Copyright © 2008 Sandra Earle-Russo All rights reserved.
A Colour Challenge
New places to find the perfect colour scheme.
You have chosen the pattern for the new quilt you want to make, but are at loss for colour ideas. You want to use a different colour palette to your usual choices, so where do you start. It is meant to be fun, you know it is, but your muse has deserted you. If colour is not one of your strengths, or you just want to try something different, why not let other designers inspire and help you?
Most of the designers, I am suggesting, have probably never made a quilt or a bag. The fabric designer, the graphic artist, the painter or the interior designer could all help you plan your next colour scheme. The first step is to find a design you like and an easy way to do that is, first, make a hot or cold drink of your choice, grab a handful of magazines or books, some scraps of paper for bookmarks and then relax in your favourite spot. Your choice of magazines may include fashion, interior and garden, but do not choose your quilting and fibre art magazines or books, this time.
When you look at the pictures, and do take notice of the ads, you will do it a little differently. You are going to flick through and choose which pages appeal to you. You are not looking at the great rooms or fabulous outfits and if you want to get started on your quilt, you are not going to read any great articles. You are just looking to see if you like a page. Now use your bookmarks to save the spot and keep looking for other pages you like. When you have found five or six which appeal to you it is time for the next step.
Are you looking for colour inspiration?
You have looked every where on your computer for an epattern which you want, now, and you cannot find it anywhere. Even worse, it was not one of the myriad of wonderful free patterns available on the web, it was one you purchased.
One of my problems, created by surfing the net, is ‘What do you do with all the great information you find?’ Of course you can add each wonderful website and blog address to your list of favourites. This can create another problem, but that is another story. There is still the problem of finding the site which had the perfect cot quilt epattern that you have discovered a need for. Now, which site had that epattern?
The answer is a filing system for epatterns. I do not want to waste my printing ink on a pattern I may never find time to use. Besides, how will I find the printed copy? I will still need a filing system. I am going to walk you through the system I use. Some of you may know the computing steps to creating new files but I will mention every step (I hope) so that if you have never made a new folder, you can now. I must mention here that, I am using XP 2003 on my computer so if you use something different my steps may not work, or look, exactly the same.
The first thing is to create a folder for all epatterns.
· Right click on a blank space on your desktop
· In the box that pops up hover your curser over the
word NEW
· In the next box that pops up click on FOLDER
· You now type in the name of your new folder.
I chose epatterns for mine.
Now, if we just saved all epatterns in this new folder it could still take an age to find just the one you want. After all patternmakers can come up with names which do not even tell you if it is a bag, cushion, doll or quilt pattern. The next step is to create new folders in your epattern folder for the different patterns you save. I suggest two folders to start.
Open your epatterns folder and on the left side of your screen you will find a list of options. Click on ‘Make New Folder’, type Purchases in the name box. Now make another new folder and type Freebies in the name box. Both the purchase and freebie folders will need a group of folders in. The names of these folders will depend on your choice of epatterns. You could include folders for bags, quilts, embroidery, dolls, teddy bears or fibre art.
What about folders for knitting and crochet. There are so many patterns to choose from on the web and you never know which one you will want to make, so download the ones you like to your epattern folder.
One of my problems, created by surfing the net, is ‘What do you do with all the great information you find?’ Of course you can add each wonderful website and blog address to your list of favourites. This can create another problem, but that is another story. There is still the problem of finding the site which had the perfect cot quilt epattern that you have discovered a need for. Now, which site had that epattern?
The answer is a filing system for epatterns. I do not want to waste my printing ink on a pattern I may never find time to use. Besides, how will I find the printed copy? I will still need a filing system. I am going to walk you through the system I use. Some of you may know the computing steps to creating new files but I will mention every step (I hope) so that if you have never made a new folder, you can now. I must mention here that, I am using XP 2003 on my computer so if you use something different my steps may not work, or look, exactly the same.
The first thing is to create a folder for all epatterns.
· Right click on a blank space on your desktop
· In the box that pops up hover your curser over the
word NEW
· In the next box that pops up click on FOLDER
· You now type in the name of your new folder.
I chose epatterns for mine.
Now, if we just saved all epatterns in this new folder it could still take an age to find just the one you want. After all patternmakers can come up with names which do not even tell you if it is a bag, cushion, doll or quilt pattern. The next step is to create new folders in your epattern folder for the different patterns you save. I suggest two folders to start.
Open your epatterns folder and on the left side of your screen you will find a list of options. Click on ‘Make New Folder’, type Purchases in the name box. Now make another new folder and type Freebies in the name box. Both the purchase and freebie folders will need a group of folders in. The names of these folders will depend on your choice of epatterns. You could include folders for bags, quilts, embroidery, dolls, teddy bears or fibre art.
What about folders for knitting and crochet. There are so many patterns to choose from on the web and you never know which one you will want to make, so download the ones you like to your epattern folder.
The idea behind your new filing system is to find the pattern, you are looking for, as fast as possible. If you download fifty quilt patterns you will have to look through a few to find the one you want. The answer is to make new folders in your quilt folder and separate the types of patterns into sizes, colours or styles. You might choose to make a folder named Applique and a folder named Pieced and these two folders in your quilt folder will be right for you. In your bag folder you may choose to make three folders, one for totes, one for purses and one for handbags. This is your filing system, so add the folders that make your life easier.
Now that you have made your new filing system lets test it out. You may have lost (somewhere in cyber space) The ‘Super Speedy Zippered Purse’ pattern that you downloaded when you subscribed to ‘Snippets by Sandra’ and the system will not let you download it again so here it is Free Purse
· Click ‘Save target as’, which appears after you
right click on the download button, the next box
will ask you where, with a drop down box titled
‘save in’.
· If you have set up your filing system the same as
mine you will choose desktop in this box.
