the mission

The mission--which I chose to accept--is to create a special quilt for the office of a client of mine. They loved this quilt--rivers of green. Just the right size and shape. Just the right amount of motion. But are the colors ones that work for them? Is it too "cold" for their space?

river of green--36x36"--Ann Brauer 2014

After all, it is a quilt that will be in the office of the administrator. She will be looking at it every day. The clients will be coming in and associating this quilt with the office. It must be just right. They send me the colors of the office and a link to their web site. So helpful. This is a custom order so I should get a feeling for the space.

I suggest that since they use the concept of an olive branch in their work, maybe the quilt should reflect an olive branch. Great idea. But they can't quite visualize it. Can I send some colors? Sure.

What is the color of a black olive? Look at it. Sort of a combination of reds and purples, browns. How to add just the right amount of sparkle to the olive? There wasn't a good fabric I could find that was just "olive". I add snippets of fabrics to give them an idea.

Ann Brauer

Then I start to worry. (I do that a lot with a custom order anyway.) Are these the right colors? Even if they are--will the customer be able to visualize that this will really result in an "olive" river?

Well, there is only one good way to test it. So I decide to start.

Ann Brauer

 Is this too busy? How do the colors work? Again I know the quilt will change as it grows.

Ann Brauer

 Yes, I do like how the colors are beginning to flow.

Is blue the right color to surround the quilt? Again I am not sure. There is blue in the office. Well, I might as well make it. This quilt is not for them anyway. But for me. Certainly these are colors that will sell. And I do need lots of quilts. Next month I am doing the Berkshire Craft Show at Monument Mountain High School August 8-10 and then the American Craft Exposition in Evanston August 22-24. Yes, I will be busy.

Ann Brauer

And now I wonder. What if I used a lighter tan to surround the quilt? How would that look? Or maybe switched up the colors all together. So many possibilities. What if the olive were more purple and the outside more beige? How would that look? Don't you love how one quilt can inspire others? Does this happen to you? And what will the clients think?

For those in the area, do check out the Berkshire Craft Show--now in its 41st year. http://www.berkshirecraftsfair.org  and the American Craft Exposition at http://www.americancraftexpo.org. Hope to see some of you there.