Bargello Time Update
 

Ok, I took out the non batik fabrics and added more batiks. I sorted according to color as suggested. This is how it looks now. Remember I need 24 colors. HELP ME!! I'm so lost. What would y'all pick?

I am closely watching your progress. Picking the colors intimidates me and I can hardly wait to see yours. These fabrics are wonderful and I'm expecting the board members to help you figure this out. I wish I could help.

What is the pattern you are using.. it affects the "color runs or sequence " .

Oops, forgot it's the surf song bargello

everything is close to the same 'value' ... you need a balance of lights, mediums and darks to help it 'flow'. from what I am seeing you have maybe 3 lights- everything else is medium/darks. sometimes it helps to take a picture of all of the fabrics- stacked like you have them- then print it off in grayscale- then the color does not *interfere* and you can see the values of the fabrics. they are nice colors but you need to find some more lights, & lighter mediums or darker darks- most of your fabrics are the same value-even though you have a variety of color.

I really understand what Ckcowl is trying to say. I just took a picture of the screen with black and white. All of the yellows kind of vanish into mush. That's great info for future reference.

To see the value of fabrics, copy them on a black & white copier/printer. All the fabrics will appear different shades of grey on the copies. You can then sort the actual fabrics according to light, medium and dark and add as needed to each shade. You can also use a piece of red acetate (sold in quilt notions area) to view the fabrics through. The red color makes the fabrics appear grey. Hope this helps.

Yes, I agree, you need more lights in your collection. Love the fabrics you do have! Can't wait to see the finished quilt.

Anita

I don't like the turquoise (6th from right, bottom row) next to the other greens.

I just finished a surf song bargello. I did mine in greens and blues. Honestly....I let my quilt shop owner pick the fabrics as I was intimidated by 24 fabrics :o Good luck with your quilt!

The pattern Surf Song works with 2 basic colors that run from dark to light. You need to choose the 2 colors you like, then choose various shades of those 2 colors. I noticed that you had a lot of orange, you could work with orange, going from a dark orange and work down to a pale orange ending with a yellow orange. The second color should be a color that appeals to you and compliments the orange. Also, working from dark to light of that color. These 2 colors are repeated every other row. So, you would need 12 shades of orange and 12 shades of your second color. Like brown, starting with a dark brown and coordinating 12 shades of brown down to a beige. The look of the waves in the quilt will be a repeat of orange and brown, then orange and brown until complete. If you look at the pattern, you will see it is done in 2 basic colors in dark to light shades. Hope this helps. Susan

Oh, now I get it. I'm trying to work too many colors in it. Why didn't I figure that out sooner? I love this board. Now back to my colors. Will post another pic when I get more. Wow, my batik stash is growing,

Can you take # 9 in the front row and place it in # 5 or 6 in the back row? - wherever it fits by value. Then intermingle the browns in the front row with the yellows or the oranges - where ever they look best? That will give you 4 colour groups of eneven numbers of fabrics and I think your quilt will look great.
Eileen

Yesterday, I posted a response to you regarding the surf song quilt. I stated that the quilt had two basic colors, per the pattern, which should be divided into 12 variations of the two colors. I doubled check the pattern instructions and I wrongly stated that the 24 colors were equally divided. The pattern calls for 16 fabrics in your main color group and 8 in a similar color group. Fabrics in each color group should range from light to dark. Sorry for the mix up. Don't forget to make a color chart. It is really helpful. I have made bargello quilts before and they lots of fun and beautiful. Susan

Now I'm really confused. My head hurts from trying to sort these colors. I want to finish this, but maybe I better walk away from it for a bit.

I am speaking from a rag rug business that I sold. You need to have a high contrast of dark surrounded by an abrupt change to light. That will catch your eye. I'd take that dark brown and surround it with the bright yellows, then take the oranges and let them fade out, first lighter then next not so lighter, then to next daker then the greens. The bright high contrast of dark brown and bright yellow will catch your eye. But this is just my HUMBLE opinion. Marcia

I love your color selection. Looking forward to seeing the finished project.

What do you think of this arrangement? The top row is extras. I think.

As per Battle Axe's opinion, you still need to move around the fabrics. I like her humble' opinion.

I really like ckcowl's suggestion on the copying of the fabrics. I will definitely be using that in the future.
Thanks, ckcowl!

I am not sure that the purple one goes with the rest as it than goes to red. The way I understand the Bargello you need a transition on to another color.

I learned in a college art class a long time ago to arrange your colors in an "earth to sky" setting, for example your darkest colors, like blacks and browns at the bottom, work your way up to yellows, light blue, white at the top. Greens, reds, orange, pink, purples in the middle. Makes your eye gently flow up without a harsh demarcation. Ever notice how a vase is usually shaped narrow at the bottom, wider at the top--kinda like vapor dissipates as it rises. This is how I try to set my colors when I'm overwhelmed, and it's always worked for me. Maybe this will help you.

What ckcowl is saying - -

When I do the 'blurred vision' thing - the greens 'merge' into one color - the same thing happens with some of the other colors -

I'm not sure if I can post this link, but this is the quilt I was trying to replicate

http://www.amishcountrylanes.com/Pages/hs1965.shtml

Your fabric arrangement is much better this time, but the pale green and mustard yellow right after the dark brown still seem out of place.

I think you could probably use your first three in the top row in the sequence after the dark gold or between the orange and the dark brown. It seems like there needs to be more browns in the sequence if you are trying for the Amish one you linked to.

Getting everything in its proper place can be both fun and frustrating. Lol! But well worth it.

This is going to be very pretty!

I agree with dunster. But your values look a lot alike. You need to have lights, medium and darks. I don't necessarily agree that you only have to use two colors in Song Surf. But you do need variation in values. Sometimes it takes me months before I am pleased with the results of the fabrics I picked. I would also suggest you lay out the width of your fabric and see if that is pleasing to your eye. GOOD LUCK!!!