· Then look at all your files and choose the
ePattern folder
· Choose Freebies,
· Then Bags
· and last Purses.
If you look at the bottom of this screen you will see that the file name is Zippy (my name), you can change this name, maybe to coin purse, if you wish, before you click on the save button. Now you will have your first epattern in your new filing system.
Check out the links in this newsletter and choose some more free patterns to download to your new system but remember this place ‘the net’ is a great time…..Just ask yourself 'Do I want to surf or stitch?'
Now that you have made your new filing system lets test it out. You may have lost (somewhere in cyber space) The ‘Super Speedy Zippered Purse’ pattern that you downloaded when you subscribed to ‘Snippets by Sandra’ and the system will not let you download it again so here it is Free Purse
· Click ‘Save target as’, which appears after you
right click on the download button, the next box
will ask you where, with a drop down box titled
‘save in’.
· If you have set up your filing system the same as
mine you will choose desktop in this box.
· Then look at all your files and choose the
ePattern folder
· Choose Freebies,
· Then Bags
· and last Purses.
If you look at the bottom of this screen you will see that the file name is Zippy (my name), you can change this name, maybe to coin purse, if you wish, before you click on the save button. Now you will have your first epattern in your new filing system.
Check out the links in this newsletter and choose some more free patterns to download to your new system but remember this place ‘the net’ is a great time…..Just ask yourself 'Do I want to surf or stitch?'
Where is my favourite epattern?
Easy steps to a filing system for the wonderful patterns you find while surfing the net.
Easy steps to a filing system for the wonderful patterns you find while surfing the net.
cont.
The sites below offer free patterns. Sometimes sites are given to me as useful resources, sometimes I spend too much time surfing the net. Hope you find something you can use or something you enjoy reading. Just click on the link to check them out..
Indian Embroidery This blog has beautiful hand embroidery styles. Deepa is a lecturer in India and when she finds the time she blogs. I love this kamal kadai style of embroidery that she demonstrates. If you love hand stitching you will enjoy a visit to Deepa's Blog.
Tudor Rose Bag This purse is wonderful and if you make it I would love to see a photograph, so please email me. It is not a project for beginners but the photographs are beautifully clear. It says that the website is retired but that the free patterns will stay for sometime and emails will still be answered. Well worth a visit.
Quilts, Bags & Baking Visit this blog only if you have lots of free time. If you have any deadlines or a just taking a minute before bed I am serious do not click on the link. Another wonderful place worth visiting. Lots of tutorials and recipes and lovely things to look at.
Tudor Rose Bag This purse is wonderful and if you make it I would love to see a photograph, so please email me. It is not a project for beginners but the photographs are beautifully clear. It says that the website is retired but that the free patterns will stay for sometime and emails will still be answered. Well worth a visit.
Quilts, Bags & Baking Visit this blog only if you have lots of free time. If you have any deadlines or a just taking a minute before bed I am serious do not click on the link. Another wonderful place worth visiting. Lots of tutorials and recipes and lovely things to look at.
Recycle old jeans.... You can use any colour or style of jeans...you may even choose to use something recycled for the whole bag.
Check out this little bag pattern here.
Check out this little bag pattern here.
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newsletter # 2
Quote
'Advice is what we ask for when we know the answer but wish we didn't.' Erica Jong
'Advice is what we ask for when we know the answer but wish we didn't.' Erica Jong
The next step is to look at the pages you bookmarked, again. Choose the one which appeals to you the most, today. Your choice may be different next week but the idea is to design a colour scheme today. The designer of your page choice may be a graphic designer (advertising pages), an interior designer or even be a combination of designers and you are going to let them help you design your next project. If you like the page, you will like the colours used on that page, so do not worry about what will happen as you plan your quilt or bag colour scheme.
The whole page, or picture, is your colour palette. If the page has a lot of different greens (garden designer) you will need to find the green fabrics in your stash. If the main colour on this page is green then the main colour of your project will be green. What if you have chosen a page with a lot of white background (probably an advertising page) then white fabrics will make up the majority of your colour scheme. An important part of this exercise is to use the colours, on your chosen page, in roughly the same ratio.
As I wanted to give you an example of this designing tool it was necessary to look at old magazines, to be able to use a photograph of the page without copyright infringement. Although it is possible to get permission to use photographs, it does take time. Old magazines do not give any where near the same choices of colour images so I have chosen a cover.
You will see that fabric choices will also be a part of your design and I have used two totally different styles using a very similar colour scheme. Now it is your turn to play.
The whole page, or picture, is your colour palette. If the page has a lot of different greens (garden designer) you will need to find the green fabrics in your stash. If the main colour on this page is green then the main colour of your project will be green. What if you have chosen a page with a lot of white background (probably an advertising page) then white fabrics will make up the majority of your colour scheme. An important part of this exercise is to use the colours, on your chosen page, in roughly the same ratio.
As I wanted to give you an example of this designing tool it was necessary to look at old magazines, to be able to use a photograph of the page without copyright infringement. Although it is possible to get permission to use photographs, it does take time. Old magazines do not give any where near the same choices of colour images so I have chosen a cover.
You will see that fabric choices will also be a part of your design and I have used two totally different styles using a very similar colour scheme. Now it is your turn to play.
Just a reminder that patternsbysandra.com is still evolving and I would love to hear any requests or ideas that you may have to make this an entertaining and useful newsletter - or any comments at all. You may even like to write something for a ‘letters to the editor’ page.
cont.
This scheme does not match the yellow ratio but the fabric between the black and red which I have added for the skin and blush colours has a little yellow in it. I have used the white in the blue fabric.
There is a skin colour in my pink & yellow fabric as well as the red for the models hair and lipstick. For the white in this scheme I have used the black & white and the blue & white fabrics.