Christine's Color Connection

A newsletter for quilters in love with color

September 2012

You can now read back issues of my newsletter. Just click on Archived Issues

The Quilter's Color Club has lots of info on "special effects." You can find my book on my website, at C&T, and in quilt shops and bookstores.

Check out my schedule for workshops and lectures. I'm always adding new dates!

This Month . . .

What a busy summer it's been! I've been on the road nonstop (or so it seems), and once again I'm prepping for a "Magic Fabrics, Special Effects" retreat, this time at Sugar Pine Quilt Shop in Grass Valley, October 26-29. Sugar Pine is a wonderful shop, and the classroom has great natural light. If we're lucky, the fall colors will be glorious.There are still two spots open, so if you're interested, check out the Retreat page on my website. The retreat is all about transparency, luminosity, luster, and opalescence. I love working with these special effects, and I think you will, too!

"The Quilt Show"

Are you a member of "The Quilt Show" with Alex and Ricky? My nine-part "Classroom" series entitled "Special Effects with Color" begins on November 27 and is packed with lots of basic concepts and color ideas. My friend Heidi and I had a great time taping the lessons, but trust me, Hollywood will not be knocking at my door anytime soon!

Finally, If you're a brand-new subscriber to this newsletter, welcome! Be sure to click on the Archived Issues link on the left to read short articles on topics like "magic fabrics," temperature, intensity, the color wheel, and more.

Two more color concepts . . .

Luster and opalescence aren't as well known as luminosity and transparency, but they are just as dazzling. It takes just-right fabrics, of course, and isn't that half the fun, finding the fabrics? Take a look at these examples:

Luster is the illusion that light is striking the surface and bouncing off, or a more diffuse, shimmering illusion, sometimes called sheen. Traditionally, it takes lots of smaller pieces of fabric that gradate smoothly and gently from light to dark and back again. But, thanks to several fabric manufacturers, we can cheat by using ombrés that gradate in value or color, or both. Here's a super-simple block made with a "Gradations" fabric from Caryl Bryer Fallert. The three blocks at the top of this newsletter also look lustrous. In these examples, it takes careful cutting and arranging of the strips to make the illusion work. lustrous block

You can create opalescence by surrounding clear, light colors with milky, slightly grayed colors. And once again, you can cheat and work with one or more fabrics that look opalescent to begin with. In this "Fair and Square" block, I added eight Marcia Derse prints to set off the opalescent batik at the center.

Black opalescence is a very different effect. You can see my quilt "Black Opals & Ribbon Candy" on the Gallery page of my website.

Next time. . .

I'm working on a new quilt about layered transparency, and I hope to show you how the illusion works and just how easy it is to achieve. (Hint: it's all about value and intensity.)

Lecture and Workshop Schedule

Note: You can often attend guild meetings and take their workshops if you aren't a member. If you're interested in any of these lectures or classes, let me know, and I'll put you in touch with the guild.

September 20 & 21, Benicia, CA, "Magic Fabrics, Special Effects" lecture, "Luminosity" workshop, Carquinez Straits Stitchers

September 30, Grass Valley, CA, "Value Does All of the Work, and Color Gets All of the Credit," Sugar Pine Quilt Shop. This new class will convince you that the lightness or darkness of color (known as value) can be more important than which colors you choose. It's a real eye-opener!

October 6-30, Weaverville, CA, one-woman show; reception Oct. 6, Main Street Gallery

October 20, Folsom, CA, "Luminosity" workshop, Meissner Sewing Center

October 26-29, Grass Valley, CA, "Magic Fabrics, Special Effects Retreat," Sugar Pine Quilt Shop. Learn to create the special effects of transparency, opalescence, luminosity, luster, and depth using fabrics that have light and life. See my website for details.

November 4, Grass Valley, CA, "Christine's Happy Jacket" workshop. See my website for an image of the pattern. Sugar Pine Quilt Shop

November 10, Concord, CA, "Luminosity" workshop, Thimble Creek Quilt Shop

November 15, Folsom, "Buying Fabric with Color in Mind" lecture, Golden Valley Quilt Guild

2013

March 14 & 15, Gualala, CA, lecture and workshop TBD, Pacific Piecemakers Quit Guild

October 10 & 11, Oceanside, CA, "Magic Fabrics, Special Effects" lecture, "Luminosity" workshop, El Camino Quilt Guild

2014

April 11 & 12, Templeton, CA, "Color!" lecture, "Black Opals & Ribbon Candy" workshop, Almond County Quilt Guild

About This Newsletter

If you've received this newsletter, you may have attended one of my workshops or bought one of my books, patterns, or color wheels. It's easy to opt out, below, but I hope you'll stick around to see what's in store. It's all about color, using it, enjoying it, and sharing it with other quilters.

Thank-you!

Contact Info

Christine Barnes

cebarnes@sbcglobal.net
www.christinebarnes.com