I can’t tell you how much I have enjoyed design work this month. Even more exciting, I also got to present and share a program on quilt designing at our local guild meeting this past week.  I want to continue to share my process here, so this post includes couple iterations on the

10 February

Not my favorite color palette, I did love the sparsity between the shapes in the image. I tried to include that by using a single line within a square and alternating the direction.

This design was still not sparse enough for me so I included some solid square blocks to add the space I think it needed.

11 February

This is a fabulous color palette, that surprised me. I was thinking not to include the dark green but in the end, it totally works. The design for this was inspired by homemade tree house ladders, the makeshift ones that are nailed to the trunk. I like the balance of the colors and negative space in this design.

12 February

I wanted to redo an older design when I saw this palette, from December 2014. My design aesthetic, I think, has matured and become more unique style. While I like this design I find it very busy.

So,  my goal, is to take elements from this design and use them in a more minimalist design. I decided to use the split alternating lines and using the 4 quadrants. This is my new design, love the lines, and the composition.

15 February

This design came about from a dress that was on a TV show for about 3 seconds. It had a block design on it, exactly what I wanted to play around with. I was not sure the direction I was taking with this design at the time. Now, I think the reds for me represent the heart chambers and the Aorta, perfect for this Valentine’s Day palette. This is on my make list for sure, and I am thinking of using the Ruby Red Oakshott Cottons for the vibrant colors.

17 February

I loved this color palette, but I found it very hard to work with in a design. Keeping with the limits though, this is my design after 20 minutes of playing around.

19 February

I am loving these red palettes, which to me is so strange, since red is not my go to color for quilts. Following up on working with blocked red color from my previous design, I came up with this one with hints of structure/shape with the neutral colors. I like this one as well but the Valentine’s Day one is still my favorite.

20 February

I was not rapped about the browns in this palette or the circle inspiration. Instead I wanted to play with squares and quadrant designs, inspired by Denyse Schmidt. I actually came up with two designs, this being my first:

I was thinking for this second one that maybe the distinct quadrants needed to blend a little more. I go between both of these designs, trying to decide which one I prefer. Today its the top one but the other day I liked the one below :-).

More designs at the end of the month.

Please Note: If you would like to make or use one of my designs, please email me (ml_wilkie(at)hotmail(dot)com) or leave a comment below. I am happy to talk with you on options and provide the relevant measurements etc. or have you test out a pattern. Also, if you use one of my designs, please use the following text to credit me the design: “Designed by Michelle Wilkie @ Factotum of Arts”.