Since April 14 of this year, according to my studio journal, I have been piecing quilts using black as the neutral or back ground color. Since that date I have completed 6 quilts. I am currently quilting on the seventh one, which I am not as enthused about. So far. I think this lack of enthusiasm is due mainly to there being no color. It is just black and white and then too there is the quilting pattern I am using. Black thread on black fabric and the grey rainy days we have had lately.
Why am I working with just black and white?
I blame it on the black and white "Ampersand" "&" print fabric that caught my eye and challenged me to see if I could make something with it.
Three of the seven pieces I've completed were improv pieced, a technique I am not entirely comfortable with but I am willing to spend the rest of this year in pursuit of acquiring the skill and deciding if I like the work I create improv piecing.
A couple were created using EQ8; one of which was foundation pieced and the other was hand drawn on graft paper. Collectively they are a mixed bag of works with the only thing holding them together as a series, that's if I consider then to be a series, is the black color used in each one.
I have always liked the graphic look of Amish quilts and their use solid colors with black. I was really serious about exploring this combination in my work. I ordered three bolts (45 yards) of Kona black to use. One bolt down, two to go.
Taking good pictures of pieces I make that are larger than 40" x 40" is really difficult in my studio space with my current layout because I can not get far enough away to capture all of the edges.
When I work this out I'll post some of the pieces I have completed. Or maybe I can have my son come with his camera.
Hi Myke, hint, hint.
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