Molli Sparkles Broken Herringbone QAL – Fabric Selection

Do y’all realize the Molli Sparkles Broken Herringbone QAL begins in nine days? I hope you have it marked in your calendars, and you’ve got your alarms ready to blare “I Say a Little Prayer” bright and early on September 02! With me at the stead, who knows what craziness is bound to take place?! Did you know too much yellow can make you go crazy? I’m willing to find out!

To recap, this is the loose schedule we’ll be following:

• Week 01 – Sept 02 – Sept 08 – Introduction to the Tutorial
• Week 02 – Sept 09 – Sept 15 – Suggested Blocks: Pink, Red, Orange
• Week 03 – Sept 16 – Sept 22 – Suggested Blocks: Yellow, Green, Teal
• Week 04 – Sept 23 – Sept 29 – Suggested Blocks: Blue, Blue-Violet, Indigo
• Week 05 – Sept 30 – Oct 06 – Sashing, Sandwiching, Basting
• Week 06 – Oct 07 – Oct 13 – Quilting
• Week 07 – Oct 14 – Oct 20 – Binding & Label
• Week 08 – Oct 21 – Oct 27 – Show & Tell

I can already see a few of those dates slipping because I know you’re gonna become so addicted to making these blocks you’re gonna need more time. So relax those shoulders, and let’s keep it loose! Plus, this business is not ending until I get my #MSBHQALB from the Intrepid Thread. (A rainbow starter kit for $35? Um, yes, please!)

In the original announcement post, I provided some suggested colour theory reading. So many of you have commented how beneficial you found it! Now, if you missed it, didn’t have time, whatevs, no pressure over cappuccino (<–lyrical reference!).  I want to talk to you today about some colour options for your own quilt, because it’s not just about the rainbow. I’m not even sure my third version is going to be rainbow! Okay, it probably will be, but still, not completely sure!

Some other ideas:

• rainbow by block (each block is a colour, e.g. the blue block above)
• rainbows within a block (each block has ROYGBV)
• all warm colours (pinks, reds, oranges and yellows)
• all cool colours (blues, purples, greens and teals)
• all neutrals (blacks, whites, greys, creams, browns)
• all solids (one colour per block, or tones in each block)
• two or three colours (e.g. only blue and yellow fabrics for the entire quilt)
• fabric repetition (e.g. choose a handful of fabrics for the entire quilt)
• completely random
• a favourite fabric line (Pezzy Print would be awesome, or e.g. Mishi Kishi’s block below)

Keep in mind that is just for the herringbone bars! The sashing doesn’t have to be white, which opens up a whole slew of new possibilities. This block is actually super-forgiving in regards to fabric choice, so feel free to experiment!  

But, (there’s always a but, right?) I want to give you two areas of caution. The first is about value. The fabrics you select for each herringbone block work best if all are of similar value. In a nutshell, value is the light or darkness of the fabric. So if you are making a green block and use five medium-dark greens and one light green, that one is going to really stand out–and not in a good way. Make value your friend, not your enemy.

My other caution is about your herringbone bars bleeding into your herringbone sashing. Be acutely aware that fabrics with a lot of white background that you use for the bars will blend together with your white sashing. I adore the fabric selection with regards to the colour way in the block below. However, the Sew Stitchy, the tree and the oval fabrics have predominantly white backgrounds and lack the punch I wanted.

Now look at this block, which has a very similar colour way, but no white backgrounds in the bar fabrics. See how much more impact it has? I’m not saying this is a hard and fast rule, and that you shouldn’t ever do it. (I’m pretty sure I’m using that block above, regardless–I mean, Perfectly Perched, c’mon!) I just want you to be cautious, and know what you’re getting yourself into. Don’t come to me in three weeks, and be all like, “Why didn’t you tell me that my most favorite Heather Ross fabric with the white background wouldn’t work so well. What a waste. I’m never quilting along with you again.” Oh, bitch, puhlease, I will z-snap your ass back to 1987 right along with those fugly pumps you think are designer. If they sell it at a place called Ross: Dress for Less–it ain’t designer. … Sorry, puttin’ the bitch back in the box. 

Sounds like you’ve got lots of options, and I hope this has given you some direction. If you’re totally lost, send me an email with a picture, or post it in the Flickr group for everyone to give some feedback.   

For all of you thinking, “Oh My Gaga, there’s just so much information, I don’t know what I’m doing…” Breathe. Don’t worry, there will be a full recap, breakdown preview before we officially start. This is just our Kiki — now, lock the doors tight!  

P.s. A huge sparkly birthday shout out to Lacy J, the dearest friend a boy could ask for.