It is always amazing to me how many different blacks there are. You really see the difference when you look at all of the different black solids out there each company is a little different.
These beauties were in my garden this year. I didn't know they would be almost black. So beautiful....
Have a great day!
XOXOX
Valori
There is something about this orange that makes me think of winter... warm fires and hot cider.
I think I am finally on the up side of the flu...This time of year is so hard with the kids and the germs...
Hope you have a great day!!
XOXO
Valori
Steel... soft greys.. beautiful sun aged wood.
Even though the name implies metal...
This time of year is very grey in Central Oregon...so I love to try and find some simple beauty within Winter. The sage brush stalks on a wet morning hike stood out beautifully along the side of the trail. My husband and dog patiently waited for me to snap some photos.
Have a great day!
XO
Valori
Purple...Kona Solid... a very royal color. (Not one I take a lot of photos of.....) It is very dark and rich leaning to the blue side of the color spectrum.
Finishing Purple with a little words of wisdom with a purple push pin!
Have a great day!
XO
Valori
One of my biggest challenges is naming colors and designs... I named all of the Blueprint Basics a couple of years ago and I have no idea why I came up with Chinese Blue for this Stacked Books design. I love the color....I saw a lot of it in Morocco. So, so, many blues in Morocco, which is one of the colors I struggle to find in my library of photographs. I now look for blues all the time...
I normally only use my photography in the Color of the Week but this painting really spoke to me and I thought it was a perfect example of Chinese Blue....
Have a great day!!!
XO
Valori
Starry Night.... dark blue grey... the color of early night.
This last image is from Morocco, the Peacock Pavilions....every night we would walk past this pool and to the left of the lights to a path that lead to our rooms. This sight was different every time I walked by. To say the lease I have tons of images of it.
Have a great day!
XO
Valori
Concord Grape is a very blue purple....with a hint of grey. Rich and deep with complexity...
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you all!!!
Wishing you a beautiful rest of 2014...
xoValori
Basil....a dark, rich green.
A great color to use as a dark in quilts rather than black or dark blue. Sometimes it is good to take a look at our common go to colors and push your comfort zone. Of course it makes me hungry for Tomato, Basil and Motzerella on a warm sunny afternoon in August.
Have a great day!
Try something out of your comfort zone today...
XOXO
Valori
Charcoal... I think is my favorite piece of Blueprint Basics. Black and white photography is my first love. When I am desiging either a quilt or fabric design I use a gray scale to see what my color values are up to...
Once in a while turn your camera to black and white and see what the world looks like.
XO
Valori
Moss
Deep in the forest under the canopy of trees you will find moss...It has a luxurious quality within the texture and color.
Have a great day!!
XO
Valori
I am running late on Color of the Week this week.... Jet lag has taken over my life the past two days... But my adventure to Morocco was a trip of a lifetime and I would do it again tomorrow.
Coastal Fog reminds me of a overexposed, old black and white photograph...I am excited to share a few images that I took in Morocco that make me think of Coastal fog...as far as a fabric goes this subtle beauty is a great neutral.
When you accidently push a button on your phone and take a photo... love a happy accident!
I am editing my photos from Morocco and can't wait to share this beautiful place and people with you.
Have a great day!
Xo
Valori
I am very excited to introduce you to Colored Happy... My quilt for the Kona 30th Anniversay.
I absolutely LOVE this quilt. Several years ago I found this magazine clipping of pillows that I thought would make a great quilt. The images has been tacked to my inspiration board ever since.
With all the 303 Kona Colors this was th perfect design to play with color. I fell in love with the new Kona solids and used them as my starting off point. The block itself is very easy to construct. It was a matter of playing with color. I choose 8 different color stories for the 25 blocks. This meant one of the color stories would have 3 blocks. I felt like this would set the balance of color just perfectly. (and I have a thing for odd numbers)
My biggest challenge Colored Happy was the quilting.....it is one of my favorite parts of the quilting process. There are times I run into a wall on what designs to quilt. I wanted to have the quilting add to the color and design of the quilt but not take over. With the variety of colors in the quilt how could I just pick one color to quilt with....I couldn't, so there are lots of colors in the quilting. The quilting designs are a mixture of "pebbles", curved organic shapes, and funky flowers.
The Kona 30th Anniversary Look Book....
Check out all of the beautiful quilts made by fabulous designers for the Kona 30th Anniversary Celebration.
The folks at Robert Kaufman are generously giving away Kona Charm pack with each blog posting over the 30 days. I picked the packet of new colors to give away to some lucky reader. Just leave a comment and you will go into a drawing to win this beauty....A great start to making Colored Happy. Colored Happy is a free pattern that can be downloaded from Robert Kaufman. (the give away is open for 24 hours starting at 10 a.m. pacific time Wednesday, November 19, 2014)
Have a great day!!!
XO
Valori
Apple of my eye! This green is a granny smith apple...the best apple pie and a fresh, crisp color...
Have a great day....
XO
Valori
Bamboo
I truly have come to LOVE this color... Yellow has come a long way from "sunshine" and "lemon"....a nice bold gold with a hint of green...the new yellow!
I am off to Morocco today for an Artist Retreat. My stomach is filled with butterflies of excitment and nerves.... it will be a trip of a life time for me.
Have a great week!!!
XO
Valori
I am so excited to introduce my new book to you....
My Life in Fabric with Valori Wells
My life has always been in fabric. The Stitchin' Post opened in May of 1975 by my mom, Jean Wells. I was a year and a half. I don't remember anything else. Although I strayed from fabric as I studied photography and printmaking in college. Coming home and being in the shop or mom's studio kept textiles in the forefront of my life. After college and photographing two quilting books for my mom I found myself embracing fabric in a new way.... I wanted to design it. To create beautiful fabrics. My first collection of fabric was released in 1998 - Shades of Serenity a collection based on my black and white photographs. Fast forward.... 2014..... My life in Fabric is a collection of projects and techniques based on my love of fabric and how I like to create from Silk screening to block printing... painting and embroidery and recycled sweater owls....
I hope you enjoy a peak at my book....it is full of my love of fabric as much as my life...
Trinity....
This was my favorite photoshoot on the edge of the creek.....Just how I imagine a romatic picnic with someone you love.
Baker's Twine....
Screen printing and embroidery...
Block printing....
Studio Birds
Waterside
The Wave....
Painting on fabric...
Karavan
The Owls...
Sundresses.....
I have to end with these two.... my beautiful girls. My family - including my village - have been so amazing during the process of creating this book. It is a long journey and I couldn't of done it without them.
XOXO
Valori
