dark corners in a way that the hot light of summer never does. Is this because we are coming out of the darker months?
Any way, this is not the place for a deep philosophical theory to be aired. All that is just a preamble to tell you that the piecing is finished. I have found some plain backing fabric and picked out the binding. I am very pleased with it and hope to get it layered and pinned today.
I will not be starting it for a little while though, I was quite breathless on my return form walking Ben and Herbie. My heart was going for it in a big way so it will be a "sit and knit" rest of morning. That is the quickest way to get everything back to the status quo. Nothing to do with the fact that I have a project on the needles that I want to be wearing, right now if not sooner.
The SO has just made me a coffee so I am going to say bye bye and enjoy it to the full.
TTFN Pam
It never ceases to amaze me how different we are even though we may all do a similar craft. I can't get on with white when I am quilting and believe me I have tried many times. I find darker and richer colours calm me whereas lights and brights give me the jitters.
ReplyDeleteI do like a nice bright Spring day though so bring them on.
Can't wait to see your wall hanging.
Hugs-x-
I think that the brights and white make it so much easier for me with these blasted cataracts that I just reach for them without thinking.
DeleteI'm finding the lovely colours of the Sweetpea blanket a fab mood lifter at the mo.
ReplyDeleteGood, Francesca has her version on her bed.
DeleteLike Sheila I am not a fan of white either, preferring something a little bolder. Spring is still a long way off here, the darkest month has yet to be got through although thankfully it is the shortest month. Looking forward to seeing your wall hanging.
ReplyDeleteFebruary Fill Dyke, is what I grew up calling it. It is usually bleak, cold and wet but as you say it is the shortest.
DeleteGood to hear you have been having fun stash diving, if you are thinking of playing with the dark colours, have a look at some of the old traditional Amish quilts, they are amazing, the use of black etc seems to make the other darks glow like jewels. A friend made a wall hanging for her entry and even driving past you could see the beautiful effect when the door was open.
ReplyDeleteHope you enjoy doing something different.
I dare not look at anything new till I have finished what I have stacked up. I am not good at resisting the urge to start fabric diving for a new project.
DeleteI am more dark colours for my quilts with some cream for accents. Though there is my flame quilt that I would like to do that is blacks, oranges, rusts, and yellows...…
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I have used darker shades and deep tones but my cataracts make using light and bright colours essential.
DeleteI was looking at some Civil War prints today (in Llandeilo) but stayed my hand as I was needing a different hue for what I am currently working on.
ReplyDeleteI hope that your heart calms down again soon but at least you have some knitting to get on with and relax.
Looking forward to seeing your wall hanging.
All is calm in the chest cavity thank you. I have a camera at the top of my list for the next shop.
DeleteYes, to everything there is a season, as Ecclesiastes says, and I do believe the morning is brighter for having followed the night. Your sock knitting inspired me to cast on long ago, but I set it aside. After sickness and other dreary family things over the holidays, I picked the sock back up and finished it. It really gave my spirits a lift. I ordered a short circular and am now on the second sock. Wow, what a difference that circular makes. I'll never go back to "wrestling the hedgehog" as Winwick Mum says (I am using her tutorial, thanks for recommending it.) Enjoy your knitting and quilting, no matter the color, and try not to walk too briskly in between! ;-)
ReplyDeleteI use magic loop as the short circulars disappear in my large hands, I did try but it was painful. I like to knit my socks 2 at a time, toe up preferably.
DeleteYou've been busy enjoying the crafting over the weekend and during this week It's been mighty cold, so being inside is the best place to be.
ReplyDeleteIt has not been severely cold here, when the wind whistles down the valley it sounds cold.
DeleteNew to your blog, do you post any photos? Would love to see your work!
ReplyDeleteThere will be photos again, my camera died and I could not face the sales crush to replace it. On my last shopping trip I had not put it on my list and just forgot.
Delete