sequoia sampler fabric selection

[Kathryn S.]

Hi everyone, I got the sequoia sampler download and watched Alex's two videos. Am now attempting to select fabric for the quilt. I'm running into two issues: 1) I really like the colors and fabrics in the original quilt (that's kind of what attracted me to it) and 2). I don't seem to have any multicolored fabrics to use as a focus fabric like Alex mentioned in the video. Is anyone else doing the quilt along? Do you want to post pictures of your fabrics? That would be helpful to me. The large scale print in the snowball block is so beautiful, it would be great to find something in that vein for my quilt.

Kathy

[Helen W.]

Kathy, I don't plan on making the sampler because I have way too many projects going right now, but you mentioned you liked the original fabrics on the original quilt.
I knew without hearing Alex Anderson say it was Edyta Sitar fabrics. She has two collections that have beautiful fabrics that would work as a focus fabric plus a collection
of fabrics that would coordinate with the focus fabric. The new line called Super Blooms has 3 different fabrics that would work as focus fabrics and the other collection
is called Sequoia. I saw Super Blooms on the Shabby Fabric website and Sequoia on the Andover fabric manufacturing website. Might be just what you are looking for.
HelenW

[Kathryn S.]

Hi Helen, I looked at those fabric collections, as well as taking a very close look at the pattern photo. I had found a couple of fabrics in my collection that were possible focus fabrics, and when I pulled fabrics to coordinate, it's interesting that I ended up with a similar vibe to Edyta's sequoia collection. I noticed that in the pattern photo, there were only a couple of larger scale prints, and mostly everything else was smaller scale or tone on tone. When Alex pulled her fabrics, those were brighter and much more varied in scale. So I now have them out on my cutting table to ponder over. And, it's possible that the center block could be dark background instead of light like in the pattern. Lots to think about!!

Even if I make more blocks than I use, it's not like there's not enough fabric around my house- won't run out very soon

Thanks for checking those Edyta Sitar fabrics out for me

Kathy

[Helen W.]

Kathy, I think you are right that there are not many of what looks like large scale prints in the original Sequoia Sampler. But the pieces are so small that you may
only be seeing what seems medium size. Edyta Sitar's collections have a gray tone feel to the fabric colors. Not pure clean colors. More subdued. Which gives it a
real relaxing feel. Alex seems to be going a little more bold and in your face type colors. I do feel having light, medium and a dark, dark adds real interest. But if you
like the restful feel of Edyta Sitar, you see doesn't use of many darks. That being said, all colors are relative to what you are using them with. One medium dark would be
called dark if everything else in the quilt was in a lighter range.

One thing that Alex pointed out was a busy medium size print does not look good as a background for a star made also out of medium sized prints. Contrast is important.
And the star seems to disappear if you have similar colors in the star with some of the colors in the background. It is like quilting a quilt with variegated threads and one of the
colors in the thread is the same as the color of fabric and you lose the design being made by the quilting. It just disappears. Lots to think about. Put some pictures up
of your fabrics you are auditioning. I would love to see them. HelenW

[Kathryn S.]

Here's my preliminary fabric choices. Taking a photo makes it easier to see contrast, etc.

Kathy

[Helen W.]

Kathy, Looks like a good selection. Maybe you should separate them them by by value. Lights, Mediums and Darks. I would like
to see a picture if you do that. Should be a fun little project. HelenW

[Kathryn S.]

I fiddled with the fabric selection, and sorted them out dark to light. The large scale print is the inspiration fabric and would only be used in the snowball block and maybe in part of the applique. I may go with this, Kathy

[Helen W.]

Kathy, Love the way organizing by value lets you see the possibilities for quilt blocks. You selection is really looking good. If I were using your stash in the picture
shown, the only changes I might make would be to trade out the black and white line with a brown/rust line. All your fabrics have a mellow, soft comfy feel,
but the black and white strikes me as stark and more modern than the others. How much of your beautiful focus fabric do you have? It might look good as the
applique flower container, or fussy cut a large flower for the center of some of the star blocks. If you have any burgundy about the color of the focus fabric background
that would make for another deep dark fabric in your line up. Are you ready to start making blocks??? HelenW

[Kathryn S.]

I just realized that this is showing up in Afternoon Delight!! I tried to put it in ask anything, messed that up, so sorry!

My large scale print has a black background, and the flower is a warm red- I do have one fabric in the selection that mimics the color. I've been auditioning light backgrounds so not completely decided on that! The print has sharp curvy edges so it feels appropriate to have other fabrics with that character also. There's no brown in the large print at all. I guess I will just start making some blocks and see what happens.

[Helen W.]

Hi Kathy, Thanks for the logic behind the black and white line of fabric. I usually play add on when I am doing a quilt rather than cutting everything out, because I often
find the colors don't look the same when made into a block as I envisioned in my mind. If you have some you would like to try but aren't sure about, you can lay the
fabric on the printer and print a page of it in color and cut it in the finished size. I used to do that a lot until I got EQ8. If there are some you are certain you like the colors
for the block, I would do those first, so you can audition other fabrics next to them. When you use a focus fabric, it does not mean you can't use fabrics that are not in it.
It just means it is the major emphasis of the color palette. Looking forward to seeing your blocks as they evolve. HelenW