Warp and Weft gets a makeover

Throw size Spectrum Warp and Weft kits are available from Piece Fabric Co.

I'm sure most of you know the Warp and Weft quilt was my first pattern release, and while I love picking colours, being a newbie quilt designer, I probably didn't think through how hard it might be for other people to choose their own for this quilt. Consequently, I only ever saw versions of the original colourway, inspired by the cochineal dyes and weaving of Oaxaca. You can see my photo journal of making the original Kaffe Fassett, Rowan shot cotton one here.

I figured if I was ever going to choose new colourways for the Warp and Weft pattern, then lockdown 2020 was going to be the time. My first ideas were for a version in blues and greens, and while the Rowan shots are plentiful in reds and pinks there were nowhere near enough cool colours, so I needed another perennial range of fabrics – one that was always going to be available. I didn't have to look far in Oakshott. 

Michael at Oakshott sent me the swatches – thankfully before the mail system completely ground to a halt – and I spent multiple sessions on the floor like this playing with colour gradations. I even tried to recreate the original cochineal colourway in Oakshott and looking at this pic now, I might still write it up...

a quilt folded lengthwise on the floor surrounded by coloured fabric swatches some lined up to match the quilt

One of the harder things in developing this pattern is representing the colours properly in the PDF so you, the maker, can see as accurately as possible how the finished quilts might look in these fabrics. That's where this handy little Aussie gadget comes in. It's called a Cube


Basically you rest it against any coloured surface and it reproduces the colour breakdown in an app. I thought it might struggle with the shot cottons given the warp and weft are different colours in the weave, but I have to say the representation is pretty damn accurate! Certainly more accurate than I could have achieved myself by eye. Lately I've been using it to detect colours in a painting that I'm going to get the paint shop to reproduce as a wall colour – stay tuned for that one.

Once the blue was done I couldn't resist returning to Oaxaca for another colourway. This time I looked to the painted buildings of the city. We seem to be so frightened of colour in the anglicised world. In Australia we're constantly told to keep our house interior colours neutral to increase the value at resale – BORING! I love the approach in Oaxaca where colour is added to everything.

So now the pattern is updated with both the Ocean and the Spectrum colourways I'm already seeing people having fun with it and doing their own thing. Karen made her version of the Spectrum throw with a decidedly gelato combination of Tilda chambray fat quarters and Tilda dots. I love this addition of a common patterned fabric in each row.

Cheri decided to take the new elements of the wallhanging (pictured below) and a Kona Bird of Paradise pack and expand it. Aren't the colours delicious? They have me dreaming of hot summers here in winter Melbourne. Head over to Cheri's Instagram feed to see the final layout she came up with. 

Kendra at Piece Fabric Co has put some kits together for the Spectrum throw here and I do happen to know from a customer that she sorted the fabrics for a queen size Spectrum this week which I can't wait to see!

I'm so glad these new colourways are out of my head and updated in the pattern. What other fabrics can you imagine using for a version of the Warp and Weft?

New wallhanging layout – Autumn colourway.
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