Using gradation fabrics

I love dyeing the fabric. It is still one of my favorite parts of quilt making. I started dyeing fabrics because I could not find the colors and intensity of color that I wanted to use in my work. I find that now when I work with printed fabric I am distracted by the designs in the fabrics. I have always been attracted to colors and working with colors. But I know that some people find working with color a difficultly. Color theory can be learned and one of the great sources for learning color theory is in Joen Wolfrom’s new book - Adventures in Design

Author: Joen Wolfrom
Internationally reknowned design and color expert, Joen Wolfrom, teaches you everything you need to know about the essentials of good design.
One of my earliest quilts using my hand dyed fabric is featured in this book. A good source to have in your library.

Dandelions – Joen referenced this quilt because I used opposite colors on the color wheel as the color theme I worked with to create the quilt top.


I love the way my fabric gradations look. They give the effect of watercolor designs, blending from one color to the next with wonderful “drip marks” through out the fabric. The blending of one color to another allows me to use less fabric to create my designs. I often let the gradation do all the work for me. The “drip marks” also create texture and depth in my pieces.

This is just a sampling of the variation in the colors in different gradations of my hand dyed fabrics.
The first fabric on the left I used to create my pattern Dancing Trees. One end is used for the border and the other end for the background. I do that a lot with my work. Just look at Winter Forrest  or Wild Blue Jacks.


In “Winter Forrest” I used gradation fabrics like Blue Sunset and Limey Avocado for the border fabrics and I used sections of Rainbow for the trees themselves utilizing the drip marks in the center of each branch of the tree.


The background and the border are made from one yard of a gradation that goes from blue to yellow/green. And the Jack is made from a gradation that goes from lime to grass green. It makes working so fun and easy.
 

.