January Color Your World - White

 

Welcome to January AND 2022 AND Color Your World!!  I am so excited about this new theme and cannot wait to share all the fun ideas I have for it.  I've made a few changes with the monthly theme posts and this is the first of the new format.  I want to really delve into our colors and a little blurb in the Facebook group page isn't going to be enough.  I want you to be able to apply it in your quilting projects and designs and stash.  Let's embrace it all and see where it takes us.  Our monthly project will be featured here along with a BINGO card for those who wish to play.  So, here ya go and enjoy --- oh yeah, grab that cuppa.

For this month, we are going to study white.  It's obvious, right?  What do we know about white?  When it comes to sewing, I think neutral.  You?  The thing is - there is so much more to it and once you read some of this --- wow, a whole new perspective on so many things.

White is the color of purity and innocence.  It is a true balance of all colors.  What does that mean?  I'm reading "The Secret Lives of Color" by Kassia St. Clair and have learned a great deal.  I know many of you may have a great understanding of the universe and how it all works, but apparently I've been in a bubble for a long time.  At any rate, the chapter on how mixing colored LIGHT creates white blew my mind.  We all know that mixing colored paint makes black, but with light, the opposite occurs.  Just sit with that for a minute or two.

Back to my statement - white is a true balance of all colors.  Now it makes a bit more sense.  White is also associated with cleanliness, simplicity and perfection.  It loves to make others feel good and provides hope and clarity by refreshing and purifying the mind.  It also promotes open-mindedness and self-reflection.  Does it have a negative reaction?  Yes, some say:  boring, cold, empty, and distant.

I take a look around at nature --- white is EVERYWHERE!!!  Take the time to find a wee bit of it daily.

Sometimes white is the rarity in nature --- the albino, for example.  Does that make it less beautiful?  Or more?

Sometimes we find white in the things we value most --- are you a diamond in the rough?  Another point in the book:  "White has long been intricately connected with money and power.  Fabrics, including wool and cotton, had to be heavily processed in order to appear white.  Only the very wealthy, supported by battalions of staff,  could afford to keep the fresh lace and linen cuffs, ruffs and cravats worn in the sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth centuries pristine."

Are you seeing how amazing this "color" is?  From the lowly bunny to the elegant swan, Mother Nature teaches us it's value.

Many of you who follow my personal blog also know of my love for the white pelicans.   They make my heart so happy.  Why do you suppose that is?

Or perhaps my all-time favorite flower --- the white rose.  Ask anyone in my family --- it's been the fav forever for me, but any white flower will do.  I think they are divine.  A magnolia bloom, for example.

So --- what do we do with all this knowledge and put it to use in quilting?  First, we learn to embrace neutrals and let them shine occasionally.  Sometimes they scare us in fabric as we worry about cleanliness as was pointed out above.  Just take the plunge and give them a try. 

In the quilting world, the term - "low-volume" has gained in popularity the last few years and, frankly, I have struggled with it BUT part of this new year and learning of color has me wanting to venture out and work within the monthly color with an additional new technique to go with it.  As a result, this month we are doing a low-volume table-runner.  Yep, table runners/toppers/placemats, etc. will be our focus this year.  They are something that can easily be a TA-DONE each month and give us a chance to step outside our comfort zones with either color, fabric, style, quilting, or technique.  With that said --- here comes January's project.  It includes white and shades of gray (we don't have a month devoted to gray, so I'm incorporating it here).The LINK to Table Runner Pattern can be had with a click on the underlined text.  The name of this one is Square Scramble and these are the fabrics I've decided to work with.  My WHITE is a tone on tone ---staying true to the month.

Now, I need to be up front with this.  The more I stared at this pattern and the "low-volume" aspect of it, the more I loved it.  That love took me into the realm of  'Debiland."  Those who know me, know what happens next.

Once the cutting is done (don't panic - I've cut enough for 2 table runner and 6 placemats as I'm doing a second set for a gift - yep crazy alert), I'm ready to move on a bit.  

The anal person in me cuts the backings/battings/bindings at the same time.  In order to make my fabric work --- I have to stitch a couple of backings together, but I'm okay with that.  I'm still on the "use it up" mantra in my stash.

Task one is to make the blocks.  The parts are squares and rectangles so they will go together quick and easy.

Remember, I'm a bit crazy and doing more than one table runner - I have fourteen blocks but still want to share the progress.  It takes me about 3 hours, but the blocks are ready to go.

Now, since I'm doing placemats as well (and you may only be doing the table runner), I had to make the sides on them.  Strips are cut and ready to sew together.  (Pssst - I'm TERRIBLE at pressing before cutting.)

The sides are attached to the placemats and the blocks are sewn together for the runner.

That just leaves one step before preparing for quilting --- borders to all.  

Quilt preparation --- making sandwiches from my already cut pieces and NOW, a lot of ironing takes place.  I'm also prepping a place to work and just quilt away, a bit each day.  All the sandwiches are ready to go.

Quilting time ---- lots and lots of semi-straight lines.  No ruler, no tape measure --- just eyeballing and living with whatever comes of it.  That's modern, right?

And . . . . one finished table runner.  I will be working along with anyone else that participates to finish the remaining parts as the month plays out.  Don't ya just love it?  In January, after Christmas decorations come down, I'll even post a picture of it on the dining room table.  I hope to see yours too.

And now --- if you've made it this far, you found the BINGO card for January.  Have fun --- take pictures and post in the group.  Use this to help keep your focus this month.  SOOOOOO many can be marked off if you do the project above.  Have fun, y'all, and I'll be cheering everyone on as I tackle this card too.