I told you about the fat eighth (11" x 18") fabric exchange I was doing with 4 friends. My choice was neutral fabrics because I tend to use more of those than any individual color.
The packages stared to arrive and they were amazing!
The first package to arrive was from Maggie who lives in a part of Arizona where they are actually experiencing Fall! Lucky Maggie! Thank you, Maggie, these are wonderful!
On "Sew Day" Diane who suffers here in the heat with me brought me these -- well, I think these were the ones from Diane. Since she and Joyce gave me packages on the same day, I could have reversed who gave me which package! Thank you, Diane! I especially LOVE the stripe!
Yes, I was right! This package came from Joyce. I remember that she included the wonderful fabric with words on it. Thank you, Joyce. Joyce has become a part time desert dweller as she and recently retired DH spend a LOT of time (way too much for her dear friends) in their cabin in the White Mountains where -- yep, they've already had SNOW!
When I got home from sew day, there was a package in the mail box! Ooh, I ADORE it when there are packages in the mail. Letters can be bad news, but packages!! Well, they are always good things!
This was from Julie over at JulieKquilts. You need to go see her beautiful quilts! Look how these were packaged -- they were a present with an add on -- wonderful suture scissors! The fabrics were wonderful, too. I wanted to show you the package, so the variety of fabrics are sort of hidden, but they were wonderful! Thank you, Julie! Julie lives in "blog land" and is actually in a different state, but one that can be equally as hot as AZ! Some day I'm going to meet Julie in person -- can't wait!
Now, just look at the gorgeous texture that can be achieved with neutral fabrics.
Can you just see these as the background in a quilt? Won't that quilt have great variety and yet "read" the same. It's going to have movement just from the different prints without relying on color, just value.
While I'm writing this, I am sipping the most wonderful coffee. The beans were roasted YESTERDAY! I'll tell you about that adventure in the next blog. The amazing thing is the coffee roaster is just blocks from my office. It smells sooo good inside and they import coffee beans from all over. Wait until you see what I bought there! I'm a Starbucks kind of girl, but those freshly roasted beans may convert me!
So, my question to you is -- if you were in an exchange would you choose a color or would you decide to add to your neutral collection? Have you ever exchanged fabrics or blocks? Which are your favorite kinds of exchanges?
Now, Ive got to go. I'm working on some musical Christmas ornaments and it will be here before you know it! Of course, I'll show you what I'm doing, just not today, I'm trying to keep thinking Fall here for now!
xoxoXOXOxoxo,
Lois
5 comments:
Yes to all the above, I usually ask for a fabric color that I wouldn't normally purchase myself.
I've been in guild block exchanges and after I win, I always say never again. I've never been in a fabric exchanges, well, a 6" square guild exchange. I didn't like that very much either. I've never been in an exchange where you get to pick the color. I have quite a few neutrals that I have bought over the years (fat quarters) but I never seem to use them. I don't know why, makes me wonder if I have "value" in my quilts or don't I. Mmmmm, I will have to check into that!
Sue, thank you for stopping by and sharing your exchange experiences. Jo, you definitely have value, you just do it with color in varying values. You do light to dark, just not with neutrals. I just happen to like neutral colors. Yes, six inch squares are hard exchanges. I did that once for the basket quilt, but fat eights are fun since they are more versatile.
You know, I think neutrals are the best idea! They are certainly what I run out of most!!
Those are beautiful colors! Hope you are having a great week!...hugs...Debbie
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