157: city quilts blog tour and giveaway

If you didn't notice, the last post was "coming soon" preview.  This is the real deal.

I promise I have some more personal posts coming up to show you what I've been doing this summer, but for now I want to talk about this book, City Quilts by Cherri House.

Truth be told, I rarely actually read quilt books.  They're usually just eye candy for me.  Most often inspiration, and occasionally a pattern I follow.  But I did read City Quilts cover-to-cover and I absolutely enjoyed it.  Cherri has some amazing discussion of color theory and even how she gathered the inspiration for the quilts themselves.

Anyway, you can read the book for yourself, but I was able to ask Cherri a few more questions to get to know her better:

First congratulations on a stunning book.  The quilts and inspirational photos are gorgeous. 

Thank you so much!

I love the use of all solids and I particularly enjoyed your discussions of color theory as it applies to quilts.  So my first question has to do with just that.  You talked about creating a glow within your quilts through value and contrast.  I love how many of your quilts have an unexpected spark of color.  My question is how do you get the balance right so that spark isn't out of place?

Good question, a little challenging to answer though.  Generally, in order to achieve a spark of color that is in balance with the rest of the composition; the colors have to relate to one another in some manner.  Either in the same color family, adjacent on the color wheel, opposites on the color wheel, something that will allow everyone to play together well, but still provide enough interest, and variance to not be flat, but also not overtake the whole piece.  It is a matter of fine tuning.  I have found that you can get away with a lot in terms of color, as long as you have a bridge from color to color. 

 

Next, how long do you typically work on a quilt?  Not when you have a book deadline, but just generally.  Not number of hours, per se, but how long you keep at a project and how much other stuff do you have going in the mean time.

So much depends on the quilt, the fabric, and my passion for a project.  Sometimes I will knock out a quilt in a few days, and others will take well over a year.  Not necessarily working on the quilt, but living with the fabric, before deciding it's fate.  Some fabrics I get, and I know exactly what the end result will be, and off I go without any hesitation.  Other times it is a matter of studying the fabric, and trying to find the perfect pattern, perfect solution, perfect everything.  My quilt queue is quite long though, there are always new projects vying for attention.

And finally, I'll go back to color and ask you a tough one: do you have a favorite color?  Why is it your favorite?

I'm asked this question all the time, and I'm always stumped for an answer. But I know now, I have the definitive answer.  Barbie pink from this 1971 Barbie.  I had this Barbie, and I loved it so much!  Whenever I see this color pink, it fills me with happiness!  This is breaking news, you know; never been revealed kind of stuff...for all those inquiring minds!

Don't forget to stop by the other blogs on the tour for more insight about the book and Cherri.  And for more chances to win.

July 12th - Cheryl Arkison http://naptimequilter.blogspot.com/
July 13th - Amy Lobsiger http://mrsschmenkmanquilts.wordpress.com/
July 14th - Stefanie Roman http://littleladypatchwork.blogspot.com/
July 15th - Pat Sloan http://patsloan.typepad.com/
July 16th - Spool http://www.spoolsewing.com/blog/
July 17th - Allie/Robert Kaufman http://www.swatchandstitch.com/
July 18th - John/Fat Quarterly http://blog.fatquarterly.com/
July 19th - Emily Cier http://carolinapatchworks.com/blog/
July 20th - Sarah/Josh Sewer Sewist http://www.sewer-sewist.com/
July 21st - Julie / Jaybird http://www.jaybirdquilts.com/
July 22nd - Vickie Eapen http://www.spunsugarquilt.com/
July 23rd - Jessica Levitt http://juicy-bits.typepad.com/

July 24th - Kim Kight http://www.trueup.net/

The giveaway is for a copy of the book provided by C&T Publishing and also a fat quarter pack of Kona Solids provided by Robert Kauffman.

 

All you have to do is leave a comment here before Thurs July 29th and one of the prizes could be yours.  Maybe you can tell me a quilt or other project that you've used solids in?

JT

Comments

[SoozeM]

I find I use solids as backgrounds in alot of quilts, I love combining solids with prints to make the prints really pop!

[carmel]

i actualy havent used solids yet! but i cant wait to but {or win!} some and use them
i think solids are beautiful!!!

[Lea]

omg this book is SO me!
I have yet to use solids (I have only made two quilts, one for my son and one for myself using all Timber fabric) but now I can't wait to!
My sister calls me the city-girl turned quilter ;)

[Viv]

I use solids for sashing all the time, but apart from a block or two for quilting bees, I've not yet made one with all solids. I can see that changing in the future.

[greetingarts]

You know, I actually haven't used solids in my quilts. But for the past few months, I find the ones I'm most drawn to have a lot of solid in them... I think I need to try them out a bit!

[Debbie]

Good questions, Jessica. Thanks for the interview. I've made quilts with all tone on tones and with hand-dyed almost solids. But, never a whole quilt with only solids. Now's the time...

[Jill B]

I'm new to sewing and quilting and I haven't used solids yet. I would love to win this book or the fabric!

[Claire - Matching Pegs]

I tend to use some solids in all my quilts - usually as sashing. I also use solids quite a bit in Applique, when getting the right colour is really important to me.

That said, I have never made a quilt in all solids. Perhaps it is time I tried.

[Kristy]

Like Claire I use some solids in all of the quilts I make, I actually don't think I have ever made a quilt with all prints but similarly I have never made one using only solids and have been more and more inspired to do so over the course of the blog tour.

I love the interview!

[nicolette]

Thanks for another great interview!

I’ve used solids for backgrounds and in some other quilts as an addition to printed fabrics. For some time I was the only one who bought solids at my LQS.
I recently made my solids only City Park quilt-top, pattern by Cherri! I follow her blog for some years now and I’ve watched the process of her designs. Her book is amazing and full of inspiration! I have to smile about her Barbie Pink colour choice. That’s something I never would have guessed!

Thanks for a chance to win some gorgeous solid fabrics!

[Rafael's mum]

Thanks for taking part in the blog tour and a great interview. I like it you have asked some different sort of question than the obvious ones and enjoyed reading the answers. I have not as yet worked with totally solids but after doing the entire tour am really inspired to use more solids and to make one of Cherri's quilts. I am definitely going to, just a question of slowly assembling... the choice of pattern, the book, the fabrics etc... and then GO! It will most definitely be on the list..

[elena]

What a wonderful giveaway Jessica. Thanks for sharing :D Love cherri's quilts her work is amazing.
Is it open to international readers? If so count me in please, I would love to win
:)
I do not have stash on solids. Only a little pieces and I made 4 placemats for my family. It would be great to have all this solid bundle to make a quilt using one of Cherri's patterns.
Fingers crossed.
Warm regards

Elena

[siobhan toner]

I've just finished my first quilt top with mainly solids but with a bit of Timber for an accent! I'm just piecing the back with more of the solid and offcuts from the front. I'm very pleased with the effect.

[Shayla Sharp]

Hmm, can't laugh at the Barbie pink--my family about fell over when I brought home some soft pink kitchen pots. Guess they got used to my preference for blues (and stainless steel pots, lol). I usually use solids to make the prints pop out or to give me a place for embroidery--before I started looking at Cherri's designs I think I only had 5 solids in a room full of fabrics. I'm going to have to remedy that now!

[Hannele]

Sofar I haven't made any quilts with solids only, I've only mixed them with commercial patterned and selfdyed fabrics. Seeing Cherri's quilts makes to want to do one with them :)