Synnove

I've long admired the delicate beauty of low volume quilts -- that is to say, quilts with soft colors and little contrast, often with fabrics that have open, airy designs. Is there such a thing as a "high volume" quilt, say something made with dark fabrics that have very little contrast among them? I think a quilt like that would look rich and dramatic. Have any of you designed or made something like this?

petthefabric

High and low volume refer to amount of value contrast. A high volume has a high amount of volume contrast.

petthefabric

High volume

joe'smom

The term 'low volume' seems to be understood in a number of ways. I've always understood the term to refer to prints that show a lot of neutral colored background space (white or cream) around a sparsely populated small design. They serve just as any neutral background fabric would, but provide more liveliness and interest than a solid or tonal when used as background in traditional quilts. Or in other words, they make for a busier quilt. When I've seen quilts labeled 'low volume', they have been entirely made up of these kinds of fabrics. I would also think of a baby quilt in soft colors with lots of white space as low volume. I haven't heard of 'volume' as referring to contrast until now.

I have a pattern called 'Great Wall' by Janine Burke that seems similar to the color wash quilt people are discussing here. It is as you described, dark fabrics with little contrast that look rich and dramatic. All of her designs seem to be 'high volume.'

wesing

If I understand your description I think something like this would qualify. Also I think a lot of Amish quilts would.

Synnove

Yes, exactly. I have an old quilting book, likely out of print now, with a photograph of an envelope quilt done in somber colors like burgundy, dark green, navy, and purple. It's stunning, and I would like to make one. A quick look on my bookshelves yielded nothing, so I'll have to hunt for the book. Hope I can find it.

ktbb

Most Kaffe Fassett quilts would count as high volumn