Tartan

There are pure or primary colours and colours that have either black added(shades) or white added(tints) I would consider low volume fabrics to be colours with white added to make light tinted fabric.

DDuMouchel

No, I hadn't heard! Wonderful news. I was so sad when "The Coop" closed, I spent a good amt. of time and $$ there.

How did you hear about the new shop? Any idea where it's going to be? Please make an announcement here when it opens -- I didn't know about the little shop in Murrieta until a couple weeks before it closed!

craftyheart2

I think it is my quilt Donna has fallen in love with (posted on Stashbusters). I bought some new fabrics but also was able to use a lot of my older stash.

Maureen NJ

Thanks for posting link. I got lost there for awhile. Beautiful quilts. I had never heard of the term. When I first read, I thought thin cotton, sheers. Now I'm educated, ha, ha. Interesting discussion.

dlsnaples

Craftyheart2, I like your quilt I find it calming.

joyce888

Thanks for the education everyone. I had never heard of it either. I have a couple of fabric bundles gathered for quilts that would fall into this category; but looking over my history of fabric choices and colors they are not in my comfort zone.

Judi in Ohio

I guess I still don't understand what it is. Looked at the pics on pintrest and it isn't neutrals - doesn't seem to be about color at all.

joe'smom

I'm intrigued by this concept, and spent quite a bit of time yesterday reading up on it. I think I have a better understanding now. One article noted two categories of low volume fabrics: First, fabrics in muted, soft colors, and second, small prints, possibly in a bright color, with the white/off white background predominating, which read as solids from a distance. Another writer thought the crux of the concept was the use of these low volume prints in place of solids. I think use of prints as background has been standard practice in traditional patterns, but modern quilts tended to use more solids.

The big difference to me is the lack of value contrast. One thing that was usually emphasized in the quilting books I read, was the idea of using a range of values when planning a quilt; and of course, with traditional patterns, one needs a contrast in value in order for the pattern to emerge. In low volume quilting, the pattern takes a back seat to the aesthetic, because there is little overall contrast. The phrase makes sense to me in auditory terms (turn down the volume), but also in terms of proportion -- if you imagine this type of print as, say, dancers in a ballroom, it isn't a crowded dance floor.

I'm thinking of low volume as the quilt you want when you have a headache (i.e., 'Could you please turn that down, I have such a headache.') It's restful to the eye, because contrast makes the eye work.

maviskw

Yes, it's about color. Those quilts have very few dark colors. Most have none. The whole quilt looks muted. I think it is a very nice look.

quiltingbuddy

This really is an interesting discussion. Thanks for the visuals to those of you who posted pics & links, they helped me understand. I had never heard of low volume quilts either, but I really like them. It's not exactly like working with neutrals or pastels but a bit on that order. I never have enough lights in my stash so I would have to search around also if I were going to make one, but doesn't a shopping trip sound fun?

Beautiful quilt CraftyHeart! The pattern looks simple and fun too!