So this weekend I was lucky enough to be able to attend a class with Kaffe Fassett. I only really got to go because my friend Anne had booked a place in the class but decided to go to Japan instead (which is a pretty good reason to miss a class even with Kaffe Fassett, if you ask me).
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| Image from here |
In the class we were working on the s-block quilt - Kaffe's version of which is above. The colours are much brighter in real life and I like how it's a simple graphic block made interesting by colour play. Now I have enormous respect for Kaffe Fassett and his partner Brandon Mably as fabric and quilt designers, and for the way that Kaffe seems to have brought new life to quilting through his amazing use of colour. That said, I wanted to go my own way with the fabric choices for this quilt, and use my stash (which doesn't include vast amounts of Kaffe Fassett fabrics).
So this is my fabric pull for the quilt. I was very inspired by the purple Echino print which features yellow and grey birds, hot pink and soft pink flowers, and blue, green and turquoise flowers. I decided to aim for a quilt which reads quite purple with splashes of the accent colours featured in the Echino print.
This is where I had got to by the end of the class. The lighting in the room we were working in was not helpful for photography, so the colours are not entirely accurate, but I think this gives a pretty good picture. I'm really happy with where I got to so far - there are a heap of fabrics I love in there, I think it's reading quite purple, and I got great feedback and design tips from Kaffe and Brandon.
I think you can tell from my big old cheesy grin how much I enjoyed the class. It was all about designing the quilt - no sewing involved. Their philosophy is just to get as much fabric as possible up on your design wall and then edit from there. It's a really fun way to work and very effective, because it allows you to really see your work. I was very impressed with how encouraging they both were. At the end of the class we had a critique, where Kaffe went around the whole class and talked about everyone's quilt in progress - what he liked, the design tweaks they'd made as they went along, and their use of colour and value.
So, I say, if you get a chance to go to a Kaffe Fassett class, go! Now I have another WIP to work on, and, because tomorrow is a public holiday (Waitangi Day), I have time to work on it!
Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced:
24 comments:
What an awesome day you would have had. Great that you did not use their fabrics but learnt how to evolve the process with what you had. I bet you learnt heaps. Lucky you.
I'm so glad you used your own fabric selection. I wonder if they get bored looking at all their own fabrics and then giving people the same advice over and over again about how the "peonies work with the roses from the winter collection" - LOL
I too think it's great you used your own fabric selection...it really shows how adaptable Kaffe's basic ideas are! Your quilt is looking good so far! Linda
It's always good to learn something new. It's good they give personal feedback/forward.
I like the idea of getting the fabric up on the design wall and work from that! Maybe that's where I am going wrong- I don't HAVE a design wall! I had no idea Kaffe was coming to Australia, so I've missed out on his Melbourne appearances! Boo hoo!
Oh my, what a special experience! I like your version using the modern fabrics! I hope you link up again at WIP Wednesday when you get it together!
Wow, you've had the opportunity to do some amazing classes! I really love the palette you're using, it's going to be gorgeous.
I loved the class too and the next day, to avoid yet another mess of a UFO left in my sewing room, I pieced all my blocks and made 8 more. I can't agree with Adrianne more about our experience with Kaffe - she said everything I was thinking :) And what a great photo at the end of her blog.....taken by moi :)
Helen
What a wonderful chance to have a class with Kaffe. The fabrics all look great together, I love to see a lot of colour.
Omg you had a class with kaffee! And picture proving it! Amaze balls! Cannot wait to see your version.
Love your colors! What a great quilt and a fun class!
Oh my goodness, my jealousy knows no bounds! Kaffe and Brandon Mably are two of my fave designers of all time. How lucky your friend went to Japan! And I love your color pull and blocks- stunning! thanks for sharing :-)
It sounds and looks like a wonderful, inspirational day. Really like your fabric choices . Kaffe Fasset fabric is VERY popular here in Denmark and it is lovely, but it like it best when mixed with other fabrics too.
So jealous, this looks amazing. Fantastic fabric choices by the way, I love the purple/pink and it looks so grownup with the other colors.
Nice choice of colours and fabrics, Adrienne, this is going to be amazing. I had hoped you would be coming to the Kaffe workshop in Christchurch this Saturday so I could meet you in person. Anyway... On Saturday we are doing the Garden Chintz quilt with Kaffe and Brandon, which is a snowball quilt surrounding a centre panel to give a snowball picture frame effect. I am sure we will get equally great results, but I am a tad envious that you got to do the S quilt.
I have a stack of Kaffe fabrics in hot pink and yellow (hoping to use the cabbages in pink/yellow/lime as my centre) but have also got pink mirror ball dots and a number of non-Kaffe fabrics that i hope to use too, especially for the corner squares. Did you find you had a lot of waste fabric or cut fabric that you didn't use? That is my worry as I loathe wastage!! The snowball quilt also does a fair bit of fussy cutting, so I have found a few scrappy cushions to make later on with some of the necessary scraps.
I am looking forward to seeing the finished article. Will you quilt it yourself or send to a long armer?
Hi. I did the class too and I worried about wastage but as far as kaffe is concerned anything goes so there was very little wastage in the end. And we had 2.5 inch strips so useful scraps to have
Your fabric choices are perfect!
I'm glad you enjoyed the class (very jealous - but glad). I love the way your quilt is turning out and look forward to seeing it all come together :)
What a lucky lady you are! The "S" quilt is looking good. Even better are those fabulous pants you're wearing! I love them!!!
I went to Kaffe Fassett class in Blenheim Tuesday, and had fantastisk day. I so agree with you, are still on a high
That would be one class I would go to! I would say you maybe were awe struck...i would be!
What fun to have a class with them! Your quilt is looking good too.
What a fun day you had! And a fabulous quilt in the works!
What an amazing opportunity! Your quilt is beautiful. Can't wait to see more of it!
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