Could some of you that do machine embroidery tell me if Red, Blue or Green work is the same as Toile work. I am wanting to do a quilt using soild color thread and not sure if the above is the same. Will need to order designs so think I will need to know which to order. I did order some from EL that is called Toile flowers. By the way they stitch out beautiful.

I'm just developing a love for Toile fabric, but I've never heard of Toile work. I'll be interested to hear what others have to say.

I love Toile as well since I'm a big fan of french country deco. I made a quilt, by embrodering 8' sqs in a french blue, design of birds and bird houses. Lot of detail work, then I used various shades of blue fabric for alternating sq's. This quilt is queen size. I then made praie points in blue and white gingham check, so the border of my quilt look like a picket fence. I love this quilt and I've recieved alot of compliments on it. To me Toile is similar to redwork, to me anyway. It's just useing a color you like and go crazy with just that one color. I did and it turned out great. GO FOR IT.

Edited to say; Just guessing here since I don't have an embroidery machine, but I would think Toile is more of an allover design while redwork, bluework, etc. is of just one subject.

Becky,

Thanks for your reply......wish you could post a picture of it. I am wanting to start one the first of the year and gathering ideas. I liked the idea of placing prairie points around the border. I am rather new at quilting, have found it to be such a challage yet love it.
Beth

Yes your right about Toile, it is a all over design, As to where red work, blue work, etc, seems to me to be of a theme. At least thats what I've seen of red work, Thats why I choose bird houses and birds, all different, but all the same color. I don't have a embrodery machine. All of my embrodery is done by hand. I like to embroder as well. I wish I could show pictures as well, My son has a camera that takes pictures, and he can post them as well, As soon as I finish my Christmas quilt, he said he would be happy to take some pictures of my quilts so I can post them. I also have a quilt I made for my gran-daughter thats made out of old hankies, and old dollies that are embroider, I love gargage sales AND FLEA MARKETS, I find some neat stuff, as well as estate sales where I get garbage bags full of fabric, for just a few dollars.

Becky, I'm looking forward to seeing some of your artwork. I'm always inspired by the work of others.

GeeGee
As you are inspired by others artwork, So am I, I love to look and see color display, I love to feel the work as well, sometimes tho it's not possible. I have found through my years of quilting, I lean more towards a message or a picture, I have in mind. I get an idea first, then I pursue how to relay the idea on a quilt. Thats another reason I love applique so well, I can draw out my idea, in pieces and combine them together to create the thoughts or pictures in my head. My family and friends tell me I visualize in my head, They will say to me " How can you see that in your head'. I tell them all, it's a gift that the Lord blessed me with. But I find that quilters all have that blessing, So I feel that I'm in a group that the Lord put me in, And it is a special group that can relay their feelings in material art. Aren't we blessed?

Becky, we are blessed indeed :D ! My process tends to be I see a quilt and it makes me think of a partucular person, then I just have to make it for that person. Of course aspects get changed in the process and it doesn't end up looking much like the original.

GeeGee

Is'nt it neat tho how a quilt will take up it's own design and personality, You start with a pattern or picture and the finished product is alway a little different. It takes upon it's self, it's own life so to speak.

I have been reading GeeGee and Becky's posts with great interest. I make samples for a local quilt shop, and am amazed at how many of the customers want exactly what I used in the sample. The samples are usually meant to highlight a new fabric line, and I chose a pattern based on that premise. My inspiration usually comes from seeing someone elses use of a pattern and then make it my own. I guess I thought everyone did that. I don't want my quilt to be a copy of someone elses, but a creation of mine. Does that make sense? What are your feelings? So many of the shop's customers request we cut them a kit of the finished quilt and I am sure that is great for the shop, but I am still surprised by the fact they don't visualize another option.

When I think about making a quilt, I'm like you, I don't want it to be a copy of someone else's. But I look at the colors brought together, the placement of the color, How one color looks next to the other, How the color makes me feel when I look at it. So I'll usually go with maybe the color scheme, or pull colors that I see from it. Then I'll decide what picture I want to create. When I'm going to make a quilt for a friend or family member, I think about what the person likes, Ex' I'm going to make a appliqued Black Eyed Susan quilt for a friend of mine, Her favorite flower is the Black Eyed Susan, And it's going to be for her bed, so it's got to go with the colors of her bedroom, Which are red,blue,yellow, The only black will be the prominent cone of the Black Eyed Susan, But I'll want to add some pizazz to this quilt, so I will add various beads to my appliques, I started using some beads and various other trinkets to my quilts about a year ago, I have since discovered that other people doing this as well. I did'nt copy this from anyone else it was an idea of my own, Don't get me wrong I have copied ideas before, but not this one. I want to create MY OWN, I hope that dosen't sound pious, I find that way I'm really giving of myself. I think fear keeps people from stepping out of the box. Dose this help any. Believe me I have a head full of ideas..........

Amen, Becky. I also pull from others ideas, but tweak them. I tell folks that I haven't a creative bone in my body. The truth is, inspiration is all around. We got a new line of fabric recently, that couples tuquoise and a rusty burgundy. Never in my wildest dreams would I have put those colors together, but it really is a pretty line. That line has given me another option that would not have come to me otherwise. Some day in the future, that combination will come to me when I least expect it.

Sometimes I see unusual color combinations in magazines that I really like; I cut the pictures and save them in a folder. If I want, I can use that combination in a quilt by trying to have the same % amount of colors as in the picture. Does it make sense?
Lucia

Lucia, that is a great idea! These designers are paid to come up with this stuff. That must mean they know what they are doing. Artists keep idea books, why not quilters? You have given me something to think about.

Lucia, my new favorite color combo is brown and pink! Haven't made a quilt in these colors yet, but it's on my list of things to do.

Hi Boo
No need to think about! Just do it and enjoy. The only thing I do is to mention the color inspiration source. I love to give credit wher it is due.
Lucia